Valentine's Child by Nancy Bush Read Free Book Online Page A

wanted by the feminine gender. It was some kind of badge of honor for her, like having him be the captain of the football team or pitcher on the baseball team.
    But worse was the fact that Jake was glad Patrice had stepped in. It sure as hell made things easier. Tina finally stopped calling. He’d wondered about her over the years and found, to his astonishment, that his mother knew all about her. She’d made it her business. To date, Tina had married twice, borne a child by each husband, and was currently fighting an alcohol problem.
    Obsession. He swore to himself he would be more careful in the future. And when one night he discovered one of the most outrageous, on-the-edge senior girls in his bedroom, he nearly froze with inner panic. It was all he could do to maintain his cool and pretend the reason he wasn’t interested in a little recreational sex was because Mom and Dad were right downstairs.
    When Jake complained about the girls, his friend Ryan spoke plainly. “You’ve got it all, buddy. Money, looks and athletics. My dad always said it’d be a problem someday.”
    “Yeah, some problem,” Matt Hudson snorted. “Oh, J.J.,” he said in a falsetto, clasping his hands and batting his eyes. “You must do me right now or I’ll kill myself!” And he and Ryan both howled with laughter and envy.
    Jake gave up confiding in them, but the situation nearly scared him off girls entirely. He spent most of his time hanging out with Caroline and her wholesome friends. He grew to appreciate Caroline in a way he hadn’t before, and he became aware that her fondness for him was blossoming into romance and better yet, sexual desire. But his previous experience had made him cautious. Fooling around with Caroline would be prime disaster.
    Wasn’t there any girl who just wanted a good time, no strings attached?
    He was pondering that very issue in biology class one afternoon and when the bell rang he was so turned on he could scarcely think. His flock of admirers waited outside the door but they just made him feel tired and frustrated. Any one of them could be another Tina Phillips.
    He wanted something else, something fresh and exciting. Something to think about while he lay on his bed at night. Something to look forward to every morning and let his thoughts touch on throughout the day.
    His group walked with him down the hall, chattering like magpies and grabbing his arm and letterman’s jacket, generally being a royal pain in the butt. Briefly he flirted with the idea of taking one of them to bed, but no, that was disaster in the making. He couldn’t just blow them off, however; it wasn’t in his nature. So, he put up with their attention.
    And then he saw Sherry Sterling by her locker.
    Every time he noticed her, he’d been subjected to a frigidity that could have ended global warming for all time. She clearly hated him. And she’d come out of her shy cocoon to zing him with some sharp remarks that had left him feeling confused and angry and certain he was missing something. This time was no different. She made some remark about the way he spoke.
    What the hell was her problem, anyway? He turned to stare at her in surprise. This was the first time she’d dared to challenge him overtly. His admirers glared at her and made rude remarks, but she kept packing up her bags with unhurried regality and suddenly he wanted to crack that icy façade once and for all.
    Before he had time to think, he was in front of her, crowding her space, and although a hundred comments flashed through his mind he said only, “My dad and I are going to Pullman tomorrow to a Cougars game.”
    In fascination he watched the flush creep up her slim neck and burn her face. She wouldn’t look at him, however, so he stayed where he was, waiting, secretly glad this moment of confrontation had arrived. He’d been longing for it, he realized then. Biding his time. Hoping for an opportunity.
    The other girls faded from the site as if they’d