by Mari Carr
They turned their attention to the stage as a bald guy with tattoos covering nearly ninety percent of his body took the microphone and started singing an old Garth Brooks song about “Friends in Low Places”.
The camaraderie of the patrons of the bar as they lifted their drinks and sang along was infectious and soon Kristen found herself joining in on the chorus as well. She and Jason had another round as more singers took the stage. They laughed until they cried at some of the worst acts, then marveled whenever someone with genuine talent belted out a tune.
The night passed by in a pleasant haze of music and beer and easy conversation. Kristen excused herself to go to the restroom, then groaned when she returned to find Jason with the song catalog in his hands. “Ready to sing?”
“Hell no.”
He ignored her denial. As usual. “Did you ever see that movie, Walk the Line, about Johnny Cash?”
She tilted her head, annoyed. “I saw it with you, jackass.”
Jason grinned. “Oh yeah. I forgot that. Well, I just signed us up to sing a song from that movie.”
“No.”
“It’s perfect for us.”
She considered the songs from the soundtrack wondering which one he considered ideal. “‘Jackson’? ‘Cry Cry Cry’? ‘Ring of Fire’?”
He laughed, but didn’t answer. “You may not realize this about me, but I can really nail Johnny’s voice.”
“And I guess I’m supposed to be June? In case you’ve failed to notice, I’m lacking a Southern accent.”
“Maybe so, but you sure do look like Reese Witherspoon.”
“Oh jeez. At some point in your life you’re going to have to give up your unnatural obsession for that woman.”
“Sure thing. I’ll dump Reese the second you realize you’re not going to ride off into the sunset with vampire guy from True Blood.”
“Ooo, Eric. There’s no way I’ll ever give him up. And you can’t ride off into the sunset with a vampire. They burn.”
“Whatever. Come on,” Jason said, reaching out for her hand while speaking to her in a deep, Southern, and—God help her—sexy drawl. “Sing with me, June.”
She stood up, despite her better judgment. “Tell me what the song is.”
“‘It Ain’t Me Babe’.”
She laughed and agreed. It was perfect. They took the stage and grabbed their mics. “Very appropriate. Just be sure to pay attention to the words, J.”
The deejay introduced them then fired up the song. Kristen giggled when Jason started to sing, but she had to admit he had Johnny Cash’s deep voice and accent down pat. And he was actually a pretty good singer.
Once it was her turn to join in on the duet, she decided what the hell and pulled out all the stops. She twanged and twirled, hamming it up when he spun her around in true square dancing style. The crowd cheered, daring them to take their performance to even sillier heights. Kristen had never sung karaoke in her life, sure it was too ridiculous, but she could suddenly see the appeal.
As the song wound down, the audience stood, offering them the first standing ovation of the night. The deejay tried to encourage them to sing another, but Jason took her hand and pointed to the table. “Need to wet my whistle first.”
They reclaimed their chairs, laughing.
“So, what did you think?” Jason asked.
“Well, you’re no Joaquin Phoenix, but you’re not bad,” she teased.
“You blew Reese Witherspoon out of the water. I think it’s safe to say you cured me of that crush.”
The sweet compliment caught her unaware and caused a sudden warmth inside her she couldn’t recognize at first. Then she started to figure it out.
She was falling for Jason.
Kristen waited for the panic that thought should have incited, but whether it was the beer, the music or sheer exhaustion working against her, she couldn’t tell. All she knew was she wasn’t afraid of that emotion right now. Maybe she would be later, but not tonight.
Jason stood when a slow song started and the singer on the stage began to croon “Unchained Melody” every bit as beautifully as The Righteous Brothers.
He held out his hand. “Dance with me.”
She looked around the bar. “No one else is dancing.”
He shrugged. “I don’t care.”
She accepted his hand and let him lead her to an empty spot in front of the stage. Then he wrapped her in his arms and they began to sway. Soon other people followed suit, coupling up to join them on the tiny, makeshift dance floor.
“One of the top five love songs ever,” Jason murmured in her ear.
“Really? You think so? I’ve never been a big fan.”
He pulled back so he could see her face. “Are you kidding me?”
She shook her head and crinkled her nose.
“Oh man. What the hell happened to your heart, Tin Man? This is a very romantic song.”
She grinned. “God. Please tell me you’re not one of those people who goes for mushy-gushy crap like this.”
They were still holding each other and moving in time, their conversation spoken in hushed whispers. Though Jason pretended to be annoyed with her response, she could see the spark in his eye that confirmed he loved their sparring as much as she did.
“You’re in serious danger of being held in contempt of love court. You have one chance for reprieve or I’ll have to lock you up in my Audi and bombard you with romantic songs until you break.”
She feigned a shudder.
“So what song makes you melt inside?”
She pretended to consider her answer, then said, “‘Pour Some Sugar on Me’. Def Leppard.”
Jason groaned. “You wanna try again or do I need to get my car keys out?”
“Fine. I’m a Clapton fan. ‘Wonderful Tonight’.”
Jason tilted his head, clearly impressed by her answer. “That’s a good song. Why that one?”
