Date Me

By Jacki Kelly

Cat Preston gave her heart to Jeremy Gavin. He took her virginity, crushed his fingers around her heart, and squeezed it tight, before marching down the aisle with another woman. After the unceremonious way he dumped her, she’d never go back to him.

Jeremy Gavin has been manipulated by the best of women. He walked into a life of lies that threatened everything he cherished. Living with his agonizing choices is put through the test when he crosses paths with Cat again.

Some life mistakes teach lessons, some teach love. Will Cat and Jeremey learn the difference? Can they put their lives back together when harm comes knocking again?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jacki Kelly
• Release date: Jan 19, 2014
• ISBN: 9780989960120

Jacki Kelly

Men and women have always sought the promise that only love can offer. Jacki invites you into an intriguing world where romance abounds around every corner and down every street. You’ll be amazed at the crazy things we do and don’t do for the promise of love. Most of the time you can find a thread romance in almost every book.Jacki has been writing since her fourth grade teacher made her keep a journal for a grade. Now she does it to keep track of all the fascinating and heartbreaking moments that life throws our way. Poetry, personal essays, short stories and novels have all occupied space in her heart and her hard drive.Jacki lives in the northeast where the winters are too cold and the summers are warm. But, she wouldn’t trade it for anywhere else, well maybe for a fabulous house on the sunny sands of Miami Beach in February. Her loveable husband and adorable floppy eared dog endure her long periods behind the computer creating happy-endings for her amazing hero and heroines. Romance makes the world go round and Jacki is enjoying the ride. The first two book in her Sweet Road Series are now available – The Sweet Road Home and The Sweet Road To Love. Happy Reading!Visit her at JackiKelly.com

Book preview

DATE ME

By Jacki Kelly

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

About the Author

One Date At A Time~ Excerpt

The Series ~ Dating Just Got Serious!

DATE ME

Copyright © by Jacqueline Harris 2013

This is a book of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead or events or locales is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. The reproduction or utilization of this work in any form or in any part by any means electronic, photocopying or other means available now or in the future is forbidden without written permission. For permission please contact YOBACHI PUBLISHING at [e-mail].

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

For Gregg, Kimberli and Kellen

Chapter One

Cat Preston circled the huge kitchen island of Drew's Philadelphia penthouse. Each trip around the spotless quartz counter ended with an invisible period made with her index finger, before beginning the next useless loop. Not the most productive way to spend a Saturday morning, but her failed relationships wouldn't release their grip on her. No matter what, it was time to forget about the past. No matter what, it was time to stop wishing for a different outcome. No matter what, it was time to accept the way things turned out.

Two months was a long time to take up residence in someone else's home, but when her life disconnected from gravity and flung her against the cold, hard universe, this was the softest place to land. Surrounded by friends and sharing their laughter blurred the pain. But Yani and Drew were getting serious. No matter how delicate they tried to handle her, she was getting in their way. Just because her love life had ended up in a muddy ditch didn't mean she should ruin their chance at happiness. No one liked a third wheel and even if they were too polite to say so, Cat knew it.

The gentle pulling of the elevator cables sounded as she marked her fourth lap. Yani and Drew were home. Living in the elegance of their penthouse had been the balm she needed to patch her heart, but now she was fine and time to prove it. Today was the big step. The two of them were showing her a brownstone that they thought was perfect for her.

As the cables quieted she took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. Sooner or later she had to move out, but her stomach didn't agree with the idea, so all morning it had acted like a naughty child.

Instead of Drew and Yani stepping off the elevator Jeremy Gavin strolled into the foyer. Her Jeremy. The man she'd given her heart to. The man, who'd crushed his fingers around it, squeezed it tight, took her virginity, and then marched down the aisle with another woman. She'd spent months wishing she could take back her innocence, her love, and her life. He'd left her flattened on the pavement like road kill. She thought she'd found solace with Robby. Instead, he had been the buzzard flying overhead ready to pounce on the weak and naïve.

