by Lee Rose
“Wow.” Jasmine could imagine how terrible it had been for Alana. Jasmine had gotten mugged once years ago and it had been a scary experience. “It’s nice to see they got their happy ending. That doesn’t happen for many people.”
Drake arched his eyebrow. “So cynical for one so young.”
“Twenty-eight and a bad relationship behind me. Youth is long gone. That’s just life, I guess.” Jasmine laughed.
“What happened?” he asked with real interest.
Jasmine shrugged, not wanting to go into to many details. She hated thinking of Grant now. “I was naïve, I guess. I was so desperate to not feel alone after my mom died. We weren’t close but she was always there. I fell for Grant and before my common sense could take over, we moved in together. I didn’t want to believe he wouldn’t cheat on me but his mistress came to see me. I broke it off but he thought I should forgive him. But if I can stay faithful, why can’t he?”
Drake nodded. “Yeah, if you lose interest in the person you’re with, you should tell them. There should be honesty between two people.”
“Exactly.” She nodded.
The waiter placed their food down before them and left. Jasmine took a sniff of the smell of her lasagna. “Looks so good.”
She picked up a fork and took a bite. “Delicious.”
Drake tasted his veal and agreed that the food was good. Jasmine had enjoyed the ride over to the neighboring town. Drake told her about his parents. His dad was a retired firefighter and his mom had been a traditional stay-at-home mom. He told her that he and Eva had a happy, uneventful childhood. They fought a lot but now that they were adults, they got along well.
She wondered how he would react if she told him about her own unstable youth. Her mom had been gone all the time and Jasmine found it easy to hang with the wrong crowd and get into trouble. A counselor in high school had set her on the right path and she finished high school with excellent grades.
Dinner was relaxing as they made small talk about the town and what her life was like in Fort Worth. She skipped all the details about Grant and her rocky relationship with him. She didn’t want to think about him and ruin her good mood. She felt relaxed and happy to be with Drake. She told him about her mother being bitter after her dad ran off and never wanting to settle down because of that.
“Dale and Kate were a steady constant in my life even if it was only for a few weeks a year,” she said honestly. “What happened to him was so unfair.”
Drake nodded. “Drunk drivers never realize how they destroy people with their actions. Unfortunately I see a lot of it in my line of work.”
“Did you always want to be in law enforcement?”
He nodded earnestly. “Except for the few years I was determined to join the circus. I thought I could work with tigers. I practiced for years with my cat, but he never listened and I gave up.” He shook his head so sincerely that Jasmine couldn’t help but laugh. He had a great sense of humor and made her laugh several times during dinner.
“How did you get into decorating? Did you constantly rearrange your bedroom? My sister drove my mom crazy doing that during her teen years. I bet she drives Dylan up a wall. I’d hate to come into my bedroom and find the bed in a different place.”
“No. I had no goals, I am sorry to say. My mom wasn’t around to supervise me so I ran the streets with a much older crowd,” she replied honestly. “I got kicked out of school for cutting class and having a bad attitude.”
“What a rebel.” He shook his head mournfully.
Jasmine agreed. “My counselor had a long talk with me one day after a fight. It straightened me out. Made me think of a future. Problem was, I hated math. Science was confusing. History was boring. She asked me what did I like. I said hanging out with people because my house was lonely and drawing. From there I discovered decorating. I found out I was good at it and the rest is history.”
“Wow. That is some counselor.” Drake sipped on his water. “I wish I had some exciting tales of my high school years but it was just average. Sports. Girls. Friends.”
“My counselor was awesome or I might have dropped out. We stayed in touch. I told her I was moving to Red Hook and she wished me luck,” Jasmine informed him.
They lingered over coffee and dessert, not wanting the night to end. Jasmine found herself having a good time.
Drake had parked down the block so they walked hand in hand down the sidewalk after dinner. It was a warm summer night and the sky was just getting dark. Morehead was slightly larger than Red Hook and the streets were nosier and busier.
