The Scale (Martha's Way)

by Mika Jolie

  She eased back in her chair and scanned the crowd, her head swaying in time with the music. The fact that she was alone didn’t bother her as it would have in the past. Instead, she felt free and loose. She didn’t shy away from the few men who glanced at her or even those who approached her table. She understood the atmosphere. It was summer in Martha’s Vineyard. People were looking to get laid. Not that she had that in her horizon, but it didn’t hurt to flirt.

  So when a friendly man approached her table and started a conversation, she welcomed it but declined his offer to buy her another drink. Another glass of wine only meant more exercise. Wait, she was still struggling with that part.

  “Then a dance,” the man continued.

  She shrugged. One dance then she’d leave. “Okay, but after I finish my drink.”

  The handsome stranger smiled. “I’ll be at the bar.”

  As she nodded, heat ran down her spine, causing her body temperature to rise. She knew right away Jason had returned, and her body was aware of him. A fact she couldn’t deny.

  Who could fault her?

  Especially since it appeared half the women on the island felt the same way.

  She should ignore him and not let him know how much he affected her. Shifting her body, she turned her head to look around the room and found herself staring straight at the object of her desire.

  He stood too close, and a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He was flirting with her. The reality of what was happening was unsettling. A need to reach out and touch him rushed through her, but Minka knew better and busied her hands by tucking a chunk of curls behind her ears.

  One long finger reached over to brush a loose strand of hair away from her face. His touch sent a bolt of electricity down her spine and her lips parted with a sudden need to be kissed.

  Whether he was able to detect the yearning in her eyes remained a mystery. His gaze lingered over her face, taking in every detail. Feeling naked and vulnerable, she licked her bottom lip.

  “You shouldn’t do that,” he said, his voice hoarse.

  She had a nice buzz from the two glasses of Lillet, but she wasn’t drunk. Hence she needed to stop drooling over this Greek god-like creature.

  He continued to watch her lips, and when he seemed tired of that, he met her gaze. He was still smiling. She wasn’t sure whether he was smiling at her or with her.

  “I drove her home. She was drunk,” he explained.

  “Oh…” she managed to say, thinking back to the way the other woman had openly kissed him. The way he’d responded to the kiss.

  Did they have a quickie?

  An image of Jason naked on top of a woman shot through her mind. Her stomach hardened with a manifestation of dread.

  “As part owner of this place, I try not to let people drive drunk. I thought you left.”

  This meant he had kept his clothes on, that was good news. The unexpected tension abandoned her body. “I went upstairs to the lounge for a little bit,” she explained.

  “I’m glad you didn’t leave.”

  There was something about his voice as he said the words. Low and gruff and it did something to her. Her pulse raced. Oh, she really shouldn’t drink. The alcohol was doing weird, wonderful things to her equilibrium. Feeling the need to break the strange pull he had on her, Minka said, “Sorry,” she stammered again, “I need to go pee.”

  Oh God, if only she could smack herself. Did she just tell him she had to go pee?

  Couldn’t she come up with something more sophisticated, like she needed to go powder her nose? That would have definitely had more flair to it.

  His eyes twinkled with mischief. He leaned into her, his lips coming very close to her ear to whisper, “I’ll help you down the stairs so you can…pee.”

  Before Minka could argue, he took her hand in his and led her away from the crowded bar. With her hand clasped in his, body parts she had forgotten existed tingled all over. In silence she followed him down the stairs to the dimly lit corridor.

  He stopped in front of the restroom and flashed her that charming smile once again. “I don’t think I’m allowed to go in there.”

  “Oh…” Okay, when did Oh become the only intelligible word in her vocabulary? Minka turned on her heels to make an escape just as Jason reached over her shoulder and pushed the door open.

  “I’ll wait to help you back upstairs.”

  She flashed him a thankful smile, or at least she hoped it came across that way, before disappearing into the ladies’ room. She needed to regain her composure and make sense of what was happening. Her behavior was out of character. She was drawn to a man she barely knew.

  With the door acting as a shelter, Minka took her time going about her business, in an attempt to regain some self-control. She needed to put an end to this derailed train before things got carried away. After a few minutes passed and somewhat poised, she took a deep breath and stepped out of the restroom. She’d politely thank Jason for being courteous and make a quick getaway. She would go back to her hotel room and dream of how different her life would be if she were built like Keely. The reality was men like Jason didn’t seek her out.

  She found him leaning against the door with his phone in his hands. When he noticed her, he slid the phone in his pocket before extending his arm to her.

  “I’m fine. You don’t have to do this.”

  He didn’t respond to her protest. Instead, his gaze came to rest on her face before moving slowly over her body. Not one to spend hours in front of the mirror, Minka had grabbed a pair of matchstick jeans with a silk crepe blouse, nothing extravagant or sexy. If anything, she was aware the jeans were probably a little too snug around her hips. Feeling uneasy under his watchful eyes, she crossed her arms over her chest.

  “I want to.” His voice was deep and husky, and he sounded almost aroused. “Are you going to allow me to buy you another drink?”

  Minka shook her head. “I don’t think I should continue drinking, not if I want to drive back to my hotel.”

