Falling Star

by Olivia Brynn

  "Maybe you're still hungry." She gave him her best bedroom-eyed look, then turned her face toward his fingers.

  "I think I'm ready for dessert."

  "I might be able to find something that would satisfy your sweet tooth."

  "Damn."

  She reached for his hand, pressed her thumb into his palm, and directed his middle finger further into her mouth. She closed her lips around it, and painted it with her tongue. With his impeccable appearance, she'd expected to feel a smooth manicured fingertip. What she encountered was rough and callused. She pulled his hand away to study that particular finger, his nail filed down well past the tip of his thick-skinned finger.

  "What happened to your fingers?"

  "No self-respecting guitar player would be without a handful of nasty calluses." He turned his hand over to see them for himself.

  "Oh! You play? I'd like to hear something. And they aren't nasty." She took his hand again, and loved those calluses with her lips.

  "What kind of music do you like?"

  As close to him as she was, Jade could feel his voice rumble through his chest, and the air move on her cheeks with each word he spoke. "A little bit of everything. It depends on my mood. Growing up where I did, I have an affinity for Country Western, but I have everything from opera to acid rock on my MP3 player."

  His eyes flashed, like the reflection of a candle's flickering flame in his irises. "I think I could play some country western for you sometime. Maybe I'll bring my guitar on the boat."

  "I still have to clear it with Dean."

  "He'll say yes. No human male could say no to you."

  "If you want to play the sex card, maybe you should ask him." She bobbed her eyebrows.

  They laughed together, enjoying the simple intimacy of the evening. Eventually he snapped the food containers closed and handed them to her to re-pack. She carried the blanket while he took the picnic basket back to the car, holding her free hand. They barely made it to his car before the first raindrops hit.

  "That was close." The sky was full of dark rainclouds. This storm would be long and wet.

  Adam typed into his phone at the same time as he fastened his seatbelt. "You're right." He pocketed his phone and started the engine. "Although I bet you look pretty cute soaked to the bone."

  She laughed. Her nipples speared through her shirt as it was, and the thought of standing in a shower with him only made them harder. "You'll never know," she teased.

  "Never say never." He raised one eyebrow before searching the dashboard and steering column. "Where the hell are the wipers on this thing?"

  "You don't know where your wipers are?" She laughed. "Haven't you ever driven in the rain?"

  His head snapped up. His face went slack, and his mouth dropped open. "I…uh, this isn't exactly my car."

  "Not exactly?" She bit her tongue. She wouldn't ask. Shoot, the guy didn't have a car! "Why don't you let me pick you up next time?"

  "Nah, I should be able to drive mine again soon." He found the wipers, and pulled into traffic.

  "Are you too macho to let a woman drive?" she teased.

  "No." He took her hand, laid it on his thigh, and smoothed her fingers down the long hard muscles. "Just spoiled."

  She'd never wanted a bench seat more than she did at this moment.

  Adam took her back to Earth Scents, where her car was parked in the back lot. "Talk to Dean tonight and then call me." He pulled her across the console as much as he could. She had to stop herself from crawling across it and onto his lap. He'd hooked his hand around her neck in a hold that was as forceful as it was tender. Even the calluses felt good on her skin. "I can't wait to get you on my boat."

  His boat. Tomorrow. Yes, that would be perfect. Alone in the middle of the ocean. She squirmed in her seat. The anticipation of feeling him deep inside her was almost too much. With his lips against hers, she took his hand away from her neck, and led it to an aching breast. He pulled back and speared her with his gaze. Those blue eyes, so filled with lust, sent her heartbeat into an even more frantic rhythm.

  "Touch me, Adam."

  "Fuck."

  That made her smile, but the slow progress of his hand sent spiraling warmth through her torso, and she felt her smile disappear. Adam leaned closer again, only their foreheads and the tips of their noses touched. His breath came hard through his nose. He circled his palm over her erect nipple. Even through two layers of fabric, electric tingles curled from her breast down to her drenched core.

