by L. T. Marie
“Shi, I’ll catch up with you later.”
“You bet.”
Forgetting all about how miserable she’d been moments before, she pushed through the crowd until she stood directly in front of Coal and her dance partner. Ignoring the woman who held Coal in a tight embrace, she extended her hand. “May I cut in?”
Coal studied Jay’s hand for a long moment, and for a second, Jay thought she might refuse. Eventually, though, Coal released her partner, and without a word, moved into the circle of Jay’s arms.
Jay sighed into Coal’s hair the instant their bodies became reacquainted. They moved in a tight circle as Jay clung to Coal afraid she’d let go. Coal’s cheek brushed against Jay’s breast, and Jay’s skin tingled where Coal’s fingertips glided along the back of her neck. She buried her face into Coal’s golden hair and inhaled the scent she’d been remembering for hours, content to stay that way forever. And even when the slow melody faded and the crowd began to scatter, neither one moved as if scared the fragile truce between them would evaporate along with the music.
“I’m sorry if I interrupted your dance,” Jay whispered against Coal’s temple. I don’t want to let you go.
“I’m glad you did. But I’m the one who should be sorry. I didn’t mean to stare. But I couldn’t stop myself,” Coal said brokenly and buried her face into Jay’s chest.
“Oh, baby, don’t…please…It’s not what you think.”
“Really? Then explain it to me, Jay.” Coal stepped out of Jay’s arms and wiped a shaky hand across her face. “Because you two looked pretty cozy together.”
Jay brushed a shaky hand through her disheveled hair, caught off guard by the turn of events. How could Coal question her relationship with Shiloh after she’d gone out on a date? And then to make matters worse, she’d come here to forget Coal and found her dancing with the same woman Coal had been talking to the first day they’d met.
“Nothing to say?”
“Oh, I have plenty to say, but I think we’ve made a big enough scene. Let’s take this outside.” Jay guided Coal by the arm to a quiet spot away from the noisy crowd. In the rear of the poorly lit parking lot, Jay leaned against her truck, facing away from the club, which afforded them the maximum privacy given their location.
“Okay, you dragged me out here. Are you going to answer my question?”
“Sure, but only if you tell me what you and hot pants were doing on the dance floor before I cut in?”
Coal crossed her arms defensively over her chest. “That’s none of your business.”
“How convenient. You want to grill me about Shiloh but won’t answer a simple question about the redhead or why you’re here when you were supposed to be on a date with Jefferson.” Jay knew she sounded angry, but she was tired and so fucking confused. Besides, the desire to pull Coal back into her arms and kiss her until they both forgot everything was too great. This night was turning out to be a true test of her power of restraint, which when it came to Coal, was always being pushed to its breaking point.
“You made your point. What you do is none of my business. Good night.”
“Don’t leave.” Jay grasped Coal by the shoulders and pinned her against her truck. She pressed along the length of Coal’s body as heat raced along her spine. When Coal gasped, something inside Jay twisted pleasurably. Trying to control her body’s demand to take the lips that were a breath from her own, she whispered, “Don’t you get it? I don’t know what’s happening between us, but whatever it is, it’s twisting me up inside. This morning, I know you were unconscious of that kiss. Not that I’m complaining. But in the barn…while you were in my arms…that was no accident. You wanted to kiss me. I know because I felt it. In here.” She placed Coal’s hand over her heart.
Coal looked at Jay, her expression full of pain. “You’re right. I did. I still do.”
Jay cupped Coal’s face between her hands and brushed her thumbs over Coal’s bottom lip. Without another word, she tilted her head and lowered her lips to Coal’s. The kiss was slow. A soft meeting of lips, a touch so feather light it left Jay aching for more.
“So soft,” she whispered right before she swept her tongue along Coal’s. She moaned and deepened the kiss. Her body screamed for more. More than she even knew what to ask for.
“I could get lost in you,” Coal said breathlessly.
Jay pressed her hips further in between Coal’s legs. “I feel like a starved tiger being given its first meal. Every time I have a taste of you, I crave more.”
