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She strode closer to him and was pleased to see his gaze glide down over her body. Lingering at her belly button, he froze again, but this time, it had nothing to do with being turned off.
“I usually wear a piercing.”
“Do you?” His hand came up a
s if to touch her waist, but he curled his fingers into his palm. “How many men have you brought in here?”
“Excuse me?”
Fire of a different kind than had been there before sparked in his gaze. “It’s dangerous for you to bring a man into a room alone like this. I doubt you know every one of them out there, and even if you do, there are plenty who would be tempted beyond control by the way you’re dressed.”
“I’m not stupid.”
He appeared doubtful, and she raised her voice to call out. A door opened, which he obviously hadn’t noticed, and a man stepped into the room. “What are you yelling about, Jaz?”
She grinned and gestured. “This man with muscle on top of muscle is my big brother Rhashon. He teaches Tae Kwon Do and sports conditioning here. He has no problem breaking you in five places should you touch me against my will.”
At her words, Rhashon’s expression changed, and he started forward. “Wait, he’s messing with you, Jaz?”
To his credit Tor didn’t appear alarmed, but maybe that was just his demeanor. She grinned and waved her brother off. “No, just giving him a warning.”
Her brother strode over anyway and gave Tor a once-over. “He doesn’t look like he’s from around here. Not like that last bozo you dated, sis.”
Tor appeared to bristle with offense, and Jaz didn’t blame him. She didn’t date a bozo, nor was she dating Tor now.
“If it were any of your business, I’d say I am from around here,” Tor shot back.
“Whoa, he’s got bite, Jaz.” Her brother chuckled and stuck his hand out. “Rhashon Crane. Don’t fuck with my sister, and I won’t have to kill you. Cool?”
Tor shook his hand but made no promises. With him not saying a word, Rhashon took it as acceptance of his threat and slapped Tor on the shoulder before leaving the room. Jaz noticed her brother had left the door partially open and smiled. Tor saw it, too.
“You knew that room was there?”
“Yup.” She winked. “Like I said, I’m not stupid. My family is all around me. They look out for me, and I’m there for them. I love being back here, and I’m never leaving.”
Jaz didn’t know why, but she sensed a bit of sadness from Tor. Next door in the dance hall, the “Monster Mash” came on, and she walked over to the light switch and changed the setting from white to orange strobe lights.
“I should be there starting the contest.”
He came up behind her and pulled her away from the lights and into his arms. She forgot about the stupid contest. His gaze drew her in, and his touch at her waist ignited feelings of desire that took her breath away. “Tell me where you were,” he said.
“Are you interested in me?”
“You know I am.”
They didn’t speak for a while, but they swayed to the music. Jaz laid her head on his chest, and his hold tightened just a little. She heard his heartbeat, so fast, and his body beneath his T-shirt felt hot but not sweaty. Breathing deep, she took in his manly scent, like a fresh shower and natural not cloying from cologne.
After some time, she raised her head. “I went to Baltimore to school for a while. University of Maryland. Then I had an apartment over there with a boyfriend. I thought it would lead to marriage.”
“He was a bozo?”
She frowned. “Don’t listen to Rhashon. My ex wasn’t a pothead. Well, okay, he was, but I thought he had potential and…”
“Would change?”
She sighed. “Don’t we all have people in our past who we made concessions for over and over? Years pass and still nothing. One day I woke up. I was twenty-nine. That’s when it always happens. That was last year. I let go of a nice-paying job to work at the outreach center and here.”
He raised her chin, and she shivered. “Do you regret it?”
