Riding the Storm - Brenda Jackson [21]
“I did as you requested and didn’t ask then, but I’m asking now, Jayla.”
Storm’s words gave her pause. She let out a deep breath and wondered why he couldn’t be one of those men who just accepted things as they were?
She looked up at him and saw the intensity in the depth of his dark eyes. She also saw the impressive shape of his lips and his well-toned, broad chest that was sprinkled with dark curly hair. And it wasn’t helping matters that they were both naked in bed, with him leaning on his elbow and looming over her. She closed her eyes and shook her head. The man was too handsome for his own good…or for hers.
“Tell me,” he whispered, then leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her bare shoulder. “Tell me why, in this day and age, a twenty-six year old woman would still be a virgin.”
She met his gaze. “Because women in this day and age have choices,” she said slowly, then asked. “Have you ever taken a love compatibility quiz?”
Storm arched his brow. “A what?”
She smiled at the confused look on his face. “A love compatibility quiz. There’s a site on the Internet where you can go and take this quiz if you’re looking for Mr. or Miss Right. Well, after a few dates with losers—men who lacked confidence but had plenty of arrogance and who also acted as if it was a foregone conclusion that our date would end in my bed—I decided to take the quiz and my results indicated that my Mr. Right didn’t exist.”
Storm frowned down at her. Would he ever understand women? “You’ve been avoiding a serious relationship because of some quiz?”
“Pretty much…yes. I discovered like oil and water, me and relationships don’t mix because I have a low tolerance when it comes to men who expect too much too soon.”
It took Storm a minute to analyze everything she’d said. “What about those guys you dated off the Internet?”
Jayla released a single, self-deprecating chuckle. “That was my way of trying to prove the quiz wrong. From then on, I never wasted my time going on a guy hunt.”
“But…but didn’t you date in college?” Storm sputtered. Why hadn’t her going off to college assured her returning to town with her hymen no longer intact?
She smiled again, a bit sadly this time. “Yes, but unfortunately, not long after I got there I met a guy name Tyrone Pembroke.”
“What happened? He broke your heart?”
She chuckled derisively. “On the contrary. Actually he did me a favor by showing me just what jerks some guys were. He opened my eyes to the games they played, games I wasn’t interested in. After Ty, I made it a point not to get serious about any one guy and since I wasn’t into casual sex, I never felt pressured into sleeping with anyone.”
Storm nodded. “So why now and why with me?
To Jayla’s way of thinking, that was an easy question. “Because of timing. I know you and I like you. I also know your position on relationships. I’m not looking for anything beyond what we shared tonight and neither are you, right?”
Storm held her gaze. “Right.” The last thing he needed was a clingy woman who wanted to occupy his time. Still, although he didn’t want to feel it, he felt a special connection to Jayla since he had been her first. He couldn’t recall ever taking a woman’s virginity before.
“Now that I’ve answered your question, do you think I can get some sleep? I’m exhausted.” Jayla asked softly.
Storm glanced down at her. Was she dismissing him? “Do you want me to leave?”
She smiled. “Actually…” she began, as she snuggled closer to him. “I was hoping you’d want to stay all night.”
A grin spread across Storm’s lips. Hell, yeah, he wanted to stay all night. “I think that can be arranged,” he told her as he leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips. “Excuse me for a second while I go into the bathroom to take care of something. I’ll be right back.”
“All right.”
There was just enough light in the