Outrageously Yours (12 page)

“Ev—I can’t believe you’re saying these words to me. You’re the person who outlines all possible outcomes so you can manipulate any event to the results you want.”

“I’m not all-powerful,” she replied with a smile. “Jason, you seem more disappointed than I am that Max didn’t show.”

“I’m not disappointed.” He was relieved that Max hadn’t come, but the man’s treatment was rude and disrespectful toward Claire. “I don’t want your hard work to go to waste.”

“It hasn’t. If anything, it gave me a better idea of what I want out of life.”

He didn’t love the sound of that. What was she going to discard from her old life? What was going to change? He liked the way Claire used to be, but he had to admit he hadn’t done anything about it until this week. Claire had been in front of him all this time and he hadn’t taken the time to notice.

“I’ll be right back,” Claire said as she pulled away. “I want to touch base with that woman over there who can’t decide if she wants to hire me.”

Jason reluctantly let her go and frowned when he realized what she had said. Why was she still drumming up business in Woodinville if she was going to a job in LA? Did she feel as if there was still a possibility she wouldn’t get the job? It was just like Claire to cover all her bases, but she should have more faith in herself and her abilities. In the meantime, he’d believe in her when she couldn’t.

Jason circulated through the crowd, just as he had all evening. Occasionally Claire had been at his side but she had a tendency to drift away and come back. Jason wanted to clamp his hand on her hip and keep her nearby. Make his claim in the most obvious way and have every man back off. He had the bad feeling that Max was still going to come in and snatch Claire away. A few minutes later he noticed a flash of the purple dress in the corner of his eyes. Jason turned, his breath hitching in his throat as he saw Claire coming his way. She had a smile on her face as she approached. She didn’t seem to notice the crowd parting for her.

Jason’s heart thumped as they shared a smile. He couldn’t pretend anymore. He loved this woman and what they had could no longer be a fling. He wanted something that enveloped their whole lives and brought them closer.

But then his stomach gave a sharp twist of dread when he saw a man in a designer suit following Claire. The man didn’t fit in with the crowd of tech millionaires and hipster parents.
Max Blair.

Jason fought the roll of nausea. The man who was going to take Claire away from him had finally arrived.

He quietly inspected his competitor. The man was tall and lean, his curly blond hair brushed back to frame his thin face. Jason didn’t like the smirk on the guy’s narrow mouth or the supercilious arch of his brow.

“Jason, I want you to meet someone.” Claire placed her hand on his shoulder and turned to the stranger. “This is Max Blair, a colleague of mine. Max, this is Jason Strong. I do all of his social media.”

That was how she was going to introduce him? Jason’s muscles locked. He was much more than a client! His instincts were to draw Claire against his body, give her a thorough kiss and let everyone know they belonged together.

Jason stopped himself just in time. He bit his lip down as the words tingled on his tongue. He remembered the last time he had surprised Claire by changing the script. He couldn’t do that to her again. He would help Claire create whatever image she wanted, even if it meant diminishing his role in her life.

He shook Max’s hand and found the man’s grip to be crushing. Jason showed no reaction but it gave him a glimpse of Max Blair. He was aggressive and used force to take charge of any conversation or situation. Why did Claire want to work with this guy?

“Would you like a drink?” Jason asked. “We’re highlighting a merlot from our reserve label.”

“Wine from Washington State?” Max gave a theatrical shudder before flashing a smile. “But I might as well. When in Rome...”

“You haven’t had wine from this region?” Claire gave a cluck of her tongue. “You are missing out.”

“If you say so.” Max thrust his hands in his pockets and surveyed the room. “This is a nice little establishment you have here, Jason.”

He wasn’t going to get into a pissing contest with the guy. Jason was proud of the wine bar and tasting room. With Claire’s help, he had built a strong and loyal community of customers and enthusiasts. If Max didn’t take the time to see that, it wasn’t Jason’s problem. “The party is beginning to wind down. I’m sorry you missed it.”

