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A s and then relaxing "Yeah, I’d have to agree with that"

She glanced over at the Jeep and grinned as she wiggled her fingers "Have fun"

Waving good-­bye, I took a deep breath andthe passenger door from the inside Several locks of rich brown hair fell forward, brushing the tips of his lashes Luke Bryan crooned from the radio

"Hey there, pretty lady"

"Hey" I hoisted reeting And I figured that wasn’t very healthy Reaching for the seat belt, I looked over at hiawk

No shirt

Jase possibly--­and I illing to bet money I didn’t have on it--­had thedown, his abs were defined and appeared rock hard to touch My gaze traveled over the ropyof his tattoo

"Got it?" he asked, givingabout, I sihed softly as he reached over and took the seat belt from ers brushed asp as raw sensation skittered through my veins

The seat belt clicked into place as he lifted his chin His eyes flashed silver "Good?"

I nodded

Still grinning, he returned to his seat and picked up the pink box I only noticed then God, I wasn’t observant at all

He handed it over to , I popped open the box and took a bite I looked forward to the whole cupcake thing There was so what I was about to taste

One bite and I ?"

He nodded "Yep That’s good shit right there, huh?"

"I want to hed deeply as he eased the Jeep away from the curb I didn’t trust myself to speak until I finished off the cupcake and the thrill of his brief, andfromtoward Martinsburg

"Where are we going?" I asked

"It’s a surprise" He slidthe jeans Weatherhties this afternoon"

Which was unseasonably warm for early October, but whatever "I’rin tipped up "That you are"

Staring at hih burst free "Did you? That was really"

"Aweso like a complete fool "That was pretty bad"

He chuckled as he reached over, flipping the station to a blues channel "I thought it was s to be smooth, but luckily I stoppedaze to the , I clasped ?"

I cringed at how lame the question sounded, but Jase didn’t appear to notice "They’re going good As long as I can get into the rest of "

"That’s great" I smiled broadly, maybe a little too widely I had no idea what Jase planned to do once he graduated, but I doubted he was going to stay around here It shouldn’t even be a concern of raduate?"

Jase shifted in the driver’s seat, keeping one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting on his leg "Well, with a degree in environo anywhere, but I’ll stay here or coet on with the Departricultural research center outside of Kearneysville"

"You’re not leaving?" My question came fast

"I can’t," he said, and added quickly, "Iof his shoulders Nibbling ain "You can’t?"

He didn’t say anything as he reached forward, turning the station back to countryabout a tear in their beer, but I was hardly paying attention What could he havehiet in with the Departh his lanced over at e the subject

"Yeah You Are you going to stay around here?" The derision in his voice caused nation rose at his tone "What is that supposed to hed, but for so a bunch of ele toward hiet it You acted like teaching was a good idea and I--­"

"It is a good idea, but it’s not"

"What?" I de all kinds of defensive "It’s not what?"

"You" He glanced at ht onto Queen Street "It’s not you"

I stared at hih "That’s duer flared in me, and I didn’t dare look too closely at why "You barely know me, Jase"

"I know you"

I scoffed "No, you don’t"

That infuriating half grin appeared "Oh, Tess"

"Don’t ‘oh, Tess’ me I want to knohy you’re so convinced that I’d make a horrible teacher"

"I didn’t say you’d make a horrible teacher" Amusement danced over his face, and I wanted to knohat the hell was so funny "You’d reat teacher Kids would probably love you and maybe you’ll be happy with that, but that’s not what you want"

"In fact, I like being around kids Back at the studio, I volunteered to help out with the younger classes" Staring out the atched the shopping centers and apartive way to trees and then open fields "So whatever"

"Okay You’re not getting what I’hed "You’d reat teacher, Tess, but you’re ayou’re a performer That’s what you’ve alanted"