Judging Jayden

By Emma Daniels

During their final weeks of high-school, Janelle Moore and her friends played an exceptionally nasty joke on her brother Jayden and Lydia Hargraves. After spiking Lydia’s drink, the teenagers leave her naked in Jayden’s bed for him to find. All Lydia has are disjointed memories of finding herself in the arms of a handsome man who might have done a whole manner of sordid things to her.

Seven years later Lydia still doesn’t know exactly what happened that night, so when Jayden shows up at her office asking her to find him a secretary for his company, she decides to exact her revenge.

But Jayden has different memories of that night, the night he found the woman of his dreams in his bed.

Revenge doesn't taste so sweet when Lydia discovers she's completely misjudged Jayden.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Emma Daniels
• Release date: Oct 22, 2010
• ISBN: 9781458151476

Emma Daniels

Emma Daniels lives in Sydney Australia, but also lived in Germany as a child. She is married with two children. She has been writing romantic novels for most of her life, and the results are clear - more than 10 books to her name. She is also a jewellary artist. Her favourite mediums are chain maille and artistic wire work. If she's not beading, writing, reading, or with her children, she's working part time at the job that pays the bills.

Book preview

Judging Jayden

Emma Daniels

Copyright 2011 by Emma Daniels

Smashwords Edition

Chapter One

Stephanie leant across the table and said in a low voice; A man just walked in and sat down near the windows, and boy is he hot!

Faith rolled her eyes at the tall, attractive redhead sitting opposite. Stephanie was as outrageous as her hair, and her flashing hazel eyes danced with mischief as she grinned back at her friend. She fanned herself with a well-manicured hand, drawing attention to her low cut, body-hugging electric blue top. Her make-up was, as always, over-stated, and her fingernails panted an iridescent shade of pink. But for some reason she always managed to carry it off without looking like a tart.

In comparison, Faith was short and petite; with long, wavy honey-blonde hair she usually wore tied back with a plain clip or scrunchie. Whereas Stephanie dressed up, Faith hid her neat little figure under loose blouses and long flowing skirts. She rarely wore make-up, and looked younger than her twenty-five years. Today she was wearing her usual work attire; a pair of navy blue pants and a plain white blouse buttoned all the way to her neck.

I’ve tried to catch his eye twice now, but he just seems to look right through me as though I don't even exist, Stephanie lamented with a red-lipped pout. He’s gorgeous, Faith, impossibly broad shoulders. Eyes a girl could drown in, and he has the most amazing hair. I can’t figure out if it’s red, blonde, brown, or all of the above. And it’s tied into a sexy ponytail.

Faith groaned out loud as she bit into her gourmet sandwich. Stephanie really had a thing for men with long hair. Should Faith ever bring such a specimen home to meet her parents she’d never hear the end of it. Besides, she preferred her men clean cut and well groomed, when she’d still been interested in dating, that was. Next you’ll be telling me he has tattoos and an earring.

Stephanie glanced across the cafe again. Can’t see an earring, and if he has any tats, they’re hidden by the business suit he’s wearing.

A guy with long hair in a business suit! Faith scoffed. Definitely Mafia materiel.

Stephanie giggled, and drained the last of her cappuccino. He’s got great bone structure too, just like Brad Pitt.

I get the picture, all right. Just go over and introduce yourself, for goodness sake, Faith said, picking up her own cup of coffee. She glanced at her watch. You have exactly ten minutes to hit on him before we’re due back at work.

Stephanie groaned, glancing down at her own watch. Already?

Faith leant back in her chair. Yep, I'll just sit back and time you.

That’s not fair. I was hoping you'd join me for moral support.

As if Stephanie needed moral support when it came to flirting with men, Faith thought cynically. She had watched her friend in action numerous times whenever they went out together to the never ending nightspots Stephanie seemed know. I'm not going to introduce myself to a biker in a suit in the middle of a coffee shop.

That's not the image I was trying to portray. I know you’ve suffered, but it’s been over a year since your last break up. Going on an occasional date wouldn’t hurt.

Since when was this about me? Faith asked with arched brows.

Since I've decided to let you talk to him. I can't do this without a stiff drink or two.

And then Faith remembered how Stephanie always drank something strong before she started cruising the dance floor. She clearly wasn't as confident as she had led Faith to believe.