  Jade moved her legs, rubbing them together restlessly. When she opened her eyes, she saw him in a blur, watching every movement. With a frustrated cry, she pulled up the hem of her shirt, and guided him beneath it. Damn it, why wouldn't this man make a move?

  "Oh Jesus. Jade you feel so good…so soft." He learned her shape and texture beneath her knit top, touching every inch like a blind man. "So warm."

  "Hmm, that's your fault." She did her own exploring. She wasn't about to wait for permission, she just dipped beneath his shirt and touched the taut warm abdomen.

  The rain pounded on the roof of the car, drowning out her hammering heartbeat and their combined heavy breathing.

  She was about to wedge her hand beneath his belted jeans when a car turned into the alley, shining headlights all too brightly in the windshield.

  They pulled apart guiltily, and she laughed. "We're acting like hormonal teenagers."

  He watched the car disappear around the corner at the end of the block before facing her. "I'm sorry. I can't seem to keep my hands off you."

  She opened her mouth to speak, but he stopped her with two fingers across her lips, and a serious set to his mouth.

  "No. I'm not going to feel you up in the fucking back alley." God, his voice. When he dropped it to that low growl, it all but sent her over the edge. "I'm going to control myself, even if it kills me." He narrowed his eyes, and in the dark car they seemed to glow. "My boat. Tomorrow night. Be ready to go when I pick you up here at six."

  So he can take charge. She tried to assimilate all of that information while half her mind was still centered on reaching down his pants.

  "Jade?"

  She blinked a few times, bringing his indulgent smile into focus.

  "Did you hear what I said?" He moved those two fingers away so she could speak, but she just nodded. "Call me after you talk to Dean, alright?"

  She nodded again. She was a little surprised she had control of her muscles, with the amount of hot energy pumping through her veins.

  "Good night, Jade." He gave her a smile that was filled with promise.

  Tomorrow. "Good night, Adam. I loved the picnic."

  Chapter Five

  "There's no way I'm letting you go off for a weekend with some guy I've never even met." Dean dipped the ice-cream scoop in a bowl of hot water before digging out another helping from the gallon tub. Jade's bowl was already in front of her, with two perfectly round vanilla balls drizzled with just the right amount of chocolate syrup.

  "You can meet him tomorrow," she conceded. "He's picking me up from Earth Scents." Dean scowled, so she didn't say anything else until he put the rest of the ice cream back in the freezer and sat down on the stool across from her at the kitchen bar.

  "He's hiding something, Jade. It bugs the shit out of me." He jammed his spoon into one ice-cream scoop, mangling it before taking a big bite. Why take the time to sculpt the scoop in the first place? Jade smothered a smile. "You know what else bothers me?" He pointed at her with his spoon. "The fact that it doesn't bug the shit out of you. In fact, you're not acting like your usual cautious self around this guy. Sucking his face on the first date, off for a weekend alone after two dates?"

  Jade groaned. "Dean, if he was going to take advantage of me, don't you think he would have done it by now?"

  "Scam artists never look like they're scamming. This guy's up to something, and you're not going anywhere with him until I find out what it is."

  Jade's spoon froze on the way to
her mouth. "You've got to be kidding."

  "Nope." He took another bite. "If I don't feel right after meeting him, you aren't going."

  She laughed. "You can't stop me."

  He shrugged. "I can beat the hell out of him. He can't pull his shit from a hospital room."

  "Dean!"

  "Don't think I won't. This isn't a joke. Don't you watch the news?" His scowl deepened.

  She opened her mouth to remind him that she had enough big brothers, but shoved in a spoonful of ice cream instead.

  Dean hunched over his bowl in an uncharacteristic feral position, and she fumed at being treated like a little girl. The rain pattered on the kitchen window, and their spoons clacked against their ice-cream bowls, otherwise the silence was thick.

  Jade tried to think objectively. She wasn't the type to fall hard and fast. Was she seduced by his appearance? His mysterious aura? If she ended up hurt, would she be the only one surprised? She watched Dean shovel ice cream into his tight-lipped mouth.

