Ardor (3 page)

I was her prisoner in that moment and never wanted to be released.

Ms. Velez left me speechless. Jasmine was exquisite in every sense of the word, with gorgeous honey-colored eyes and a smile that could make angels weep. Her long black hair was swept off her shoulder, coming to rest over her delicate collarbones. She made my mouth water and my cock harden with just that first handshake.

I’m fucked. 

Every wall I had put in place crumbled at her tiny feet. Metaphorically speaking I was left there on my knees, and at her mercy. 

Worst part about it was that I knew it; no matter how badly I wanted to deny it to myself
.
 

Chapter 3

I will not look at Jasmine today. I will not notice the sway of her hips or the roundness of her…fuck me. Ignore her, Greg. Don’t…damn it! 

In that precise moment, my darling little hellcat decided to pass me by. She walked by and swung that ass of hers with the clear intent to kill me and everyone within the vicinity I occupied.

My dick throbbed behind my zipper as I noticed that the lines of her panties were not visible today. The thought of a tiny little string ridding up her ass and caressing the areas I longed to touch had me clutching the wall for support.

God have mercy on me.

I jerked my head around so hard that I heard, and felt, the harsh crack. My body was in-tune with hers, keeping its focus on her, and her alone. My eyes devoured every inch of that gorgeous body of hers, following the motion of her hips as she walked away from where I stood.

Not my fault I can’t stop staring
. That’s what I’d been telling myself for over a year now. Jasmine had an amazing body, and the way she walked made it clear that she knew it.

The whole world knew it. I was going to fucking clock Alex right in his mouth if he didn’t stop staring.

Not yours, Greg. Not yours.

And didn’t that burn.

No, you’re better off this way. Remember what the last bitch did to you.

As if I’d ever forget.

But damn it, Jasmine didn’t it make it easy for me to stay away, and I was damn sure that at this point
,  she was doing it on purpose.

That same night my staff decided that we all needed to let out a little steam. 

Somehow, between me telling Lita that I was not in the mood, and Alex asking Jasmine to join our bunch, I’d found myself sitting across from Jasmine at the dinner table. Tonight her torture device was a short denim skirt that sat mid-thigh and one of those cute milk slogan tank tops, in black. The outfit was simple, but the message was loud and clear: “Come and get me.”

All the men in the establishment couldn’t take their eyes off her.
Fuck that
. The men at my own table couldn’t either, and that only incensed me further as she ignored my presence. Jasmine wasn’t aware of the fire she played with. She was going to burn to ashes if she wasn’t careful.

“Want to play a game with me and some friends?” An arrogant asshole approached our table and whispered loud enough for all to hear. Jasmine barely looked my way; the glare I sent her not deterring her one bit.

“Sure, but my friends play, too.” 
Stop playing with fucking fire, little girl. 

“Sure,” he replied before his eyes landed on me and he took a step back from my girl. 

Smart man.

“Cassie, Lita…want to play?”

“Sure thing, if boss man allows it, that is,” Lita teased.

“Go ahead,” I answered, “but, do keep in mind that I will be watching.”

Jasmine’s lips parted, her eyes flashing angrily. “I can—”

“Jasmine, let it go before he grounds you.” 

The table erupted in laughter, and it was made clear that it was much to my hellion’s displeasure when she pursed her lips and walked away.

“Are you really going to let her play with those dicks?” Mark, my Deli manager asked in astonishment.

“Why not?”

“Well, I …” he sputtered.

“You what?”
As long as his hands stay off her, I’ll behave.

“Oh, shit.”

That got my attention since it had come from Thelma and her husband. Swiveling my head around, what

I saw made my stomach clench and my vision burn with pure hatred. 

That little prick had his hands around her waist, and was helping her set up her shot. She giggled at the attention.

I’m going to fucking kill him. 

My feet carried me over to where they stood, my other cashiers looking my way nervously as they saw the murder in my eyes. Jasmine barely had a moment to protest before I shoved the idiot holding her, away. Not giving her a chance to say anything, I bent down and lifted her right into my arms.

“What the fuck, Greg?”

“No one will ever touch you. Do you understand me?” Caging her with my body, I pressed Jasmine against the side of the building. My hands held onto her thighs in a tight grip, keeping her legs wrapped around my waist.

