Page 10 (1/2)

When the ht hed as I fell onmy heart "Damn, Jack! Don’t sneak up onover or for his catchinghe caught it between his hands "Get up, Abby The cleaning staff does this crap, not you"

"I didn’t knohat to do Everyone left, and it was afor et out of here for a while" The rage in his eyes had died down to erab it

He’s just a friend Nothing ainst ht? Was this incredibly stupid? Jack was a friend--he’d been a good friend until I messed it up

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Without a word, Jack pulledthe shore for a while in silence TheThe breeze lifted ain It felt good to be near Jack again The artist stopped walking and sat down, patting the sand next to him for ht that illu s close todoesn’t normally happen around here" He shook his head, dark hair falling into his eyes "That wo Hell"

Carefully, I asked, "Who is she?" I gazed at the waves, watching Jack out of the corner of my eye

"She was a patron, back before I was successful" Working his jaw, Jack chose his words carefully "We were a couple for a while, but it didn’t work out She was pissed that I wouldn’t paint her, and then doubly pissed when the news hit the papers It didn’t ry" He paused for a lanced at me The expression on his facethat would be stupid, I wrapped s until my hands turned white

Jack’s expression softened He looked back at the water as he relived a piece of his past that he clearly wished hadn’t happened "Back then, I did things the way most painters did--the model was the patron And, well--you know--fine art has nudes But people said stuff, Abby, and I didn’t like what they were saying She was the first patron I turned down It turned out that it was better to separate things"

When he didn’t continue I asked, "What do you mean?"

"Just that--it’s better to keep stuff separate It see the patrons, not screwing the models--stuff that has the potential toup boundaries to keep your personal and professional lives apart" He glanced athis head "They failed to teachat hi back to the sea, I said, "Yeah, college kind of sucks like that They give you book smarts, but completely lack the ability to rand well spent" My tone was sarcastic School was a sore spot for ed when I said it, but I continued ra so he couldn’t ask why the hell I took out 300,000 in loans "You know--I couldn’t believe it--when I heard what you did That’s soe either It’s beyond incredible You turned down ave away your first windfall Who does that?"

"Masochistic people who are content being beggars," he replied, grinning His eyes were locked onabout his work that seehtened a little There was ato say soht in my throat His dark hair was tussled by the wind, his eyes endless orbs of blue "I don’t kno to treat you"

Surprised, I asked, "What?" S at him, my stomach fluttered "What do you mean?"

His hand was in the sand, next toup to me "We’re not the same as ere, but you still feel like the same old Abby But you’re not You’re a nun" I started to protest, but he waved onna say, but it’s so totally the same It means you’re off limits And what’d I do? I took a nun down to the beach I have a nun helping me paint nude women It’s weird" My heart sank, and I looked away froently touched my chin and turned my face back toward his His lips were parted, ready to speak, "And it’s wonderful, because it’s you You’re still Abby Tyndale, the girl I used to know" His touch lingered for a aze re to look away

I didn’t want to shatter theinto his eyes All the feelings that plagued htness in le The idea of his hands on ainst ht entered my head, I closed my eyes The connection broke The moment shattered Jack lowered his hand, and stared out at the sea

When the moment passed, I realized that I didn’t want it to I realized the truth in Kate’s words I still had the hots for Jack Gray