Taste the Heat (16 page)

Neither of them spoke as they swayed to the rasp of the singer’s voice, the intoxicating
thrum of his harmonica. They didn’t need to. She was pretty sure her feelings were
written all over her face. She was exposed, vulnerable. And torn between wanting to
believe the promise she thought she saw in Jason’s eyes and needing to steel her heart
against it.

He made her want to believe that they could be different. That he could stay faithful
and they could have a real shot. Loosening the binds around her heart would be taking
a giant leap; she’d be abandoning her entire belief system. But Jason Landry may just
be worth it.

The song ended. Drawing oxygen into her parched lungs, Colby turned to thank the musician.
The old gentleman tipped his hat and gave her a sweet, missing tooth smile. “Y’all
have a nice night now.”

Chapter Thirteen

The Court of Two Sisters had been just as magical as Colby remembered. Her parents
had taken here there for her thirteenth birthday, and then again for their famous
jazz brunch when she turned sixteen. The restaurant’s secluded brick patio, the tranquil
mosaic fountain, and the canopy of trees lit with twinkle lights always made her feel
like she was stepping inside the pages of a fairy tale. As she and Jason dined on
fried oysters Rockefeller and juicy barbecue shrimp, a three-piece jazz band serenaded
them. If she hadn’t already decided she was in love with the man, the romantic setting
might just have pushed her over the edge.

After dinner they strolled down Toulouse Street and then onto Decatur, past the familiar
sights of Jackson Square. Clutching the painting he’d bought for her, Jason led Colby
past the front of the Cathedral. When she realized they were heading in the direction
of Café Du Monde, she bumped him with her hip. “I thought you said dessert was at
the hotel,” she said with an exaggerated frown.

It was entirely possible she was more than a little inebriated.

Jason laughed and brushed his lips across her temple. “Oh, baby, that’s still on.
This is just a snack. I have big plans for dessert.”

A fresh onslaught of desire incited by the look in his eyes mixed with the rum already
floating in her veins, and it was all Colby could do not to tackle him on the street.
Instead, she followed as he got an order of beignets to go and then walked up to a
mule-drawn carriage.

“Private tour for Landry,” Jason said, sliding his driver’s license out of his wallet.
He handed it along with a folded piece of paper to the flamboyantly dressed driver.

“Hey boy,” Colby whispered to the sleepy looking mule. The mule responded by pooping
into the bag attached to its backside.
Lovely.
Jason laughed and she sent him a wry smile. “It appears I have an interesting effect
on the male species.”

“That you do.” He kissed her lips and then handed her up into the carriage. “Now,”
he said, settling beside her, “it’s
very
important that we enjoy this ride together while eating these.” He opened the bag
of beignets and pulled out a big, fluffy, powdered-sugar-coated treat.

“Very important?” she asked, eyeing the pastry with amusement.

Jason nodded and leaned close to her ear. “Trust me. After we do this, I’m prepared
to ravage you in our room.”

Without another word, Colby snatched the beignet from his hands and took a huge bite.
Sweet, airy dough hit her taste buds and her eyes rolled back in her head. “
Mmm
,” she moaned, taking another bite. “Oh my God, that is good.”

She opened her eyes when she heard Jason groan. His hungry gaze was riveted on her
mouth. And when her tongue darted out for the sugar that clung to her lips, he drew
a sharp breath through his nose. In a strained voice, he told the driver, “We’re ready.”

Obviously, the man had a plan. And she was trying to be grateful for all the thought
he had put into their night. But as romantic as the carriage ride was, and as good
as it felt to ride down the streets playing tourist in the city she’d missed (even
if she never admitted it to herself), what Colby really wanted was to thank the driver
for his efforts, jump out of the carriage, and race back to the hotel for Jason’s
dessert.

What she settled for, however, was the seductive graze of his fingers along the inside
of her thigh. The slow skim of his nose along her throat. And the sound of his harsh
breathing in her ear, telling her he wanted this as badly as she did.

Finally, the ride came to a stop back where they began. Jason practically threw a
tip at the driver before grasping her hand and hailing a nearby cab. “Bourbon Orleans,”
he growled, ushering her inside.

