The Scale (Martha's Way)

by Mika Jolie

  “I partied a little too hard, but like you said it was my way of dealing.”

  “Do you still live that way?” He chuckled and shook his head. “That was a very short-lived period of my life. I have no aspiration to go there again. I still drink and sometimes drink a little too much with the guys, but for the most part I’m always sober and free of everything else. I got a serious intervention from everyone and Forrest chewed my ear when he realized I was smoking.”

  Laughter ran between them. Jason reached over and tucked a strand of hair away from her face. Minka ran a hand over the stubble of his face. He closed his eyes as she touched him.

  “You’re so beautiful.”

  The words were spoken so quietly that at first he wasn’t sure she’s said them until he opened his beautiful blue eyes and smiled at her.

  “Men aren’t beautiful,” he said.

  “But, you know you are,” she insisted.

  He shrugged. “I guess I got lucky on the looks department and inherited the best of both worlds. My mother was quite beautiful, as you’ve seen. I’ll show you more pictures of her when she was younger and healthier.”

  The sadness was there again in his voice.

  “Oh, you don’t have to. I mean, I don’t want you to feel obligated. And I don’t want to intrude.”

  “First, you’re not intruding. I invited you to stay with me. I don’t feel obligated to do anything. If I do something, it’s because I want to.” His voice was tense as he spoke the words.

  Even in the night Jason could read the questions reflecting in her eyes. Why her? Well, hell. He was asking himself the same question.

  She smiled tenderly at him. “Then I’d love to see whatever you want to show me.”

  Her voice was like a sweet chord of violin in his ears. Pure torture.

  “May I do whatever I want with you, to you?”

  “Should I be scared?” she teased. Her voice reflected no fear or apprehension.

  His hands caressed her bare arms. “You seemed okay around my father.”

  “I was. He was very warm today. I had a good time.”

  “He’s charming.”

  She chuckled against him. “A trait you’ve inherited.”

  Smiling, he turned his face to hers. The brightness of the stars gave him full access to her features.

  “You find me charming?”

  With her lips inches away from his, she whispered, “Very much so.”

  He allowed his lips to brush hers, loving the shape of her mouth against his. “I want to make love to you here under the stars.”

  “But…”

  He chuckled. He already knew her concern. “No one can see us.”

  She looked at him. “No one?”

  He shook his head. “We have full privacy. Ready to live on the edge with me?” She released a sweet laughter that floated in the darkness of the night. One of his hands found her breasts under the sheet. “I take that as a yes.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him over her. Jason pulled the sheet, ensuring they were fully covered.

  “This chair will break,” she complained.

  She didn’t sound worried, rather, there was a hint of amusement in her voice. His hands lifted the skirt of her dress up her thighs. One long finger ran over the silk of her undergarment. “We’ll replace it. God, I want you. I’ve wanted you all day.”

  “I feel the same way.”

  Rarely did she express her desire for him. He knew she wanted him as much. She proved it every night with the way her body responded to him. He understood she wasn’t as free and easy as he was. From the little bit of time he had spent with her, he knew her world was built on restraint whereas he was footloose and spontaneous.

  “So good to hear that,” he growled. His lips ran circles along the nape of her neck then left a trail of kisses on her shoulder. Unable to control his urges, he lowered his head to one breast and took the nipple between his teeth. Each time they made love, he promised himself to take it slow but as his need for her grew, so did his inability to slow the pace of their lovemaking.

  “Jason…” she moaned, her nails digging into his back.

  He brought his mouth to hers, the kiss filled with hunger. “I want you all damn day and night, Minka,” he whispered against her lips before taking possession of them again. “Do you understand that?”

  “I feel the same way.”

  Her words thrilled him. He might not fully grasp what was happening to his heart, but he understood the physical need. From that aspect, he could give her all of him and he wanted the same in return.

  “I want all of you, Minka. Give me all of you.”

  Her hands came to cup his face, brushing the hair away to give her full access to his features. She smiled at him. “You have me.”

  His lips landed on hers with a possessive force. He plunged his fingers into her until she arched her back underneath him. Her body exploded at his touch; the warmth of her breath caressed his face. Jason wanted to scream with pleasure, but held back. As always, he wouldn’t be satisfied until he was buried deep inside her. He remained on top of her until her body steadied.

  When he finally pulled away, he swiftly stripped naked. To his luck, he found the condom he’d placed in his back pocket and slipped it on before rejoining her. Slipping under the warm blanket, he slid between her legs and plunged himself hard and deep inside her.

  For a moment, neither moved. He couldn’t think straight and couldn’t deduce which of their bodies was shivering. “Cold?” he asked, locking his fingers with hers.

  She shook her head. “I’m okay.”

  He began to move inside of her, a slow rhythmic motion at first until she joined him and turned their clash into a full speed of urgency, desperation. Lost in his own need, Jason hammered himself into her, driving him to the rim of euphoria.

  “Jason…I…” she stammered in his ears, “God, yes.”

  Her muscles flexed underneath him. Knowing she was at the brink of pleasure, he watched her while she released before letting himself float into oblivion.