“Really?
I’m yours?” She laughed bitterly, pushing at my chest. “Yet, there’s absolutely nothing between us. No—”

“No what? Say it!”

“No,” Jasmine spat.

“Fine, then you
leave me with no choice.” I smashed my lips onto hers. Her taste exploded on my tongue as I explored every inch of her mouth, taking what I wanted for once, and holding nothing back.

“Fuck, you taste good, baby.” I held her bottom lip between my clenched teeth, as I savored the feel of her in my arms. Her core heat sat above my cock. It was perfect, and I lost control.

My hips thrust forward, rubbing my rigid length against her cloth covered core. Her hips undulated, matching my rhythm as my lips left hers and traversed her neck. 

There wasn't a single inch of her that didn't drive me insane. She was my ambrosia.

"Been wanting you like this—at my mercy for so long . . . needed you." 

Jasmine’s response was a strangled whimper and a plea for more.

"Tell me what you need, baby, and it’s yours." 

Jasmine was as lost in pleasure as I was, and just as she opened her mouth to respond, a cold bucket of reality was thrown my way.

“Get a room,” a woman walking by with giggling children spat. “There are families all around . . . have some decency!”

Reality, the situation, and what I was doing, bitch slapped me into coherency.

What the fuck am I doing?

"Greg, its okay—"

My angry glare cut her off. This was all her fault. She made me lose focus. Forget all the vows I'd made, and fall helplessly into her scorching fire.

"Please, don't do this," Jasmine begged me. 

But it was too late. I wasn't going to fail again, this had to end. 

I stepped away from her unceremoniously; Jasmine stumbled as she tried to catch her footing. Eyes wide and lost, before understanding took over.

Then her glare matched mine.

"This can't happen," I growled out.

She opened her mouth again, but she didn’t have a fighting chance in making me stay and listen. My mind was telling me to run, but that right there is pussy shit, so I did the next best thing. I stomped away from my weakness. Keys in hand, I hurried to my car, jumped in, and drove away from a disaster I couldn't let take me under.

I would never recover if I let her break my will. 

Chapter 4

I wanted to smash my hand through a wall. The need to pulverize and expend my anger and frustrations on
anything
was almost overwhelming as I drove away from Jasmine. Everything within me fought my decision to walk away. My body burned for the feel of her against me, it needed me to return to Jasmine and make up for my stupidity and the hurtful things I’d said.

She will burn us.

No, she won't, Greg. Jasmine is not Cassandra, and you fucking know it.

But what if...

My fists smashed into my steering wheel as images of us kissing and touching played on repeat. Jasmine’s soft curves had fit so perfect against my body. Her bottom lip had been made to be placed between mine, and bitten—savored.  

I was losing the last shred of sanity I held when I stopped at the red light three minutes away from my home.

Home
. A lonely place I returned to every night with nothing but memories surrounding me—four walls of emptiness. After my divorce from Cassandra, I’d immediately put my house on the market.

It took me five months to find a buyer after putting the home I shared with my ex on the market.  There were plenty of apartment communities that I toured, but living amongst the young
and horny wasn’t what I needed. My idea of a good morning was not bumping into someone doing the walk of shame.

I’d wanted solitude and the beach close by. It might have taken me longer than I was happy with, but when the opportunity arouse, I jumped on the single family home I now lived in, and bought it. 

My humble abode lacked the feeling of comfort.

Minimal furniture and accommodations left the space bland, cold, and needing what my mother called a feminine touch. Thinking of going back to the empty house left a bitter taste in my mouth. The thought of bringing Jasmine back there to warm it up, was even worse.

The battle I fought daily while being in her presence was a losing one, but I couldn’t give into it yet. I would fight this thing between her and me until my last breath.

The car behind me honked and I was brought right back to the present. I needed to keep it together for a few minutes longer, make it home, and away from everything that could ruin me.

Just a few more minutes.

Pulling into my drive way brought back a sense of déjà vu. That feeling of something bad coming my way, as it had done all those years ago, washed over me. It should have been silly of me to feel that way. I was a bachelor. I lived alone and answered to no one, yet, I knew that was bullshit.