  By the time her bowl was empty, Jade came to the conclusion that Dean was right. An unbiased opinion about Adam Herlihey wouldn't hurt. Still irritated, she cocked her head and finally spoke. "So I can be ready to go, but I have to wait for your approval tomorrow?"

  "Don't get your hopes up." He wiped his mouth with a napkin and continued glaring at his bowl. "I don't put much stock in first impressions."

  Jade squealed, all anger forgotten. She ran around the island with her arms open, and hugged his back where he sat. "I know you'll like him. He's polite and smart and—oh, he plays guitar!"

  "And he's cute too. I know, I know. But so was the Hillside Strangler."

  "Oh, Dean. You take such good care of me." She kissed his cheek, even though he pouted. "Maybe Alfred is right. I think I'm falling for you."

  "Too bad, toots. You're missing some vital parts. Just…fuck…go pack your things. I have to see about getting myself a three-day date for next weekend. You're paying me back for this."

  She was almost to her bedroom when she heard him yell down the hallway after her. "That's if you go!"

  She called Adam as soon as she threw the first bikini into her duffle bag.

  "Good news?"

  She loved his voice. The baritone had a smooth whiskey fullness that surrounded her. "Mostly. He wants to meet you first."

  "Oh."

  When he didn't continue, she giggled. "Don't tell me you're scared."

  "That all depends. What does he bench?"

  She held a tank top up and studied her reflection in the mirror. "I'm not sure. He's a really huge guy, six-five, maybe four hundred pounds, so maybe three fifty?" Actually Dean pressed two ninety. He bragged about it the other day.

  "He's pretty protective of you, isn't he?" It wasn't a question.

  "Yeah, he has nothing better to do. Once I get him settled in some nice guy's arms, he'll back off."

  "I've got a few single friends, should I bring one along with me tomorrow?"

  "Dean is the pickiest man I've ever met. Don't waste your time."

  "I'm not worried. You just be ready to go."

  "I'm packing right now. Anything special on the agenda, or should I just pack the basic shorts and tee shirts?"

  "Hmm, what would you say if I told you not to bother packing clothes at all?"

  Her stomach fluttered. "I'd say we'd better be far off shore, and I should pack extra sunscreen."

  "Don't worry too much. The boat is stocked with the essentials. We won't be roughing it by any means."

  She sighed. "I can't wait." She finished packing with the phone at her ear, and a silly grin on her face. Once the duffle bag was zipped, she threw herself onto her bed.

  They talked for over an hour. He seemed genuinely interested when he asked about her six years in Colombia.

  "It wasn't like in the movies. We had a very nice modern hotel to come home to every night, clean water, good food. It was like a six year vacation. I came home every four months for a week, and then three weeks at Christmas." She tried to steer the conversation away from herself, Dean and Alfred, but he'd surprise her with another insightful question about her calling.

  "It's no wonder you and Dean are so close. I don't think I know many brothers and sisters who've spent as much time together as you two."

  "That's probably true. Of course growing up with four brothers made me a little bit of a tomboy. I relate to men pretty easily due to that."

  "I'm so glad your parents tried one more time."

  His comment warmed her blood, and curiously gave her goose bumps at the same time. "And I'm glad your parents got a surprise."

  He chuckled. "Well then I'd better stop by a little early tomorrow for my interview with The Warden."

  "Good idea." She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes. If she concentrated, she could imagine him lying next to her rather than speaking on the phone.

  "Jade?" Oh yeah. The intimate way he spoke her name could have easily been coming from across the pillow.

  "Yes?"

  "What are you wearing?"

  She laughed. Again. Damn, she'd been laughing a lot recently. "I'm in my jammies. Why?"

  "I was kinda hoping you were getting ready for a shower or something."

  "Would it turn you on if we had a conversation naked?"

  He growled in her ear. "Hell yeah. I'd love to hear you describe your body to me."

  "Huh. I think I just figured out what you do for a living."

  "You did?" His tone turned flat.

