Forged of Steele Bundle (Books 1-4) - Brenda Jackson [131]
“How about a truce?” he interrupted her thoughts by asking.
“Another one?”
He chuckled. “They can only get better.”
That was exactly what she was afraid of.
“So what do you say? Truce?” he asked again, sticking his hand out.
She took it and immediately felt the heat between her legs get hotter. “Okay, another truce.”
At that moment Jocelyn hoped she hadn’t agreed to something she would later regret.
Chapter 7
Jocelyn felt the tap on her shoulder and slowly turned around to find Leah smiling at her. “Here. You look like you need this.”
“I do and thanks.” Jocelyn smiled and accepted the cup of steaming coffee and took a sip. Yes, she really did need it and nobody could make coffee like Leah. That was another thing she had missed when her sister had left. Sighing deeply, she turned back to look out the kitchen window.
“I heard you pacing the floor last night.”
Jocelyn turned again and met Leah’s gaze. “You did?”
“Yes.” Leah walked across the kitchen to lean against the counter. “I know I agreed to sell you my part of Mason Construction, but is something going on that I should know about?”
Jocelyn frowned. “Something like what?”
Leah shrugged. “Um, I don’t know. Anything. You paced the floor for a good thirty minutes or more.”
Jocelyn knew it was more, although she hadn’t been keeping time. “No, nothing is going on,” she said, and then shifted from Leah’s curious gaze to glance back out the window again.
She hadn’t been able to sleep because thoughts of Sebastian Steele kept invading her mind. For the second time she had allowed him to kiss her, and there were things about him that she didn’t know.
Last night at dinner he had talked freely about his brothers and cousins, but he hadn’t mentioned anything about himself. In fact, he seemed very careful not to do so. She was pretty convinced he wasn’t married and never had been, since he’d mentioned his brother Chance had been the only sibling who’d ever tied the knot. But what about a girlfriend or even worse, a fiancée? Men who looked like Bas usually weren’t unattached, at least not for long.
“Well, I’m going to take your word that everything is fine,” Leah said, glancing down at her watch. “I need to leave or I’m going to be late.”
Jocelyn quickly turned around. “You’re going somewhere?” she asked, noticing for the first time her sister was wearing slacks and a blouse and had her purse strapped to her shoulder.
Leah smiled. “Yes, don’t you remember? I told you last night when you came in that I made an appointment at Kate’s Beauty Salon.”
Jocelyn nodded. Oh, yes, she remembered now. Leah had mentioned it but at the time Jocelyn’s mind had been overtaken with memories of Bas’s kiss. “That’s right you did. How are you getting it styled?”
Leah chuckled. “I told you that, too. I even showed you the model in the picture I tore out of a magazine. You must have really been out of it last night.” She tipped her head to the side to study Jocelyn. “Is Marcella Jones still driving all of you nuts?”
“No, it’s not Marcella.”
“Then it must be Sebastian Steele.”
Hearing her sister say Bas’s name had Jocelyn’s heart pounding. “Why would you think that?”
“Because I got the impression a few days ago that he was getting on your nerves and you hadn’t accepted him being here, not to mention his role with Mason Construction. I know how much you detest anyone looking over your shoulder. Just remember he’s here for a good reason and when he leaves you probably won’t ever hear from him again.”
Jocelyn noted that Leah was smiling brightly, as if what she’d said should cheer Jocelyn up, yet it didn’t. For some reason the thought of Bas leaving anytime soon was something Jocelyn didn’t want to think about, although she had asked him to do that very thing last night.
“Maybe you’re right.”
“More than likely I am,” Leah said as if to assure her. “I checked out the Steele Corporation on the Internet yesterday. Sebastian Steele is a pretty wealthy guy who is used to a big city like Charlotte. There