Her face softened, as if she was trying to reason with a toddler. “Humor me, okay?”
I ran my left hand up and down my right arm. “Fine.”
She waved Jason inside. His face twisted in distaste. He wasn’t pleased about staying at the house of a girl who was on the edge and loathed him. Couldn’t blame him.
Amelia hugged me. My bare legs were lost in the folds of her skirt as she wrapped her arms around me. She had on a long white gown. I think they were going to a fancy restaurant on Sunset and it required black tie attire.
With Hunter and Amelia out of the picture, that left Jason and me standing in my living room like fools. Embarrassed by how dirty I let my house get, I went to clean up. As I gathered liquor bottles and trash in my arms, Jason watched me. Ignoring the burn on my skin, I went to the kitchen to toss away the debris.
“How are we spending this night?”
I looked over my shoulder to see him standing by my kitchen table.
“Excuse me?” I asked, tilting my head to the side.
“I was wondering if I had to prepare myself for watching you sulk all night.”
I ran my fingertips over my right eyebrow. “I don’t sulk. You can do whatever.”
“So I can pirate music using your Wi-Fi?”
The paper in my hand floated to the ground. I picked it up and said, “What? No, don’t do that.”
“Then don’t say I can do whatever,” he said, flashing a smile.
I shook my head as I tossed the piece of paper into the trashcan. “I found no humor in that.”
“What bit you and turned you into a crazed bitch?”
“Nothing,” I said sharply. My words were dagger sharp.
He held up his hands in defeat. I rolled my eyes and went to retire to my room. As I passed by him, he reached out and gingerly touched my arm. It felt like hot bristles were stabbing my heart. Jason was trying to be nice, but I could never trust a man like that. They looked for holes to take advantage of.
“I heard about what happened to you…”
I jerked my arm back, saving it from hungry flames. “I don’t need your pity or you lecturing me about how to live my life.”
“I wasn’t going to…I want to be a friend…”
“You, a hot guy, wants to be my friend?” I crossed my arms over my chest and watched him. Deep in my gut, I winced about admitting he was attractive, but my angry front covered it up, at least I hoped it did.
Jason picked up an empty bottle of whiskey I missed and threw it away. When he turned to look at me, he was moving in slow motion again. I shook my head to erase the daze clouding my thoughts. What game was he playing?
He said, “We can talk or watch a movie, whichever you prefer.”
“Honestly, I’m about to lose my mind in this house. I’ve been its prisoner forever, it seems.”
“You wanna go out? We could go to a quiet place to eat. A diner, maybe? As friends, of course.”
I wrinkled my nose at the idea. “No, I’m not that type of girl. I know now what to watch out for. I’m prepared to get back on the horse and not be some girl worried she’s going to be a victim for the rest of her born days. I’m the kind of girl who kicks ass.”
The smile on my face felt real. I wanted to go back into the world and face down the dragons who thought they could vanquish me. It was time to show them who had control of the sword.
The look on Jason’s face suggested he didn’t seem to believe me. He rubbed his jaw and said, “Okay, so you wanna hit a club? That’s fine, but don’t ditch me if you find someone worthy.”
The insult hit me hard. I scratched my arm, leaving red lines on my skin so I didn’t lash out with sharp words. “Worthy? You make me sound like an upper class slut.”
“What I meant was, don’t ditch me for someone like you did at the last party.”
“In my defense, I didn’t come with you then.”
He gave me a long, knowing look.
I gave him a smirk and smacked his upper arm. “Fine, I won’t ditch you, but the same goes for you too.”
The smile that made my stomach twist in lust was painted on his face again. “It’s a date. Shall we or do you want to change first?”
I looked down at my pink Eeyore shorts and matching shirt. “Maybe I want to go clubbing in this. Imagine all the envious looks I’d get,” I joked, tugging on the hem of the shirt.
He laughed. It was warm, like cookies fresh from the oven. “You would be quite the eye catcher, the crème de la crème of the club.”
“You bet,” I said with a wink. “I’ll be down in a minute.”
