Kiss Of Danger (Janessa and Jasper)

by Janessa Anderson

  1

  Walking outside of the Monticello Public Library with a full moon shining down around the area, Janessa pulled the door closed behind her curvy frame, and locked it behind her. The soft pink material of her short-sleeved, flowing gown swayed around her calves due to her movement and a light, warm autumn breeze blowing through the area, matching the same motion that her long, curly hair was doing at the time. She tucked the key into one of the pockets of her denim jacket that was over the top of her dress before she turned herself away from the building, and headed towards the parking lot.

  I am so ready to head home right now. IT has been a long ass day at work. All I want to do at the moment is go home, change into my pajamas, and curl up with a good book before I call it a night.

  Janessa moved down the paved walkway with only the sound of the pink flats on her feet thudding against the cement sidewalk echoing to her ears. She tugged on the front of her jacket, and pulled it a little more in front of her. Moving to the back of the building, Janessa proceeded over towards where she parked her 1999 red Pontiac while one of her hands reached into one of her pockets, and pulled out her car keys.

  I am not hanging around here for another second. I am getting my ass out of here-

  Without warning, her body spun around, and slammed her back side against the hard yet smooth surface of her driver side door. The impact caused her hands to drop her keys onto the parking lot floor and a groan of discomfort to escape from her mouth. She fluttered her eyes a few times before they discovered the face of Alex Crenshaw, her ex-boyfriend of one year, looking towards her with only hatred pouring out of his gaze.

  “Hello Janessa…” Alex spoke to her with a snarl of anger in his voice. “Tonight…You are going to pay for turning me away, and dumping me.”

  The mere sight of her ex-boyfriend looking at her with an expression to kill made her body tighten all over. However, it was his statement that he made that sent her body into uncontrollable shivers of fear.

  Realizing that her life was on the line, Janessa used the moment to deliver a blow to his groin with one of her knees. She moved around where Alex’s body had begun to bend over due to the hit she gave to him, quickly.

  “You fucking bitch!” Alex exclaimed, angrily, in pain. “You are going to pay for that!”

  Her breaths increased in number and sound as she rushed her body down the paved path in front of her. The sound of the pink shoes on her feet thudded louder and more quickly than they had before.

  I have to find a safe place to get to. I can’t let Alex get to me. There is no telling what he will do to me if he catches me right now.

  The fear of what her former flame could and would do to her if she is caught fueled her need to find a safe place to get to.

  Moving off the sidewalk, Janessa hurried towards the direction of the main road from where she had been. She glanced behind her as her body kept hurrying down the road that was in front of her.

  At the entrance to the road that she was on, Alex appeared at the opening with a pissed off expression on his face. His body moved at a steady pace despite moving with a slight limp due to the blow that her knee gave him. He focused his gaze towards her direction before his voice escaped his mouth, screaming out.

  “You’re dead, Janessa!” Alex’s voice came out, loudly and full of hate. “You are going to regret what you just did to me!”

  The intense level of fear that was already to the point of boiling over inside of her grew much more, and the desire to find somewhere safe became much more noticeable to her.

  Janessa pulled her eyes away from the sight of her ex-boyfriend, and focused on the main street her body was quickly approaching. She stumbled, slightly, upon trying to slow herself down, but managed to keep herself from falling. Reaching the road, Janessa looked around for a place to go to and hide. Her body remained in a high state of alert while her eyes were trying to find a place to seek refuge in.

  I have to find a place to get to, and out of sight! I can’t let him find me out here! I really need-

  Out of nowhere, the sound of tires squealing caught her attention, and broke her train of thought. She turned her eyes towards the sound, and discovered a 1976 blue Chevelle coming to a screeching halt in front of her with the white racing stripe running from back to front of the vehicle to be glistening in the street lights with the blue paint job. Janessa took a moment to soak it all in before she caught the sound of a door opening up on the opposite side. She moved her eyes towards the noise, and found a handsome man with short fair hair, and piercing eyes to be looking at her in the same desperation that was evident in his southern accent.

  “Hurry up, and get in!” The man screamed at her, trying to get the point across of what she needed to do at the moment. “I have to get you out of here before that jackass that is after you has a chance to get his hands on you!”

  How does he know that Alex is after me? Has he been watching me the whole time? Who is this guy? Is he even from around here?

  Her mind plagued her thoughts with many questions about the arrival of the stranger that was wanting her to go with him while her instinct was telling her that she needed to get in the vehicle with him, and have him to get her out of there instead of standing there and debating it.

  Deciding to go on instinct, Janessa reached out with one of her hands, and pulled the passenger side door facing her wide open.

  2

  Moving himself back in the vehicle through the opened driver side window, Jasper wasted little time in revving the car up once more. He glanced over to the passenger side of his car, and made quick work of looking over the amazing beauty that was near him.

  Tonight is definitely my night. An overwhelming sense of confidence moved throughout his body, and slipped into his mind. I am really glad that I decided to come out tonight for a drive. If I hadn’t…I would hate to know what might have happened to this young woman.

