“This is me winning you back, sweetheart. This distance isn’t working for me anymore. I’m making my play.”

“But you don’t play fair,” she accuses; shocking me for a moment before a smile fights it’s way over my face.

“I never said I would, Bell. But just so we’re on the same page, I never will when it comes to you. I’ve given you your space, and time, but sweetheart, your time is up. I will play dirty. I will fight every obstacle you put up and I will surpass the tests you put me through because you are not getting away from me. Ever again.” She doesn’t reply but she doesn’t have to. I see it in the way she relaxes her stance and holds my stare—she gets it. The sooner she stops fighting me, the sooner we can move on to the next step.

“I’ll go get dressed.” She finally breaks her silence. Without taking my eyes off her, I slowly step back and let her pass.

“I’ll wait for you here.” I move toward the sofa and sit down, getting comfortable.

“Yay!” she cheers, but I can see the glint in her eye. She’s enjoying this.

“Careful, you know how I love your smart little mouth.” She spins and lowers her gaze on me.

“No, you be careful, Jesse Carter. I might be giving you this chance to see where it takes us, but let me tell you something. It’s going to take way more than a few dirty words and getting in my head to get me back.” With her parting words, she slams the door shut, leaving me sitting there with the hardest dick I’ve ever had.

Fuck me.

I didn’t think it was going to be this hard.

And I wasn’t talking about my dick.

Forty BELL

“So what do you want to do today?” Jesse asks five minutes later when I exit my bedroom. After sitting and calming myself from all lustful thoughts, I managed to get dressed and fix my hair without having a total meltdown. I knew first thing this morning when I woke to his text, I was in serious trouble. The thought thrilled me for a second before I pulled back. Truth is, even though part of me isn’t ready for anything more, part of me wants to say yes, yes I’m ready for him to step up so we can move forward. Yes, I’ve forgiven him. Yes, things can go back to the way things were. But I know it’s not that simple. Jesse’s issues aren’t easily fixed. They’re always going to be there between us.

“I’m going shopping.” I exaggerate the I’m so he knows he’s not invited. After looking through my pile of quickly packed clothes this morning, I realized I didn’t have anything decent enough for the wedding tonight, so I need to head out for some retail therapy.

“Great, I’ll come with you.” Jesse stands from the sofa he planted himself on.

“Umm, no.” I shake my head and move to the table to snatch my bag. “I’m going with Lissy,” I lie, knowing Lissy is still somewhere in this hotel with Beau. The hussy. She texted earlier telling me to spend the day having fun and she would see me tonight at the wedding. I wasn’t mad; in fact, I was happy she was having fun and looking forward to the alone time. But now I’m wishing she was here to put some space between Jesse and me.

“Lissy is with Beau. Don’t play games with me, Bell.” Jesse walks up to me, places his finger under my chin and forces my face up. I hold his stare while I try to figure out how to spin this.

“You really don’t have to come, Jesse. I can handle the strip.”

“Didn’t say you couldn’t.” He removes his finger then slides his hand down to mine, interlocking our fingers. I move to pull out, but his grip tightens, trapping me.

“Just give me a day. If that’s all you can give me, just today.” His plea is desperate, needy, but it stills something in me.

One day.

It takes me back to our first date, his one-date plea. I fell into his trap then and for the life of me, I can’t stop myself from falling now.

“Okay.” I nod, agreeing like I did the first time, falling prey to Jesse Carter.

He smiles huge, his grin pulling a lip twitch from me.

“Let’s go, sweetheart.” He leads me toward the door, on a mission to weasel his way into my life.

“Ugggh, you haven’t changed.” I shake my head, trying to keep up. He abruptly stops, causing me to collide into him.

“See, that’s where you’re wrong, Bell. You’ll see and after I’ve shown you, I’ll have you in my bed,” he boldly replies, and all I can do is stand there in shock.

“Come on, I’ve only got fourteen hours.” The order is desperate as he moves us to the door once more.

I don’t reply, because what is there to say. If he keeps up this act today, I’m not even sure he would need fourteen hours.

I’m not even sure he would need one hour.

Oh, God, what is wrong with me? Have I not learned anything?

Clearly not.

“There you are. You hiding from me?” Jesse steps out onto the open patio, breaking me from my thoughts. It’s later that afternoon in the north wing of the Bellagio. With just five minutes till wedding time, I snuck out, trying to catch some alone time.

“Yes, I needed a few minutes to myself.” I turn and watch his grin grow wider. “It’s not funny, Jesse.” I complain, knowing he’s not giving up. He’s dragging me back into the flames, burning me all over again.

“Come on, you know you’ve missed me.” He pulls me into his chest and settles his arm around me. We’ve gone from not talking for over a month, to him pestering me every chance he gets.

“Seriously?” I move to step out of his hold, but he stops me.

“Stop fighting it, sweetheart,” he whispers, setting my heart on fire. I don’t want to react to Jesse’s touch, but I can’t help it. It’s as if his body electrifies mine. Like we’re in sync, and being away from him has made my body fall out of step momentarily, but now with each touch, my body begs to realign.

“I’ve barely had time to myself since you showed up at my room this morning. I haven’t even had a chance to miss you,” I complain, only half meaning it. The truth is Jesse not leaving me alone hasn’t been all too bad. After we left the hotel, we walked twenty minutes down to Fashion Show Mall, which the concierge directed me to. Jesse insisted on coming into every store to help me find the perfect dress. I have to say the man is smart. Walking around the mall, him cracking his lame jokes and acting like a normal boyfriend and girlfriend really affected me. We had been so caught up in our own lives, in the pain and misery we both carried inside of us we never even had these sorts of days back home.

Once I found the perfect dress, one that Jesse insisted I show him or he would storm my fitting room, we stopped for lunch and caught up on the last few weeks. It was comfortable and easy, like we hadn’t even spent those weeks apart. When I allowed myself to let go, allowed him one day, we fell back into our old selves. Only this time, Jesse wasn’t guarding himself. He had dropped his defenses and boy did I notice it.

We spoke of my mom and dad, and the lack of news on Paige and how much he was trying to work a new angle. It was interesting to realize that over the last few weeks, my thoughts about finding Paige had really taken a back seat. I was too caught up in myself and how my life was moving forward. But after talking with Jesse again, he gave me a newfound hope. It was enlightening and something I wasn’t expecting. Jesse talked freely about his dad, how he was reconnecting with his mom and brothers, and he also talked more about his time in Afghanistan. I opened myself up to it and allowed him to talk. I know he has a long way to go, four weeks is barely enough time to scratch the surface of what he went through and the guilt he carries, but being able to talk to him about it with me, shows just how far he has come.