Take This Man (17 page)

She
and Jason chatted, trading quips back and forth. She might not remember it
later but at the time, in Elyse’s alcohol-induced haze, it all seemed like
marvelously witty banter. Adam was mostly silent, sitting with arms folded
across his chest, watching the two of them impassively.

Suddenly
the playful atmosphere changed when Adam abruptly announced, “Elyse thinks you’re
hot.”

Blushing,
Elyse shushed him. “Adam!”

“What?
That’s what you said, isn’t it?”

She
rolled her eyes at Jason, but couldn’t stifle a giggle. “I don’t know what’s
gotten into him—”

Jason
smiled. “You mean you don’t think I’m hot?”

She
turned even redder. “Well, sure, but—you know, we were just—”

“We
were playing a game,” Adam said. “Weren’t we, Elyse? And you said you’d do him
in a minute.”

“Adammm…”
Elyse heard herself give another silly giggle. “Stop it.”

“It’s
all right,” Jason told her in a mild voice. “I’m flattered.”

“Sure,”
Adam added. “What red-blooded man wouldn’t be flattered by some hot chick
wanting to do him?”

“What
red-blooded man indeed?” Jason echoed, wearing a polite smile that never
reached his eyes.

Elyse
looked at Adam in confusion, her smile wavering. “What are you doing?”

“Just
talking, that’s all. Playing. You like to play, baby. We’ve played lots of
games before.”

“Not
like this.” She glanced uneasily at Jason, who sat in the armchair, unmoving.

“It’s
a new game,” Adam told her. “Are you up for it?”

There
it was. He’d thrown down the gauntlet. He was testing her, as he’d done so many
times before. How far was she prepared to go for him?

But
he wouldn’t let it go too far, Elyse knew. He loved her, even if he wasn’t yet
ready to tell her so.

She
licked her dry lips, nervous all the same. “What are you suggesting?”

“You
think Jase is hot. I’d like to see you kiss him.”

Elyse’s
gaze bounced to Jason and rebounded to Adam. Her mouth was as dry as dust.

“Say,
Jase,” Adam said. “Would you like to kiss Elyse?”

Jason
nodded once. “I’d enjoy it very much.”

Adam
gave a little wave of his hand, giving Jason the go-ahead. Jason stood and took
the few steps to the bed. Elyse looked at Jason, then at Adam in confusion. She
gave a small nervous laugh. Jason sat on the edge of the bed, on top of the
ugly orange bedspread.

“Elyse?”
he spoke politely, asking her permission.

She
glanced again at Adam, her heart bumping painfully against her ribs. Did he
really want this?

His
face was as stiff as a mask. “Go ahead,” he murmured.

Still
gazing at Adam, Elyse edged toward Jason. When she turned her head, he was so
close they almost bumped noses. He pressed his lips, soft and warm, to hers. It
was a nice kiss, but almost chaste. Jason’s lips were dry, and he made no
attempt to breach her mouth.

She
looked back at Adam. She’d done what he wanted. Surely that was enough. He
wouldn’t want her to go any farther.

Adam
gave a tsk of annoyance. “You call that a kiss? Come on, Jase, you can do
better than that.”

Jason’s
mouth curved in a small smile. He took no offense and simply answered “Maybe
you should show me how it’s done.”

“Bet
your ass.” Adam strode over to Elyse’s other side and pulled her close,
crushing her against him and closing his mouth on hers. His tongue stabbed
between her lips, and invaded her mouth so deeply she literally could not
breathe. The taste of beer almost made her gag.

Elyse
dug her fingers into his arms, and wrenched her face away from his. Dragging
air into her lungs, she blinked at him in bewilderment, her mind screaming at
her to run out the door. Her body trembled, as though preparing for that run.

But
Adam must have misunderstood her trembling, mistaken it for arousal rather than
fear. “Now that’s how you kiss a woman, Devereaux.”

