“Low blow, Jen. Really low. Don’t let Dean hear you say that.”
“It’s adorable that you care so much about a man’s intentions with me. Problem is, sometimes a woman has the same endgame in mind. I understand if that concept is a little too progressive for you.”
His beautiful eyes bored into hers. “I have no problem with casual sex. None. I’ve been known to have it myself from time to time. So, get it out of your head that I’m judging you … or being a misogynist … or whatever else you’ve convinced yourself of.”
“Fine. I won’t. But you could tell me why you’re acting like a jerk.”
He stared at her for a moment and then leaned a bit closer. “Maybe I don’t like it…” He hung on that last word as if about to regret everything that may come after it. She waited with bated breath, their eyes locked. “When a man comes on to a woman I want for myself.”
Time stood still as he spoke the words. The blood in her veins rushed to life as every nerve in her body fired simultaneously. This was the moment she’d been waiting for. TJ Laughlin to want her. And it felt … amazing. The sudden heat in his eyes was so intense she could catch fire. Yeah, he’d definitely had a few too many beers, because this was so unlike him. He’d probably regret it tomorrow, and if the fact that instead of waiting to hear her reply he’d gotten up and headed for the restroom was any indication, he already did regret it.
Glancing around the table, Jen realized that none of their friends had been a witness to what had just gone down between them. They were still talking and laughing as if her entire world hadn’t just flipped on its side.
This past week, things between her and TJ had shifted. The way he’d stared at her last Saturday during the uncasking, and of course the way she’d cried in his arms. Her sudden comfort in just walking into his office to talk, and his not so subtle jealousy about Jordan. Something about their interactions was too bizarre not to be something, and usually something translated into sexual tension.
So here they were. He’d broken up with his side piece so he could have casual sex with Jen with a clear conscience. What a good boy.
Question was, could she just have casual sex with TJ?
* * *
TJ frowned as Jen finished her third scotch and water and headed back to the dance floor. Did she really have to choose such a potent drink?
She’d been up dancing with Charlotte and Jake’s date several times while her band friends played onstage. It was strange to see the couple of guys they’d gone to high school with. Anthony, of course, and some other guy who TJ couldn’t recall the name of but recognized.
“You okay?” Jake asked, leaning toward TJ. When the girls had left the table to dance, Dean and Jake had moved closer so they could talk.
“What do you mean?” TJ replied, taking a drink of water. He’d decided to sober up after flat out admitting to Jen that he wanted her a couple of hours ago. Still couldn’t believe he’d done it, but damn, watching Jordan put his hands on her had brought something primal and ugly to life inside him. Acute jealousy, and he’d wanted her to know it. Even if he had panicked at her immediate lack of response. He wasn’t even sure what he’d wanted her to do or say.
“You know exactly what I mean,” Jake went on. “Bodisto’s been all over your girl.”
“I don’t have a girl here tonight,” TJ said, being a purposely ignorant dick.
Jake shook his head. “Dude. Make a move. You broke up with Brooke for a reason. Now no one will get hurt. You have absolutely no excuse.”
TJ looked at his friend. “Someone will definitely get hurt.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I’m pretty damn sure.” When he’d come back from the restroom, she’d already been up to dance, and still hadn’t said anything to him. A clear sign that she had no intention of acknowledging his admission.
Jake shook his head. “You’re starting to piss me off, Laughlin. I’ve put up with your pansy-ass bullshit for years, but this has gone on far too long.”
TJ gave him a long glare. “You breaking up with me? And here all this time I thought we were both getting what we needed out of this relationship.”
Jake grinned, putting a hand to his heart. “When you love someone, let them go. But if they come back to you, it’s because they don’t have the balls to finally hook up with Jen.”
With a dramatic sigh, TJ let his shoulder blades hit the back of his chair. For the thirtieth time in the past hour, he sought her shape in the crowd. It didn’t take long—his eyes were trained to zero in on dark hair, sexy curves, and red lips. She was smiling up at Ant, singing along to some late eighties cover song, hands waving in the air.
