Free Jared: Red, Hot, & Blue, Book 4 by Cat Johnson

Jared thought he would at that little piece of news.
    “Yup. I signed her consent form to be in the show.”
    Bobby raised a brow. “Really? Hmm.”
    “Hmm, what?” Jared crossed his arms in front of him.
    “I’m just wondering why, that’s all. You sure were set against it before you left the bar last night to go see Mandy in her hotel room.”
    He knew exactly what his friend was insinuating. “I signed because it’s good for this town, that’s why.”
    Jared didn’t add that it was good for him too. He figured he had two months to convince Mandy she couldn’t live without him. That should be plenty of time. Hell, he was a Gordon, after all.

Chapter Seven
     
    Never ever in her entire career had Mandy mixed business with pleasure. Yet here she was driving as fast as she could from the airport, rushing back to Jared Gordon and she was actually feeling not so bad about it.
    She couldn’t deny the attraction between them was there from the very beginning, regardless of their business dealings. She believed him when he said he hadn’t signed the consent form because she’d slept with him, but because it was good for the town.
    Mandy had finally stopped beating herself up about all that had happened between them after the first week back in LA. After that, she started to enjoy the idea of being Jared’s city girl, as he called her. How crazy was that? A horseman from Pigeon Hollow and a television producer from LA. They were taking the term long-distance relationship to a whole new level.
    Of course, Jared’s nightly phone calls helped bridge that long distance. His smooth southern voice could, and did, do things to her that most men couldn’t accomplish with their entire body. Not to say that she wasn’t looking forward to enjoying his whole body too. She definitely was.
    The rest of the production crew had flown with her, and were currently divided among a few rented minivans, along with their equipment. They’d go directly to the Hideaway to get settled in, but Mandy had claimed she had errands to run so she could be alone in the car and go directly to Jared.
    The phone rang and, speak of the devil, Jared’s name came on the screen.
    “Hi.” She smiled uncontrollably just hearing his voice. Damn, she was in big trouble.
    “Hey, darlin’. You close?”
    “Just outside of town.”
    “Good. Come straight to me, darlin’. I’ll be waiting to welcome you back.”
    She laughed, but there was nothing funny about the desire welling deep inside her. “I’m sure you will be. Are you home?”
    “I’m at the diner with Bobby, but I’ll be leaving shortly. I’ll be home before you get there.” She recognized the deep timber of his voice. It was a tone she was convinced he reserved only for her. Mandy liked that a lot.
    “Okay. I’ll see you in a few minutes.” She wanted to hear that voice in person and not through a cell phone.
    “Mmm. I can’t wait.” She disconnected the call and slammed the accelerator. What was the good of renting a car with a nice big engine if you didn’t use it?
    She sped down the highway and didn’t slow until she was turning onto Main Street, smiling as she took in the familiar sights. It was nice to know some things didn’t change.
    In front of the diner was a Gordon Equine truck parked next to Bobby’s official deputy sheriff’s car. It looked like she wasn’t going to have to drive all the way to the farm alone after all. She could hop in Jared’s truck with him, and maybe even give him a little surprise while he drove.
    It was lunchtime, so there was an uncharacteristic amount of traffic and no parking spaces in front of the diner. Mandy was forced to drive farther until she finally found a spot. She turned off the engine, got out and locked the door behind her, but it was an effort to restrain herself from simply abandoning the car and sprinting to the diner.
    As it was, she was so focused on the single-minded goal of reaching Jared that she wasn’t paying