“Bourbon Orleans? You know that’s only—”

“I know,” Jason interrupted, causing Colby to giggle. “This is faster.”

The cab driver craned his neck around with a puzzled look. But after taking in the
pair of them, he grinned. “Gotcha.”

Five minutes later, they were back in their hotel room, tearing at each other’s clothes.

Colby’s hip bumped into a tray of chocolate covered strawberries. Room service must’ve
brought them, but she’d had enough food for one evening. Lips followed fingers down
the buttons of Jason’s shirt, eager to see and taste the muscles she’d so far only
gotten to imagine. She pushed the sides open and threw the garment on the floor.

She pressed her mouth over his racing heart, drunk on his scent. “Whatever the hell
cologne this is, I approve,” she said, flicking her tongue over the flattened disk
of his nipple.

His body jerked, and he fisted his hand in the back of her hair. “Now it’s my turn.”

Crushing his mouth over hers, he released her hair and slid his hands down her sides.
Goose bumps sprung in their wake. And when his hands dipped lower, grasping the hem
of her dress, a full body shiver racked her from head to toe.

This was actually happening.

He whisked the gown over her head.

Jason trailed the pads of his fingers along the red lace of her bra. A muscle clenched
in his jaw. “So beautiful,” he whispered.

Colby released a shaky breath, and Jason grabbed her hips, pinning her in place with
his hands. They hadn’t bothered with the lights when they fell into the room, so the
soft lamp in the corner and the moonlight filtering through the plantation blinds
were their only illumination. But under Jason’s intent gaze, Colby suddenly felt as
if he could see all the way to her soul.

It had been a long time since she’d stood like this in front of a man. A
very
long time. And now that she was, the only thing she could think about was all the
pilates and aerobics classes she’d skipped over the years. She had curves. Breasts
and hips, and an ass that was on the generous side of padded, thanks to her love affair
with truffles and lasagna. Compared to Jason’s chiseled body, did hers measure up?

Something in her face must have given away her thoughts because he shook his head.
“Beautiful,” he said again, this time with more force as he pulled her toward him.
The lace of her bra grazed his chest and he hissed. “So
damn
beautiful.”

Then his mouth descended, and any thoughts she held about her padded backside flew
straight out of her head.

Scooping her up in his arms, Jason carried her to the huge bed, setting her down and
climbing over her without breaking the passionate kiss. His tongue stroked deep in
her mouth and she clutched the back of his head, demanding more. She wrapped her legs
around his hips, and realized he still had his pants on.

“This won’t do,” she said when they broke for air. She felt his smile as his mouth
trailed kisses along her collarbone. Yanking on his belt, she made quick work of the
button and zipper then shoved at the fabric.

Jason chuckled and the sound zinged through her core. He palmed her calf, leaned up,
and nipped her chin with his teeth. “I’ll be right back.”

What the what?

She didn’t even attempt to hide her groan of frustration, which only made him chuckle
again. He slid his wallet out from the seat of his pants, grabbed a silver square
from inside, and tossed it on the night table.
Oh.
Then, dark eyes on hers, he pushed his pants and boxer briefs down over his hips
and stepped out.

“So men really can look like that,” she said, too stunned to be embarrassed that she’d
once again spoken her thoughts aloud.

Jason exceeded every fantasy Colby had ever had. Long lean muscles. Curling dark hair.
Washboard abs. And those mystical deep indentations above his hipbones. She pushed
on to her knees and crooked a finger. “Come here.”

He stayed in place, eyes raking over her, and she slid her bra straps off her shoulders.
His mouth lifted in a grin, then opened as she reached around and flicked the clasp.
Colby raised an eyebrow and repeated, “Come. Here.”

Jason’s throat muscles worked as he swallowed hard. “I—” His hoarse voice broke off
and he cleared his throat. “I told you I had plans for dessert.”

She tilted her head, watching as he zipped open his duffel bag. “I kinda thought we
were in the middle of that plan right now.”

Had she misread some kind of signal? You’d think a situation like this would be pretty
hard to misread but if anyone could misconstrue something like this, it would be her.

“Oh, we are,” he confirmed, riffling through his bag. Relieved, Colby took a moment
to admire his strong backside and sighed. Michelangelo’s
David
had nothing on this man. “I just thought we’d take things up a notch,” he continued,
lifting what appeared to be a jar and a paintbrush.

