A Beauty With Multiple Masks

“Jared, what the heck are you doing?” Trisha demanded in mock anger from the man who had just dragged her out of the bar and into his car.

She had not deliberately planned a visit to the bar to test Jared, but everything that happened after running into him was well within her expectations.

Trisha was already twenty-eight years old, and everyone in her family was constantly pushing her to settle down.

After getting yet another “well-meaning” phone call from her mother, she had had enough. She changed out of her work attire and rushed to the bar.

Luckily for her, Jared and Henry were there, and she even got a seat near them. She would hardly give up on the opportunity to dance with a handsome stranger and gauge Jared's interest.

The stranger’s flirtatious advances were a total coincidence, and she exploited his attention.

Well, it worked. Jared practically ran over to tear us apart.

Sensing the anger in Trisha’s tone, Jared hastily explained, “It’s so late, and it can’t be safe for a woman to be alone in the bar with a stranger. You might have been in real danger if I didn’t step in. It’s hard to get a cab here, so I’ll give you a lift home.”

Trisha’s heart sank.

concern,

spoke, she opened the

and ran after her. Grabbing her

“What are you doing?”

with you? Are we related in any way?” Trisha viciously flung his hand away

saw red as he recalled what had happened in the bar earlier. Jealousy clouded his judgment, and he pulled Trisha into his arms, planting his lips over hers before she could raise her

of them had kissed anyone before this, and they relied more on their feelings than any true experience

lead and deepened the kiss. At one point, they became embarrassingly loud as they gave

to catch her breath, and only then did Jared reluctantly release her from

Trisha and said, “Please be

last, he could not be more certain of his feelings, especially considering his intense desire to keep any man away from

she put on a calm front as she returned Jared’s