Coal ran her tongue along Jay’s bottom lip. “You can feed off me anytime.”
Jay growled and leaned closer to tug at Coal’s ear with her teeth. “Don’t tempt me. I’ve been hungry for you for what seems like forever.”
“I don’t think I can make that promise.” Coal ran her hands along Jay’s sides, making her shiver. “You have to know I want you so much it hurts.”
“Sometimes I want to cry I want you so badly.” Jay placed a kiss on the tip of Coal’s nose moving slightly away from her so that their bodies no longer touched. “But I think we need to slow things down.”
“Why’s that?” Coal lifted her thigh against Jay’s crotch and Jay’s head shot back.
“Easy.”
“Screw easy. I want you.”
“Coal, please,” Jay said, on the verge of breaking. “Wait.”
“I don’t understand.” Coal laid her forehead against Jay’s as they both fought the urge to do what their bodies demanded of them to finish. “I guess I’m a little surprised.”
“Uh, newsflash. I think I am too,” Jay said. She’d never been the one to put on the brakes before. “But we do have a lot to talk about.”
“Yes, we do.” Coal threaded her arms around Jay’s waist. “Look, I’m sorry about earlier. I was mad at you. Seeing another woman in your arms was killing me. I overreacted…”
“Shh,” Jay said and silenced her with a finger over her lips. “Don’t think it’s any different for me. But I’m still confused about this afternoon. What was with that scene with that clown and your dad?”
Coal’s laugh helped lighten the moment. “That clown, as you so eloquently put it, is a friend of my father’s. I’m so sorry about that. But you’ve met my dad. And for reasons I can’t explain tonight, I don’t want to make waves with him. I agreed to show Jefferson around San Francisco as a favor to my dad. I came home as soon as I could, and I hated it. Every minute.”
“I know I have no right to ask.” Jay braced for the answer. “But did he touch you?”
“No,” Coal said and stroked her jaw. “I would never allow that to happen.”
“And the woman you were dancing with?”
“Her name is Angel. We’ve been best friends since grade school. We’re close, but there is zero between us. Promise.”
Jay let out a sigh of relief. “Same for me and Shiloh, but I haven’t known her as long as you’ve known Angel. Like I told you before, Shiloh is my roommate. Nothing more.”
“She’s really beautiful.” Coal glanced away as Jay picked up the hint of insecurity in her voice.
“She is beautiful.” Jay grasped Coal gently by the chin to look into her eyes. “But you’re all I think about.”
“I want to believe that.”
“Believe it.”
Coal placed her hand on Jay’s chest and ran her thumb over an erect nipple. “I love how your body responds when I touch you.”
“Careful. I’m wired.”
“I like that. Knowing I do that to you. What if I want to see that wire snap?”
Jay gritted her teeth and pulled Coal’s hand away from her chest. “You will, if you’re not careful.”
“Then let’s get out of here. Go somewhere more private.”
Jay struggled with her desire; wanting nothing more than to take Coal back to her place and ravish her until neither one of them could walk the next day. But this thing with Coal was different, special. She wouldn’t cave to her urges, not until
she voiced the one thing she feared most. “I want that too. Believe me, baby. But I don’t think it’s a good idea. Not yet.”
“You keep saying that. Is it something I’m doing wrong?”
“Hell no!” She pulled Coal back against her body, wanting her to feel the heat that only Coal had the power to create. “Feel me shaking. This need for you that I have is threatening to derail me. I’m hanging on by a thread. But you’re special. And I want to treat you that way. Besides, I want to make sure this is what you want. That I’m who you want. Because I don’t want you to regret anything that happens between us. I don’t think I could survive if you decided this was a mistake.”
Jay had spent most of her adult life indulging in one-night stands or quick fucks in any dark corner she could find. She could pick up a woman faster than she could order a beer, but her experiences, even though they fulfilled a basic need, had always left her feeling unsatisfied afterward. She’d never questioned those feelings before because she’d never experienced that all-consuming hunger. But with Coal, she had that insatiable desire to devour, to take. She wanted nothing more than to please her, but she also wanted to prove that Coal was worth so much more even if that meant going against her body’s ferocious need to claim Coal right where she stood.