She watched in confusion as he stalked toward her, holding the objects in his hands.
He grinned and asked, “Ever used Chocolate Body Paint?”

Chapter Fourteen

Long after Colby fell asleep, his father’s words kept Jason company. Shadows stretched
across the floor as muted light crept through the blinds, and when dawn finally broke,
and Jason looked down at the woman in his arms, he felt his world shift.

He was falling for Colby.

That truth didn’t terrify him as much as he’d expected. Probably because he’d suspected
it all along. But it did bring guilt. For so long, Jason had been content only loving
one woman in his life. Ashleigh was irreplaceable. When she died, Emma became his
entire world, as she should have. But after a night of holding this woman in his arms,
Jason realized he now wanted more. Companionship and a wife with benefits weren’t
going to be enough for him. Would never have been enough with Colby. He wanted something
real
.

Why didn’t that feel like cheating on Ashleigh’s memory?

The vows he took may’ve said
till death do us part,
but the mother of his child deserved more than that. Or, so he thought. But after
hours of torturing himself, the only thing troubling Jason’s heart was wondering if
Colby could ever love him back.

That might make him a bad husband, or maybe it was a healthy part of moving on. Either
way, he was done guarding his heart. Colby broke through every line of defense he’d
built up anyway. He wanted a lifetime of waking up with her in his arms, her long
dark hair fanned across his chest. Of days spent laughing, teasing, and flirting.
And nights spent just like the one before. Wrapping his hands around her sleeping
body, Jason breathed in her floral perfume.

A soft sigh escaped Colby’s silken lips. A smile touched his mouth as he lifted his
head and glanced at the clock. Nine a.m. Colby had to be at the restaurant by eleven.
With the thirty-minute drive back home and her having to get ready, it didn’t leave
them much time.

He pressed a kiss on the crown of her head. “Time to wake up, baby.”

“Uh huh,” she muttered, flinging her long leg around his hip. She crawled up his body,
burrowed deeper into the crook of his arm, and buried her head against his neck. Morning
person she wasn’t.

Skimming his fingers down the notches of her spine and over the gentle curve of her
backside, he lifted her higher, loving the feel of her tight body pressed along his.
Colby sighed again, her warm breath fanning across his neck. “I guess we could just
stay in bed all day. I’m not on shift; you can play hooky. We’ll spend the whole day
together.”

Actually the more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. He hadn’t had enough
of her yet. He doubted he ever would.

After a short pause, Colby’s shoulders deflated. “Fridays are always crazy busy,”
she said drowsily, finally lifting her head. She pushed her dark waves away from her
face, and the warm, satiated look in her gray eyes absolutely slayed him. “As incredible
as your offer sounds, I have to go in.”

“You sure I can’t tempt you to stay?” He combed her hair to one side and dipped his
head to the sensitive skin between her neck and shoulder. Last night he’d discovered
kisses there had the power to put her in a very agreeable mood. “I’m sure there’s
a little more chocolate left in the jar—”

Scooting up, she slammed her mouth against his with a squeal. He chuckled, then proceeded
to devour her, thrusting his tongue past her lips and spearing his fingers through
her hair. Yep, the body paint had been an excellent idea. He grinned as his hands
teased the surprising areas he’d uncovered thanks to the thick, sweet chocolate. Remembering
how he’d licked and sucked it off her skin had a certain part of his anatomy jumping
for round two.

Today, he was buying stock in the company.

“Shower,” Colby declared after another minute, sinking her teeth into the lobe of
his ear. “Now.”

He groaned. “God, that feisty streak of yours turns me on.” Her wicked grin said that
was exactly what she was going for, and Jason slapped her ass as she leapt off the
bed. “Consider me your love slave, woman. Your wish is my command.”

“Hmm.” She shoved aside her wild tangle of hair, and her smoky eyes darkened as she
rimmed her top lip with her tongue. “The possibilities could be dangerous.”

Shooting to his feet, he grasped her hips and yanked her against him. “Bring it on.”

The joyous, playful sound of her giggle as he stole another kiss was like an electrical
jolt to his heart. Damn, he really was falling for this woman.

