Deny Me Page 2

  One

  Two Years Later

  I stomped through the melting slush and tore open the heavy wooden door to King’s. The bar was lit up and empty except for the three sitting at our usual table for Sunday lunch. Luella and Jack’s heads whipped around upon hearing my entrance, their eyes-widening when they took me in. Jameson slowly lifted his head in my direction with a sly fucking smile across his full lips. He was going to regret sitting there gloating when I slapped that smug look off his face.

  I stopped about five feet away and flung the small metal whistle I had pried off my tail pipe through layers of duct tape. Jameson just let the small piece bounce off his bulging muscles without a flinch, taking in all the glitter coating me with his midnight-blue eyes.

  “You arrogant son of a bitch!” I growled, pointing my finger at him. I almost lost it completely when I saw his chest shake with suppressed laughter.

  “You look nice, Evelyn.” Pausing, he scanned me from my boots to my hair. “I would even say … you’re sparkling.”

  “Evie…” Luella looked me up and down, her jaw hanging open in shock. “Ummm …. Is that glitter?”

  I didn’t have time to acknowledge her right then. My eyes never left Jameson as I took a few more steps towards him. “You think this is fucking funny?” His shoulders started shaking. “Do you know how fucking hard it is to get glitter off of things? It’s like the fucking herpes of craft supplies. It’s never gone.”

  Jack lifted a hand to his face to hide the fact that he was starting to laugh too. My death glare, aimed in his direction, made him try harder to form a sober expression. Closing my eyes, I pulled all the relaxing air into my chest and tried to let the anger go, stretching the tension from my neck. It didn’t help.

  “Evie…” Lu began cautiously.

  “Your brother put glitter in my air vents.”

  That was it. Jameson started cracking up. So did Jack, even though he had the decency to try and hide it behind his arm. This wasn’t anything new to our group. Jameson, Luella and I had played pranks on each other since I’d met them over ten years ago. Jack, Luella’s boyfriend, just sat back and enjoyed the show.

  Lu and I had become fast friends in our freshman year of college. Since my family was so far away, she invited me to spend the holidays with her and her brothers. Her parents had died when she was younger. And a year after I met her, her brother, Asher, died in Afghanistan, leaving just her and Jameson.

  The fact that Jameson owned a bar and had taken care of his sister didn’t leave a lot of room for him to cut loose and be a normal twenty-something. I respected him for that. He was an amazing man and an amazing brother to Lu. But it didn’t stop me from believing he needed to have some fun and laughter in the form of me.

  So, I used the one thing I had over him: my sexuality. I loved watching the way a blush would start in his cheeks and move to his neck. The further it moved down his neck, the more I’d succeeded. Then there were times I would be so honest and bold, making inappropriate jokes, and I would catch him smiling. Victory always swelled in my chest when I made the great Jameson King actually crack a smile.

  But he always got me back.

  When I had blasted on the heat in my car that day, only to be doused in an unforgivable amount of glitter, I let out a scream I was sure my neighbors down the block could hear. Regret and anger simmered on my skin when I remembered that I had given Lu and Jameson a set of keys in case I lost mine. That anger turned to a slow burn when I started my car and pulled out on the road, only to ramp back up again when I heard a high-pitched whistle every time I hit the gas. The faster I went, the louder it got.

  Everyone on the streets of Cincinnati stared at the crazy woman covered in glitter like some kind of stripper coated in her business from the night before, driving a car that let out a loud whistle.

  When I pulled into King’s parking lot, I had figured out what that noise was. I’d walked around my car and sure enough, I saw a whistle duct taped to the tail pipe of my car. As I worked the tape off with my frozen fingers, my rage burned so hot I had begun laughing maniacally, just imagining what I was going to do when I finally saw his stupid ass. Oh man, it had to be good. I was going to make him regret this. That glitter was never going to be completely cleaned out of my car. I would find that shit sticking to my stuff for years to come.

