Love And Games: Taste The Heat Part 12

Everywhere Colby looked, couples were dry humping themselves into oblivion. A particularly amorous man to her right had his date bent so far backward she felt voyeuristic sharing the same dance s.p.a.ce.

She wiggled her eyebrows in the direction of the couple and screamed into Sherry's ear, "Guess we know who she's shaking it for tonight."

Her sister laughed. She moved behind them and made a half-obscene but completely humorous gesture, setting off another round of giggles. Yep, Colby was definitely feeling good.

The song ended and another began. She exhaled and closed her eyes, wishing Jason were there. If his performance last night was any indication, the man had moves. She could picture him slinging his arm around her waist, drawing her close as he swiveled those delectable hips. She smiled...then lost her balance as someone b.u.mped her from behind. Eyes still closed, Colby threw her arms out in a blind lunge, and latched onto the couple playing tonsil hockey.

"I'm so sorry," she said as the man lifted his head, probably as much for air as from her groping him. "Some idiot-" She broke off as the two of them locked eyes. Colby froze, the happy vibes she'd been feeling instantly dissipating.

Oh, s.h.i.t.

Chapter Fifteen.

"How could I be so f.u.c.king stupid?"

Sherry's pained question came out as an accusation, and it broke Colby's heart. Handing over a hot bowl of gumbo, their mama's guaranteed cure for anything, she wanted nothing more than to drive right back to 985, rip the frizzy hair out of the other woman's head, and use it to string up Ben "the two-timing a.s.shat" by the gonads. It had been years since she'd gone Mama Bear on anyone for hurting her little sister, but her claws were just as sharp as when they were kids. And after listening to Sherry cry for the last hour, she was itching to use them.

"You weren't stupid, Sherry. You trusted him. He's the jerk here."

Colby had been saying variations of the same thing ever since they left the club, but her sister still wasn't listening. She was fixated on the fact that Ben had claimed he had homework to do, and she'd believed him.

Evidently, homework was a s.k.a.n.ky blonde with two-inch roots.

Sherry blew her nose and dropped another Kleenex in the wastebasket. "I really thought things were different with him, you know? I thought we were getting serious. Either I was lying to myself or I'm an idiot, but either way, I'm pathetic." She yanked another tissue from the box and lifted her head. Biting her lip she asked, "Do you think she was prettier than I am?"

"Are you s.h.i.tting me?" Her sister's mouth dropped at the profanity. Colby wasn't big on cursing, especially aloud, but if there was ever a good time for it, this was it. "Sher, you're freaking gorgeous. You're s.e.xy and fun and have a heart bigger than Lake Pontchartrain. If Ben can't appreciate that, then you're better off. Trust me. That girl he was with tonight ain't got nothing on you, babe. It's his loss."

Sherry rolled her eyes as she dug her giant spoon into the steaming bowl. Stirring the thick stew until she had the perfect proportion of sausage, okra, rice, and broth, she mumbled, "Well, you're my sister, so you kinda have to say that."

Colby snorted. "No, as your sister I should hightail it to that club and go Lorena Bobbitt on his a.s.s." She pulled back her sister's comforter and slid in beside her. "But then I'd be arrested, you'd be alone, and Robicheaux's would be without a head chef again. So instead, I'll stay here and just envision going chop happy. Besides, once Cane hears about this, Ben's gonna wish it'd been me playing fast and loose with a cleaver."

The spoon Sherry had lifted stopped in mid-air, her big brown eyes full of sudden panic. "Oh G.o.d, Cane's gonna go caveman on his a.s.s, isn't he?" Colby nodded with glee, imagining the fierce, dark look she'd only seen a few times on her brother's face. Most days, he was like a giant teddy bear. A sarcastic, slightly arrogant teddy bear, but a teddy bear. But when it came to the people he loved, the man lived up to his bad boy looks and then some. Sherry shoved another heaping spoonful in her mouth, swallowed, and pushed the bowl back into Colby's hands. "I can't eat anymore. Can you save this for me?"

Colby's eyebrows furrowed as she set the barely touched bowl on the cluttered nightstand. "Sure, honey."

More than the dark smudges beneath her eyes, or the runny trails of mascara on her cheeks, her sister's unprecedented lack of appet.i.te revealed how truly devastated she was. Colby wished the magic words would appear that could somehow make this right, or at least make it more bearable. But she guessed magic, like fairy tales, didn't really exist.

A small voice inside her head whispered, See? You were right.

Neither of them hungry, they sat together in silence for a long time, each lost in their own set of demons. The drip of Sherry's leaky faucet filled the quiet. Colby ran her fingers through her sister's multi-hued hair until eventually her swollen eyelids grew heavy. She waited until the sound of her breaths evened, and then she carefully slid from under the comforter.

