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

with the whistle?” Madison asks once I re-join her and

to someone else. It’s Jase’s way of showing

room with Stacia. Ugh. She’s in a figure-hugging red cocktail dress and they’re in what appears to be in an intense conversation. Their faces are just inches apart; her hand rests on his forearm and he’s bent down speaking near her ear, his

my entire body is shaking. I want to see if Jase will really come running

sees me, a practiced smile graces her features. When Jase notices what caught her attention – me gaping at them – he quickly pulls her

Whoa.

punch something? We’re just friends, I remind myself. He can talk to whomever

drag Madison into the kitchen. “I need something to drink.” I

follows me. I need something stronger than beer tonight. I don’t know if it’s this stupid outfit that soo isn’t me, or the fact that I just saw Jase go off with Stacia, but my

goes off with should be

counter while one of his frat brothers pours us each a shot. I lift the glass to my lips and drop my head back, letting the liquor burn a path down

tell the

dutifully refills my glass while Madison shoots me a surprised look. Jase is watching me and I want him to feel the same confusion and helplessness I just felt watching him with Stacia. I down the second shot and slam the glass down on the counter. My eyes tear up and I’m not sure if it’s from the liquor or

clutching the exposed skin of my hip, pulling me back

around, making a show of it. “Where’s

“She left.

that. He stands over me; his presence alone sending chills of awareness through my body. I wave him off. “Give me another,” I say

him in waves. “What are

farther than she could throw him. His

outside my comfort zone. What’s the problem?” I tap the shot glass against the counter,

I was him, I wouldn’t pour me one either. “Fuck, Avery.” He grips my

pulls open the sliding door and the cool night air

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 is screaming at me to stop, but my

Jase

in her fists. Her ass fits perfectly in my hand

plants her hand against my chest and breaks the kiss. “Jase.” Her eyes are alight with passion, her voice breathless…but her

This is why I didn’t kiss her earlier. I shouldn’t have taken it that far. But Avery arouses