Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Liam

Jasmine clearly wants to go out, and I feel like an ass for trying to keep her in. She does need to get out and socialize, make friends, and who would be better friends than Layla and Erin?

When we arrive at my apartment, I park and shut off the engine. “Are you sure you want to go out tonight?”

She lights up. “Yes.”

But I’m not so sure this is a good idea. “All right,” I say, resigned.

To my utter shock, she leans over and kisses my cheek. “Thanks. You’re the best.” And then she hops out of the Jeep.

The best what, I wonder. The best big brother? The best protector? Is there room for me to be anything else?

We head up to the apartment to shower and change. I’m ready first and sit on the sofa waiting for Jasmine. She’s taking longer than usual in the bathroom, and I wonder if she’s having second thoughts.

When she walks into the living room, my heart thuds in my chest. She’s put her hair up, letting a couple of delicate corkscrew curls dangle down. She’s wearing eyeshadow and mascara and a little bit of lip gloss, and the effect is mind blowing. She’s wearing skinny jeans and her ankle boots. Her burgundy top is soft and silky, open at the neck and exposing the graceful column of her throat. My breath catches.

“Wow,” I say, as I shoot to my feet. Suddenly, I feel underdressed.

“Do I look okay?” Jasmine asks as she looks down at her outfit.

“You look amazing. I mean yes, you look great.”

As she smiles, she glows. “Thanks.”

We leave around seven-thirty. I park a couple of blocks from Tanks, but on a different side street this time. I’d like to avoid another run-in with someone Jasmine used to know.

We arrive at the bar just as Jason and Layla do. The two girls hug, both of them smiling. I realize their budding friendship is as good for Layla as it is for Jasmine. Based on Jason’s pleased expression, I’d say he agrees.

Mack and Erin arrive right after we do, and Erin joins in on the girl power fest. I have to say I’m glad to see Jasmine making friends.  I don’t think she’s ever had that.

The song Happy by Pharrell Williams starts playing on the jukebox. Women stream onto the dance floor, clapping and cheering. I watch as Layla and Erin coax Jasmine onto the dance floor. She seems apprehensive, but when she glances my way, I nod and motion for her to go.

She hesitates a second, but then goes along with the other girls. It’s mostly women out on the dance floor, with the guys looking on. The next song is Hey Ya by Outkast—another feel-good song—and the girls keep dancing. I watch, mesmerized, as Jasmine grows more and more comfortable out there, letting go and moving her body to the music.

The rest of the guys have arrived—Philip, Miguel, and Mateo. They stand with me, Jason, and Mack on the perimeter, watching.

When the high-energy songs are followed by a classic romantic slow song—I Can’t Help Falling in Love by UB40—men flood the dance floor to claim their partners.

Jason sweeps a laughing Layla into his arms. Mack claims Erin. Jasmine stands frozen on the floor, suddenly unsure of herself.

Mateo nudges me hard with his elbow. “You either get out there right now and dance with that girl, or I will.”

And then I’m moving, bypassing the couples on the dance floor to get to Jasmine. The look of panic on her face immediately transforms to relief when she spots me.

I hold out my arms. “Would you like to dance?”

Her smile steals my breath. “Yes.” She steps into my embrace.

“Having fun?” I ask.

She nods. “I just hope I don’t step on your foot.”

“You’re doing fine,” I say.

She smiles. “Thanks to you.”

A couple dancing behind Jasmine bumps into her, knocking her into me. I catch her and slip my arms around her waist to steady her. I glance down at her just as she glances up at me, and our gazes lock. My heart slams into my ribs, and I can’t for the life of me look away. She doesn’t seem inclined to look away either.

My traitorous gaze drops to her mouth, her lips glistening with strawberry-scented lip gloss. I can’t bring myself to look away, and when her full lips part on a shaky breath, my body lights up. Heat rushes through me like a raging fire, and I find myself struggling to breathe. My pulse starts pounding, and my growing erection strains against my jeans.

Still, she doesn’t look away, and her chest rises and falls with quick breaths. The slow song morphs into another one, and neither one of us seems inclined to end the dance. I tighten my arms around her waist and draw her closer so that her breasts are pressed against my chest.

Suddenly a grinning Miguel is beside me. He winks at me as he taps my shoulder. “How about you let me cut in?”

“No way. Forget it.”

Miguel groans. “Aw, man. You just cost me a twenty-dollar bet.” And then he walks away.

“What was that about?” Jasmine asks.

“No idea.” On impulse, I slide my hand up beneath Jasmine’s hair to cup the back of her neck.

She closes her eyes and sighs.

I’m not sure what just happened here, but I’m pretty sure we just crossed a line.

After the second slow dance, the music kicks up several notches. Jasmine and I leave the dance floor and head to our table. Our server comes to take our orders. Once that’s done, Layla and Erin drag Jasmine off to the women’s bathroom.