Walking down the hallway to her own bedroom, Colby clutched her hands at her waist. The ruby ring her mother had left her sat heavy on her right hand. She twisted it and closed her eyes. Times like this, she really needed her mom.

They'd never spoken about her father's infidelity. Colby doubted she ever found out. The few times she'd come home over the years, her parents had always seemed happy-a lie that often infuriated her. If they were so happy together, then why did he have to cheat? He'd made her mother look like a fool, blindly trusting the man she'd loved.

Colby couldn't help but wonder: if her mother were still alive, what words of wisdom would she offer Sherry tonight? And if she knew the truth about her husband, would she honor that same advice?

Soft light from the bedside lamp spilled over Colby's cell phone and she picked it up. Sinking onto the mattress, her finger hesitated over Jason's name. She didn't know what she wanted to say. She didn't know what she wanted to hear. She only knew she had to speak with him. Remind herself that Jason wasn't Ben. That he wasn't her ex or her father. He was one of the good ones-the few good ones.

With a deep breath, she tapped his name.

Ring.

"Come on, Jason. Answer your phone."

Ring.

Her heart pounded as if her life depended on them speaking. If not her life, her sanity certainly did.

Ring.

Then, mercifully, his phone picked up.

"Oh, thank G.o.d. Jason, hey, I-"

You've reached Jason Landry, captain of the Magnolia Springs Fire Department. I'm sorry I missed your call...

Colby flung the phone across the bed, her eyes suddenly filling with tears. Anxiety rushed her veins. Her stupid stomach churned and clawed at itself. She was acting irrationally, she knew. Jason had done nothing wrong. Yet it was as if time reversed twelve years. Every doubt, every insecurity she'd felt back then had returned, fiercer than ever. She had to speak with him. There was no way in h.e.l.l she'd get any rest tonight until she did.

It was only eleven. A perk of being the head chef was expediting orders on the weekends. It was h.e.l.lish and crazy, ensuring every dish was perfect and run to the tables efficiently, but it meant even on a slammed night she was often out by eight. Any other night she'd have gone home, put up her aching feet, and drank a half-bottle of wine in front of the television. Tonight, however, she'd managed to go clubbing, witness the destruction of her sister's love life, and watch her cry herself to sleep, all before The Tonight Show even came on.

Her world had tipped on its axis in a matter of hours. Somehow, that didn't seem possible. But it was.

Colby pushed to her feet and began pacing the length of her room. Her skin felt tight, like the ickiness of the night was trying to escape through her pores.

Where is he?

After another minute wondering, imagining every possible worst-case scenario, she grabbed her keys. Any trace of alcohol in her system from those few small sips had burned out long ago. Pocketing her phone, she marched back out into the hallway. Staying here would only make her stir-crazy. And wear a hole through the rented carpet. She checked on a still sleeping Sherry, jotted a quick note on the kitchen white board, and bolted to her car.

The first place she'd check would be the gym. It was closest to the house and she thought that maybe he had a cla.s.s to teach. If his truck wasn't there, she'd drive by his house, then his parents', then the station.

Yep, she was in full-on stalker mode. She could admit it. But she had to see him.

Her first easy breath entered her lungs at the corner of Wisteria. Jason's truck sat parked below the sign for Northsh.o.r.e Combatives. Her hands shook on the wheel as she turned in beside him. Soon, she'd be back in his arms and the knot in her stomach would unfurl. The ghosts of her past would disappear and she'd slam the door again on all her doubts. Hopefully Emma was at a sleepover or at her grandparents', because right about now the only thought in Colby's head was dragging that man back to his house, tearing off his clothes, and forgetting this whole night ever happened.

As she walked purposefully toward the entrance, she was aware there were a few cars still in the parking lot. She wasn't sure how many, didn't really care. She was willing to stay as long as it took to close up, as long as she was with him. She yanked open the door, a blast of cold air hitting her in the face, and stopped in the middle of an empty room.

The front desk where she'd first met Emma was deserted. Colby glanced around, unsure of where to go next. The place was freaking huge. m.u.f.fled noises-people talking and the muted beat of music-came from somewhere, but in front of her loomed nothing but a sea of unused cardio equipment. She dug her phone back out, ready to try calling him again, when salvation came in the form of a sweaty man with a towel slung over his shoulders. He rounded the corner of the stairs and stooped to get a drink from the water fountain. Colby attacked.

"Excuse me," she called, aware as she marched over that her voice was bordering on frantic. "Do you know where I can find Jason Landry?"

