Next Song I Sing (NEXT TIME AROUND) (10 page)

“I’m having dinner with Jasper tomorrow evening,” Rayonna said, delighted to see Max grit his teeth and glare. It meant Jasper hadn’t told him, which meant there might be some hope for her after all. “I’ll talk to him about this then. I’m sure I can introduce Jasper to someone much more appropriate if he wants to date other people. I’m selfless enough to do that. Goodbye, Max.”

Max glared at Rayonna’s back as she marched out of the restaurant, chin high, moving through the tables with the grace that made her sought after in her work. There was a time he’d felt sorry for Rayonna and her lack of depth. Now he just saw her as trouble. Rayonna’s insecurities had twisted her mind in some weird-ass ways.

Max had no doubt that Rayonna was crazy enough try to set Jasper up with one of her perfectly polished friends. Not that Max himself minded a woman who was model perfect, but he mostly avoided the real thing because of his former sister-in-law. He liked beauty as well as any other guy, but he preferred brains and heart to go along with it, even in temporary bed partners.

Such a combination was hard to find, but not impossible, Max decided, remembering the most perfect example he’d come across was currently by the hotel pool sunning herself in a blue bathing suit the color of her eyes. It looked like a swim team uniform and was absolutely the sexiest bathing suit he’d seen on a woman in a very long time.

The last few months had matured him in many areas. He saw his lifestyle had been empty of true connections, and he saw that his sister-in-law was about as screwed up in her thinking as a woman ever got. And now Max saw that a straight-up, hard working woman who enjoyed her friends was someone definitely worth getting to know.

Chapter 9

Jasper moved a chair around the poolside table until he was able to sit elbow-to-elbow with Chloe.

“Why are you sitting over here right next to me? I smell like chlorine and the view you’ve been admiring since I met you would probably be much better from across the table,” Chloe teased, sipping her drink, chagrined at the blush lighting up face over her bold comments. “Okay, I’ve obviously been joking with Emma and Taylor too much. That comment was way over the top for flirting, and I am definitely not inebriated enough yet to keep from being embarrassed about saying it to you. I think I’ll just shut up now. You should probably do all the talking until my modesty returns.”

Jasper laughed, delighted with her brutal honesty. He was just going to assume it meant Chloe was flustered by him sitting so close beside her. He was also going to assume she expected a response.

“I figure we’re both old enough to not have to pretend with each other. I’ll just say you’re right about my interest, which is precisely
why
I’m sitting over here where all I can do is glance sideways at the holes and wonder,” Jasper said, lifting his coke for a sip while he watched Chloe bite her lip.

“Wonder about what?” Chloe teased, pretending not to understand. “This bathing suit Emma talked me into buying doesn’t exactly allow me to keep many secrets.”

Jasper leaned forward on the table, shielding most of the front of her with his shoulders blocking the view of others. He reached down and dipped two fingers into a hole beneath one breast. His gentle stroking had Chloe squirming in her chair in seconds. His heart beat fast in chest, blood rushing in excitement to all the right places. All Jasper could think was that this was
exactly
how it was supposed to work when a woman interested you.

“Oh, you have quite a few secrets, Ms. Zanders, and now you know how badly I want to discover them all,” Jasper said firmly, keeping his voice quiet and low enough that only Chloe could hear.

Between the wetness of the swimsuit and Jasper’s stroking, it wasn’t long before Chloe was wishing she’d kept the towel wrapped around her shoulders after all. Jasper stayed where he was and stared down longingly at the signs of her arousal peaking against the unlined suit.

Chloe saw the heat flash in Jasper’s gaze again and had to swallow hard. Even though they were in public, she suddenly didn’t trust Jasper not to dip his head down to her breast, and she certainly didn’t trust herself not to let him. Her reaction was enough of an eye opener that even the mai tai couldn’t fog it over.

