Break You (13 page)

“To tonight,” I said. It was all I could come up with and all that seemed to matter. Tonight.

She grinned and nodded. “To tonight.”

Her tongue darted out and sucked the little thin straw from her glass into her mouth. I felt a slight spasm begin to stir in my shorts at the sight. Tipping my shot glass back, I let the burn of alcohol slip down my throat and kill that spasm before it strengthened.

 “Another,” I called to the bartender. My eyes shifted to Blaire. “And then I’ll have one beer and I’m done for the night. I know I still have to drive you home.” I winked at her.

She grinned and looked away, chewing on the little straw still. “I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t have to. It’s written all over your face.”

“Oh, right.” She set her glass down in front of her and leaned against the bar on her elbows. “I forgot you’re a psychology major for a second. Have you been trying to read me tonight, Mr. Bryant?”

I grinned and downed the rum in front of me. The way she’d said “Mr. Bryant” made the spasm stir again in my shorts. “It’s quite possible.”

Her eyes widened at my admittance and I noticed a little twinkle of mockery flash in them. “And what have you learned so far?” she asked.

Licking my bottom lip, tasting the taint of rum there, I glanced at her glass, taking note of how much she’d already had to drink. It was half empty—or half full, depending on how you viewed such things. Judging from her weight and how I knew she was a studious shut-in, not to mention most definitely the type to be a workaholic, she was probably feeling pretty tipsy right about now. The fact that the bartender had poured her a strong one to start, because I’d given him a hefty tip beforehand, added to this theory of mine.

“That you need to loosen up and have a little fun.” I locked eyes with her and prayed like hell she wouldn’t slap me for what I was about to say. “And that you need to get laid, because it’s been forever.”

Her jaw dropped. I chuckled at her expression and waved the bartender over so I could order a beer. Blaire reached for her drink and sucked down a few swigs without responding. Her cheeks were growing pink under the strange lights of the bar. I’d embarrassed her. That must mean I’d been dead on.

“You got all of that from the little bit we’ve been sitting here?” she asked.

“I’ll take a Land Shark, please,” I told the bartender. When the guy handed it to me, I twisted the cap off and faced Blaire. “Yeah.”

She chuckled and cast her eyes down to her drink.  “You’re going to be a great shrink one day.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

BLAIRE

How the hell had he gathered that last part? Did I have a sticker on my forehead that said
it’s been months since I’ve been touched by a guy?

Jesus, Jason Bryant was
so
out of my league.

Running a hand through my hair, I finished off my drink. If the conversation was going to continue in the direction it was headed, then I needed way more alcohol in my system. Pushing my empty glass away, I waved to the bartender, ready to order another.

“I’ll get it for you,” Jason said with a small smile. “I didn’t ask you out so you could buy your own drinks…or to embarrass you for that matter. I’m sorry. Sometimes this analytical side of me takes over. I notice way too much about people and forget to filer what I say.”

The bashful little smile on his face tugged at my heart, causing it to pitter-patter in my chest faster than it should. Was that a line? If it was, it was smooth. My eyes trailed over him, taking in everything about him. The gray collared T-shirt he wore was tight in all the right places. His khaki cargo shorts were the right amount of baggy and his flip-flops screamed casual sexiness. He gave off a laid-back vibe and I loved it.

The bartender came over with another Long Island for me. Jason handed him a crisp bill from in his wallet. I took a sip and watched as he lifted his ass up and tucked the wallet back into his back pocket.

“Don’t worry about it,” I said, forcing my eyes away from the muscles I could see shifting and flexing in his forearm while he played with the cap from his beer. “I was a little embarrassed, but only because what you said is true. I’m fine now.”

I wanted to smack myself. Why the hell did I just flat-out admit that to him? What I’d said before had been enough; there was no reason for me to add to it. Heat crept along my neck. I’d look like I was having an allergic reaction in a matter of seconds. Great.

“Maybe this will lift your embarrassment some: it’s been a while for me, too,” he said.

This new knowledge he’d openly offered floored me. His eyes locked with mine as he brought his beer to his perfect lips for a swig. I watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed from the action.