The guy stood, wiping his mouth as his bright green eyes trailed down her body. "He's in one of the cla.s.ses finishing upstairs." Oh, thank G.o.d. The clawing ache of the last half-hour was almost over. Relief flowed through her as he indicated the stairwell behind him with a tilt of his head. "But I'd be happy to offer my services for anything that you need." He jerked his chin up and winked.

Ew.

And grr.

Couldn't this dude see she was in a tizzy here? Did he really think now would be the best time to hit on her...and with a cheesy line no less?

Somehow, she refrained from visually cringing-the man did help her after all. And with eyes already trained on the stairs behind him, she even offered a thin-lipped smile. "Thanks, but I really just need Jason. It's kind of an emergency."

The way her body was starting to shake, that felt about right.

With a strange flutter in her belly, she dashed toward the stairs.

A good workout always got Jason's blood pumping. Two-plus hours of drills and intense groundwork left his body depleted and covered in sweat-but it was a natural high. If he couldn't spend time with Colby, this was where he wanted to be. Nothing beat the euphoria of leaving it all out on the mat. Pushing his body past its limits. And for another night, knowing he did his part to honor Ashleigh's memory.

A soft cough shocked the h.e.l.l out of him. He'd thought he was alone. Capping his water bottle, he glanced back, surprised to find Angelle. "What's up?" he asked, grabbing his towel from the floor.

"I'm still not confident about escaping from the bottom," she said, bouncing on her toes. She reached up and yanked her ponytail. "Could you maybe, um, show me again?"

Jason wiped the sweat off his face and arms, considering the question. The woman was an enigma. Vulnerability was practically stamped on her forehead. Half the time she couldn't finish a sentence around him without stammering. Yet despite being the only woman in the cla.s.s, she'd handled the drills he'd thrown them remarkably well. Watching her shrimp across the floor tonight, he could almost imagine Ashleigh there doing the same.

He wasn't an idiot. He knew Angelle had her own reasons for joining the cla.s.s. Her completely unrequited crush was becoming a ha.s.sle at work, and he'd done everything he could to let her down gently. But he rarely had female members take his cla.s.s. They joined the gym for the cardio equipment, or signed up for aerobics. That cla.s.s was great-h.e.l.l, he'd hired the best-but this could offer so much more.

An idea came to him, and Jason smiled. "Sure," he said, tossing the towel into his bag. "But let's take it a step further. We can actually apply the same principles to s.e.xual a.s.sault defense. I offer a seminar every few months based on something I got from Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, but the basics align with this cla.s.s, too. Get down on the mat, I'll show you."

A blush stole across Angelle's pale skin as she sank to the ground. "Yes, sir."

He held back a sigh as he joined her. This woman certainly stretched him as an instructor. But if he could cut through her misguided attempts at flirtation and find a way to empower her, then it would all be worth it.

"In a real life a.s.sault," he began, "a predator has one objective: to control you. Your goal is to convince him he's done just that. If you can get him to relax his grip for one moment, you have a shot of escape. This cla.s.s is about defense at all costs, and employing deception is a big part of that. Feigning surrender is a valuable tactic. So you're gonna learn it. Get in position."

Angelle's blush spread as she bent her knees and spread them apart. Jason glanced at the door. It was wishful thinking that Cane would suddenly appear, fresh from the shower in the locker room. This was something his friend would love to help with, but it looked as though Cane was taking his sweet-a.s.s time-and this skill was important.

Sliding between her bent knees, Jason locked Angelle's hips between his elbows and slipped his hands around her shoulders. Pretending not to notice her sharp intake of breath, he instructed, "Now, try to shrimp out."

She gave a few halfhearted attempts. "I can't. I couldn't get it in cla.s.s, either."

Her voice was winded. He hoped that at least a part of that was from her sense of fight or flight kicking in. That was what he loved about teaching. Giving people a chance to experience real-life scenarios in a safe environment...and hopefully learn lessons they'd never have to use.

"I outweigh you by a hundred pounds," he told her, sitting on his heels. "It's almost impossible for you to escape. But I couldn't do much in that position, either. To a.s.sault you, I'd need to back up a bit. I'm not going to do that, though, until I feel a shift in power." As Jason spoke, her eyes lowered to his mouth. Biting off a growl of frustration, he asked sharply, "So what's gonna make me loosen my grip, Angelle?"

Annoyance tightened her mouth. But when her gaze lifted, he could tell he'd gotten through to her. Her eyes narrowed in thought. "When you think I've given up?"

"You got it." At her pleased smile, he went on. "A predator waits until he feels you've given up the fight. That moment you realize he's in control and you stop defending yourself. You go limp, and he gains complete control. Does that make sense?"

She nodded, and Jason could feel the shift in the air. She was in student mode now, and he did a mental fist pump.

