by Morgan Fox
Sam never apologized because she never thought she was wrong.
“Wow, did your head just explode?”
She frowned, obviously understanding his sarcasm. “Yes,” she hissed rolling her eyes. “I shouldn’t have said what I did. I had no right to interfere in your relationship with Liza.”
He scooted up enough to sit up, shifting his feet around so that he was now sitting beside her. “You were right, though,” he admitted. “I am worried that I won’t fit in her world. I’m worried that I’ll want what I can’t have.”
“Rejection blows ass,” Sam said and he knew she had personal experience in the matter. Long ago, Daniel had left her without a word to join the military. She’d been devastated by the loss.
“It does. But at least you were brave enough to discover it. I can’t seem to do more than…” He let the words fall away. Truthfully, he didn’t know what he was doing.
“If you had your way, what would your relationship with Liza be like?”
He thought for a moment, considering how she made him feel, how much he cared for her, and how little he still knew about her. “I’d date her,” he replied with confidence. “I’d get to know her and sooner rather than later I’d admit that I’m falling in love with her.”
Sam’s jaw slackened. “Jason, I knew you liked her, I just didn’t realize it was that much.”
“Neither did I,” he told her.
“What are you going to do now?”
“I guess I’m going to have to figure out a way to show her just who I am and what a fool she’d be if she didn’t get to know the real me.” He hugged Sam. “At least, that’s what a wise woman once told me I should do.”
Sam hugged him back. “Smart woman.”
“I think so, too.”
Chapter Eight
Liza looked in the mirror at herself and cursed. Her appearance wasn’t the issue. She looked nice. Jason’s absence was the problem. She pictured him in her mind, standing behind her with his hands on his shoulders, whispering just how beautiful she was to him. She smiled, unable to hide the warmth she felt whenever she thought about him.
I miss him. She did miss him. Like the sun missed the day.
She looked at her cell phone and wanted to call him, beg him to come and be with her. She didn’t care if he showed up in leathers or stark ass naked. She just wanted him with her. She loved him and was proud of him. It shouldn’t matter who she loved as long as she did her job and did it well. Why she hadn’t realized that tidbit until now was beyond her.
She hadn’t enjoyed much time with Jason since the night she’d gone up to Iron Horse to see her sister. Getting drunk just happened. She’d let her guard down and was actually having a good time, laughing and hanging out with Sam and Layla. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d done that.
But stupidly, she had too much to drink and instead of spending an incredible night with Jason, she ended up sleeping things off in her own bed. The next morning, he’d called and told her that he’d been the one to take her home. Which meant he was also the one to strip her down and get her into bed. But he hadn’t stayed and that was what told her she’d made the biggest mistake of her life.
Maybe he assumed I hadn’t wanted to be with him that night and I got drunk on purpose.
Why did she feel as if the moment she was making real progress with her life, she only screwed things up more.
Classic me.
It was time she faced it head-on. Jason wasn’t interested in her crazy world and he didn’t need to deal with the insanity of her bad decisions. Lord knew she was full of them. She brushed away the tear rolling down her cheek and made her way out of the hotel bathroom and into the suite where all her coworkers were enjoying themselves.
Stanley and his wife were chatting it up with the other executives. While some of the other Jr. Executives were dancing and holding up the bar. The room was nosy and disruptive on her nerves, but it wasn’t until the doors opened behind her that the world stood still.
Jason entered the room. She took a double take to make sure her eyes weren’t deceiving her. He’d cut his hair shorter and he wore a suit and tie that could only be designer, and if it wasn’t, it should’ve been. He was dashing, the sexiest man she’d ever laid eyes on. Her tongue swelled in her mouth.
“You made it,” Barb said, gushing like the fan of a celebrity as she moved up alongside him. “You look different from the last time I saw you.”
He sure did.
Jason always looked like Brad Pitt from the movie Troy. He still did, but with shorter hair. Damn he looked…amazing. Her heart revved. God, had he actually gotten more attractive. Her body stirred with heat, desire pooling low in her belly.
“Barb,” Liza said, clearing her throat as she closed the distance between them. “This is Jason Whitmore.”
Barb laughed. “I know, silly,” she said, waving her hand through the air dismissively. “I’m the one who gave him the information on how to get here.”
Jason eyed Liza and her jaw slackened. “Oh,” she muttered. When had he taken the initiative to do that? Had she been wrong about him? Did he still want her?
Jason smiled, his appearance polished as if he’d mixed in these social circles regularly. “I forgot all the details you shared with me. Barb was a peach to fill me in. With your traveling and hectic schedule—”
“Oh, I was happy to help.” She couldn’t take her eyes off Jason.
Liza suddenly wanted him all to herself. She reached for him. “Can I speak with you for a moment?” She pulled him into a corner.
“Are you upset with me?”
She pursed her lips to keep them from quivering. Was she upset? She was elated. “Jason, I can’t believe you came. I can’t believe you cut your hair. I can’t believe—”
“I can clean up so well,” he teased with a grin.