“Why?” The question formed in my head, but I had no intentions of actually saying it aloud, and most definitely not in such a dumbfounded tone. Rich laughter rumbled through his chest and his head tipped back in the process. A grin twisted at my lips, one I couldn’t suppress no matter how hard I tried. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. It’s not my place.” I forced my eyes to look anywhere except at him as I shook my head.

“No, it’s okay,” he said, containing himself. “I just can’t get over how shocked you seem by my confession.”

I took a sip of my drink. “You just don’t seem like the type to have any dry spells. If I remember correctly, you didn’t have that problem in high school either, and I can’t imagine it forming in college of all places.”

Hadn’t meant to say that one aloud either. What the hell was in this drink, a loose lips amplifier?

“People change,” he said. “You did.”

“How so?”

“You’ve gotten more beautiful, for starters.”

His words made my stomach flutter and my heart pound. That was most definitely a line…but I liked it. Jason straightened his back and downed the rest of his beer. Banging the empty bottle against the bar as he set it back down, he stood and held out a hand to me.

“Let’s dance,” he said.

Taking a large swig of my drink, I place my hand in his. He picked my wristlet off the counter and crammed it into the oversized side pocket of his shorts. “Do you actually talk with that thing pressed to your ear?”

I nodded. “Yeah, it’s like the best invention ever—a cell-phone case and a wallet combined in one. Now I don’t have to lug my big-ass purse around wherever I go.”

“That’s hilarious.” He grinned. “I hope I get to see it in action tonight at some point.”

For the first time since I’d bought the thing, I questioned its functionality. Maybe I did look stupid with it pressed against my ear. A chuckle escaped me as we walked out to the mini dance floor.

“What’s so funny?” Jason asked. His lips nearly brushed against my ear in his effort to have me hear his words clearly. “Is your drink catching up with you?”

“That and the fact that I’ve always been so against using a Bluetooth because I didn’t want to look like a moron talking to myself…but then I bought a wallet that fits my phone inside and talk to it instead.” I laughed.

The giggles that bellowed from me now were unstoppable. My drink had caught up with me. Surely Jason thought I was a nut bag by now, either that or that I was the world’s cheapest drunk. Containing myself, I finished the remaining inch of drink resting in the bottom of my cup and then walked to a trash can close by.

“Funny thing, I feel the same way about those stupid Bluetooth things. I always think people are nuts when I see them talking to themselves in the store…then they either turn and I can see the doodad in their ear or the wires hanging down from the earbuds and that’s when I know.” His lips brushed against my ear this time and a shiver slid through me at the sensation.

Lauren’s words from earlier replayed in my mind—
you didn’t agree to go out with him to talk and get to know one another… You agreed because you want what’s in his pants and you know it
—and I gave into the sensation, the alcohol, and the night.

Slipping my hands along his forearms and up his biceps, I smiled up at him and realized one thing: I am a grown-ass woman and if I want to have a one-night stand, then I can.

A fast-paced song came on and my body began to sway to the music. Jason moved with me. His hands gripped my hips as I danced to the beat, lost in the rhythm.
Let loose
—it’s what everyone always said to me, so that’s exactly what I planned on doing tonight.

Images of Paige dirty dancing flashed through my mind and I attempted to mimic her moves on Jason. I must have been doing something right, because soon a large smile spread on his face and his pupils dilated as his eyes grew hooded by lust. The shivering sensation I’d felt earlier slid through me again at the thought of turning him on. Gripping my hips, Jason crushed his pelvic area against my ass and I could feel exactly just how turned on he actually was. All I could think was that this was truly the start of something wicked between us.

One more Long Island later, I was out of breath, tipsy, and so pent up with sexual energy I felt as though I might burst. Jason handed me my wristlet purse and licked his lips.

“You ready to get out of here?” he asked.

“Yeah.” I’d attempted to sound flirty and cute, but instead my voice sounded strangled. “Are you all right to drive?”

“Fine. I’ve had two shots and one beer, but we’ve been here for hours.” He nodded. “What about you?”

