Southern Admirer (Southern Loving Book 2)

Southern Admirer

Ava Thorn

2014 © Ava
Thorn

All Rights
Reserved

Prologue

Nine Months Earlier

Shane sat at the bar alone trying to nurse his
sorrows, he groaned when his cousin’s country song played over the jukebox.
“Girl Don’t Leave Me.” The last thing Shane wanted to hear was another country
love song, even if it was his cousin’s song. He finished his whiskey and gasped
as the warm liquor went down his throat. Today was the one-year anniversary
marking the date his sweet, vivacious wife was killed in a car accident. He
never thought his high school sweetheart and wife of sixteen years would be
gone in a blink of an eye.

“Another one….Billy,” Shane said, pushing his
glass toward the bartender.

“Maybe you should call it quits,” Billy said,
looking at Shane.

 Everyone in the small town of McKinney,
Texas, knew Shane and Sarah. This was the place they were born and raised. They
both had high hopes that one day they would eventually have children and raise
them in McKinney; a town that was full of old, small city charm with tree-lined
streets.

“If I wanted your opinion I would’ve asked for
it,” Shame grumbled and pushed the glass further toward Billy.

Billy had already confiscated his truck keys.
Shane’s eyes were bloodshot, not to mention his brown hair was ruffled on top
of his head. He looked a mess and was already on his third glass of Jack
Daniel’s and Coke.

“I’m fine,” Shane said through clenched teeth.

“You don’t look fine,” a soft feminine voice said
from behind. Shane turned around on the barstool, his eyes connecting with a
pair of brown ones. Jasmine St. Clair was his partner, Benjamin’s, baby sister.

The last time he’d seen Jasmine was four years ago
when she was graduating from high school. He’d been told she’d graduated from
college with a degree in communications. Where was the girl who ran around
wearing braces on her teeth? His eyes roamed over her fully developed body, her
rich mocha skin appeared to be soft, and there was no more childhood acne on
her pretty face. She tucked a curly strand of hair behind her ear.

Shane didn’t know he was staring until Jasmine
laughed uneasily at him. “I don’t need a babysitter,” he grumbled. Turning
around, he started drinking the remainder of his liquor.

“I think you’re too old for a babysitter,” she
laughed, and plopped down beside him on another barstool.

“Jazz,” he warned. Shane forgot how annoying and a
smart- ass she could be. “Are you even old enough to be in here?” he asked,
looking at a fully grown up woman.

“Yep,” she smirked. “Last time I checked I’m
twenty-four years old and that means I’m old enough to drink if I want.”

He watched as she picked a few peanuts out of his
bowl. “I don’t need a baby to babysit me,” he slurred.

“Whatever,” she shrugged. Jazz caught Shane’s
truck keys that Billy tossed to her.

Shane rolled his eyes. He was now stuck with his
partner’s baby sister of all people. He remembered how she used to make goo-goo
eyes at him. Even Benjamin used to tease him how Jazz had a crush on him.

“I thought you moved to Colorado, shouldn’t you be
there right now, getting on your editor’s nerves or something?” he asked.

Jazz’s silky laughter filled the bar that was full
of off-duty National Guards, police and firefighters. He saw how some of them
were looking at her like she was a dessert that they needed to sample before
the end of the night.

“Negative,” she laughed. “I’m thinking about
moving back home.”

“Harrumph.” Was all that came from Shane as he
continued to nurse his sorrows.

“Come on, let’s go,” Jazz said as she checked her
watch.

“I’m not ready to go,” he said.

“Fine.” She looked down the bar at Billy serving
another patron. “Can I have a Sprite?” she asked.

“Sure, Jazz,” Billy smiled.

Jazz sat on the stool next to Texas Ranger, Shane
McBride. She’d a crush on him since she was sixteen years old. Today was the
anniversary of his wife, Sarah’s, death. Jazz remember the heart break that
Shane was going through vividly, everyone in their tight circle thought he wasn’t
going to make it, especially her. When her brother begged her to take care of
Shane for the night, she didn’t hesitate, especially since it was Benjamin and
Stacy’s first night out since having the twins.