“I could never see anything happening between us as being a mistake. But if it makes you feel better, we could slow down. Take it one step at a time.”
“I hear a ‘but’ coming.”
“But I’m going to hate moving out of your arms. Normally, I’m not this aggressive, but I can’t seem to keep my hands off of you.”
Jay laughed, bringing her lips closer to Coal’s. “Well, I trust you.”
Coal’s eyes darkened dangerously. “Big mistake.”
Coal placed her hand between Jay’s legs and pressed, causing Jay’s vision to dim and moisture to flood between her thighs. Her legs shook. Her core hardened. She was losing her grip fast, and if Coal applied a bit more pressure, she’d release her tenuous hold and fall helplessly, hopelessly.
“Coal, we have to stop. Please, baby.” She placed her hand over Coal’s. Another few strokes and she’d forget where she was and why she thought they should wait.
“I know…I’m sorry. I can’t help myself.”
“No apologies.” She pulled Coal’s hand from between her legs and took a shaky breath. “I’m not complaining. And I’m usually not ready to blast off this easy, but you excite me.”
She traced Coal’s face with her fingertip, brushing it along one golden brow before running the tip across the lips that were still swollen from their kiss. When Coal caught Jay’s finger between her teeth and sucked on the end of it, she reignited the embers that had been smoldering between them into a raging forest fire.
“You’re dangerous,” Jay said and broke their contact before she went up in flames.
“You have no idea.”
“Maybe not, but I want to find out. When can I see you again?”
“How about Friday night?”
With her body under better control, she placed her hands on Coal’s hips and tugged her close. She loved the way Coal’s body molded to hers, and she didn’t think she’d ever get enough. “Eight o’clock sound good? We can do dinner, a movie, whatever. Your choice.”
“Wait. You want to go on an actual date, date?”
“Well…yeah. What were you expecting?”
Coal smiled evilly. “Let’s say it was more hoping.”
“I like the way you think. But I want an old-school date. Does that shock you?”
“A little.”
“Want to tell me why?”
“Because, sexy. You don’t strike me as the dating type.”
“You’re right,” Jay said, her tone contrite. If Coal only knew. “But I told you, I want to do this right with you. You make everything fresh and exciting. So please say yes.”
“And you call me dangerous.” Coal pulled Jay’s head down for all too brief a kiss. “Friday it is then. You pick the restaurant.”
“Any suggestions?”
“Oh, I have a lot of suggestions, but none of them include food.”
Speechless, Jay followed Coal back inside, her eyes glued to her firm ass. If everything went as planned Friday, she just might have a few ideas of her own.
Chapter Twelve
Coal sat on top of Dax admiring the scenic view from the eastern ridge high above her hometown. From her vantage point, she could make out her home nestled beneath a canopy of oak trees. Another month or so and the remodel would be complete. She looked forward to the finished product but not the part where seeing Jay every day would come to an end.
For the last few days, her body had been constantly set to simmer. When the memory of Jay’s touch burned too hot, she’d had to extinguish the flames under her own touch. But even her skillful hands couldn’t banish the memories that touched her deeper than flesh. Jay’s musky scent reminded her of wild horses racing through the wind. Jay’s strong hands made her feel secure whenever they were wrapped around her. And just remembering how Jay’s abdomen tightened when she touched her sent a new course of arousal surging through her body. She adjusted in her saddle. Anything to alleviate the constant building pressure.
