“What the hell JT,” I snapped, tapping my finger hard against his chest until I had him pushed up against the wall. “You’re giving up on me just like that? Yes, I was at ease with Steve because we had a lot to talk about and I knew you thought he was an okay guy. But all we did was talk. Since when am I not allowed to enjoy talking with other people?”
JT stared down at me, eyes blazing with some unnamed emotion. “He’s the better man for you. More stable. Able to provide for you.”
“Bullshit,” I cried out and rubbed my body flat up against him. “You don’t get to make that decision for me. My parents taught me to be self-sufficient. Do you think I spent four years getting a college degree just to stay home and let some man take care of me, make me completely dependent on him? Oh, hell no.”
I laced my fingers through his belt loops and pulled his groin towards me. “There are only two things I need from my man; emotional connection and physical desire. And you see, no one sets my body on fire like you do JT. Come feel for yourself what you do to me.”
He audibly sucked in his breath at my seductive words. I smiled inwardly when he weaved his hand through my hair to pull my mouth up to meet his while his other hand slowly massaged its way down my back and over my bottom. Clearly he didn’t have the strength to ignore such a bold invitation. Little by little I would tear down his defenses.
“You’re beautiful in this dress, Jordan,” he said in a husky whisper. “Been driving me crazy. And the way you smell, it’s been teasing me all night long.”
I couldn’t help the throaty chuckle that rumbled in my chest.
“What’s so funny,” he murmured, gazing into my eyes.
“My perfume,” I said as I closed my eyes and shuddered at the feel of the tip of his tongue running along the base of my neck before it traveled back up to lick my bottom lip. “It’s called Tease. Glad to know it lives up to its name.”
He growled low while his teeth gently nipped and tugged at my mouth, until I freely opened up to duel with his hot tongue. A little moan slipped out of my throat when his hand slid beneath my skirt and along my naked thigh, all the way up until it made contact with the edge of my lace panties.
“Oh, Christ, I need to see these,” he groaned and bent down to lift the edge of my skirt, revealing the pale yellow lace against my smooth olive toned skin. He captured my mouth again and plundered with his tongue as his finger found the wet apex between my thighs and teased me gently over the delicate fabric.
I cried out and collapsed against his chest, panting, when he finally slid his finger into my wetness, thrusting in out and massaging me with a slow methodical rhythm that matched his deep breathing. In a matter of seconds I exploded with the force of cannon fire, my body shuddering as he continued the assault until I was completely spent.
“See what you do to me,” I sighed.
“Oh yes,” he chuckled and bent his head to capture my mouth in a lingering kiss. “One of these days we might make it to a bed where I can explore your body properly.”
“Promises, promises,” I said as I palmed the bulge straining against his jeans. “But first I plan to do some exploring of my own right now.”
I gazed into his eyes while deftly opening the button of his jeans and then slid the zipper down. Within seconds I wrapped my fingers around his long, hard flesh, stroking him from tip to base. The corners of my mouth lifted up in a smile when he threw his head back and let out a throaty groan. I had been right; he was exceptional.
His hands suddenly thrust into my hair and yanked my mouth up to meet his in a ravenous kiss. I met him stroke for stoke, both tongue and hand, until he pulled back with a force that nearly knocked me over.
“Holy crap,” he said and whipped himself back into his jeans while he groped for the light switch in the hallway.
It took a moment before I regained my senses and realized the garage door was opening. Derek was home. I growled in frustration and fisted my palms.
“No fair,” I said as I smoothed my skirt and tip toed my way to the front door with JT sharp on my heels to open the door quietly. “We’re not finished here.”
“Till next time,” he whispered in my ear and gently shoved me out of the house.
Chapter Nine
Tearing Down the Walls
Jordan
Music blared through the speakers and I could feel the rhythm pounding through the floor. I watched with envy as several couples got downright dirty, dancing on the floor a few feet away from our table. Dinner had been a great success considering JT took the surprise so well. I glanced at my phone again wondering what was taking Leah so long when everything suddenly went dark, or at least darker than it already was at Tequila Blue, as a pair of hands covered my eyes.