She should have known he’d dig deeper. It didn’t matter. She knew her answer. “I guess because it’s not about new love or lust or desire. It’s about a lasting love. That feels more true to me.”
“Wow. Great answer.”
She didn’t have time to reply when he pulled her closer, the embrace becoming more hug than dance. Neither of them sought to break the connection. Instead, they held tight, swaying in place.
When the song ended, Jason let her go, leading her back to the table. Kristen missed his touch instantly.
He must have felt it too. “You wanna go?”
She nodded.
Jason settled their tab, then the two of them drove back to her townhouse in silence. As they pulled into the parking lot, Jason turned the car off, but left the battery running, the radio playing softly.
“Well,” he said.
He was waiting for an invitation inside. She knew it. But the panic she’d held at bay all night found its way to the surface, clogging her throat with pure fear.
She tried to cover it up when a song came on the radio. “I love this song.”
Jason smiled kindly. He could obviously see the nervousness she wasn’t hiding very well. “It’s one of my favorites.”
They sat in silence as the words to “Let Your Heart Hold Fast” closed in around them. It comforted her, calmed her down.
Then she turned to face him. “Jason—”
He shook his head. “It’s okay, Kris. You don’t have to ask me in.”
She leaned forward, grateful for his understanding, while hating him for it as well. Some sick, weak part of her wanted him to demand, to push for this.
“Happy birthday,” she whispered, meaning to give him a quick, platonic kiss. Those intentions flew out the window the second her lips touched his. She’d had two weeks to remember every incredible, intense moment of his first kiss in her office. The memory had consumed her, drowned her in longing.
Now she was here again and unwilling to deny herself one more taste.
Jason clasped her cheeks in his hands and she realiz
ed it wasn’t music that melted her, it was the sexy way he held her, coddled her, made her feel precious, delicate, special.
She twisted, trying to move closer, but the damn stick shift kept digging into her side. Jason must’ve noticed because he turned as well, working to move them away from the damn thing. She laughed when he banged his elbow against it.
“Something tells me it would be simpler to make out with a porcupine,” she murmured.
He gave her a crooked grin. “Let’s try something else.” He pressed lightly on her shoulder until she was in her seat once more, her head against the rest. “Lift that lever on the side of the seat and recline.”
What the hell was she doing? She was almost forty years old and making out in a car like a horny teenager. That fact was made even more ridiculous by the idea that her parent-less house was less than a hundred feet away from them.
Regardless, she did as he asked, not quite ready to make the mother of all mistakes just yet. Even so, she was dying to see what he had in mind for now.
She slid her seat back, expecting Jason to follow suit. He didn’t.
Instead he twisted in his own, studying her face. “You’re beautiful, Kris.”
She was touched by the compliment and amused by the slight sound of amazement in his voice. “You sound surprised by that.”
“I’m trying to figure out how the hell I’ve missed that detail all these years.”
Kristen couldn’t respond because he punctuated his statement by resting his hand on her knee and his fingers slipped the skirt higher.
“Open your legs.”
Oh God. They’d been here before. And like a jackass, she’d stopped him. Sadly, her powers of resistance had turned down as much as they were physically able to. She’d managed to say no to her bedroom and sex, but this. Damn, she needed this.
Jason lost no time covering the distance between her knee and her pussy. Obviously he hadn’t forgotten the last time either. He wasn’t going slow, wasn’t going to give her time to change her mind.
She grinned as his fingers stroked her pantyhose. He’d forbidden her to wear stockings, so now he’d have to deal with the mess he’d made.
He read the challenge in her eyes and, in typical Jason form, responded without hesitance. He lifted a bit of the sheer hose and ripped. Hard. “Oops.”
She started to laugh, but the sound died on her lips when he tugged her panties aside and ran his finger along the opening to her body.
She trembled as she muttered, “Fuck.”
Kristen was well aware of exactly how much moisture and heat Jason was finding. Her pussy had started tingling the moment he’d walked into her office and said they were going out. He pressed a fingertip to her clit, applying just the right amount of pressure.
She reached out and gripped his forearm tightly. Not to stop him, simply as a way of seeking some sort of support. “Holy shit. You found that on the first pass.”
He chuckled, though he shook his head as if displeased. “Who the hell have you been sleeping with? You realize that part of a woman’s body isn’t exactly hidden.”
Tell that to her past lovers. She wasn’t sure any of them could have found it if she’d drawn a map and given them a GPS.
Jason distracted her again when he wiggled that same wicked finger, applying just the right pressure and speed. “Once you figure out that you and I are inevitable, I’m going to lay you down on a bed and suck on that pretty little clit until you come.”
Oh God. Dirty talk. She was done for. She loved that shit. After all, words were her job. She and Jason used them to sway juries, unnerve witnesses and appeal to judges. There was no way she could resist when Jason used them against her like this.
“But until then, we’ll have to settle for this.” He continued to move his finger against the swollen nub, working it until every brain cell in her head evaporated under the magic of his touch. She shifted lower in the seat, giving him better access as her hips started thrusting in tandem, allowing her to participate in what was sure to be a beautiful demise.
