Alluring Seduction (Bayou Stix) (24 page)

She sighs, but then looks right at me. “Yes. I’ve probably loved you since I first saw you, Jessie. I’m sorry…” She tries to pull her hands away, but I hold them tight. “I didn’t mean to say it, but I did mean it. I do mean it. I need to learn impulse control. I… I’m…”

Kissing her shuts her up. Looking right into her eyes, I say what I’ve been feeling and been too scared to confess. “Blue, shut up. Let me talk.” She frowns but stays silent. “I knew as soon as I touched you in the elevator that something was different with you. I’ve felt things for you for years, but I didn’t know what it was. And we were always at each other’s throats. You make me feel shit I’ve never felt before. I asked you to move in with me. I’m going to buy this house with
you…
for
us
… I might be slow, but I’m not stupid, woman. I love you, too!”

Her gorgeous blue eyes fill with shock and tears and she grabs my face and almost knocks me off of the bench as she launches herself at me. “You love me?
You
love
me?!
Are you sure?”

Laughing, I wipe her tears and kiss her again. Then getting serious again, I state firmly, “Yes, I love you. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. But now, how about we buy this house so we can get rid of the agent?!”

She smiles so brightly the sun dims. “Of course. That is a brilliant idea!”

Blue

Jessie loves me. We bought a house. Jessie LOVES me. We’re going out tonight to see his friend play after spending the whole afternoon signing paperwork. This is so fast, but it feels so right. I am so happy. Nothing can rain on my parade right now. Now, I need to get ready for our date. Jessie Adams is ALL mine. Life is good.

I walk out into the living room of the place Alec rented for the weekend to find Jessie texting Jude.

He stops when he hears me and looks up. I’m wearing skin-tight teal skinny jeans with black booties and a black scooped neck top. I’ve done my eyes up in a vibrant teal eye shadow and left the rest of my face neutral with pink lip gloss on my mouth. My hair is sexily styled and I have on shoulder length silver dangly earrings.

I can tell he appreciates the view as he blinks and takes in my appearance with his mouth slack. What a way to make a woman feel sexy. He twirls his finger to have me turn around. I do.

He groans. “You are too sexy for your own good. Dear God, please don’t let another man touch you tonight, or I’ll go to jail.”

Chuckling, I saunter over to him. Jessie makes me feel so sexy. I’m not nearly as self-conscious of my curves when he looks at me like he’s looking at me now. Wrapping my arms around his neck and leaning my head back, I whisper, “No one else gets to touch.” I love that even with me wearing heels, he’s still a tiny bit taller than me. His hands snake under the hem of my shirt and he stops with startled eyes as he feels the boning on my waist. He attempts to pull my shirt up to see what I have waiting for him later tonight. Shaking my finger at him, I chuckle. “No. You have to wait until later to unwrap your present. I spent too much time to look like this to stay in.” Laughing, I untangle myself from his arms. He’s trying to grab me and pull me back. “No, what are you wearing, I need to see
now.
What
is
that?”

Patting his cheek, I reply “A corset.” His eyes bug out and his mouth drops open as I turn on my heel and call over my shoulder as I walk to the door, “You coming? We’re going to be late.”

His eyes are on my ass the entire time, though his mouth is still agape. I can’t wait to see if Bradi is right about my purchase. I’m pretty pleased with his response without even seeing it on me.
Right on Bradi.

Muttering under his breath as he adjusts the bulge in his jeans, “She’s trying to make me insane. I swear I’m going to kill someone tonight if they even look too long. Damn woman is making me nuts!” He grabs his keys and slips his leather jacket over his shirt.

Giggling in delight, I walk out the door.

Jessie

A
s Blue and I walk through the doors of The Rusty Nail, my eyes cut through the smoke and low lights and I see Rich is already on stage. I’ve been promising him to catch a show, but until now, it hasn’t been possible. She takes a look around the bar, taking everything in. I love the atmosphere of the bars in New Orleans. I love the town of New Orleans. I love how at any given time a celebrity can be sitting by a local at the bar or tapping their feet to the band on the stage and everyone is just hanging out.

The Rusty Nail is a favorite of mine. The wood paneled walls with the long bar and the stage in the corner gives a warm, welcoming feel while still being hip. Personal photos are behind the bar, on the walls, next to the taps and liqueur bottles. It’s an amazing representation of NOLA and I’m glad I brought Blue here. Grabbing a table in the corner, I sit her down. Leaning in I ask, “What do you want to drink?”

She looks at me with glee-filled eyes and responds, “Whatever. Something good.” She winks. Shaking my head I head to the bar to get our drinks and order beers for the band.

The bartender is another friend of mine and we’ve spent some time together in the past. She’s a badass, but a killer mixologist. She meets my eyes as she mixes our drinks, before looking back down. “So, Jessie. This is the first time you’ve brought a woman like that in here. Who is she?”

I smile at her teasing tone. “That would be Blue Delaney. My girlfriend.” I chuckle as she loses her grip on the bottle of liquor and almost drops it. She sets it on the bar and leans into me.

“Your
girlfriend
?” She asks.

Winking at her, I shrug. “Yeah, my girlfriend. As in I’m a one woman man now. Who the fuck would have thought that one out, huh, Kari?”

She whistles and grins at me. “Who indeed?! Happy for you, Cha.” She looks over my shoulder and her grin widens. “That one looks like she has some fire in her. I bet she keeps you on your toes.” Leaning over, she kisses my cheek. She mutters as she gets back to the drinks, “Jessie Adams off the market. Women around the world are crying.”

