by Susan Stoker
They were very busy men, but every time Jess had called or texted Kason, he’d responded. Jess had no idea how he did it, but it made her feel very special. She’d never felt that way before. Brian had certainly never come running when she lowered herself to ask for his help. She remembered one night when they’d actually been dating, she’d called to let him know she had a flat tire and was nervous since it was late and dark and he’d reprimanded her for calling him because he had to get up early and work. Jess had ended up calling the auto club and it had taken over an hour to get the tire changed before she finally was able to get home. She’d quickly learned not to bother asking for any help from Brian again.
Jessyka had no idea how to find out if Kason actually liked her as more than a friend. She was scared to rock the boat. What if he didn’t? She would feel so awkward around him and it would probably ruin their friendship. She felt like she was in junior high and was obsessing over a crush. Jess knew the first step to trying to move their relationship to the next level was to move out of his apartment. She needed to get a place of her own, then maybe she could dip her toe in the waters and see if maybe, if she was lucky, Kason might want to take their relationship past friendship.
Jess startled when Summer’s phone rang. They were powerwalking down the mall toward the big department store at the other end.
“Hey, Mozart. Pause. I’m shopping with Jessyka. Pause. Really? Pause. But . . . Pause. Okay, see you soon. Pause. Love you too. Bye.”
Jess held back the smile that threatened to erupt.
“Oh, Jess, I’m sorry, but that was Mozart. I have to go.”
“Is everything all right?”
Jess couldn’t help the grin that came over her face when Summer blushed. “Yeah, he got the rest of the afternoon off . . . he wants me to come home.”
“No problem, Summer. We can shop later.”
“Yeah.”
Jess pulled out her phone as Summer led the way back through the mall toward the exit that would take them to her car. She shot off a quick text.
Thnk u. U’re a lifesvr.
Anything for you gorgeous.
“Summer, can you drop me off at Aces? Since I have some extra time I need to stop by and pick up my schedule for the next two weeks. I also want to talk to my boss and see if I can’t get some extra hours scheduled.”
“Everything okay? Do you need money?”
“You guys are always offering me money,” Jess mock grumbled. “No, I’m fine. I’ve just been thinking about getting out of Kason’s hair and moving into my own place. I’ve just about got enough saved, but if I can get a few more hours I think I can have what I need to be comfortable in another couple of weeks.”
Summer got a weird look on her face and looked at Jess as they walked. “Have you spoken to Kason about this yet?”
“Well, no, but I’m planning on it.”
“I think you should do that before you make any plans or sign any leases.”
“Of course I will, Summer. I’d never disrespect him like that. He’s been too much of a good friend to me.”
Summer continued to look at her weirdly.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“What do you think of Kason?”
“Why are you asking me that? You know I like him.”
“Yeah, but do you like him, or only like him?”
“Are we in junior high school now?” Jess voiced the thought she’d had earlier.
“Just answer the question, Jess.” When Jessyka was silent, Summer stopped walking and turned toward her friend. “Look, Caroline is the one who usually does this, but it looks like I have to since you brought it up. Jess, Kason likes you.”
“Yeah, I’m his friend, I like him too.”
“No, quit acting coy. He likes you. Jesus, Jess, do you think he’d let any ol’ woman live in his apartment with him? The man is private. He is closed off. Don’t take this the wrong way, but he used to have one-night stands all the time. He’s never let anyone cook with him before. No. One. But here you are. Living with him. Sharing cooking duties. Texting him to save you from evil girlfriends who want to shop with you.” Summer smiled at her last words to take the sting out of them.
Jess blushed, embarrassed Summer knew she’d texted Kason to get her out of the shopping trip.
“What I’m trying to say, is that he wants to be more than friends with you. We don’t know what he’s waiting for, but I expect it’s for you to show him some sign you want that too. If you don’t, by all means, move out. Find your own place. Move on. But if you like him, let him know. I guarantee he won’t leave you hanging.”
“What if it ruins our friendship?”
“Oh, Jess. It won’t. I swear. Out of all of us women, you and Kason have known each other the longest before you got together . . . that is if you get together. For most of us it was an instant attraction. While we fought it for a while, it was still quick. But you guys have known each other for forever compared to the rest of us. Yes, you’re just now really getting to know each other, but you have a base that none of us had because you’ve lived together as friends. And that’s a good thing. All I ask is that you treat him with care. We love Kason. Think about it, will you?”
Jess could only nod. Did Kason really like her more than a friend? She tried to think back through the last month. She tried to analyze their encounters, his touches . . . Summer interrupted her thoughts.
“Stop thinking so much about it, Jess. Just go with it. Tell him you want to talk to him tonight and let him know how you feel, that you want to know if he has any desire to take your friendship to the next level. If he doesn’t, he’ll tell you. You can proceed with your plans to get your own place and that will be that. But if he does want to move things along, you’ll never find another man more willing and eager to please you and keep you safe, than a Navy SEAL. I can promise you that.”
“It scares the crap out of me, but you’re right, Summer. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Summer took Jess’s arm in hers and pulled her to the exit. “Now text him and let him know I’m dropping you off at the bar and to come and get you in about an hour.”