  When he finally detached himself from her and removed the condom, Jason found he needed an extra second to slow the beating of his heart. He had fallen in love. He felt unbalanced, which was an unfamiliar feeling. He let out a deep breath in an attempt to clear his mind.

  “Is everything okay? Your body is rather tense,” she asked against his chest.

  He lowered his lips to her hair. “I’m fine. That was amazing.” It wasn’t a lie. It was one of those connections that left one speechless. “Want to go inside? It’s going to get chilly.”

  She chuckled against his chest. “My legs are shaking.”

  “Want me to sweep you in my arms and carry you to my dungeon?” He teased and smiled to himself when she chuckled softly against him.

  “That’s okay. Just give me a few minutes.”

  “No rush. Take all the time you need.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  "It's true, the scale can give you a numerical reflection of your relationship with gravity. That's it."

  Steve Maraboli

  Minka was babbling with uncontained joy and excitement. And by the look on his face, she could tell Jason was being a good sport and letting her go on and on about her fondest memories with Lily. He didn’t look disinterested. She couldn’t accuse him of that mostly because his eyes were hidden behind those damn sexy aviator glasses. From being with him over a week, she had learned Jason’s eyes were a mirror of his soul. They twinkled when amused and darkened with passion.

  Not wanting to bore him, she turned her attention to the ocean. They were in Oak Bluffs sitting in his Jeep waiting for the ferry to arrive. From there, they would drive to the port in Edgartown to meet everyone and board the Montgomery yacht to Chappaquiddick. Once she got over her panic attack about the whole bathing suit thing, thoughts of the trip became more exciting. A whole weekend with her best friend, Jason, she couldn’t ask for more.


  “Why did you stop?” he asked, turning to look at her.

  “I was babbling,” she admitted. The last thing she wanted to do was to become a nuisance or dull.

  He chuckled at her words and reached to stroke her cheek. As always, her body caved to his touch. Had someone told her in a matter of a week she would become addicted to a man’s touch and fall madly in love, she would not have believed it.

  “How long have you known Lily?”

  “Since college.”

  “So around the time you met Blake?”

  Funny, Blake seemed so far away now. To think six days ago she thought her world had collapsed at his engagement party.

  “Tell me about your friendship.”

  Knowing Jason had the ability to see through her, she turned her attention to the moving water. After a moment of silence, she asked. “With Blake?”

  There was a slight pause from him before he replied, “Lily.”

  “She’s the sister I never had.” The words were spoken before Minka could process them. “I mean, it’s a different relationship than mine and Keely’s.”

  He nodded and didn’t probe further. However, she became unsettled knowing she had given Jason a glimpse of her relationship with her sister.

  “You said she recently caught her fiancé cheating.”

  “Yes, I was pretty shocked. But she seems to be doing well.”

  “This weekend will be good for her.”

  She nodded. “Yes. And thank you for opening your house to me and my friend.”

  She felt his fingers on her curls. Turning her face to him, he shifted his body and leaned into her to take possession of her lips. She welcomed him. He deepened the kiss, taking all she had to offer.

  His hand left the steering wheel to cup her breast through the cotton material of her blouse. She moaned at his touch, aching and wanting all of him.

  “I want you,” he whispered against her lips.

  Earlier they had made love, a continuation of last night. It should be enough for her, for them. Instead, she brought her arms around his neck and clung to him and didn’t pull away until she heard the sound of the ferry coming to shore. She glanced at the docking ship. Since Lily had taken the express ride over and didn’t bring her car, she would be out soon enough. It took all her effort to pull away.

  “Sorry.” She ran her fingers through her curls.

  “For?”

  Minka licked her lips.

  Her shyness was still apparent but the last few days she had become more expressive. It was surprisingly liberating. “I was enjoying kissing you.”

  “Moi aussi, chérie. We have the weekend and next week. Non?”

  She pressed her lips in surprise disappointment and broke eye contact with Jason. The words affected her. And not in a good way. The days were quickly fading away. Soon he would no longer be part of her every day.

  “What is it?” Jason asked.

  She shook her head. “Nothing,” she answered a little too quickly. “I’m going to go inside to get Lily.”

  Minka stepped out of the car and started to walk away. She paused, stopped and looked back at where Jason was now leaning against his Jeep, his arms crossed over his chest and his aviator glasses over his eyes. The man was the epitome of hotness. And he had her all bunched up in the inside. She shrugged off the little voice that said That’s your own fault and entered the waiting area to find Lily.

  * * * *

  As Jason waited, his mind wandered to the way she’d reacted during their conversation. When she thought he was inquiring about her friendship with Blake, a pained look had crossed her face. It never occurred to him she might be uncomfortable discussing her friendship with his friend. But, for the first time, he had noticed a level of discomfort with the topic.

  His years as a lawyer and having to rely on body language to read others made him make a mental note to ask her about Blake. He wouldn't be surprised if the friendship started out as a teenage crush on Minka’s part. He grew up with Blake and knew his friend was a charmer. Still, the thought troubled him, which was ridiculous because what Minka did or felt for anyone before him should not matter. Just as his life before or after should have no bearing on their relationship now.

