[chapter twenty-three]
Disclaimer: If you've heard of them, I don't own them. Everything else is mine, so no stealing, pretty please. ;-)
**
~Jasmine's POV~
Jeff is decidedly wooden this evening.
We've been playing cards for almost two hours, and he hasn't really talked very much. Hell, he's barely looked at me. He's just sorta … there.
I knew it. He's over it. He's over us. That escapade in his office sealed my fate. I'm now just "that chick who'll sex me in the office if I look at her with my pretty eyes" girl.
Damn. I hate that. Just when I was starting to fall for the damn guy, he goes and gets all … wooden.
"Jas, got a sec?" He says from beside me, interrupting my thoughts.
"Huh?" I say, zoning back in. "Yeah. Sorry."
I follow him out the front door, closing it behind me and turning to face him. Needless to say, I'm surprised when he reaches out and cups my cheeks, kissing my lips tenderly. "Hi." He whispers after several seconds.
"Hi." I echo.
"Mmm … I've been wanting to do that for two hours."
"Why didn't you?"
"Afraid of your roommates."
I can't help but laugh at the vision of Jeff running like hell from Alex, Scout and Jon.
"I'm sorry I've been weird. It's been a weird day. I'm an idiot." He mutters, taking my hand in his and tracing circles on the top of it.
"It's okay. Can I help?" I ask seriously. Maybe work went downhill after I left. Maybe it's not about me. Maybe Jimmie told him …
Shit. Maybe Jimmie told him what I told Jimmie. About being worried. About being rebound girl.
I'll kick the crap out of Jimmie if he did.
See if he ever plays Styx again.
"No." Jeff says, then relents. "Actually, yes."
"Shoot."
"Can I see you tomorrow night?"
"Uh … " I pause for a moment, trying to visualize my day planner. "Sure, I don't see why not. Should I just come over to your place?"
"No!" Jeff says emphatically and I step back. "I mean, uh, no. I want to take you out somewhere. You know, dinner or something."
"Oh."
"Oh?"
"Sorry, I just didn't know that you … sure. Yeah."
"Didn't know I what?"
Didn't know you wanted to see me outside of the whole sex realm. Outside your house. Your office. Your car.
"Nothing. I'm just being a girl."
"You're sure? Tomorrow night is okay?"
I nod. He's up to something.
"What are you up to?"
His eyes widen slightly, a sure sign that he's hiding something. "Me? Nothing. Oh, and dress for outside."
Outside. What, are we going snowboarding or something? I snicker to myself at the vision of Jeff Gordon on a snowboard and he glares at me playfully.
"What?" He asks, and I simply shake my head before kissing him again.
"Nothing." I reply as I pull away. "I just have to remember to bring my parka."
"Jasmine?" Jeff stops me as I turn to go back inside. "You know … you know how much I like you, right?"
I stop for a moment, considering his question, and the reason he's asking it. "Sure. Almost as much as I know you like being tied down in bed and teased to death, or like having sex where your co-workers can find us." I grin mischievously, stepping back into the house.
I shake my head slightly, chastising myself after a few seconds when he doesn't follow me.
Damn.
I shouldn't have said that.
As soon as I saw the hurt, sad look on his face, I knew my teasing had gone too far.
The thing is … I wonder if it's true. I know what he likes in bed better than I know what he likes to eat for breakfast.
And something about that irks me.