Wicked: Jade Butterfly [Wicked Series Book 3] (3 page)

"That true?” Mick asked.

Jessi grinned. “It's possible. He did look quite surprised when he saw my face."

Mick stared at them both before smiling. “All right, since it's your birthday, I'll let you have it this time."

"It's your birthday?"

Christian smiled and said, “Yes. And my present from the guys was to humiliate myself, which I accomplished."

"It wasn't that bad, was it?” Mick asked.

"No,” Christian said, blushing. “The kiss was worth it."

"From where I was sitting, it looked like it was,” Mick asked, grinning.

Christian gave him a look and hoped he wouldn't say what he thought he was going to. When Mick took a step closer to Jessi, he knew he was going to.

"Well, I don't suppose you're going back to the hotel with him, then?"

Jessi grinned and even in the low lighting, Christian could see her cheeks flush. She stepped away from him and the heat from her body was stolen with the small distance.

Mick's question hung in the air and he waited to hear her answer. Part of him wanted her to say yes, and the other, the one that knew the guys would tease him endlessly, wanted her to decline. He waited silently and when she spoke, he remembered to breathe.

"I can't,” she said, turning her head to look at him. “I have a five a.m. flight to catch back to New York."

"Got a boyfriend waiting for you back home?” Mick asked.

If possible, her cheeks flushed brighter. “No."

"All right then. Now we're getting somewhere,” Mick said, clapping his hands and rubbing them together. “So, if the pup here gave you a call, you wouldn't turn down his offer, then?"

"Depends on what he's offering,” she said, turning to look at Christian. “Next time you're in New York, give me a call and we'll see what happens."

She leaned toward him and placed a soft kiss on his cheek, whispering, “Happy Birthday,” to him before walking away. They watched her until she vanished in a sea of bodies and Christian knew it would be the last time he saw her. The tour had them hopping the globe for the next year and the closest they'd get to New York was still too far away for a casual visit.

He sighed and looked at Mick when he draped his arm around his shoulder.

"You're an asshole."

What?” Mick laughed. “You want her, don't you? And now you know she's single."

"That's beside the point."

"Why?"

Christian stared across the bar in the direction she'd gone and let out a long breath. “Because I'm not sure she wanted me."

"You just weren't fast enough, my friend,” Mick said. “You spent all your time talking when you should have had her pressed into some dark corner with her skirt up around her ears."

Christian shook his head and laughed. “I'm sure a girl like that would just love to have her ass shown to half this bar while I fucked her silly in front of anyone looking our way."

"You can't ever tell,” Mick said. “The girl might be a freak and would have ridden you right up here on the bar!"

"Somehow I doubt that."

"And now you'll never know. Seriously though, you do know what your problem is, don't you?"

Christian sighed. “No, but I'm sure you're going to enlighten me."

Mick grinned and nodded. “You think too much,” he said. “You let that little voice in the back of your mind tell you you're making a fool out of yourself and by the time you realize you aren't, the girl you want has already moved on. You need to lighten up a bit. Get over the whole shy thing and just go with the flow more."

"Easy for you to say. I'm not like you or the others, Mick. I actually care what a woman thinks of me."

"Why? Worrying about the small shit doesn't get you any where near a decent piece of pussy. It just leaves you in your hotel room, alone, beating off to the first available porn you can get your hands on."

Christian laughed. “So that's all its about then? Getting laid?"

"Noooo,” Mick said, grinning. “It's about getting laid anytime, anywhere, with any girl your heart desires.” He turned and gave Christian a long look and tilted his head to one side. “I can show you how, you know."

"Show me what?"

Mick grinned. “Do you trust me?"

"Never,” Christian laughed.

"What if I told you I could have any girl you wanted eating out of your hand and begging for more?"

"I'd say you drank one too many tonight."

"You want to bet on it?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"Come with me. We need to have a little talk."

[Back to Table of Contents]

3 months later

"You're definitely not in Kansas anymore,” Jessi said to herself as she stared in awe at the hotel's lobby. Crystal chandeliers cast the entire area in soft, golden light. The sound of running water from the fountains overpowered the din of voices and the scent of fresh flowers saturated the air.

