Just One Sip (6 page)

My small smile was bittersweet. “We’ve had this discussion before.”

“I know.” He lifted the jewel to his mouth and softly blew on it. When he touched it to my jaw again, it was heated by his breath. “But four years is a long time. You could go to college here.” His ice blues caught my attention, shining from the light. The sun always touched him like he was what kept it burning. “With me.”

“I could,” I stated quietly. “But I need to leave. Just for a few years.”

He growled in his throat as he dipped. His lips caressed against my neck so sweetly. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and all that shit?”

“Yeah,” I whispered. Ever so deliberately, I shook my head. “I only have one mom. I’ll only
ever
have one mom. I want to be able to appreciate her like you do yours. And mine is driving me fucking crazy.”

“She’s just…unique.”

I choked on a laugh. “That’s one word to describe her.”

He paused, lifting his head to peer down into my eyes. His tone was dead serious when he asked, “And you’re sure that you’re not leaving because of me?”

“Not
because
of you, Jet.” I held his gaze evenly. Honestly. “A girl needs a little time before she leaps into the future you want for us.” He wanted to marry me. I knew that. He knew that. “We’re only eighteen. It’s not quite time for that yet.”

His gaze ran over my features. “And you don’t want to be with someone else? See what it’s like?”

Instant. “Hell, no.” He was it for me.

His lips curved up on the side in a sly smile. “Pinkie promise?”

I chuckled. “Pinkie promise.” I pointed at my neck. “I liked that thing you were doing…”

His brows lifted, teasing me. “What
thing
?”

“You know what thing.”

His legs gently slid between mine, settling his hard cock against my core. “I thought you liked
this
thing the best?”

My eyes held his. “I like
you
the best, Jet Mak. Always you.”

Present Day

I couldn’t find my phone through all of my paperwork. “Mom! Have you seen my cell?”

A minute later, Mom stepped inside my office and sat a plate down on top of my messy as hell desk. It had a turkey sandwich, coleslaw¸ and baked beans on it. My stomach growled—not so quietly. Mom grinned as she sat in exhaustion on the chair across from me. After taking a large gulp of her sweet tea, she pointed a finger behind me. “Your cell’s on the table behind you.” I started to swivel my chair, but she snapped her fingers sharply. “Eat first. You’ve been working all day without a break.”

I rolled my eyes at the scolding but didn’t argue. I was hungry.

She pulled a fork out from the pocket on her skirt, and I started munching.

Groaning happily, I said around a mouthful, “You’re cooking is the best.
Ever
.”

Her lips twitched behind her glass. “Yeah, Mom wasn’t the best cook.” She blinked. Her smile dimmed at the mention of Grandma, but she quickly shook her head, bringing her attention back to me. “I’m not entirely sure how you survived up there for as long as you did.”

A vision of take-out bags filled my thoughts. “I learned to cope.”

My brows slowly bunched, and I peered at her from under my lashes. I kept my question light. “Grandma never said anything about Grandpa. What was he like?” He had died in a work-related accident long before I was born.

Mom scratched her chin and rested back on the chair. Comfortable. At ease. “Dad was a quiet man. A lot like you, really. He only had a few friends, but the ones he did…,” she smiled to herself, “they used to come over on Friday nights. They would play cards—play for pennies.” She nodded to herself, deep in thought. “And, my God, did he love Mom. They were practically glued at the hip.”

I ran my gaze over her soft features. “He sounds like a good guy.”

“He was,” Mom said tenderly. After a space of silent recollection, she took a drink and eyed me over the edge of her glass. “Why do you ask?”

I cleared my throat. My stomach buzzed with nerves, but I decided to bite the bullet. “Well, I always wondered why you didn’t get married.”

Her brows snapped together. “Is this about who your dad—”

I waved a sharp hand. “No.” I shook my head. “No. No. No.” I pointed my fork at her. “You’ve told me many times that you don’t know which guy he was. I don’t feel like digging through that mess. One parent is enough for me. What I want to know is why haven’t you ever married?” I hesitated. “I thought you might when I left for college.”

Her brown eyes widened. “You thought I hadn’t married because of you?”

Bingo. “Yeah.”

“That’s not true.” She waved a dismissive hand in the air. The jingle of her bracelets put a tiny smile on my face.
Home
. “Some people aren’t the marrying sort. Like myself.” She tipped her head to me…and her entire face lit up with amusement. Laughing softly, she stated, “And some are. Like you.” Her sparkling gaze swept over mine. “That’s what this conversation is really about, isn’t it? You and Jet?”

Damn her. “Maybe.”

Mom stood from her chair…and patted the top of my head like I was a good dog. “Just marry him already. I know you have this view of how perfect marriage should be, but it’s not. Marriage isn’t neat or pretty. But for those who are destined for each other, it can be beautiful through all the mess.” She waggled a finger at me. “You know Jet isn’t the type of man to take just one sip from.”

My lips twitched. “Actually, you’re wrong. He’s the man I want to take just one sip from every minute of every hour of every day. For the rest of my life.”

Snickering gently, Mom turned to leave, walking out my door.

