Chasing Rainbows (20 page)

As if someone suddenly read my mind, a synchronized blast of cool air drifted down from the ceiling in the form of a fine misty rain causing me to shiver. Jake led us toward the bar, and I held onto his hand for dear life afraid to let go. The friction of his callused palm rubbing against mine caused me to sweat even more.

Devon sat at one end of the bar oblivious to our approach, and he wasn't alone. If Kara saw him, it would mean only one thing. Trouble. She was a bit possessive whenever it came to her boyfriend. "Oh no, she didn't," I heard Kara screech as she edged past me. I tried to grab her arm, but she slipped away.

A tall buxom redhead now had her hand curled around Devon's arm. The siren red dress she wore couldn't be legal since it barely covered her ample size D breasts. I expected at any moment for her to flash the entire room.

"Kara, it's not his fault!" I cried, but it was too late. She was already weaving her way through the crowd, a woman on a mission, intent on only one thing.

Jake pulled me up to an empty spot at the bar, tucked me in front of him, sheltering me with his body. He was so close I could see the faint sheen of sweat dotting his upper lip and the flecks of gray in his blue eyes. "You want a drink?" he asked, his warm lips brushed against my ear. His hot breath made me break out in goose bumps.

My heart hammered, and I managed to nod my head in reply, but I couldn't concentrate for the weight of his muscular body pressed against my backside. He leaned in and around me managing to snag the attention of one of the bartenders. For a moment, I couldn't breathe; my whole being entirely focused on him. I couldn't hear what he ordered, but it didn't matter all I could think about was him.

The woman, who was perched on the barstool beside us, was obviously drunk. She was laughing at something someone had said and was so loud that I was surprised her screech didn't drown out the music.

Jake's hand rested snugly at my waist. He kept me anchored to him; as if he were afraid I would drift away in the sea of churning bodies surrounding us. Kara was nowhere to be seen. Neither was Devon. At the end of the bar, his stool sat empty so I assumed all went well and Kara had successfully taken care of the trespassing redhead.

I was so busy watching everyone else that I didn't notice when the bartender placed the order in front of me. Jake reached around my side and flashed him his ID and a twenty dollar bill. "Keep the change," he said as he picked up the shot glass and handed it to me.

I turned, and we stood facing one another; the tips of his boots touching mine. Only inches separated our bodies. Nervously, I swallowed and looked up at him. His hooded eyes regarded me intently. He was downright lethal at close range.

"What is it?" I asked, afraid I had smeared my lipstick, but instead he smiled wickedly causing my stomach to bottom out. His hand clenched my hip and he pulled me closer. Picking up his beer, he took a drink then reached around me and sat it back down on the counter. His lower lip glistened with moisture. My eyes were glued to his. My hand rested against his broad chest which helped to steady my trembling legs while I held onto the shot glass for dear life.

Jake leaned in closer, and the air rushed from my lungs as he lowered his head toward mine. He was going to kiss me. My mind raced. I couldn't have moved if my very life depended on it. Warm lips softly brushed against my cheek in a sensual caress then his breath fanned the corner edge of my mouth. He was moving in for the kill. My insides clenched as every nerve and every fiber of my being drew me closer to him. I didn't think to protest. The muscles beneath my hand contracted. His heart thudded beneath my palm.

Realization struck like lightning. I wanted his mouth on mine. I wanted it more than anything; more than my next breath. There were no thoughts of anyone else but him. His eyes languorously slid from mine to the shot glass I clutched in my hand. I was surprised the glass didn't crack under the pressure.

"Kiss on the lips," he whispered in my ear.

What? I tried to blink away my confusion, and then it dawned on me that he was letting me know the name of the drink that he'd ordered for me. He was so close. His body curled protectively around mine. Even though people were all around us, it was as if no one else existed. He made me lose myself. Time and space no longer existed between us. There was only Jake. When his face moved closer to mine, I wanted to say something witty but his lips settled over mine before I could utter a single word. It was then that I lost it.

My hand fisted in the fabric of his shirt as he gently increased the pressure of his lips. His mouth urgently moved against mine as if were starving for my kiss, and the madness of it all left me feeling breathless, empty and craving more. He was as hungry as I was. Nothing I'd ever experienced before came close to what I felt whenever he touched me.

