Why is he looking at me like that?
We exited the room and made our way through the sterilized halls of the hospital. Every now and then, Jaxson would press his hand against the small of my back, just above the arch of my ass, and zaps of energy would prick me. I’d been flirting with this man from the moment I’d been conscious enough to register his presence and see how fine he was. This probably happened to him all the time, women throwing themselves at him. He was obviously the good Samaritan-type. He probably rescued women on a regular basis. If I looked closely, I’d probably see his superman cape bunching underneath his shirt, but when I dared look, the only thing I saw was layered muscle.
Damn, why did I look?
I needed to practice some damn self-control, or I’d end up like one of the floozies I wrote about.
The brisk, New York air chipped away at us the minute we exited the hospital and I pulled my coat up around my ears, waiting for Jaxson to lead the way.
“My car is in the underground lot two blocks down,” he said, putting his hands into his pockets. “I would say to wait here, but the last thing I need is for another dumbass driver to take you out while I’m away.”
“Oh Jaxson,” I sang out, tone dripping with sarcasm. “What ever will I do when you’re not around to save me?”
I laughed, but Jaxson didn’t join in. In fact, when I looked into his face, his brows were pulled tight, like the weight of the world was sitting on his shoulders.
“I don’t have to not be around,” he came back with a tight shrug. “You can keep me, if you like.” His green eyes flashed, and a strange heat flooded into my cheeks.
What in the world was he talking about?
Out of nowhere, my muse kicked in:
“I need you…” Evan’s throat had never been this dry. Everything in him was parched, but there was only one oasis that would satisfy his need in that moment. His hand dropped to her waist and he wound his arm around her. The sensual heat radiating off her body burned him. When he gave her an easy tug into his body, her lips parted in a gasp.
Evan lowered his face, until his lips hovered inches above hers.
A sudden inhale had my eyes filling with water and I patted my chest, trying to regulate my breathing.
Evan! He was back and he was dropping new scenes into my mind, the way I’d been waiting for him to do for months. The picture was as clear as the skyline, yet I’d never seen him look at a woman like that before. I could feel the pull of his passion. He’d never wanted a woman this much.
My eyes fled to Jaxson, who was peering back, confused. Concern had his features twisted.
“Are you okay?” His hand shot out to steady me and that damn electrical current from his touch shocked me. “If you’re not, we should turn around and go back to the hospital. Maybe it’s the side effects the doctor was talking about; the confusion.”
“No, it’s not that,” I assured him. “It was my character.”
His neck jerked back slightly. I thought about explaining my writing process, but then decided against it. It wasn’t a big deal, but the fact that he was triggering my muse had me curious.
“It may be from the accident, but I’m fine,” I stuttered. “It’s been a long day. I’m tired.”
“Let’s get you to the hotel,” he said.
We arrived at the underground garage and Evan’s sleek, fancy car was parked on the first floor in the front row. He quickly unlocked it and assisted me into the passenger seat. He even took the extra effort to buckle my seatbelt.
“Don’t start something you can’t finish,” I warned him. “You get a girl used to this level of attention and she starts expecting it on a regular basis.”
“Are you suggesting that I wouldn’t be able to deliver on a regular basis?” he questioned boldly. “Oh, you think this is a show?” He hopped behind the wheel and started the car. When he revved it, the rumble settled in my femininity.
I bit the inside of my lip.
“I’ve got all bases covered,” he informed me, adjusting the rearview mirror. “You just make sure to let me know if there’s anything I can do to make you more… comfortable.”
Damn. Jaxson’s Evan was in full swing, and to make matters worse, he was having the same effect on me as he would a heroine in one of my novels.
I gave him directions and the drive to my hotel was a satisfying continuation of the short two-block walk to the garage. We laughed and talked, and I relished in the feeling of his smooth, rich vocals cascading over me like summer rain. This man had me on edge, ready to give him whatever he would dare to ask for, but the vision I’d had of Evan and the still unidentified woman had my brain ticking at one hundred miles a minute.
Who was she? And what about her had Jaxson so enthralled? From what I could see, she had curves for days. She also had long hair, which was something I knew Evan liked a lot. He had a habit of pulling it during sex – a thing that turned the experience up a few notches for both the characters and the readers. She also had smooth, cocoa-brown skin, which didn’t surprise me. Evan could appreciate any woman, but the thought that this one had him wrapped around her pinkie had me dying to draw up her character sketch.
My thoughts turned back to Jaxson. Every minute sitting in that car next to him was another minute of falling deeper into the abyss of curiosity. Every now and again, his hand would find my injured knee and he’d massage the spot, generating a heat that spread from the appendage straight between my thighs. Two things were clear: Jaxson was trying to sample Simone Storm, and the hell if Simone Storm didn’t have her own menu open, considering the offerings.
The car slowed and Jaxson dipped his head to observe the illuminated hotel sign. Quickly, he whipped the car into a parking bay and cut the engine. Now, we were dwarfed in a prickling silence and he stared at the ceiling, no doubt, trying to think of something to say, which would prolong our time together.
I fiddled with the handle of my purse.
“You’re home,” he noted.
“Yup, safe and sound,” I agreed.
“Make sure to let Dinah know that I delivered you in one piece.”
“I’ll message her as soon as I get inside.”
More silence.
Jaxson wet his lips. “Look, I realize that this is gonna’ sound really counterintuitive and maybe even a little selfish, but I’m happy I bumped into you today. Literally.”
Another laugh, similar to the one he’d been making me do for the last few hours, erupted out of my belly. “Me too,” I agreed. “I’ve said it a million times, but thanks for all you did. I wouldn’t be here right now, had it not been for your heroic act.”
“I’d do it again, in a heartbeat.” He scanned my face. “I’d love to see you again,” he threw out there. “Maybe we can hang out or do something tomorrow.”
“I…” I rubbed the back of my neck. “I actually have plans tomorrow night,” I informed him.
His jaw tightened. “A date?”
“No, not a date,” I clarified. Haven’t been on one of those in a while. “I was planning to go to a new jazz club that opened up,” I said. “I’d invite you to come along, but jazz isn’t everybody’s thing.”