quickly caught up. “Look, I’m sorry. If you say it’s not like that, then I believe you. But you’ve never done anything like this before. What happened tonight?”
“I don’t know. When I touched her hand...it was weird...I felt...I don’t know...something.”
Donovan clapped him on the shoulder. “It’s called awareness, a connection, sexual chemistry or all of the above.”
“That’s the thing. It’s not sexual, not entirely.” For a man who made a living expressing himself through words, Terrence struggled to find them tonight.
“You don’t have to explain, Terrence. I know what you mean, and it’s about time.”
“About time for what?”
“For you to find true love.”
“No. That’s not an option. It’s never gonna happen.” Only one woman had walked out of his life, and he vowed no other woman would ever cause him that type of pain again.
“If what you’re saying is true, then you need to cancel tomorrow.”
“Why?”
“That little lady doesn’t look like the type who’s into head games. You shouldn’t start something you don’t plan to finish.”
“I have to see her again,” he said absently.
“I know that,” Donovan said softly. “I can see that she’s gotten to you, so there must be something special about her. Do you really want to punish her for something she had nothing to do with?”
“What does that mean?”
“You know how you are—one date and it’s done.”
Terrence scowled over at him, not happy about the insinuation regarding his dating life. Women knew the score up front.
“Take my advice, man. Spend time with her tomorrow and see where it goes. You can’t keep your heart closed off forever.” He clapped him on the shoulder. “Come on. Let’s get packed up so we can get to the hotel. The band’s waiting.”
Terrence nodded. He’d never felt so conflicted in his life. On one hand, Donovan was right and he should at least give it a chance, but on the other, he didn’t know if he was capable of giving or accepting love.
Later, he stood out on the hotel room’s balcony thinking about Janae, still stunned by his reaction to her. He’d felt the current, and when their eyes connected, his gut clenched. In eight years of touring, nothing like this had ever happened—and he’d touched millions of women. Sure, he’d experienced moments of lust, but nothing like what happened tonight. It had been difficult to reign in his thoughts and focus on finishing the concert.
This overwhelming need for a woman was foreign to him. He dated when it suited him. Occasionally things progressed to where they’d sleep together, but that was where it ended. He kept things strictly physical; his emotions did not come into play. What about this particular woman knocked him off balance? When she’d asked “why her,” he’d debated the best way to explain it to her, but had a hard time, mainly because he couldn’t explain it to himself. Even now, he could still feel the spark of awareness that coursed through him when he touched her hand.
Okay, she was a beauty, with a petite body of a goddess, skin the color of melted caramel, expressive brown eyes, high cheekbones and a pair of lips that made him want to taste them—which he was unable to stop himself from doing. When he’d kissed her, the tightening in his chest and the range of emotions that flooded his body had shocked him. Thinking back, he’d probably scared her to death. Hell, he’d scared himself. He had no idea what possessed him to kiss her, but now that he had, her taste would haunt him for the rest of his life.
He’d shoved his hands in his pockets when walking her to the car to keep from pulling her into his arms for another kiss. He had no clue how to stop the rampant desire or confusing emotions spreading through his body. By spending tomorrow with Janae, he intended to figure it out.
Janae spotted Monte and Donovan across the lobby. “I think they’re standing over next to the fountain, Karen.” She started to say something else, but her breath caught when their eyes connected and he unleashed that sexy grin.
Casually dressed, with their dark good looks, they stood out among the crowd of people going in and out of the lobby. A group of women stared with open appreciation. Two of them actually tried to get them to join their group. Janae felt a surge of jealousy, which didn’t make sense since they weren’t dating. Then she felt a measure of satisfaction at the women’s disappointment when Monte shook his head and pointed in her direction—that didn’t make sense, either.
“Aw, I guess those women will have to find someone else to hang out with, since those two fine brothers are all ours for today,” Karen said with a giggle.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Janae agreed, moving in their direction. But the closer she came to him, the more she began to rethink this whole hanging-out thing. “Too late now,” she mumbled under her breath when he stood before her.
“Hello, ladies. You ready to get this party started?” Monte kissed Janae’s cheek softly.
The feel of his lips lingering against her cheek caused all kinds of crazy sensations to run through her body. “Um...yes.” Both Karen and Donovan stared with weird looks on their faces. “Since we’re only a couple of blocks from the wharf, we can probably walk,” Janae said.
“All right. Let me move the car, and then we can go,” Donovan said.
By design or just coincidence, somehow they’d paired off—Karen with Donovan and she with Monte. They were content to follow the flow of foot traffic without conversing, but every time she glanced Monte’s way, she found him staring at her.
“So, Monte,” Janae started.
“Terrence,” he corrected.
“Excuse me?”
“My name. I’d like for you to call me Terrence. Monte is the name I use for business, but my family and close friends call me Terrence.”
“Um, okay...Terrence. But I’m not a close friend.”
“Not yet.” He smiled. “So, what were you about to say?”
“What?” Her brows knitted in confusion. His smile knocked her thoughts right out of her head.
“You started to say something before we talked about my name.”
“Is Monte a name you made up?”
“No. It’s actually my middle name.” He paused. “I’ll tell you the story behind it another time.”
Another time? She nodded, then remembered her original question. “How long are you staying in San Francisco?”
“Until sometime tomorrow probably. Why? Tired of my company already?” he asked teasingly.
She