His mouth worked mine with a skillful perfection, and I surrendered as a moan bubbled up inside of me whispering from my soul to escape on fluttering fragile wings. Our lips clung; almost as if they were reluctant to release one another's. I gasped for air when the ferocity of his assault lessened and eased. A soft sigh escaped my lips. At the brush of his warm tongue; my eyes flew open to meet his hooded stare which smoldered hot with need. He wanted me, and in that moment, I didn't care if it was right or wrong, I wanted him just as badly.

His chin grazed my shoulder. His warm breath caressed the side of my neck making me want to squirm. Moist lips pressed tenderly against my cheek. "Happy Birthday," he growled in my ear. "Do you want a birthday spanking?"

"What?" I sputtered in shock, pulling away to look at him in disbelief as heat flooded my cheeks. My pulse went crazy. He had to be teasing me.

"Birthday spanking," he repeated innocently; his expression blank. Then he smiled playfully at me. "When I was a kid, we always got a spanking for our birthday." His eyes were full of mischief. He had done exactly what he had intended to for the image of his hands on my ass where imprinted in my brain. I didn't answer him, but suddenly it didn't seem like such a bad idea. I was such a tramp.

There was a loud sound from overhead which resembled a shushing whisper. It was accompanied by the arrival of a fine mist which rained down upon us. My attention was drawn to the people standing next to us with their arms over their heads and their hands reaching toward the ceiling. Their faces were turned expectantly upward waiting. I shivered as a sudden layer of dampness coated my skin. I felt hot and achy despite the chill, and it was all Jake's fault.

"Let's dance," Jake suggested, taking my hand in his. I turned up my drink draining the shot in one gulp. It was good but not as good as Jake's kiss and I needed the liquid courage, especially after the way that he had just kissed me. Jake was smiling as I let him lead me out onto the crowded dance floor.

A slow song began playing, and I tensed when his hands settled low on my hips. He drew me close. Tentatively, I slid my hands up his broad shoulders, feeling his muscles tense beneath my touch and locked my fingers at the back of his neck. He was so much taller than me. I barely reached his shoulder. I was afraid to look up at him so I stared anywhere but directly at him. I was embarrassed. Jake went straight to my head just like the drink that he'd ordered me.

"Relax," he murmured as we slowly rocked back and forth in sync to the soft music.

I finally spotted Kara on the dance floor wrapped in Devon's arms, but they were too far away for me to draw their attention, and too caught up in each other. Their eyes were closed, enjoying the intimacy of one another and the slow music; it would be a waste of time to even try. I was glad Kara hadn't let that redheaded poacher destroy their evening.

When the song ended, I tried to pull away but Jake held me close and we ended up swaying to the fast song playing just the same as if we were dancing to a slow one. No one seemed to pay us any mind. The heat of Jake's body burned into mine draining my will. I liked him holding me just a little bit too much for my own good.

He talked, and I listened; his lips moving against my ear as his warm breath teased my senses. Occasionally, I would murmur a reply and when his hand slid from my waist to the back of my head I let him gently ease me against his chest.

"So what do you plan to do after you graduate?" he asked, and unlike him, I didn't have my future all mapped out before me. It was a blank slate. My grades were minimal at best, so there would be no scholarships waiting for me next spring. My future was as bleak as my sudden thoughts.

"I haven't really decided," I replied, bravely glancing up at him.

"You've got time. Not everyone knows what they want to do."

He seemed to understand, no gasping in horror like everyone else because I didn't have a plan for after high school.

I listened to him talk, about his parents and his sisters. One was in middle school and the other a sophomore at Crawley High. I was surprised that Kara hadn't mentioned her before. Maybe, she hadn't known. Monday, I'd have to look for Jake's sister at school. I was curious if they resembled one another.

Jake's upbringing was so different from mine. He was obviously secure in the knowledge that his family loved him and accepted him for who he was and not who they thought he should be. This was definitely not the case with mine. I felt as if I were forever a constant disappointment, especially….. since Natalie had passed. She had been our buffer, and after her death there had not been anything there to soften the strain and everything had went downhill pretty fast.