The song ended, and the crowd applauded. Four Deep was a good band, no denying that, but TJ was feeling restless and highly agitated. Yes, he’d secretly wanted her to reply to his announcement of desire for her by getting up and dragging him out of the bar and back to her place. He needed to work on his expectations.
And that was when he heard it. The bass guitar clumsily trying to pick out a very familiar tune. One he hadn’t really heard in years if he recalled correctly, but had sat through several nights in a row back during his senior year of high school.
Once the bass caught the tune, several people began to cheer wildly, finally recognizing it. The rest of the band joined in, and TJ looked at Ant, who was pointing at Jen.
That’s how he knew for sure that his memory had been correct. This was a song from Grease, that Anthony and Jen had sung together.
“That beautiful woman right there,” Ant said into the microphone, still pointing at Jen, who was frantically shaking her head no. “That’s my Sandy.”
TJ heard Jen holler over the crowd, her voice so damn loud, “No fucking way, Ant!”
“What’s happening?” Jake muttered. Even Dean had leaned forward and was looking at TJ in question. Why did they all turn to him when it came to Jen? Stupid question. He knew exactly why.
“They did Grease together in high school,” TJ said loudly over the crowd’s sudden enthusiasm.
“I thought I recognized this song. You think he wants her to sing?” Dean asked.
“Looks like it,” TJ said, his body humming with anticipation.
“Think she’ll do it?” Dean asked.
“Shit, I hope so!” Jake said. “I love it when Jen sings.”
So did TJ. Too much. She sang around the building, while she bartended, when she walked in the door. But it was usually to herself. She wasn’t flamboyant in her singing ability. But he knew better than any of them what she was capable of.
He could remember going to see Jen in that production of Grease like it was yesterday. And yes, he’d gone alone. Every single night it was open. Just to watch her sing her heart out as Sandy. God, he could still close his eyes and picture her. Jen was an insanely gifted woman, with the most beautiful, clear singing voice he’d ever heard. And as much as he loved having her as an employee, it was a shame she wasn’t on a stage somewhere.
And then she was.
“I’ve got chills,” Anthony crooned into the microphone, doing his best Travolta, which funny enough sounded nothing like the singing voice he’d been using for the past hour. TJ watched in shock as Ant dragged a reluctant but laughing Jen onto the stage. The women on the dance floor went wild. Glancing around quickly, TJ noticed most everyone in the building had come into this side of the bar to watch. When Ant angled the microphone stand toward her lips, she rolled her eyes, but then leaned into the shiny metal, her cherry lips parting.
TJ stopped breathing.
And then she sang. So clear and pure, it was like going back in time to a point in his life where his obsession with her kept him up at night.
Something came over Jen in that moment. TJ had watched it before and it was just as magical twelve years later. It didn’t matter that she had a healthy buzz going, she obviously knew every word, and was so beautiful as she strutted across the stage. She playfully shimmied the edges
of her dress off her shoulders, and the entire bar lost their shit around them, clapping, cheering, and catcalls filling the air.
Reluctance now tossed aside, Jen ate the crowd’s enthusiasm up, and as her and Anthony’s voices harmonized, many of the patrons began to sing along with them. It was absolutely mesmerizing to watch her move, her hips swaying, and body naturally performing a dance routine it knew by heart even over ten years later.
TJ couldn’t look away. He vaguely heard Dean speaking to his left, something about how amazing she was, but there was no focusing on anything but the radiant woman in front of him.
Suddenly she was starting right at TJ as she sang the next verse in a suggestive tone. TJ felt Jake elbow him but didn’t have the time to acknowledge it. There was no way she could see him with the lights on her face. He was almost certain. She looked away and pressed her finger into Anthony’s chest, the two of them grinning at each other. TJ had been so damn jealous of that guy in high school. Just the fact that he got to spend so much time with Jen during practice and then during the four performances was enough to make TJ consider theater. He hadn’t, of course. For one thing, he didn’t have a creative or talented bone in his body. Plus, his parents would have wondered what the hell was wrong with him, never mind the shit his friends would have given him. But the thought had crossed his mind. He’d had a problem then.