"If you're in a position you can't get out of, it's your job to convince the attacker that he's accomplished his mission," he said. "That the fight has left you. That it's okay for him to relax his grip and move on from subduing you to the actual a.s.sault. Most victims, when they truly believe all hope is lost, stop fighting, hoping it'll just end soon. You're going to pretend you've reached that point."

"How?"

"You tell him that you give up," Jason answered. "Say you'll do whatever he wants. You pretend to give him the power he craves by asking him not to hurt you, and you stop struggling. That's key, because if your actions don't match your words, he won't believe it."

Angelle's head tilted. Her gaze sharpened and her mouth scrunched. Avid curiosity replaced every trace of breathless coquettishness when she asked, "So I don't even try to hit him?"

"Oh h.e.l.l yeah. You're gonna do some damage, you're just gonna wait until he believes you've given up, however long that takes. Once you feel the grip on your hips lessen, you shrimp out. You shove your foot against his hip and push away, increasing the distance, as you kick him in the face, hit, slap, do whatever you have to do to get free and get the h.e.l.l out of there."

A spark lit her green eyes and he knew she was imagining herself doing just that. With a sense of pride welling in his chest, Jason let his words sink in for another moment, then he said, "Now I'm gonna lean down again, trying to pin you. I want you to do everything I said. Pretend this is a real life situation. Kick my a.s.s," he added with a grin. "Are you ready?"

A fierce look of determination crossed her face. "Yes, sir."

Immediately, Jason clamped his hands around her shoulders. Below him, Angelle thrashed. She shoved and grunted, trying to free herself even though they both knew it was futile. Then, as discussed, her struggle started tapering off. She went limp in his arms. As the attacker, Jason looked into her eyes, sizing her up to see if the power shift was real.

In character, Angelle's eyes softened as she placed her hands on his shoulders. "Please, I'll do whatever you want. Just-"

"Oh my G.o.d!"

At the sound of Colby's voice, the lesson was forgotten. Jason pushed back on his heels, hungry to see her face. He'd been thinking about her all day. His hands had twitched, wanting to touch her. And here she was.

d.a.m.n, she looked good.

"Baby, what are you-"

"Don't you dare baby me," she spat, freezing inside the door. She thrust her fingers through her hair, and Jason stiffened. Her hands were shaking.

Jumping up, his feet ate the distance between them as his arms reached out to hold her. When she flinched from his touch, a cold p.r.i.c.kle of apprehension wrapped around his neck. "Baby, what's wrong?"

"I said, don't baby me." Eyes wide, she looked at him as if she'd never seen him before. "You're just like all the rest of them, aren't you?"

He didn't understand. "What?" Her eyes flicked to the mat behind him, and a fist of fear sank in his gut. The confidence he'd held all week drained away.

"Colby, Angelle's one of my students," he explained, knowing even as he did that it made no difference. From the look in her eyes, it was clear she'd already made up her mind.

Her eyebrows lifted. "Angelle?" Nodding as if something suddenly made sense, she asked, "The girl you and Cane were talking about at the restaurant. The one who inspired that weird look between you?"

That look had been because Cane was interested in his recruit and Jason hadn't wanted to bring her up around Colby. In hindsight, maybe that had been a mistake. But before he could even begin to explain that, she said incredulously, "So my brother knows about you two?"

He laughed, but the sound was far from amused. Just this morning he and Colby had made love. Twice. Then he'd given her the day without distraction so she could think. Every time he'd wanted to call, he had restrained himself. He had been so d.a.m.n sure that after their night together, she'd realize that she was falling in love with him, too. That he'd call her during his shift tomorrow or pick her up on Monday and she'd be ready to start the rest of their lives.

But his plan had failed. Nothing he'd done the past few weeks had made a bit of difference. The fact that this situation could be completely innocent wasn't even a blip on her radar. She was too busy acting as though she'd walked in on them f.u.c.king on the floor.

"Yeah, Cane knows Angelle," he said. "He knows that she works at the station. That she's a student here. He is too, if you remember. He's even here now, somewhere. If that had been your brother on the ground, would you be freaking out?"

Colby glared, and Jason knew that wasn't fair. She'd been upfront about her hang-ups. And truth be told, if the situation were reversed, he wouldn't be thrilled either. But she was refusing to listen to reason.

A soft cough and movement had him turning back to Angelle. Honestly, he'd almost forgotten she was still there. She looked between them as she pushed to her feet, her face taut with guilt. "I-I'm so sorry," she stammered. "I didn't mean to cause you any problems. I didn't know."

"Didn't know what?" Colby asked. "That he had a girlfriend? He wouldn't tell you that now, would he? But don't worry, honey. He doesn't have one anymore."