by Sierra Brave
“How would you feel if I came on to you, asked you to fuck in a bathroom, went home with you and gave you the best sex of your life, and then hightailed it without even saying goodbye?”
She drew in a long breath and let it out. “Not too good, I guess.”
“Exactly. You can’t tell me we didn’t have a connection.” He smiled and reached for her hand, but she jerked away as if he were trying to hand her a cockroach. Chase would have been completely offended if it weren’t for the look of fear in her eyes.
“Jessica?” He tilted his head and attempted to meet her gaze.
Her raised eyebrows came closer together, her eyelids slanted downward, and her nervously contracted lips morphed into a tiny frown as her fear gave way to sadness. “Look, last night I was a starving woman feasting on a scrumptious meal. I appreciate all you did for me, but that’s it. I’m not up for anything more.”
A harsh squeezing sensation made Chase’s chest ache. Absently, he pushed his palm down over his heart, subduing the ache but leaving an emptiness that seemed just as bad. His face filled with tension, his forehead wrinkling as his eyebrows attempted to rise and furrow at the same time, forcing them into straight lines. Part of him wanted to be angry, but the grief and sorrow in Jessica’s expression and tone made him want to wrap her in his arms and hold her close. He wasn’t sure what had happened to her in the past, but now more than ever, he was determined not to let her go. He would, however, give her the smallest amount of space at least for the immediate future.
He nodded. She looked so close to tears, he decided to back off and let her have some time to pull herself together. “I guess I’ll go see what kind of shells I can find.” He turned and then walked away.
Chase left Jessica alone for the rest of the three-hour tour, but after they paddled back to their start point, he took her off to the side again. “I’m sorry I upset you. I shouldn’t have showed up at your job.”
“Okay.” She didn’t meet his eyes but instead stared at his chest.
He was tempted to lift her chin, but he would want to kiss her if he did, so he held back. “Let me make it up to you?” She looked at him sideways and lifted an eyebrow. “How about I take you out to dinner tonight or a movie or both?”
She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “You just won’t give up.”
He grinned. “Nope.”
She stared at his face for a second before looking away. She started to say something but hesitated and looked down at his chest again before answering. “Sorry, but I’ve already accepted another invitation for the evening.”
“Yeah, right,” Chase said with a chuckle. “Come on.”
She met his gaze again. “I’m serious.”
He frowned. “With a guy?”
“Ye—yes.” Something in her tone and the way she spoke didn’t ring true, but Chase got the impression pushing her might bring out a stubborn streak and she’d dig her heels in deeper.
“Okay, then. I’ll be leaving now, but I’m not giving up.”
She laughed. “You will eventually, so it’s better if you go ahead and do it now before anyone get hurts.”
“Huh?” He was so caught off guard by her remark he did a double take.
“Nothing, just bye.” She waved him off.
“Bye, Jessie. Call you tomorrow,” he said before walking toward his car.
Once he was behind the wheel, he got his phone out of the glove box and noticed there was a missed call from Baxter. He pressed the buttons to return the call.
“Go for Brent,” Baxter answered with his first name.
“Hey, it’s Captain Culpepper. I saw where you tried to call me. Is everything all right?”
“Oh yeah, hi, Captain. I figured you still might not be feeling well, so I was just thinking, I could drop your scarf of to you when me, Derrick, and Tanner head out.”
“You guys are hitting the town again tonight?” Chase put his key in the ignition without cranking the engine.
“We’re hitting up a karaoke bar.”
“What are you going to sing?” Chase couldn’t help snickering.
“Me? Not a damn thing. It’s Ryan’s deal. Apparently, he’s talented. Gets the Tan Man all hot and bothered.” He raised his voice slightly when he said the last part.
Chase heard Tolsten react. “Shut up, dumbass. Who the hell are you saying that to?”
“Your mama,” Baxter answered Tolsten.
“Excuse me?” Chase asked.
“Oh, sorry, Captain. So do you want me to bring the scarf by?”
