But Rita didn抰 know that. Which meant Jasper was in control of the impression she walked away with. A sharp thud inside him wouldn抰 allow him to pass up the chance. If only to prove he could manage such a thing.
揘ow, see. I抎 rather talk about you.?He propped his right shoulder on the wall, refusing to capitalize when her gaze snagged on his mouth, difficult as it was. It would be so easy to crowd her a little, brush a thumb over her hipbone and increase the awareness between them. That subtle dance that let a woman know he抎 take care of her in bed, and then some. Thanks to her thighs hugging him on the ride into town, her breaths ghosting over his neck, his belt buckle was still feeling the pressure of his hard-on. Old habits were hard to kick. He was more than a good time, though. Probably. He was still working on finding out梐nd maybe Rita could help him do that. 揥here are you traveling from??
He could see her debating how much information to divulge. 揝an Diego.?
揌mm. I would have guessed a bigger city. Los Angeles, maybe.?
揥hy??
揧our knee-jerk suspicion of someone offering help might have tipped me off.?Jasper rubbed at the stubble on his jaw and winced, realizing he抎 forgotten to shave梩wo days in a row梬hich probably did little in the way of making him appear trustworthy. 揑 might as well have offered you a live hand grenade.?
Those full lips of hers twitched, and he wrenched his gaze off them before they could inspire his wood to make another appearance. God, she was pretty. If he didn抰 think she would take his head off, he would ask to see what she looked like without the heavy makeup.
His voice dropped low, without his permission. 揥ere both of those men your brothers??
Rita took a slow inhale and the distance between them seemed to shrink. 揧es. And my sister was there, too.?She tugged on her shirtsleeves, wrapping her hands in the cuffs. 揑f one of them was my boyfriend, I doubt they would've let me ride off alone with you.?
揘ot if they had a lick of common sense.?He adjusted his lean on the wall, trying not to be obvious in his relief that Hulk was a relation. 揥hat do you do back in San Diego??
Her expression took on a faraway quality. 揘othing anymore. I kind of卋urned my bridges, so to speak. We抮e driving to New York and I抦 going to stay there. Go back to school for graphic design. Never too late, right??Seeming to think she抎 said too much, she fidgeted, her movements jerky. 揑 don抰 know why I told you that. I haven抰 even said it to myself out loud yet.?
Jasper leaned close, her cooking-spice scent teasing his nose. 揇o you make a habit of talking to yourself??
That earned him a glare. 揧ou know what I mean.?
揑 suppose I do.?Jasper estimated the tow truck was about even with the Suburban by now, so he better work a little faster. Toward something he抎 never thought possible, unless he changed his name and moved to Switzerland. 揥hat抯 your idea of a good date, Rita? You seem like a coffeehouse type, but I don抰 like to assume anything.?
His head might have been on backwards based on the look she gave him. 揥ha梔ate? Why??
揙ne question at a time. I抦 working on an empty stomach.?
She turned her attention to the road, like maybe she was thinking of throwing herself into oncoming traffic. 揑 don抰 date. It抯 a barbaric pastime created by mothers and narcissists. Does that about end this unprompted interrogation??
揧ou抮e more of a movie-and-sushi girl, aren抰 you??Her strangled growl made him want to laugh out loud, but he didn抰 think she抎 appreciate it. 揧ou抮e going to be in town for a bit條ong enough for your Suburban to be repaired. And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Stan isn抰 as quick with a wrench as he is with a tow truck. You抮e here for the night.?Goddamn, that mouth looked sweet. Holding himself in check was much harder than he抎 anticipated. 揟his is me asking you out, beautiful, if my intentions were somehow unclear.?
揃eautiful, huh??She backed up a pace, and it took a concerted effort not to follow her. 揧ou almost had me.?
揅ome again??When she only gave an impatient head shake, Jasper pushed on. 揕et me take you out, Rita.?
She opened her mouth to answer but snapped it shut, considering him for long moments. 揑s there a bar in town or something? So maybe it won抰 seem so厰 She waved a hand around. 揇ate-y.?
Damn. He could've sworn he almost had her sold on the sushi. 揧eah, there抯 a bar.?His inward sigh was so loud it echoed in his ears. 揂lthough the Liquor Hole is more like a honky-tonk.?
揕iquor. Hole.?It took her no time at all to catch the double meaning. 揂s in, lick her棓
揗mm.?He wouldn抰 tell her he抎 been twenty-one梐nd half in the bag梬hen he抎 named the place. Yes, the trust fund bequeathed by his grandfather on Jasper抯 twenty-first birthday had been used to buy a sawdust-floored, neon-signed dive. Not for college, as the old man had intended. And thus began his decade of debauchery from which he抎 surfaced two years ago only to realize that no one in his life took him seriously. He was everyone抯 good time. Not reliable or permanent to a single soul. So he抎 set about changing it, starting with his livelihood. 揟hat抯 the name of the bar. I抦 opening a separate eatery in four days?time 抮ound back, though.?
Rita did a double take. 揧ou抮e the owner.?
揋uilty.?He blew out a breath that lifted the hair from her face. 揜eally, really guilty.?
揑 can see that,?she murmured dryly, scrutinizing him. 揥hy don抰 you want to bring me there??
Jasper saw his chances with Rita fading before his very eyes. 揥hat did you do for a living back in San Diego??
A small hesitation. 揑 worked in a restaurant.?
揂 restaurant.?On cue, his stomach growled, making her eyes sparkle and Jasper almost lose his train of thought. 揙kay, Rita. Would you take me on a first date to the place you worked? Let me pal around with the waiters and line cooks??
Her eyes quit smiling. 揌ell no.?
揥hy??
She rolled a shoulder. 揃ecause they抳e seen me at my worst.?
揃ingo. Same goes for me and the bar.?That revelation might have been too telling, because her demeanor turned polite, as though she might be considering that final brush-off. Jasper couldn抰 allow that. Not when he抎 finally come across someone who seemed willing to梞eet him. Talk to him without a pillow beneath their heads.
Just a little flirtation to ensure I see her again. Just enough to make sure he could pick up where he left off梬ith a clean slate. Hoping it was the right decision, Jasper slipped an arm around Rita抯 waist and tugged her up against him, barely stifling a groan. Lord. She might be buried under dark, shapeless clothes, but didn抰 she just curve in all the right places? Her gaze was glued on his throat, so he dipped down until they were nose to nose, saw the rush of thought going on behind her eyes. It was pretty damn breathtaking up close. 揗ind cluing me in as to what抯 going on in there??
揑f梚f梬e need to stay overnight棓
揧ou will.?
摋then I might see you at the bar.?She wedged a hand between them and separated their bodies. 揑抎 rather see someone抯 worst than their best. Saves time.?
Jasper heard the tow truck pulling into the garage parking lot and cursed. Not even remotely confident that his first attempt at polite conversation with an available woman had been successful, Jasper walked her backward until they were hidden behind a rusted pay phone. She抎 broken away from his touch, so he was careful to respect that. He dropped his mouth to an inch above hers and said, low, 揑 didn抰 get near enough time with you, Rita. If you don抰 show up tonight, don抰 be surprised if I come looking.?He laid his palms against the warm building, above her head, watched her gaze dip to his stomach. His lap. 揂nd if I have to come looking, I抣l be twice as determined to get that kiss.?