Vibrant Heart: Book 1 in the Great Plains Romance Series by Corrissa James Read Free Book Online Page B

none of your damn business!”
    “I thought you were different. You seemed to have a brain. Clearly I was wrong.”
    “Did you just call me stupid?”
    Jake pretended to applaud her. “You were the one hooking up with Raymond at your father’s wedding reception.”
    Melanie screamed in frustration, throwing her arms out to emphasize her anger. “We didn’t hook up!”
    Jake took two steps toward her until he was standing just inches from her, forcing her to look up at him. “I know what I saw,” he hissed.
    “You saw me biting Raymond’s shoulder to get him off me.” She met his cold stare with one of her own, her voice emotionless.
    “Wait, what?” He took a step back, his anger replaced first with confusion, then disbelief.
    He glanced down at her chest, then back up at her face. This time she saw something else in his eyes: lust.
    Melanie glanced down to see that her robe had fallen open, revealing more cleavage than would ever be appropriate. She turned around as she hastily secured the robe once more, although she was really trying to hide her reaction to his obvious desire for her. “You heard me,” she said over her shoulder, willing her heartbeat to slow to normal.
    “Did he force himself on you?”
    She chewed on her bottom lip until she tasted blood, then chided herself. Why was she so nervous? And why the sudden urge to explain herself to Jake, whom she’d likely see only two or three times a year at best—assuming she came back at all? Surely she could withstand his surly glances at her for those few days. In fact, maybe the timing had been perfect after all. He would think that she still had feelings for Raymond, whom he clearly despised, and would leave her alone. No more unsuspecting kisses or public displays that only served to embarrass her. Melanie told herself this was the best outcome in the long run. So why didn’t she feel happier about it?
    “Look, Raymond has his own demons to fight. They’re none of your concern.”
    He grabbed her elbow and spun her around, pulling her so close that his lips were just inches from hers. “Did he?” He spoke through a clenched jaw, fighting to control his anger. The pure rage in his eyes scared her, especially as she was in a hotel room, naked under her robe, alone with this man.
    “Let go of me.” She sounded more confident than she felt.
    The grip on her arms tightened. “Tell me!” he snarled.
    Melanie straightened her spine and pulled back her shoulders, standing to her full height to look him squarely in the eye. “Let go or I’ll scream.” She spoke quietly, but she knew he didn’t doubt her for an instant.
    He stared at her, his eyes softening as well his grip. His jaw relaxed as his anger disappeared—no, not disappear, not exactly. More like he was tucking it back into place, hidden from the prying eyes of the world.
    Realizing that he was fighting his own demons, Melanie’s knees wobbled. She focused on staying upright as she fought an intense urge to pull him close to her and hold onto him, telling him that everything would be all right. She could see in the way he looked at her that he wanted the same thing.
    She inhaled a shaky breath, overwhelmed by the power of her desire for the man standing so close to her that she could feel the warmth of his body, smell the hint of beer on his breath. She wanted him, more than she had ever wanted any man. The realization was both exhilarating and terrifying. The only thing she was absolutely certain of was that if she went to bed with Jake Monroe, she’d never find anyone else to measure up to the intensity she felt with him. Her body was screaming for her to rip off her robe and throw herself at him, but she couldn’t move, afraid she might do just that. She looked into his eyes, willing him to understand, begging him to make the decision that she was afraid to.
    When he left her standing there and walked out the door, Melanie finally exhaled. She collapsed on the bed, wanting to