Page 16 of Everything Changes

“Okay, okay, sorry,” Jase said, waving his hand. “Old habits—”

“So what did Mariangel want?” Carey said, changing the subject, finally feeling the flush that had suffused his face at Jase’s inadvertent strip show dying away.

“Oh my God,” Jase said, his face lighting up. “She wanted to tell me that she was getting married, and she’s pretty sure that she’s pregnant.”

“Wow,” Carey said slowly. “That’s great, Jase, but why did she come here just to tell you that?”

“She didn’t want to start a new life with the animosity hanging between us. She said that she realized blaming me for the miscarriage was wrong, and she wanted to let me know she’d forgiven me for the rest.”

Carey smiled, knowing how much Jase had needed to hear that, another step in putting that whole painful chapter behind him.

“So she asked me to forgive her for her part too, and hoped that we can be friends.”

“That’s so great, Jase,” Carey said sincerely, and he knew Jase and Mari would probably never speak again, but at least they’d made their peace with each other before moving on. Carey stood up and stiffened when Jase stepped forward and pulled him into an impulsive hug.

“I’m just so relieved, Carey,” Jase said into Carey’s hair. Carey wrapped his arms around Jase and hugged him tightly, trying to ignore the feel of Jase’s hard body against his. Oh Jesus, please don’t let him pop another boner right now. He really needed to get laid, he thought a little hysterically. How long had it fucking been?

Jase released him, taking a deep breath and moving to his dressing table to run a comb through his thick hair and spritz a light cologne on.

“Okay, I’m ready. I need to go work the room for a while, and then we’ll head out to the club.” He clapped Carey on the shoulder and breezed out of the room, leaving Carey to follow and pull the door shut behind him.

CHAPTER 6

THE CLUB was busy but not overly so, and the music was a good mix of techno and contemporary pop. There was a little something for everyone, and it seemed everyone was having a good time. Carey sat at a small table and nursed his beer, watching Jase on the dance floor. The man was pure sex in motion, and Carey found he couldn’t keep his eyes off of him. Jase had always had an innate grace, but his dedicated yoga practice had given him lean, sexy muscles, and the natural performer in him had finally been unleashed due to his work with his band.

“Hey, babe!” Carey looked over and smiled as Layla bounced up, flushed and sweating, grabbing up her beer and taking a huge swallow.

“Having fun?” he said, talking loudly over the music. Quinn and Pete were outside grabbing a smoke, and Bryan had disappeared somewhere with a woman he’d met after the concert. Carey was content to sit for the moment and people watch, enjoying the eclectic mix of club patrons who surrounded him.

“Oh hell, yeah. I about fucked Jase on the dance floor, holy shit, that man can move.” Layla fanned herself, her eyes sparkling. “I think I might have come a little bit out there.”

“What?” Quinn said in mock outrage, winding his arms around his wife from behind. “I heard that.”

Layla shrugged. “What can I say? He’s sex on legs, honey.”

Carey could certainly agree with that statement. The memory of Jase in that thong underwear would forever be burned into his brain. He gulped more beer, realizing he’d actually had quite a bit to drink tonight and was feeling a little tipsy. He liked it; it had been a long time since he’d let loose and just had fun like this with friends. He grinned at Layla and Quinn as Quinn growled and pretended to gnaw on her neck.

Carey looked at the dance floor, his eyes locking on Jase again, watching how he moved to the thumping beat, his arms over his head and his hips moving in a sexy rhythm, a rhythm that made Carey think of fucking. It made him think of Jase, his eyes closed, mouth slack with pleasure, husky groans vibrating in his chest as his body spasmed and shook in Carey’s arms….

Suddenly he was aware of Layla staring at him, her eyes sharp and speculative. She’d obviously followed his line of sight and had taken in his reaction to watching Jase on the dance floor. He flushed, tearing his gaze from hers and looking into his beer glass. There was nowhere to hide, nothing he could say to explain the look on his face, which he was sure was hungry, desperate, wanting. He risked a glance back at her and was surprised to see a happy grin spreading over her face as she winked at him. He flushed again, tensing a little as she came up behind him and draped her arms around his neck, leaning down and speaking directly in his ear.

“Go for it, Gorgeous. The two of you would be fucking epic.”

“I don’t—I’m not—”

“The heart wants what it wants, Carey. There will never be any judgment here.” She waved her hand to encompass her husband and Pete, who had arrived back at their table with a fresh pitcher of beer. “All anyone would want is for Jase to be happy. I can’t believe I’ve never noticed it before, but he’s so different when he’s around you. He’s relaxed, he seems to light up from within. And the way you’re looking at him, Carey, my God.” She fanned herself, her gaze impish. “I think I got my fantasy material tonight, baby. The thought is turning me the fuck on.”

“Jesus, Layla,” Carey burst out. “Please stop!”

“Okay, sweets, I’d say I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable, but I totally do. Someone needs to light a fire under your asses.”

Carey snorted. “I can’t believe you! You’re lucky you’re so cute.”

“Yeah, well, the tension between you two, the chemistry, is off the fucking charts. Nothing wrong with it, Carey. Oh God, the two of you, so hot…. Can I just set up a chair in your bedroom? I promise I’ll stay in the corner and not say a word. I won’t say anything, but I may end up touching a little bit. How do you feel about threesomes? A Jase and Carey sandwich with me as the filling?”

Carey must have looked desperate and pleading because Quinn walked over and plucked his wife away from Carey, tucking her under his arm and leading her to the dance floor.

“Stop bothering the nice man, honey,” he said. “Let’s go dance.” Carey’s eyes telegraphed his relief as he mouthed, “Thank you” to Quinn, and Quinn grinned, giving Carey a knuckle bump before disappearing with his wife into the writhing crowd on the dance floor.