In an effort to distract herself, she spent the morning with Jessie Kay and Kenna, trying on bridesmaid dresses and finally checking another item off her fun list: drinking whiskey straight from a bottle.
“You look different today,” Kenna said as Brook Lynn moved to the dais to show off the latest gown—a floor-length lavender beauty fit for a fairy queen.
Heat pooled in Brook Lynn’s cheeks. The only thing different about her was the brief taste of satisfaction she’d experienced in Jase’s arms.
Jessie Kay emerged from the dressing room in a short red halter dress, smirking over at Brook Lynn and singing, “I know what youuuu diiiiidd. I know. I know. I really, really know.”
“You lie!” Brook Lynn said. “You know nothing.”
Kenna pointed to the whiskey. “You take another swig right this second, Miss Dillon, and then you tell me why you blush every few minutes, why you keep sighing while staring off at nothing and why you’ve got a bruise the size of my butt on your neck.”
The hickey! Crap!
Both Jessie Kay and Kenna burst into laughter as she slapped a hand over her neck. Clearly they knew what was “different” about her, but had decided to tease her.
“I’ll drink, but I’ll never tell you devious slags anything.” Eyes narrowed, she bent down and grabbed the whiskey bottle at her feet then chugged. Oh, the burn! But with the third swallow, she actually began to like it. Her skin flushed, and a drugging numbness filled her limbs. “So get this,” she heard herself say. “Jase and I made out.”
It was as if she’d just let the air out of a balloon.
“Made out?” Jessie Kay gave her a thumbs-down. “I thought you’d sealed the deal.”
“Hardly.” She faced herself in the mirror, irritated by the sudden, defeated slump in her shoulders. “He refused.”
Why had Jase denied her? Had he simply changed his mind? Men were allowed to do that, same as women—though it should be illegal for guys. Or had he not enjoyed what they were doing?
No. Definitely not that one. He’d come. Hard. Like, propel-a-rocket-grenade hard.
Men! She would never understand them.
Kenna gave her rear a smack. “Don’t look so pitiful. So what if he didn’t give it to you last night. There’s always tomorrow, right?”
Always tomorrow.
The words played in a loop in Brook Lynn’s mind. She’d only promised him a night of sex. A single night. Had he, perhaps, hoped for a second go-round? Because not actually sleeping with her left their legal and binding contract in play.
Her jaw dropped. Was that why he’d stopped? There was a good chance...yes, she thought, and someone might as well have tapped her vein and injected her with happiness. I’m still in the game!
She took another two...six swigs of whiskey before putting the bottle back on the floor and picking up her phone. Texting Jase to ask for confirmation seemed like such a good idea right now. The best! Absolutely nothing could go wrong.
But as her fingers flew over the keyboard, Do you want more from me or not? wasn’t what she typed.
Guess what? U missed out, Jase Hollister. U could have had ALL this.
She waved to encompass her entire body. Wait. He couldn’t see her. Should she send a video, too? Nah.
It’s a treasure, & I don’t go around giving it away 4 free. But U blew it, she added. Blew. It. So. Hard.
Perfect. Don’t even need to proofread. Send.
Another thought hit her. She began typing again.
Guess what else? I still owe U a nite & UR gonna get it whether U want it or not. I’M LEGALLY BOUND, REMEMBER?? So the next time we R 2gether I’m going 2 start by running my fingers down UR chest, all the way 2 UR zipper...
Send.
His reply came within seconds.
And then?
She yelped with surprise...then nearly melted into a puddle with pleasure. He really did want more!
“What are you doing?” Kenna demanded.
Brook Lynn ignored her, typing, I will lean in soooo close...
Send.
Another lightning-fast response came in.
AND THEN? Tell me, angel. I have 2 know.
Oh, I’ll tell you all right.
“Seriously,” Jessie Kay said. “What are you doing? You’re panting.”
Brook Lynn ignored her, too. She typed
And then I will whisper “I have a headache. Maybe we can try again tomorrow.”
Send.
Her phone rang a few moments later. Startled, she dropped the thing on the floor and peered down at it as if it had just begun leaking poison. Was that Jase?
With a grin, Jessie Kay swiped up the phone and handed it to her. “Answer, or I will.”
Brook Lynn tentatively placed the phone to her ear. “Hello?”
“Cruel, honey. Cruel.” Jase’s husky voice filtered through the implants and drifted into her head, making her shiver. “I might not survive that severe of a punishment.”
She tried for a tough tone. “Well, I’m hard-core. And you should have considered the consequences before you kicked me out.”
“Kicked you out?” He sounded as if he’d just choked on his own tongue. “You blazed out the door after I asked you to stay.”
The girls crowded around her, whispering, “What’d he say?” and “Put him on speaker. I want to hear this.”
She batted them away, got dizzy, tripped over her own feet and ended up in a puddle of silk scarves. “Jase, I need you to stop trying to place the blame on my delicate flower shoulders and come find me. This is a 911 sexergency. You have made me more frustrated than a zombie at a salad bar. Fix it!”