“You can leave,” he grumbled.

“I’m good, stop worrying about me,” she said. “I’m
going to put something on besides the sad songs that are playing.”

“Do what you want,” he said, and drank a little
more of his liquor.

Jazz shrugged and walked over to the jukebox. She
tapped her finger on the glass case, looking for a song to play. Nothing was
worth playing in the old bar.

“Would you like to take a spin on the dance
floor?” a southern baritone voice asked from behind.

Jazz turn around, she stared into a pair of hard
cold green eyes, the man was chubby but a handsome guy with blonde hair. And he
reeked of booze. “I’m sorry, but I’m here with someone,” she said, trying to
sidestep him.

“I would really like to dance with you,” he
slurred. He reached up and touched a tendril of her hair.

Shane was racking his brain trying to find a way
to get rid of Jasmine. He looked over to the jukebox where Jazz appeared to be
talking down some big burly looking guy. Shane strained his ears to hear their
conversation.

“Dance with me baby,” the man said, leaning all
over Jazz.

“I don’t want to dance,” Jasmine said, snatching
her arm around from her admirer.

“Leave her alone,” Shane said, standing up and
approaching them.

“Or you going to do what?” the man sneered.

“I’m ready to go,” Jasmine said, stepping between
the guys. She looked Shane squarely in his eyes. “Please.” The last thing she
needed was for a fist fight to break out in the middle of the bar.

“You’re lucky, boy.” Shane stared the man up and
down. “She just saved you from an ass whooping.”

Jasmine started to pull Shane toward the exit. She
prayed that they could escape the bar without incident. Her eyes glanced over
to Billy, who was standing behind the bar with a wooden bat in his hands.

“Whenever you’re ready. Your mouth’s writing a
check your ass can’t cash. Why don’t you come back to see me?” the man spat.

Jasmine grabbed Shane’s hands, when he tried to
push her aside to go attack the rude man. She didn’t have a doubt that Shane
could take the man, even if he was drinking. “Let’s go!” she shouted, pulling
him towards the door.

***

Driving down the interstate at night, Jasmine
rolled down the window to get the stale smell of Jack Daniel’s out the truck.
She reached over to change the radio station only to receive a grunt from
Shane.

“Okay fine.” She rolled her eyes and placed her
hand back on the wheel. “Are we going to the ranch?”

“No, I need to be close to my wife,” he mumbled.

“I think the McBride ranch would be better for
you.”

“Don’t tell me what you think is better for me.”
Shane’s face became red, his fists balled up.

“I don’t want you being alone and lonely,” Jasmine
said softly. She looked over at Shane, but he stared out the window in silence.
She always thought that after a year, the grieving gets a little better, but
how silly was she for thinking at way. Shane haven’t reached some type of
milestone after his wife’s passing, it seemed like the anniversary of Sarah’s
death hadn’t changed anything.

“I’m not alone,” he slurred.

“You have to adjust, Shane. You need to learn to
survive,” Jasmine said. As soon as the words left her mouth she wished she
could take it back. She graduated from Texas Southern with degree in
journalism. But Jasmine knew better than to give unsolicited advice to of all
people, Shane McBride.

“Pull the fuck over,” he yelled.

“No,” she said, ignoring his request. They were
ten minutes away from Shane’s house. She wondered why he wanted to go back to
the house, which he haven’t set foot in since Sarah died. Benjamin told her
that the house was basically empty with the exception of a few empty boxes.

“You don’t know shit,” he said through clenched
teeth.

Jasmine nodded her head. “I’m sorry,” she said.

Ten minutes later they pulled up to a beautiful
brick two-story house in a quiet subdivision. Jasmine parked the truck and
turned the engine off. They both sat there in the truck in silence, looking at
the house.

“Do you want to leave?” she asked, when they
continued to sit in the truck after twenty minutes.