  Jack had his arm thrown around Lu with his head buried in her neck, hiding. But I could still see the way his body shook with amusement. Even Lu was holding back her giggles. Jameson leaned back in his seat on the other side of the table with my empty chair between us. His thick arms crossed over his broad chest and his long, denim-encased legs stretched out carelessly, like he was enjoying the show. One side of his mouth was cocked up, forming deep smile lines in the dark scruff on his cheeks. His arm was extended, gesturing to the seat next to him, offering me my place at our table.

  “Are you going to join us, Evelyn?” Putting his finger to his chin, he stared up in thought. “Or should I call you Diamond? You do sparkle like a diamond. I think it would make a great stripper name.”

  The triumph written all over his face made the wheels start turning in my head.

  “I mean you do have the body for it, Evie,” Luella agreed, laughing. Even though we were all guilty of playing pranks against each other, we always knew they weren’t done to be intentionally mean. But it didn’t dim the fire fueling my thoughts of retribution.

  A lightbulb went off.

  My pinched lips softened to a smirk and spread into a seductive smile. “You’re right, Lu.” My voice was soft and sensual. “I do have a great set of tits.” My eyes never left Jameson’s. His confidence wavered when he saw the seductive light shining from my eyes. Pulling my coat from my shoulders, I took another step forward, letting it fall to the floor and revealing my baggy sweater dress and thigh-high suede boots. “And all this glitter, all over my body,” my hands moved to my hips and up my waist, “I wouldn’t want to waste it.”

  Jameson’s Adam’s apple bobbed as my hands skimmed my full breasts. I wasn’t lying about my great tits. They were a full D, high and firm. They looked perfect on my short, hourglass body. And Jameson was starting to realize that he couldn’t fight back. Or wouldn’t fight back. Until the time I pushed him too far two years ago.

  Low music played in the background and I began to sway my hips. The click of my heels rang loudly in the silence that settled around the room now that everyone had stopped giggling, now that they were noticing my anger had shifted into a devious calm. Jack was newer to the group, and he watched with his eyebrows raised. But Lu’s smile showed that she knew what was starting up. The ball had been volleyed into my court and I was going to play … with Jameson’s balls.

  “What are you doing?” Jameson asked with warning in his deep baritone voice.

  “God, Jamie-Boy. I love how I can hear your disapproval growling at me.” Inhaling deeply, I pushed my chest out, wanting to see his eyes drop. I wasn’t disappointed, even though it was only a quick flick before his control snapped them back up to my face. “It makes me so hot.”

  When I reached the empty chair between us, I kicked it out of the way. It’s loud scrape across the wooden floor vibrated between us before I closed the gap, stepping into his space. He placed his feet flat on the floor under him, as though bracing for whatever I would dish out.

  “Evelyn…” he warned again.

  “What makes you hot?” The tick in his jaw let me know I was getting to him. “Does having a stripper named Diamond, covered in glitter, get you hot?”

  Luella snorted behind me and Jameson glared at her in warning. Looking over my shoulder, I saw her wink at him. When his eyes made it back to mine, the blue had shifted to almost black. What was he thinking? I always wondered. Even more over the past two years, after all the things he admitted to me when we got heated in the storage closet. Regardless of how much time had passed, I could never forget the words he said and the way he made me feel before we were i
nterrupted, never to return to that moment.

  Leaning forward, I placed my hands on the back of his chair, caging him in. The V of my dress gaped and I hoped he would take a peek. He was in a losing battle, but he wasn’t going down without a fight. I liked it; it made the victory so much sweeter.

  My hair dropped around us like a chocolate curtain. “Maybe you like when the stripper leaves behind some glitter just for you as a memento.” I shook my head, causing the glitter to rain down on him.

  “Dammit, Evelyn,” he jerked up, but I refused to move and—rather than get closer to me—he sat back in his chair again, pouting about the glitter all over him.

  Tough shit. I was only getting started.

  “What, Jamie-Boy? You don’t like an obscene amount of glitter raining down all over you?” I asked. Moving in closer, I felt the heavy burst of air he blew out of his nose across my cheek. Placing one leg on each side of him, I let my lips brush his ear when I whispered, “What if Diamond rubs it all over you? Would you like it better then?”