He had a problem now. And that beautiful problem was currently wearing a tiny black dress, shaking her ass onstage, singing show tunes for a crowd that was loving it. Even Bodisto was grinning like a dumbass from the far side of the stage. He looked completely infatuated, and TJ couldn’t even blame the guy. He did hate him for it, though.
Jen held the mic out toward the audience like a pop star, and the whole room sang at the top of their lungs. Glancing quickly around the table, TJ realized even Jake was mouthing the words. TJ was dumbfounded. And so taken with her it was nearly painful. No one could charm a room like Jen when she was singing. It was why she’d become the most popular girl in high school almost overnight when she’d played this role—causing his friends to finally notice the girl he’d been noticing for years, which had infuriated him.
He caught sight of Charlotte and Jake’s date in the crowd. They were into it, singing into each other’s faces. The entire bar was completely loving this. Of course they were. The nostalgia of the song probably had a lot to do with it, but still.
Jen was … Jen.
Electric. Beautiful. Talented. And yeah, Anthony and his band were good, too. But Jennifer Mackenzie was magic.
When the song was over, the applause was nearly deafening, and TJ found himself on his feet, clapping and grinning as she actually blushed onstage. Something he’d never seen her do. She smiled, taking in her ovation, biting her bottom lip. Turning, she held her hand out to Anthony, he reciprocated by giving her a worshipping bow.
She gave a shy little wave and bowed, and then Bodisto rushed over to help her down the stage steps. Funny, she hadn’t needed his help getting up there. TJ’s jaw clenched as he watched the dickhead wrap his arms around her and pull her into a hug so hard it brought her feet off the floor. He whispered something in her ear that made her laugh, and in that moment, TJ knew the jealousy he’d felt as a teenager, or when she’d first entered the bar, was nothing compared to what he felt right now. But just like with his friends back in high school, he couldn’t help thinking, Before you saw her light up a stage, I already knew how special she was.
Jordan led her back to their table, and as soon as they arrived, Jake and Dean both proceeded to tell her how impressed they were. In fact, several bar patrons circled around praising her. For nearly ten minutes they all sat and watched her converse with strangers about how impressed they all were. TJ hadn’t watched Jen smile this long in ages. If ever. Finally, she could address their group without fans butting in, but TJ hated that the shuffle of chairs had her across the table from him. Still standing by Bodisto.
“That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen,” Charlotte said, now seated at the table. “I was dying.”
Jen smiled. “Thanks. It had been a while. I didn’t even get to warm up.”
“As if you needed it,” Charlotte said.
TJ watched as Jordan casually placed his hand on Jen’s lower back, sending fury spiraling through TJ’s limbs. All week he’d had the smallest inkling that maybe—just maybe—this wasn’t one-sided anymore. He didn’t know if she felt more comfortable with him after their ER visit, or maybe she was just lonely and needed some attention. But something was different, so much so that he could not accept the idea of her going home with that meathead tonight.
He stood up without thinking. “Jen, can I talk to you outside a minute?”
Her eyes landed on him, and he didn’t look away, but he could feel his friends glancing between the two of them. They all went oddly quiet.
“What about?” she finally replied, her tone classic Jen condescension.
What about? TJ could list a hundred reasons off the top of his head. About how I’m so damn hot for you I can’t even see straight. About how you take hundred-dollar pens off my desk right under my nose because you know I can’t deny you anything. About the way you come to work and talk about getting laid the night before. About how I think maybe you do it to make me crazy jealous. And it works. Every. Single. Time.
Instead he just said, “Please.”
Jen stared back at him, and TJ heard Charlotte suck in a tiny gasp. It was possible that he was playing this wrong. Maybe when they’d both been drinking wasn’t the ideal time to make a move. But then when would be? Because he’d been around Jen in all kinds of scenarios. At work, in class, at parties, even in a hospital emergency room. But it was this moment—while he was witnessing another man touch her—that he’d found his nerve. God, she would call him a misogynistic asshole for this and he couldn’t even argue. But never before had she felt so much like his, and this was unacceptable. If he didn’t stop what was happening, she and Bodisto might end up together tonight. She may not have sex with the guy, but it was a possibility. One that TJ couldn’t stomach.
