Free Seeds of Desire by Karenna Colcroft Page A

to my room last night?”
    She had hurt him. Damn it. I want a lot to do with you
because I do care about you, damn it! I want you. Get into this bed and touch
me, and I’ll show you just what I think of you. But she refused to allow
herself to say any of that. “The company hired me for these trips, and who says
I can’t stand you?” For the moment, she chose to avoid his question about the
night before.
    “You sure as hell act like it,” he said angrily. “Always
making these snippy little comments to me. What am I supposed to think? You
obviously don’t like me a bit. You’re sure not attracted to me, or you wouldn’t
say stuff like that.”
    She couldn’t even begin to figure out how the subject of
attraction had been dragged into this. “I work with you. I’m not supposed to be
attracted to you,” she pointed out. “And you make the same kind of comments to
me.”
    “Nope, I make sexually suggestive comments.” He leaned
against the door, arms folded, and stared at her as if seeing her for the first
time. “And you shoot me down every time. I thought maybe it was your way of
playing along. Maybe not. It might just be a hint that I should give up and get
a life.” He walked back to the bed and picked up the bucket. “I’ll bring the
water and stuff so I can wash your hair. I assume you can stand me long enough
to let me do that.” He went into the bathroom and shut the door.
    Sexually suggestive. Yes, his comments were definitely that.
She’d thought he only said them to piss her off. From what he’d just said, he’d
meant them. Apparently, he hadn’t intended to bother her, despite how crude and
lewd his words were. He’d meant to mask stronger feelings for her. Which gave
her pause. Maybe he really did like her. Maybe even more than liked.
    Cared for her. He’d said that. And caring for someone was
only a step or two away from loving them. No way did Jared Jackson love her.
    No way would she let him. Despite her heart jumping at the
idea.
    She’d misjudged him. All this time, she’d thought he
disliked her as much as she did him. That was the only logical explanation for
his teasing and sniping at her. His sniping hadn’t been like hers, though.
Thinking about it, she realized he had mostly teased her sexually,
making comments that had both annoyed and aroused her.
    His extremely awkward way of telling her he wanted her
without actually admitting it, perhaps. She closed her eyes for a moment. He
wanted her, she wanted him. If they could just get the hell out of their own
ways and speak to each other honestly for once, this might work out.
    If she managed to apologize to him for being a bitch. Which
she definitely had been. She hated hurting people but hadn’t even thought about
how her words struck him. Jackass Jared didn’t deserve that much consideration.
    But if he wasn’t really a jackass…

Chapter Seven
     
    He returned carrying the bucket, a pair of washcloths, a
towel and a small bottle of motel shampoo. “Have a seat in the chair,” he
mumbled. “I wouldn’t want you to have to sleep in the wet spot.” He paused and
looked at her with pain-filled eyes. “Oops, that’s suggestive, isn’t it?”
    “Jared…” She had to say something. She refused to let it go
at this. Even if it made her some kind of sap, she hated seeing him hurt like
this, especially when she’d been the cause. “Look, I’m sorry. I thought…” She
trailed off, unwilling to finish the sentence. “I don’t know what I thought. I
didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”
    He shrugged. “No harm, no foul. You aren’t into me except as
a verbal sparring partner. And occasionally a masturbation tool. It’s all
good.” He dunked one of the washcloths into the water. “Are you going to move,
or do you want a wet bed?”
    “I want to make up for making you feel like shit.” She went
to the chair, where she sat staring at the wall to avoid looking at him. “I
don’t hate you, Jared, and I don’t