  His response was a grunt as I situated myself on his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck. He could have easily stood and pushed me off, but he was trying to hold out. It was cute. “You’re in a dress,” he said, his voice tight.

  Laughing, I pressed my chest close to his and rubbed against him, putting as much glitter on him as possible. His crossed arms dropped to his sides to avoid having my breasts brush against them. “I have tights on. No need to be a prude.”

  Clapping and cheers from Lu behind me encouraged me further. Tipping my head back, I arched my spine and laughed as my hair fell back and swished, dropping more glitter on his legs. I turned to grin at Lu and saw Jack pulling out a couple one dollar bills, handing them to my partner in crime. She balled them up and tossed them my way.

  “Here, Jameson! Stuff some ones in her cleavage. I bet you both would love that!” she chimed in. I shimmied my chest, shaking more glitter off onto him. Lu catcalled.

  I rolled my hips to the slow rhythm of the song and grazed against an erection I wasn’t expecting. Shock made me jerk my head up. Biting my lip, I barely contained the smile taking over my face.

  Just when I opened my mouth to let everyone know how excited Jameson was about my dance, his eyes expanded with realization and he placed a firm hand on my ass, jerking me straight into contact with his hard dick, halting my announcement. But I wouldn’t be diverted. I parted my lips again. Before I could get any words out, he moved his hand up my back to support me and placed his other hand over my lips, tipping me back and slamming his mouth over the top his hand, faking the most passionate kiss I could imagine coming from him, effectively shutting me up.

  It was fake. Even though my body still responded, igniting when he pressed his chest into mine. His fingers burned my cheeks where they gripped me almost punishingly. Even if he was winning at silencing me, victory roared through my body as I ground my hips into him and felt the muscles in his back clench. I had made the great Jameson reach the edge of his control again and, damn, it felt good. Our surroundings ceased to exist as I thought of ways to pry his hand off my mouth so I could feel his lips moving over mine.

  His hips jerked into mine when I flicked my tongue out in between his fingers and tasted the salt on his skin. My core throbbed and my imagination went wild with thoughts about what would happen next, if he would go further. I hadn’t realized just how much I had missed his touch until his strong hands held me more tightly than any other man had.

  A balled up napkin hit my head and brought me back to reality.

  “Oh my god! Stop!” Lu whined. “I’m all for making Jameson squirm, but you’re grossing me out by making me watch my brother rub all on you.” Jameson pulled back, removing his hand and allowing me to suck air into my deprived lungs. The excitement of the moment tingled through my fingers clinging to him as he pulled us upright.

  Still a little shocked, I slid off his lap when he gripped me around the waist and shifted me to the abandoned seat next to him, winking in victory as he sat back in his chair. I couldn’t remember what I had wanted to say moments before and wasn’t even sure it mattered.

  “Get a room,” Luella laughed with a hint of seriousness.

  Jameson scoffed. “I don’t think so.”

  “That’s okay.” I shrugged. “You don’t have to join me later,” I turned to him and returned his wink. “I’ll save this moment for my spank bank.”

  Jack choked on his water. Lu laughed, giving me a high-five as Jameson shook his head beside me and subtly adjusted his pants.

  “Anywho, how is everyone doing this week? Jameson?” Lu asked, changing the topic to our usual conversation.

  He cleared his throat, running a hand through his dark hair before scratching the scruff on his cheek. “Fine. Not much to say. It’s the same as last week. Bar is busy.”

  “Bor-ing! You should get out more,” Lu complained, rolling her eyes. “Live a little. Find a woman,” she encouraged.

  He hesitated. “I have a date with a girl, Jennifer, on Wednesday.”

  She bounced in her seat clapping her hands and squealing. “Tell me more! Is this the first date? Where are you taking her? Can I meet her?”

  Jameson scratched his cheek. “Well … I guess we’ve been on a couple dates. Nothing too serious.”