“That’s nice of you to offer, but it’s not necessary. I can just get it from you at work Monday. Answer me this, though. Is Jessica going tonight?”
“The blonde from last night?”
“Yeah.”
“Hold on and I’ll ask.” Chase heard some muffled chatter, and then Baxter replied, “She and Ryan are meeting us there.”
“Interesting.” He smirked to himself. Invitation from another guy—guess she was telling the truth. “So where is this bar?”
Chapter Four
Jessica showered the sand and sticky salt-air film off her body and hair before drying off. Hard as she tried, she couldn’t push Chase or the terrific sex they’d had the night before out of her head. I can’t believe he showed up at the tour today.
Why on earth a gorgeous man like him was wasting his time on her, she couldn’t fathom. With his body, chiseled jaw, and hypnotic stare, he could have any girl he wanted. If she fell for his line of bullshit now, she’d get her heart smashed again.
She wasn’t in the mood to dress up tonight. Hell, she didn’t even feel like going anywhere at all, but she had promised Ryan she’d go and watch him sing. She was off work tomorrow, so maybe she’d get drunk and join him onstage to belt out a few. She grabbed a pair of pink cotton bikini underwear and put them on before she pulled her distressed denim jeans over them. The thought of putting on a bra made her grimace. One of the only perks to having small breasts was the privilege of going braless, so she snagged a black tank top to wear with her pink zip-front hoodie jacket and white tennis shoes.
She went back in the bathroom and brushed her teeth before painting on a little shimmery coral lipstick and some black mascara. She knocked on the door adjoining Ryan’s room to the bathroom, and he called out, “Entrez-vous.”
Jessica opened the door to his room and then walked in to see Ryan outfitted like someone out of a fashion magazine.
She looked down at her ensemble. “I hope this is all right to wear.”
“Oh yeah, it’s usually very casual. I just like to dress up.” He pushed back his hair and threw her a knowing look.
“What?” she asked. The way he was staring, she might as well have been naked.
“You didn’t come home last night, and I don’t know… You said you were visiting with a friend, but something was simmering between you and that sexy captain at the other end of the table.”
Damn him for being so perceptive. Jessica huffed. “Caroline warned me about you and your somebody-got-fucked sense.”
Ryan laughed. “Touché…so?”
“Buttons?” Jessica replied coyly.
“Oh, don’t you give me any sew buttons bull crap. Spill!”
Jessica shrugged, looking around as if she had no idea what he meant. “Spill what?”
“How was it? Did he have a big dick? Did you have an orgasm? I could go on.” Ryan stared her down with his arms folded over his chest.
“Oh Jeez!” Jessica placed a hand over each burning cheek. “So embarrassing.”
“I saw him, honey, and there is nothing to be embarrassed about. Getting up on that was a good idea.”
“Oh my God, you have no shame at all.”
“No shame in my game, Jessica. Now give up the details.”
Jessica’s mind wandered back to the events of last evening. She pictured Chase’s hard abs and gigantic cock and couldn’t repress the smile spreading across her face.
“Oh Lord! I knew it,” Ryan said, raising both hands in the air and doing a little dance.
“It was very pleasant.” Jessica looked away as she answered.
“From the look on your face, it was way better than pleasant. Did he have a big ding-dong?”
She burst out laughing, holding her stomach as tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. “The term ding-dong doesn’t really do it justice.”
“Okay, so did he have a big cock?” Ryan asked.
Jessica nodded. “It was formidable. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to take it.”
Ryan’s jaw dropped, and his eyes widened. Then a large grin filled up the bottom portion of his face. “Go ’head, girl! Go ’head.”
Jessica was desperate to change the subject. “What are you singing tonight?”
“I was thinking I’d start out with some Kanye.”
She shoved a finger in her mouth as if she were going to induce vomiting.
“I know. He’s a lot, but his music is good.”
She nodded. “True, and after that?”
“I can’t leave without singing ‘It’s Raining Men.’”
