Heaven

by Rebecca Julia Lauren

  I pulled the blouse closed and saw Jase’s cheeks stained with color as he averted his gaze. My jaw dropped. That he was acting the gentleman wasn’t surprising at all, but his blush shocked the hell out of me so much so that I let go of my blouse and it gaped open again.

  Seeing my trouble, Jase reached behind him and pulled his T-shirt over his head and handed it to me. It smelled like him.

  “Thanks,” I said, slipping it over my head and trying not to stare at Jase’s naked chest.

  “You sure you’re alright? Do we need to go to the hospital?”

  I swallowed the lump of emotion in my throat. “I’m fine, Jase. No need to overreact.”

  “He didn’t—“ Jase frowned, and I suddenly realized what he was trying to ask.

  I shook my head. “No. You got here in time.”

  “Good,” he breathed, relaxing. Then he leaned down and pressed a kiss to my temple.

  The tender gesture made my breath catch. “Let’s get out of here.”

  “You go to the cops and your mama and I will say you and your boyfriend came to buy drugs.”

  Bud’s threat stopped us, and I felt Jase’s body go rigid.

  “If you think I’m going to let you get away with touching her, you’re out of your fucking mind,” Jase growled, pushing Bud back down to the floor.

  “She’s all yours buddy!” he cried. “No piece of ass is worth this, but we wanna keep the cops outta our business.” He was half-pleading, half-threatening.

  Jase scowled. “You’re full of shit. Olivia wouldn’t do that to her.”

  Bud laughed and my skin crawled. “No? Ask her.”

  “We won’t go to the police,” I said quickly. “Let’s just get out of here.”

  Jase turned to me. “Cori?”

  “He’s right.” My gaze landed on Olivia, who was standing calmly, watching us and I didn’t try to hold back the tears that slipped shamelessly down my cheeks. “Isn’t that right Olivia?”

  Her head tilted, her eyes softened and for one moment I thought she’d finally do the right thing and come through for me, but then her gaze hardened. After years of being disappointed by her I’d thought that I was immune to the pain of her betrayal. Why couldn’t she be like all the other mothers? Why couldn’t she love me?

  I held her gaze, not willing to make it easier on her by looking away. If she wanted to do this to me, she was going to have to look me in the eye when she did it.

  “Are you going to lie to the police to defend the man that tried to rape me?”

  She glanced away. “Yes.”

  Jase tensed beside me, his arm slipping around my shoulders for support. Inhaling a deep, calming breath, I felt—relieved. I blinked, still a little stunned but also empowered. I never had to come back here again. My gaze scanned the filthy trailer before settling on the person who was supposed to love me the most.

  I wasn’t even angry with her, not anymore. Slowly, I nodded. “Goodbye Mom.”

  It was the first time I’d ever called her Mom.

  Jase

  I was edgy, restless with the need to burn off the energy pulsating through my body, but I knew from experience only two things would ease the tension—a brutal workout or sex. Neither of those was an option at the moment.

  “Now that you’ve spent the evening with my family, I owe you. Bet you’re thinking yours isn’t so bad after all?” Cori’s lopsided smile tugged at my heart.

  “Don’t,” I said softly, locking the door behind us. “Don’t act like this didn’t happen.”

  She tossed her keys on the coffee table. “Are you saying you want me to fall apart and cry all over you?”

  “If that’s what you need to do.”

  Turning her head, she leveled a look of disbelief at me. “You keep surprising me, Jase Ford. I didn’t know you had this sensitive side. I thought men didn’t like dealing with crying, hysterical women.”

  “They don’t. I don’t. This is different.”

  She watched me a moment, before lowering her gaze, frowning and taking my left hand. “Come on.”

  For one crazy-assed instant I thought she was taking me to her bedroom, but she pulled me into the bathroom instead and ordered me to sit on the closed toilet lid.

  “You’re a bossy little thing, you know that right?”

  “I guess most of your women do what you tell them to do?” she said lightly, reaching up into the medicine cabinet.

  My gaze fastened on her little heart-shaped rear, but I felt like an asshole for staring at her after what she’d been through tonight so I tore my gaze away. “Usually,” I answered honestly.