“I
stand corrected.” Jason’s tone was mild. Polite, as he’d been all evening, but
with an emptiness in his eyes.

“Now
try it again,” Adam said.

Jason
turned her toward him and kissed her again, his lips gentle against hers, his
tongue skimming the seam of her mouth.

As
he did, she felt Adam’s hand sneak to her thigh and gently caress it, inching
higher and higher. Elyse gasped, and at her quickly indrawn breath, Jason
slipped his tongue between her lips, stroking her own tongue softly. He tasted
of whiskey.

His
kiss was proficient, but Elyse could tell his heart wasn’t in it.

Adam’s
breath wafted through her hair, and his voice was hoarse when he spoke next. “Touch
her. Touch her here.” He lifted his hand to palm Elyse’s breast and tweak her
nipple, and she felt a twang in her pussy. Her body had turned traitor, and
didn’t care about her befuddled brain.

Before
Jason touched her, she said “Wait.” Her head was spinning. She turned to look
at Adam. “What are you doing?”

“Just
having fun. It’s a game, right?”

A
game that was going too far. Elyse was sobering up at a frightening rate of
speed.

“What
are you doing?” she asked again. This wasn’t supposed to be happening.

“You
said he was hot, didn’t you? That you’d do him in a minute. Well, here he is.
Go for it.”

No.
No, that wasn’t what she meant.
Didn’t Adam understand she’d just been playing along with him? She hadn’t
been serious.

But
he was serious.

How
could he do this? Hadn’t she told him just last night how much she loved him?
Hadn’t she promised to wait until he was ready to tell her the same thing? She’d
trusted Adam. She’d given him everything.

And
now he wanted to throw it all away.

He
wanted to share her with this man she’d just met. Like she was some damn
chocolate bar. He wanted to break off a piece of her, and hand it to a friend.
Not even a friend. Some guy he kind of knew in high school.

She
was that cheap to him, that unimportant.

Elyse
could almost hear her heart crack apart as it broke.

****

When
Elyse looked at Jason again, he was picking up empty mini-bottles and dropping
them in the trash.

“I
can help,” she said, getting his attention.

“That’s
okay. All done.” He deposited the last empty bottle with a flourish. “I thought
you were asleep.”

“No.
Just…thinking.”

“Yeah,
me too.” Jason took the armchair by the bed. He looked a little better now,
less waxy. His demeanor had changed, as well. He was calm and determined. “I’m
going back to Albany tomorrow night. I’m going to stop in for the duty visit to
my parents tomorrow, and afterwards head right back to Albany. No point in
hanging around. I have no reason to stay any longer.”

Neither
have I
. “That’s
fine.” Elyse levered herself up on her elbows. “I’ll be ready.” She suddenly
remembered that all her clothes were at Adam’s.
Shit
. For all she knew,
he’d have burned them by now, or tossed them out the window all over his front
lawn.

No.
That wasn’t his style. Adam wasn’t spiteful.
She
was the spiteful one.

“Are
you sure, Leelee?”

She
frowned at him. “What do you mean?”

Jason
leaned back in the chair, crossed his ankle against his knee. “Are you sure you
and Vostek don’t have some unfinished business?”

“Jesus,
didn’t you hear us ranting and raving out here? There’s nothing left for either
of us to say.”

“I
heard a lot of yelling, true. But that doesn’t mean you resolved anything.”

“It’ll
never be resolved.” Elyse sat up against the pillows, her throat aching. The
tears that didn’t come before now burned her eyes, and she blinked fiercely to
hold them back. It was a losing battle. “Aw, fuck.” She covered her face with
her hands as sobs tore through her.

“Poor
baby.” Jason slid onto the bed and drew her against him. Elyse wept against his
chest. “It’s all right. Just sleep on it. To quote Scarlett O’Hara, tomorrow is
another day.”

A
snort exploded from her, and she thumped Jason’s chest with her fist. Here she
was getting her cry on, and he had to go quoting Miz Scarlett.

