Chapter 3

They'd been stood leaning against his truck with their arms around each other in silence for a while when movement and laughter momentarily spilled out from the bar. Both of them jumped a little and turned but it wasn't anyone they knew, a couple linked arms and headed off towards the other end of the parking lot leaving them in silence again.

Jason unwrapped himself from Mandy, pushing himself backwards a little so that he was face to face with her, his arms either side of her on the side of the truck.

"We're going to have to make a decision here, and soon Miss Ellis" Jason said smiling his trademark grin

"And what decision is that Master Chief?"

"Well…" Jason nodded towards the bar "… at some point someone in there is going to wonder where I disappeared to, and they're gonna stick their head out of that door to look for me or my truck…"

"Mm-hmm" nodded Mandy

"And at that point I will have no option other than to take you inside and share your company with everyone else…"

"And the problem with that is…" Mandy asked as Jason turned back to face her

"The problem with that…" closing the gap between them and leaning in towards her ear his stubble brushing against her cheek "…is I don't want to share you with anyone tonight"

Before she could recover from the chills that came from from Jason Hayes gravelly whisper up close and personal, he was looking right at her again.

He moved one of his hands to her waist slipping his fingers inside the hem of her shirt to touch the bare skin at her back. He moved slowly and he kept his eyes on her the whole time, seeking her permission, and she knew why. This was the first contact between them since J-Bad that couldn't be explained-away as just being friendly, it wasn't just a hug, this was an intimate touch, a gesture that said more than words did.

In J-Bad they had been a mess of complicated emotions, all exploding in one passionate moment, no thinking, that was the point. But here and now , this was different, the stakes suddenly felt higher. This was the calm before the storm, this was two people being sure they are in the same place this time, on the same page before all hell broke loose.

"Jason…" Mandy managed to whisper

"Mandy?" Jason leaned in close so there foreheads were just about touching

"I think it's time you took me home" she whispered.

"I agree" Jason placed a brief glancing kiss to her lips before taking her hand and opening the passenger door to his truck. Mandy looked surprised at the chaste kiss and looked up at him from the passenger seat with a questioning look.

Jason read her mind as he leaned in close to click her seatbelt into place "If we stay and I kiss you the way I want to, I can't promise I won't ravage you right here in this parking lot" his eyes were dark, his face suddenly serious as he shut her door. This was a man trying very hard to keep his composure and there was something about knowing she was the cause of Mr Self Control himself unravelling in front of her that was really, really hot.

They drove in silence, each stealing an occasional glance, Mandy reached her hand out on the dash and Jason placed his hand on hers as he kept the other on the wheel and his eyes forward.