  Are you sure that you need to be thinking about something like that? His conscience asked, invading his thoughts. Do you really think that you stand a chance with this woman?

  I don’t see why I wouldn’t have a shot at her.

  Are you sure on that one?

  What are you getting at?

  Take a look at what you have on, Jasper.

  Taking heed of what his conscience suggested to him, Jasper quickly glanced over his white muscle tank top and his ripped denim jeans while his new passenger was pulling the door shut, and starting to put her seatbelt on.

  I am not sure if what you have on is the right ensemble to have on if you want to have a good chance at being with her by the end of the night.

  For a brief moment, Jasper started to lose his confidence from what his conscience said to him. He had on some raggedy looking jeans and a plain tank top while the woman next to him had on a pretty outfit, and seemed to be on another level then him.

  He shoved the doubt away the moment his ears registered the sound of her buckling her seatbelt. Shifting the car into drive, Jasper sped off down the road in the direction of where a four-way intersection lied.

  You know what…I am going to give it all I got, and hope for the best.

  What if she turns you down?

  If she turns me down, that is her choice. I won’t push myself on her if she doesn’t want me like I want her.

  You really like this woman, don’t you Jasper?

  I don’t know why, but I can’t help but be attracted to her. There is something about this woman that I can’t help but be drawn to her.

  Well…I will leave you to the conversation then.

  Reaching the intersection, Jasper brought his car to a stop at the red light, smoothly. He looked
over towards her, and noticed how she seemed to be very nervous and on edge. One of his hands left the steering wheel, and reached towards one of her hands that was closest to him. Shaking, his fingers wrapped themselves around hers, and grasped onto them, gently. He watched her attention move away from being focused on her own despair to her hand being held by him at that moment.

  You have her attention now, Jasper. Now…Say something her to keep her interested in you.

  “I…I am glad that I got to you before that creep could hurt you, miss.” Jasper said, breaking the long moment of silence between them both. “Who was that asshole anyways?”

  “That asshole was none other than Alex Crenshaw.” She replied, softly, as she looked towards him. “He…He is my ex-boyfriend of one year.”

  Alex Crenshaw…I should have realized that asshole had something to do with all of this mess! He is always hurting women, but this time he is not going to hurt this one…Not if I have anything to say about it.

  Jasper drew in a breath to keep himself from letting his anger rise to the surface. The fact that Alex was the one who was after her made his blood boil. His facial expressions softened as he focused on her angelic features, as did his voice.

  “I won’t let him have another chance to put his hands on you again.” Keeping a grip on her hand, Jasper slipped some of his fingers between hers as he continued to speak with this Louisiana accent pouring out into each word. “Miss, may I know your name?”

  “I-It’s Janessa…Janessa Brummett.”

  “Janessa, it is nice to meet you. My name is Jasper Hill, and I am going to take us somewhere that Alex won’t think to come and find us at.”

  “Where is that?”

  “My grandmother’s cabin…It’s outside of town…in the Bayou.”

  3

  Catching the location of where he was going to be taking her to, Janessa’s body, as well as her conscience, went into a high state of alert. The idea of being alone with someone with his gorgeous body made her extremely nervous.

  What am I going to do?! Jasper is planning to take me out of the town, and to the bayou here it will be miles away from anywhere.

  Would you calm the hell down, Janessa?! Her conscience spoke to her in a frustrated tone. There is nothing wrong with you going to a place out in the boonies with someone like Jasper to keep you company.

  How can you tell me that there is nothing wrong with me going somewhere with a man that I just met where no one else will be around in the area with us?

  Janessa, you are a grown woman now, and have the right to make your own choice about being alone with a man. You don’t need me to tell you what to do.

  That’s your fucking job! You are my conscience! You are supposed to tell me what’s right for me to do, and what is wrong for me to do!

  Even though it is my job…I really can’t help you out here at the moment since I am not driving the Chevelle right now, am I?

  Great…Janessa silently groaned at her rational side being sarcastic about her situation that she was in at the moment with Jasper. The one time she wanted some sincere advice there was none for her.

  Out of nowhere, the sound of tires squealing behind where the vehicle she was in caught her attention. Janessa turned her head, and looked out the back window. Her heart nearly dropped due to her eyes catching sight of Alex behind the wheel of a green 1996 Oldsmobile with a pissed off expression on his face.

  Holy shit…Holy shit!!! It’s Alex! He found us! Alex is going to get out of the car, drag us both out onto the intersection, and-

  Her panic train of thought was interrupted by the sound of the loud roar of Jasper’s muscle car. Janessa turned her gaze towards him, and noticed how his face had a look of determination on it.

  “Um, J-Jasper,” Janessa whispered, “what are you about to do?” The sight of Jasper getting ready to fly them out of there set every alarm to go off inside of her body. “The light is not green yet-“

  “It is now…or never.”