  “Not this time. I’m cleaning those knuckles, and I insist you let me.”

  Glancing down, I realized I was bleeding and shrugged. “It’s just a scratch.”

  She spun around and faced me, carrying a first aid kit in her hands. “I’m cleaning it anyway.”

  Taking my hand in hers, I allowed her to clean my knuckles, knowing that Cori needed to feel like she was in control. The problem was I always had trouble controlling myself when she touched me. I watched her closely, but if she noticed my body’s reaction to her she didn’t let on.

  I swallowed hard, my heart pounding. I wondered if she could hear it.

  “Jase?”

  I’d never get tired of hearing Cori say my name in her soft, sultry voice. I lifted my eyes to hers.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “I’m glad you were there.”

  I didn’t think, just pulled her onto my lap and into my arms. Too late I realized that in this position there would be no hiding what my body wanted from hers. “You’re safe, Cori.” The words were a deep, gravelly rumble.

  “I know. Thanks to you.”

  Maybe she couldn’t feel it since her rear was planted on my thighs. I stood up, taking her with me. “If you want to talk about it, I’ll listen.”

  “I’m good Jase. It’s like a huge weight as been lifted from me, and I’m finally free.” Her uncertain gaze flicked to mine. “Do you think that’s awful of me?”

  “No. You have nothing to feel guilty about, Cori.”

  She stared at me a moment, and I couldn’t read her expression.

  “What?” I asked her.

  “I was just thinking that the woman that wins your heart is going to end up with one hell of a man.”

  I laughed, mostly because I wasn’t sure how to reply to that.

  “You spending the night?”

  It wasn’t the first time I’d crashed on her couch, but lately things with Cori were feeling different, more complicated. I had to keep reminding myself that she was a friend, but that didn’t stop me from lusting after her, and I had the strangest feeling that it was only going to get harder. No pun intended.

  We fell asleep watching a dating show and debating about which guy the girl should pick. I loved arguing with Cori. Hell, I loved everything about her.

  Later I awoke to the sound of Cori playing the violin. She always played when she was upset, and the stunning melancholic notes pierced the silence in the apartment, replacing it with beautiful music. Cori Heaven was talented. I drifted to sleep, thinking that I’d never get tired of listening to her play.

  Chapter 4

  Cora

  “So you’re sure we didn’t interrupt anything?” Isabelle asked with wicked gleam in her dark blue eyes.

  “Leave her alone, Isabelle. You know that she and Jase are just friends.” Ellie grinned.

  I shook my head at my two best friends, and smiled down at Ellie’s baby daughter, Hannah, who lay peacefully in my arms. “They’re silly. Aren’t they, Hannah?”

  Isabelle and Ellie shared a look. “Is there anything you want to tell us, Cora?”

  “Not really.”

  “Did you lose anything lately?” Ellie prodded.

  I sighed. “It’s not what you think. If you’re expecting a juicy story, you’ll be disappointed.”

  “Jase Ford came out of your bedroom half naked this morning.�
�� Isabelle’s face fell. “He wasn’t good?”

  “No!” I cried, offended on Jase’s behalf. Ellie’s eyes widened and I realized they’d misunderstood. “I’m sure Jase is good—incredible in bed, but we didn’t have sex. He just spent the night.”

  They took a moment to absorb this. “Oh.”

  “I can’t sleep with Jase, and both of you know why.”

  “Right. Remind us why that is again?” Catching my look of disbelief, Isabelle lifted her hands. “He’s sexy, interested and available. I’m thinking you could do a lot worse.”

  “Sexy, yes. Interested and available, no way. Besides I cannot have sex with my best friend.”

  “Why not? I did,” Ellie replied, watching me closely.

  “That’s different. You and Reed had feelings for each other from the beginning. Jase and I clashed at first, but now I can’t imagine not having him around.” I swallowed, not even liking to think about screwing up what Jase and I had.

  Ellie was quiet for a long moment then she asked, “What happened last night?”

  It was impossible to hide anything from Ellie. I don’t know how she did it, but she always knew when something was wrong. Shaking my head, I lied to her for the first time. “Just the same old drama with Olivia.”