  “I can drive you back to the inn,” he offered.

  “I’m not staying at the inn.”

  A look of surprise swept over his handsome features at that revelation but he didn’t probe. “I can still drive you.”

  She raised an Are you kidding me? eyebrow at him, and he smiled. She didn’t trust him. Everything about him screamed bad boy, avoid him at all costs, and …damn, he was so sexy.

  “Do you drive all the women home for a quickie?” She momentarily closed her eyes in horror. Did she just say that?

  Jason chuckled with amusement. “Are you offering a quickie?”

  A flush of adrenaline tingled through her body. This gorgeous of a man was openly flirting with her. She shook her head.

  “You’re not offering a quickie?”

  “No.” She shook her head again, voicing the denial, “I mean yes.” God, her thoughts were fuzzy, she shook her head again. “God, I mean no.”

  “Is it my beard?” he continued, still in a good-natured voice. “I can shave.” His voice filled with humor while gently stroking his facial hair. The act forced Minka to look at his face, his eyes and his lips. Those were kissable lips.

  He leaned in to close the space between them. Everything told her to run because nothing good could come of this. Yet, she remained standing there, watching him.

  Was he going to kiss her?

  Oh God. A part of her desperately wanted him to.

  She ran the tip of her tongue over her lower lip; his eyes followed the movement and he smiled. Almost as if he read her mind, one long finger came to rest under her chin to lift her face toward his. In what felt like a slow motion scene between Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler, he lowered his head toward her until their lips were inches apart. Minka stood still, frozen, waiting, yearning.

  “I want to kiss you.”

  Chapter Four

  “A system is in equilibrium when the forces constituting it are arranged in such a way as to compensate e
ach other, like the two weights pulling at the arms of a pair of scales.”

  Rudolf Arnheim

  “Oh…” Minka whispered. Lost in the closeness of his face to hers she was unable to come up with any other word but Oh. He was too close, his lips inches apart from hers, too gorgeous. He smelled of water sprinkled with drops of lemon or orange—she wasn’t sure. Either way, it revitalized her senses, making it laborious to think clearly. Yes, kiss me.

  Minka took a slight step back, putting a small distance between her and Jason. Space was good. It would help her regain some of her thinking ability.

  “I…you.” Her words stammered.

  Okay, so maybe her brain was no longer functioning. Then again, she reminded herself men didn’t go around telling her they wanted to kiss her, especially hot, sexy men with piercing blue eyes and tattoos. Nope. Things like that didn’t happen to her.

  Keely? Always.

  Lily? Yes.

  But not her.

  That reality allowed her to give herself a pass for having lost any ability to come up with anything more intelligent to say other than Oh. I. You.

  “I really must leave.” There, that was better, change the topic to something that didn’t involve kissing. If her sudden switch of topic surprised him, he didn’t let it show. Instead, he flashed her that sweet, seductive smile again. Her legs wobbled.

  A hint of amusement flickered in his eyes, evidence he was aware of the effect he had on her. How she wished she could dig a hole in which to bury herself until he disappeared.

  “Are you okay?” His voice filled with concern.

  “Um…I…”

  So she couldn’t articulate anything at the moment. Somehow standing so close to this man had turned her brain to putty. His gaze never left her face, which only worsened the situation.

  One long finger touched the tip of her nose. “Perhaps a little tipsy,” he offered lightly. “Where are you staying? I will drive you.”

  He thought she was inebriated, but she wasn’t. At least not from alcohol consumption. His presence was doing wonderful, strange things to her head and body.

  “I’m not drunk.” There, a complete sentence readily available. The only words she had been able to verbalize since they’d started this conversation. Though he didn’t look convinced by them, he didn’t push the topic. Instead he extended his hand to her. It dawned on Minka he had no intention of leaving her side. He thought she was drunk.

  Okay, she admitted to being a little tipsy but not drunk. She was sober enough to realize he was breaking their connection and the kiss topic was closed.

  She placed her hand in his. Rough, scratchy fingers closed gently around hers. A working man’s hands, she thought. She liked the feel of him. He ran his thumb over the back of her palm, sending chills dancing up and down her spine. She was without a doubt intoxicated by his presence.

  “I almost believed you.” The words slipped out of her mouth unexpectedly. Where did this sudden boldness come from? Perhaps she was a little more than tipsy.

  “About what?”

  “When you said you wanted to….um…kiss me.” Oh, God, did she really say that? Who was this person talking? Quiet, insecure Minka would never utter words like that.

  Two large hands cupped her face, brushed away strands of loose curls acting as a curtain from her eyes, breaking the defensive wall they served.

  “I wasn’t joking. I want to kiss you very much.” He continued to look at her. “You have the most alluring lips. I wanted to kiss you last night.” Lust permeated his voice.

  The words were so raw, so sexual. No man had ever spoken to her that way. Everything in her told her to run. Nothing good could come of her kissing him, much less entertaining the thoughts he was evoking. Yet, here she was standing by the women’s bathroom with this gorgeous man and he was telling her things she never thought she would hear from someone of the opposite sex.

  He made her feel beautiful, sexy, and lightheaded.

