The Cost of Love Read Online Free Page B

when women kept coming on to me when I was obviously with you?”
    She took his hand, leading him along the street away from the club, her feet dancing to remembered music. “Especially then.” She tapped her finger on his chest. “You were awesome.”
    He smiled. “I’m glad you had a good time. I don’t go to clubs much anymore. It was fun being there with you.”
    She bit her lip and looked at the ground ahead of them as they walked. “At least you didn’t have any competition.”
    “Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea how many guys I had to stare down who had their eye on you, even before the band? I was afraid to leave you alone.”
    “You’re just teasing me now,” she said, smiling.
    He stopped walking, gently tugging on her hand to turn her towards him. “I’m telling the truth. Whether you realise it or not, you are a beautiful, sexy woman.”
    Charlotte gasped, staring up at him. There was no way he meant it. Was there?
    Before she could reply, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was so unexpected that she didn’t move. Then it was over as abruptly as it had begun and she was left staring up at him in shock.
    “Was that okay?” he said, searching her eyes.
    He hadn’t moved away and she could feel the heat of his body radiating between them.
    She drew in a shaky breath. “Yes. I mean, it was more than okay.” She dropped her gaze. “But I feel like you’re just doing this because you’ve been paid to be with me.”
    He touched his fingertips to her chin and raised her face to look at him. “We made a deal that you have to believe what I tell you. So you have to believe me when I tell you that I like you a lot, and there is nothing I would rather do right now than kiss you. And I really hope that’s okay with you.”
    She stared into his incredibly blue eyes while her stomach bounced around her abdominal cavity. “It really is,” she breathed.
    “Good,” he said, smiling as he dipped his head and brushed his lips across hers again.
    Despite his words, her brain kept insisting he was being paid to do it, for about five seconds. After that, his mouth somehow managed to suck every thought from her head.
    She couldn’t remember closing her eyes, but she opened them again when his soft exploration of her lips came to a sudden halt. He looked down at her for a moment, his gaze darkening, flicking between her mouth and her eyes.
    “Charlotte,” he whispered.
    He bent his head again, capturing her lips in an insistent kiss. His arms tightened around her, pulling her closer. Almost of their own volition, her eyes closed and her mouth opened. Immediately, his tongue swept in, entwining with hers.
    Forgetting why he was with her or what would happen once he was gone, Charlotte gave in to the passion burning at her core.
    As she stood in the middle of the street, oblivious to everything else around her, being thoroughly kissed by the most wonderful man she’d ever met, Charlotte knew that for the first time in her life, she was in love.
     
    _ _ _
     
    “Were they good?”
    “Hmm?”
    Jason was only vaguely aware of Rob’s question as he closed the door behind him. Lost in the memory of holding Charlotte in his arms, he smiled and brushed the fingertips of his right hand across his still tingling lips. With his left, he dropped his keys absently into the bowl next to him. They missed and clattered onto the floor.
    “If she wakes up, you’re on your own,” Rob said.
    Jason snapped back to the present and glanced at the white door as he bent to pick up the keys.
    “So, were Brakedown good?”
    “Yeah, they were good,” Jason replied. “Thanks for staying in so I could go. I owe you.”
    “Yes, you do. And I trust you will remember that the next time I have a hot date with a girl I’m crazy about.”
    “I’m not crazy about Charlie.” It sounded unconvincing, even to him. He went into the tiny kitchen, grabbed a packet of cheesy puffs from the cupboard, and