PartyNaked (9 page)

Jarod grin. “Guess the fruit didn’t fall far from that
tree.”

She knew he didn’t intend to insult her. He didn’t know
about the animosity between her and Beverly, but his words still grated.
“Meaning?”

“From what I gather, you work your ass off at that bar. When
was the last time you took a night off?”

“I took tonight off,” she joked.

He narrowed his eyes. “Before tonight?”

She bit her lip, refusing to answer his question.

“That’s what I thought,” he said.

“What I’m trying to say is, in my mother’s eyes, I’m a
failure. Having a bartender for a daughter isn’t exactly something she can brag
about to her friends at the country club.”

Jarod frowned. “You’re a hell of a lot more than just a
bartender, Steph. You’re a successful entrepreneur, a creative businesswoman, a
good friend and the best lover I’ve ever had.”

She smiled at his vehement defense, laughing at the last.
Then she made her point. “Not sure I can brag about that lover part to mom, but
thanks. And, for the record, you’re a lot more than just a cop.”

He nodded, looking pleased that she got it.

“I guess now that Elias has been cleared as a hardened
criminal, you don’t have any reason to hang out at Books and Brew anymore.”

He snorted. “Are you kidding me? I have every reason to hang
out. You’re there.”

She fell silent. Compliments seemed to come so naturally to
him and she never doubted his sincerity. He made her feel warm and tingly
inside.

The waitress came over and offered to fill their coffee
cups. Stephanie glanced at her cell phone. It was well after midnight. She
waved the waitress off. “No thanks. Any more of that and I’ll be up all night.”

Jarod agreed and asked for the bill. A small part of
Stephanie was sorry to see the night end.

“Did you finish your homework?” she asked, hoping that Jarod
hadn’t had a chance to finish reading the romance novel. If he bailed on the
group discussion, she could too.

“Yep. I even highlighted a few parts to talk about.”

“You’re joking.”

He shook his head. “Nope. I’m totally serious. Did you read it?
Because a deal’s a deal—I’m only doing the discussion if you do.”

“I read the damn thing. Talk about a waste of time.”

Jarod studied her face seriously. “You really are missing
that romance gene.”

She started to reach for the bill when the waitress put it
on the table, but Jarod beat her to it. “I’ll pay.”

She pulled her wallet out of her purse. “You treated for
dinner and the movies.”

“My date, my tab.”

“Christ. You know, you have a tendency to throw in a lot of
last-minute rules.”

He tossed a few bills on the table. “Just part of my
appeal.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right.”

They rose and walked to the parking lot together. Jarod
opened her door. It was an old-fashioned, gentlemanly thing to do, but she
liked it. She wondered when guys had stopped doing that. None of her dates in
the past had ever opened her door for her.

Soon they were on the road, heading back to her place. They
were both quiet for a few minutes, but the silence didn’t feel awkward.

Finally, she said, “My mom’s been married four times.”

“Four times. Wow. That’s quite a track record.”

“I think it has something to do with the fact she’s never at
home because she’s always working. Add to that, her habit of holding everyone
she meets up to an impossible standard, and as a result, she spends most of her
life being disappointed.”

“Couldn’t have been easy growing up in that kind of
environment.”

She scoffed. She’d read enough psychology books in her life
to understand her childhood wasn’t as bad as it could have been. “I’m not
playing the poor-me card here. I had a fine upbringing. My dad is still in my
life. My stepdads weren’t pricks. My mom, for all her faults, loves me. I know
that. I’m just saying I notice there aren’t a lot of romance books out there
that show how tough forever really is.”

“Maybe your mom hasn’t figured out the trick to romance, but
that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”

She looked out the window of the car and sighed. “All I’m
saying is, I think that has a lot to do with my lacking the romance gene. Real
life is never as frilly and perfect as those stupid books portray. I have a
hard time suspending reality enough to believe in the fairy-tale ending. In my
world, ‘happily ever after
’
begins with a pre-nup, averages about
four-to-six years and ends in a divorce lawyer’s office.”