She smiled as a young man gathered her bags and motioned her forward. She followed him in a daze to the elevators, waiting while it traveled to the bottom floor.

"That's the same look I had on my face when I got here."

Jessi turned her head and grinned. “Faith!” Her oldest friend laughed and Jessi threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly before stepping back. “My god, you still look twelve!"

Standing just over five foot tall, Faith braced her hands on her hips and scowled. She was still tiny and looked like a china doll with fair skin, short black hair and large green eyes. She was petite but with enough sensual curves to turn the head of every guy looking her way. She wasn't a classic beauty but add in the quirky attitude, a distinct southern accent and she was definitely one of the cutest girls Jessi had ever known.

"I do not,” Faith said. “Name one twelve year old with boobies this big?"

"Uh, Sandy Rogers did."

"Did,” she said. “Name one now."

"Do I have to?"

Faith grinned. “No."

"How long have you been here?"

"Since yesterday,” Faith said. “Wait until you see the rooms Joan reserved for us."

"Well if they're anything like this hotel..."

"They are,” Faith said.

The elevator doors opened and Jessi entered behind the man with her bags, followed by Faith. She stared around the interior of the enclosure. Glass walls gave a scenic view of the entire hotel and she took it all in before Faith moved to stand beside her.

"This town is amazing, Jess. I haven't seen this much neon since the Jody Burger got the new flashing sign out by the highway."

"The Jody Burger is still in business?"

"Believe it or not,” Faith said.

"I don't."

Faith turned and leaned back against the glass. “Wait until you see the hotel. There's more nightclubs, bars and restaurants than I could count, not to mention fancy shopping boutiques and a casino all right here on the premises. Oh, and the wedding chapel is inside the hotel, too,” she said. “It's the swankiest thing I've ever seen. Makes my daddy's church look like an outhouse."

Jessi grinned. “I'm sure the Reverend would love to hear you referring to his sanctuary as an outhouse."

"It's the truth,” Faith said. “Besides, it's not like he'll ever find out I said it."

"That sounds like the Faith I know,” Jessi said. “You're not planning on going buck-ass wild this week are you?"

"Are you going to tell on me if I do?"

"No.” Jessi grinned. “What happens in Vegas..."

"Stays in Vegas!"

The elevator doors opened and the girls followed the man with the bags out. The floor they'd stopped on looked much like the lobby. Fountains and an open reception area filled with live plants and flowers filled the space.

"Definitely swanky,” Jessi said, mimicking her friend.

"Aint it though?"

They walked through the small reception area, Faith babbling a mile a minute when Jessi saw someone out of the corner of her eye coming toward her. She turned her head to look and stopped dead in her tracks.

"Well, well, well. Small world, isn't it?"

Jessi forced a smile on her face and took a calming breath. “I didn't think it was, but now I'm beginning to believe otherwise."

"How you been, doll?"

"Great. And you?"

"Never better."

Jessi saw him glance at Faith and remembered her manners. “Mick, this is my friend, Faith Weston. Faith, Mick Sheppard."

"Oh, I know who he is,” Faith said. “I'd have to be deaf and dumb not to."

Mick grinned, the piercing in his eyebrow lifting slightly when he did. His gaze lingered on Faith for long moments before he looked back at her. “So, what are you doing in Sin City?"

"Working,” Jessi said. “A friend from college is getting married and I get the honors of taking the wedding photos."

"Is it all work and no play then?"

"I'm here all week. I'm sure I can find something to get in to."

"I'm sure you can,” he said. He gave a quick glance to Faith and smiled. “If you're looking for a little fun I can help you out. Would you ladies be up for a concert?"

Jessi smiled when she felt Faith jab a finger into her back. “When?"

"We're playing tomorrow night. I'm sure Christian would love to see you. I may even be able to find a special card just for you."