Faith shook her head. Sorry, I'm not walking up to a total stranger to say 'Hello, this is my friend Stephanie. She thinks you're totally hot and wants to go out with you.'

No I honestly think it's your turn. I've decided you can have him.

Faith rolled her eyes again. After two disastrous relationships, and more dreadful first dates than she cared to count, Faith was over the entire dating game. She had come to realize that the more good-looking the man, the more likely he was to be too full of himself to care about others. Since most of the guys she’d dated had been above average in the looks department, she had yet to meet one who possessed something even remotely resembling a heart.

Honestly Faith, this guy has absolutely dreamy eyes. How could he possibly be bad news? Stephanie persisted.

I hate to tell you this, but gorgeous eyes got me two-timing Laurie Stevens, Faith reminded her. Big brown and needy, so needy that he’d taken all her money as well as money she didn’t have.

I think you take things too seriously. I rarely fall in love with them. I just want to have a good time. That way it doesn’t hurt so much when we do break up.

See what I mean. You know it’s going to end, that they’ll let you down. Why bother in the first place?

Maybe you can sit at home night after night, but I can’t. Stephanie leant closer and added in a hushed whisper. I enjoy sex too much.

And therein lay the crux of the matter. Faith didn’t. Laurie had been the only man she’d gone all the way with, believing him when he said he loved her and wanted to marry her. Not only had he left her for another woman, sex had at first been painful, then uncomfortable, and finally a chore to endure if she wanted to keep her man.

What a joke! Not only had she ended up back on her own, she’d had to pay off his debts when no one could find him.

Ever since then her life had become a man-free zone. She was once again in charge of her own finances; she had a loving family, friends, a place to call home, and a job she liked and was good at.

I need to be in love before I’ll let a man go all the way again. Call me a big softie if you like, but how could a biker in a suit ever hope to fulfill my obviously too high expectations?

I told you, he’s not a... Oh, he’s just got his laptop out of his briefcase. Since when do bikers have briefcases or laptop computers? Stephanie asked with raised brows.

All right then he’s their club leader cooking the books after their last drug haul. Come on, time to go. Faith got to her feet and reluctantly Stephanie followed suit. But her curiosity had been piqued. Faith had to see with her own eyes if the image Stephanie had portrayed was real.

As they walked up to the counter to pay for their meals, Faith glanced covertly around the room. Most of the lunch crowd had left, only a few tables still occupied.

The man in question had the best position in the café, beside the potted palm in front of the window. Stephanie had described him to a tee; he was handsome, unnervingly so. His features were strong and evenly proportioned, with a wide, full-lipped mouth, and dark straight brows.

As for his hair; the cute ponytail seemed to suit him, drawing out long streaks of red, blonde and brown. Surely that couldn’t be natural.

His dark suit and tie didn’t make him look like a gangster, or a bikie gang’s bookkeeper, more like a businessman with an independent flair.

Faith experienced an uncomfortable tightening in her chest when he looked up and stared straight at her with those amazing eyes. They were dreamy, just like Stephanie had said; a deep ocean green a girl could drown in if she looked long enough. They were fringed with long dark lashes no man had a right to.

Realizing she was staring just as much as he was, Faith tore her gaze away, returning her attention to paying for her meal, but her hands trembled as she pulled the required change from her purse.

When Faith turned to follow her friend from the cafe, it took all the willpower she could muster to keep her eyes locked on the open glass doorway, as she concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. Suddenly her knees felt as weak as water, and when they passed his table, she was acutely conscious of his presence. Her skin prickled with awareness, and even though it was a relatively cool early spring day, she grew hot and uncomfortable.

Then at last she was free. Standing on the footpath, she took a deep shuddering breath. Then as though the hounds of Hell were on her heels, Faith ran all the way back to work.

But she was unable to escape the past. The memories came after her, closing in on her like vultures as she tried to flee their grasping claws.

Stephanie called for her to slow down as she tried to keep up in her teetering heels, but Faith ignored her.

The worst night of her life had involved the man from the coffee shop.

Thank God for work, she thought, as she reached her building. It would help keep the memories at bay, like it always had when life got out of hand. Her job had been her savior before, and Faith promptly marched up to the reception counter to see if her next appointment had arrived. Since Stephanie had detoured via the ladies room, Faith dealt with the people waiting there before calling out the name on her list.