“I know it’s you Leah,” I said, pulling her hands away and turning to give her a hug. It was the multiple rings that gave it away. “I’m so glad you could make it.”
I had started to worry. But I should’ve known better. It was typical of Leah to be late. Why hadn’t I learned my lesson yet and started telling her to be places thirty minutes before I really wanted her there so she’d make it on time?
“Hey everyone!” Leah cheerfully waved to the group sitting around the table before she bent over to give JT a big hug. “Happy Birthday, JT. Were you pleasantly surprised?”
“Surprised, yes.” He glanced sideways at me and Derek with a frown. My pout must have been convincing because he added, “Very pleasantly surprised.”
“Good deal.” Leah plopped down in the chair next to Jared and bumped shoulders with him. “You’re dancing with me tonight. I’m sans boyfriend. Haven’t been on a date in two months and it’s getting pitiful. But you’ll do as a dance partner for one night.”
“What makes you think I’d agree to dance with you, Leah?” Jared asked in his standard cocky fashion.
My brother was always a pain in the butt with Leah, which is why I enjoyed watching her manipulate him so easily. I loved my best friend. She was wasting no time distracting Jared so I could have club time with JT. And I had no doubt she would prevail. Leah waved to the waitress who’d arrived at their table with a round of tequila shots for everyone. Apparently Leah had come prepared. She placed two shots in front of Jared and two in front of herself along with a beer chaser each.
“If I down these before you, then you have to dance with me all night.” She brushed her long auburn locks over her shoulder and stared at Jared in challenge. Leah knew he wouldn’t back down from a challenge—especially from a woman. She was brilliant.
“And if I win?” Jared asked, staring down his nose at her. “What then?”
“Winner’s choice.” A grin suddenly lifted the corner of her mouth. “But don’t waste too many brain cells thinking about it because you’re not going to win. Save ‘em for learning all that medical stuff they’re teaching you in school.”
Jared snorted and prepared for the race as we all began chanting for our favorite to win.
“Leah! Leah! Leah!” we all shouted to Jared’s dismay.
“Jerk!” Jared called out to JT. “You’re supposed to have my back.”
JT smiled broadly. “This is me having your back. Why wouldn’t you want to dance with a hot babe all night; even if she is your sister’s best friend? Nobody here knows that. They’ll just think you’re the bomb.”
Jared flipped him the bird and nodded to me to count down.
“Three. Two. One. Go!”
Before Jared had even tossed back his first shot, Leah was gulping down her beer laced with two tequila shots. Jared shuddered through his second shot and then made up time with large gulps of beer. It was a close call but the table voted unanimously for Leah.
“You cheated,” Jared said, slamming his glass down on the table and laughing out loud from the shock of losing to her. “I want a rematch.”
“I didn’t cheat,” Leah said emphatically. “I drank two shots and a beer chaser. We never said what order it had to be in. Drinking it all
together gets rid of the gag reflex at the end of the shot. Bought me at least two or three seconds, wouldn’t you say? I knew I needed it to beat that big mouth of yours. You’re just mad because I outsmarted you.”
“I won fair and square.” Leah stood up and held her hand out to Jared. “Now come pay the piper like a good little boy. No pouting. I want to have fun.”
Jared stood and headed towards the dance floor as Leah turned to me with a sassy smile that had ‘you-owe-me-big-time’ written all over it.
I winked back and then grabbed JT’s hand to pull him out onto the dance floor with me. It was time to heat things up.
***
Jordan
I hummed along to the music on the radio as I drove to my interview on Tuesday morning. Everything seemed to be falling into place. After the passionate interchange with JT in his hallway Friday night, followed by his birthday celebration complete with dirty dancing at Tequila Blue, compliments of Leah, I was certain he was coming around to the idea of dating me out in the open. Our attraction was undeniable.