At the mention of “card", Jessi felt her face burn hot. The night she'd run into Christian and he presented her with the card from their pick-up game came back to her in a flash. She still couldn't believe she'd kissed him. Proof enough that lonely and alcohol didn't mix but she didn't regret it for an instant. She'd finally had her small taste of him and now, the band was here. Which meant Christian was here. In Vegas.

"What do you say?” Mick said, interrupting her thoughts.

"Um, I'll have to check with Joan and make sure she hasn't planned anything yet."

"She hasn't,” Faith said.

"Then I take that as a yes?” Mick said.

Jessi's stomach tightened. The thought of seeing Christian again caused her pulse to race suddenly. She'd replayed that night in Chicago in her mind a hundred times since then and wondered if Christian would ever call her. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't been waiting. She had and every day he didn't call left her feeling a tiny bit bereft. She looked up at Mick and smiled, trying to keep her voice neutral. There wasn't any reason to let him know he'd just made her entire week. “A definite maybe."

"I'll take it. I'll leave you lovely ladies a few passes at the main lobby downstairs. See you tomorrow."

He walked away as quickly as he came and Jessi took a deep breath, turning her head to Faith. Her friend was grinning widely. “What?"

"You
know
him?” Faith asked.

"Not personally. I took photo's of the band in New York a few months back and ran into them again in Chicago not long ago."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Come on, Jessi. Don't hold out on me! That was Mick Sheppard!"

Jessi laughed and motioned Faith forward to the man standing not far from them waiting. “Let's go to the room and I'll tell you everything."

Christian was startled when the door suddenly slammed and he turned his head, watching Mick walk across the room. The smile on his band mates face screamed trouble.

"What did you do?” Devin asked.

"What makes you think I did something?"

"That shit eating grin, maybe?” he said.

Mick laughed and looked at Christian, raising one eyebrow. “I ran into an old acquaintance of yours,” he said, flopping down on the sofa.

"Who?"

"A hot little number by the name of Jessi McClure."

Christian felt his face burst into flame at the mention of her name. His pulse started to race and his throat dried in an instant. His last meeting with her played in fast-forward through his memories and he was breathless by the time Mick started talking again.

"She's in the hotel and will be for the rest of the week."

"Jessi?” Holly said. “Who is that?"

"The photographer from New York."

"Oh, the one who kissed Christian in the pick-up game,” Roxy said, grinning.

"How do you remember her?” Luke asked.

Roxy gave him a look and smiled. “I remember every girl you check out."

Luke feigned hurt, holding a hand to his heart. “I haven't checked out another woman since I laid eyes on you, sweetheart."

"You don't lie much either, do you?"

Luke grinned and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her down into his lap.

"Are you sure it's her?” Christian asked, getting Mick's attention.

"Oh yeah. I talked to her,” he said. “She's here for some wedding."

"Not her own, I hope,” Devin said, grinning.

"No. She's just taking the pictures."

"Are you going to give her a call, Christian?"

Christian looked over at Devin when he spoke and shrugged one shoulder before standing and walking to the window. He stared out at the city, watching the traffic but not really seeing it.

Since the night he'd ran into Jessi in the club months back, he hadn't been able to completely forget about her. He'd see her in his dreams, hear her phantom laughter and wonder if he'd ever get the chance to see her again. The temptation to call her was great but, if he was honest with himself, he knew he was too chicken shit to do it. What if she was just being nice when she said to call her? She'd kissed him but he could blame that on the card. He'd asked for it, after all.

Ever since that night, Mick had taken a personal interest in the way he approached women and, as much as he hated to admit it, his friend had helped. Whether that was a good thing or not was still to be seen but for the most part, talking to a girl didn't leave him choking on his own tongue now. Of course, those were girls who he hardly thought of once they left his sight. Jessi was a different story altogether. He hadn't seen her in months and just thinking about her made his palms sweat. And he still didn't have the balls enough to pick up a phone and call her.

"No need for him to call her,” Mick said, answering Devin's question. “I invited her to the concert tomorrow."

Christian turned his head and looked over his shoulder. “You invited her to the concert?"