As Jessie struggled to pull her eyes from his, her languid mind suddenly remembered the awkward situation she’d gotten herself in. She laughed, the alcohol in her system covering her embarrassment. “Yeah, I’m just not having a good shoe day.” She lifted her foot; the insole was mostly dry by now, but still a little squeaky, she was sure.
Not understanding, the man only smiled as he gently released her from his arms. Jessie found that she missed the contact, and stepped into his side, closer than she generally stood to complete strangers. He didn’t back off, though, just continued to sweep those amazing eyes over her face. Even in her drunken haze, it pleased her that he was focusing his gaze more above her neck than below it.
She handed him a drink, or what was left of it, since some had splashed onto the floor during her scuffle. She raised her own as he tentatively took the glass. “Drink with me?” she asked, in a way that really didn’t sound like a question.
Smiling, he raised his glass to hers. “Cheers.”
They touched glasses, and Jessie watched as he closed those marvelous eyes and tilted back the drink. As she watched him, she wondered how those full lips, pressing so softly against the glass, would feel pressed against her mouth, her neck…her breasts. A little surprised at the immediate sexual attraction she felt for this unnamed man, Jessie shook her head and downed what was left of her drink.
When he was finished with his half-full drink, the man gently set his empty glass on the table and politely told her, “Thank you.” Jessie flushed at his simple words as she set her own empty glass next to his. Amazing how two small syllables were doing so much more for her than an entire night of grinding had done.
With a captivating smile, he examined her heated cheeks, then stuck out his hand, right at hip level. As Jessie’s hips were nearly pressed into his side, she had to back up a step. “My name’s Kai.”
Jessie grinned at the excuse to grab his hand. She didn’t shake it, so much as clench it and press it against her belly. His mouth popped open at the unexpected contact. Jessie instantly loved the warmth she felt radiating from him; just his fingers against her was enough to cause a tingle of excitement to flash over her skin. “Kai…with the beautiful eyes,” she drunkenly murmured. “Hi…I’m Jessie.”
Still smiling, he leaned an elbow onto the waist high table. The move brought his head just a bit closer to hers. She bit her lip. “Thank you for the drink, Jessie.” The way he said her name made a chill run down her spine. She kind of wanted to hear him moan it.
Surprising herself, she asked, “Are you here alone?”
He glanced down at the table, seemingly shy again, then peeked up at her. “I am…just got into town actually. I don’t really know anybody yet.”
The fact that the beautiful man in front of her was unattached made Jessie’s lips twist into a playful smile. “Well, would you like to get to know me?” A small section of her slow brain was shocked that she’d just asked him that. She generally wasn’t that forward…but there was just something about him.
In a gesture that she found exceedingly cute, he looked down again. Then, raising his eyes, he unwaveringly held her gaze. “I think I’d like that.”
Smiling and stroking his fingers still resting against her stomach, she glanced at the empty glass she’d brought him, the nearly empty bottle of beer he’d been drinking before her arrival, and decided that she needed to get this shy guy up to her level of carefree. Taking a step back, she pulled his arm so he would follow her. “Come on, we need to get you caught up.”
He smiled and willingly allowed her to lead him. Jessie carefully avoided the section of the bar where her friends were watching her every move. She didn’t need them interfering and scaring off the guy. At the other end of the long bar, a girl was tending to the customers. Jessie walked up to her with her newfound friend’s arm firmly around her waist. Sidling up behind her, the beautiful boy kept a slight, respectful distance between their bodies. Wanting to feel that hard body along the length of her, Jessie leaned back until they touched. His free hand trailed down her bare arm, and she shivered, even in the heat of the club. God, he felt amazing.
Jessie shouted an order at the straining-to-hear bartender, and stepped back with the boy once she was handed a couple of shots of Jameson. After thanking her, he closed his eyes and tilted the drink back. Jessie smiled as she watched him gulp his drink, and again pictured those wondrous lips all over her body. Her pain and heartache was so far buried under alcohol and tropical eyes that it was like it had never happened. Harmony and April were right; this was exactly what she needed.