The Impact of You

Jase

I need get my control back before I do something stupid and try to kiss her. If I do that, I won’t be able to stop. Turning away, I adjust myself in the suit pants. “I got you something today.”

“You did?” I hear the smile in her voice, and I’m at least grateful that things aren’t weird between us now. She follows me across the room to my dresser. I pull open the top drawer, then point to the bed. “Sit.”

She does.

“And close your eyes.”

Her lips curl into a smile and her eyes drop closed. She makes a grabby motion with her hands. “Gimme.”

I chuckle and place the small object in her palm and with her eyes still closed, her fingers explore. “A whistle.”

She smiles up at me and the urge to kiss her is so strong, I take a step back. “If you need anything, you just blow that, and I’ll come find you.”

Her expression gets soft and she grips the whistle in her hand. “Where were you when I was in high school?” she asks, her voice just above a whisper. She looks down at the silver whistle in her hands and I can tell her thoughts are far away.

What happened to turn her into this sad, broken girl? Not kissing her was the right move. “Trust me, you wouldn’t have liked me then.”

The air hangs heavily around us, the music faintly audible from the party below, and Avery remains sitting in the center of my bed. But since I know I can’t kiss her, I need to get my thoughts back on track.

I loop the red string over her head so the whistle rests between her breasts. “Should we go back downstairs?”

She gives me a tight nod.

Avery

Madison asks once I re-join her and Noah in the

me, and I know it would make even less sense to someone else. It’s Jase’s way of showing me he’s looking

and they’re in what appears to be in

so bad my entire body is shaking. I want to see if Jase will really come running to me. But I do no such thing. I just stand there, numb, watching their way too comfortable interaction.

graces her features. When Jase notices what caught her attention – me gaping at them – he quickly pulls her by

Whoa.

need to punch something? We’re

won’t miss us, I drag Madison into the kitchen. “I need something to drink.” I lift my cup so she

something stronger than beer tonight. I don’t know if it’s this stupid outfit that soo

goes off

shot. I lift the glass to my lips and drop my head back, letting

I tell the

on the counter. My eyes tear up and I’m not

fingers clutching the exposed skin of my hip, pulling me back from the

glance around, making a show

eyebrows pull together. “She left.

him that. He stands over me; his presence alone sending chills of awareness through my body. I wave him

closer, intensity rolling off him in waves.

could throw him. His good deed

the problem?” I

pour me one and see what kind of crazy is unleashed. If I was him, I wouldn’t pour me one either. “Fuck, Avery.” He grips my hand, towing me from the kitchen.

along behind him through the crowded dining room, the two shots already hitting me. Jase pulls open the sliding door and the cool

nape of my neck and angles my mouth to his, before leaning in to kiss me. His mouth is soft at first, but when I kiss him back, he groans low in his throat and coaxes my lips apart to deepen the kiss. His tongue touches mine and all sense of right and wrong is lost. This is heaven. His other hand finds my butt cheek, and gives it a none-too-gentle squeeze. I can feel everything in this one kiss…how much Jase wants me, how badly I wish I could do this… My brain

Jase

along mine and she balls my shirt in her fists. Her ass fits perfectly in my hand and I

and breaks the kiss. “Jase.” Her eyes are alight with passion, her voice breathless…but her tone

kisses. This is why I didn’t kiss her earlier. I shouldn’t have taken it that far. But Avery arouses in me things I’ve never felt. It’s insane. She’s not even mine, and I’m acting like