Got the Life (A Nicki Sosebee Novel) Page 12

  Enjoy the following excerpt from Dead:

  She was at the back of the hotel, about halfway around, passing by the service entrance to the hotel. It was an open area with a shed and a delivery bay. There was also what Nicki imagined was the location for employee breaks, an enclosed area with a wooden fence and a roof.

  She kept walking when she heard, “Nicki!” She looked back toward the building to see Jesse sitting on a crate up against the brick wall, away from the entrance. He was smoking a cigarette. Typical rebel Jesse, though...he was nowhere near the designated break area. Nicki felt confident that the Sedgwick would not approve of guests seeing their employees smoking or even taking a break from serving their spoiled, pandered-to visitors.

  “Hey, Jesse. Glad to see I’m not the only one taking a break.” She walked over to where he sat.

  “It’s crazy, huh?” He took a drag off his cigarette. Nicki moved to the wall and leaned her back up against it beside him. “Hey, do you wanna sit here?”

  She shook her head. “No. I’ve been sitting for a while now, and I needed to move a little. Thanks, though.”

  “So, did you get any good info for a story?”

  God, wouldn’t it be nice to tell him what she was thinking...that someone murdered Sara and she had two solid suspects—Cannon and his volunteer coordinator Colby Sears. But she didn’t dare say a word. “Yeah, a newsflash.” She stood up straight and held her hands out in front of her, her fingers bent as though grasping something, then she spread her hands apart, indicating a headline, and she did her best dramatic news anchor voice. “Nicki Sosebee dies of boredom while politicians and well-to-do talk incessantly about themselves.” Jesse laughed, a puff of smoke spewing from his mouth. Nicki smiled. “Guess there’s a reason my editor writes the headlines.”

  “Hey, I’d read that story.”

  Nicki leaned back against the warm brick wall, and they were silent for a few moments. Then she pointed to the west. “That’s the evening star, isn’t it? Guess I better make a wish.”

  “You know it’s really Venus, right?”

  Nicki nodded. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure I learned that back in school and just forgot.”

  “So what are you gonna wish for anyway?” He threw the spent cigarette butt to the concrete and stomped on it, rotating his foot back and forth over it.

  Nicki pondered, staring at Venus’s steady glow. She stood up and took a few steps forward. “I don’t know. I’ll have to think about it.”

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jesse look over at her. “You look really pretty tonight.”

  There was something about the way he said it. It was so sincere, so sweet, and so unlike anything she’d ever thought about or expected from Jesse in the past. Jesse was the kind of guy who never seemed to take himself, his life, or anyone else seriously. He pushed the boundaries, not to make a statement but to be a pain in the ass. He contradicted people just to get a rise out of them. Nicki had always gotten along with Jesse (in short doses) but had never thought about him as more than just Sean’s friend. In high school, he had been dogged in his pursuit of Nicki, even though she’d had a steady boyfriend. He’d flirted with her off and on since, but Nicki suspected Sean had put a stop to it, affirming to his male friend that Nicki was not interested. And she hadn’t been. A couple of weeks ago, she’d thought some of pursuing him just to see how Sean would react, but she’d just as quickly dropped the idea, because that would involve actually spending time with Jesse, and she hadn’t thought she could stand spending more than fifteen minutes at a time with the guy. Now, though, after bonding in a weird way, feeling like the only two middle class people there at this event, and then his tender observation when she least expected it... She and Jesse would never be boyfriend / girlfriend material, but—for the first time ever—she could imagine spending a little more time with him. She pulled her gaze off of Venus and turned to face him.

  He looked serious, more serious than she’d ever seen him. He had a small smile that looked almost innocent. “That’s a really sweet thing to say.” Nicki explored his eyes and took just two steps, and those steps placed her right in front of him. Her gaze dropped from his eyes to his lips, and she placed her hands on either side of his face, her palms against his cheeks, and she kissed him. Jesse parted his lips as his hands held her at the waist.