What I had done tonight, my behavior, was going to bite me in the ass come morning.

Once inside my home I began to shed my clothes.  With each article of clothing that left my body, my emotions poured out.

Anger as my boots hit the wall. A vase my mother had put in my foyer when decorating, was knocked

over. There was nothing but a trail of destruction as I made my way into the study. 

I mangled a painting I'd purchased in a flea market from a hippie and left it on the floor with a hole through its center. My pent up aggression left fist-sized holes in the hall as I searched for a release to all the emotions I felt.

My cell and house phone rang simultaneously. They continued to ring, but I had no desire to speak with anyone and let my messaging system deal with their frustrations. I was tempted to purge some of the poison that was eating me alive on whoever was on the other end.

It went to voicemail.

Just as well, I didn't need the extra weight of having to apologize tomorrow to yet another person.

Inside my study I had a small bar. A bottle of expensive Gin called to me, and I followed. 

Three ice cubes, four fingers poured, and only two gulps to make it disappear—the crisp flavor of the spirit washed away her flavor, but not her presence. Nothing could ever make me forget the hold she had over me. I knew that.
Didn’t stop me from pouring myself another glass.

How the fuck did I let this shit happen to me again?

Because you want her.

And that right there was the crux of my issues. 

I poured another four fingers and sat down behind my desk. Tonight should have been fun; an outing with my staff to release some of the stress this week had brought. Something I’d done with my staff many times over. Why the hell did it have to go so wrong this time around?

Jasmine wasn't there those other times.

Heaving my laptop across the room, I watched it fly and smash into the wall next to my book case. The sound of glass breaking did nothing to stop me from remembering, but the visual of her laughing and letting that prick touch her did send another hot shaft of fury through me.

Was it barbaric the way I’d manhandled her? Yes, but Jasmine knew the buttons she was pushing as she flirted before my eyes.

No, she didn’t. You haven’t given her any reason to suspect how you feel, asshat.

Until tonight, that is. After tonight, there should be no freaking doubt. 

Fucking perfect.

The translucent liquid burned as I took another gulp. 

I could still feel the fire in my veins; my cock was still hard from having had her heat so close. Yet another swig went down my throat. However, I could still taste the sweetness of her flesh while I’d nipped at her sweet body.

Closing my eyes, I let my head fall back against the chair—seeing her in my mind, remembering how right it was before reality crashed down on me.

I felt alone. Just as I’d felt the day I walked in on Cassandra fucking her lover. Just as angry, too, wanting to tear everything before me into pieces, to destroy those who'd hurt me.

But Jasmine hasn't hurt me.

Not yet, anyway, and the way I felt for her came dangerously close to how I’d felt with Cass. Discovering her betrayal had hurt. It had left me doubtful of the opposite sex. But just a simple smile from Jasmine toward anyone other than
me
, and I forgot everything. 

Jasmine wants you, too.

How could she? I'd done nothing but push, then pull, yo-yoing her emotions and my control. Maybe she wanted me physically, but that’s as far as it went I was sure. Jasmine was young and a free spirit. She’d move on, and then I’d be left broken and alone.

Another drink.

So many emotions ran through me—anger, frustration…insane, mind-destroying need. I was suffocating in the silence of the room. 

“Fuck!” I yelled out into the room, my empty glass smashing into a wall and landing on the floor in minuscule pieces.

The phone rang again, and this time, thanks to my disoriented haste, I picked up.

"Greg?”

Just what I fucking needed.

“Are you okay?"

My demonic tormenter herself.

"What the hell do you want, Jasmine?" I couldn’t deal with her at the moment.

"I– I just wanted—" 

While I found her fumbling over words adorable, it was another stab to my psyche. Pictures of her and Cassandra flopped back and forth and fucked with my mind until I had to double over in my seat, pulling at my hair.

"Well, we can't always have what we want.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? I’m just calling because the man who walked out on me…the
one
who hurt me, is not the Greg I know, and I’m worried.”

“You see,” I kept on talking as if she hadn’t hit me with a shot of guilt, “I want you to leave me alone . . . need you to stop tormenting my every waking moment, but you won't."

"Greg, I don't—"