The Touch (11 page)

When they pulled up to the parking spaces in
front of the bar, Adam frowned. The place was closed and it looked
like permanently.

“So much for McKelly’s,” he said.

She looked disappointed. “Guess that’s it for
the night.”

“It doesn’t have to be.” Adam moved close to
her. “We can have a drink or coffee at my place. I live in
Scottsdale, about twenty-five minutes from here.”

Casey paused and her lips pursed in
consideration. Her lips were so damned sexy. He couldn’t wait to
kiss her again.

“Okay,” she finally said and took a deep
breath. “I’ll go with you. Just give me your address so I can text
it to my sister.”

Adam’s house was beautiful, Casey thought.
His automotive business apparently did well, really well. Nerves
tightened her belly as he let her into the house. She jumped as he
closed the door behind her.

She had sent Jett a text when they left
McKelly’s and then again when they arrived in front of Adam’s
house.

The entire time he held her hand she felt
warm sensations in her belly. Was he really into kink? Curiosity
made her bite her lower lip. Did she want to find out?

Yes.

Casey followed him and enjoyed the view. He
had a nice, tight ass and the leather pants showed it off
perfectly. His back was muscular, his triceps well defined. A
fantasy spun through her mind of seeing him naked and touching his
hard body. Everywhere.

The house was spacious with overstuffed
couches, a recliner, and solid wood furniture that included a
coffee table, end tables, and a sofa table. He went to the corner
and she realized he had a wet bar.

He raised a bottle of white wine. “Wine or
something stronger?”

“How about a rum and Coke?” She needed to
relax, to not be so keyed up.

“You’ve got it.” Her masked man drew out a
bottle of rum and a can of Coke. “I think I’ll make it two.”

She neared him and watched the play of
muscles in his forearms as he filled two highball glasses with the
soda and two shots of rum each.

Casey raised her eyebrows. “Don’t you think
that’s a bit much?”

He smiled. Damn, his smile was so sexy. “Do
you want me to make another one with less rum?”

“No.” She could use a little extra to bolster
her courage. The more she was here, the more she considered how
much she wanted him. “This is fine.”

Adam handed her the glass and she tipped it
and swallowed. Her eyes watered a little from how strong the drink
was. Warmth traveled down her throat to her belly where it heated
her through.

They moved to the couch and Adam had her sit
close to him. His body felt warm and hard next to hers and she
imagined what it would feel like to see that body… Completely
naked.

Mmmmm.

Casey took another drink of her rum and Coke.
“Where is your automotive shop?” she asked as she brought her glass
down.

“Near the ASU campus in Tempe.” He slowly
stroked her shoulder.

“Same here,” Casey said after she took
another drink. “I mean I work in that area. I manage a small
bookstore on Mill Avenue.”

“Jam’s Second Hand Books?” he asked.

“That’s it.” The rum and coke was really
starting to work its magic. She started to feel relaxed and more at
ease. She went to take another drink and found that she had drained
the glass.

He took the glass and set it on an end table.
“You may have gone through that a little fast.”

“Are you really into kink?” She blurted the
words out then mentally chastised herself.

He considered her for a moment. “Would it
scare you away if I said yes?”

Casey shook her head. “Not at all.”

Butterflies danced in her belly as she looked
up into his brilliant green eyes. They were beautiful. She felt
like she’d seen those eyes before tonight… Could she have met Adam
before?

Who did she know who had such green, green
eyes?

But then she wasn’t thinking about his eyes
anymore. She was thinking about his lips and how good they felt
when he’d kissed her in the parking lot.

Adam got to his feet and took her hand and
helped her stand. He brought her closer to him then slid his hands
over her latex-covered hips and grabbed her ass and squeezed her to
him, tight. She gasped when she felt his erection, huge against her
belly. It sent excitement through her as well as a tiny amount of
trepidation.

Her heart pounded and her throat grew dry as
he looked at her. “You’re beautiful, Casey.”

She placed her palms on his chest and ran her
tongue along her lower lip. “How do you know? Under this mask I
could be hideous.”