  Her response about Lily had also surprised him, giving him for the first time a glimpse of her relationship with her twin sister. He had to admit he’d never thought much of it. They always appeared friendly enough. Again, he had not pushed. Being the only child, he didn’t understand the dynamics of siblings. The closest thing he had to that was with Forrest, Blake, Adam, and Claire. And he knew better than to compare his connection to them to Minka and Keely.

  From a distance away, he spotted Minka as she hugged a tall, lanky woman with a pixie hairstyle. From his view, the women were physically complete opposites with Minka being more petite and fuller and her friend built more like a dancer. But he detected an ease between them as they pulled out of their embrace. They exchanged words, laughed, and fell into each other’s arms again. Jason couldn’t help but smile at the picture before him. He was seeing a side of Minka he had not been exposed to before.

  When they finally released each other, Lily looked in his direction. Crossing his arms over his chest, he allowed her to scrutinize him. That was the duty of the best friend, to ensure the other hadn’t been sleeping with a total creep. He understood that and smiled mostly to himself over the fact that barely a week ago, the last thing he envisioned was to be someone’s lover.

  As they got closer, he was able to examine Lily’s features. Whatever they were talking about made her smile, a bright, contagious smile with friendly brown eyes. Jason decided she was pretty and he liked her. He smiled at them and waved. Her smile widened while her gaze stayed on him. She had spunk, he noted. She would fit right in for the weekend.

  Pulling himself off the Jeep, he walked forward to relieve her of her overnight bag. “Hello, Lily, I’m Jason.” He extended a hand, which she shook firmly.

  “You are more handsome than I thought.”

  Her voice carried a teasing hint that could also pass for flirtation. But Jason could tell she meant nothing by it. And as pretty as she was, his body didn’t react to her presence. It also helped to see Minka didn’t look bothered by her comment.

  “I’m glad to hear that. I wouldn’t want you to think Minka has been hanging out with a dog the last few days.” He grinned at Lily as he opened the back passenger door to allow her in.

  “And a gentleman too. No wonder my friend is...”

  Jason noticed her eyes met Minka's briefly and she seemed to reconsider what she was about to say. Instead, she leaned against the leather cushion to fasten her seatbelt. “Thanks for playing host for the weekend.”

  “It’s a pleasure.” He closed the door before joining Minka.

  During the drive to the inn, Jason joined their conversation here and there, but for the most part he allowed the two women the opportunity to catch up.

  As their conversation continued, he eased the Jeep onto State Road. Lines of cars were already parked by the beach, an indication that the summer season was almost in full gear on the island.

  “What’s going on there?” Lily asked from the back seat.

  For a split second, he looked away from the road to the bridge where people were gathered. “This is Jaws Bridge and an island tradition,” he said. “Your visit is not complete until you’ve jumped from the bridge into the ocean.”

  “Oh, we have to do it.” The excitement in Lily’s voice was contagious.

  He glanced at Minka. “Are you up for that?”

  She pulled her attention from the road to him and shrugged. “I guess.”

  Her voice didn’t sound convincing. In fact, it was filled with doubt.

  “The water is not deep,” he said. “The worst that can happen is to flop on your belly. The others and I used to jump all the time. We still do.” He reached for her hand and brought it to his thigh. “We can jump together.”

  * *
* *

  Minka didn’t answer. Instead, she focused her attention back on the road. Internally, she mulled over his words. We can jump together. Did she dare think they stood a chance to get past next week?

  And if they did, for how long?

  The end of summer, fall or maybe the winter?

  He had invited her back to the island at least twice. What then? Yes, with her sister marrying his best friend they were infinitely bound but not as lovers. The last few days, she had breathed everything about him. She wanted more.

  The inability to see what the future might bring was disheartening. Furthermore, she doubted Jason understood the implication his words carried.

  “You guys are in the news again,” Lily said from the back seat.

  She tapped Minka’s shoulder to hand her the mobile device. True enough, on the screen was a picture of her and Jason engaged in the kiss at Vapors.

  “Looks like Massachusetts’ most eligible bachelor is no longer available,” one of the correspondents noted.

  “Not his usual type,” another said.

  A pretty brunette chuckled. “I’m sure she’s just a fling. I mean, look at him. The man is rich, tattooed, and too handsome for his own good.”

  Without a word, Minka pressed the pause arrow and handed the phone back to her friend.

  Not his usual type.

  Would she have to hear those words for the rest of her life if more were to come out of her and Jason?

  “Sounds like she's jealous,” Lily said, but Minka knew better.

  “What show is that?” Jason asked. His eyes were still hidden behind the shades, but Minka detected a hint of anger in his voice.

  She glanced at him. His eyes seemed to be fixed on the road ahead. She shrugged, trying to not let the words from the interview affect her. “I guess one of those TMZ wannabes.”

  He shrugged. “There will be more, but not for long. Don’t let those words get to you or affect us.”

  He took hold of her hand once more and brought it to his lips.

  “What about you? I’m sure the topic of your mother will come up again, especially after Agnes.”