Giving her space today to think was going to be hell, but it would be worth it. Colby
needed to come to the same conclusions he had and he knew she had to do that alone.
Away from him. The thought that she could decide to push him away was terrifying.
It made him want to latch on and drag her with him everywhere. But this was something
she needed. And along with his daughter, Jason would always put Colby’s needs ahead
of his own.

She rubbed her nose against his, crinkling it as she smiled. “Ready to wash all that
sticky
chocolate off me now?”

He leaned back, giving her luscious curves a thorough examination. “I licked every
inch of this skin last night,” he said, watching the spark of desire flare in her
eyes. “But, you can never be too meticulous about this sort of thing.”

Seizing her shoulders, he spun her around and tugged her back so she could feel
exactly
how the image of her tight, soapy body affected him. Colby hissed a breath. She reached
around to clutch his hip, and Jason grinned.

“Let’s get you clean.”

…

The 985 was swarming with half-drunk women and overeager men, all looking to hook
up. Colored lights streamed over bodies gyrating to a techno-remix of Taylor Swift
singing about love. Colby pushed through a cloud of sweat, cologne, and stale cigarettes
to one of the tables along the edge of the dance floor and plopped her exhausted butt
on a stool.

Robicheaux’s
had been slammed, thus keeping the swarm of confusing thoughts and feelings banging
around in her brain pleasantly at bay. When closing time came and Sherry suggested
a girl’s night, Colby had jumped at the idea, shoving her aching feet into a cute
pair of boots. Tonight felt like a Tequila night.

Over the giant speaker to her right, the DJ’s seductive voice coaxed the crowd. “All
right, ladies, hope you’re ready to shake it. For your line-dancing pleasure I’ve
got Big & Rich’s ‘Fake I.D.’”

A shout of feminine
woots
preceded the scrape of chairs as a horde of women, and a few brave men, poured onto
the dance floor. Colby glanced at Sherry with a mystified expression.

“It’s from the new
Footloose
,” she explained, her eager eyes following the crowd.

“I know you know this one,” the D.J. continued as the music rolled in. “So come on
out here and shake what your mama gave ya.”

With the twang of the guitar and the pulse of the drum, cowboy boots began stomping
in rhythm. Beside her, Sherry marked the time from her seat, shimmying and jostling
the table until Colby gave her a good-natured shove. “Get on out there.”

Her sister shook her head, but the excitement in her brown-eyed gaze gave her away.
“I’m fine. I can totally hang here with you—”

“GO!”

Colby cringed. She never snapped at Sherry. It hadn’t been her intention to do so
now. All day her tension and confusion had been building, crackling under the surface.
Messing with her during the lunch and dinner services. Causing her to make mistakes.
And now she’d officially lost it. When she’d agreed to come out tonight, it was in
search of a much needed distraction—not to have a freaking babysitter.

She forced a smile and tried again. “Go on,” she said, more gently this time. She
lifted her chin toward the clapping crowd. “Go show ‘em how it’s done.”

Sherry’s head tilted to the side and she shot a glance toward the dance floor. “If
you’re sure…” Colby nodded, and she flashed a grateful grin. “I shall return!” Then
she scooted off the chair and the girl was gone.

Now it was time for Colby to get her drink on.

She waved at a waitress passing by their table. “Excuse me, can I get a margarita,
please?”

“Sure thing, darlin’.” The woman sent her an authentic smile from behind a pound of
makeup. Grabbing an empty glass from the table beside them, she asked, “Frozen or
on the rocks?”

“On the rocks.” She deliberated and then said, “Better make that two.”

The woman winked. “You got it.”

Turning toward the crowded dance floor, Colby tried losing herself in the chaos. But
as they had all day, her thoughts drifted right back to Jason.

Their night together had been amazing. But it proved what she’d feared all along—one
night would
never
be enough. A summer with him wouldn’t be long enough either. The glorious ache in
her chest wasn’t just some high from having sex again after the longest drought in
history. The man had stolen her heart. And so had his daughter.

Last night she’d had a dream she was teaching Emma recipes in her childhood kitchen.
Emma wore Colby’s old checkered apron and the young girl called her
mom
. Colby didn’t know the first thing about being a mother—yet, being with Emma was
so natural. As much as the domesticated scene had rocked her, Colby had woken up surprisingly
happy.