Jarod didn’t reply and she wondered what he was thinking.
She’d gotten accustomed to at least having a feeling for where his thoughts
lay. Unfortunately, right now, she didn’t have a freaking clue.

They rode the rest of the way in silence, which gave her too
much time to worry about what she’d just said. Regardless of her assurances to
the contrary, she was coming off as someone with definite mommy issues. For the
first time in a long time, she didn’t push away the thought—dismissing it as a
mistake. Tonight with Jarod had been amazing and yet, in the back of her mind,
she was already plotting the end, trying to figure out her escape route.

Shit. The words “physician heal thyself” drifted through her
mind.

When Jarod pulled up in front of her apartment building, he
put the car in park. She noticed he didn’t turn it off and she was
disappointed. Maybe she’d scared him off with her cynicism. Wouldn’t be the
first time she’d unloaded too much baggage and sent a guy packing. “Wanna come
up for a nightcap?”

He shook his head. “Not tonight.”

Her heart fell. While she’d had a terrific time, Jarod
didn’t seem to feel the same way. She should be relieved. She’d let herself get
carried away with him and it was time to rein in her emotions, get grounded
once more.

“Okay. So thanks for tonight.”

She reached for the door handle but Jarod stopped her,
gripping her wrist loosely.

“I don’t agree with you.”

She gave him a puzzled look. “About what?”

“Romance books. I believe in love, Stephanie. It exists. I
think you use your mother’s experiences with the emotion as an excuse to avoid
feeling anything more deep and meaningful than friendship.”

Her chest tightened as Jarod said the very words she’d just
thought. Reverting to character, she took the easy way out. “That’s not true.”

He ran a finger along her cheek and she repressed a shiver.
He hadn’t touched her much tonight and she’d missed it. “I’ll prove it.”

He leaned closer and kissed her. As always, she melted.
Jarod’s kisses were deep, sensual, and they drove her to an entirely different
plane. She felt like she was having an out-of-body experience, not only able to
feel, hear and taste everything, but to also watch it from above. Each stroke
of his lips against hers was unique as he alternated between soft, gentle touches
to hard, serious kisses that demanded her surrender. His fingers tangled in her
hair, tilting her face according to his whims, his desire.

Stephanie gripped his shoulders and held on for dear life.
As they parted to suck in some much-needed air, she repeated her invitation.
“Come upstairs with me.”

He rested his forehead against hers. “No.”

“Why not?” She hadn’t misread those kisses and she sure as
hell recognized the bulge in the front of his pants. He had to be in agony with
that raging hard-on.

“Because I’m not in this for sex, Steph. I want more.”

Her heart missed a beat. “How much more?”

“I want the whole enchilada. I want you. Girlfriend.
Toothpaste globs in my sink.”

Her cynical soul laughed, though she felt like crying. She
couldn’t give him that. She didn’t have the time or…the courage.

“Don’t be ridiculous. We just met. We’ve known each other
less than a week.”

He nodded. “I know. And a week ago, I probably would have
agreed with you that what I’m proposing is crazy. This week, I’m seeing the world
a bit differently. I’m a cop, Stephanie, and I’ve gone with my gut instincts
more than a few times as I worked to solve cases.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“My gut is telling me you’re special. That there’s a very
good chance we’d be a pretty cool couple and have a hell of a lot of fun along
the way.”

Her mouth went dry and she licked her lips, trying to find
the moisture to speak, to refute his insane comments. “It’s too soon,” she
whispered. “There’s no way you can know we’re that compatible. Hell, this was
only our first date.”

“You’re right—I can’t know for sure. That’s why I’m going to
keep hanging out at Books and Brew. That’s why we’re going to keep dating. And
that’s why I’m not coming upstairs tonight.”

She narrowed her eyes, confusion warring with the panic and
disappointment in her chest until he pounded the final nail in her coffin.

“I’m not going to let you confuse what we have with lust.
I’m in this for the long haul, for a relationship.”

Chapter Six

Jarod walked into Books and Brew at exactly six o’clock on
Thursday with his romance novel tucked under his arm. He grinned in
anticipation, anxious to see Stephanie again. He’d thrown her for a loop the
previous night. He’d seen it in her face when she’d quietly mumbled good night
and got out of the car.