Jason
grabbed her fist and kissed it. “Take it easy, tiger. You’ll figure it all out
in the morning.”

“Whatever.
I love you, Jason.”

He
patted her hand. “Sure you do, sweetie. What’s not to love?”

Chapter
Thirteen

Adam
stood at the door of the apartment with a couple of six-packs under his arm. “Hey,
Kim, open up!” He pounded on the door. “I know you’re home. I saw your beater
out front.”

The
door was jerked open, and Kim stood there wearing ratty sweatpants, a T-shirt,
and a scowl.

Adam
grinned. “Hey, you dressed up for me! Thanks, honey!”

“Don’t
honey me, you jagoff. What the hell’s your problem, pounding on my door like
some damn troglodyte?” She stood blocking the doorway like a sentry—no way was
he getting in.

“Trogo-what?”

“Hey,
I can use big words, you know. I watch the Exploration Network. In case you
thought you were talking to some little dumb ass.”

“Kim,
what the fuck?” He sighed. “Look, I don’t want to fight. Come on, let me in.”
He dangled a six-pack teasingly. “I brought beer.”

“Do
you remember that little conversation we had at Sammy’s Subs? About how I didn’t
want you crawling back to me?
Ever?
What part of that didn’t you
understand?” she demanded.

“Kim,
I—”

“Ten
o’clock at night you show up here, thinking you can weasel your way in with a
couple lousy six packs. Yeah, I know what’s up. It’s a straight-up booty call.
Hell, you don’t even
call
. You just drive right up to the window. Well,
sorry, the booty drive-thru is closed. Forever. See ya.”

Before
she could slam the door in his face, Adam held up his hand in a plea. “Kim. I’m
sorry. Look…it’s not a booty call, I swear.”

His
face grew hot with shame that Kim really believed he was capable of that. Sure,
from time to time he and Kim would scratch each other’s itch, but she was
always more to him than just a lay. They’d been friends. At least, he thought
they’d been friends.

After
he stormed out of the hotel room, Adam drove around, wasting gas, not knowing
where to go or what to do. He wanted to get shit-faced, but didn’t want to hang
out at some bar with a bunch of strangers. Nor did he want to be alone. He
might have called his brother, but Wash was probably busy with his girl. Adam’s
mood was so foul he couldn’t stomach the thought of hanging with the lovebirds.

So
he thought of Kim, somehow convincing himself he’d be able to charm his way
back into her good graces. In spite of Kim’s suspicions, he really hadn’t come
to put the make on her. He simply needed to talk to somebody. He was lonesome.

Kim
peered at him as if trying to decide if she should believe him. He must have
looked pretty pathetic, because she rolled her eyes and sighed. “I’m an idiot,”
she muttered, and stepped aside. “All right. Get your sorry ass in here.”

She
peered at him as he entered the apartment. “Are you drunk? ‘Cause I’m gonna
kick your ass if you’ve been drinking and drove over here.”

“Nope.
Not a drop. Which means I’m way behind.” Adam set the two six-packs on the
coffee table and took a can, popping the top. He was about to sit in an
overstuffed armchair, when he realized Kim’s scraggly cat had already taken the
seat.

“Shoo,”
he told it.

The
cat gave him a
fuck you
look and didn’t move.

Adam
decided it wasn’t worth getting into a tangle with the cat—Kim was definitely
in a mood to take the furball’s side over his, anyway. He lowered himself onto
her futon, and poured half the beer down his throat in quick swallows.

Kim’s
place was small but tidy. Though the furnishings were sparse and inexpensive,
they were chosen with care. Colorful throws covered the back of the futon, and
the window curtains looked as though they had been sewn from patterned bed
sheets. One big picture window had no curtains at all, but was filled with
potted plants of all kinds. Kim stood at the window now, fussing with one of
the plants, picking off some dead leaves.