Now, thanks to Miley, I knew that Natalie hadn't been as perfect as I'd once thought. It was hard to accept. Maybe, that was part of my parents' problem also, but I didn't want to think too much about it right now. Tonight, I intended to celebrate not hide in the sorrows of my past.

"Let's get another drink," I urged, feeling a little bit melancholy and reckless. Jake smiled at me and bent down brushing his lips against the tip of my nose. My breath caught in my throat. Reluctantly, he released me, grabbed hold of my hand, and led me from the dance floor.

At the bar, he ordered me another drink and a beer for himself. "So are you having a good time?" he asked then momentarily turned his attention to the bartender who waited with our drinks.

"Yeah, I'm having a great time," I replied, and smiled up into his handsome face. He grinned but when I went to take a sip of my drink, a slim arm snagged me around the waist from behind. Taken by surprise, I squealed and jumped, spilling my drink. It ran down my chin and onto my chest, dripping in between my breasts.

"Geez, Kara," Jake scolded, reaching for the empty glass in my hand. "You scared her."

"Sorry, Addie," Kara giggled breathlessly as I took the napkin Jake offered me and wiped away most of the drink. The front of my bodice was damp, but I didn't think anyone would notice. It actually felt pretty good since the club was warm.

"I hope I didn't destroy your dress," I told Kara, but she acted as if she couldn't care less. She obviously had a buzz because I'd watched Kara snip the price tag off the dress. It had been brand new and expensive.

"Dresh smesh," she replied, giggling, and then hiccupped.

"She's a little lit," Devon explained, stating the obvious, and he didn't seem the least bit sorry for Kara's condition.

"I am not drunk," she proclaimed, denying his words. Her beautiful face was flushed from the heat and excitement. She definitely had a good buzz going on despite her adamant denial. "Let's do shots!" she exclaimed from out of the blue wearing a wide smile as she slipped past me and Jake before Devon could stop her. Her attention span was that of a two-year-old. She headed straight for the bar and ordered a round for us all.

"See if you can get us a table," Devon requested with a tired sigh. Jake handed him a twenty and grabbed my hand, pulling me farther away from the crowd and to the outskirts of the room.

"Over there," I said, tugging on his hand when I suddenly spied one. We switched directions and headed for the empty table.

He pulled out my chair and I slid into the seat as he sat down beside me. He took a drink from his beer. "Kara is like a force to be reckoned with," I explained, feeling as if I should somehow make amends for my best friend's behavior.

"It's okay, Addie. I've known Kara ever since Devon started dating her." His statement confused me, since Kara hadn't really mentioned knowing Jake that long. "I just haven't talked to her much until lately."

I tried to think back. Had Kara mentioned Jake to me before? After Natalie had passed away, she'd tried to fix me up with one of Devon's friends. Maybe it had been Jake, but I'd been too shell shocked by my grief to pay any attention. On more than one occasion, I had been guilty of blocking out Kara's constant chatter. I loved her to pieces, but sometimes it was just easier to pretend to listen since it was so hard to keep up with her hyper bad self. She was worse than the Energizer Bunny, and she and Devon were now walking toward the table carrying a shot in each hand.

"I have to be honest with you." Jake said.

Curious, I gazed back at him and contemplated what he was about to tell me.

"I don't want you think I'm a stalker," he said with a grin.

"I don't," I replied, trying to reassure him and wondering where this was all going.

He smiled at my words, but his eyes seemed almost cautious when he reached to take my hand. "Addie," he said, then cleared his throat. He was nervous, and I thought that nervous looked really cute on him. It made him seem more approachable. "I've had this thing for you since the first time I laid eyes on you."

"You're kidding, right?" I asked in amazement. There was no way, not with a guy like Jake and the way that he looked.

"The first time I saw you was at the park. Devon and a bunch of us guys were shooting hoops. He pointed Kara out, but that day I only saw you. You were too young for me. I think…..you were probably in ninth grade." He cringed, his lips curving into a crooked grin as he shook his head and laughed.

"Devon had seen you both a few times before, and he had been thinking about asking Kara out. It took him a while, but he finally got up the nerve. From that day on, every time I went to the park I always searched for a glimpse of you."