Mastering the Art of Love (The American Soldier Collection 2)

Jax smiled then looked at his watch.

“Just two more minutes,” he said as the buzzer on the desk went off. Jax smiled as he pressed the button.

“Let ’em in,” he said in response to his secretary stating that a package arrived.

The door opened and Jameson locked onto the kid in the skateboarding outfit. He wore sunglasses, a knit hat, and tight jeans with elbow pads and kneepads.

But then the kid gasped and he realized that it wasn’t a boy, it was a girl, and then it hit him.

“Sparks?” Jameson said as Jax walked behind her and closed the door. She stood there with a package in her hands and nibbled her bottom lip.

Jameson looked at Jax then back at Sparks.

Jax crossed his arms in front of his chest and stared down at her.

“Take off the glasses,” Jax stated very firmly, and Jameson knew that tone. Jax was in commanding mode and he wanted this woman. Hell, Jameson wanted her, too. She was all he could think about the last few days since the party.

“No,” she whispered.

“Do as he says, please,” Jameson added, and she released an annoyed sigh. She stepped forward and placed the box on Jax’s desk. Slowly she pulled off her sunglasses. Her cheeks were flushed, but her face was gorgeous, just like he remembered from the other night.

She pulled out a slip of paper and pointed it toward Jax. “Can you sign this please, Mr. Spaulding?” she asked with a bit of attitude, and Jameson wondered why she was annoyed with them. They had come to her rescue the other night when that asshole tried to touch her.

“Call me Jax, Mariana,” he whispered, and Jameson felt his chest tighten and Sparks looked shocked. Was that her real name? Mariana?

She took an unsteady breath as Jax moved closer. He reached for her knit hat as he held her gaze.

When he pulled the hat off her head an abundance of gorgeous brown curls cascaded over her shoulders. Jameson’s eyes widened.

“You’re stunning, Mariana,” Jax said then held her hat as he reached toward her face and twirled a curl around his finger. Her lips parted, as she stood there appearing so innocent and delicate as an angel.

“What do you want?” she asked softly.

“You,” both Jameson and Jax responded together. Jameson looked at Jax, and they stared at one another a moment. It hit Jameson hard but in a totally good way. His brother wanted to share Mariana. Holy shit, their discussion years ago in the desert was going to become a reality.

Mariana stepped back, grabbing her hat from Jax in the process.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not interested.”

Jameson instantly felt fear and an almost panicked feeling consume him.

“We want to get to know you,” Jameson said as Jax encroached on her space again.

“No. I need to go. I need this job,” she said as she reached for the doorknob.

“When can we see you again?” Jax asked as he pressed the palm of his hand against the door so she couldn’t open it. She stared up at him. Jameson could tell that she was fighting an attraction as she stared up into his brother’s eyes. She was just scared. Of course she was. She looked so young.

“I’m not that kind of woman and I’m not interested,” she said then stuffed her thick locks of brown hair under the tight knit cap.

“Please, just leave me alone.” She pulled the door open and started to head out. Jameson felt his gut clench. He had an overwhelming urge to stop her, but he didn’t want to scare her. If she wasn’t interested, then that was that. The thoughts made him feel defiant, as something inside him roared “no.”

“I’ll just ask for you to deliver something else again tomorrow,” Jax pushed. He was always so persistent. He stood tall, looking down at sweet, petite, Mariana. Jax found out her real name. What else did his brother find out?

“I’m not interested,” she stated again and walked out. They both watched her as she picked up her skateboard with a stomp of her foot. It flipped up, and she caught it and headed toward the elevator.

Look back, Mariana. Look back and let me know that you’re even the least bit curious.

A slow turn of her head as she glanced over her shoulder made Jameson feel triumphant. This isn’t over. In fact, Sparks, it’s only just begun.