We chat a bit more and then she slides me the drinks and heads to the stage to personally deliver Rich’s drink after declaring our first round “On the house.”

Blue is watching me as I get back to the table with a slight frown on her face. I set her drink in front of her and she looks at it. “What is that?”

Smirking, I take a sip of my own. “The Rusty. It’s their signature drink. Taste it.”

She takes a small sip. She nods her head to show she likes it, but then pierces me with her blue gaze. “Who was that woman who kissed you? I’m not trying to be jealous, but a beautiful woman just kissed you. I’d like to know who exactly that was.”

I laugh. She glares at me and crosses her arms. Leaning over the table, I grab her face and kiss her. She looks at me with arched brows when I pull away. She wants an answer.

Well shit, I guess this is it. Damn, I’ve been with a lot of women. I didn’t really think this through. Here goes nothing.

Sighing, I press my palms to the table, but meet her gaze. “That’s Kari. A friend. I’ve known her a long time. We’ve only ever been friends. She was kissing me because I told her you were my girlfriend and she was surprised and happy for me.”

“Have you had sex with her?” She boldly asks while holding my gaze.

Shifting uncomfortably, I squeeze the table. “Well, yes. A few times. But it was just us having sex.” My foot is tapping rapidly under the table and my stomach is in knots. Why is telling Blue things she already knows so hard?! “Don’t get mad, but kind of like you and Jude.”

She gasps and her lips compress into a solid line before she releases her breath and bites her lip. “Direct hit. Ok. I believe you.” She traces the top of her glass and looks at me under her lashes. “Jessie?”

I’m staring at her, holding my breath. “Yeah?”

“Does that bother you?” Her breath catches and I see her wipe her palms on her pants leg. “Me – that we – that I’ve had sex with Jude?”

Blowing out a breath and taking a long drink from my glass before placing it back on the table, I reply, “I don’t like it. But, that was a long time ago and I know that you two have only ever been friends. I can’t say anything to you about who you’ve been with. Hell, look at me. You know I’m a ‘manwhore’ and you still want to be with me. And you haven’t been with a fraction of, ugh… of what I have.” I grab my nape and squeeze while pulling my lip ring into my mouth.

“You
were
a ‘manwhore’. You aren’t anymore.” She leans over the table and I’m distracted by the lush breasts on display directly in my line of vision. I look up and catch the smirk on her face before she crashes her lips into mine.

Whoa.

Once I can think again, I adjust my jeans and shake my head at her. “I swear you’re a witch. If I didn’t know better I’d think you put the voodoo juju on me.”

She laughs heartily and sits back down with her drink. “When in New Orleans…” Tipping her glass to me, she takes a sip.

I catch the look shot at me from the stage and smile and shrug while raising my glass.

They play for about another half an hour, then stop for a break. I ask Blue if she’d like to head out to the courtyard to get some air. She says yes and we head outside.

“Wow, Jessie. This place is great. I’ve been to clubs all over the world and this bar is amazing. I love the ambiance. It’s almost like another world. I see why you wanted a house here. And to think, this was just over an hour from you growing up.”

She’s rambling. Why is she nervous?

I pull out a chair and straddle it as she takes a seat at one of the bistro tables. “Yeah. It’s pretty great. I love it here. The sights, the sounds, the smells.” At her look, I laugh. “Ok, not
all
of the smells. Piss and vomit on the streets during Mardi Gras I can probably do without.” The look of revulsion on her face cracks me up. “I love that you can walk through so much culture and history here and the abundance of some of the best musicians in the world is unimaginable. It’s so culturally diverse and has so many different cultures woven into one. It’s so unique. So New Orleans.” I look around me and smile. I really do love it here.

“Why do you say it like that?” She asks curiously.

“What? Say what like that?” I’m lost. What did I say?

“You say it like its one word. It flows together. You say
Nawlins
. Isn’t it New Orleans?”

Chuckling, I answer. “Only to tourists.”

“Oh, well I need you to teach me how to say it correctly.” She smiles the smile that makes my knees give out. Thank God I’m sitting down already. I nod at her as she says, “I don’t want to sound like a tourist.”

We hear the amusement in his voice as another chair is pulled out. “Don’t let Jessie fool you. He’s a tourist too.” He sits down and turns to Blue. “Rich Collins. And you are?”

Blue laughs. “Blue Delaney. Nice to meet you.” Smiling at him, she says, “I loved your music back there. You’re very rock with a jazz and soul undertone. You kind of remind me of Trent Reznor too, but you’re original. I enjoyed it.”

He grins and shakes my hand. “Thank you little lady. Quite a compliment. I’m glad you liked it. So, who are
you
to this guy?”

Shaking my head, I mutter, “Subtle, Rich. Real subtle.” But, I wait for Blue to answer him.

She looks at me with an arched brow, I shrug back, and she smiles. “I’m his girlfriend.”

Rich chokes on his beer. Slapping him on the back and hitting my knee I laugh. “You ok there, man? Don’t die. Your wife will kill me if you leave her with all those kids!”

Grabbing my arm, he laughs again. “I’m good. You just shocked me. His girlfriend… Seriously,
this beautiful woman
is your girlfriend?” He looks back at Blue with amusement. “Do you actually know him?” He jerks his head at me. Asshole.

Laughing so hard she has to grab her stomach, she answers him. “I do. I have for a long time. Though until recently all I wanted to do was punch him in the face.” She snorts. How the hell is even that sexy?