I parked my car and then entered the lobby of the elementary school. Remnants of the children’s special projects from the previous school year hung along the wall, giving the hallway a homey and inviting feel. I couldn’t wait to get started working with the kids in the fall.
With my smart navy blue pant suit and pristine white V-neck shirt, I felt ready to conquer the world. I’d come prepared with my notes about the school and its newly appointed principal as well a list of questions I hoped to ask at the end of the interview. Hopefully I would succeed in highlighting my skills and enthusiasm for teaching.
“Jordan,” a male voice called out to me from behind.
I turned to see Steve jogging up behind me. He was casually dressed in a pair of jeans and short sleeved collared shirt. The black color was striking against his white skin and reddish brown air. I couldn’t help but think he looked like that Chuck guy from Pacific Rim. There was no denying he was handsome. Maybe I should try to set him up with Leah? By the look of him he would be heading out to the golf course later in the day. The weather was perfect for it.
“Hi, Steve. How are you?”
“Great,” he said, falling into step next to me. “Are you here for your interview?”
“Yes.” I glanced at my mobile phone. “It’s supposed to start in five minutes.”
“Let me walk you in and personally introduce you to the principal.” He smiled while ushering me to the main office door. “I had a nice chat with her yesterday about setting up a day to talk with the sixth grade boys about joining the football team. I’ve got to get them thinking about it early on if I want to recruit enough players.”
“I appreciate it,” I said with a gracious smile. “Every little bit helps.”
He paused a moment and stared down at his feet while he kicked at some imaginary piece of dirt. “I was wondering if you wanted to grab a bite to eat after your interview. Nothing big. I don’t have a ton of time.”
“Sure.” I owed him after all he was trying to do for me. “Let me buy you a cup of coffee and dessert at Panera?”
“That sounds great,” Steve said, breaking out into a huge grin. “Well the part about coffee and dessert. But I’ll be buying.”
Before I could argue the point further, he stopped at the principal’s doorway and tapped lightly to announce our arrival. After a minute of small talk, Steve excused himself and we got down to business. Forty-five minutes later I stepped out of the school into the bright sunshine. My interview was slotted for thirty minutes so I took it as a good sign that it had run fifteen minutes longer. I almost forgot about my arrangement with Steve and was startled when he called out to me from across the parking lot. Hopping into my car, I drove up next to him and rolled down my window.
“Is now a good time? Meet you there?”
“Sure,” he said. “See you in a few minutes.”
A blast of cool air hit me in the face as we entered the Panera lobby. It was a sure sign that summer was upon us. The rich aroma of brewing coffee mixed in the air with fresh baked goods and homemade soups. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until that moment and decided to have the half soup, half sandwich combo instead of a dessert. It was eleven thirty; close enough to lunch time.
We chatted about the school district while eating lunch and Steve gave me some tips about writing daily lessons and organizing my schedule to keep up on grading papers. I was fascinated to hear about the new electronic system where teachers recorded the children’s daily grades so that parents could actively work with the teachers in holding children accountable for their homework. The time flew by and before I knew it, Derek and JT entered the restaurant.
I watched them walk to the counter from my vantage point across the room. With a little luck, JT wouldn’t notice me sitting in the corner with Steve. I hadn’t planned for Steve to still be here when they arrived. And while the meeting meant nothing to me, I wasn’t sure how JT would react. Things had been going so well in the past few days and I didn’t want to muck that up. Try as I might to remain connected to the conversation with Steve, my eyes kept wandering over to the two brothers as they sat in a booth near the entrance.
“Jordan?” I heard him say.
“What?” I returned my attention to him and was greeted by his raised brow.
“Did you hear a word of what I just said?”
“Um…not really,” I confessed. Damn. I’d been caught red-handed again. At least I had the grace to blush. “I’m sorry but I noticed JT and his brother Derek sit down over there. What did you ask?”
