Next Song I Sing (NEXT TIME AROUND)

by McDonald, Donna

  Chloe pulled on the white jeans again and the layered scarves top that minimized her breasts. The stretchy room in the jeans felt nice given her sensitive body condition this morning. Instead of sexy heels, Chloe put on her sandals. There was no way she was going to navigate safely in heels on sex-weakened legs.

  When she finally made it to her own bathroom, Chloe was startled to see the soft, satisfied, and yes—glowing gaze of the brown-eyed woman looking back at her in shock.

  “I only met you a few days ago. What have you done to me, Jasper?”

  The answer from the satisfied woman looking back at her was only a sigh.

  ***

  Max smiled as he watched Jasper walking to his table, his loose-limbed gait and tired, satisfied eyes filling him with hope that there had been a good reason. Then he noticed the lack of tie, the open collar of his shirt, and the loose slacks. Jasper’s look all but announced he was a man who’d spent the night with an amazing woman.

  At least it did to Max.

  “Okay—I don’t have to have any details. Just tell me it wasn’t Rayonna’s friend. I saw her going up in the elevator. I started to stop her, but I didn’t trust myself. I have my own problems,” Max told him, grinning.

  Jasper smiled at Max. “I am completely done with Rayonna clones. I saw heaven last night, Maximillan. Now I’m trying to figure out how to see it again.”

  “Did the angels sing for you Jasper?” Max teased, happy as hell to see his brother’s wicked smile.

  “Just one angel,” Jasper said softly, “but she sang for me all night. I haven’t done that since college. I almost couldn’t turn loose of her this morning. I even accosted her in the shower. She practically ran out the door of my room to get away from me.”

  Jasper sipped the ice tea Max had ordered for him. “And you know what—I don’t feel a shred of regret. I intend to chase the woman down and do it again tonight. Do you think you can fall in love in just a few days?”

  The laughter tore out of Max. “Man, I bet Sam is going to be disappointed. He was hoping you’d crash and burn with Chloe so he could pick up the sad pieces.”

  “Maybe I did. She’s totally embarrassed today, and I don’t know why. It’s not like half of what we did wasn’t her idea,” Jasper told him, closing his eyes. If he was with Chloe a thousand times, he was always going to remember last night. “Maybe she’s still bothered about Lea showing up practically nude.”

  Max shrugged. “I’m surprised you got Chloe to even stay if she got a full view of Lea in that dress she had on. It was certainly making the woman’s intention to seduce you clear.”

  “I was happily covered in Chloe’s lipstick and partially undressed when Lea got there,” Jasper said on a laugh. “I wasn’t even tempted for a second. This morning being with the women of my past is a sad joke compared to what lovemaking can really be like. I found exactly what I’ve been looking for all my life, Maximillan. Let me tell you, a hot eager woman is not just a fantasy.”

  “Good to know,” Max said, his throat tight with what he hoped was just happiness for Jasper and not jealousy. “Now stop bragging before I have to go nail some unsuspecting hotel guest to work off my envy.”

  “Sorry,” Jasper said, still not repentant for bragging. “I’ll spare you and take it up with Sam later.”

  “You intend to tell your friend, who was also attracted to her, how good Chloe was in bed?” Max asked, shaking his head as the server put their food down. He picked up his sandwich and took a bite. “I guess I would too if I thought he was competition.”

  “Sam’s not competition—or not anymore,” Jasper said, picking up his own sandwich, amazed at how good it tasted today. “I just want him to know how it is so he’ll stop hoping and look for his own woman. I like the man, but he can’t have Chloe. I found her first, and she’s all mine.”

  Max rolled his eyes. “Are you hearing yourself? Don’t let Chloe hear you saying that yet. I think the pressure would send her running for sure. She’s already scared about singing alone. Speaking of which—quick change of subject before I need a cold shower. What do you think about hiring a couple backup singers? I think it would help Chloe’s confidence.”

  Jasper laughed, then realized Max was serious. “Okay. I guess they won’t break me for a few nights a week. You got some in mind?”