I ran up the stairs and tore my closet apart to find something suitable to wear. My heart settled on a hip hugging leather skirt with a lace top. It showed off my shoulders, but not my chest. There was no time for a movie star makeover, but some eyeliner and red lipstick can go pretty far. I slipped on some five inch heels and threw on a pair of peace sign earrings before going back down.
Jason’s eyes widened at the sight of me. He tried to cover it up by fake coughing. I grabbed my clutch purse and made my way out the door. “Are we going or what?”
“Yes,” he said, jogging to catch up. I locked the door and trailed behind him. He stood between our two vehicles. “Wanna take my Jeep?”
I couldn’t help but look at my Charger and wish to drive it. Something in me felt better when I was in my car. Maybe it was because I had the control. On the other hand, I didn’t want to drive my car while drunk. Let Jason deal with the ticket if we got pulled over.
“Sure,” I replied.
Jason took us to a high roller club called Revolution of the Dead. Usually you’d have to be a movie star, singer, or model to be in that world. Jason walked right up to the big, tall bouncer and said his name. To my surprise, he was let him in automatically and I was his plus one. Turned out Jason’s uncle owned the joint.
The music pounded into my head, trying to find the weak spot in my ear drums so they’d burst. Body heat hit me in smelly waves. We pressed our way to the bar. Some girl in a bikini top and jean shorts pushed me after I accidently bumped into her. She thought it was a punishment, but actually she helped me get to the bar faster.
A guy sat next to me and looked my body over. I recoiled from him and crossed my legs. He looked over his shoulder. Someone caught his eye and he was gone.
Jason ordered our drinks. We sat and sipped them, scanning the crowd. A few drinks later I allowed Jason to lead me to the dance floor. My hair whipped around my sweaty body as I circled Jason like a shark on the hunt. I found myself wanting more of him. If only he’d lose some of his clothes in the chaotic crowd.
During a slow song, if that existed in a dance club, Jason whispered into my ear, “You know, I like you.” I felt that was the invitation I’d been waiting for. He’d be my summer boy soon.
My lips attached to his, but didn’t seal. He pushed me away and looked at me like I grew a second head.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, shouting over the music.
The rainbow colored lights above reflected in his eyes. “Why are you kissing me?”
“Because you like me and I like you.”
How dim was he?
His gaze held some kind of sorrow. I felt his body slow down and then stop altogether. He refused to dance again. Instead, he abandoned the dance floor. Confused and frustrated, I followed him.
Once outside in the warm and quiet night, I hissed, “What’s your problem?”
“Why do you want to sleep with every guy who takes an interest in you?”
I licked my lips. I didn’t know how to answer such a question. “Guys are all the same. They think with what’s in their damn pants and I twist it around—”
Blood rushed to his face in anger and his hands kept clenching and unclenching at his sides. “Don’t you group me into the likes of guys who take advantage of drunk girls!”
I was taken aback. “Whoa, calm down.”
“Let’s go,” he said.<
br />
I followed behind him and we got into his Jeep. We were in a cone of silence. To ease my troubled mind, I looked out the window. The city’s lights whizzed by like fireflies. A light sprinkling of rain dusted the vehicle in droplets. I watched them race each other to the edge of the window.
What’s his problem, anyway? Guys love a girl who wants to give them kisses. Let him think he has control and turn it around. Be the one on top.
I kept looking out, staring at the line of palm trees in the distance, highlighted by the moon. “I’m sorry. I thought…”
He inhaled deeply, then exhaled, and finally said, “I like you, but that doesn’t mean all I want to do is screw you. Haven’t you seen any romantic movies?”
I touched the glass, following a raindrop down the window with my finger. “Not into romance. More of an action fan myself.”
“I can tell.” His voice became soft, toasty. When I was this close to a guy I felt lust, but with Jason the lust turned into feeling safe. It was new. I didn’t know what to do with myself.
I turned my head to look at him. His jaw was clenched, like he was holding back more things he wanted to say.