“I was wondering if you wanted to go out Saturday night to play pool.”
“Oh.” I glanced at the straggling crumbs on my plate. “Well I don’t have my planner with me. Do you mind if I give you a call and let you know?”
He chuckled and wrote his number on a napkin. “You have to get with the times Jordan. Your smartphone has a calendar in it you know?”
“I know.” I smiled back. “It’s just—well—my grandmother makes me a planner every year for Christmas and I don’t have the heart to tell her they’re not in vogue anymore. I don’t want to hurt her feelings by not using it.”
“Sure.” He pushed his number across the table. “Well I hope to hear back from you.”
I had the distinct feeling he thought I was lying to him. Whatever. That was his problem; not mine. It was the truth. Well at least the part about Grannie making me a planner every year was true. But I knew exactly what was on my calendar for Saturday night. I was making dinner for JT and there was nothing in this world keeping me from our date. Why I hadn’t just said that in the first place I wasn’t sure. Probably because I’d been distracted in my thoughts when he’d asked and I didn’t want to see the rejection in his eyes. It always made me uncomfortable.
I watched as Steve walked towards the exit and stopped to say hello to JT and cursed under my breath. Steve would probably make a point of saying he’d had lunch with me. And now Derek was going to take the brunt of JT’s anger. It was time for me to step in. I gathered my things and prepared to enter the battle zone with my brightest smile.
“Scooch over,” I said to JT and sat down next to him. If we were going to tear down his walls then I didn’t want to start by sitting next to Derek to gang up on JT. It wasn’t much. But it was a start.
***
J.T.
“Funny meeting you here,” I said and crossed my arms lightly over my chest. Why did I have the feeling this hadn’t happened by some strange coincidence? Maybe it was the nervous glance Derek had given Jordan when she sat down. He had always been a shitty liar.
“I know.” Jordan’s voice rang out in a too happy, sing-song tone. “I just had my interview this morning at the elementary school and bumped into Steve. He introduced me to the principal and put in a good word. So I bought him lunch. It was the least I could do.”
I settled back into the corner of the booth and alternated glancing from Jordan
to Derek. I wasn’t buying it. “Cut the bullshit and tell me what this is about.”
Derek hesitated a moment but then decided to go for it. “I want you to take fifty grand of my college funds and pay off your school loans.”
“No.” I didn’t have the patience for this. “We’ve had this discussion before.”
“But—” Derek tried again, only to be cut-off after the first word.
“What part of no don’t you understand?” The words came out slow and carried a sharp edge. I hated myself for turning into a condescending bastard. I knew I was pissed about Jordan having lunch with Steve and it wasn’t fair for me to take it out on my brother.
Jordan’s face twisted into a mask of disgust and she slapped me sharply on the thigh. “Stop it, JT. He’s your brother. The least you can do is hear him out. Let him have a voice. He has earned as much.”
“Fine,” I said but felt the scowl still plastered on my face. I’d listen but it didn’t mean I had to act as if I liked it.
“I’ve told you the money was to be split halfway between the two of us. I even showed you the damn will. What is there to discuss?”
“JT, I think you’re taking our parents’ wishes too literally,” Derek said, leaning into the table and meeting my glare head on. “What they wanted was to make sure that both of us were provided for and received an education.”
“And that’s exactly what I’m doing by giving you your fair share,” I pointed out in exasperation.
“No, that isn’t the point,” Derek refuted. “I don’t think they expected to die so young and their plans didn’t consider the fact that you would have to work while putting yourself through school in order to afford our living costs.”
“What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?”
“The only reason I played football was because you wouldn’t let me work to help support the household costs.” Derek suddenly glanced at Jordan and she nodded her head in encouragement. “Well my scholarship is like my financial contribution to our household running costs.”
Date Night (Wish Come True Book 1) Page 10
