Chapter Eight
Aasia second guessed opening the can of worms.
Since they left the dance floor and were back at the bar, nursing their drinks, he hadn’t looked at her. He was now talking to Wendi, but Aasia didn’t listen to what they were discussing. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. He was a magnet.
Had she misread the situation? His attraction. No, she knew better. The kiss they’d shared had been full of yearning.
Yet, could the alcohol cause her to be delusional? Or the rejection from Bentley had made her feel like she needed her wounds licked. She’d bet Bear was a good licker.
She wasn’t even sure if she had come to Oscar’s for the right reasons.
Did she think she could come here, flirt with him, and then walk away unscathed?
Most, of the patrons had trickled out, except for some of the hands who remained in the back room, laughing and carrying on. She liked their easy banter with one another. Eventually, they took leave too.
Now she and Bear were alone in the bar, except for Tipsy Tim and Wendi who were drying glasses.
“Looks like Pete forgot you,” Bear said.
“I messaged him and told him I had a ride back to the farm.” She should have gone with Pete a few hours ago, but something kept her rooted on that stool.
And when Bear looked at her, his grin created deep pools around his mouth, she knew why she was there.
He made her feel things that were inappropriate this soon after breaking up with Bentley.
But these feelings, they’d been lingering in her for six months and they were now so charged she could no longer keep them hidden.
Did she even care to keep them hidden? “What’s that look, Bear?
” He watched her in a way that made the butterflies in her stomach want to take off in flight.
“You caught me.” He swiped his hand down his whiskered jaw.
“Caught you?” She swirled the straw around her glass.
“You’re a beautiful woman. There aren’t too many men who wouldn’t be attracted to you,” he said smoothly.
“Did that hurt to say?” she teased.
“Nothing about this hurts. That’s what throws me off.”
She realized they were heading down a path of no return, but she couldn’t ignore her emotions. She couldn’t ignore him. “Wendi, can I get another?” She wasn’t ready for the night to end.
“Another too, Bear?” Wendi asked him.
“Nah. I’m good. But how about an ice water.”
Aasia sighed. “Does that mean the evening’s come to an end?”
“No, it only means I’m here to let you do what you feel you need to do. I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.”
His words said with such grace that she felt her heart skip a beat of appreciation. “That’s giving me a lot of freedom, cowboy.”
He shifted as if to release the restless energy within him. “I’m not the only mysterious one.”
“Me? You think I’m mysterious?” She planted her hand in the center of her chest. “I’m the most open person you’ll ever meet.”
“Really? I must admit, I never saw you as a person who would sell foot pics for income.”
“Are you judging me?”
“Not in the slightest. Look at where you are now. A successful, professional woman.” He relaxed some.
The string between them became shorter. She should have walked away, but she liked the easy conversation. Liked his presence. Her condition tonight could get her into trouble.
Her body felt heated, her breathing labored.
“I need a breath of fresh air. Wendi, sorry but I better skip on another drink.” Aasia slid off the stool and hurried toward the door, feeling very flushed.
In the shadowed parking lot, she gulped in air, giving a little jerk when she realized Bear had followed her outside. She swung around, facing him. “My head is swirling.”
“The alcohol—”
“No, something far more dangerous—much more intoxicating.”
His expression changed from mild shock to acceptance. He covered the distance between them in three long strides and grabbed her hips, pulling her hard against his body. His grip was greedy. Needy. She could feel the length of him through his jeans.
She didn’t feel as powerful as she did moments ago.
Now she felt her emotions swarming to the surface.
His fingers found the exposed skin at the hem of her shirt that had ridden up on her stomach.
His touch left her dizzy and thoughtless.
She wanted his touch on every part of her.
Her throat tightened as she tried to swallow.
Desire snowballed in the center of her chest, threatening to explode.
His hand traveled upward on her back, following the line of her backbone.
An eruption of tingles dispersed through the valley and settled in her bottom.
With his free hand he cupped her cheek, the callused pad of his thumb caressed her skin ever so gently.
His stare announced that he was trying to understand the desire between them.
Some things were never meant to be understood.
“What the fuck is this hold you have over me?” he whispered.
“I’m sorry.” The two words slipped off her quivering lips.