“You’re as bossy as your man . . . did you know that?”
“Yeah, I learned from the best. Now, come on, let’s get out of here. I expect you to call or text me the minute you come up for air.”
“You’re that sure of what Kason’s answer will be?”
“Oh yeah. You have no idea what’s coming.” Summer smiled a secret smile as she pulled Jess to her car. She couldn’t wait to get a hold of the other girls and tell them their plan had been set in motion. Hopefully the next time they saw Jess, she’d be one of them for real.
Chapter Nine
I’m rdy whenvr u r 4 u 2 pk me up at bar
I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Stay inside until I get there.
Jessyka rolled her eyes at Kason’s text. She always acted annoyed at his commands, but deep down, didn’t mind. It meant he cared about her. Brian had always been annoyed when she’d asked him to pick her up anywhere, so it was a nice change. She hated to constantly compare Kason to Brian, but the differences were so acute, she couldn’t help it.
Jess put the phone down and put her elbows back on the bar. It was mid-afternoon, past the lunch crowd, but before the dinner and bar rush. She’d spoken to her boss and he’d been more than willing to add on some hours for her.
Jess supposed most people would hate working as a waitress, but she honestly enjoyed it. Every day was different and she was good at it. She didn’t need to write down orders, she could make change in her head, and she’d excelled over the years at being the type of waitress each group or person wanted. Sometimes she was their friend, other times she kept her interactions to a minimum and more business-like. She even knew how far to take the flirting so it wouldn’t be interpreted as a come on.
Jess was lost in her own thoughts about what she was going to say to Kason that night when B
rian and a bunch of other men walked in. She hadn’t seen him since the night he beat the crap out of her and Tabitha had died. Brian’s eyes locked on hers right away. The look he gave her made Jess’s heart stop for a moment. Brian had a cast on his arm that went from his fingertips all the way up to his shoulder.
Feeling sick and frightened, even though they were in a public place and there were people all around, Jess grabbed her phone and went into the back of the bar and to the office. She knocked on the door and her boss answered.
“Can I wait in here for Kason to pick me up?”
“Of course, babe. Anything wrong?” Mr. Davis was a big man. He’d been in the Navy for a few years, Jess had no idea how long, but after he’d gotten out he’d bought the bar and had been running it ever since. He’d told her several times how he was thinking about retiring, but Jess would believe it when she saw it. He loved Aces. It was his baby.
“My ex just came in. That’s all.”
Her boss stood up, ready to rush out into the bar area. Kason had sat down with him and had a talk with the bar owner. He wanted to make sure he knew that Brian was dangerous and to keep him away from Jessyka if at all possible. He’d agreed immediately. Mr. Davis might be a retired Navy sailor, and not a SEAL, but he still looked able to defend Jess from anyone who might want to hurt her.
Jess put out her hand toward Mr. Davis, trying to reassure him and make sure he didn’t rush out into the bar and kick Brian out. “No, it’s okay. He didn’t do anything, he just makes me nervous. If I can just wait in here, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“No problem. I know you have those SEAL friends now, but know if you need anything, I’m here for you.”
“Thanks, Mr. Davis. I appreciate it. Seriously.”
Jess waited in the office, playing solitaire on her phone, until it vibrated.
Here
Jessyka stood up and put her purse over her shoulder. “Thanks, Mr. Davis. Kason’s here. I’ll see you tomorrow. Thanks again for the extra hours.”
“I’ll walk you out. And of course you can have the extra hours, Jess. Why you’d doubt I’ve give them to you is beyond me. You’re the best server I’ve ever had.”
Jess shook her head at the man and smiled. She wasn’t sure that was true, but it was nice of him to say.
She headed back into the bar next to her boss, nervously looking around for Brian. He was sitting at the other end of the large room, on the other side of what constituted the dance floor at night, glaring at her. His eyes turned into slits and he mouthed something at her. Jess didn’t stick around to try to figure out what it was. She walked as fast as she could, without looking desperate, to the door of the bar.
They got to the door and Mr. Davis opened it for her. Jess was relieved to see Kason standing at the passenger side of his car, not too far from the exit. Jess waved at her boss and limped over to Kason as fast as her legs would carry her and hugged him tightly when she reached his side. Her only thought was to feel his arms around her . . . to feel safe.
“Hey. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, can we just go?”
Benny pulled back from Jess and held her by her upper arms and looked into her eyes. He looked back at her boss, standing in the doorway of the bar then back to Jess. Something was definitely wrong, but a parking lot out in the open wasn’t the place to discuss it. She looked okay otherwise, no visible injuries and that made Benny feel better.
“Okay, Jess, we’re going. Hop in.”
Jess didn’t waste any time and climbed into the safety of his car. Kason closed her door and she watched as he stalked around the hood and got into the driver’s seat. He put the car in drive and headed out without a word.
Jessyka couldn’t resist, and turned her head around to look back at the bar as they pulled away. The door was now shut and no one came out, no one followed after her. She breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to the front windshield.
It wasn’t until Kason spoke that Jess realized she probably should’ve been a bit more circumspect in her actions.
