Next Song I Sing (NEXT TIME AROUND) by Donna McDonald

over again when she sighed.
    Chloe nodded against Jasper’s jaw, her breasts pressed hard against his very firm chest because he was still holding her so tightly. She couldn’t handle thinking about what else was firm on the man. That would lead to her acknowledging a temptation that she was definitely not sober enough to handle.
    “Do you want me to get my friends to come hear you sing?” Jasper asked softly. “I meant that too.”
    Chloe laughed again and shook her head from side to side. “No. That’s nice of you, but I’m really not a professional. I just like to sing. I told you—I’m just an accountant.”
    Jasper let go with one hand and lifted her chin, his system calming at the realization that her self-confidence was not nearly on the same level as her talent, which was a shame. “I think you’re a lot more than you think you are, Chloe Zanders. Will you sing to me again tonight?”
    She pulled away slightly to look up at him and smile. “Sure. A couple more mai tais and I might even dance. It takes a lot of lubrication for me to sing. I’m actually a shy person.”
    Jasper laughed then. She had to be teasing. He would have said alluring, sexy, flirty, and charming. The woman was a tad insecure, but anything but shy.
    “Sure. Right. You’re shy. That’s why I’m going to have such a hard time walking back to the lounge with you without everyone knowing exactly what went on between us. I’m having a hard enough time just taking my hands off you,” he said, charmed by her pleased smile even as she blushed slightly.
    “Flatterer,” Chloe said, ducking her head. “My little peck on the lips was not the one that caused your discomfort. It was that thing you did with your tongue that sent us over the top. I’m not exactly comfortable right now myself.”
    “Good to know. At the risk of sounding like a bad person, I wouldn’t have wanted to miss the opportunity to cause you that kind of discomfort,” Jasper said wryly on a laugh, turning her gently as he opened the office door.
    “While the mai tais are still working their magic, I’ll just say that I feel the same way, Mr. Wade. I’m happy to be so acutely uncomfortable,” Chloe said boldly, tucking her arm in his as they walked back to the lounge, mostly because she didn’t trust her weakened legs not to stumble. “And I wish I had met you when I was more ready.”
    “Really? So just how long do you think it’s going to take for you to be ready? I’ll set up a time then for us to meet again,” Jasper said seriously, pulling Chloe’s arm tighter through his until her breast was squashed tightly against him.
    Chloe giggled, her head spinning at his intimate action. Too much liquor and too much Jasper, but the man sure was a lot of fun.
    “I’ll try to grieve my divorce quickly,” she replied, deliberately flirting and earning a husky laugh from the man on her arm.
    Jasper walked Chloe to the center of the lobby before excusing himself to go back to the front desk. He motioned one of the desk clerks over to the counter.
    “I need an extra key to Max’s suite,” he whispered.
    To her credit, his discreet clerk said nothing, just made a key card and passed it to Jasper. He smiled in approval. “Thank you, Lily.”
    “Sir, can I ask you a quick question?” Lily whispered back.
    “Yes, certainly,” Jasper answered easily, keeping his voice as low as hers.
    “Um…what should we say the next time an inquiry is made about where you are this evening?” Lily asked, keeping her gaze as neutral as possible.
    Jasper paused for a moment or two thinking, looking again at the lush woman who had sparked his internal debate. There was no way he could spend the night with Rayonna now or ever again. He’d had his hands on Chloe, felt his blood charging where it was supposed to without any coaxing. There was quite simply no going back to less when the promise of more was waiting for him in the lobby right now, humming to herself as she smiled