  Just a few moments after hearing what he said to her, a soft sound similar to someone yelling escaped her mouth as her body was jerked backwards into the blue and white leather passenger side seat without warning due to the Chevelle racing in the direction of the oncoming traffic in the intersection.

  4

  Jasper kept his right foot pressed down on the accelerator while his hand that was remaining on the wheel gave a sharp left turn of it. The sound of his tires squealing and the wheels of the oncoming cars coming to a screeching halt caused his fingers that were wrapped around one of her hands to grab onto them a little more tightly.

  Holy Shit! His conscience screamed at him, invading every part of his mind that wasn’t thinking about something in particular. What are you doing, Jasper?

  I am getting Janessa and I out of this area before her ex has a chance to come after us. Jasper responded with no hesitation on his part. This is the only way that I can get her and me out of danger.

  How in the fuck is this getting yourself out of danger when you are driving out into oncoming traffic?!

  Holding the grip on his leather steering wheel, Jasper guided his vehicle past cars that were sliding in his direction, and onto the by-pass. He looked in the direction of the hanging mirror of his car while his right foot remained firm on the gas pedal.

  In the reflection of the mirror, several cars were pointed in all sorts of direction with Alex jumping up and down outside of his own car, cursing, loudly, at Jasper getting away with his ex-girlfriend in the passenger side seat.

  Now…We are not in any kind of danger. You placed not only your life, but Janessa’s life in danger as well. You have to be more careful!

  Suddenly, it dawned on him. Janessa was in the vehicle with him as well, and that he had caused her body to go flying backwards when he sped the two of them out onto the road before drifting onto the road they were going down at the present moment.

  Jasper had the car to gradually slow down once he crossed a bridge that took them deep into the boonies before he looked over in her direction from where he was behind the wheel.

  “Are…Are you all right, Janessa?” Jasper asked, concerned about how she was feeling at the moment from him whipping them across four lanes in order to get them heading down the by-pass.

  “I…I think so.” Janessa managed out her response in a soft yet shaky sound. “Is Alex still following us?”

  “No…No, he is not following us at the moment.” Looking from his beautiful passenger to the long stretch of read, his guilt for scaring her like he had slipped into his deep, southern accent. “We should be okay from this point forward, Janessa.”

  “That’s good to hear.”

  You better be lucky that Janessa is not the type of person to lash out at you for drifting out into an intersection of oncoming traffic, and putting her life in danger.

  I am very happy that she hasn’t punched me yet in the head or gut. Jasper maintained the conversation with his conscience while he guided the Chevelle down the paved road in front of him. If it had been any of the other girls that I have taken for rides in this car, I would be holding my head or gut right now.

  Well…You are holding on something.

  Hmm?

  Look down beside you, Jasper.

  Taking heed of what his conscience suggested, Jasper glanced down out of the corner of one of his eyes, and discovered his hand to be still be clinging onto one of Janessa’s slender hands. HE tried to not show his shock that his body was under due to finding his fingers wrapped around hers.

  I didn’t know that I was still holding onto her hand.

  Does this come as a surprise to you?

  Jasper moved his eyes towards the direction of the window shield, and focused on the road. As his attention was on the road, his hand moved to where his palm was against hers, and locked his fingers between hers a little more firmly. A faint smile danced across his face from knowing what he was doing at the moment.

  Yes…And I am loving it.


  5

  Janessa started to register something rubbing against one of her palms. She moved her eyes over, and discovered that Jasper had slipped his hand tow here his palm would be against hers, and his fingers pressing against the insides of hers.

  Don’t you think that you should say something? Her conscience asked, whispering, her. Don’t you believe that you should pull your hand away?

  Janessa registered what her rational side was whispering to her, and understood it at the same time. If she pulled her hand away at that moment, Janessa would be able to keep any notion out of his mind that he could be having about her and him out of his mind.

  However…deep down inside of her…She found the sensation of his hand clinging to hers to be protecting, giving her the sense that he was going to keep her safe and sound from Alex if he managed to find wherever it was that he was taking her to.

  With her eyes focused on his hand wrapped around one of hers, a faint shy smile moved across her face as she responded to her conscience, silently.

  Even though I should be pulling my hand away right now…I am not going to do it.

  Oh? Her conscience was quick to respond to her. Why are you choosing to not do as I have suggested?

  You are not the boss of me for one. Secondly, I am really enjoying his hand holding onto mine. The way he is grasping onto it gives me a sense of security and warmth that I never felt before with my ex-boyfriend.

  You just met this man, and , suddenly, you are willing to say that he has such a special place in your heart you are willing to keep holding onto the hand of a complete stranger, right Janessa?

  That is right. I am fine with him holding my hand.

  You have completely lost your mind, Janessa! If you are really okay with holding this Jasper guy’s hand, you are no longer thinking straight.

  Quite the contrary…I am thinking clear for the first time in a long while. Her voice took a firm and commanding sound in the conversation with her conscience. Since it seems that you are only wishing to be negative-