Chasing Trouble (Chasing Love 1)

She nodded, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. He had forgotten she hated blood, one of several things he’d learned about JJ when she was a gangly teenager. JJ never once shed a tear all the times he’d picked her up, upset about a spat with her mother, and taken her to Lily. Even at fourteen, she had hated showing weakness, a trait that obviously followed her into adulthood. Which was why he didn’t push when she steered the conversation back to talking about his rodeo career.

“Lily was hysterical when you got injured in Houston,” she said, tugging on that lush bottom lip with her teeth.

That had been a rough ride, and one of the rankest bulls he ever had the misfortune to draw. He’d landed in the hospital with a broken leg, a fractured wrist, and three broken ribs. “I still made it to eight though.”

“That you did.”

After he finished patching her up, they both looked at her hand. Okay, Colt looked at her chest, then her hand. Her crisp, white button-up hugged her breasts and fit tight around her middle. She must have left the meeting and gone straight to the bar.

The few times he had visited Diamond in the past, he had caught glimpses of JJ. Once walking down the street, another at the grocery store. She’d never seen him, partly because he made a point to generally stay out of sight from most everyone. Also, when he had seen her, the same feeling came over him that did tonight. Lust.

From what he’d seen, she dressed conservatively. Never revealing too much, always sensible. Always appearing collected and controlled. The woman could try all she wanted with her professional style, but she just ended up looking like a naughty librarian in desperate need of a spanking.

She looked up at him, her eyes big and unguarded and—aw, man, his gut turned inside out and his cock went into overdrive.

“Thanks for getting me tonight, Colt,” she whispered.

Neither spoke for a long moment. They both just stared at the other. Not good, Colt thought as he cleared his throat and pushed to his feet. If they sat like that for even a second longer, things were bound to get complicated—and really fucking messy. He didn’t do complicated. He did, however, like getting messy with a beautiful woman. But Lily would have his balls if he made a move on JJ.

“Let’s get you all tucked in. Your flight leaves early. Do you have a rental waiting back at the bar?”

“No. I took a cab.”

He led her to his bedroom. She took one look at his bed and raised a brow.

Yeah, bad move. All he wanted to do was throw her on the mattress and fuck her until they both passed out from the pleasure. Wasn’t going to happen.

“The spare room is Alex’s. He has a nice little race car bed, but I figured you’d be more comfortable in here.”

Why did the thought of her sleeping, just sleeping, in his bed make his cock twitch?

“Where will you sleep?”

“I’ll hit the couch.”

She looked him up and down, then bit her bottom lip. If he didn’t know better, he’d think she did it to physically keep herself from admitting something. Instead, she straightened her shoulders and said, “Thank you. Good night, Colt.”

“Night, JJ.”

…

Jenna rolled over. Again. She couldn’t get comf

ortable. The bed was fine enough, better than fine. But the sheets, the pillows, even the stupid air smelled like Colt McCade. Spicy and masculine and packed with panty-melting power.

After setting out a T-shirt and sweats, he had left and closed the door.

Jenna had been one syllable away from saying, Stay!

Though the alcohol had worn off, her thoughts were persistent as hell. Like every night before going to bed, she went over the day’s events. So much was riding on this grant. She replayed their words over and over, the polite way they told her she wasn’t good enough.

She was a child of Diamond herself and loved her community, but growing up had been rough. Though Jenna had spent her whole life staying on the straight and narrow, a deep-seated fear lurked at the back of her mind. What if she would only ever be seen as her mother’s daughter?

Then the little voice in her head whispered the one question that terrified her to the core: What if I’m just like my mother?

Miranda Justice was wild, crazy, and careless. Those were three things Jenna certainly wasn’t. Living in a small town, there were always eyes and ears nearby, thriving on gossip. Which was why she hardly dated and was rarely seen with a man. And if she was, she’d made sure he was the “right kind” of man. The kind who was simple, average, and didn’t attract attention. Because growing up, Jenna saw the kind of guys her mother kept company with. And so did the entire town.

All of Miranda’s men had been loud, shiny, and riddled with scandal. The kind who made your heart race and everyone take notice. Jenna wanted to be noticed only for certain things, and a man, her dating life, wasn’t one of them. Not that she had much of a dating life.