Max gave a shrug. “It couldn’t be helped. The executives wouldn’t let me leave.” He paused when he noticed Jason’s blank look. “I presented a workshop for a multinational company in Seattle.”

Jason gave a polite nod. “Is that how you and Claire met? Presenting workshops?”

Max leaned back and gave a hearty laugh. “No, no, no. Claire isn’t at that level. The conference organizers wouldn’t recognize her name. It will be years before she’s invited to present a seminar.”

“Actually, I have been invited to be a speaker, but I’ve declined.”

Jason wanted to pump his fist in the air. He was glad to see Claire speaking up for herself. As much as he wanted to swoop in and save the day for her, he knew she would spend the night wishing she had said something.

“A conference organizer asked you to present a workshop?” Max jerked his head back.

“Yes, a social media group in LA,” she said with a serene smile. “My work has been getting a lot of buzz lately. I’ve been getting a lot of results because I emphasize storytelling instead of overwhelming the customer with ads and promotion. I’ve always believed in my methods, and now the industry is shifting to my way of thinking. The conference organizers and sponsors say that I’m a trailblazer.”

“I don’t understand,” Max said as he stared blankly at Claire. “Did someone drop out of their speaking engagement?”

“No, nothing like that.” Claire smile was steady but Jason saw her eyes flashed with annoyance. “They’ve heard good things about me and asked if I would join a few of the panels and do a workshop.”

Max’s mouth opened and closed. “Why didn’t you do it? It’s an honor.”

Jason glanced at Claire and wondered how she would respond. He knew why she’d chosen not to give the workshop without her having to tell him. The old Claire had declined because it meant getting up in front of people and being in the spotlight. It meant showing what and how much she knew about a topic. And it meant taking a risk of living out her worst nightmare. What if she had a heckling or aggressive audience member? What if a participant unintentionally stumped her with a question?

He was beginning to understand how she had anticipated the worst-case scenarios. But Claire had changed over the past week. She had been able to handle all the public events he’d taken her to with grace and poise. Did she regret letting her fears hold her back?

“I couldn’t spare the time to accept the honor,” Claire answered. “The hours I would have had to spend on preparing for the workshop would have meant hours away from my clients.”

“Claire, why didn’t you tell me?” Jason asked. “You should have gone for it. You would have been great.”

She wrinkled her nose. “You know, I think so, too.”

“I have to disagree.” Max puffed out his chest. “You two don’t know the social media crowd like I do. You think the comment section online is bad? Wait until you’re in a room with these people.”

Jason cast a glance at Max. “I can imagine.”

Claire gave him a jab with her elbow. “Jason, I notice that Meghan is getting ready to leave. She’s been complaining to the rest of the wine club about how you invited everyone on such short notice. The rest of the group wasn’t listening at first but I think the mood is shifting now.”

He sighed. Jason had to keep his customers happy, but he was more interested in keeping Claire away from Max. But he knew Claire wouldn’t let him shirk his duties. “Claire, why don’t you see if there are any appetizers left for Max? I’m sure he’ll enjoy the smoked duck tostada.”

“You offer that here?” Max asked. “Isn’t that too sophisticated for such a...rural town?”

Jason chose to ignore Max’s surprise. The man had seen only farmland and evergreen forests on the way into town and hadn’t noticed the luxurious way many of the residents lived. “I’ll be right back.”

“Max, forget the duck,” Jason heard Claire say. “You have to try the bacon brownie.”

Jason grinned. He held back a chuckle when he heard Max’s haughty reply.

Claire wouldn’t be deterred. “You simply have to. It was named after me. Inspired by me, really.”

“Why would anyone create a brownie in your honor?” the other man asked.

“Because I made my mark this week as a wild party girl. In case you haven’t noticed, Max, I’m kind of a legend around here.”

12

I
T
WAS
CLOSE
to midnight when Claire got out of her car in the Mountain Creek Wine Cellar parking lot. She wasn’t sure what had prompted her to come back here after the party. Jason hadn’t invited her back. Instead he’d given her an intense look when she had left with Max.