“Jasper, I still don’t think I’m—”

“Ready for this?” he asked, finishing her statement, removing his fingers and brushing a knuckle over one of the straining peaks he’d caused before pulling his hand away. “Me neither. I spent a restless night in my brother’s room thinking of you. Then this morning I informed my ex-wife, who stayed in my suite alone last night that I had no intention of ever sleeping with her again. After I kissed you yesterday, I couldn’t handle the thought of touching another woman. When you’re ready, I’ll be ready and waiting too, Chloe. I came out here to make sure you knew.”

Chloe’s breathing grew ever more labored. She was too enthralled by effect of his knuckle grazing her hardened nipple to conjure a visual of Jasper with another woman, but she had no intentions of getting involved with yet another cheating man.

“You’re—so you’re still trying to reconcile with your ex?” Chloe asked as casually as she could.

“God no,” Jasper denied firmly, seeing heat, hurt, and arousal passing through Chloe’s curious gaze on him, hoping she’d hear him out completely. He didn’t want to start their relationship by hiding anything from her. “I’ve been divorced more than two years. My ex comes into town now and again, and when she does I usually sleep with her because I’ve been too lazy to date other people and send her away. Or at least that’s what I thought was the reason until yesterday at lunch. Now I think I’ve just been waiting for you to show up.”

“You were watching me at lunch?” Chloe asked, her voice squeaking in her nervousness, remembering that Emma had pointed out that Jasper had been watching her.

But was she really having this intimate conversation with someone she barely met? Was she actually sitting out here with a man who still slept with his ex-wife until yesterday? A man whom she’d let arouse her a couple of minutes ago?

She definitely needed another soak in the pool to cool off. Her imagination was going crazy.

“Chloe, whatever you’re thinking or wondering, come back to the now and please hear what I’m saying to you,” Jasper demanded, his voice an urgent whisper as he moved a hand to her arm to keep her in place. “I saw you laughing with your friends at lunch and found myself wishing you were laughing with me. Then when I heard you singing, and you sang to me, I just—I haven’t been genuinely interested in a woman in a long, long—very long time. And kissing you last night—I can’t think about it today without getting turned on. I’m only interested in you now. That’s been the case since I first saw you.”

Chloe was shaking her head. “I don’t know what kind of wrong ideas you’ve developed about me, but seriously, I’m not that kind of woman. I don’t lure men away from their wives, ex-wives, or any other relationship.”

“Really?” Jasper asked harshly, his tone scalding in his irritation at Chloe’s denial of the attraction between them. Or at least that’s what he feared. “Then if you’re not that kind of woman, you won’t be needing those three business cards from other men that I watched you accept over the last couple of hours. I imagine some of them are likely married.”

Appalled when he saw Chloe’s eyes widen at his comment, Jasper turned away then and leaned back in his chair. He had been all but yelling at her. It was inexcusable.

“I’m sorry—truly. That was way out of line. It’s one thing to try to seduce you for myself, but I have no right to tell you what to do. For God’s sake, you’re right—we just met yesterday. You must think I’m some kind of crazy bastard.”

Chloe laughed again at Jasper’s self-deprecating swearing. He had the kind of tone that even made swear words sound good. She couldn’t help the smile that followed the laughter either.

True, the attraction they felt for each other was way too much too soon, but that’s just how it seemed to be occurring. Wondering what she should do about it, she studied Jasper’s handsome profile. She was wary of giving him the power to hurt her, but the allure of seeing how he would act on his feelings for her was just too strong to resist.

“Actually, there were seven men,” Chloe said quietly but firmly, pleased to see Jasper’s gaze grow darker, “but I wasn’t interested in any of them. I was just being polite.”

Jasper clenched his jaw and looked away from her teasing gaze. Seven men. Good Lord. And he thought Sam would prove to be his fiercest competition.

“If I ask you not to date them, then I’m being a jealous ass. Since I’ve never been one, I don’t know what the next thing to say is. Should I apologize again?” he asked.

Chloe snorted at Jasper’s irritation, trying hard to not be thrilled. It wasn’t working. She pulled her tongue loose from the roof of her mouth so she wouldn’t be tempted to make sympathetic teasing noises with her tongue just to see how mad Jasper would get.

