over well in public, so it was definitely time to go home. She looked at Jasper.
“It’s getting late. Thanks for the drink. I had a nice time.”
He studied her for a second before nodding. “I did, too. Let me walk you to your car.”
They went out into the night. It was mid-September, so still warm, but they’d passed through the burning heat of summer. In a few more weeks, there would be an actual nip in the air. At least in those hours close to midnight. It rarely got cold-cold in Happily Inc.
They walked to her black Mini with the white racing stripes on the hood. A silly car, to be sure, but one she loved as much as she could love a car. It was cute, it was zippy and with the back seats down, it held as much as she needed.
“This is me,” she said lightly.
Jasper glanced from the car to her and back. “It suits you.”
She smiled. “Thank you. I try to be worthy of its sassiness, but I don’t always succeed. I suppose that’s a metaphor for my life. I want to be wild, but I’m not quite sure how.”
“You mean that?”
She looked up at him. Literally. With them both standing, she was aware of how tall he was, how strong. He exuded power and confidence. He was all things male and maybe that should have scared her, but it didn’t.
“Renee?”
“What?”
“You didn’t answer the question.”
“There was a question?”
One corner of his mouth turned up. “I may be reading this all wrong, but just in case I’m not...”
He put his hands on her waist and pulled her toward him. The move was unexpected and she would have instinctively resisted, only there was something about the feel of his hands and her growing sense of anticipation. Because he was holding her exactly like a man holds a woman he means to kiss and kiss well.
She looked up to confirm her theory, which gave her exactly half a second to prepare herself for the impact of his lips on hers.
Her first impression was of heat. His mouth was warm, as was his body, but she was on fire. Need erupted long before he deepened the kiss. Just pressing against him, having him hold her and holding him back was unbearably arousing. When he actually got busy with the kissing part, she wasn’t sure if she was going to melt, scream or fall apart right there in the parking lot.
His tongue stroked her bottom lip. She parted, then groaned when he slipped inside. They circled and danced and explored. She raised herself on her tiptoes to get a better angle. He nipped her lower lip, then ran his hands up and down her back.
Everywhere he touched blazed with hunger. She was nearly shaking with need. He might not know much about weddings, but he sure could kiss and right now that was the superior skill.
But just when she was really getting into it, Jasper pulled back. He was breathing heavily and looked slightly dazed.
“That was unexpected,” he murmured.
“Good unexpected?”
He cleared his throat. “You have to ask?”
“Just checking.”
They stared at each other. Here it was, she thought. The moment of reckoning. She could wimp out and walk away or she could be strong and self-actualized by asking for what she wanted.
“Come home with me.”
The words came out more question than statement, but she’d said them, so good for her. Unless he said no. Then she would die—right there in the parking lot. They would find her stiff body in the morning and no one would know what had happened.
Jasper raised an eyebrow. “You sure?”
She hunched her shoulders. “I’ve used up all my courage, so I can’t ask again.”
He chuckled. “I’m not looking for you to repeat the question. I’m confirming this is what you want.”
She looked at him, starting at his very large feet and working her way up. It was too dark in the parking lot for her to be sure, but she was fairly confident he had an erection. She took in his broad shoulders, his handsome face and then thought about how sad and lonely her girl bits had been.
“This is what I want,” she told him.
That corner of his mouth turned up again. “How far is your place?”
“About six minutes from here.”
“Then we’d best get going.”
CHAPTER THREE
SEVEN MINUTES AND maybe twenty seconds later, they were in her small apartment. Renee managed to turn on the lamp by the door and kick off her shoes before Jasper reached