Knowing what a powerhouse she was, it appeared no man had
ever stood up to her and given her a run for her money. He intended to change
that, to keep her on her toes.

Jayne and Gladys lit up when they saw him walk in.
Unfortunately, a quick glance around the bar confirmed Stephanie was nowhere to
be seen. He knew she wouldn’t back out of this meeting. They’d struck a deal
and while he was only just getting to know her, he had no doubt she kept her
word. Pride wouldn’t let her stay away, even if that was what she truly wanted
to do.

Gladys quickly ushered him to the table of women and Jarod
suppressed a laugh. Obviously she was afraid he’d come to his senses at any
moment and hightail it out of there. As Gladys and Jayne made the introductions,
he politely said hello to the other eight women at the table. He gave up trying
to remember names after the fifth woman shook his hand. All he knew was, there
were two Lisas and too many names that started with C.

“Do you want something to drink?”

He looked over his shoulder and found Stephanie standing
there with a tray full of Screwdrivers.

“Is that the mandatory beverage?”

“For these ladies, yes. I’m having something much stronger.”
He watched her place the glasses in front of the other participants. She put
her drink down at a spot exactly across from him before walking around the
table to stand next to him.

“What is that?” he asked, gesturing at her shot glass.
“Tequila?”

“Yep. Patron. Figured it might make this book discussion a
bit more bearable. Sure you don’t want one?” She leaned closer. “Or maybe you’d
like another Party Naked?” Her words were softly spoken, the tone seductive,
and they had the effect she’d intended. He was reminded of their
clothing-optional sex fest last week. His cock twinged. Shit. She was getting
revenge for him dropping her off at her door last night. This wasn’t going to
end well.

Jarod looked around at the other women at the table. They
were chatting amongst themselves, not paying any attention to Stephanie’s antics
with the shot of liquor. They were all well aware she was there under duress.

He shook his head, refusing her offer of a drink. “Think I
might need to keep my wits about me tonight.”

She winked at him and shrugged, before putting the tray down
on a nearby table and taking her seat.

“Funny,” she said, lifting the glass to her lips, “that’s
what I was trying to wipe out.” She downed the shot, eschewing the salt and the
lime.

What a woman.

Jayne returned to the table. “I just called Denise and she
has a sick kid at home, so she can’t come tonight. I think everyone’s already
met our special guest, Jarod. He’s a local firefighter, ladies.”

Jarod winced as he recalled the lie he’d told the previous
week. He’d forgotten to correct the mistake. Stephanie shrugged, indicating it
was no big deal. They’d pull Jayne aside later to explain.

Jayne continued speaking, this time pointing to Stephanie.
“And, miracle of miracles, our very own Stephanie has agreed to step out from
behind the bar and join us as well. She’s assured me she’s made a very large
pitcher of her world-famous Screwdrivers, so all Sophie has to do is pour
them.”

The ladies cheered.

Gladys, seated on Jarod’s left, elbowed him lightly. “Thank
the lord for that. Sophie is a little heavy-handed on the O.J. I like my
’drivers to have a kick.” She gave him a wicked wink and he laughed, wondering
if the older woman was coming on to him. Glancing across the table, he caught
Stephanie’s mirthful expression as she confirmed his suspicions.

Jarod was impressed with Jayne’s organization as she claimed
the seat on his right. The book discussion progressed like a well-oiled
machine, with Jayne asking thought-provoking questions. Each woman contributed
something and many of them, like him, had highlighted passages of the book.
He’d never participated in a book group, but he could definitely see the
appeal. He’d always enjoyed reading, though his job didn’t leave him a lot of
free time for it. He’d never picked up a romance novel prior to this one—his
taste running more along the murder mystery and horror lines. He recalled
Stephanie mentioning the mystery book group and he made a mental note to ask
Jayne more about it after the meeting.

A couple of times he was asked for the male perspective on
certain sections and he was happy to give his opinion on the plot points.

Carol piped up. “I guess what I’m wondering is if real men
actually think the way the hero, James, did in the book?”