Innocently.
Matter of fact.
Because it’s the truth.
See how easy it is, Kyle? Just tell the truth for a change.
Don’t spin a story or give a business proposal. Just tell her how you feel and why you’re in her town in the first place.
“What?” Jacinta asks, looking at me questioningly.
I must have muttered under my breath louder than I thought.
“It’s nothing,” I sigh. “Just a long drive followed by a longer day so far, I guess.”
Suddenly feeling like maybe I don’t need to tell Jacinta everything in one sitting.
Maybe I can just start with her, and we can work our way to everything else in time.
“Didn’t you have to make some calls?” she reminds me.
I could try to joke about my archaeologist friend who needs her help, but she’s right. If I’m gonna focus on her, on us, I’m gonna have to call some people in from Lundstrom to come in and handle the preliminary offers.
I wanted to be a little more discreet, do it on my own. But I don’t want to talk people out of their homes for less than they’re worth right now.
I want Jacinta. All of her.
The houses and town be damned.
“I was kinda hoping we might pick up where we left off… in those bushes?” I say.
Aware of her shift in mood as soon as I mention, it looks like both of us have something we’re not telling the other.
“You do still want to?” I ask her, glad when her head jerks a nod but confused by what happens next.
“So c’mere,” I growl, patting the spot on the bed next to me, already feeling my true feelings for Jacinta springing to life again, tightening at the front of my jeans.
I figure maybe everything can wait until tomorrow.
But she seems suddenly distant, almost cold.
“What’s the matter?” I ask, genuinely puzzled. “Was there a spider or something in the bathroom?”
She shakes her head in a no, but there’s something bothering her.
“It’s just.”
“I guess.”
Both of us start to speak at the same time and smiling, I tell her to go first.
At the exact moment, she tells me to go first.
Looking up at the ceiling with a dry laugh, I figure I should come clean.
About my feelings for her at least.
The work stuff can wait until morning.
The next few hours I wanna spend getting to know Jacinta much better than just having her stroke my rod in the bushes.
I want to show her how I really feel.
How a girl like her should really be pleasured.
And after that we can have that bath, maybe order dinner in.
“I just want you to know that although I just met you, I really do feel something special. Between us,” I tell her, knowing it shouldn’t come as any surprise to her.
I saw her eyes in those bushes.
I saw the way she looked at me, let alone how hungrily she was stroking me. But it feels like the more I talk, the more distant she gets until I finally just ask her point-blank.
“Jacinta, what is it? Did I do something to upset you?”
She looks ill again, turning almost gray as she starts to pace the large suite, wringing her hands.
“Jesus. Look, Jacinta. Whatever it is I’m sure we can—”
“It’s not you, it’s me. Okay?” she blurts out, loudly. But I’m not worried about any nosy desk clerk.
I’m worried about Jacinta.
How could she be red hot one minute, then ice queen the next?
She’s my queen. Not some frozen ice princess…
“I get it,” I tell her, speaking aloud as quickly as the very thought occurs to me.
I’ve used enough reverse psychology in my sales career to know what’s what here.
“It’s because I’m an older guy. Old enough to be the dad who walked out on you, is that it?” I ask her point-blank.
It’s a little harsh, yeah, but dammit, if I’m not on the sharp end of a hook here.
One minute she’s bringing me off in the bushes, the next when I get her alone, she’s all winter in July on me.
“I understand,” I sigh. “If you really can’t see yourself with a forty year old man, then I guess I can understand.”
Even though I don’t, and I never could. I don’t believe it and I won’t. Deep down I know she feels something for me. I just have to get her to see it.
“Dammit! You’re mine, Jacinta,” I affirm loudly, forgetting everything I just said as I move towards her.
“Mine!”
There’s no resistance from her because she knows I’m telling the truth.
‘Understanding’ how she couldn’t or wouldn’t want me? That’s just bull.
Whatever else is going on inside that pretty head of hers we can work out, but for now, I’m just gonna take the reins.
Show her how I feel instead of talking about it.
Taking charge of Cherry right now, by taking charge of its most precious and valuable asset.