“Yeah, Jazz,” mimics Joey. “Get in the car.”
I scowl. “Just for acting like children, the answer is most definitely no.”
Joey unfolds his arms. He takes two steps toward me and pulls me to him. One arm snakes around my waist, the other along my jaw tilting my face up to his. In the milliseconds it takes for him to drop his mouth to mine, I glimpse a multitude of emotions flashing through his expression. Exasperation, arousal, determination, and oh my God, his mouth tastes so good. So him. So addicting. And then I know the other emotion I saw flashing briefly by in the myriad of emotions. Something else that struck me deep inside. Something I recognized. Fear.
Fear I’ll say no? Or fear I’ll say yes? I’m not sure. But it’s enough to make me want to know more. But not tonight.
“Good gracious,” says Mrs. Weaton. “Looks like that boy knows how to kiss.”
He lifts his face from mine, slowly, his breathing shallow.
I set my hands on his hard chest, pressing him gently away. “I’ll come and see you tomorrow. We’ll talk.”
“Maybe he’s not that good,” Mrs. Weaton goes on. “It looked it though. Didn’t it, Paulie?”
“Okay, this is just weird,” I say at her gawking.
“Mmm hmmm,” hums Mrs. Weaton.
I look back at Joey, we both wear equally incredulous expressions at Mrs. Weaton’s weirdness.
“Never knew she had it in her, the saucy minx,” says Joey with a snort.
Paulie rebuckles his seatbelt. “Tonight’s been the best damn entertainment I’ve had in years.”
“Can you give me three minutes, Paulie?” asks Joey, then he takes my hand, and we head down the path to the side of the apartment building where the sliding door to my bedroom is.
“This lack of security annoys me,” he says.
“Yep. I know. The worst thing that’s ever happened within a mile of here was when those drunk assholes hit my dad’s boat and got arrested.”
Joey pulls on my hand, stopping me. “Thinking about that day makes me feel like shit.”
“How do you think it makes me feel?”
“I know. Shit. I know. God, Jazz. You have every right to hate me.”
“I don’t hate you. I never have.”
He expels a humorless laugh. “I know that.”
It may not have been hate, but I was very, very angry with him for a long time. Am I still? I can’t tell.
Reaching up, he caresses my cheek. His dark blue eyes are locked on mine.
Heat bubbles under the surface of my skin.
Then he reaches for a lock of my hair, winding it around his finger. “You look absolutely stunning tonight. This will rival the best image I have of you in my head.”
My heart hammers wildly at his words. Of course I want to ask him what the best image he has of me is and why he even has the need of a favorite image. But it could just be one of those things people say.
“You want to ask me, don’t you?”
How does he do that? “No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do. I guess I’ll tell you when we have that talk you promised.”
Lowering his head, a lock of hair falling across his brow, he touches his lips to mine, nipping gently, sensuously, just enough to have me wanting more. Before I can respond, he pulls his mouth from mine. “Come over tomorrow around five pm,” he says, then turns and walks away down the path.
I slip into my room, both my body and my heart aching with want, and throw myself down on my bed, face first.
MY PHONE WAKES me up, and when I stare it bleary eyed and see it’s past eleven in the morning, I’m shocked. The missed call is from Keri Ann. Damn.
I call her back.
“Hey,” she says as soon as she answers. “You won’t believe where I am.”
“Shock me.”
“Lake Tahoe. Or Tahoe as Jack calls it. You should see this house Jazz. It has these massive windows overlooking the lake and the mountains. It’s unbelievable. We got in around sunrise and all the mountains were pink and blue. And I flew. In a plane. I was terrified, but Jack kept filling up my champagne.”
My heart feels warm in my chest, and I smile into the phone to hear her so happy. “Sounds amazing,” I say.
“God, Jazz. This is it, you know. I love him so much. I’m scared. Am I crazy going for this?”
“No. He loves you too. You guys are going to show the rest of us how it’s done.”
She lets out a long sigh. “Thank you. And thank you for always knowing the right thing to say.”
“Whatever.” I snort.
“Okay, well you always say the right thing for me when I need it. Oh, and thanks for packing my stuff. Including the matching pink lace underwear. You really are the bestest friend ever.”
“Nah.”
“Oh hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you since you got back from Florida. Did you get your job posting?”
I let out a long breath. “I did. Cape Town.”
“Oh my God,” Keri Ann squeaked. “That’s what you wanted, right?”
“Yeah. How long will you be gone? I may have left by the time you get back.”
“Oh no!”
“We’ll talk lots via Skype.”
“You don’t sound excited. Look, I’m happy but selfishly not excited to see you leave. What is it? Is it Joey?”