Q #2
When I got to the parking lot, Jules was already out of her car and was talking to Hayes. The second she spotted me coming in their direction, Jules smiled and said, “There you are.”
As soon as I saw that light in her eyes, I wanted to scoop her up in my arms and kiss the hell out of her, but I’d been doing my best to take things slow.
It wasn’t easy. Jules was smoking fucking hot and I wanted her more than I cared to admit, but she’d been through a lot.
I didn’t want to scare her off by expecting too much too soon. “You ready?”
She nodded, then turned to Hayes and said, “I’ll see you later.”
“Later!”
I reached for her hand, then led her inside.
Jules had mentioned that no one had ever taught her how to play pool, so I invited her out to the clubhouse so I could give her a few lessons.
I took her back to the family room, where we’d have a little more privacy.
As soon as I had the ball set up, I went over some of the basics with her.
Showed her things like how to position her hips and how to use the hook of her thumb to guide the pool stick—all of which took hands-on instruction.
I knew it was a cheap ploy to get close to her, but fuck. A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do. When she started getting the hang of it, I decided it was time for her to test her skills. “You up for a quick game?”
“I don’t know.” She raked her teeth across her bottom lip. “I don’t think I’m anywhere close to good enough to win against an expert like you.”
“An expert, huh?” I racked the balls as I told her, “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were fucking with me.”
Her mouth dropped open, and with a dramatic flutter of her eyelashes, she teased, “Who me? Never.”
“Um-hmm.” I racked the balls, then motioned her over to break them. “Okay, let’s see what you can do.”
“Okay, but don’t expect too much.” Jules looked nervous as she stepped over to the table and leaned into position. I stepped up behind her and was about to give her another pointer when she looked back at me with furrowed brows. “I’ve got it.”
And she did.
She eased the pool stick back and hit the cue ball just right. Hell, those balls broke like I’d been the one who’d made the shot. When one of the solids went into a side pocket, I gave her a nod and said, “Well, done.”
“Thanks, but I’m pretty sure I just got lucky.” She sauntered to the end of the table to make her next play and missed. “See?”
“You’ll get it next time.”
I walked over to make my shot, and as soon as I’d leaned in and tried to focus on the play, she’d slipped up behind me and brushed her hip against my ass. “Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Hm-hmm.” I knew she’d purposefully bumped into me, but played it off until she did again, forcing me to miss my shot. “Hey, now. You’re playing with fire.”
“Fire, huh?” She batted her eyelashes and sashayed over to the other end of the pool table. She leaned in to take her shot as she teased, “Well, you know what they say... if you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.”
When she made the shot, I smiled and said, “I can take the heat, baby. You don’t have to worry about that.”
“Well, that’s good...” She gave me a playful wink, then skirted behind me with her breast lightly grazing my back. I could feel the warmth of her breath on my neck as she whispered, “Because things are really starting to warm up in here.”
“Yeah, they are.”
I watched a sexy little smirk sweep across her beautiful face as she leaned down to make her next play, and that’s when I decided it was time for me to turn the tables on her.
I took a couple of steps back and positioned myself right behind her.
When she realized I was staring at her ass, she whipped around and asked, “Can I help you with something?”
“Nope.” I continued looking at her ass as I added, “I’m good.”
Seeming completely unfazed, she made the shot, only this time, the ball didn’t go into the pocket. “I think that’s my cue to hit the lady’s room.”
“It’s through the door and down on the right.”
“Great. I’ll be right back.”
She was practically beaming as she slipped out of the room and headed down the hall. She’d only been gone for a minute when Tenzleigh walked in wearing a short black dress and high heels. Her eyes lit up when she spotted me across the room. “Well, hey there, handsome.”
I didn’t respond, but sadly, that didn’t stop her from sashaying over to me. “What are you up to?”
“Playing a round of pool.” She looked like she was dressed for a night on the town, so I asked, “Where you headed off to?”
“Abbi and I are going into the city.” She stopped in front of me with a sexy smile as she asked, “You wanna come join us?”
“Afraid not, doll. I’ve got other plans.”
“Are you sure?” She slipped her arms around my neck as she purred, “I bet we’d have a real good time.”