“Hallelujah!” Jessica put both hands in the air as if she were at a praise-and-worship ceremony. They looked at each other, and both howled with laughter.
Her phone rang, and she walked back over to her room to answer it. She was still snickering and hadn’t paid any attention to the display. “Hello.”
“Hey, baby.”
Jessica immediately recognized the voice of her ex-boyfriend, and her blood pressure shot up as anger broiled in her belly. She’d blocked his number but he was either using someone else’s phone or had bought a burner. “What do you want?”
“Don’t be that way.”
“What way?” she asked, fuming.
“It’s about time for you to stop pouting and come back home.” His voice was dispassionate.
“What’s the matter, David? Your mortgage note came due without me there to pay it for you? Bet you’re kicking yourself for not wanting me on the deed now.”
“You were so stubborn about that,” he said, his voice hissing on the s.
“Yep, the one time I put my foot down. If my name wasn’t on the deed, it wasn’t going to be on the loan papers.”
“None of that matters. I just want you back, baby.”
“Why?”
“Because I love you.”
“Love me? Is that why you cheated on me?” She spoke between gritted teeth, though she was more surprised her anger was about him having the nerve to call her than the actual infidelity.
“Everybody makes mistakes,” he whined.
Jessica laughed coldly. “You made a lot of them with a lot of different women, but this last one…she was supposed to be my friend. The two of you really pulled a number on me. Making me apologize to her for suspecting the two of you months before I actually caught you has got to be the cherry on top of that shit sundae.”
“I said I was sorry. I’ve changed. I promise all that is over. Please come home.”
“I’m never coming back.” She was so pissed off she was shaking now.
“Don’t you love me anymore,” he said, using a sweet voice that had worked in the past.
“No, actually I don’t.”
“What?” His voice was raised, and his tone was harsh.
“You heard me.” Jessica did her best to stay calm and keep her inflection level.
“I hope you don’t think you’ll ever find anyone as good as me again. I’m a good-looking guy, and you’re a just a skinny little-titty bitch. No one else is going to want your worthless, worn-out pussy.”
Jessica balled up her fist so tight her nails dug into her hand as she held back tears. “Funny, I fucked a far better man than you last night, one that actually cared if I came.”
“You whore!”
“Fuck you, David. Don’t call me ever again.” She hung up on him and threw the phone on the bed. “Fucking asshole.”
She heard applause and turned around to see Ryan. He nodded. “Good job.”
Her tears started flowing, and she crumpled into his arms, bawling like a baby. “I’m so stupid.”
“No, you’re not.” Ryan patted her back.
“I let that piece of shit talk to me that way and treat me like garbage for so long I started to believe the things he said about me.”
“He’s a jackass and an idiot.” Ryan kissed her on the side of her forehead. “You are a sweet, smart, and beautiful woman. You need to learn to believe in yourself, but you don’t need him.”
“Thanks, Ryan.” She wiped her face with her hands.
“Let’s get your makeup touched up and go have lots of fun. I’m driving so I can get Tanner super drunk and make wild, passionate love to him.”
She snickered. “You’d do that even if he were stone cold sober.”
“True, but when he’s drunk, he lets me top. I’m gonna tap dat ass!” Ryan stuck out his tongue and did a shimmy shake, and Jessica laughed her butt off.
“Oh wow!” She dabbed at her face with some tissues from her purse and laughed some more. “Thanks, I needed that laugh.”
Once she’d fixed her face, she and Ryan left the apartment and then hopped into his Bronco. Ryan drove them to the Trotting Pony, a small restaurant and pub. As far as cuisine, they mostly offered appetizers and sub sandwiches, so they weren’t nearly as popular as Lono’s or Sharky’s, Jessica’s Aunt Britt’s restaurant, so they compensated by having game nights with prizes and on Saturdays they had karaoke.
She and Ryan showed up fashionably late, so Tanner and his roommates were already there and had a table for them. They’d also already ordered a couple of pitchers of beer. Ryan wasted no time asking the server to bring Tanner a double shot of tequila, cutting his eyes at Jessica and smirking as he did.