  “Yeah. Actually, it’s a couple women Sam knows well. I’ve heard them, and they’re good,” Max said. “If he has their number, maybe I’ll see if they can come by today or tomorrow.”

  “I’m all about whatever it takes to keep Chloe here and happy,” Jasper said, his tone matter-of-fact and completely sure. He took two more bites and looked up at Max. “I swear this sandwich is the best thing I’ve ever tasted. I’m starved today.”

  Max’s booming laughter drew attention, but for once Jasper didn’t care. It was going to take a lot to mess up his happiness.

  ***

  Having put off the task for several days, Chloe reluctantly called her former mother-in-law as she had promised before coming to California. There was the matter of a final paycheck due her, which would be express shipped to her along with some final paperwork.

  When they connected, Chloe didn’t ask how the business was doing, didn’t really want to know how they were handling her absence. Now that she was back in California, all that time working with her former in-laws seemed like a long out-of-town work assignment that had finally ended. She also didn’t ask any questions when the woman ranted for several minutes about Aaron’s possible engagement to floozy number three, something that had happened in the few days since Chloe had left.

  She caught herself tuning out most of what the woman was saying, thinking instead of how much her life had changed for the better in those same few days.

  Last night with Jasper had cured any lingering regret Chloe had about divorcing Aaron. Now she knew for a fact her sex life hadn’t ended with his cheating on her.

  Whether things worked out with Jasper or not for any length of time, Chloe knew she was never again going to give up dating and having an active sex life. Jasper said he found her beautiful, and his actions last night had convinced her the man really meant it.

  If Jasper had meant it, other men might mean it as well. She was pretty sure Sam would have asked her out too, not that she was interested in Sam, but when she added his interest to the guys who had talked to her by the pool—well, it was a lot of evidence that she’d done the right thing moving back to California. She was going to be a lot more happy here.

  Before hanging up, Chloe gave Aaron’s mother the address of the hotel, assurances she was fine, and some vague promise to be in touch once she found a permanent place to live.

  When she popped into the lounge, Sam was sitting at the bar, reading glasses on, going over some accounting books.

  “Don’t you have an office?” Chloe asked, trying not to wince as she climbed up onto the stool beside him.

  “Yes, but good-looking brunettes never pop in there to visit,” Sam told her, making her giggle.

  “Have you seen Max?” she asked.

  “No,” Sam said, pulling off his glasses and grinning. “Was Jasper that disappointing last night? Max is just an impatient kid. Trust me, he’ll be lousy in bed. Besides, I thought I got second dibs.”

  “Stop teasing me,” Chloe said, smacking his arm. “A red face will not match my clothes today. Is it written on me somewhere that I spent the night with Jasper?”

  “Only in your sunny smile,” Sam said, his voice soft and happy for her, less happy for the lucky bastard he worked for and called friend.

  “Max and I have a working relationship only. You’re still my second choice, Sam,” Chloe told him, just before his gaze landed on something else and his laugh boomed out in the empty room. “What did I say that was so funny?”

  “Nothing. I just haven’t seen Jasper jealous in a long time,” Sam said quietly.

  Then she felt an arm around her waist pulling her back into a very firm
chest. Closing her eyes to sniff, she smelled Jasper’s cologne. Her arms crossed over his just as his arm moved up. The weight of her breasts resistant against the tightness of his grip around her brought their lovemaking back in a rush.

  “You flirting with my best friend again?” Jasper asked, planting a kiss on Chloe’s neck and relishing the small tremor it caused in her.

  “No, I’m lining up a second guy so that we have someone to call in case another nearly naked blonde shows up at your door,” Chloe said sharply, turning her head to the side, feeling her hair brush his jaw. A half turn more and she could kiss him, she thought.

  Sam’s eyebrows rose into his hair. “Do I even want to know about this blonde?”

  Chloe reached out and patted his arm. “We’ll call you next time. It’s the kind of thing you have to see to believe. Otherwise, it defies description.”

  “Rayonna’s friend,” Jasper said flatly. “And Chloe is right, it was hard to believe.”