“Thanks for trying to cheer me up,” I said. “Would’ve worked like a charm if I didn’t think you wanted to sleep with me.”
His Adam apple moved as he swallowed. “I do…”
My eyebrows met in confusion. “Excuse me?”
For a moment, all I could hear was the engine and the gentle rhythm of the rain. I watched him and kept a firm grip on the seatbelt. The road was getting bumpy.
His lips revealed a smile. His teeth were glossy with the moonlight. “We’re doing this wrong. Yelling at each other, not knowing one another, and now tonight.”
I looked out to the road. A red Viper passed us, going the opposite way. I glanced down at my nails. The headlights of the next car were too bright. “What do you mean?”
Jason was quiet. When I peeked up through my hair, he was holding the steering wheel tightly, like he was about to confess something. “We fight like cats and dogs, yet I feel something strong for you.”
“I feel it too,” I said, picking at my skirt to hide my smile.
“I don’t live far from you. Want to hang out at my place? Hunter and Amelia might need their space.”
My body cringed at the idea of Hunter making love to my best friend, but she was an adult. Jason seemed like a gentleman, and if I didn’t drink too much tonight, I wouldn’t act like an idiot.
“Sure, your house was the setting of that party, right?” I asked, biting my lip.
“No, that was Hunter’s house, but he doesn’t live that far away either.”
Jason turned off the main road and entered a neighborhood. The houses were all well-kept and all looked the same. They were two-story with drab front yards and windows lit by TVs.
He pulled into a driveway to a house with a single porch light on. In the pool of light was a small statue of a dog holding a welcome sign.
It stopped raining, but its scent lingered in the night air. Jason was unlocking the front door when another wave came. Sprinkles of rain fell, kissing the earth. Soon, sheets of enraged water poured from the sky and pounded the ground.
The heat between Jason and me increased in the house. We attempted to watch a movie, but the cable went out. The lights dimmed a few times before turning off altogether. Jason found a bunch of candles and we put them around us. We sat in a circle of firelight and the air filled with vanilla.
“So…how were you as a kid? Getting into trouble like you do now?” Jason asked. The candles made shadows dance on his face, making him handsomer in some way.
“I was not trouble,” I said, curling a piece of hair around my finger. “It was nothing to complain about, I guess. You know the house Amelia and I are staying in…”
Jason nodded.
“It belonged to my grandmother. She let us stay there whenever we wanted and left it to us when she died.”
Jason picked at a hole in his jeans. “When you say ‘we’…”
I looked down at the dancing shadows of the flames on the carpet. “I mean my parents and me.”
Jason tilted his head. “No siblings?”
The piece of hair around my finger became tighter, making the finger go numb. I hated talking about being an only child. People either pitied me for it or claimed I was lucky. It was how my childhood was and the question tired me.
“No. When I was younger, I used to beg my mom for a baby sister. I wanted someone to play dolls with, but the older I got, I forgot about it.”
He leaned in closer. It seemed like he wanted to touch me, but thought better of it. “You’re okay being alone now?”
I looked at the candles. Some were growing dim, drowning in a pool of white wax. “It has its pluses and minuses, you know, but so does having siblings.”
“I agree. I have an older sister. We used to fight when we were younger, but today we’re friends.”
A ping of envy hit my gut. I clenched my teeth and said, “That’s good.”
The whole get-to-know-you-and-your-childhood was getting boring. I didn’t want to tell him about my life and it was uncomfortable getting to know someone. Maybe my routine of fucking and running ruined my communication skills.
We sat quietly for a beat. The only sound to be heard came from the weeping rain.
Jason sat across from me, staring at a candle to his right. The candles’ smoke reached for us like long, thin fingers. I folded my legs and kept winding and unwinding my finger from my hair. It couldn’t feel much anymore.
Jason’s golden locks shined in the dim light. Half his face was in darkness, the other half highlighted by candlelight. His jaw was tense and his lips looked so soft, so sweet to taste. I pictured rain drops dripping from his hot, naked body. Those thoughts made my stomach do somersaults.
I wanted him. I wanted him now. But did he want me?