  "Yes. I recognize it in your voice." She pulled her comforter over her shoulders, and snuggled deep into the plush bedding. The rain still beat a hypnotic rhythm on the roof, and she yawned.

  "You do?"

  She heard the anguish, and smiled sleepily. "Mm hm. You're one of those phone-sex men."

  A noisy sigh. "Damn it, you got me. You see why I had to keep you in the dark? Now I'm going to have to start charging you for this call." His phone-sex voice washed over her like a warm Swedish massage.

  "Mm, okay."

  "And you don't get your money back if you fall asleep," he teased. "Go to bed, Jade. I'll see you tomorrow."

  "No, don't hang up. I want to pretend you're here with me."

  "Oh God, I'd love to be holding you right now. Breathe in your hair, wrap my legs around yours."

  "Mm…"

  "I'd kiss your beautiful lips, stroke the soft skin on your back…"

  The last thing she remembered was his promise to rock her to sleep in his arms.

  * * * *

  Quarter after five.

  Jade grinned.

  "You should have played with your little toy last night." Dean shook his head. He must have noticed her checking her watch. Or maybe he saw the way she kept one eye on the front door of Earth Scents.

  "What are you talking about?" She knew what he was talking about, and her blush had to have told him so.

  "Jesus, Jade. At this point you'll have his pants around his ankles before the door alarm goes off."

  Damn it Dean. The visual of Adam standing just inside the door with his pants down was enough to send a throbbing warmth through her. "Oh shut up." She stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm just excited to get away from your cranky ass for a few days."

  "Maybe. I might not let you go, remember? That was our deal." He cut open a box of blue glass vases that came in today's shipment, and began unwrapping the bubble wrap from each one. "I don't care how horny you are."

  "Be nice to him." She took the first vase from him and put it on the shelf they'd cleared earlier.

  "I'm not promising anything." He handed her another.

  "You know, I don't give you a hard time with your boys."

  "I told you, I don't—"

  "Date boys. I know. Except that one, what was his name?" She straightened the glassware before adding another to the shelf.

  "Geoff."

  "Geoff, that's right, 'Geoff with a G.E.O'." she mimicked. "Like anyone cares how to spell his name. Tel
l me when I'm writing your name down, Geoff, otherwise who cares?"

  "You're right. He was a boy. A cute boy though."

  "Was he even legal?"

  He rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

  "He wasn't, was he? Oh Dean you bad, bad man!"

  He shoved the last vase into her hand. "We've been through this before. He was in the Navy, so I know he had to be over eighteen."

  "No wonder you can't find a man to please you, when you're cruising the high school parking lots."

  Dean stood, toppling the now empty box in his attempt to get at her.

  Jade squealed. "Don't! Dean!"

  No matter how much she zigzagged across the store to get out of his reach, he was able to grab the cartilage part of her ear, just like he always did. Damned if that didn't hurt, and he knew she would stop struggling. It only hurt worse if she moved.

  "Are you sorry?"

  "Me? I'm not the one sleeping with boys. You're the one who should be—oh, oh! Okay!" She winced. "I'm sorry for making fun of your taste in younger men, okay?" She wasn't surprised when Dean continued twisting her ear with malice. Her knees buckled, and she opened her mouth to cry uncle when the door opened, setting off the notification tone. They jumped apart guiltily.

  Adam stood stock still on the threshold, wearing khaki board shorts and a black tee shirt with a silver tribal design. She'd never seen him in a hat, but today he wore a ball cap that looked like it had been run over three or four times. One hand gripped his sunglasses where they sat on his nose, the other on the door handle.

  "Adam!" She all but ran across the room, but stopped just short of throwing herself in his arms. He aimed an animalistic snarl at Dean. When he looked at her, he slowly finished taking his glasses off, and his expression softened until he opened his arms.

  "Well don't stop there." He took another step inside, and she did what she had been thinking about doing since about noon. Well, until Dean put that other picture in her head, but that would have to wait. She stepped into his embrace with a small hum of approval as his strong, hard arms went around to engulf her completely. "I'm going to assume that man is Dean, and he wasn't hurting you," he whispered.