little hip shimmy, and man did he
enjoy feeling her hip beneath his palm. Halfway through the tune he realized he
was smiling and laughing. Before he knew it, he found himself singing along.
Sure, he didn’t have a clue what the words meant, but they rolled sweetly off
his tongue, kind of like her name.
When the song ended she led him into another simple dance to
a more modern tune. As everyone around them did the bump and grind, Jasmine
moved more seductively. Tim loosely wrapped his arm around her waist as she
swayed her hips. Every once in a while her breasts would brush against his
chest. The slight, barely there whisper of soft flesh stole his breath, but not
nearly as much as when she moved in closer, turned sideways and let her hip
skim over his semi-erection.
He knew he had no business being with this vivacious woman.
She dressed, moved and conducted herself with class. He wore a pair of faded
jeans and classic white tee, moved to the music with a clumsy jerk and had no
clue how to casually flirt. And he didn’t give a damn.
Jasmine made him smile, made him feel alive and worthwhile
again. After six months of wallowing in self-pity, it felt good to have the
attention of a beautiful woman.
Chapter Two
Two songs later they headed back to their seats at the bar.
Jasmine pushed his old beer aside, waved down the bartender and ordered drinks
for them.
“When are you leaving?”
Tim took a strand of her hair and let it curl around his
finger. How did it do that? “Tomorrow.” She didn’t seem to mind him playing
with the tendril.
“What do you think? Will you venture back to our little
corner of the state someday?”
“I hadn’t planned on it but I’ve learned to never say
never.” Up until an hour ago he thought for sure women were a thing of the past
for him. Jasmine and her soft touch, sunny scent and easy way had him thinking
differently now.
“You know how I said I like to read people? I’m going to sum
you up. You don’t have to elaborate on details, I just want to know if I have
you pegged right.”
Tim cocked an eyebrow. “Um, okay.”
“Relax.” Her hand glided down his thigh, causing every
muscle to tense. “You’ve been hurt by someone you loved deeply. Getting past it
hasn’t come easily. You came on this little adventure hoping to jump-start a
new phase of life. I’m guessing it hasn’t worked out as you hoped.”
He couldn’t help but smile. She pretty much nailed him. “Yes
to being hurt. Yes to having trouble getting past it. I didn’t come on this
trip willingly. My friends and sister were going to send me to an asylum if I
didn’t get away for a while.”
She stole his breath when she smiled. “Good for your friends
and sister.”
“How did you know it wasn’t working out?”
She leaned in. “I sat at the end of the bar for a while,
watching you. You’re very expressive, by the way. I could tell you were having
a conversation with yourself and you weren’t liking the direction it took. For
a moment I thought you might actually punch yourself.”
That thought made him toss his head back and laugh. She had
no idea how close to the truth she was. “So you make it your mission to cheer
up pathetic-looking men?”
“No. Believe it or not, I don’t do this sort of thing ever.
I was bored tonight. They have good music here so I thought I’d come soak up
some atmosphere instead of vegetating at home. You caught my eye, though. When
I first sat down I saw a man who liked to have fun. The more I watched, the
more I could see someone, or something, sucked that fun out of you.”
“You should get a job at one of those psychic hotlines.” She
only knew his name but knew more about him than his ex.
The bartender pushed two purple-looking drinks in front of
them. His had a yellow umbrella, hers a pink. He never had a fruity, frothy
drink before. If his buddies saw him with it he’d never hear the end, but he
decided, what the hell. He took a sip.
“It has a
enjoy feeling her hip beneath his palm. Halfway through the tune he realized he
was smiling and laughing. Before he knew it, he found himself singing along.
Sure, he didn’t have a clue what the words meant, but they rolled sweetly off
his tongue, kind of like her name.
When the song ended she led him into another simple dance to
a more modern tune. As everyone around them did the bump and grind, Jasmine
moved more seductively. Tim loosely wrapped his arm around her waist as she
swayed her hips. Every once in a while her breasts would brush against his
chest. The slight, barely there whisper of soft flesh stole his breath, but not
nearly as much as when she moved in closer, turned sideways and let her hip
skim over his semi-erection.
He knew he had no business being with this vivacious woman.
She dressed, moved and conducted herself with class. He wore a pair of faded
jeans and classic white tee, moved to the music with a clumsy jerk and had no
clue how to casually flirt. And he didn’t give a damn.
Jasmine made him smile, made him feel alive and worthwhile
again. After six months of wallowing in self-pity, it felt good to have the
attention of a beautiful woman.
Chapter Two
Two songs later they headed back to their seats at the bar.
Jasmine pushed his old beer aside, waved down the bartender and ordered drinks
for them.
“When are you leaving?”
Tim took a strand of her hair and let it curl around his
finger. How did it do that? “Tomorrow.” She didn’t seem to mind him playing
with the tendril.
“What do you think? Will you venture back to our little
corner of the state someday?”
“I hadn’t planned on it but I’ve learned to never say
never.” Up until an hour ago he thought for sure women were a thing of the past
for him. Jasmine and her soft touch, sunny scent and easy way had him thinking
differently now.
“You know how I said I like to read people? I’m going to sum
you up. You don’t have to elaborate on details, I just want to know if I have
you pegged right.”
Tim cocked an eyebrow. “Um, okay.”
“Relax.” Her hand glided down his thigh, causing every
muscle to tense. “You’ve been hurt by someone you loved deeply. Getting past it
hasn’t come easily. You came on this little adventure hoping to jump-start a
new phase of life. I’m guessing it hasn’t worked out as you hoped.”
He couldn’t help but smile. She pretty much nailed him. “Yes
to being hurt. Yes to having trouble getting past it. I didn’t come on this
trip willingly. My friends and sister were going to send me to an asylum if I
didn’t get away for a while.”
She stole his breath when she smiled. “Good for your friends
and sister.”
“How did you know it wasn’t working out?”
She leaned in. “I sat at the end of the bar for a while,
watching you. You’re very expressive, by the way. I could tell you were having
a conversation with yourself and you weren’t liking the direction it took. For
a moment I thought you might actually punch yourself.”
That thought made him toss his head back and laugh. She had
no idea how close to the truth she was. “So you make it your mission to cheer
up pathetic-looking men?”
“No. Believe it or not, I don’t do this sort of thing ever.
I was bored tonight. They have good music here so I thought I’d come soak up
some atmosphere instead of vegetating at home. You caught my eye, though. When
I first sat down I saw a man who liked to have fun. The more I watched, the
more I could see someone, or something, sucked that fun out of you.”
“You should get a job at one of those psychic hotlines.” She
only knew his name but knew more about him than his ex.
The bartender pushed two purple-looking drinks in front of
them. His had a yellow umbrella, hers a pink. He never had a fruity, frothy
drink before. If his buddies saw him with it he’d never hear the end, but he
decided, what the hell. He took a sip.
“It has a
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