by Lee Rose
“Fine,” Jasmine muttered. The sooner he said his speech, the sooner he would leave her alone. She was exhausted and just wanted to lie down. “Then leave me be so I can wallow in my misery.”
Drake ran the last few steps and caught up with her. They walked silently until they reached the store. She took a key out of her pocket and opened the door. She led him to her back office and turned a lamp on. She sat on the couch and kicked her shoes off with a sigh.
He went into the bathroom and grabbed some paper towels. He wet them and returned to her. He gently cleaned off the dried blood silently. She closed her eyes as his hands touched her skin. Her body reacted to him being so close to her. She hoped he was too busy to notice how her nipples hardened and poked through her shirt. He was so handsome and their one date had been so wonderful and filled her with dreams. Now it was nothing but ashes.
“Are you ready to listen?” he whispered.
She nodded and waited. If she listened to his speech maybe he’d leave her alone to get some sleep.
He sat next to her and held her hand. She should pull it away from him but the contact felt good. “Baby, I admit I had no plans to settle down. It seemed like too much trouble plus I never met anyone who held my attention for long until I met you. Nancy was a casual thing that happened months ago.”
She looked down at their locked fingers. His were tanned and strong. She felt so weak right now. She liked Drake and there was a strong attraction between them. She hated the thought of him touching that snotty bitch. She wanted his hands on her body only. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
He shook his head, looking confused and frustrated. “I don’t know why she acting so crazy now. She knew from day one I was not serious. I’m not proud, but I bought her a few drinks and we had sex. That was it.”
“More than once?” She didn’t want to know, but at the same time she wanted to make sure he didn’t have feelings for Nancy.
He sighed. “Yes, maybe three times. That was five or six months ago. We had one date when you first arrived in town but I did not sleep with her. I left her at her front door. If we bumped into each other, we made small talk. I never saw a reason to not be friendly. She is always touchy feely with all men. I never thought about how it looked to others.”
“You kissed, in the middle of the fair. That hurt. I know I had no right to feel that way but—” She shrugged, thinking of Grant and his playboy ways. He always flirted and told her it meant nothing to him.
“I am so sorry, Jasmine. I never made a lunch date with her. She said her friend Lora stood her up and she hated to sit alone and eat. I had no interest in her but I was just being nice and offering to sit with her and order a drink.”
“I believe you, Drake,” Jasmine admitted after a few minutes of silence. Drake had great manners. It changed nothing, though. She never wanted to hurt gain. Drake made her feel too much and she didn’t like it. It was better to just be his friend. “She’s a horrible person. Look at what she caused tonight. How could you like her for one second?”
Drake sighed. “In all honesty, I never knew her. She was nice looking and willing to have sex without strings.”
Jasmine rubbed her breast. She really needed some aspirin.
“I will have it out with Nancy. She went too far this time. I know her parents and if I have to, I will talk to them,” he promised. His eyes went to her chest. “Let me see how bad it is.”
Jasmine laughed. She put her hand over her breasts and winced at the touch. “Nice try, deputy, but it’s sore. I’ll be fine.”
“Seriously, Jasmine.” He tilted her chin up. “Your nose looks sore and you got lucky it wasn’t broken. Donald Allen is on my shit list, believe me. Not only that, but Noah will be paying him an official visit in the morning.”
“Alicia won’t get into any real trouble, will she? She is a good friend who was just sticking up for me. I never had any close friends like that before. Friends came and went all of my life. None ever cared if I was hurt.”
She felt his arms pull her close to his hard, warm body. She hung her head low and his hands caressed her hair. She closed her eyes for a minute. She liked being held. She wanted to tell him all they could ever be was friends. She was not willing to risk her heart again. It was too painful.
She felt Drake’s lips at her neck. She tilted her neck so he could have better access. She was weak. That was her problem. She had no willpower. Instead of kicking Drake out, she was letting him kiss her neck. He stopped and traced her arm tattoo with his fingers. “I like this angel. It’s very pretty.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, finding it hard to carry on a conversation with him. Her pulse was racing and her stomach felt a little nervous.