  Ellie frowned. “You shouldn’t have to deal with that.”

  “It’s no big deal.” I hated lying to them, but ever since Ellie had given birth to Hannah she cried at the drop of a hat and it didn’t take much to set her off. I hated upsetting her. “I don’t want to talk about Olivia when we haven’t seen each other in almost two weeks.”

  Again, Isabelle and Ellie looked at each other, both of them smiling. “Agreed. We want to hear everything that’s going on with you, Cora.”

  “Reed says you’re seeing someone.”

  “How does he know that?”

  Ellie shrugged. “Jase must have mentioned it.”

  “Hmm.” Jase and Reed were best friends and co-owners of a construction company, Bentley & Ford. I wondered what Jase had told Reed. “His name is Aaron and he’s a band director.”

  Isabelle’s gaze sharpened with interest. “You work with him. Interesting. How long has this been going on?”

  “He asked me out just before school let out and we’ve been out twice. It’s not like we’re serious or even dating.”

  “I want to hear everything,” Ellie said, her eyes sparkling with interest.

  I couldn’t help but smile. Ellie and I had been best friends since we were eight-years-old and she’d always been my biggest supporter, the one person that would listen when no one else seemed to care.

  Six months ago she’d shared the apartment with me, and I hadn’t realized just how much I missed her. Since she’d married Reed and had Hannah, it seemed as if Ellie had moved on and left me behind. Her life was settled and revolved around family dinners, play-dates and date nights. She’d made a lot of new friends, most of them married with children, and I guess I was feeling left out.

  One day I wanted everything Ellie had, but not now. I was only twenty-two-years-old, and I wanted to enjoy only having to take care of myself. A wave of sadness fell over me when I thought of Olivia, but I pushed it away. I was finally free, and I wasn’t looking back.

  Ellie and Isabelle were both watching me, waiting for me to tell them all about Aaron. “He’s a nice guy.” I sighed at the looks on their faces. “Okay, I don’t mean he’s nice as in he’s not hot because he is.”

  “He’s hot?”

  “Smokin’.”

  Isabelle flashed a devilish smile. “As smokin’ hot as Jase Ford?”

  “No one is as hot as Jase.” I tilted my head, grimacing. “Shit. I shouldn’t have said that.”

  “It’s bad enough that you’re thinking it, and you’re going out with some other guy.”

  Hannah was beaming, looking positively adorable with her chubby-cheeked smile.

  “She loves her Uncle Jase,” Ellie explained. “She smiles whenever she hears his name. I think it makes Reed jealous.”

  I couldn’t believe it. His charm was powerful enough to capture the attention of babies! Frustrated and reluctantly impressed, I shook my head. “Isabelle, you’re the one that warned me to stay away from Jase.” I glanced over at Ellie for support, but her expression clearly said she was staying out of it. “What was it you called him? Oh, yeah man-whore. Stay away from Jase Ford unless you’re looking for one night of hot sex and no phone call the next day.”

  Isabelle turned to Ellie. “I didn’t say that, did I?”

  “You said it,” Ellie confirmed. “But that was before you saw Cora and Jase together.”

  Isabelle nodded. “True.”

  “You think that because Jase and I fight like cats and dogs that we should hook up?”

  Ellie turned to look at me so quickly that her blonde ponytails smacked her in the face. “No. I think you should date him.”

  “Jase doesn’t date. He has sex.” I was startled at how much I disliked thinking about Jase having sex with another woman.

  “I think he’d date you, Cori.” Isabelle’s lips pulled at the corners. “Actually, I think he’d do anything for you.”

  “Jase is a good guy, a great friend. He’d just suck as a boyfriend.”

  Ellie grinned. “I guess that depended on what he was sucking.”

  I pretended to be shocked. “You did not just say that.”

  Isabelle laughed. “She’s been hanging out with me too much.”

  “Hey, Isabelle, what do you know about Jase’s ex-girlfriend, Brianne?”

  “Jase had a girlfriend?” Ellie asked, surprised.

  “It was a long time ago,” I told her, glancing at Isabelle, who was oddly quiet.

  “He told you about Brianne?” she asked carefully, seeming surprised.

