But Johnny was effectively holding me back with a hand to my upper chest, and when I realized where it was I moved back. His face morphed into a wide grin. “Hi! Is that Jenna? You’re right, it’s not Ashling...”
He winked at me, the bastard, and then he was saying brightly, “No, don’t worry, I haven’t kidnapped her. The thing is, you see, Jenna...”
He turned away from me now and walked to the other end of the bar talking in low tones so I couldn’t hear him. I went after him but his arm shot out again to hold me back just as I heard him saying, “I think we could definitely consider this two weeks a hiatus, don’t you? I mean, there must be lots of cute surfer dudes in Miami...Oh, you have? Well, would it help if I said Ashling was sending you her blessing right now?”
I aimed a sharp kick at the back of Johnny’s calf but he didn’t even flinch. He turned around then and looked at me, smirking. “I’d love to put you onto her but I’m afraid she’s a bit busy right now...Okay, nice talking to you, too, Jenna. Have fun in Miami.”
Johnny took the phone away from his ear and shut it off. I could see that he powered it down completely. Ineffectual anger mixe
d with something far more dangerous coursed through me.
“How dare you involve my friend in this.”
Johnny put the phone down. “You’re off the hook now. She’s got her eye on some surfer god called Chad, or Brad. I wasn’t quite sure which.”
I fisted my hands. “This is crazy, Johnny. Of course I don’t mind if Jenna is with someone, but I am not into a hookup no matter how short or potentially pleasurable.”
Somehow I was now backed up against the service counter just under the main bar and Johnny was in front of me. He put his arms either side of me on the steel surface and looked down, all traces of smirking and humor gone. Now he looked serious, concerned, almost. “What is it, Ash? Did someone hurt you?”
I looked at him and could feel myself pale slightly at his intuition, and the way he said Ash. I liked it way too much.
I forced myself to focus on resistance, feeling the need more than ever if the way he said Ash was getting to me. “If I told you someone had hurt me, would it make a difference?”
He smiled, but it was lopsided. “What if I said I could help you get over it?”
I made a face even as excitement bounced around my body, the traitor. “What are you offering, Johnny? A down and dirty fling for two weeks? Just what the doctor ordered?”
Chapter Six
Johnny tilted his head to the side for a moment as if considering it. “Something like that. Call it your last wild ride...before Jenna of the Agenda comes back and fun and games are over.”
Something occurred to me far too belatedly, and I narrowed my gaze on that gorgeous face. I folded my arms between us, creating a flimsy barrier.
“You didn’t really speak to her, did you?” I didn’t even have to ask. If Johnny had rung Jenna and said what he’d said, Candy or someone would be banging the door down right now, convinced I was in the clutches of an ax-wielding serial killer. Jenna tended to be a little overdramatic at the best of times.
He didn’t even look sheepish and just said, “Do you really think she’s holding up her end of the agenda?”
I had to admit that if there was another thing I knew about Jenna, she was a pushover for dirty-blond hair, blue eyes and a ripped body...and she would definitely be of the opinion that what happens in Miami stays in Miami.
Illicit excitement grew inside me. Could I do the same? Whatever happened in these next two weeks stayed in these two weeks. No past, no future, just now.
Maybe Johnny and Candy were right. I needed to lick my wounds after Steve and restore my own faith in my judgment. I needed to prove to myself that I hadn’t lost it completely, that I still could just do fun, without the serious relationship stuff.
And Johnny didn’t need to tell me he was all about the fun. Dark and sexy and decadent. It would be a wild ride with him. I knew it. Even as I was considering this I felt weak and guilty. But more than that I felt desire. Urgent and pounding through me with gathering force.
As if reading my mind and sensing my growing acquiescence, Johnny leaned experimentally toward me, silently asking for permission to come closer. To kiss me again.
Crap. I couldn’t resist him. I stayed silent and unmoving, damning myself with each second as he came closer and closer, our eyes locked in a silent conversation.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes...damn you.”
I saw the faintest glimmer of a smile on that sensual mouth just as everything went dark and our mouths met again. And this kiss was not like the first one.
Johnny’s touch was almost reverential, taking me off guard completely. He was asking again if I wanted this and something about his consideration made me want to smash it aside. The part of me that had gone over an edge.
I twined my arms around his neck and pressed my body close to his, and the first thing I felt was his massive hard-on, pressing into my belly. That was it, no turning back now.