“Fine,” Jen replied, shocking him. She grabbed her purse off the table. “But only since you said ‘please.’”
His shoulders relaxed instantly.
She turned around and looked at Bodisto, giving him a pouty face. “I’m so sorry, but I may not be back. I know what he needed to tell me. I forgot I have to go home and check on my mom tonight. She’s sick.” The lie fell out of her mouth so easily, TJ wasn’t sure if he should worry or love her a little more.
Jordan, no dummy, realized he was being given the slip, but stayed cool. “No problem. I’m sorry to hear about your mom,” he said. TJ wanted to punch the fake sincerity off his face. There was no mistaking the fact he was peeved. Anyone would be able to see it in his eyes and his body language, but like a gentleman, he doubled-down on the kindness. “I’m glad you came. Maybe I’ll come by and see you this week.”
TJ was tempted to yell out a definitive negative, but kept his mouth shut.
“Maybe you will,” Jen said, smiling. Then she wobbled on her feet a bit.
Making his way around the table, TJ grabbed her hand, then gave a quick wave to the table. No one had officially said they wouldn’t come back in after this “talk” he’d suggested, but he knew everyone understood.
“Be safe, slick,” Jake called out, his voice full of humor. “And I don’t want you back.”
Eight
Jen tried to focus on staying upright as she rushed through the crowd at Shakers, but most of her brain was trying to decipher what had just happened. She’d just sung onstage, for the first time in over a year. And now her hand was in TJ Laughlin’s. TJ was leading her out of the bar, because the minute he’d said the words Can I talk to you outside a minute? she’d somehow known he only wanted her away from Jordan Bodisto as soon as humanly possible. It had taken her about zero seconds to work out the irritation in his eyes, but she stil
l hadn’t quite decided what his motive was. Part of her didn’t even care.
Jen’s weaknesses and insecurities were deep and wide, but she always counted on her premeditated hubris to throw everyone off. It was a well-honed craft of hers. But when it came to TJ—especially lately—she was finding her chutzpah difficult to muster. She wanted him, and the idea he might want her back, even for a minute, was too powerful a weakness to fight.
“Where are we going?” she asked as they crossed the street toward the square.
“I don’t know,” TJ said, clasping her hand harder as they hit the grass.
He finally slowed so they could walk side by side. Jen glanced over at him, feeling a little dizzy. She’d drunk a little too much and this quick walking was making it very apparent. “I thought you needed to talk,” she teased. They both knew that had been a ruse.
“Needed to get you out of there.” His words were clipped, his jaw hard.
“I was having fun.”
“I could tell.”
They were silent for a moment as they passed a group of people talking and laughing. They appeared to have just left the wedding at the Stag. Jen glanced up at the building to see the lights still on and the music just barely audible through the brick-and-glass walls.
TJ stopped once more when they made it to the street on the opposite side of the square, looking left then right before pulling Jen onto the concrete and into the road.
Jen glanced at his hard profile again, which was currently lit up by a streetlight. “Are we leaving?”
His eyes shot to her quickly, then ahead once again. He was leading her to the side of the Stag now, toward where they’d both parked in the alley.
“We are, yes.”
She relaxed, because she’d wanted—needed—him to take control here. If it was up to her, she’d lose her nerve, because this wasn’t just any guy, this was him. TJ. The guy she’d crushed on for many years. But he was also the teenager who she’d overheard badmouthing her to his friends in high school, making her feel so beneath him, that for a while she didn’t think she’d recover. But she had, and in the end, TJ’s disdain and rejection of her had been another stepping stone in becoming the hard-hearted woman she was today. Or that she was trying to be. The fact that she was letting him lead her toward his fancy car in a dark alley was just proof that even the mighty could fall. Maybe she could relate to her mother’s man weakness after all.
Maybe This Time--A Whiskey and Weddings Novel Page 9