Free Beautiful Ties by Alicia Rae

were still at odds. In the last eight hours, I had not solved anything about our situation, but I did know nothing in our circumstances had changed.
    “You can’t say things like that,” I protested with scattered wits, shaking my head. “Yesterday can’t happen again,” I added, forcing myself to believe it, too.
    Jason and I needed to get back on track. The two of us were still working together.
    “Get in the truck, Abbey,” Jason said roughly, his eyes boring into mine with various emotions of his own. He seemed as though he was struggling for control to hold himself back from ravishing me up against his truck.
    Ignoring how much my body wanted him to do just that, I knew we needed to stop flirting with one another. It was too risky. One of us would end up getting hurt. I swallowed as I put on the stubborn persona my family knew so well.
    “No, not until you promise,” I retorted, standing my ground.
    A mischievous grin flashed across his features before he was suddenly right in front of me with one arm resting on the top of the truck and the other on my hip. He bent forward, closing the distance. I gasped softly, and my lips parted, thinking he was going to kiss me.
    But he didn’t.
    He lightly grazed his lips across my cheekbone and then all the way to my ear. My breathing deepened as I tried to anticipate his next move. His warm breath tickled my flushed skin.
    “Promise you what?” he challenged in an absurdly sexy and gruff voice.
    The tone sent a delicious shiver pulsating from the tip of my spine down to the base.
    Before I could form a decent response, he continued, “Promise you that I’ll keep my hands off of you?”
    He tightened his hold on my waist and gently bit on the bottom of my earlobe. His touch made heat spread through my body like wildfire.
    “Because that is proving to be really fucking hard when you have been in my thoughts nonstop for the last three days. So, please don’t ask me to stay away. I don’t think I can.”
    If he continued, I was bound to cave. Or I would strip him down right here in the parking lot because I wanted to know what his bare chest and every curve of his muscles would feel like up against my own.
    I had it bad for him. He was like a tempting chocolate morsel right under my nose, begging to be eaten.
    Since giving in was not an option, I got ready to unleash my last card. I pressed my backside against his leather seat, half in and half out of his truck, in an effort to create a little distance between us, so I could clear the haze from my mind. “Kyle would never allow us to date since it would compromise our working relationship,” I replied.
    An impish grin broke free across his face. “You just let me worry about Kyle.” He chuckled.
    Before I could voice my concerns, I heard footsteps approaching followed by a familiar young voice.
    “Abbey? What are you doing?” Pearl asked, nearing the side of the truck.
    All previous thoughts were pushed aside as my head spun in her direction. Jason had already taken a respectable step back from me.
    I cleared my throat. “Hi, Pearl!” I said in surprise. “What are you doing out so early?”
    She was dressed in a pair of black leggings and a pink T-shirt with a ruffled hemline. A piece of my heart splintered off when I noticed her outfit was very worn, and it looked to be at least one size too small for her. She had her hair pulled up into a messy ponytail, and her backpack looked to be about ten years old, nearly falling apart at the seams.
    “Diane said she had to leave early today, so I have to wait outside for the bus,” she replied sadly.
    I frowned. The fact that this little girl was caring for herself at such a young age didn’t sit well with me. I felt helpless. I wished I knew more about Diane. Hearing Pearl call her by name instead of mom once again made me assume there was more to that particular story. I did not want to overstep any boundaries, but maybe I could talk to Diane and try to help out