“Next week the town is having their yearly summer festival. I have to work some days and I promised Julia I would win her a giant panda,” he said. Jasmine had heard all about the festival. It was all people talked about lately. It was a big event for the town. She had already made fliers to pass out. It sounded like a lot of fun and she wished she had girlfriends to go with. The few friends Grant had allowed her had been the girlfriends of his buddies and of course were no longer allowed to talk to her after the break-up. If hadn’t been for Sabrina who worked with her she would not have had a place to stay.
“I thought maybe you would go with me one night. We could get on a few rides,” he said hopefully. “They have different bands and games and rides. I thought it’d be fun.”
Jasmine gave him a happy smile. Her heart was racing with excitement and she knew it was dangerous but she felt helpless to stop the feeling. She really liked Drake Lopez and wanted to know more about him. “I’d love too. I love going on rides. I love corn dogs and cotton candy.”
“Awesome. Me too.” He laughed. “Eva gets sick to her stomach going on even the simple rides. She is such a wimp. So I take Julia for her.”
Jasmine hooked her arm through his as they reached his truck. It was such a wonderful night and she wished it wasn’t ending so soon. She felt like she could talk to Drake for hours. “I had a good time tonight, Drake. Thanks for bringing me here and for letting me beat you at bike riding.”
He brushed her hair back and smiled gently. She loved how he was always touching her hair or hands. He was very affectionate and she was soaking it up. Her mother had never been the affectionate type and neither had Grant.
“You beat me fair and square. I blame it on the fact that you’re younger. We’ll have a rematch after I train.”
She grinned and leaned closer to him. She could smell his cologne and she was tempted to kiss him but she didn’t want to appear forward and turn him off.
“I have a hectic schedule this week because we’re making plans for the festival so I may not have much free time.”
“I understand. Things have been busy at the store too but at least we have a date to look forward to, right?” She wondered if he expected her to get upset because he had to work. He looked relieved with her answer and smiled back at her.
He opened the truck door. Before Drake helped her get in, he stood before her. She could see the desire in his eyes and it only added fuel to her fire. She wanted to kiss him. The air between them was thick with tension. She could feel her heart racing and her body tingling. That light touch of his lips at the park only whetted her appetite. He slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. She felt the bulge beneath his pants but it didn’t scare her. It excited her. She wanted him to desire her the way she desired him. She leaned in and kissed him lightly. His lips were warm and soft. Her hands went to his broad shoulders.
She closed her eyes and opened her mouth up to him. His tongue touched hers and she forgot all thoughts. The kiss was hot and filled with everything she thought it would. She knew they would be explosive together but it was too soon to go for more. She wanted to know him better before she jumped into bed with him. Her panties were wet by the time he slowed things down and let her go. He was breathing heavily and his eyes were heavy lidded.
“Wow, woman. That melted my shoes to the sidewalk.” His voice was deep and filled with heat.
Her nipples har
dened instantly and she was ready to jump on him as soon as they got in the truck.
She fanned herself with her hand and he laughed smugly. He opened the door for her and she got in. He closed it and went around to the driver’s side. He gave her a heated glance and turned the truck on. He pushed some buttons. “I think we need the AC on or we might not make it home tonight. If I pull over on a dark stretch of road we will end up naked.”
Jasmine almost begged him to do it. She turned the vent toward her hot face. Drake Lopez was indeed a dangerous man. Dangerous for her heart. She had to tread carefully.
* * * *
“So you really like Lopez?” Matt asked her seriously. She had convinced him to feed the ducks with her on her lunch break. She needed to get out of the store and enjoy the sun for a bit. The park was the only quiet place left in town. The noise of the carnival set up went on all day long. People were everywhere. She hadn’t seen Drake in three days and she was beginning to miss him but they had a date soon. She was doing her best not to jump in too quickly. She had done that with Grant.