  “His parents are trying to get them back together. Jase asked me to pretend to be his girlfriend so they’d back off.”

  Maybe it was my imagination, but Isabelle’s expression looked suddenly wary. What the hell? “Look, if you don’t want to tell me, it’s fine. I’ll just ask Jase.”

  “It’s not that.” Isabelle sighed, her gaze snapping to mine. “Jase was crazy about her.”

  She spoke as if she was worried about how I’d take that, and I guess Isabelle was right. I hated Brianne. I wanted to scratch her eyes out. I wanted to—oh hell, I wanted to get control of my crazy, misplaced jealousy. I did not even know this poor girl, and I was not interested in Jase Ford. I wasn’t.

  “He really loved Brianne,” Isabelle continued. “I think he acts the way he does today because of what she did to him.”

  “She dumped him for the college guy,” I said, knowing there was more to this story and getting the feeling that Isabelle was reluctant to tell it.

  “Brianne was beautiful, but manipulative,” Isabelle began. “She loved attention and drama and she liked to play games. Jase caught her and her boy-toy together and that’s when the shit hit the fan.”

  “He dumped her cheating ass,” I clarified.

  “Not exactly,” Isabelle replied uneasily. “Jase took her back, but she never stopped seeing the new guy. Brianne accused Jase of being jealous and controlling and she broke it off with him.”

  He forgave her for cheating? I could not wrap my mind around this. Okay, maybe I really did hate this girl. “I’m sure he didn’t give a damn at that point. I mean she was screwing around on him.”

  “He actually tried to win her back.” Isabelle watched me sympathetically, as if she knew how hard it was for me to hear this. “Brianne filed a restraining order against him.”

  “What?” Ellie cried. “This doesn’t sound like Jase.”

  “No.” Isabelle sighed. “He’s not the same person he was then.”

  “I don’t believe Jase was ever the kind of guy that needed a restraining order to leave his ex-girlfriend alone,” I replied, furious on Jase’s behalf.

  “You’re right, Cora. She just did it to mess with
his head, and it worked. Three weeks later he enlisted.”

  “He joined the army because of her?”

  “It’s more complicated than that.” With a pained expression, she lifted her eyes to mine. “You’ll understand when you meet his parents. They were always really hard on Jase.”

  I wanted to ask what she meant, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to hear it. “I always thought he was the indulged rich kid.” I felt guilty for judging him.

  “That’s what he lets everyone think,” Isabelle said with a haunted look in her eyes.

  What I’d learned about Jase stuck with me like burned eggs on a skillet and for the rest of the day I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I wondered what else I didn’t know about him.

  Jase

  I needed to get laid.

  Spending the night with Cori left me harder than I’d ever been in my life and nothing could cure the endless hours of torture I spent lying next to her, pretending I was unaffected by her every move, the sweet way she smelled and the soft sounds she made in her sleep. Shit. Even her snoring turned me on.

  I felt like a dick for lusting after Cori, considering what she’d been through last night but that didn’t stop me from wanting her. Just thinking about that asshole with his hands on her made my fists itch to teach him some manners and it also made me want to gather her in my arms and keep her safe. The need to protect her was so overwhelming that it caught me off guard.

  Women were to be treated with respect and I always did, but never had I wanted to cherish one. Cherish? It was fucking unbelievable, but that’s exactly what I was feeling when I thought of Cori. This wouldn’t work. No way in hell could I keep thinking this shit around her and not do something that would screw up our friendship.

  Since Cori and I had started hanging out more, I’d mostly ignored my body’s need for sex and hung out with her instead. I didn’t regret any time I’d spent with her, but I couldn’t stay celibate forever without acting like a horny bastard around Cori. If I didn’t get laid soon I might do something really stupid and make a move on my best friend. That couldn’t happen.

  Cori meant too much to me to ruin what we had with meaningless sex, except a part of me was thinking it wouldn’t be without meaning as far as I was concerned. I wasn’t so sure about her. She was easy to talk to and said what was on her mind, but we’d never talked about sex or our feelings for each other. I was sounding more and more like a pussy. If I didn’t get some soon who knew what scary shit I’d start saying and doing.