Claire walked to the door as a couple of employees were leaving. “Is Jason in there?” she asked.

“Yes,” one of the waiters said as he held the door open for her. “He’s always the last one to leave. We just saw him in the tasting room.”

“Thanks.” She stepped into the bar and paused as the door closed behind her. She hadn’t been here when it was empty, and most of the lights were turned off. The bar’s typical casual ambiance was now replaced with a dark, mysterious mood.

Claire quietly went up the metal stairs and headed to the tasting room. She stopped in the doorway when she saw Jason. His white shirt almost glowed in the shadows. He was in the far corner, sitting in one of the dark wooden chairs and looking out the windows that faced the evergreen trees. His shoulders were slumped, his head bent and his legs sprawled out in front of him. A full wineglass dangled precariously from his fingertips.

It was as if all of the energy and optimism had been drained from him. She couldn’t remember seeing him like this before. His defeated stance pulled at her. She had the urgent need to take care of him and restore his easy smile.

“Jason?” she said softly.

She saw him tense and there was a shift in the atmosphere before he glanced up. His expression was fierce as his gaze ensnared hers. “What are you doing here, Claire? Did you forget something?”

“No, I came back for you,” she explained as she walked toward him.

“I thought you left with Max. Did he offer you the job?”

“Not yet. He got a little tipsy and I didn’t want him to drive.” She now stood before Jason. Claire ached for him to reach for her but he didn’t move.

Jason frowned. “He had only been here for a half an hour. I swore he didn’t have more than two glasses.”

“I think he had a few drinks before he came here. I drove him to his hotel and his rental car was still in the parking lot.”

“How did you get him to surrender his keys?” he asked with a small smile.

“I can be very persuasive.” Claire decided to go for broke and sat on his lap. It felt like an intimate gesture that girlfriends and wives did instead of casual lovers. Satisfaction trilled up her spine when he curled his arm around her waist. “Jason, what are you doing here sitting in the dark?”

“It’s hard to explain,” he said softly as he ducked his head. “The party went well but I felt empty afterward.”

“Why do you think that is?” Claire cupped his face with her hands.

“I’m not sure, but I’m feeling better already,” he decided.

“Do you sit in silence after every party? It doesn’t sound like you.” She was the one who needed to be alone to recharge. Jason was the kind of person who got energized when he was around crowds.

“First time,” he admitted as he absently stroked her bare back. She shifted as her skin tingled.

“You are usually a whirlwind of energy. You have ideas colliding with each other. Last month we were at an event right in this tasting room and you started telling me what you wanted to do at the next event.” She chuckled lightly. “I was ready to do an intervention.”

His hand paused at the small of her back. “This will be my last party for a while.”

“Why?” His serious tone gave her a moment of worry. “As far as I’m concerned, the party was a success.”

“It was, but I was thinking about what you said.” He leaned to the side to set down his wineglass. “I’ve been restless and bored. I kept creating events and projects to distract myself.”

He had kept himself overscheduled and directed his creativity to the wine bar so he wouldn’t feel the loss of not following his dream. But the emptiness crept in at moments like these. “Are you sure you want to take a break?”

“Sure. What’s the worst that could happen?”

The worst? The emptiness could consume him. He could lose his competitive edge over the tasting rooms that lined the street. “Well...”

He pressed his fingers against her lips. “Don’t tell me. Anyway, I’m going to need all that time when I go to culinary school.”

“That’s the spirit. What are you going to do until the next semester? Won’t the boredom get worse?”

He held her chin with his fingertips. “I don’t feel bored or restless anymore. You cured me.”

She pulled away in surprise. “I did? How?”

“Because of who you are,” he murmured as he rubbed her back with his other hand. The motions did little to soothe her. Instead it made her aware of the pulsating ache low in her belly. “You are a constant surprise. I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface.”

Claire bit her lip as she gazed into his eyes. She wanted to know if this meant he was ready to continue the fling. The way he spoke made it sound as if he wanted more. Something longer. Something permanent.