  “Talk to Max then, not me. I am definitely not into skinny models,” Sam said, putting his glasses back on. “And you two can take your oozing happy vibes out of my lounge and let me get some work done.”

  “Maybe I could help you with the books,” Chloe said, eager to have something to do. “I really am an accountant.”

  “Not today you’re not. Today you are a lounge singer,” Max announced, walking into the lounge and poking her arm as he headed to the piano. “Get over here, Pipes. You and I have some duets to practice.”

  “I have to go work before the boss gets mad,” Chloe said, spinning on her stool and patting Jasper’s cheek.

  “He won’t care,” Jasper said, eyes narrowed at Max’s demand. “I promise.”

  “No way. I earn my keep,” Chloe told him, sliding from the bar stool and wincing unavoidably when her feet and legs hit the floor again. She wiggled her hips and frowned at the smugness in Jasper’s eyes as she took a couple wobbling steps. “If you say a word, it’s over between us and Sam’s turn will be up.”

  Jasper held up both hands in the air. “Just wondering if I needed to apologize.”

  Chloe pointed her finger. “That’s seven words, Wade. Lucky for you I’m in a generous mood today.”

  Grinning, Jasper climbed on the stool she vacated and bit his lip to keep from saying anything more as Chloe turned and walked away.

  “We’ll discuss it later,” she told him, throwing the comment over her shoulder, but turning to see if he still had the smug look on his face.

  Jasper grinned at her and nodded in agreement. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sam’s shoulders shaking with repressed laughter.

  “I feel like we’re back in college. That woman can barely move without grimacing. What the hell did you do to her last night?” Sam asked, whispering.

  Behind them, the piano starting playing, and Jasper heard Chloe and Max working on a song.

  Jasper leaned a little in Sam’s direction. “I did everything she would let me all night long. Her condition is as much her fault as mine. I’m not exactly moving fast today myself,” he whispered back, keeping his face down so Chloe couldn’t see him smiling.

  “I’ll trade my interests in the hotel bars for her,” Sam said with a grin. “Nothing to buy me out. Just give me the woman and forget she exists.”

  “No can do, Sam. She was so good, I offered her all my money to make me her sex slave,” Jasper said, biting the side of his cheek as Sam’s shoulders shook in mirth again. “That was just during the first time. There were several other better ones after that.”

  “Stop it, Jasper. Have a damn heart,” Sam said, bitter laughter spilling out finally as he flipped his books closed. His ability to concentrate was now totally gone. “You lucky bastard. I knew when I saw her with her friends that she’d be fun.”

  “Damn right I’m lucky. Thank God I’m old enough and smart enough to recognize it this time,” Jasper said, sober in reflection on how he hadn’t been very smart about his love life before Chloe showed up.

  “Well, take it easy on her tonight. I know it’s been twenty years since you had a real woman, but they can be just as delicate as all the rest,” Sam told him, sliding off the stool.

  “Chloe’s more to me than just a good time in bed,” Jasper said, his tone serious. “I’m falling in love with her, Sam.”

  “Yeah, I knew that too the first time I saw you looking at her like she was the only woman on earth,” Sam said. “I’ll cross my fingers for you, old man, but now that I know how right I was about her being a good time, I’m for damn sure not giving up second dibs.”

  “Don’t make me kill you, Samuel. Good friends are hard to find too,” Jasper told him as he walked around him.

  Shaking his head, Sam walked behind the bar and through a door into his office.

  Chapter 18

  Several days later, Taylor called and arranged for them to meet for lunch at a restaurant near where she worked. It was just after Emma’s meditation class at her gym, so Chloe was the only who had to drive to get there.

  “Okay, Chloe. I’ve been waiting for you to volunteer information. You’re pretending nothing has changed and it is officially driving me crazy. How was Jasper Wade in the sack?” Taylor demanded, digging into her salad.

  “How would I know yet?” Chloe asked innocently, taking a bite of her own salad, fighting not to grin at her friend’s frown as she chewed.

  Emma glanced between the two of them and giggled, making them both look at her.