I still heard her say under her breath, “
Finally. There
is
a bit of me in her
.”

Now those were scary words. Though, they were definitely true.

I was my mother’s daughter.

I finished off the meal. “Hey, Mom?”

She called from her work in the kitchen, “Yeah?”

“I’m glad I’m home.”

“The feeling’s mutual.” Only a bare beat, “Now, get your ass out of here and go see Jet.”

Present Day

“You want something to drink?” the bartender asked. “Beebee” wasn’t working the bar tonight. Instead, an attractive guy was. I highly doubted anyone unattractive worked at The Club.

“I don’t drink,” I answered politely.
My medication doesn’t allow it
. Not a lot anyway. “But I will take a bottled water.” He bent behind the bar and then handed me an icy bottle. “Is Mr. Mak working tonight?”

I had taken my mom’s advice, now at The Club. I had no problem getting in. Apparently, I was on the
approved
list. I even wore the pantsuit that I had worn to cater in. Though, I had added a black lace bra to the ensemble. No one needed to know it was the sexiest thing I owned. Or that Karim Bakes had actually bought it.

“He might be,” he said elusively. Good employee. Never say too much about the boss. His stunning eyes tracked over my features in a new light, having brought up one of the owners. He leaned against the bar, gifting me a flirtatious grin. “And you would be?”

“Her name is Ms. Plume,” Jet stated deeply from behind me. His tone held more than enough bite to have me straighten on my seat and glance backward. That…was his pissed off face. His black brows were slammed together and his tan cheeks were slightly flushed. And his eyes, ice blues were slicing the bartender in half. He placed a warm hand—a
possessive
hand—on the back of my neck. “And she’s none of your concern. Get back to work.”

The bartender didn’t say a word, which was intelligent on his part. He merely glanced once more at me—in surprise—and then ducked his head and turned to help another customer.

I lifted my hand and placed it on Jet’s wrists, running by thumb back and forth under his suit jacket to his heated skin. And I tried not to laugh. “He probably thinks you’re going to fire him.”

Jet snorted, still glaring at the employee. “I might. The whole damn town knows you’re off limits.” Of course, they did. That was actually a perk. I didn’t have people hitting on me left and right. His head teetered in thought, and he eventually shrugged. “He’s new. I’ll give him one more shot.”

I raised a blonde brow. “And if he messes up again?”

“If he hits on you, I’ll give him a different shot.”

Bad thing was I knew he wasn’t kidding.

The Mak
legacy
could rival any major city’s mob action.

I sighed heavily, tightening my grip on his wrist. “I came by to see you.”

“I know.”

“Then look at me, not him.”

His regard instantly slammed into me. Stony eyes turned soft. “Sorry.”

My lips lifted into a tender smile. “I thought we might dance.”

“No dinner? We didn’t get to have—”

I lifted from my seat and pulled his arm, herding him to the dance floor. I peered up at him with innocent eyes. “Jet, actually look at what I’m wearing. It’s not dinner material, is it?”

His gaze instantly scanned my attire. And promptly heated. His ice blues darkened to a fevered pitch as they lingered on my showing cleavage. I lost my breath when he yanked my small frame against his much larger and harder body. Warm hands wrapped around my waist, holding me firmly. He dipped his head as he started swaying our bodies to the drifting music. He pressed his lips against my ear, growling deeply before saying, “That’s dinner material, Lucy. My dinner.”

I groaned and pressed closer. “After this, I want you to show me your office.”

He chuckled quietly, biting my left earlobe. “I’ll show you more than that.”

“Oh, Jesus Christ,” I moaned, thrusting my right hand above my head for support. I found none. Instead, a phone and papers went flying off Jet’s desk to the black carpeting. “Oh, my God, I’ve missed you.” I arched my back on his black marble office desk I lay naked on. Jet’s talented mouth sucked on the tender flesh of the inside of my right thigh. His lips were traveling higher, but so damn slowly. “Quit teasing me, Jet.”

He growled against my skin. “It’s been six years. I want to taste all of you.”

“Then do it, dammit. Just do it faster.” I peered down and used both of my hands to fist his blue hair. “I. Want. You. Inside. Me.”

“Patience, Lucy.”

“Fuck patience.”

His chuckle was evil. “Six years. You made me wait six years, remember?”

My eyes crossed as he twirled his tongue up and up. “This is payback?”

“Perhaps.”

Fuck me. “Bastard.”

“Right now, yes, I am.”

My head dropped down to his desk as he reached my core…and placed the gentlest kiss against my throbbing flesh. I could barely breathe. “Ah, fuck.”

I couldn’t talk after that. Just a mumbled mess of incoherent sounds escaped my throat as Jet licked and sucked my intimate flesh, always keeping me on the edge, never letting me slip over into the sweet oblivion he could give me. I groaned, spreading my legs even wider as he slid two fingers inside me, tickling and pressing against all the right spots. His tongue slid over my clit before sucking greedily.

And still, he wouldn’t let me fly.

I yanked on his hair brutally, jerking his head up. “Get up here, dammit.”