As Jason stroked her, he cupped the back of her neck with his free hand, tugging her face closer to his. She thought his intention was to kiss her, but instead he just looked at her. She could only imagine what he saw. She felt the light sheen of sweat on her brow caused by the heat of the car and she didn’t need a mirror to know her face was flushed.
She licked her lips, hoping Jason would read the invitation in her gesture. She was hungry for his kisses, but he didn’t move. He simply kept driving her higher and higher up the mountain.
She was going to come. Soon. And pushed there by nothing more than Jason’s caresses, his tight—completely alpha and sexy—grip on her neck and the look on his face that told her there was nowhere else on earth he’d rather be right now.
“Kiss me,” she whispered, hoping that would dispel some of the intensity radiating between them. The moment was too heated, too passionate. She wasn’t used to this. Wasn’t sure she’d ever felt anything like it.
Jason shook his head. “I want to watch you.”
That idea made her uncomfortable. It felt too personal. Her past encounters usually involved darkened rooms, closed eyes, privacy. Jason was thrusting her out into the light, demanding more than she’d ever been willing to give.
“Please.”
He didn’t release his grip. Didn’t give in. Instead, he dipped two fingers inside her pussy, thrusting faster and with a strength that drove her out of her mind. Then he used the moisture discovered there to stroke her clit again. Inside. Out. Faster. Harder.
It was too much. Kristen gripped his shoulder with one hand as the other still clung to the arm that was wrecking the most incredible havoc on her body.
“God, J. Please.” Her plea came out in harsh breaths as her vision went cloudy. He wasn’t granting her a reprieve, wasn’t going to settle for less than he’d demanded. He was going to watch the walls fall down.
She wanted to twist her face away from him. She even tried, but his grip was resolute.
“You’re beautiful, Kris. Stop trying to hide from me and come.”
He whispered the last word, but it was as if he’d shouted it from a mountaintop. Kristen shattered in his arms, her body writhing, her face contorting as the most astonishing, pleasurable, almost painful tremors ripped through her.
No vibrator in the world had ever provoked that kind of orgasm. No lover had ever brought her to such completion. And the most amazing part was they were both still fully dressed.
As her climax began to subside, Kristen fell back against the seat. Jason slowly pulled his fingers from her body, the slight motion provoking another smaller climax.
She gasped. “Shit. Whoa.”
She kept her eyes closed, her face forward, unable and unwilling to look at him just yet. She wasn’t sure how long she hid. Jason, bless him, didn’t force her to talk about it. To try to get her to admit to something she simply couldn’t accept. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
Her brain slowly started to emerge from the wreckage and it wasn’t pleased. She’d thrown every bit of logic and common sense out the window for a few minutes of physical pleasure. With her playboy, party-hardy, clown of a law partner.
Jason chuckled softly. The sound prompted her to turn her head and look at him.
He glanced at his watch. “Took a full five minutes for Miss Practical to reappear. Your response time is slowing down. I’m getting to you, aren’t I?”
She blew out an exasperated breath. “Jason. We can’t keep doing this. We’re completely and utterly wrong for each other.”
Even as the words came out, she knew they were a lie.
But there was a difference between lust and love. She’d said as much in the bar. And right now, she couldn’t figure out which category they fell in. Neither of them was exactly expert in the field of relationships. What if they really were suffering some sort of midlife crises? What if they were mistaking lust for love? Jason wasn’t exactly known
for denying himself his pleasures. What if he only thought he had feelings for her because of the unrequited desire? And if she gave in, would he figure it out and run for the hills once the novelty wore off? Could she take a chance like that?
She had zero experience when it came to affairs of the heart. Her parents had never been married. Her dad got her mom pregnant twice within the course of two years, then hit the road. Her mother hadn’t been too far behind him, which left Kristen and her brother in the care of their grandmother. Grandma had done the best she could by them and Kristen didn’t doubt she loved them, but her grandmother didn’t show affection easily. Kristen was more like her than she wanted to admit, finding life much easier if she kept everything and everyone at a distance.
Now Jason was prying things open that had never seen the light of day and it was freaking her out.
He dragged her from her confused thoughts, running his finger along her nose playfully. “It’s okay, Kris. This is a marathon, not a sprint. There’s no mad dash to the finish line.”
“Matthew is perfect for me.”
He grinned. “Yeah. I know that.”
“You drive me crazy.”
Jason cupped her cheek, encouraging her to look at him when she started to turn away again. “I know that too. So I’m stepping away for now.”
Her heart lurched at the thought he wanted to break off whatever it was that was going on between them. Though she didn’t know what she wanted, she wasn’t sure she could stand to see this end. “What do you mean?”
“You started this year with a goal. To find a guy and settle down. I know you believe Matthew is the right man for you. So I’m going to give you a chance to figure out if that’s true. I didn’t plan on this—” he waved his finger between them, “—happening. I’m not intentionally trying to mess with your head, but I think I am. So I’ll steer clear, give you some time to sort it all out. Okay?”
It was a wonderful gesture. A kind gift.
She hated it.
But realistic Kristen saw the wisdom in his words. She did need to put some distance between them. She couldn’t think when he was standing so close to her. Maybe if they weren’t in each other’s faces all the time, she could catch her breath and her wits and recall how to put two and two together once more.