He might have been joking, but truth be told, she’d constantly drilled that they were from different worlds. She’d been wrong. “The way you look has never been an issue to me. You’ve always been handsome.”
“But you feared what others would say about me…about us. Together.”
God, she hated herself for being so shallow. For being such an idiot. “That was wrong, babe.” She groaned. “I never should’ve cared. If this group can’t handle my relationship with you, I’ll find another place to work. My résumé will speak for itself.”
His brow arched high on his forehead. “You’d do that?”
She stepped closer, arching her neck to look up at him. “I’ve missed being with you so much, Jason. I’m going to go out on a limb and assume you’ve missed me, too, or you wouldn’t be standing here at my company party with a new haircut.”
He kept his expression blank. “I had a question to ask you,” he said plainly, as if his attendance at the event was the only way he could do it. “I wanted to know if you’d like to grab a cup of coffee with me or have dinner with me sometime.”
She scrunched up her nose. “Are you asking me out on a date?”
“Yes.”
Her heart skipped and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. “Are you saying you’d liked to date?”
“Yes.”
“As in, ‘to get to know each other better’ kind of dating?”
“Yes.”
She swallowed the tight lump that swelled at the back of her throat. “Because you want more than—”
“Wow, you really can make a guy work for shit, you know that?”
She smiled. “I’m only trying to make sure I understand what it is you’re asking. I’d hate to assume anything.”
He reached for her, cupping her face. “There’s no need to assume anything. I want you. I want to date you. I want you to say yes to me dating you. That’s all.” He paused. “For now.”
She arched a determined brow. “For now?”
He dipped down to place his mouth at her ear. “I still very much plan to have my wicked way with you. Every damn night,
if possible.”
She did that giggle-snort-laugh that had her quickly covering her mouth to hide it from her coworkers. Jason’s smile grew. “I take that as, you like the idea, too?”
It would’ve been an impossible feat to wipe the teasing smirk from her face. “I’d liked that very much,” she told him with a wink. “My bed’s been very cold these last few days.”
“You’re in luck,” he told her, his lips pressing tender kisses to the lobe of her ear. She shivered. “I brought an overnight bag.”
Her fingers were suddenly grasping the front of his coat, as her knees began to wobble. She pressed her head against his chest. The rush of relief that consumed her was almost too much.
He tilted her head back to look at her. When she met his gaze, she explained, “I’ve waited a long time for a moment like this.”
Jason brushed his thumb over her lower lip. “The wait’s over, sweetheart. I’m here now.”
She pressed to her tiptoes and kissed him. She didn’t care if their public display was inappropriate. This was what she wanted and it was time those around her knew it. Falling back down on her heels, she said, “I’d like to introduce you to a few people.”
He quirked a brow. “Don’t worry, I’ll be on my best behavior.”
“I’m not worried,” she said, and she meant it.
* * * *
Liza’s voice was calm and even as she introduced him. “Jason, I’d like you to meet Stanley Martin.” Jason reached his hand out. “Mr. Martin, this is Jason Whitmore.”
Stan’s brow furrowed as he shook Jason’s hand, his mind working double-time as he studied him. “Are you related to David Whitmore?”
Jason smiled. “Yes, sir. David’s my father.”
“What a coincidence. David and I graduated from college together. One of the most decent men I’ve ever known.”
Jason’s chest burst with pride. His dad was legendary, first-class among men. David was the one to encourage Jason to open his own business, something his father had found his own success doing.
“I was sorry to hear that he passed. He was a great man and I’m so glad to have known him.”
“Thank you.” Jason’s throat constricted as thoughts of his father surfaced. His dad had died a while back, a few years before Daniel left for the military. Jason missed his father dearly. Talking about him with someone who clearly knew the same man felt good. Real good.
Stan snickered, shaking his head as if in disbelief. “Talk about a small world.”
Jason glanced over at Liza, whose jaw was practically sitting on the floor.
“So what have you been doing?”
“I’m the proud owner of Iron Horse Saloon and the soon-to-be open restaurant in uptown,” Jason replied, his tone filled with the same pride and joy he felt consuming his heart.
Stan’s eyes widened. “A chip off the old block, I see. Great to hear.” He patted Jason on the shoulder. “I’ve enjoyed a few beers in your bar. As soon as the restaurants open, let me know. I’ll come by and check things out.” He leaned forward as if to tell Jason a secret. “The wife likes Yeungling Light.”
Jason grinned. “It’s one of my favorites.”
“So you’ll have it in stock.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Wonderful,” Stan said, looking over at Liza. “You picked a good one, young lady.”
Liza blushed.
“Enjoy the rest of your evening,” Stan said, shaking Jason’s hand one more time before making his rounds around the room.
He faced Liza.
Jason raised his hands in a nonthreatening manner. “I didn’t plan this. I had no idea who he was. He knew my father, not me.”
Liza’s mouth opened and then closed. She then headed toward the bar and ordered three apple martinis. As each one was placed in front of her, she chugged it down. “Thank God for an open bar,” Liza said, slamming the last one.
“Are you all right?”
