Free Causing a Commotion by Janice Lynn Page B

upon. Even she knew that.
    She’d crossed the line into things that truly were none of her business.
    “Colin, wait,” she called, running after him, her designer shoes clacking on the tiled floor. He didn’t stop, but she easily caught him, grabbing his arm. “Wait. Please.”
    He turned enough to look at where she clasped his jacket sleeve.
    “I’m sorry.” She begged him with her eyes to believe her, to forgive her. He never looked up.
    “That makes two of us.” He pulled loose and walked away. His back rigid, his head high, no forgiveness in sight.
    She couldn’t blame him.
    Jessie stared after him, remorseful. How could she have said something so callous?
    “He giving you a hard time, babe?” J.P. asked, coming to stand beside her in the hallway.
    Jessie shook her head at his question. “No, I’m giving him one.”
    J.P. cackled, apparently thinking she meant sexually. “Lucky boy.”
    Jessie didn’t comment, just watched Colin disappear into a room down the hallway.
    Never had she wanted to take back words more than she did at this moment.
    * * *
    Colin didn’t have to wonder who’d told Jessie about Karen’s death. The story had been in all the papers, on all the news shows. Actress overdoses while Journalist Boyfriend sleeps off Drunken Stupor.
    That’s when he’d admitted he had a drinking problem. When he’d checked himself into rehab and quit.
    Not that he didn’t want a drink.
    Hell, he’d love one right this moment. To dull his senses to Jessie’s words and to the woman.
    She got under his skin.
    From the beginning there had been an undeniable attraction, but she was an actress and he’d sworn off the breed after Karen died. Actresses were trouble and you could never take them at face value. He’d never even known Karen used drugs. Not until he woke up to a nightmare. One he’d lived every day since, but dealt with by keeping his life tightly under control.
    There was no room for error in Colin’s existence. To do so might give way to his weakness. Jessie made him weak. Made him need release. Made him long to feel whole again. Which was preposterous. He was whole. Karen was who had lost her life.
    Colin lost his life, too.
    Lost the prestige he’d had when he’d faced second degree murder charges at Karen’s death. He’d been found innocent, but the prosecuting attorney’s arguments still rang in Colin’s head at night when sleep failed to come.
    Yeah, he might have been found innocent of wrong doing, but Colin never would let go of the guilt that ate at him. Nor would he let down his guard, give in to the weaknesses within him. Not ever again. Not for alcohol. Not for Jessie.
    His life was calm, controlled.
    Colin ignored Jessie’s sideway glances when they sat on the Causing a Commotion set. The set consisted of a long desk, with room for guests, and also a living room like area with a sofa and two chairs that Jessie insisted upon for when they interviewed live on set. Deep green plants added a homey feel. Or were supposed to anyway.
    Nothing about the changes felt homey to Colin.
    Colin did his segments on how the Middle East Oil Embargo impacted the U.S. economy, on how a Japanese car plant had been given barely legal tax relief, and on how an environmental bill had been stalled in the Senate yet again.
    He ignored Jessie’s sassy digs and sexy innuendos that played on his words, that gave the impression he’d meant something other than what he’d said with most everything he said. He ignored that she discussed the pros and cons of Brad and Angelina adopting another baby and took viewer calls that the station set up prior to the start of the show.
    He ignored that when she looked at him, her eyes shined with apology at her parting shot earlier in the day even as her mouth quipped out something suggestive.
    He ignored that she left an apology on his answering machine.
    He ignored that when he lay down that night he couldn’t get her out of his head any more than he could