If Cane knew Colby was even considering staying in Magnolia Springs, he’d be thrilled.
Well, after his reaction the other day, maybe not thrilled about the reason, but ecstatic
about not having to hire another chef. Sherry would most likely begin planning their
wedding. And Emma…well, it was obvious what that girl wanted. She wanted a family
again. And if Colby stayed in town and began a
real
relationship with Jason that was exactly where they’d be headed.

But am I ready for that?

In her experience, fidelity was the stuff of fairy tales. But Jason’s parents had
somehow found a way to withstand the trials of marriage. So had her grandparents,
and more aunts, uncles, and cousins than she could name. They all seemed to make it
work. Maybe staying faithful wasn’t just some mythical concept. Maybe her choosing
a cheating boyfriend, after having been born to an unfaithful man, had simply been
a case of severe, craptastically bad luck.

It was hopeful thoughts like these that had her tied in knots all day.

When Colby thought about the meaning of faithfulness, she thought about loyalty, trustworthiness,
dependability, and consistency. Characteristics that Jason Landry not only had, but
embodied. More so than any other man she had met.

Her choice was clear: believe in Jason and trust her heart, or let her past dictate
her future.

She knew what she
wanted
to do. She just wasn’t sure she had the courage.

“Fake I.D.” ended and Sherry flounced back to the table, fanning herself with both
hands. “Oh my God, that was fun!” She slid onto her chair and exhaled with a big old
cheesy grin. “You should’ve come out there with me.”

“What, and risk breaking an ankle? No thanks.” The waitress set her drinks on the
tabletop and Colby smiled her thanks. “Do you not remember what happens when I try
to do coordination?”

Sherry stuck out her tongue then eyed Colby’s drinks. “This one for me?”

She shook her head. “Nope. Get your own. I’m getting my drink on.” Then she winked
to show she was teasing and pushed the second glass toward her sister.

Sherry watched Colby take a sip of her cold, extremely yummy drink before taking a
sip of her own. Smacking her lips at the tartness, she then leaned her chin on her
hand. “So tell me, chica. Is this a celebratory get-your-drink-on, or a depressed
one?”

Colby took another sip and shrugged. “I don’t know. A little of both? Not ready to
talk about it yet. Still too much swirling around in here.” She twirled her finger
over her head. “Distract me. Tell me about your love life. Are things going well with
Waiter McHottie?”

“Ben?” Her voice took on that dreamy quality normally reserved for mint chocolate
ice cream or candlelit bubble baths. “Things are better than good.” Biting off a smile,
she glanced down at the table. “This is gonna sound crazy, but I think he might be
the
one
.”

Margarita spewed out of Colby’s mouth. Her sister may as well have declared she was
thinking of becoming a nun. “Are you serious?”

A frown line appeared between her eyes as she peeled a wet napkin from Colby’s second
drink. Wiping at the table she said, “I know we’ve only gone out a couple times, but
he’s worked at the restaurant for a few months. It’s not
that
crazy.”

“No, I know,” Colby said, her mind still reeling. “I—I just didn’t realize things
were like that between you.”

Or that Sherry even believed in settling down. She was the wild child. The girl who
had a new guy every week. The one who threw crazy parties on the weekends and loved
defying social conventions.
Not
someone who believed in finding “the one.”

“Everything is so different with him, Colby. Ben makes me laugh, and he’s wicked smart.
He’s back in school to finish his degree, you know. He doesn’t plan on waiting tables
forever. And damn, the man is sexy as
hell
.” She made a lip-smacking yummy noise and Colby laughed.
This
was the sister she knew. “I get goose pimples just thinking about him. And don’t
even get me started on his tongue.”

When her eyes rolled back in her head, Colby interrupted. “Bordering on TMI, Sher.”

Sherry giggled. “Prude,” she teased, sitting up in her seat. “For real though, it’s
not like we’ve had ‘the talk’ yet or anything, but…yeah. Things are getting pretty
serious.”

Disbelief would be one way to classify her reaction. Shock would be another. They
had been dating for like a second. Still, if her sister was happy, then she was happy.
“That’s great, Sher. Ben’s a lucky guy.”