  It had been years since Nicki had kissed a smoker, and she’d forgotten about the initial nasty taste. But then she could taste Jesse underneath, and he wasn’t bad. Something about the cigarettes—maybe the nicotine?—made her lips tingle when it rubbed off on them. Jesse might have been a clown most of the time, but his kissing was serious—confident, strong, and firm—and Nicki was surprised at how much she enjoyed it.

  It lasted longer than it should have. Much longer, and Nicki would have asked him to stop by her place after he got off of work.

  Instead, they acted like adults. The uptight diners inside would have been proud of their restraint. When Nicki opened her eyes, she saw Jesse Roberts in a whole new light. And she had no idea what to say. Her arms were still around his neck and his remained around her waist. She managed to say, “I guess I should probably get back in there.”

  Jesse inhaled, and for the first time ever, he not only looked cute (which Nicki had never denied), he looked sexy. His voice was hoarse. “Yeah, me too, before I get my ass chewed.” But he couldn’t let it go, could he? He kissed her one more time, and she felt that telltale sign in her panties assuring her that he did turn her on. But she didn’t know that she was quite ready for him. She did wonder what something like that would do to Sean...and since Sean was her ideal man, she didn’t want to destroy what little chance they had. She couldn’t just let her hormones rule her every action, no matter how titillating Jesse had become in just a matter of minutes.

  And then there was the matter of the icy blonde she’d seen him with earlier in the week. She hadn’t even thought about that when she’d kissed him. “Oh, uh, sorry. I overstepped my bounds. I forgot you were dating someone.”

  Jesse’s brows tightened and then he raised his right eyebrow. “Dating someone?” His face relaxed and he said, “Oh. You mean Fiona?”

  It was Nicki’s turn to look confused. “Who’s Fiona?”

  “Tall blonde...you know, at the nightclub, you had that hoity-toity older dude on your arm.”

  Nicki chuckled. “Oh, yeah.”

  “I’m not dating her. Her sister wanted to meet Sean, and I was her gateway.” Fuck. Of course. Why did that not surprise Nicki? As though Jesse could read her mind, he kissed her again, and her thoughts of Sean floated off as though on the flutter of a butterfly’s wings.

  She could feel her blood surging through her veins, as Jesse’s last kiss managed to amp up her desire. But now was not the right time. She moved her hands to his chest, hoping that stance would give her the will to resist, but there was no need. He said, “Do you want me to walk you back inside?”

  It wasn’t that dark yet. Maybe, though, it was because he was also feeling whatever she was, and it felt confusing and too new. “No, that’s okay. Thanks, though.”

  He nodded. “Okay.” He let her go and she backed up a couple of steps, trying to break the electrical circuit that seemed to keep her bound to him. She walked a few more steps back and brought her hand up in a wave. Even though it was darker out now, it was still light enough that he could see her. He waved back and she smiled, then turned on her heel to finish walking around the building.

  She’d only walked a couple of steps when Jesse said, “Hey...can I call you sometime?”

  Nicki stopped and smiled. She turned her head half a turn and said, “Yeah, I think I’d like that.”

  You might also enjoy these books by Jade C. Jamison:

  Tangled Web: A Steamy Heavy Metal Novella

  Stating His Case

  Fabric of Night

  Dead (A Nicki Sosebee Novel)

  No Place to Hide (A Nicki Sosebee Novel)

  Right
Now (A Nicki Sosebee Novel)

  One More Time (A Nicki Sosebee Novel)

  Lost (A Nicki Sosebee Novel)

  MADversary

  Innocent Bystander (A Nicki Sosebee Novel)

  Then Kiss Me

  COMING SOON:

  Everything But (Tangled Web)

  Old House

  Then Kiss Me

  Casey Williams has left a loveless marriage and is trying to rebuild her life. She discovers that, even though you can never go home again, you can find lust again, and she finds a love interest in Scott, her coworker. She also discovers that he’s a drummer for a heavy metal band and falls hard for him…just in time to discover that, between his questionable friends and psychotic maybe-ex-girlfriend, he might not be the right guy for her. But her heart beats like a drum for him, and she finds herself willing to play with fire to get closer.