Jason met my gaze and his eyes told me yes. I leaned into him, almost to his lips, leaving the last inch to him to close. I sat there, waiting. After a heartbeat, I tasted his lips. He tasted sweet and forbidden.
Soon our hands were involved, pawing at our clothes. They were stripped off in a matter of a few heartbeats. We tossed our clothes over the candles.
I finally was able to run my hand through his hair and it was softer than I ever imagined, like velvet and satin made love and created his hair.
Jason crawled on top of me and licked a wet line down my nude stomach. My nipples hardened and in that moment, I needed Jason inside me.
He moved his hands down my spine and up my ribcage. His touch made my skin feel like it was a bundle of livewires about to ignite into flame. Most of the candles burnt out, but enough gave us light to see.
I traced his jawline with my fingertips, then sat up to kiss the corner of his mouth. I moved down to the column of his neck and nibbled on his shoulder. A sharp moan came from his throat. I heard the foil of a condom and closed my eyes. Everything in me was tingling.
The tip of him bumped against my entrance. He whispered, “You want this?”
“Yes,” I breathed.
His silver eyes flashed with the dim flames. Desire made them sinful. I felt him plunge himself into me, gentle at first, but he grew harder when I didn’t protest. His hands made my thighs widen so he could ride me faster, longer.
Jason’s hands were gentle when they massaged my breasts. My fingertips memorized every dent and curve of his collarbones. I finally got to trace those eagle wings on his back. He gingerly bit my nipple, causing me to throw my head back in pleasure. Every touch breathed life into me. Every caress brought us in deeper.
When he touched my skin, running his palms up and down my sides, I became someone else. I was desired, lusted after. I was a woman who was safe and protected. What Jason and I were doing was of beauty. We were making love, not just fucking.
When I awoke, the world had plunged into darkness. My body overheated. I was intertwined in Jason�
��s arms. I wiggled free and stepped on a melted candle. It was burned all the way through to the metal bottom.
Where was the light switch? I needed to get out. I needed to go home.
I found a table lamp and flicked it on. A pool of light revealed the crime scene. I gathered my clothes and got dressed. Outside on the front porch, I called a cab.
Jason finally got to have sex with me. He shouldn’t be bothering me anymore. We were only having a one-night stand. That’s what I did with my summer boys, so why did leaving Jason hurt my heart so much?
Chapter Nine
As the cab pulled away from Jason’s place, I felt a touch of regret. Some part of me wanted to remain at his side and wake up with him, maybe share breakfast too. I couldn’t remember the last time I woke up with a guy.
Amelia was asleep when I came home. She snored with a stupid grin plastered on her face. She muttered Hunter’s name and rolled over. The love bug got her bad. I shut her door and went into my room.
I hugged myself. I still felt Jason’s touch. Hell, I smelled him all over me. My heart ached at the thought of him waking up in a circle of dead candles alone. I rubbed my temples and undressed. Maybe a warm shower would help me get myself under control.
When I got out of the shower, I checked my phone. I had two missed calls, both from Jason. He finally knew I took off.
I tossed my phone onto my chair and put a black nightgown on. My body was tired, but my heart felt like a giant hand was squeezing it.
I crawled under my blanket and closed my eyes. Sleep didn’t take me. I laid there awake, replaying Jason kissing my lips, licking my chest. He was one of my top five best fucks, but I couldn’t tell him. He didn’t need his ego stroked.
Jason called on the hour for four hours all afternoon. I didn’t want to talk to him. No, I couldn’t. What would I say? Thanks for fucking me. It was fun. That was ridiculous. It puzzled me that he kept calling. Shouldn’t he be satisfied and move on?
***
Another club opened on Sunset, like they needed another one. It was said to have a huge aquarium with exotic fish and actresses suited up as mermaids. They cleverly called the place The Heart of the Ocean. I was flying solo, thanks to Amelia having a date with, gasp, Hunter. How did I lose my best friend again? Don’t answer that, I don’t want to remember.
Shades of Sydney (Sydney West #1) Page 7