I start to rise, intending to escort them, but Mack beats me to it. He clamps a hand on my shoulder and says, “I’ll go.”

“Relax, she’s fine,” Jason says when he catches me watching the women’s room door from across the bar.

“The last time we were here, Jasmine ran into someone she knew outside. It got ugly.”

“Mack’s with them. He won’t let anything happen.”

“So, what’s this about Miguel losing twenty bucks?” I ask the group.

Mateo laughs. “We took bets on whether or not you’d let anyone dance with your girl. Miguel said you would. He lost.”

“She’s not—”

Mateo wags a finger at me. “If you say she’s not your girl one more time, I’m going to punch you.”

The girls return to the table, and our food arrives. The rest of the evening we eat and talk. We play some pool. I win the first match against Mack. I lose the next match to Jason. While Mateo and Miguel are playing pool, Mack challenges me to a game of darts.

“That doesn’t look too hard,” Jasmine says as she observes us.

“Then you come over here and try,” I say. I hold out my hand to her, and she steps close. “Let’s see how well you do.”

She laughs when I move in behind her. I show her how to stand and how to hold the dart. “Aim for the center,” I tell her. “The bullseye.”

She hauls her arm back and throws. The dart misses the board entirely, bounces off the wall, and lands on the floor. She laughs. “Well, crap.”

“Try again,” I say, laughing along with her. “Here, let me show you.”

I hold her hand in mind and guide her throw. This time, she hits the board, but barely. “I suck!” she says.

“That was much better,” I say. “Keep practicing.”

It’s nearly midnight when we all decide it’s time to head home. Jasmine and I walk back to the Jeep without incident.

She’s quiet on the drive home.

“Everything okay?” I ask her when we pull into the parking garage.

She nods as she hops out of the vehicle and heads for the elevator. “Fine.”

She’s uncharacteristically quiet on the elevator ride up to our floor.

“Is something wrong?” I ask her. “I thought you were having a good time tonight.”

The elevator stops at our floor and she exits the car without answering. I follow her to the apartment. As she steps aside and waits for me to unlock the door, I make a mental note to get her a set of keys.

I glance at her out of the corner of my eyes and notice she’s tearing up. Shit. Something’s obviously wrong, but I have no idea what.

Once we’re inside, she heads straight for the bathroom. “I’m tired. I’m going to get ready for bed.”

I’m at a complete loss for what happened this evening. When we danced, I thought we shared something—a moment—something. We had fun throwing darts. And now she seems miserable.

I wait outside the bathroom door for her to come out. She jumps when she opens the door to find me standing there.

“Tell me what’s wrong,” I say.

At first, she looks sad, but quickly her eyes take on an angry glint. “Nothing’s wrong,” she bites out.

“You’re a terrible liar. I thought you were having fun tonight.”

“I was!”

“Then what’s wrong? You’ve hardly said a word to me since we left the bar.”

“Nothing!” she insists, and then she pushes past me to the bedroom.

I reach out and grab her hand, pulling her back to face me. “Bullshit. Something’s obviously wrong, Jasmine. Tell me.”

Her expression crumples as she tears up. “I just wish I was someone else,” she says, her voice breaking.

She tries to pull away, but I hold fast. “What are you talking about?”

Her tears overflow, streaming down her cheeks. “I wish I was the kind of girl you could be interested in.”

I’m stunned by that. “What makes you think you’re not?”

She looks pained. “Come on, Liam. I’m a whore.”

She spits out the word with so much self-loathing, my heart breaks for her. “Is that how you see yourself?”

“Don’t you?”

“No. I see a survivor. I see a young woman who has faced incredibly difficult circumstances and did the best she could. No, I don’t see you as a whore. I see you as an amazing young woman who has overcome impossible odds and is now well on her way to making a new life for herself.”

She stands there frozen, her eyes wide in disbelief. I reach out and cup her face in my hands. “Jasmine, you’re selling yourself short. You’re a fighter, a survivor. You’re amazing.”

“I wish that was enough.” Her voice breaks.

“What do you mean? It’s more than enough.” But my words aren’t getting through her pain. She looks devastated. Impulse takes over, and unable to help myself, I lean in to kiss her.

Her lips are soft and full, and they feel so incredibly good against mine, like heaven, like silk and satin. They tremble as they move hesitantly against mine, her breath shaky.

Our kiss deepens, and I run my hands up and down her back.

Suddenly, Jasmine sucks in a breath and shoves me away with a heart-wrenching cry. Holding her hand to her mouth, she staggers back as tears spill over. She blindly feels behind her for the bedroom door, slips inside the room, and slams the door.

Oh, fuck.

My heart sinks like a stone. What in the hell did I just do?