The man brought out the wicked side of her.

“You are so very proper in your irritation, Jasper. Are you really done with your ex-wife? Because if you’re not, please just stop laying it on so thick. I just came off a cheating spouse. I don’t think I could handle a cheating boyfriend without trying to kill the people involved. I’m really not very nice without alcohol.”

Jasper met her laughing gaze and snorted himself, finally grinning and rubbing his jaw. “Yes. I’m completely done with her. I was done when she took a lover two years ago while we were still married. You and I have that much in common in our previous relationship.”

“Okay then,” Chloe said firmly, “I’m going to believe you because you know how to make my nipples hard. I like that talent in men.”

Jasper’s hot gaze burned hers. Chloe decided she liked it.

“I’m kidding,” she said, laughing. “I have a twisted sense of humor when I’m nervous. I like you. I do. The nipple arousing thing is just a perk.”

“Leave the comedy to the professionals, Chloe,” Jasper said hoarsely, leaning forward on his knees, struggling to get his own reaction to her words under control. “I don’t think your aroused nipples are funny at all.”

“It’s too late to be serious now. I saw you smiling,” Chloe teased.

“You have no idea how badly I want to drag you off and do things to make you blush again,” Jasper told her. “I’m at that point of considering all manner of unscrupulous behavior to have my way with you. How soon are you going to ready for us, Chloe?”

“I’m not sure. Tell me again where you’re sleeping tonight. Make me believe it,” Chloe demanded, crossing her arms over her breasts to hide her hard nipples from his gaze.

“Max’s room,” Jasper said firmly, whipping a key from his pocket and brandishing it. “You can ask him. If you don’t trust me or Max, check with the front desk clerk. Ask for Lily. She’s extremely honest and wouldn’t think twice about telling you if I was lying.”

“Multiple witnesses. I like that. Okay then, we’ll see how it goes,” she told him.

“Will you have dinner with me and sing again tonight?” Jasper asked, not minding that he was practically begging. He intended to reduce the woman next to him to a similar state at the first opportunity she allowed.

Chloe leaned over, put a hand on his arm. “Yes to both questions.”

“Good. Can I kiss you now?” Jasper asked. “Just to seal the deal.”

And to stake a claim, he thought, wishing Max could see. More, Jasper hoped every guy who had thought about coming on to her now had a clear view of them together.

To his surprise, Chloe leaned into him first, seeking his mouth eagerly and with more boldness than he’d been expecting from a woman who swore she was shy. His hand came up and went behind her head, holding her lips in place over his. The contact was solid, incredibly hot, and everything he’d ever wanted from a woman.

Jasper discreetly licked the mai tai from the seam of her lips, but didn’t delve further because he had just found the limit to his sense of decorum. He went quietly insane when Chloe pulled away and moaned.

“It’s not true what they say about older men not being able to change. I’ve never liked fruity rum drinks until I tasted them on you,” he grumbled. “See you at dinner, Chloe.”

***

Over by the pool, Max lifted his head from the lounge chair and watched his brother kissing Chloe like no one was watching. In fact, Jasper and Chloe were both kind of lost to the fact that pretty much everyone in and around the hotel pool was taking in the show.

And damn—it was quite a show.

Even from where he sat, Max could tell the look on Jasper’s face was deadly earnest.

“Damn right, bro. Kiss the woman like you mean it,” Max said fiercely. “I knew it was that cold-hearted bitch’s fault.”

“
What did you say?
” Taylor exclaimed, whipping off her glasses and glaring at Max for his harsh words and his language.

“Oh—sorry. Shit. Oh. Sorry again.” Max had the grace to flush at his language, the color of his face contrasting with his blue shirt as Taylor looked hard at him. “It was just a reaction to something my snarky former sister-in-law said about my brother not being—good at certain things.”

He made a face when he heard himself.

“Lame excuse for bad behavior—I know. I just got excited when I saw Jasper kissing Chloe,” Max said, finally deciding that shutting up was the right thing to do.