“No…” Adam smiled and shook his head. “You
are a beautiful, sexy, amazing woman.”

Casey caught her breath as he lowered his
head and moved his lips over hers in a soft and sensual movement.
She moaned as his kiss lit up her senses, driving her wild with
need. She slid her palms up to his neck and touched his hood with
her fingertips.

She tasted rum and Coke on his tongue, but he
also had a distinctly masculine taste that she loved. She drank in
his scent, filling her body with it as they kissed.

His mouth was warm over hers, his tongue
darting into her mouth and then he softly bit her lip and it made
her cry out with want and need.

Adam moved his hands from her ass and his
palms slid up over the latex to her breasts. He pinched her nipples
and she gave a little cry when he pinched them, feeling a small
burst of pain before pleasure. He kissed her with more depth and
pinched her nipples even harder.

When he raised his head and she looked into
his eyes, Casey’s breath came out in shallow pants. She touched the
mask where it covered his cheek. “I want to see you.”

A sexy smile crept over his face. “Soon
enough.”

“Do I know you?” She licked her lips again.
“Your voice doesn’t sound familiar. The only thing that looks
remotely familiar about you is your eyes. But I don’t remember
anyone who has eyes like yours.”

“Don’t worry, Casey.” He slid his fingers
into her hair and cupped her face. “I’ll take care of you.”

***

Jaymie Holland

Available Now!

“Jeez, woman.” Casey made a snorting noise
over the phone line. “You need to get laid.”

Jett laughed, amusement bubbling up inside of
her as she rolled onto her back in her oh-so-comfortable bed. She
held the cell phone closer to her ear. “Since when did you go the
route of promiscuity, sis?”

“Who said anything about being promiscuous?”
Casey had a smile in her voice and Jett could picture her blonde
sister’s grin. “But that doesn’t change the fact that you need it
bad. You’ve been so uptight and it’s been going on for a while
now.”

“I know, I know.” Jett flopped one arm over
her eyes before moving it aside. She stared up at the cracks on the
ceiling, tracing one at a time with her gaze. “It’s been way too
long.”

“So figure it out.” Casey yawned over the
line, triggering an answering yawn in Jett. “Before you bite off
someone else’s head.”

“You don’t think that woman deserved it?”
Jett said, thinking about the snot of a saleswoman who had told
Casey yesterday that her ass was too fat for her department—in so
many words—and to go to the “women’s” department, a.k.a.
plus-sizes. Not that there was anything wrong with plus sizes—it
was how the woman had said it. And when it came to her sister, Jett
could possibly be considered a little overprotective.

“Yeah, she was kind of a bitch.” A hint of
irritation was in Casey’s voice as she responded to Jett. “Still,
I’ve never seen you lay into someone like that before.”

Jett shrugged to herself then rubbed the
remains of sleep from her eyes. “Whatever the case, I don’t have
any male prospects at this time and I’m not picking some guy up at
a bar.”

“There were some hot men at Danica’s party
last night,” Casey said. “But you spent the night talking with the
girls, which isn’t like you at all.”

“I did some checking before I wasted my
time,” Jett said. “Married or gay, all of them.”

“Okay… What about online dating?” Casey
started to cover territory they’d already been through before.
“I’ve been thinking of trying it.”

“I don’t know, Case.” Jett frowned, thinking
about her sister taking chances like that. “So many weirdoes out
there. On the news I’ve heard of stalkers coming from online
dating. I don’t think it’s worth it.”

Paper crackled on Casey’s end of the line,
almost sounding like static. “I found a place that’s different from
online dating. Every applicant is screened in person, videos are
made, backgrounds checked …”

“And they cost a small fortune, right?” Jett
stared at a particularly big crack in her ceiling. “And when you
have a historic monument of a house that requires constant upkeep
like I do, there isn’t a lot of cash left over at the end of the
day.”

“Well, it’s something to think about.” Casey
made a sound like a sigh. “I need to get ready to go to Mom’s so
I’d better get going.”

“Give Mom a hug.” Jett pushed her hand
through her hair. “Tell her I’ll stop by tomorrow.”

