His Girl Next Door: The Army Ranger's Return / New York's Finest Rebel / The Girl from Honeysuckle Farm

And received a punch to the arm in response.

“You’re lying.” Then Bella poked her, hard. “You know you can’t lie to me!”

Jess sighed. “Okay, so he was good-looking, but it doesn’t matter anyway.”

Bella started to laugh. “Mmm, so the fact that your soldier was hot didn’t interest you at all?”

Jessica felt her cheeks burn. They heated up so fast it was as if a fire had been lit in her mouth.

“Bella, we both know I’m not interested. He’s a friend, nothing more.” She did her best to sound firm. Assertive.

It didn’t come naturally to her. Not given the current subject matter.

“Did you like him, though? I mean, if you weren’t all hung up on not getting involved with someone …”

Jessica didn’t like where this conversation was going. Not at all.

“Theoretically, yes.” She held up her hand as Bella got that look on her face. That look that made her appear like an overexcited Labrador dog. “But that’s irrelevant because I’m not interested in men. Period.”

Bella didn’t seem put off. “Did you find out if he was being redeployed anywhere?”

Jessica felt her skin prickle, like a hedgehog had rolled over her arms, making goose pimples appear. She didn’t want to think about Ryan being sent back to his unit. Wherever in the world that might be, she knew in her gut it would be dangerous.

She nodded. “Yeah, he’s going back.”

“So let me get this right.” Bella grinned and shuffled her chair closer. “You’re telling me that the guy was gorgeous, you were attracted to him and he’s only here for a short time?”

Jess definitely didn’t like where this was going. She didn’t even bother replying. It wasn’t as if Bella was about to start listening to her now. She never had before.

“So can you explain to me why you don’t want to jump his bones?”

She sighed. Did that type of question even warrant a response? So she’d thought about him like that. He was attractive, yes. He was charming. He was, well, nice. Better than nice. Wonderful.

But it still didn’t mean she was going to let something happen romantically. She’d promised herself no men, no complications, no romance.

So why would she consider breaking her rules now for him?

“Jess?”

She shook her head. “I’m just not interested in Ryan or anyone else for that matter. Not now.”

“You’re missing the point, Jess.” Bella reached over the kitchen counter and took hold of her friend’s hand. “We’re talking about a guy who’s only going to be here for a short time, before he’s sent miles away. It’s not like it would be something long-term.” She paused. “You could let your hair down, forget all about what’s happened and just live in the now for a while.”

Jessica didn’t want to hear this. She wished she could close her ears and sing loudly like a naughty child who refused to listen until her friend shut up. Only they weren’t children and Bella kind of had a point. But it didn’t matter what she said or how tempting it might sound. She was a cancer survivor. She had to focus on her health. On her future.

On protecting her heart.

And she didn’t want to ruin her friendship with Ryan. What they had might be paper-based, but it meant a lot to her.

“Well?”

“No.”

Bella rolled her eyes. “Give me one good reason?”

The phone rang. Jessica had never been so pleased for an interruption. Its shrill bleeping made her jump to her feet.

“Hello,” she answered.

“Hey, Jess, it’s Ryan.”

The deep baritone that hit her eardrums sent a lick of excitement down her spine. She could curse Bella for putting ideas in her head!

“Hi, Ryan.”

There was a pause. A silence that made her heart pound hard.

“I was, ah, wondering if you wanted to have dinner tonight after all?”

Jessica made the mistake of looking up at Bella. Her friend looked like she needed a paper bag, as if she were on the verge of hyperventilating.

“Is it him?” Bella was mouthing at her.

She nodded then turned her back. “Sure.”

Now Bella was flapping her hands. She was in danger of becoming airborne.

“Quiet,” Jess mouthed as she turned back, but her friend wasn’t listening.

“Shall I pick you up around seven?”

“Sounds great. I’ll see you then.”

As she hung up Jessica looked at Bella.

“Well?”

Jess gulped. “We’re going out for dinner.”

“Yaaaaaay!”

She cringed at Bella’s high pitch. She should never have told her.

“I can’t believe you’re finally back in the game.” Her friend sighed with satisfaction. “Going out on a date.”

Jess wished a hole would open up in the carpet and swallow her. Just suck her up and eat her whole. This was not a date. Absolutely not a date. No way.

“What are you going to wear?”