“Yes.” She wasn’t going to lie. Matt had become a good friend to her, always listening to her concerns. He was a wise man and she valued his opinion. She told him all about her childhood and her problems with Grant. “But I’m also scared, Matt. What if I am only fooling myself by seeing the good in him? I don’t need another Grant in my life. I spent three years being everything I thought he wanted and he still cheated on me. I doubt Fiona was the first. I could never prove it so I convinced myself I was being insecure.”
“That is on his shoulders, sweetheart. He sounds like a shallow man who will always blame others for his fault. I work with Lopez and he is a good man. I know he plays around a lot but he never enters a relationship and makes false promises,” Matt assured her. “Get to know him and keep an open mind.”
Jasmine threw the last of the bread to the ducks. “I guess it’s my own insecurities I need to get rid of. I need to quit thinking of the past. I just never had anyone who had my back before. It’s kind of lonely and scary. At least when you were in war you had your company and you trusted them like brothers. They had your back.”
He looked at her with amusement. “You’re comparing war with dating?”
“It’s kind of the same thing. Men against women. Lies against honesty. One wins and one ends up with all the scars,” she insisted. It seemed logical to her way of thinking.
Matt hugged her. His big arms felt good around her. “I can be your brother, watch your back and all that good stuff.”
Jasmine looked up at him. He had a white jagged scar on his cheek. It stood out against his tan skin. His green eyes were very attractive. “You’re just an old softie, aren’t you?”
He laughed and ruffled her hair. “Don’t let my secret out. I like when people look scared of me. Makes my job so much easier.”
Jasmine shook her head with amusement and they headed back to town. Thoughts of Drake cheered her up. Soon she would see him again. Her stomach did a little dance.
Chapter 9
Jasmine walked around the stands by herself, looking at some handmade jewelry. She had decided to walk around and shop instead of eating lunch. She had a big breakfast and needed to exercise. Walking counted, she assured herself. Kate was watching the store. She admitted she didn’t like the crowds much and preferred to eat in. It had been a busy week for them. Jasmine thought about Drake a lot and resisted the urge to call him even though he gave her his personal number. She hadn’t seen him and she assumed he was busy with work. She didn’t want to appear as if she was checking up on him.
Even Matt and Tony hadn’t been around much. Matt had told her Tony had trouble dealing with crowds and loud noises so the sheriff always had him patrol the outskirts of town where teens liked to party and cause mischief. He was becoming more comfortable with her when he came by the store with Matt. He was just the quiet type, Matt assured her.
Jasmine bought a turquoise necklace for herself and a pair of earrings for her aunt. She paid for the jewelry and started walking again. She spotted Drake in his uniform standing by a table and selling tickets. She was about to go over and say hello when a blond woman went right up to him and gave him a hug. She had on a short black miniskirt and a tight yellow blouse that was cut much too low for a town fair. Drake looked happy to see her and hugged her right back. She placed a kiss on his lips and he didn’t push her away. It hurt. Jasmine knew logically she had no hold on him. They had one date and one tomorrow night. He never made a commitment to her but it still hurt. Was he just like Grant? Men. Why did she bother trying to believe that there was a nice, decent man out in the world? She turned to walk back to the store and bumped right into Matt.
“Whoa there. Where’s the fire?” he joked, preventing her from toppling over.
Jasmine tried to smile and not show her upset. “Oh, sorry, Matt. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
“It’s okay.” He was dressed in his uniform. “What’s wrong? You look sad.”
“Nothing,” she lied. “I was just headed back to the store. It’s hotter than I thought.”
“I was just going to work the dunking booth for an hour. The station has a dunking booth to raise funds for extra things that aren’t in the budget,” he explained. “We all have to take turns being dunked.”
Jasmine didn’t want to look Drake with that woman draped around him. She looked at Matt. “That’s nice.”
“Walk with me for a minute. Noah is in there and I promised Alana I would dunk him at least once for her.”