She loved seeing Jay working with the sun as a backdrop, the muscles rock-hard beneath her skin flexing with every swing of a hammer. Loved how the sun kissed Jay’s bronze body causing the sweat to glisten like diamonds. Then there were Jay’s cocky moments when she would flash that quirky grin that she was slowly coming to love. But what turned her insides to jelly was the vulnerable way Jay had shuddered in her arms last night. They hadn’t made love, but oh, how she’d enjoyed nearly bringing Jay to her knees with something as simple as a touch. She’d never had that kind of power over a woman before. And most times, she hadn’t wanted it. With Taylor, she didn’t mind being more passive and had allowed Taylor to take the reins in bed more often than not. But with Jay, she thirsted for that power. Her desire to touch, to draw a moan from Jay had her once again all keyed up. Her skin tingled from the memory of raking her fingers over one of Jay’s nipples. She liked the way it had hardened against her palm. She could only imagine touching more of her with her hands. What it would be like to use her lips, her tongue, to feel her heat glide along Jay’s thigh….
Dax whined in protest when she pressed her legs together. She’d nearly gone over from the visual. Talk about a first time for everything. “Sorry, boy. I was a bit lost in thought there.”
Turning to more serious matters, she thought about the ranch and her responsibilities. Much had changed since the reading of the will. The day she’d returned from New York, she couldn’t remember which way was up. She’d been so confused, so lost, that all she could do was what she felt was right at the time. But now, with the possibility of Jay being a part of her life, she was seriously questioning her decisions. Could she say fuck it and give total control to her father? Could she still live with that decision knowing she’d be responsible for destroying so many dreams for kids who had few dreams left? The answer was she still didn’t think so. Regardless, time was running out, and she had no idea how she was going to play her cards given the odds of her situation. She wasn’t a gambler. Not that it mattered, considering the odds would never be in her favor when the opponent was her family. Her dad was powerful and domineering, and no matter how much he cared about her, her needs would always take a backseat to his political aspirations and what he deemed his moral responsibilities.
The longer she sat there thinking about her destiny, her family, and Jay, the more she understood that somehow she’d overlooked what she’d truly longed for. Sometime in her past she’d all but given up and had resigned herself to the idea that her life was all about sacrificing for her family in some way. She’d buried her wants and desires for so long that it had taken Jay to awaken that passion within her. Now that her all-consuming thirst had been unleashed, she couldn’t cage the beast. One taste of happiness was a
ll it took to make her question every other aspect of her life.
The distinct sound of gravel crunching beneath tires made her divert her attention toward the front gate. She grunted in disgust as the recognizable Jaguar headed toward her parents’ house. Jefferson.
What a perfect pawn her father found to play in one of his chess games. Unfortunately, the naïve Jefferson had no idea how her father operated and wasn’t aware that he was just another piece to be moved strategically around the board until her father sacrificed him for a more strategic play. At least she was used to his manipulative behavior, unlike the clueless young Jefferson who seemed to idolize Judge Thomas Davis.
The more she thought about her bullshit night out with him, the angrier she became. Her father had orchestrated the perfect evening with the goal to be seen by every prominent face in his tight knit circle. Every time Jefferson had introduced her as Judge Thomas Davis’s daughter, she wanted to run screaming from the room. Not willing to waste any more precious energy on things she couldn’t change, she led Dax down the backside of the hill in search of a quiet place to relax. She stretched out under a willow tree, allowing the sounds of a nearby stream to help release the tension from her body and quickly dozed off.
A sturdy prodding to her ribs jarred her from sleep. Rubbing her arms from the chill, she sat up in a daze wondering why the sun had started to fade above the treetops. It couldn’t be later than—
“Oh shit!” She looked at her watch and jumped to her feet. “I’m going to be late for my date!” Dax bobbed his head with a whine as she grabbed the reins and mounted him. “You’re right. I owe you extra carrots for this one.”
They sped through the open meadow and stopped at the top of the hill to make sure the silver Jaguar was nowhere in sight. Once they returned home and she secured the horses for the night, she raced home and rummaged through her bedroom closet in search of something to wear. The knock on her front door brought her up short, and she prayed it wasn’t Jay arriving early, or worse, Jefferson making a surprise appearance. She exhaled in relief when she glanced through the peephole to find Angel standing on the porch with her hands perched on her hips.