  “Whatever, you never see a girl for more than one or two dates. Let alone tell me about them!” Her excitement vibrated around the whole table. Meanwhile, my stomach churned. I didn’t understand why him having a date bothered me, but it did. It was irrational since we both dated all the time. Especially me. “What makes this one so special that I get to hear about her?”

  “I don’t know, Lu.” He dragged his fingers through the longer strands of his hair, sounding exasperated at being under his sister’s microscope. “I guess this past year I’ve realized how short life can be. Maybe I shouldn’t waste time with people I don’t really care about.”

  In the past year Jameson had changed. Luella had been in a serious accident that left her in a coma for months. I guess the possibility of losing the only family he had left had affected him in ways I hadn’t realized. Before, we had both been on the same page regarding never being serious with anyone. While I may have been more flamboyant with my activities, Jameson dated plenty of women who screamed booty call. The two of us used to have an unspoken solidarity about not settling down, but in the past year he had started dating a different type of girl. Not the type who came in to King’s and got shit-faced with friends, but the kind with morals and confidence. It unsettled me, just a little. Would he and Lu move on with their families and leave me behind? What would happen to our family lunches every Sunday? That was where the unsettling feeling came from; not because I cared who he decided to stick his dick in.

  I couldn’t relate to the need to find someone serious because I never saw that kind of life for me. Finding Lu and Jameson was an extra bonus to my life. Who needed anything outside of the people sitting at the table? I had seen what love could do to someone. I’d seen what happened when you became so dependent on a person that when they were gone you lost yourself too. I’d watched my mom crumble into a lonely, angry woman when my father died. He was a firefighter and had promised my mom he would always come home. One night he didn’t.

  When my mom’s depression had turned to anger over being left alone, she would always tell me to never fall in love. That I didn’t need anyone romantically in my life. She never moved on to the other stages of grief after anger, sharing her bitter beliefs with me. She’d shown me what an independent, successful woman could be and taught me how to love everything about myself so I never needed anyone else. Being young, I took in every word. And she was right. I was Evelyn Valero; I didn’t need anyone.

  Regardless of the confidence I had in myself, I didn’t want to hear about Jameson’s date anymore, and I knew Lu would harp on it until Jameson begged for mercy. So I changed the subject.

  “Jack,” I said with a clap, draw
ing all eyes on me. “When are you going to put a ring on it?” I asked, flipping my hand back and forth, imitating Beyoncé’s dance moves.

  I swear I could hear Jameson sigh in relief that I’d saved him from Lu’s interrogation. I reached my hand under the table and gave a pat to his knee, before moving up higher and lingering longer than necessary just to feel him squirm. His thick thigh muscles jumped under my fingers and after a few more seconds I pulled away.

  “Well… uhhh … um,” Jack stuttered, looking over at Lu for help. She returned his stare with wide-eyed innocence and a smile, letting the moment drag on as Jack grew more and more flustered.

  “Cut him some slack, Lu,” Jameson cut in.

  “It’s a simple question.” I injected innocence in my words, hiding the fact that I just wanted to watch Jack squirm. He knew I was messing with him; we had known each other long enough. But there were still some things that I could call him out on.

  “Oh fine,” Lu said, sighing in exasperation. “As much as I like to see you sweat, I’ll hold Evie back.”

  Jack tried to defend himself. “I don’t need protection from Evie,” Lu just raised her eyebrow letting him know she was calling bullshit. Jack was a security specialist and it always made Lu and I laugh at how much I could intimidate him. But he usually held his own with me which allowed me to give him my stamp of approval to date my sister from another mister.

  “So, how is living together? Are you guys driving each other crazy yet?” I asked. They had moved in together six months ago, and I never saw Lu without a dreamy smile on her face. Probably from all the sex.

  “Nope. Still amazing. I’m pretty sure it always will be.” Lu beamed.

  “It’s that vibrator I got you as a housewarming gift isn’t it? It keeps the magic alive,” I said with a straight face. Lu smiled and Jameson groaned. Poor Jack just shook his head and looked down at his plate. To rub salt in the wound, I turned to face Jameson and continued. “Because they use it together. To get your sister off. It keeps their sex life spicy.”