She felt his hands at the tie around her neck. Before she could utter a protest he had the bow untied and her breasts were free and uncovered. He traced the roundness of her shape with his fingers. She watched his eyes zero in on the bruises just beginning to show lightly on the right breast. He looked angry. “Donald Allen will have his own bruises.”
He let his fingers barely touch the bruised area. It was such a light touch but she still felt the tingles on her bare skin, all the way down between her legs. “You need a heating pad.”
“It’ll be better in the morning,” she whispered, feeling a little embarrassed at sitting with him like this. He was fully dressed and she was half naked.
“You’re beautiful, Jasmine. Your skin is white, silky, and soft. Your breasts are round and firm. The tips are pink and beautiful.” His fingers traced the nipples softly and she felt them harden. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the cushions of the couch. His hands traced the outline of her breast, and she let out a small sound even though she was trying to prevent it. She felt his lips and his tongue all over her skin. When he swiped the tip with his tongue but didn’t linger, she muttered, “You’re killing me, Drake.”
She opened her eyes and looked into his brown eyes. He leaned down and took her mouth in a hot kiss, his tongue exploring her mouth. He explored her mouth with his tongue while his hands roamed down her bare back. She was pressed against his chest and she could feel the buttons of his shirt against her skin but she didn’t care. She groaned into his mouth. He let her go and his brown eyes reminded her of melted chocolate.
“Should we be doing this, Drake? You don’t take women seriously and I am tired of being lied to and fooled,” she whispered, not attempting to hide her pain.
“I am not lying to you, Jasmine. I was attracted to you from the moment I saw you sitting on the bench looking so lost. I have thought about us a lot and I want to see where we can go. This is a big step for me too. I thought I preferred being casual. I want us to be exclusive. I never asked that of any woman.” He looked so sincere and she wanted to believe him. Her arms went back around his neck and she pulled him back to her. Maybe she needed to stop thinking and start feeling. Their mouths touched and all thoughts flew out of her head. All she could do was feel his tongue mating with hers. His hands gently cupped her breasts, then lowered them to her thighs. He rubbed her legs through her jeans.
Her hands went to his shirt and buttons started unsnapping. It wasn’t long before she was running her hands over his smooth, warm bare flesh. The feel of his muscles under her hand was intoxicating.
“Mmm,” he hummed and pulled her as close as possible. Drake pushed her down on the couch until she was lying flat on her back. His hands went to the fastening of her pants and unzipped her jeans. She felt the cool air hit her unclothed skin. Her head told her to slow down but her body was on fire. Drake’s hands were everywhere and discovering her curves. He smoothed his hands down her flat stomach and down to the junction between her thighs. His fingers touched her wetness and she gasped at his touch. The rough skin of his hands felt good on her pussy. He was using his fingers to see how soaked she was.
“You are so wet. Is it all for me?” he whispered against her neck, kissing the skin softly. His bre
ath was heavy and she could feel the warmness on her skin. “Your body doesn’t lie, Jazz. You want me as much as I want you. Something this strong makes me uneasy too, but I can’t resist you.”
She bit down on his shoulder lightly with her teeth. The sensation of his fingers playing with her pussy made her feel wild with passion. Her legs opened wide and he lifted one to the top of the couch so he could have a better view. It made her feel vulnerable. She was a little embarrassed. Grant had always insisted it be dark. Drake seemed to like looking at her in the glow of the lamp.
“God, I love everything about this sexy body, Jasmine.” His voice was deep and so primitive-sounding that she felt her wetness increase. His fingers touched her sensitive clit and she moaned and closed her eyes. She forgot her embarrassment as waves of heat swept through her body.