  Enjoy the following excerpt from Then Kiss Me:

  I made my way through a couple of groups of people, saying an obligatory hi here and there. I spotted Jim and Scott on the couch. Scott looked…delicious. He was wearing a white shirt with a skull design on it. His short hair was mussy in a sexy way and he looked like he was feeling extra devilish tonight. There was a sparkle in his eye that I could spot across the room.

  The guys on the couch were watching a video on the television and didn’t notice me at first. Jim said hi and nodded his head my way as his elbow met with Scott’s ribs. Scott looked up and beamed. He stood up. “I didn’t know if you were coming.”

  I teased, acting like I was offended. “I promised, didn’t I?” The two of them made room for me on the couch.

  Scott held up a bottle. “We’re drinking schnapps. You game?”

  I raised an eyebrow. “I’ll take a shot.” I promised myself that I would take one shot.

  These two had never seen me drink before. At one time, I’d been able to hold a lot of liquor, but anymore, it seemed, I couldn’t hold much at all. I’d have to be careful. I picked up the shot and downed it in one gulp, then chased it with a swallow of beer. The warm liquid flowed down into my chest, spreading, tingling. I almost instantly relaxed.

  Jim started pouring us each another shot of schnapps, and Cassie came and sat next to him. I waved at her. It was too loud to talk with the music and the crowd. Scott held the shot glass up to my face. I drank it, already breaking my promise to myself. I said something he didn’t hear, so I cupped my hands to his ear and said, “Are you trying to take advantage of me?” Oh…that had been a bad idea. I was too close, and I could smell his musky cologne…and him. Jesus…what a heady mix. I felt a quiver run through my body. I was going crazy. I wanted to touch him. But I had to reign it in.

  He turned his head, and the look on his face was one of mild amusement. “You decide,” he said and held up the bottle again.

  “In a little while,” I yelled to be heard over the music, but he poured it anyway.

  I started to grow too relaxed and feared that if I didn’t get up and move around, I’d pass out after the long day I’d had. I used my empty beer cup as an excuse to get up.

  I walked back to the kitchen. A few people had already left, so it was getting a little easier to move through the place. It was still packed, though. When I got to the kitchen, I saw David there, but he was standing on the other side talking to a small group of people. I’d fill up my cup myself then. I bent over to fill it up and it hit me. I was already getting drunk. I was pretty damned buzzed already. So I decided not to fill my cup. I stood up to get my bearings and instead walked to the sink to rinse out my glass and then pour myself some water. I figured out then and there that I couldn’t hold my liquor like I used to…as if the last party hadn’t taught me that lesson.

  No matter, I thought. I was having fun. I stopped by the restroom to check myself. Nothing seemed quite real, but my makeup and hair still looked good. If I slowed down (or completely stopped) my drinking at this point, I should be fine.

  I stumbled a little bit but was feeling all right. When I got back to the living room, I saw Wendy sitting between Jim and Scott. I stood there for a second and was getting ready to move forward when I felt someone’s hand on my shoulder. I turned around. It was Lee. “Casey, right?”

  I smiled. “Right. Hi, Lee.”

  “Did you hear our CD earlier?”

  I cocked my head. “No…what CD?”

  “We’ve put together a CD and so we were playing it for everyone. How long have you been here?”

  “Half an hour maybe.”

  “Oh…you missed it. Maybe we can play it again later.”

  “That’d be great.”

  I heard Scott’s voice. “Casey!” I looked over, and he was motioning for me to sit where he’d been next to Wendy. I looked over at Lee. “Hey…see you later, okay?”

  He grinned, white teeth gleaming. “Sounds good. Nice to see you again, Casey.”

  “You too.”

  When I walked over to Scott, I asked, “You sure you want me to take your seat?” He nodded. “So I missed your CD, is that right?”

  He smiled. “Yeah. I’ll give you a copy and then you can listen to it whenever you feel like it.” I smiled back. That would be fucking awesome.