She eyed him. Hard. “No. Not really. I’m actually a little pissed and a lot…happy.”
Jason wasn’t sure if he should smile, frown, or just let his face wobble with his uncertainty. “Care to elaborate?”
Liza sighed, glancing up toward the ceiling as tears filled her eyes. “I’m such an idiot,” she told him. “I’ve been afraid to tell you that I wanted you because I thought people would judge me for wanting—”
“Me?”
She nodded, swallowing hard. “Stupid. I know. What’s the really frustrating part is that I was ready to switch jobs so I could have you in my life. Why the hell did I have to go through all that fear to not only discover that my boss respects and admires your father, but that he’s been to your bar for a beer?” She scoffed. “His wife drinks beer, too. Did you hear that part?”
Jason chuckled. “Babe, I’m just as relived as you are.”
She groaned and then joined him as he laughed. “It’s the most insane thing I’ve ever experienced.”
“What is?”
She stepped closer, arching her neck back to look up at him. “Falling in love with you.”
He stared at her, his mind doing cartwheels as he replayed her words over and over again, at least a dozen times before he could do anything else. “You’re in love with me?”
“Oh, Jason, I’ve been in love with you for weeks. I’ve been crushing on you since the day I first saw you. No one else has ever filled my heart the way you do.”
He cupped her face, leaning down to take her mouth. “I know what you mean,” he muttered against her lips and his words had her easing back to look at him. “I’m in love with you, too, Liza. That’s why I left the night I took your drunk ass home.”
She released the giggle-snort that he loved so much. He kissed her gently to keep her from covering her mouth.
“I had so many emotions swirling in my head. I feared you didn’t feel the same way and it was only a matter of time before everything I desired came crashing down around me.” He brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “I want you, Liza. For as long as you’ll have me.”
“Tell me you drove here on your motorcycle.”
He arched a brow. “Why?”
“Because I want you to take me home on it.”
“I can do that.” He grabbed her hand to leave, but paused. “You don’t work tomorrow, right?”
“Right. Why?”
He placed his mouth at her ear. “I want a sleepover that lasts.” Brushing his lips down her cheek, he moved to kiss her lips.
She purred, closing her eyes as he tasted her. When he leaned back, she opened her eyes and smiled. “I can do that.”
* * * *
The weeks that flew by were the best of Liza’s life. She and Jason spent every second possible together. Each night Jason was working up at Iron Horse, she was, too, leaving her job and heading straight for him. The excitement of seeing him built more fiercely each day. Now that Sam was heading up the Iron Horse restaurant, Liza had taken on the role of helping Jason where Sam once did. Not bartending, of course, but handling office management material. She could manage that. She had a natural eye for detail, one of the reasons she’d become so good at her job with the real-estate development group.
To her surprise, Layla and Luke popped up to the bar as often as they could. Liza was finally spending more time with her sister and getting to know Luke. Things were the way they always should’ve been.
“Hey, want to head over to see Sam tonight?”
Liza smiled. “Doing a spot check on her?”
“No,” he said, dragging out the word. “I’m doing a spot check on the miscreants she hired.”
Liza scanned the front of the bar and grinned. “Are you worried she hired another Layla, Zerina, and Brynn?”
Jason feigned a shiver. “God, I hope not. I honestly don’t think I could handle more of them.”
Brynn pinched his ass and he jumped. “You love us and you know it.”
Liza smirked. “They really are
family.”
“If you call family the type that sexually assaults you, then yes, they’re the best kind,” he replied with a sarcastic smile, taking her hand in his. “Let’s go.”
The parking lot of the Iron Horse Bar and Grill was packed. Motorcycles and cars filled the spaces. Jason pulled right into the same spot where Sam’s and another bike were kept.
“Daniel’s here,” he told her, sliding off the bike.
As they entered, the crowd erupted in cheers. Whatever team was being featured had everyone screaming with praise. “Wow, people really like their sports.”
Jason slanted her a quick glance as they cut through the tables. “That’s Texas for ya.”
She was picking up on things she’d never imagined she would. Sports, business ownership, motorcycle riding, beer consumption. The list was growing by the day. Jason was opening her eyes to a brand new world, and she loved it. The passion he had was infectious.
“Well, look what the cat drug in,” Sam teased as she hugged Liza. “Slummin’ it I see.” She looked at Jason, and he simply shook his head.
“How’s business?” Liza asked.
“Great. We’re slammed tonight. Have been all week.” She pointed at the table by the pool tables. “Daniel just got here. I was about to grab some dinner with him. Feel free to join us.”
As quick as she’d appeared, she was gone, rushing back to the bar. Jason’s hand tightened around Liza’s and she glanced up at him. He was staring at her.
“Let’s go say hello to my brother and get out of here.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “I have something I want to show you.”
“Okay.”
Something had her heart racing in her chest as she held his gaze, the darkening of his eyes revealing his heated desire. It was as if they’d known each other forever. Learning his disposition had been easy.
She couldn’t remember the conversation they’d shared with Daniel. Her thoughts had been solely on Jason and the naughty thoughts of a night that was just about to get started.