  “Oh. Okay.” Damn it, Minka! This time, Jason didn’t laugh or smile. All signs of amusement faded away and were replaced by desire. She glanced over his lips; they had to be the most kissable lips she had ever seen.

  Please kiss me, she wanted to say, but the words would not form. Not only because she wasn’t the type of person who expressed words like that, but mostly because she wasn’t quite sure where her need came from.

  He studied her. She assumed it was because he thought her judgment was clouded by alcohol. This time, she didn’t try to hide; instead she looked fixedly back at him with equal desire.

  His head lowered toward hers, closing the space between them. Her lips immediately parted, waiting for him to take full possession. But then, he paused and ran his thumb over the bottom of her lip, gently stroking the outline.

  Once again, she was drawn to his eyes, shocked by the raw sexual desire in them. A stranger who had openly accepted a kiss from another woman a few hours before, yet here she was allowing herself to believe that he might actually want her as he claimed. Now was the time to run.

  “So beautiful,” he whispered and then the space between them ceased to exist. His faded jeans brushed against her legs, sending warm, unfamiliar sensations down her backbone. Before she could analyze the situation any further and conjure a plan of escape, he was kissing her. Their bodies touched, making her quiver with an unfamiliar need.

  The kiss was so soft at first Minka wondered if that was what it felt like to be touched by a butterfly. Their lips parted but remained inches away from each other. Her eyes fluttered open, her gaze locking onto his.

  “So sweet,” he whispered, his breath hot against her face.

  Then he kissed her again, a little harder this time, silently asking for permission to invade her universe. Her lips parted in response, giving him full access to her world.

  She needed to process what was happening. Then again, her mind was in a fog, any ability to think clearly gone. Therefore, when her mouth parted to allow his tongue to slide inside, touching her tongue, caressing the corners of her lips, Minka decided for once she wasn’t going to think too much.

  One of his arms wrapped around her waist as his other hand touched her face. Quickly, his body was gently pushing her back against the wall adjacent to the bathroom door. He removed his hand from her face and planted them both on the wall over her head.

  The whole thing felt surreal. She was tangled in a passionate kiss with a complete stranger and it felt good. So good that when she slipped her arms around his neck and heard him groan deep in his throat, she couldn’t help but pull him closer.

  Her sexual experience was limited, but she’d been kissed before. Not by many men, but enough to know when a kiss was intimate, to know that a good kiss was sensual, passionate. As he used his tongue to gently lick her lips, caressing her tongue and inner mouth, Minka had never been rocked so hard. It invigorated her senses and made her dizzy at the same time. She wanted more. Before she could put her thoughts into action, he slowly pulled away.

  What just happened? Panic quickly settled. Oh God! Did he suddenly realize she wasn’t the tiny brunette who’d kissed him earlier? Her insecurities crawling to the surface, Minka quickly crossed her arms over her chest. She closed him out, preparing herself for the worst.

  Then he smiled. That same laid-back, sexy smile she had seen several times during the night.

  * * * *

  The situation was equally intense for Jason; it shook his very core. Having prided himself on always maintaining his composure and laid-back attitude, he was thrown off-guard by the overwhelming desire to kiss her; a woman he’d never met until yesterday when she fainted in his arms. Yes, she was beautiful, but he was accustomed to being with beautiful women. Not one of them had ever produced such a strong effect.

  And all it took for him to unravel was a kiss. Who knew a kiss could be so explosive and make him seek that deep physical connection that left one breathless, exhausted and satisfied.

  He’d never though
t much of the act before. For him, the physical contact had always been the beginning to something greater. Sex.

  Jason sensed he was slipping. He had kissed many women in his lifetime. Some good, some decent and some so-so, but the instant his lips touched hers the connection sent a raging sensation through the crux of his body. If only for a second, he was taken aback by this unfamiliar feeling. He chose not to dwell on it. He wasn’t one to over-examine a situation, at least not anymore. He had made a decision five years ago to live his life based on impulse, just as this kiss was.

  He just didn’t think a kiss could generate so much heat.

  And he still wanted to kiss her.

  In his thirty years, he had been attracted to a myriad of women, but he couldn’t remember the last time he had such a strong craving to pull someone into his arms and kiss her, hard and deep, so that no dictionary definition would stand a chance to describe how their lungs could be filled with the sweetest air possible and yet still be breathless.

  He exhaled and examined her swollen lips. It took all his strength to pull away from her because he was no longer looking to get lucky tonight. He was over that. Though he had to admit he was intrigued by the woman with the wild curls facing him. But not just on a physical level, he wanted to find out what made her tick, where the sadness came from, what was inside as well as outside.

  Her hazel eyes had drowned him and he made the mistake of touching her hair. The way her lips had parted under his was so damn seductive he just had to taste more of her. What he didn’t expect was the effect the kiss would have on him. He wanted more.

  Her aura told him she wasn’t ready for more than what she was giving him at the moment. She didn’t strike him as someone who’d go home with a stranger. So he’d withdrawn and broken the kiss. He was torn between doing the right thing and walking away or pulling her back against him once more. Either way, he wasn’t ready to say goodbye.