One brow lifted before he burst into laughter. “Only you would apologize for something you can’t control.” Then he sobered just as quickly.
She moved an inch closer, denying herself the temptation to taste his lips. “Who are you? Bear isn’t your real name.”
“You don’t like the name Bear?” he said.
“I like it, but...”
His thumb stopped moving. “I like you,” he admitted.
“I like you too.” She gave a tiny giggle.
“Aasia, you certainly are amazing,” he said right before he released the last chain and he kissed her.
~*~
Bear had always praised himself for having self-control.
That was no longer true.
He had shitty self-control because the last thing he should be doing was touching Aasia, but the only way would have been to sever his hand from his arm.
He couldn’t take his mouth off her. If heaven had a taste that would be her.
Why in the hell would he break his rule to never get involved with someone he had investigated?
Technically, he’d never investigated Aasia. Fletcher had been the target. If Bear had dove deep into Aasia’s past he would have found out about the foot pics.
Her hands were in tight fists, clenching his shirt, holding onto him like a lifeline as if she feared he might disappear.
He’d never expected to feel like he did at that moment. He hoped she wanted things to escalate as much as he did. Whatever that tiny gasp was that crawled up her throat and he swallowed with his kiss he hoped it was a silent invitation to allow things to heat up.
Her hips brushed his swollen zipper, causing a guttural reaction within his body. He threaded his fingers in her hair, tugging on the satin soft strands, then pressed the pads of his fingers into her scalp for a massage.
Her hand covered his zipper and he moaned. His jeans were being stretched to capacity, testing the seams. She squeezed and kneaded him through the denim, making him harder until he got so close to coming that his balls ached.
Then her hand slipped away and she took a wide step back.
What the hell?
He blinked three times, keeping her in focus, trying to piece together what just happened.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
His shoulders dropped as her sudden distance became a cold icy blast of air across his body.
Her eyes were wide. Her lips parted. She was now taking large gulps of air, followed by her hand planting over her mouth. Red crimson color filled her cheeks. Her chest rose and fell.
“Are you okay?” He watched her closely, reaching out to touch her arm.
She lowered her hand. “I drank too much. I’m feeling dizzy. Disoriented.”
“Are you going to get sick?”
“N—no. Maybe.” She brought her hand back up and pressed her fingers to her temple. “Y-yes. I think I am.” She took several backward steps toward the bushes and darted behind them. Almost at once he heard her gagging and retching.
Fuck!
“Need some help?” he called out. What was expected of him?
Should he go hold her hair? Leave her alone?
Maybe she was embarrassed if he watched her puke.
So he went to his truck, grabbed a handful of takeout napkins from his console and took them to her, staying enough distance away so that he didn’t cause her any distress.
He waited and when he heard her emerging from the brushes, he turned to her.
“I’m drunk,” she said as she took the napkins and wiped her face. “I’m so sorry. How embarrassing.” She balled up the dirty napkins and tossed them into the nearby dumpster.
“Nothing to be embarrassed about. We’ve all been there. A time or two.”
“I-I want you to know that I enjoyed the kiss. I think it was that last drink.”
“How about I take you home?” he said.
“You trust me not to defile your leather seats?”
“You can jump in the back.” She blinked and he laughed. He stepped over and opened the passenger door. “I’d rather you didn’t barf in my truck but just in case, there are bags in the glove compartment.”
Once she settled into the passenger seat, he rounded the truck and climbed into the driver’s seat. In the dim light from the dashboard he could see she looked fatigued. “You doing okay over there?” he asked as he backed out of the parking lot.
“Chalk that up to a new experience,” she moaned. “You’ll never kiss me again.”
“Yes, I will. I promise. After you brush your teeth.”
She laid her head back on the headrest, her gaze on him. “There’s something you said back at the bar. How do you think I should be loved? When you look at me in that way…it makes me feel like I’m loved.”
Bear hesitated, feeling the weight of her words settle into the charged air between them.
He met her unwavering gaze across the shadows and tried to steady his thoughts, realizing she was inviting him past the comfortable boundaries of their friendship.
What they’d shared had sent them straight into a vulnerable place neither had explored before.
Sure, they’d kiss a few times, explored, but moments ago there had been an electrical current, like a live wire connecting them.