I laughed. “I’m tipsy as hell, this is the limit. If I had another, I’d barf for sure. I’m cutting myself off.” My hands moved in some weird cutting motion across my neck to emphasize my point better.

The sound of his laughing merged with mine and our eyes locked. Once our laughter settled, a silence draped over us while we continued to gaze at one another. A song too loud and too fast paced for the moment lingering between us started.

“What do you say to heading down to the river?” Jason asked. His amusement from my earlier words still lingered on his beautiful face, but there was a seriousness twisting in the depths of his eyes. “Think you can walk that far in those shoes?” His gaze dropped to my shoes and a smirk played at the corners of his mouth.

“It’s not that far,” I protested. “Besides, there’s no rule that states I have to keep them on.”

* * * *

The water was cool. I’d kicked off my sandals long before we made it to the river’s edge and now stood with my toes planted firmly in place as the river’s constant movement slipped over my skin. The moon was low in the sky, nearly full and shedding just the right amount of light down on us. I took a step back, onto a smooth rocky ledge behind me, as the chill of the water soon became too much. The rock beneath my bare feet was still warm from the sun and I let out a little sigh into the night. I tipped my head back to look up at the star-filled sky, taking in all of nature’s uncorrupted beauty that surrounded me.

Jason came up behind me, his sandals shuffling against the smooth surface of the rock. “It’s nice, isn’t it?” he asked, his voice nothing but a whisper.

Glancing over my shoulder at him, I was surprised by how close he was to me. Inhaling, I could smell his guy-scent—a mixture of soap and deodorant of some sort. Whatever it was, it was spicy and male and I liked it. My eyes traveled the length of him and I knew he could feel them on him, but I was too tipsy to care, so I continued checking him out unabashedly while his gaze locked on the sky.

“Look,” he said as he pointed. “Bats.”

My head snapped to where he’d pointed so quickly, the movement jerked my body with it and I stumbled. Losing my footing, I nearly toppled into the river. Jason reached out and steadied me, his large hands gripping my forearms.

“Whoa there,” he chuckled.

His face was inches from mine. His warm hands still gripped my arms. I straightened my stance to a firmer one, but he still didn’t let go. Our stare became fused together as electricity zapped beneath my skin from the contact I’d been craving all night.

“Thanks for catching me.” A giggle built in my chest, but the second I saw his tongue slip out and lick at his bottom lip, it disappeared.

“No problem.”

His hands slid free from my arms only to grip my hips firmly. My heart pounded from their sudden shift in placement. Jason’s jaw moved as he bit at the inside of his cheek. I wondered for a moment if this was a nervous habit of his or if he was simply wondering whether now was the time to take me home.

I didn’t want him to take me home. I wasn’t finished with this night—with him—just yet.

With the courage that came from drinking three Long Island Iced Teas and the yearning that pulsated through my body from his nearness, I did what I wanted—I arched my body into his and kissed him. His lips were warm and soft; his breath tasted of spicy liquor, and I knew I was right where I’d wanted to be a million times in my head—locked in Jason Bryant’s arms with my lips pressed to his.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

JASON

I’d been debating whether I should kiss her as I’d held her in my arms. The moment felt right, but I didn’t want her to think I’d taken advantage of her later when she reflected back on tonight, so I’d hesitated.

Did I want to kiss her? Yes.

Did I want to do more than simply kiss her? Hell yes.

But I wasn’t some asshat who took advantage of a girl after she’d had a few drinks, because she was beautiful and I was horny.

Call me old school, but I’d had the intentions of being a gentleman tonight…even if I had played some serious cards to get this date with her in the first place.

I’d been thinking all of this when Blaire had taken the initiative and pressed her sweet lips to mine, deciding where the night would go all on her own. 

The desire to crush my lips against hers and allow my hands to roam as they wished across every curve of her body slammed into me, but I fought it. Instead, I softly brushed my lips against hers and savored the taste of them on my tongue. My hands loosened their grip on her hips and migrated up her body toward her face, brushing against the outer curve of her breasts with my thumbs in the motion. A shiver slid through her and the sound of her breath catching in her throat let me know she enjoyed the sensation as much as I did.