  As I sat, I gave the expected hi to Wendy. She gave me a look I couldn’t quite figure, but I supposed she wasn’t very happy with me. Scott sat next to me on the arm of the couch. He asked, “You ready for another one?”

  “No way. I need a minute or two.” He didn’t seem affected by the alcohol at all. Before I knew it, his hands were on my shoulders, squeezing them.

  “You’re tense, woman.”

  “Maybe so, but I don’t feel tense.” Maybe I was nervous. No, it was probably sexual tension.

  He kept massaging my shoulders, and it felt like my bones were melting out of my body. His hands felt so strong on me and yet so gentle. “Wow—that feels incredible.” I let my head lull forward, relaxed. But I was aching for him. I wanted him to touch me all over, but I was going to enjoy the moment.

  Wendy said, “Excuse me,” and got up, heading to the kitchen. Yep…just as I’d thought. She’d just been trying to scare me off so she could have Scott all to herself. I wasn’t that easy to scare, though. Now that she’d vacated my old spot, I moved over, and Scott slid off the arm of the couch next to me. I noticed that one of his arms was still on my shoulder, so I leaned into him a little.

  Jim was playing a prank on someone across the room, laughing loudly enough that we could hear him over Slayer, the music that was blasting through their place. Scott said in my ear, “Come with me. I want to show you something.” I looked at him, curious. He grinned. “My new stereo. You like music, so I figured you’d appreciate it. It’s up in my room.” I chugged the rest of the water in my cup and then he grabbed my hand to lead me through the crowd. We headed up the stairs. I slipped on a step and then starting giggling uncontrollably. “C’mon, you nut.” I kept laughing but managed not to trip again.

  We entered his room. I immediately noticed how much quieter it was once he shut the door. Sure, I could hear the music from the living room, but we’d actually be able to talk without yelling in here. His stereo, on the opposite side of the room, was decent size, but the fucking speakers took up half of one wall. They were pretty impressive. I was drawn to it. “Looks great,” I said. My eyes took silent mental stock of his room. There was a bed (a double—thank God), a chair, a desk, some books and trophies. Tons of CDs. A small drum kit in the corner, but not the one he’d been playing at the party where I’d first seen him in action. All in all, it was pretty tidy for a guy’s room.

  Scott was showing me different buttons on the stereo. Boys and their toys. My eyes wandered to the rows of CDs below and next to it and started looking at all of them. He had a lot of CDs of bands I liked and some I only knew by name, but I spotted Lamb of God’s Wrath, a personal favorite, and pulled it out of its place on the shelf with my index finger.

  I handed him the case. “Oh, so you like th
ese guys?” I nodded. “Yeah, there’s definitely hope for you, Casey Williams.” I giggled.

  He put the CD in the stereo and turned it up—not too loud, but loud enough to drown out the noise below. The delayed guitar riff to “The Passing” started playing, sounding crisp and clear from those gigantic speakers. Scott leaned over and pressed the forward button so it skipped ahead to the next track, “In Your Words,” a heavier song that would better show off the capabilities of the stereo. I could feel the demanding music in my abdomen, in my heart. It was a visceral feeling that grabbed me deep inside and incited the beast within. “Sounds fantastic,” I said, closing my eyes to concentrate on the music.

  I felt his hands slide around my waist from behind, and my abdomen, my thighs, my neck tensed in response. Oh, shit…I eased out a deep breath. He whispered in my ear, “You like it?”

  Like what? The stereo or his hands on my body?

  A shiver charged up my spine as my nipples hardened. I swallowed and forced my voice to stay calm. “Yeah. Great stereo.” My voice was coming from my throat—hoarse and gravelly. I got my composure and turned around, his arms still wrapped around my waist. He backed up a little to give me room, but we were close. God…the heat coming off him. I tried not to shudder. I was feeling playful, though, and I asked, “Are you coming on to me?”

  He smiled back but kept his distance. “Maybe.” Then, “Why?”

  “Because if you aren’t, I’m going to turn back around and listen to this CD. But if you are, I’m going to kiss you.” Holy shit. Had I actually said that? My heart started beating more rapidly.