Long Gone Girl Read Online Free Page B

in
yolk-yellow cotton.
    Jett puffed out a sigh of relief. Even
though Dana had created a scene, he couldn’t help but feel he’d
somehow dodged a bullet. Ignoring the curious stares still directed
his way, he sprinted off toward his hotel. He only had twenty
minutes to get ready before he met up with Ginny now.
    And he wasn’t going to miss that date for
the world. After his run-in with Dana, one thing was clear in his
mind—he was more certain than ever that Ginny Williams might just
be the girl for him.
     
    ***
     
    Jett managed to make it to the orange-aide stand with
a minute to spare, but glancing around the Pavilion, he couldn’t
see Ginny yet. Or Dana, thank God. With any luck, Miss Whitney had
turned tail and was heading back to her parents’ grand house in The
Palisades.
    The last thing he needed was Dana screwing
up his chances with Ginny by reinforcing her long-held perception
that he was untrustworthy. He had his battle plan sorted. But
carrying it out was dependent on Ginny turning up. He prayed she
hadn’t changed her mind.
    He scanned the noisy throng of beach-goers
again but there was still no sign of Ginny’s distinctive strawberry
blonde hair. Crazy how he felt as nervous as a sixteen-year-old
about to go on his first date. With a churning stomach and sweaty
palms, he decided he actually felt worse than when he’d flown his
first sortie in Korea.
    He needed to pull himself together, and
fast, because there she was, walking toward him in figure-hugging
white Capri pants and a pale blue blouse. With her thick, naturally
waving hair pulled back simply into a ponytail and not a scrap of
make-up on, she looked as fresh and beautiful as a fine summer’s
day. And when she made eye contact with him and smiled, his heart
cart-wheeled in his chest.
    It was time to put Operation Ginny into
action.
     
    ***
     
    Ginny threaded her way through the crowd in
Jenkinson’s Pavilion, pulse racing, her stomach aflutter with what
felt like a swarm of butterflies. For at least the hundredth time
she questioned herself as to why she had so readily agreed to
Jett’s suggestion. Part of it was curiosity. After all these years,
she really did want to hear what sort of an explanation he had for
his unforgiveable behavior on prom night. And no matter how hard
she tried, she couldn’t deny her strong physical attraction to him.
It was as if the man had a strange, magnetic pull on her that she
was simply unable to resist. Logic and common sense didn’t enter
into the equation where Jett Kelly Junior was concerned. They never
had and they probably never would.
    Sighing in resignation, she pushed a stray
wisp of hair out of her eyes, searching for Jett’s distinctively
tall form and dark good looks amongst the small group of people
clustered around the orange-aide stand.
    And then Ginny saw him and her breath
hitched and her stomach flipped like she was on the downward plunge
of a roller-coaster ride. He leaned against a white-washed wooden
post, one denim-clad, muscular leg bent casually at a slight
angle—effortlessly, jaw-droppingly handsome, dressed simply in
scuffed boots, jeans and a tight, white T-shirt that stretched
across his broad chest and wide shoulders—a living advertisement
for sex.
    Yes . That was the root of her
problem. She didn’t have unresolved feelings for Jett. He just made
her hormones go wild. That was all. Period. Ironically, she’d made
him promise not to try anything. However, it seemed she was equally
as guilty when it came to harboring lustful thoughts. But surely
she could control herself for a few hours.
    If she was to retain any semblance of
self-respect, she had to.
    As if sensing her approach, Jett’s hot-blue
gaze settled on her and without conscious thought, her mouth
immediately curved into a silly smile. The smile of a love-struck
teenage girl. So much for staying in control .
    “Hey,” he called and pushed away from the
post. His answering smile was soft. “I’m really glad