Free Powerplay by Cher Carson Page A

was sex, nothing more.”
    He pressed his forehead to hers. “You and I both know that’s a lie, Jen. Don’t do this, don’t go back to him, sweetheart. Please, give me a chance, give us a chance. I know I can make you happy.”
    She pushed against his shoulders, trying to put some distance between them. “I can’t do that.”
    “Why the hell not?”
    She said the only thing she could think of to drive him away. “Because I don’t love you. I’m sorry.”
    He stared at her, as though he were trying to find the truth in her eyes. “I don’t believe you.”
    She sighed, running a hand through her tousled hair. “What’s it gonna take to convince you?”
    He bent to pick up her dress, handing it back to her. “Let me ask you a question.”
    She slipped her dress over her head, standing to straighten it. “Okay.”
    “Were you ever tempted to sleep with another man while we were together?”
    Of all the questions he could have asked her that was the last one she expected. He had never taken an interest in her sex life while they were dating, so why now? She could have lied to save face, but she wouldn’t. “No, why?”
    He smiled, running his hands up her arms. “Doesn’t that tell you something, baby? You and I weren’t even exclusive. I’m sure you were propositioned plenty of times…”
    “Dozens,” she said, resenting him for calling her out. “I’m just not that kind of girl.”
    His eyes fell to her lips. “I know that.”
    She sat back on the desk, trying to put some distance between them. It was getting harder to think, harder to breathe. The heady scent of his cologne was clouding her judgement, making her want to cancel her meeting and invite him back to her place so he could give her another mind-blowing orgasm.
    “I have to sort this thing out with Kevin. Figure out where we go from here.”
    He smiled. “Does he know you’re still in love with me?”
    It would be pointless to try again to deny she still had feelings for him, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of defining them. He was trying to bully her into giving him another chance, on his terms, and it wasn’t going to happen. He had his chance with her and he squandered it.
    She refused to make the mistake of trusting him again.
    She checked her watch. “I have an appointment. I have to go.”
    He kissed her softly. “Just so you know, I’m not giving up, Jen.” He grinned. “I intend to pull out all the stops to get you back in my bed, where you belong.”

 
    CHAPTER SEVEN
     
     
    Apparently, Mark wasn’t kidding when he said he intended to pursue her. It started with flowers, and quickly progressed to theater tickets, designer purses and clothes, and finally, jewelry.
    “What is it this time?” Trace asked, propping her feet up on Jen’s coffee table.
    She set the small box down on the end table, trying to pretend she wasn’t curious about the contents. She’d returned everything, with handwritten notes asking him to back off, but he chose to ignore her requests.  
    Callie picked the box up, shaking it. “Come on, you have to at least open it.”
    “Why bother?” she said, checking her make-up in the hall mirror. She, Tracey, and Callie were meeting up with a few more of her girlfriends for her bachelorette party. The same bar Mark happened to frequent with his teammates after home games. Fortunately, they didn’t have a home game tonight; not that she would mind seeing him one more time before…
    “I still can’t believe it; this time next week you’ll be a married woman,” Trace said, sighing. “It just won’t be the same.”
    Jenna wanted to deny their claim that things would change once she was married to Kevin, but she knew it was inevitable. They had been her lifeline for more years than she could count, but he was going to be her husband, her life partner. In theory, he was supposed to be her best friend now, but she couldn’t imagine confiding in him about her hopes and dreams for the