Cat drew her eyes up from his signature Italian shoes, creased wool slacks, and ultra-white starched shirt. Coal black curls framed his face, giving him a boyish handsomeness' that made her swallow. With his hands deep in his pockets and his narrow gaze, Jeremy could have been ten feet tall. His presence seemed to fill the large living area. She fisted her fingers, and sucked in air as if she were drowning. Staring at him was like having a room full of gorgeously wrapped gifts and not being able to open them. But she smelled trouble and this stench had Jeremy written on it.

The moment Jeremy looked at her, his lips widened to reveal brilliant white teeth, as if they were two old friends reuniting after a long absence. A little corner of her heart flared red-hot. The kiss they had shared the night he announced he was marrying someone else still felt like a torch on her lips. She'd been silly enough to think she could kiss him and make him love her.

Men must have a hidden switch that operated them. Unfortunately, she'd never found the one to unlock Jeremy and reveal his true feelings. But he sure knew how to lay her wide open and march over her soul.

Seeing him was like having her heart pulled out of her chest with a pair of rusty pliers. Her temperature spiked several degrees. If life gives everyone one great love, then Jeremy had been hers. He'd filled every empty spore of her heart, made her laugh at the silliest things. And then came the day he announced he was going back to his old girlfriend. To marry her. The news was so unexpected it punched a hole in her soul the size of a meteor.

Robby was the rebound guy. Robby's betrayal hadn't hurt as much as Jeremy's, but in her weakened state she'd ended up on the sideline of life.

Cat couldn't say what she wanted to her friends. How do you scream at the world that your life had been tossed off course and you can't find your way back?

The flutters in her stomach weren't supposed to happen. Three months of being alone hadn't been long enough to teach her a lesson. Perspiration broke out down her back, making her blouse feel hot and clingy. Her breath hitched in her throat, allowing only shallow gulps. Almost in an instant the memory of him kissing her goodbye vanished, replaced by a retrospective of what his touch did to her body. The warmth on her back spread to her arms. Cat tried again to draw a silent breath with only a little success.

She backed up to the cupboard and pulled out a coffee cup. Seeing Jeremy after more than a year required something stronger, but a cocktail at this hour would raise an eyebrow and start a new discussion about therapy. Jeremy didn't need to think she was still pining over the unceremonious way he'd broken up with her. Where had she picked up the propensity to date the wrong men? Finding the answer would require a visit with her mother to delve into her childish need to please.

Cat sucked in a deep breath. The fuzz in her head made it hard to think straight. What are you doing here, Jeremy?

He shifted his position. Drew called me. They won't get back into town until late this evening. Something to do with Yani's parents. He asked me to show you the house.

She dropped her purse on the stool and folded her arms over her chest. I'll wait. I can see the house another day.

Someone else is interested in leasing it. Drew wants it off the market as soon as possible. So don't let your anger at me keep you from having a nice place to live.

That's easy for you to say. She stormed to the opposite side of the counter.

Aren't you even going to greet me? A single curl of Jeremy's dark hair hung down the middle of his forehead. His olive skin still held its summer tan. By now he should have blurred into the fuzzy recesses of her mind along with everything else that'd happened since the Robby and Rea incident, but every detail about Jeremy was crisp and clear, front and center like the defining moment it was.

After taking a deeper breath and holding it until her lungs hurt she exhaled and straightened her back. Hello, Jeremy. Her voice sounded casual as if she didn't dislike him anymore.

You're looking as beautiful as ever, I see. His deep voice was a siren song calling her closer.

Thanks. Being dumped must be good for my complexion. You're looking well, too. She kept some distance between them and reached for the coffee canister. Then realized the coffee was already made.

His smile vanished pulling his lips into a thin line. "Ah, there it

Reviews for Date Me

[Titivate Selfcare · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

So boring i struggled to finish it. Didn't read book 1 in the series but book 2 was the bomb ... this story is so yawmmmmm... Hero and heroine lame and annoying

[Mpho Angela Ashworth · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'd never heard of this author before, but I really enjoyed this book....very pleasantly surprised. I'll definitely be trying more of her books. I also like that there weren't many sloppy typos. I'd happily recommend this book :)