Just as I was about to turn her down for a second time, I spotted Jules standing in the doorway staring at Tenzleigh and me with a blank expression. She stood there for a moment, then muttered, “I think it’s time for me to go.”
“What?” And just like that, our great night had gone to shit. The second Jules turned to leave, I nudged Tenzleigh out of the way and rushed after her. “Hey, Jules! Hold up!”
She was halfway down the hall when I finally managed to catch up with her. She was still charging ahead, so I called out to her again, “Jules! Stop!”
“Thanks for the lessons and all, but I have to go.” Jules stopped and turned to face me. Her bottom lip quivered like she was trying not to cry as she told me, “I shouldn’t have come. I have things I need to do.”
“Why didn’t you mention that before?”
She shrugged. “I forgot.”
“And you just now remembered?”
“Um-hmm.”
“So, you leaving has nothing to do with Tenzleigh?”
“With whom?” She inhaled a quick breath and then sighed, “Oh, you mean the pretty blonde. No, no. It has nothing to do with her.”
“You sure about that?” I pushed. “You weren’t bothered that she was trying to make a play?”
She didn’t respond.
I wasn’t expecting her to.
I was learning that once Jules got something in her head, it was damn near impossible to get her to change her mind. I knew having Tenzleigh’s arms wrapped around my neck looked bad, but I needed her to know that she had nothing to worry about. “I got no interest in Tenzleigh.”
“Hmm. I wish I could believe that.”
“Well, it’s the truth. There’s only one woman I’m interested in, and she’s standing right in front of me.”
She studied me for a moment, then her eyes drifted to the floor. “I can’t do this.”
“Can’t do what?” Without answering, she turned and started for the door. She hadn’t gotten far when I called out, “Jules.”
“Just leave it alone, Quinton.” She reached for the doorknob as she grumbled, “It’s better this way.”
“Damn it, woman,” I grumbled, cutting her off. “You’re even more bull-headed than I thought.”
I took hold of her arm and tugged her down the hall. When we got to my room, I opened the door and led her inside. I closed the door behind us, then turned to face her.
I didn’t say a word. I simply stood there staring at her dead in the eye, waiting for her to say something.
Anything.
After what seemed like a lifetime, she finally placed her hand on her hip and sassed, “I don’t know how to do this, Quinton. It’s just so hard.”
“It doesn’t have to be.” I took a step over to her and placed my hands on her hips as I whispered, “You can trust me, Jules.”
“I know.”
“You say that, and yet, here we stand.”
“But...”
I could see her winding herself up to come at me again, and I just couldn’t hold back anymore. I ran my hand behind her neck and pulled her parted lips to mine, silencing her with a kiss. As soon as her tender, full mouth pressed against mine, her tense muscles melted into my arms.
We were both becoming lost in the moment when I broke free from our embrace. I looked down at her, and when our eyes met, I said, “Tell me you want this, Jules.”
She didn‘t answer.
Instead, she simply stared at me with lust-filled eyes, making me want her even more.
I wound my fist in her hair and pulled her back to my mouth.
She let out a needful moan when the once tender kiss quickly changed, becoming more intense and heated.
She opened wider, inviting me to claim her with my mouth.
Damn.
Jules felt so fucking good in my arms, and as my hands drifted to her hips, pulling her closer, I thought about all the wicked things I wanted to do to her.
The thought of tasting and exploring every inch of her naked body had me spiraling.
When she looked up at me, I could not only see, but I could also feel the need radiating off her.
As much as I wanted to take her right then and there, I wasn’t going to push. She would have to say the words.
We continued to kiss, and as I held her close to my chest, the moment I had waited for finally happened.
She shifted her hips, grinding against my growing erection as her heated moan shuddered through her chest. I gave her hair a gentle tug, then lowered my mouth to her ear and whispered, “Tell me, Jules. I won’t touch you again until you do. ”
Her eyes met mine as she placed the palm of her hand on my cheek. “I want this... I want you.”
As soon as the words came out of her mouth, I was done.
I kissed her once more, long and hard, then pulled my t-shirt over my head.
I watched as her hungry eyes dropped to my chest. While gnawing her bottom lip, she ran her fingertips over my muscles and trailed them along my ink and down my abdomen.
She reached my waist and made quick work of my belt and fly, then started to tug at my jeans.