Free Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis Page B

night, but that wasextenuating circumstances.” Those being that he was far too good-looking and he’d tasted like chocolate—lethal combination.
    Fighting a smile, he reached out and started unwinding some of the yarn still around her shoulder. His fingers brushed her
     collarbone and sent yippee-kayee messages to her nipples.
    She snatched the yarn from him. “And as for the pier and then needing a ride, well, I’m not usually so helpless. In fact,
     you should probably know…” She drew a deep breath. “I’ve given up men.”
    At that, he arched a brow.
    Be strong. Be confident. Be… Neytiri from
Avatar.
Okay, so Neytiri was a mythical creature, not to mention animated, but still. She was strong and confident, and that’s all
     that matters at the moment.
“It’s true. At first, I was just going to give up attorneys, but that seemed immature—and far too exclusive, so I’m playing
     it safe and giving up all the penis-carrying humans.” Because that was so much
more
mature.
    Tara peeked out from behind the door with an apologetic wince in Jax’s direction. “It’s possible she’s still tipsy,” she explained.
    “I’m not still tipsy!” She didn’t think so, anyway. “So I’m sorry if you drove all the way out here looking for a repeat of
     last night, but it’s not going to happen. I’m not interested.” She held her breath in case karma was listening, ready to flatten
     her with a bolt of lightning for lying.
    Nothing. Well, nothing but more silence, and this time she bit her tongue rather than try to fill it with more embarrassing
     chatter.
    “Okay,” Jax finally said with a single nod. “That’s all… very interesting. But I’m not here for a ‘repeat.’ ”
    A very bad feeling began to bounce around in her gut. “You’re not?”
    “No. You called and asked me to come here.”
    Maddie took a second, deeper look at him and his attire: the black sweater that upon closer inspection was really a North
     Face hoodie and had JC Builders embroidered on his pec. His jeans were baggy but still emphasized his long, hard body in a
     way that suggested they were old friends. He wore work boots, and, given the battered, beloved look to them, they were not
     for show. But most telling was the measuring tape sticking out of a pocket and the clipboard he held resting against his thigh.
    In the yard behind him was his Jeep with a big, brown dog riding shotgun.
    “You’re the contractor,” she said weakly.
    “Uh-huh.” He was definitely amused now. “Unless you’re no longer interested in my…
mastery.
”
    Oh, God.
    “After all,” he said. “I am a penis-carrying human.”
    Chloe laughed.
    Tara grimaced and shut the door on his face, but she did hold up a finger first and say, “Just a moment, sugar.” Once a steel
     magnolia, always a steel magnolia.
    “Jeez,” Chloe said in disgust. “How is it the so-called baby of this family is the only one who knows
not
to shut the door on the unspeakable hottie? I mean that’s just sacrilegious.”
    Maddie groaned. “I called him. Omigod.
I
called
him.
I’m such an idiot.”
    “Aw, honey.” Chloe stroked a hand down Maddie’s out-of-control hair, her fingers getting caught in the tangles and tree sap.
     “You’re not an idiot. Not exactly.”
    “It’s the kissing! It’s the stupid kissing! It’s like he kissed all the vital brain cells right out of my head!”
    “A good kiss is a signature,” Chloe said, and when both sisters looked at her, she shrugged. “Hey, don’t blame me, it was
     on one of Mom’s cards.”
    Maddie shook her head. “What do I do?”
    “You stick with your resolve. You’re giving up men,” Tara reminded her. “Next problem. We’re selling this property. We need
     to tell him so before we waste any more of his time.”
    Maddie held her breath—and her head. Damn, she really needed Advil. “Last night, we said we’d give this place a shot.”
    “That was three bottles of wine talking,” Tara