“I don’t know what the hell you’re looking for, but you better be ready to talk to me when we get home.”
Jess looked over and saw a muscle ticking in Kason’s jaw. His hands were flexing on the steering wheel and his body was tight. Uh oh.
“I’m okay, Kason. Nothing happened.”
“But something freaked you out.”
Shit. He was too smart for his own good. “Yeah.” Jess put her hand on Kason’s thigh and felt it jump under her touch before relaxing a fraction.
No more words were spoken as Kason drove them back to the apartment. He parked and came around the car and helped Jess out. He put his hand on the small of her back and followed her to the door. He unlocked the locks and guided her in. Once inside, Kason threw his keys into the basket by the door and crossed his arms over his chest.
“We’re home. Spill.”
Jess didn’t hesitate. She put her purse on the table next to the bowl of keys and turned to Kason. “Brian came into the bar while I was waiting for you.”
“Fuck.”
“It’s okay, he didn’t talk to me at all.”
“Then why are you all jacked up, Jess?”
“It sounds stupid.”
Benny took a step forward and pulled Jess into his arms. He put one hand behind her head and pressed it into his chest. The other he wrapped around her waist until they were touching from their hips up to her head. “It’s not stupid.” His voice eased a bit.
“He looked at me funny.”
Instead of laughing at her, Benny simply asked, “In what way?”
Jess took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of Kason. She’d never grow tired of it. He smelled like the soap he used that morning and . . . man. She had no idea how to describe it. It was probably a mixture of his sweat and his natural scent, but it was an immediate aphrodisiac to her. Jess could feel her nipples tighten. It was completely inappropriate, but she couldn’t help it. Remembering he’d asked her a question, she finally answered him.
“He was pissed. He came in with a group of men and he looked right at me and glared. I went into the back to Mr. Davis’s office to wait for you. When you got there and I went to leave, he squinted his eyes at me and mouthed something. I don’t know what it was because I hightailed it out of there.”
“Good girl,” Benny soothed. “You did good.”
Without looking up, Jess told him, whispering, “He had a cast on his arm.”
“Yeah, I know.”
At that, Jess did look up. “You know?”
“Yeah, the guys did that to him when they went to get your stuff.”
Jess could only stare at Kason in surprise and dismay. She could only parrot his words back to him. “The guys did that?”
“Yeah. I told you he was being an ass. They had to convince him they were serious. He now knows if he fucks with you again, they’ll fuck with him again. Simple.”
Jess put her head back on Kason’s chest and tried to work out in her mind what she thought about what his friends had done.
“You need to talk this through?”
“Maybe.”
“Okay, let me make us something to eat. You go take a hot bath, try to relax. It’ll be ready in about an hour. That enough time?”
Jess nodded, but didn’t move out of Kason’s arms.
Benny loved the feel of Jessyka in his arms. He wanted nothing more than to carry her into his room and strip off all her clothes and make her relax the best way he knew how, but he had to know she wanted it first. He pulled back and put his hand on her cheek.
“An hour?”
“Yeah, okay, Kason.”
Benny couldn’t resist and he leaned to her and kissed her forehead. Then her nose, then for the first time since she’d moved in with him, he touched his lips to hers. He kept the contact light and unthreatening. “Go run your bath, gorgeous.”
Benny watched as Jess licked her lips, as if tasting him all over agai
n. “Okay,” she whispered before stepping away from him.
Jess turned and limped away and Benny repressed the groan that threatened to come out of his throat. He wasn’t kidding when he’d told her a month or so ago that her gait was sexy as hell. Her hips swayed seductively back and forth as she walked. It was more of a turn on to watch her walk than any practiced runway model he’d ever seen. Part of the allure was that she had absolutely no idea how sexy she was. None. No idea at all. Totally clueless.
Benny turned to the kitchen. He had an hour to whip up some comfort food for his woman. He knew Jess had some heavy thoughts running around in her head, but Benny hoped after they talked she’d be okay with what was happening.
Fifty minutes later, Jess wandered out of the back hall. She was wearing the same T-shirt she’d borrowed the first day she’d been there. Benny smiled. She’d refused to give it back, claiming he’d given it to her and she wasn’t giving it back. Benny had no problem with that at all. She could steal any shirt of his she wanted. He loved seeing her in his clothes, and could imagine what she wasn’t wearing underneath it.
Her hair was wet. It wasn’t quite long enough to go back in a scrunchie, but it was getting there. Jess had explained how she’d cut her hair because Brian had liked to yank on it to get her attention. Kason had held back the harsh words he wanted to say and had simply told her he liked her hair short or long, as long as she was happy with it.
Jess was flushed from the heat of the bath and Benny could see a sheen of sweat on her brow. She was gorgeous and Benny knew he’d never wanted a woman as badly as he wanted this one.
“Go sit on the couch, we’ll eat there.”
“Can I help?”
“Thank you, no, I got it. Let me spoil you.”
“You’re always spoiling me.”
“Yeah, so let me keep doing it. Sit.” Benny smiled as he said it so Jess would know he was teasing. He relaxed as she smiled back and went to do as he’d asked.