She realized she was getting ahead of herself, but the need to ask burned inside her. She parted her lips and stopped. He had seemed vulnerable a few moments ago. This was not the time to press him.

“I couldn’t stop looking at you tonight,” he confessed as he trailed his fingers down the curve of her throat. “I wanted to drag you to the bathroom and mess up your hair.”

She smiled as she remembered the night he’d done exactly that. “Go ahead.” Her voice was husky.

“Take down your hair for me, Claire.”

She reached up, her arms feeling heavy and awkward as she unpinned the knot. Claire dropped the pins on the floor, one by one. The sound of the metal hitting the wood floor was loud as her hair gradually fell past her shoulders.

Jason dragged his fingers through her blond tresses. She felt the weight of his hand as he smoothed her hair. His fingertips massaged her head before gliding down the back of her neck. She was ready for him to circle his fingers all over her body. Her chest and her nipples...her stomach and her clitoris... Claire closed her eyes as her core tightened with anticipation.

“You drove me crazy all night with that dress,” he whispered.

“This little thing?” she asked hoarsely. “What’s wrong with it?”

“I kept imagining what it would be like to take it off you.”

She had imagined just that when she bought the dress. Had waited throughout the night for him to make a mischievous move. Each time she’d been curled against his side, she had hoped he would brush his fingers along the side of her breast. But he had been a perfect gentleman.

Claire’s heart pounded as she reached up and unhooked the halter top. Jason watched as she allowed the purple silk to fall to her waist. “Is this better?”

“Much.” His voice sounded strangled as he palmed her naked breasts. She arched and swallowed a moan as he caressed her with the lightest of touches.

Claire watched his face as he played with her curves. He treated her with reverence, as if she was a piece of art. He leaned forward and captured her nipple with his mouth. Her gasp rang in the room as he teased her with his teeth and tongue.

Jason’s touch was unpredictable and she loved not knowing what would happen next. He was tender one moment and rough the next. He bit down on her nipple and then soothed it with the flat of his tongue. Claire hissed as the pleasure took a painful edge before exploding into an intense sensation.

Jason reluctantly pulled away. “We should leave.” He rubbed the pad of his thumb against her tight nipple. “Before we can’t stop.”

“What’s wrong with here?” Claire asked as he made her stand. She was surprisingly light-headed as her legs wobbled. Her muscles ached as the lust coiled tight in her pelvis. “No one is here. No one can see us.”

“I can’t hide you if anyone walks in.”

Claire smiled at his protective gesture. “They won’t. Sit back, Jason,” she ordered gently as she shimmied out of her dress. She felt his hot gaze on her as the silk pooled at her feet. She stood before him with just her heels on. The mesmerized look on Jason’s face made her feel a bit wicked and powerful.

She straddled his legs and linked her arms over his shoulders. Jason immediately clamped his hands on her hips. She rocked against his impressive erection and heard the groan rumble in his chest. Claire held the back of his head and gave him a deep kiss.

She couldn’t get enough of his mouth. The man could kiss her breathless. Her world narrowed to only him as he coaxed the pleasure from her with his hands. He knew when to caress her breast and when to squeeze her ass. One moment he would give a shallow thrust and the next he would hold her still as she rubbed against him.

When he finally had enough teasing, Jason slid his fingers along the wet folds of her sex before he dipped his fingers into her core. Her flesh gripped him tightly as he pumped inside her. Claire groaned as a climax rippled through her body.

Her hands were still shaking as she fumbled for his belt buckle. Her eagerness made her clumsy. Jason unzipped his pants carefully and lifted his hips. He pushed his clothes down and revealed his thick cock.

Claire grasped his erection with both hands and shivered at the touch. He was hot, strong and powerful. She licked her lips as she considered kneeling on the floor between his legs and taking him in her mouth. No, not this time. She needed to have Jason thrust deep inside her.

She was dimly aware of Jason hunting for his wallet as she stroked his cock. He was so responsive to her touch. Jason tossed his head back and groaned when she gave a light squeeze. His hands bumped against hers as she took the condom from him and slowly glided it onto his cock.