Shane opened the truck door and stumbled. She
watched as he staggered up to the house. Jasmine sighed and stepped out the
truck, and followed the same path Shane had traveled. The door to the house was
open, the lights were off. She touched the light switch and tried to flicker on
the lights but nothing happened. Jasmine groaned, she was afraid of the dark, a
phobia that she’d never gotten over since she was a young child. Turning the
flashlight on her iPhone, she walked through the house.

“Shane,” Jasmine called out. Her voice was shaky
with fear. Damn him for wanting to come back here, she said to herself.
“Shane….please answer me.”

“Go home, Jazz!” he yelled.

He didn’t have to tell her again to leave, Jasmine
was almost out the door when she heard his sobs. Stopping dead in her tracks,
she turned around, using the flashlights she follows the sounds of his cries.
Walking up the stairs, Jasmine stopped at the bedroom, opening the door slowly,
she saw him laying bed, the only source of light was coming from the street
lamp outside.

“Shane.” Turning off the flashlight, she went
toward him and sat on the bed. “Please don’t cry.” Jasmine ran her hand through
his hair.

“I miss her,” he cried. “I’m forgetting how she
laughed and how sweet her voice was.”

“Shane, please don’t cry,” she whispered. Jasmine didn’t
know how to comfort him; she kicked off her shoes and crawled into bed next to
him. “I’m right here.”

“Don’t leave me,” he said, turning around, pulling
her into his arms.

“I won’t,” she promised. Shane hugged tightly.
Jasmine wanted to be the friend that he desperately needed. She didn’t know
what to say to him. His eyes were filled with tears, sobs shook his back.
Jasmine only knew Shane to be this strong man who rarely showed emotions. She
couldn’t stand the sound of his cries. “I’m sorry you’re hurting,” she
whispered.

Shane face was buried in her breasts. “The pain is
killing me, why don’t it just fade away after a year? It’s my fault she’s in
the ground.”

Jasmine cupped his face in her hands, looking directly
in his eyes. “It’s not your fault,” she told him. “Blame him for drinking and
driving, but don’t ever blame yourself.”

“I’m so alone, Jazz. I don’t have anyone anymore,”
he said.

“You have me,” she whispered. Their bodies were
close together, Jasmine stroked the back of his head, and she could smell Jack
Daniel’s on his breath. She kissed the side of his cheek. Before she knew what
was happening, her lips were devouring his mouth. Was it always hot in the
house? The heat between them sizzled, her body was throbbing from his close
contact.

Shane couldn’t stop himself with Jasmine. Desire
rushed through him like a storm surge. Her kisses were sweet and soft. Jasmine
held him like she was never going to let him go. She whispered comforting words
in his ear. How strange was it that they were taking a new path tonight? God,
he couldn’t stop himself even if he wanted.

Jasmine wrapped her arms around his neck and
eagerly returned his kisses, grinding her body against his. His lips were warm
and sweet against hers. His tongue teased hers, and she savored his taste and
feel on her mouth. Shane’s tongue encouraged her to open her mouth for him, and
she complied, his tongue seeking out hers. She loved the way his tongue felt,
warm and moist.

Shane deepened the kiss. His body covered
Jasmine’s body. He thrust against her to show her how hard he was. When his
hands brushed against her breast, he felt her shiver beneath him. She dragged
her lips from his and planted kisses on the column of his neck. Shane groaned when
Jasmine warm mouth nibbled on his ears.

There were no words spoken between them, their
eyes and judgment were clouded with desire. Shane undressed her quickly,
kissing each part of her body. His mouth lingered on her breasts, sucking and
licking until Jasmine swore she would climax just from his mouth. Jazz laid
there and watched him undress, Shane’s body was beautiful with broad shoulders,
flat abs, and narrow hips. She licked her lips when she got a glimpse of his
large, thick cock with a bulging pink head.

Shane slipped between her thighs, rubbed his shaft
against her pussy, and Jasmine moaned when his fingers slid between her folds
to massage her clit.

Jasmine was hungry for him, she couldn’t contain
her excitement as she squirmed beneath him. He pushed the massive head into her
aching wetness. She moaned and shuddered and nearly came when he deliver two
quick pumps.