From the Inside Flap
"Who's that?" someone yelled above the music.
I looked over and groaned. Jordan Palow stood among the tree stumps of her friends staring at our table. More specifically Elise whose striking looks would catch anyone's attention. Jordan mistakenly believed that she was in a contest with me about who could bed more women. She didn't seem to care that I wouldn't play along. Leering pointedly at Elise, she ignored the rest of us. "You'd make my whole year if you danced with me."
"No thanks," Elise forced a steady voice.
"Aw, come on, hottie. You won't get a better offer."
"Will I do, doll?" my mouth spoke before my brain did. Seduction permeated my skin, rising in waves that I'm certain everyone could see. Why was I doing this? Just because my friend was overwhelmed, didn't mean I needed to step in to make things easier.
Jordan looked astonished. We were barely civil to each other. I traced my fingers over her arm, feeling it flinch before eagerly pushing into my fingertips. I didn't bother to look for the shock from my friends.
She obediently followed my lead to the dance floor. When we faced each other, she snapped her eyes up with a suspicious look. I gave her my most seductive smile, latched my fingers onto her hips, and pulled her into me. With the sound of the thumping beat, I pushed who she was from my mind and began a slow grind with her.
When the fifth song ended, I leaned back and looked into her startled grey-blue eyes. "That was spectacular, doll. We should do this more often." My husky voice made my own skin crawl as I released her and watched her float away from me.
A hand grabbed me before I made it all the way off the dance floor. "You're dancing with me now." My friend Lauren ordered, grabbing my waist to keep me in place. I laughed at her forcefulness. She was so cute sometimes.
She gave me a wink and turned around to wiggle her tush in time with the music. My lousy mood at working over Jordan vanished as I got into the enjoyment of dancing with my friend.
When the next song turned slow, she grabbed my hands and slid them around her waist before looping her arms around my neck. When she pressed against me, she led us in a slow dance. Hmm, this is interesting.
"That was nice what you did."
I leaned back and gave her a questioning look. "What did I do?"
"You know what you did. You don't fool me, Jess."
"How much have you had to drink, L?"
"Ha-ha. Play all toughie with everyone else, but I know what you did."
I quirked my eyebrows at her. No? She couldn't actually know, could she? "Don't know what you're talking about, shug."
"Yes, you do. You made Jordan disappear so that Elise wouldn't be uncomfortable anymore. You took a woman that you don't like out on the dance floor and made her think she was the only person in the world. You're a good woman, Jessamine Ximena, even if you won't let yourself believe it." Lauren pressed closer, moving our bodies with ease. "One of these days, I'll make even you see it." She tilted up and kissed my cheek before detaching herself to walk away.
Five seconds passed before I realized the song had ended.
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
"Oh yeah! Who's that?" someone yelled above the music.
I looked over and groaned. Jordan Palow stood among the tree stumps of her friends staring at our table. More specifically Elise whose striking looks would catch anyone's attention. Jordan mistakenly believed that she was in a contest with me about who could bed more women. I'd told her that I wouldn't play along, but apparently she kept the game going all by herself.
"Hello, ladies," she smirked in a husky voice. "Who do we have here? Are you new in town?" She leered pointedly at Elise then flicked her eyes at me. "You must be seeing green, Jessie. Finally got some competition besides me and you're screwing yourself over by sitting her at your table." My eyes rolled by themselves. These games were so pointless and stupid.
"Ooh, yeah, she looks a little worried," Jordan boasted, turning to smile at her group. She refocused on Elise. "You'd make my whole year if you danced with me, hottie."
"No thanks." Elise forced a steady voice.
"Aww, come on, hottie. You won't get a better offer tonight." Jordan reached her hand out, her upturned elbow coming to rest right in front of my face.
"Will I do, doll? Let me try to make your year," my mouth offered before my brain caught up. Seduction permeated my skin, rising in waves that I'm certain everyone could see. Why was I doing this? Just because my friend and her girlfriend were overwhelmed, didn't mean I needed to step in to make things easier.
Jordan looked astonished. Other than the first time she came into the bar, we'd never danced. I didn't bother to look for the shock from my friends. I could only imagine what they were thinking. I stood up, knowing I wouldn't find any resistance. My fingers ran down to her hand so I could lead us to the dance floor. She obediently followed, her posse staring in amazement as their leader gave up control.
When we faced each other on the dance floor, she snapped her eyes to mine with a suspicious look. I gave her my most seductive smile, latched my fingers onto her hips, and pulled her into me. With the sound of the thumping beat, I pushed who she was from my mind and began a slow grind with her.
After four songs in a row, I no longer felt her body glued to mine. I didn't find any enjoyment that I was manipulating her. I didn't delight in the fact that her mouth brushed against my throat, nipping at my skin, her hands pawing my hips and ass as she gyrated against me.
When the fifth song ended, I leaned back and looked into her startled grey-blue eyes. "Did I make your year?" My husky voice made my own skin crawl. Her eyes fluttered for a moment, opening to look at mine before she smiled, satisfied. Nothing in her expression told me she knew what I'd done to her. As a master manipulator, she should be able to spot my insincerity. Instead, I watched her seemingly float away, riding a false high.
A hand grabbed me before I made it all the way off the dance floor. With a gentle tug, it twirled me back. I expected to see an angry Jordan, having finally realized what I'd been doing. Instead, I saw the angelic face of my friend Lauren, turquoise blue eyes sparkling at me.
"You're dancing with me now." She grabbed my waist to keep me from leaving. She gave me a wink and turned around to wiggle her tush in time with the music. A free spirit, that's my friend Lauren. My lousy mood at working over Jordan vanished as I got into the enjoyment of dancing with my friend.
A slow song spun next, and Lauren looped her arms around my neck and pressed against me. "That was nice what you did," she spoke into my ear.
I leaned back and gave her a questioning look. "What did I do?"
"You know what you did. You don't fool me, Jess. Play all toughie with everyone else, but I know what you did."
I quirked my eyebrows at her. No? She couldn't actually know, could she? "Don't know what you're talking about, L."
"Yes, you do. You made Jordan disappear so that Austy and Elise wouldn't be uncomfortable anymore. You took a woman that you don't like out to the dance floor and made her think she was the only person in the world. You're a good woman, Jessamine Ximena, even if you won't let yourself believe it." Lauren pressed closer, moving our bodies with ease. "One of these days, I'll make even you see it." She tilted up and kissed my cheek before detaching herself to walk away.
Five seconds passed before I realized the song had ended.