She covered her mouth as she snickered and then requested a Tomahawk shooter and a strawberry margarita to chase it down. It had been a long day, and she’d had a light lunch, so she was actually hungry. After a short discussion, the entire group decided each person would order an appetizer and they’d all share. Jessica ordered the classic bar nachos while Ryan asked for portabella fries. Tanner chose catfish strips, and Brent and Derrick both picked chicken wings but with different flavoring sauces.
“I guess I need to get on the list to sing,” Ryan said.
“I already signed you up to sing ‘Like a Virgin,’” Tanner replied with a grin.
Jessica thought he was serious until he and Ryan looked each other in the face and cracked up.
“You had me going there for minute,” Jessica said, giggling.
“Oh, don’t get it twisted. I could rock that song, but I’ll sing it for a private audience of one.” Ryan made eyes at Tanner, and Tanner blushed.
True to his word, Ryan was soon called up to the stage, and he belted out Kanye’s “Gold Digger” while swinging his hips and swaying his shoulders to the rhythm.
Jessica assumed he’d be pretty good, but he was a lot better than she had expected. Tanner seemed affected. He was practically salivating while Ryan was onstage, never taking his eyes off of him.
After his performance concluded to resounding applause, Ryan returned to the table and plopped down in his seat. “You were awesome, baby!” Tanner’s voice was breathy, his pupils dilated, and his cheeks flushed.
“You two are way too cute,” Jessica said, smiling.
“Aren’t we?” Ryan said as he leaned in close to her. “And you know what? Hanging out with a bunch of soldiers means we don’t have to worry about harassment from homophobes, so we’ve been having tons of fun being lovey-dovey all the time.”
“That is a plus.” Jessica grinned as Ryan raised and lowered his eyebrows a couple of times.
When the food came, Ryan ordered another pitcher of beer even though he was drinking water, and he filled Tanner’s glass with the remainder of the beer on their side of the table. Her tummy growled, and she piled some n
achos and wings on her plate, tasting the chicken first. “Mmm, good choice, Brent. I like the Jamaican jerk sauce.”
“Me too! It’s my favorite,” he said, beaming with pride.
That one really responds well to praise.
As the night went on, the mood was jovial. Tanner and Brent were tanked, and Jessica had enough of a buzz that Ryan was able to get her onstage to sing Barbie Girl with him even though she hated that song.
After a while Brent decided to give karaoke a go, but looked an absolute fool trying to perform Eminem’s “The Real Slim Shady.” It was so hilarious the entire bar was cheering him on, and Brent was eating it up like a WWE wrestler.
Jessica had laughed so hard her stomach hurt. “I’ve gotta hit the ladies’ room before I have an accident.” She stood and bobbled, but Ryan steadied her.
“Careful, girl.”
Jessica grabbed her purse and hightailed it to the bathroom. When she returned, Tanner had downed more beer and was shitfaced drunk. “When’s your grand finale, Ryan?” she asked.
Ryan scowled, his arms folded over his chest. “No idea. I’m reasonably sure I was supposed to be up next, but some dickhole greased the guy in charge to dim the lights and let him go ahead of me.”
“Huh?” Jessica glanced at the stage. She could barely make out a partial silhouette. She shrugged and plucked another chicken wing from the basket. As the music started to play, she vaguely recognized the tune. It was an old song, and she couldn’t remember when or where she’d heard it in the past.
“Wise men say…” came from the stage.
Jessica wasn’t paying much attention, but whoever had displaced Ryan in line had a decent voice. He kept singing in the dark, and Jessica kept eating. After she’d finished her margarita, she’d filled up her glass from one of the draft pitchers on the table, and beer tended to give her the munchies.
As the second verse played, the stage lights came on, but Jessica was too busy drinking to pay attention to the performer until Brent started smacking his palm down on the table and hollering.
“Oh shit! It’s the captain,” Derrick said, and Jessica spewed her drink, nearly hitting Tanner.