“Starbucks tomorrow morning?” Jett asked even
though she knew the answer. She had coffee every morning with her
sister before she went to her job as a bank teller.

Casey laughed. “Seven sharp.”

“See ya.” Jett punched the off button and
rolled onto her side to look at the bedside clock. She was
definitely having a lazy Saturday morning. Already ten-thirty and
she was usually never in bed past six. Last night’s party had
totally worn her out, and the four glasses of wine hadn’t
helped.

“Henry.” Jett smacked her forehead with the
heel of her palm. She’d forgotten that the repairman was due to
arrive at any time. “Damn.” She tossed her blanket aside and
scrambled out of bed. Her baby doll top slid from where it had
bunched up around her waist, down over the matching silky black
panties. She started toward the bathroom—she needed to get changed
before Henry Johnson arrived.

The doorbell rang and Jett groaned as she
grabbed her black shortie robe off the hook in the bathroom. So
much for getting dressed. Her black hair was probably a disaster,
her blue eyes bleary-looking, and her skin pale with no makeup.

What difference did it make? Henry wasn’t
going to care what she looked like. The sixty-year-old man had seen
her over the past couple of years in one state or another when he’d
come to take care of fix-it projects as she needed them. One thing
about having an older house was that there was almost always
something that needed to be done.

She hurried down the stairs while she tied
the robe’s belt. The champagne carpet was soft beneath her bare
feet as she crossed the room to the front door and then opened
it.

“Hi, Henry—” she started but then her mouth
dropped open.

It wasn’t Henry who stood on her porch. Not
at all.

In his place was a man so good looking that
it made her heart beat faster. In a slow sweep of her gaze she took
him in. A pair of well-worn Levis molded to his powerful thighs, a
snug black T-shirt stretched across his broad chest, and a tool
belt was slung low around his hips.

He had dark hair that was slightly wavy and
was tall enough that Jett had to look up to meet his dark eyes.
When she did she saw amusement in his gaze.

Heat flushed her cheeks as she realized she’d
been staring. But what a delicious package he made, and if she
wasn’t mistaken that bulge in his jeans was a good indication he
was having the same reaction she was. She could just imagine what
it would be like to have him in her bed, sliding between her
thighs…

Jett’s cheeks grew hotter as he studied her,
as if he knew what thoughts were going through her mind. Her
nipples tightened and a thrill skittered low in her abdomen.

The man’s gaze traveled the length of her
long legs to where her shortie robe brushed her thighs, then moved
up to her slim waist before lingering on her breasts.

Ok, enough.
Jett cleared her throat
and their eyes met. The corner of his mouth turned up in a smile so
sexy she almost couldn’t catch her breath. It dawned on her
lust-crazed mind that she had no idea who this man was and why he
was on her doorstep.

“Can I help you?” Jett managed to get the
words out even as she thought of all kinds of ways she’d love to
help this man.

“I think I’m here to help
you
.” He
leaned one forearm against the doorframe and she swallowed hard as
she followed the line of his arm, over every well-defined muscle.
“Are you Jett Sanders?”

Jett mentally shook herself. “Yes.”

“I’m Noah Johnson.” He extended his hand.
“Henry broke his leg yesterday afternoon, so I’m here to help
you…with whatever you need.”

Automatically Jett took Noah’s hand. When she
did she almost gasped out loud at the physical sensation that shot
through her.
Whatever I need? Right this way, I have something
in the bedroom that needs looking at…

She jerked her hand from his and tried to
steady herself. “Is Henry all right?”

Noah gave a nod. “Dad’s a little banged up,
but he’ll be okay.”

“I’m glad he’s fine.” Jett took a deep breath
and stepped aside. “Come on in.”

Noah’s gut tightened as he took one more long
look at the beautiful Jett Sanders. Her hair was ruffled and she
looked like she’d just woken up. She was a sexy little thing from
her slim ankles and smooth, long legs to that silky robe that
didn’t hide how hard her nipples were. His cock ached and he was
relieved that she hadn’t slammed the door in his face when she got
a good look at his package while she was checking him out.