A slender middle-aged woman approached her from the waiting room, and Faith motioned for her to follow her. As she turned, Stephanie arrived at the counter. Faith didn’t bother saying anything to her about it. On the whole Stephanie worked well, and it irked Faith that their supervisor, Maureen, rostered Stephanie onto reception most of the time, when it was meant to be a shared responsibility.

Faith and Stephanie worked with eight other people for a small employment agency in the busy southern Sydney suburb of Hurstville. Faith had secured the position soon after completing her welfare studies. She liked working with people, and found nothing more satisfying than matching her clients to jobs, and hearing how happy they were when successful. It didn’t happen all the time, and occasionally things got stressful, particularly when dealing with clients suffering from emotional problems or those who received knock back after knock back.

Her current client was returning to the workforce after many years at home looking after her children. She’d recently undergone training in pathology imaging, and wanted work at one of the many labs in the area. Faith checked through her agency’s database and found several suitable positions.

Less than half an hour later the woman left with four interviews to attend, along with the names of several other labs she could approach.

As soon as the woman had gone, Stephanie appeared beside Faith’s desk. Like all the interview booths, it was set up behind a partition, but with enough space around it so that other people in the office could see one another should a problem arise.

What is it, Steph? Faith asked, glancing up at her friend.

That man from the café – she began.

I don’t want to talk about him right now, Faith cut her off. Has my next appointment arrived?

No, but the hunk from the café‘s here and he’s asked to see you.

Me? What for? Did she really have to ask? Obviously he had decided to come and make her life hell for a second time. Faith couldn’t believe her dirty rotten luck. As if it wasn’t bad enough coming across him in the coffee shop, he had to follow her to her office.

That’s what I’d like to know, miss I wouldn’t walk up to a stranger and introduce myself, Stephanie teased, still totally oblivious to Faith's tension. He clearly knows who you are, so you must know him.

What does he want? Faith demanded, knowing she sounded harsher than she’d meant to. A police warrant for stalking would be a good start, she decided angrily.

He said; I’ve come to talk to Faith Harding if she’s available please. Very polite and professional, I might add, Stephanie replied, adopting a rather posh sounding accent.

Faith sprung to her feet, her pulse hammering loudly in her ears. Did he give his name? She didn’t really need to ask that either. She might not have found out his first name, but she would never forget his sister; Janelle Moore, the cattiest, bitchiest, and most beautiful girl in school.

Er… no. But since he knows you I didn’t bother to ask him his. Stephanie frowned at Faith, only now realizing something was bothering Faith about the man. Do you want me to -

Never mind. I’ll deal with him. If he plans on humiliating me a second time, he has another thing coming, she thought vehemently. Faith wasn’t that impressionable teenager anymore. She could give as good as she got.

Stephanie trailed after her as Faith approached the waiting area. She didn’t see him at first amongst the other clients, not until Stephanie motioned towards the bank of windows, and then returned to the reception desk. The man from her past had his back to them and was standing, gazing out into the street.

As she approached him Faith became conscious of how much taller than her he was, which wasn’t difficult since she was only five foot three and rarely wore heels.

Her steps slowed as she neared him, her eyes fixed on the back of his head, at the way his cute ponytail curled over his collar. What she really felt like doing was getting one of her burliest colleagues to march him straight out the door.

How dare he show up here after all this time to harass her! And why would he want to? It wasn’t as though that incident had meant anything to him.

Finally she was close enough to touch him, but still she refrained from making her presence known, continuing to hope he’d notice her of his own accord. After a few more moments of silent unease, she reached out and tapped his upper arm.

You asked to see me, she said as he turned around to face her. Once again she was struck by his eyes, so green and sensual, the eyes of a lover she couldn’t help thinking, despite herself. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he blinked down at her, but he didn’t say a single word.

Typical, she thought. Try and unnerve me with your sultry charm. Well, it isn’t going to work. I’ve seen and heard it all, so I’m completely immune to gorgeous men like you. Behind her back she crossed her fingers.

Deciding to maintain complete professionalism, she went on; How can I help you? If she thought to wipe the grin off his face it didn’t work. You asked to see me. The least you could do is tell me who you are and why you’re here.

You don’t remember me? he said at last. She really shouldn’t have been surprised that his voice was as sexy as his smile, deep, resonant, and definitely posh.

Should I?

I’m Jayden Moore, he said.

Faith crossed her arms. Ah ha.