Heart Robber (Lifestyle by Design Book 2) by Miranda P. Charles Page B

interrupted, giving Will a menacing squint. "Hey, look, Jessa and I aren't an item but we still have just spent the night together. Do you have to talk about this in front of me?"
    Will leaned back in his seat and tried not to look smug. Oh, yes, Rob was jealous. He hadn't seen his friend like this before. Not even with Andrea, who was the only woman so far who had taken the official title of Rob's girlfriend. When he went to a bar with Rob and Andrea in Melbourne, a man slipped a piece of paper with his phone number in Andrea's hand. Rob just laughed it off and obviously didn't care that his then-girlfriend was being hit on by another man.
    "Don't tell me you're jealous, Rob," he pushed.
    "Of course not," Rob responded with a deep scowl. "Jessa can date whomever she wants."
    "Don't worry, I will," Jessa retorted.

    *******

    Jessa took a deep breath to steady herself. But Rob's comment made her angry and she wanted to hurt back, even if logic told her she couldn't expect him to care how many men she dated.
    "So," she continued, her eyes hard, "if Saturday night dates mean the guy really likes me, then Jim must really like me, too. He's my other Saturday date."
    "You have two dates on Saturday?" Rob's surprise was evident in his voice.
    "No, not on the one Saturday. I'm seeing Warren this coming Saturday and Jim next Saturday."
    The air around them charged with tension as Rob stared at her.
    After a beat, he turned to Will and Clarise. "I hate to be rude and break up this party so early, but Jess and I need to discuss something before I leave for the airport. So you two stay here and finish your food. I'll fix the tab for our table on our way out. No arguments," Rob said to Will, who looked like he was going to protest. Then he faced Jessa. "Can we go, Jess?"
    Jessa saw the pleading look in Rob's eyes and caved. "Okay."
    They stood up and hugged their friends goodbye.
    On their way out, she glanced back and saw the satisfied look on Will's face and Clarise's encouraging smile.

    *******

    Rob held Jessa's hand as they walked silently towards the car park. Inside her car was the only place he could think of that would give them some of the privacy they needed. They didn't have the time to go back to her place.
    Will had been in a pestering mood and had succeeded in getting him riled up. He may have been stoic on the outside as he listened to all the talk about the men Jessa was going to date but inside he was screaming, No fucking way!
    It had been in the back of his mind that Jessa was going out on other dates, but he refused to think about it. He couldn't stop her dating other men, anyway. He didn't have the right. By the same token, he wouldn't expect her to stop him from seeing other women. She wouldn't even know what he'd be up to when he returned to Melbourne.
    But when she announced she was going out on a date next Saturday, something inside him snapped. That was the day he was coming back to Sydney. And Jessa wouldn't be with him. She'd be with another man. The reality of it hit him hard and his breathing constricted. He wasn't done with Jessa yet. He was far from done with her.

    *******

    Jessa sat quietly on the driver's side of her car, twisting her hands in her lap in nervous anticipation. She glanced sideways at Rob, who took a deep breath, looking nervous.
    "Jess," Rob began, shifting to his side so he was facing her. "I don't really know how else to say this so I'll just come out with it."
    Her brows furrowed as she twisted so they were eye to eye.
    "I really want us to keep on seeing each other," Rob declared as he reached out to stroke her knee absently, "and not see other people while we do so."
    Her mouth slackened in surprise as her heart raced. That was the last thing she expected from Rob - the Rob who said he wasn't looking for a relationship.
    Was he serious? He looked serious. Hope sprouted within her but she stalled it. He obviously had more to say.
    "I'll be living in Sydney for four months," he