  “Chloe, you might as well be wearing a sign announcing you got laid. You’re glowing for pity’s sakes. Just admit it. We know each other too well. Plus you haven’t uttered a single snarky complaint about anything in the last forty minutes, including the slow service and lack of breadsticks on the table at any given moment. There’s only one thing that puts a demanding woman like you in that good a mood. You’re having sex—great sex, judging from the smile on your face.”

  “If you think I’m sharing the details of my revitalized sex life with you two horny women, you need your infamous chi checked, Wallace,” Chloe said, making her eyebrows jump. “That goes double for you, Baird.”

  “Oh come on,” Taylor pleaded, “we’re skipping dessert here, and they have the best pie in town. That’s enough torture for one day. Give us something at least.”

  Chloe swallowed, picked up her water glass, and sipped as she thought of how to explain the bedroom awesomeness of Jasper in such a way that her friends would admire her without fantasizing.

  “Okay. I’m not one to brag about what happens behind bedroom doors, but for you two I’ll make an exception this once. You know how you dream of that guy who’s going to ask you what you want in bed and give you everything you mention until you can’t stand it anymore?”

  She wanted to laugh when two solemn, hopeful women nodded at her words.

  “Well, he’s not like that,” Chloe said firmly, laughing as her friends groaned at her fake-out. “Finding me to be an enthusiastic partner, Jasper is making up for his unsatisfying past and putting me through the paces of everything he’s ever wanted from a woman. The first time with him was average, but let me tell you ladies, I could write a book about everything we’ve done since. Someday when we’re sixty, I’ll tell you about what he did to me with chocolate mousse.”

  Emma coughed as she choked on a sip of water. “Chocolate mousse?” she said. “I love chocolate mousse.” Her loud, envious sigh was unpreventable.

  Taylor smiled and laughed deep in her throat. “Bitch,” she said lovingly to Chloe.

  “Happy and very satisfied bitch,” Chloe replied with a smug smile at Taylor. “You need to give Max a chance, honey. Maybe that talent runs in the family.”

  “If you don’t, I might after that story,” Emma said, taking another sip. “Lord, I think I’m having a hot flash over chocolate mousse. I may have to have pie now to take the edge off.”

  “Give it up, Emma. You’re not dating Max,” Taylor stated, making sure the words car
ried the strong emphasis of her conviction.

  Chloe and Emma looked at her, eyebrows arched at her tone.

  “Get that hopeful look off your faces—I’m not dating him either. Maximillan Wade is off limits completely,” Taylor said firmly. “I did an Internet search on him, not even a real investigation. You should see the trail of broken hearts he’s left between here and Canada, including Ryan Carmichael’s reporter friend that did the article on him. The magazine she worked for ran a feature article talking about how she and Max were exclusive. They were seen all over town together just before Max dumped her for some twenty-two-year-old actress from a dog food commercial. He’s a worse player than I even suspected, no matter how much Jasper wants to say he’s a good man. He may have slowed down some since he’s been staying with his brother, but I doubt Max has changed.”

  Taylor frowned, thinking about all the rest she’d read about Max too, but there was no reason to go into his entire history of being a recovering alcoholic. The trail of shattered women he’d left under his feet as he moved on was enough discouragement.

  Emma frowned. “That’s too bad. Max seemed like a nice guy. Maybe he just hasn’t found the right person,” she said.

  Chloe and Taylor exchanged looks, both shaking their heads.

  “Forty and she’s still an innocent. I have to check out all the men Emma dates. She’s such a nice person that she doesn’t recognize the bad guys,” Taylor explained, looking at Chloe, who grinned.

  “What about Ryan? He seemed like a nice guy. What’s your story with him?” Chloe asked. “Taylor say he gave you his phone number. In fact, she said it was hard to miss him writing on your hand for a full five minutes while he smiled at you. Do you like him?”

  Emma nodded. “Yes—of course I like him. Ryan’s a great guy. I think he’d be fun to date too, but I need more permanence than he can offer me. Ryan is a wanderer who doesn’t know what ‘home’ means. The last time Ryan left, it was for more than a year—a year. I thought we were good friends, but he didn’t stay in touch or even offer to. I don’t think he makes those kinds of connections.”