He swiped his finger over it and she wiggled around. It was hard to lie still when her body felt like it had threads of electricity running through it. She opened her eyes and reached up to kiss him.
“Why am I the only naked one here?” she asked him. When she let go of his mouth, she could barely catch her breath. “Doesn’t seem fair.”
Drake laughed and stood up. She missed his warmth right away. He unbuttoned his pants and slipped them down his hips along with his boxers. There was no embarrassment on his face. He was comfortable with his nudity. She could do nothing but stare at his excellent physical shape. His skin was a golden color all over. His stomach was flat and his thighs were toned. His cock was hard and erect, surrounded by dark hair. She reached out without thinking and caressed his length. He closed his eyes and a sound of pleasure escaped his lips. She cupped his balls and explored the shape of his hard cock, squeezing him. He was so thick and she couldn’t wait to feel him inside of her. She also wanted to taste him. She leaned over and used her tongue to swipe the length of him. She looked up at his face and he was watching her with sparkling brown eyes.
She swirled the mushroom tip of his cock with her tongue and he sucked in his breath. She sucked his length in to her mouth until she felt him at the back of her throat.
He muttered under his breath but she didn’t pay attention to his words. She used her hand to cup his balls and squeeze. She hummed and went back to using her tongue on his length. He tasted salty and exotic. She sucked him back into her mouth, swirling her tongue around.
“Shit, Jazz. I can’t take it. You’re torturing me.” His voice was deep and throaty.
He pulled out of her mouth and she pouted. “I was having fun.”
He moved and hovered above her. He looked down at her nude body. “You are so sexy, Jasmine. You have me so hard I feel like I am about to explode. If you touch me anymore it will be all over and you will be cussing me out.”
She encircled his neck with her arms and pulled him close to her. “Well, then, deputy, less talking and more action. Get busy.”
He chuckled and leaned down to kiss her lips. “Yes, ma’am. I never knew I could be turned on by a bossy witch.”
His lips started at her neck and went downward until he reached the tip of her breast. He suckled on the tip while his knee nudged her thighs apart. She ran her fingers through his hair. She felt his hard erection right at the juncture of her wetness. All she could feel was anticipation for the moment he entered her with his hardness. His tongue was swirling around the tip of her nipple and she arched her body up towards him. Her body was trembling and she whimpered when his lips left her breast. He looked down at her and his eyes were bright.
“I knew we would be explosive together.” He grinned with smugness. Men liked to know they were right, she thought.
“I did too. We’ve barely started and I am on fire.”
She could see the anticipation and desire clearly in his expression. She caressed his back and let her hands slide down to his buttocks. She gave him a little squeeze.
She felt his hardness as he entered her slowly one inch at a time. It was even better than she imagined. “Oh yes. I can feel you, Drake, and it’s amazing.”
His face was contorted as if he was trying hard to keep his control. “You feel so tight and warm, baby.”
She felt a deep need to feel his cock embedded in her fully. She grabbed onto his hips and opened her thighs wider to accommodate him.
“I need you, Drake. Go ahead,” she encouraged him. “I want to feel you inside of me.”
He went in deep. He rotated his hips and put his hands underneath her body to get as close as possible to her.
“Oh yes.” She moaned. “I love how big you feel.”
She squeezed her vaginal muscles together and it was his turn to make noises. He pumped in and out of her, slowly at first, then he picked up speed. She felt little shocks of electricity traveling through her body. She looked at Drake. His skin was flushed and sweaty and he was biting his lip. His breathing was rough.
She hung on to his strong shoulders and wrapped her legs around his waist. He pumped in and out of her until they were both reaching their climax at the same time. Jasmine felt dizzy and lightheaded. She felt like she couldn’t move to save her life.
Drake leaned his body on her and she hugged him, loving the feel of his weight on her. She caressed his back softly, loving the contact.
“I’m probably squishing you,” he mumbled sleepily.
She yawned and buried her face in his neck. “I like feeling you pressed against me. Makes me feel less lonely.”