Jasmine smiled and had no choice but to walk with him. “Where is Alana?”
“She was here but the heat was too much for her,” Matt explained. “She headed back to the restaurant.”
They reached the booth where Drake was laughing at something the woman was saying. As they got closer Jasmine’s heart sank. The blonde was glamorous. Her medium-length hair was perfect and she didn’t even sweat her makeup off. She was dressed for a night on the town. Jasmine felt shabby in her denim shorts and plain pink tank top. Her hair was pulled back in a braid.
Drake looked surprised to see her and then uncomfortable with the woman leaning against him. “Hello, Jasmine, Matt.”
Jasmine stayed silent, barely acknowledging him with a small nod of her head. The woman had her arm looped with Drake’s and he seemed fine with it. She looked at Jasmine’s piercing and turned her nose up. Jasmine was used to it but it still made her mad. Matt gave Drake a confused look and then at the woman clinging to him.
“We came to dunk the sheriff for Alana,” Matt said out loud so Noah could hear him. He put his arm around Jasmine and she was grateful. She felt like crying and she knew Matt could feel her body shaking.
“Not you too.” Noah groaned out loud from his seat in the see-through tank that was filled with water. His hair was wet and he wore a pair of swimming trunks but no shirt. “She already sent Alicia. That girl is a maniac.”
A middle-aged woman with brown hair laughed. She handed Matt a few tennis balls and he paid her. “Thanks, Helen. This is Jasmine. Jasmine, this is the lady that runs the station with an iron fist. Helen is our warden.”
Helen shook Jasmine’s hand. The older woman had a friendly and welcoming smile. Jasmine liked her immediately. “Someone has to deal with all these boys.”
“We’re men, Helen,” Noah teased and Helen rolled her eyes.
“That is undetermined.”
Matt had Jasmine hold the balls while he threw one at a time towards the red circle. The first one missed but the second one hit the bullseye and the sheriff landed in the water with a yelp. Helen clapped her hands gleefully. “Oh, quit crying, sheriff. It’s hot enough to fry an egg. Alana is just looking out for ya’.”
“Tell my wife she is in big trouble,” Noah complained but Jasmine knew him well enough now to know he wasn’t really angry with Alana. He shook his head and jumped back on the seat. “Matt, you are up next and paybacks are coming.
I am willing to spend my paycheck right here.”
Matt laughed and saluted his boss.
Jasmine felt awkward seeing Drake with someone else. She had doubts about their date tomorrow night. She was going to call him later and cancel it. She did not need another Grant in her life. She didn’t look at Drake but she felt him staring at her. She didn’t want him to know how much it hurt to see another woman all over him. “I’d better get back, Matt. My lunch is over.”
She waved to Helen and ignored Drake completely. She started walking away. When she got a few feet away she felt a tap to her shoulder. She turned to see Drake, who looked at her with a hesitant smile. Confusion swept across his features. “We still on for tomorrow night?”
Jasmine took a peek behind him and saw the blond woman glaring at them jealously. Jasmine knew how she felt. Matt was busy joking with Noah and Helen and didn’t notice her and Drake talking.
“It looks to me like you’re already busy elsewhere.” She tried not to sound like a shrew but it was hard. She had thought Drake was different, that she had finally met a nice man. It hurt to know he was just like every other man.
“Nancy is just a friend. We stopped seeing each other long ago,” Drake said. He grabbed Jasmine’s hand but she pulled it away from him. His lips thinned with irritation.
“She is giving me dirty looks and I saw you two kissing. She has been hanging all over you and you seem just fine with it. I don’t play those kinds of games, Drake.” She kept her voice low. She would love to yell, it would make her feel better but she held it in.
“What games?”
Jasmine sighed. “You like to play the field and be with different women each night. I know the type and I am just not cut out for that. Go back to your girlfriend, Drake. She looks like she is ready to explode and come over here.”