Claire stared at Jason as he held himself back from driving into her right then. He was the picture of masculine beauty. His eyes were shut and his chest rose and fell with each ragged breath. She lowered her gaze to his unbuttoned shirt exposing his lean, muscular chest. His thighs flexed under her as she guided his cock between her legs.

Jason’s hands gripped her thighs as she lowered herself onto him. She exhaled slowly as he stretched and filled her. Her skin was hot and tight, her heart pounding wildly, as she began to buck and swivel her hips.

She quickly found a relentless rhythm and moaned as the desire unfurled inside her. Claire dug her fingers into his shoulders, encouraging him to join her as they chased the pleasure. Her breath caught in her throat as Jason slid his hand between them and pressed against her slick clitoris.

Bright, wild colors stormed through her and she matched his hard thrusts. She felt Jason tense underneath her. He gave a long push inside her before he found his release. His guttural moan echoed in her ears as the white-hot climax ripped through her.

Claire tumbled forward and burrowed her head against his shoulder. As she gulped for air, inhaling his scent, she knew she didn’t want this fling to end. She hoped that this was just the beginning.

* * *

T
HE
NEXT
AFTERNOON
one of the waiters found Jason in the kitchen at Mountain Creek Wine Cellars. “Jason, there’s a customer who wants to talk to you.”

He glanced up from his clipboard and looked at the younger man standing at the door. “Who is it, Ramon?”

The waiter shrugged. “Never seen him before.”

So it wasn’t a local or a frequent customer. “What does he want?”

“He didn’t say.” Ramon rolled his eyes. “But he’s delivered one sarcastic comment after another since I’ve served him.”

Jason stepped out of the kitchen and surveyed the wine bar. All of the tables and bar stools were occupied since it was a Saturday afternoon. “Which one is he?”

The waiter pointed at the small table in the corner. Jason saw the back of the man’s head and instantly recognized the blond curly hair. He twisted his lips with annoyance. It was Max Blair. What was he doing here?

“You know him?” Ramon asked as he watched Jason’s expression.

“Unfortunately,” he muttered as he set down his clipboard. “Nothing is good enough for this guy.”

“Okay, so it’s not just me.” The waiter gave a sigh of relief.

Jason grinned and gave Ramon a pat on his shoulder before he walked to Max’s table. He knew what the waiter had dealt with. Last night Max had been disparaging about almost everything he had seen. The wine, the tasting room and the party. Jason had no idea why Claire tolerated it. Did she want a glamorous job so much that she was willing to put up with Max as her boss?

“Jason!” Max smiled when he approached the table and raised his wineglass in salute. “I must compliment you on your appetizers. The tuna and caviar on a fried wonton is a revelation.”

“Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it.” He took a step back, ready to leave.

“Please join me.” Max gestured at the chair across the table. “I have a meeting with Claire soon but I wanted to talk to you first.”

Jason knew he could come up with an excuse but he sensed that Max had something more to say. Was it about Claire? It would gnaw on him unless he found out immediately. Jason sat down and rested his forearms on the table. “What’s up?”

“You know, I didn’t expect to get food like this in the...” Max gestured at the evergreen trees outside the window “...wilderness. Where did you get this idea? France? Italy?”

A sushi food truck in Seattle
. Jason had the sense that Max would not appreciate the truth, though, and he chose not to reveal his inspiration. “The chef and I get our influences everywhere.” Jason had been driven to create the flavors in an elegant appetizer, but no matter how much he had played with the idea, he couldn’t make it work. His lack of training and experience had held him back. Once he had asked for help from the chef, the two had created a perennial favorite for the wine bar.

Jason’s eyes narrowed when he studied the wineglass in Max’s hands. It was wider and shorter than the wineglass they usually used to serve the Riesling they paired with the tuna. “Are you drinking the chardonnay?”

“Yes, it’s good for a Washington wine. Your waiter had some other ideas but I knew the Chardonnay would be better with fish.” Max gave him a look of long-suffering. “It’s a classic pairing. Everyone should realize that.”