Then she fell asleep, feeling warm and satisfied.
Chapter 14
“So what’s going on between you and Lopez?” Matt asked her. He was helping her out at the store. Kate had gone into Morehead to see a movie with Louise and Linda. Jasmine knew her aunt was worried about her but she thought she was doing a good job of hiding her emotional distress.
“Nothing. Why?” She looked away from him. He saw way too much but she was still miffed with him for ignoring her at the bar incident two days ago.
“He’s moping around, that is why,” Matt informed her, ignoring her bratty attitude.
After making love with Drake the other night she had been so confused. She wanted him but she was also scared of being hurt again. He called her a few times but she made her aunt tell him she was busy. She had to think about this and she couldn’t do that if Drake was near. Her body would overrule her brain and say just go for it.
She ignored Matt and dusted a few pieces of furniture. It was a slow day. The festival was still going on and people were there instead of shopping. “You can go, Matt. There is no point in spending your day off here with me.”
“Hey, are you still mad at me?” Matt tried to pout. He was not very good at it and she wanted to laugh at his poor attempt.
“I told you, your friend Holly threw me for a loop. Those golden curls around her face enchanted me, and those big blue eyes.” He sighed and looked out the window as if looking for her. Jasmine pushed him but he started laughing.
“Yeah, yeah.” She rolled her eyes. “I renounced you as a brother, Matt. I’m sitting there bleeding and you’re hovering over Goldilocks.”
Matt hugged her and groaned when she punched him in the stomach. It hurt her more than it did him. “What if I go beat up this Allen character? Drake has been looking for him but I heard he took a quick vacation to visit family in Dallas. Drake already warned Donald’s brother Eddie that this vacation had better be a long time.”
Jasmine huffed. “How can you offer to beat him up if he is not even around? Tony is my new brother. He at least gave Nancy a dirty look and ran her off when she tried to bother me last night.”
She and Tony had been competing throwing darts at the carnival when Nancy had tried to make some snide remark to her. Tony had stepped in front of Jasmine and growled. Nancy had shrieked and ran off.
“Can I bribe you with a corndog?” He gave her his puppy dog eyes.
“Do I look that easy?” She tried to look tough but she didn’t pull it off. Her stomach grumbled loudly. “Fine, but you also
have to spring for dessert.”
“Done.” He practically pulled her out of the store and locked the door.
“What’s your hurry?”
“I was hoping to run into Holly. I don’t have her personal number,” he explained. “Adam told Noah he thought I was to mean for his little sister-in-law. Noah refused to give me Holly’s number.”
“That is bull.” Jasmine huffed. Matt’s mean look was all a cover to be anti-social. She learned he didn’t like many people but if you passed his wall, he was rock steady. So was Tony. Matt would be great for Holly. “You’re a great man. Holly would be lucky to have you.”
“I know, right?” He snorted.
“I talked to Holly earlier. She got out of work early and mentioned wanting to go to the haunted house. I told her those things scare me. Let’s stop by there. Maybe you can offer to protect her.”
Jasmine figured somebody should have luck with romance. Matt was a great guy and Holly was too busy to meet men.
“I’ll buy you two corndogs.” Matt smiled.
They stood in line for the food, then walked around. It was crowded and noisy but Jasmine loved all the neon lights and the feel of excitement in the air.
“Look. There’s Holly and Alicia.” Jasmine called out to them and they waved back.
“Are you going in to the haunted house?” Alicia asked Jasmine. Alicia was wearing a short strapless dress and looked really pretty. Holly wore jeans and a bright pink tank top.
“No, but Matt wants to go. I’m too scared.” Jasmine looked at Holly, trying to give her the hint to ask Matt. Holly’s eyes widened and she smiled.
“I’ll go with you, Matt,” Holly offered shyly.
Matt winked at her and held out his hand. “Let’s go for it, doll. You can hold me if I scream.”
