Loving Jessie by Dallas Schulze Page A

when you’re married. Besides, weren’t you and Livvy friends or something?” Reilly popped another oyster in his mouth and gave Matt a questioning look.
    “We were lab partners in biology one year. She had a tongue like a pit viper and bitched endlessly about the way I took notes.”
    “No romance amid the formaldehyde and dissected frog parts?” Reilly asked, looking disappointed.
    Matt laughed out loud. God, he’d missed this. It had been too long since he’d just let himself enjoy life’s absurdities. He’d spent too many years looking into the darkness, capturing it forever on film. He’d almost forgotten that there was a world where famine and war were not a daily part of life. It felt damned good to be reminded.
    He’d never been particularly fond of parties. Too many people, too much noise, too much booze and bad food. He generally preferred his socializing on a smaller scale. But he had to hand it to Dana McKinnon, she knew how to avoid all the usual problems.
    Despite the fact that half the county seemed to be here, the big house didn’t feel crowded. The French doors had been left open, encouraging the guests to spill out onto the patio and pool deck and enjoy the warm summer night. The furniture in the living room had been pushed back to provide room for dancing. So far, the music had ranged from old rock and roll through disco, with a few side trips into old standards. Right now he could hear a plaintive plea for Sloopy to hang on and see half a dozen couples gyrating with varying degrees of skill.
    “I’m not sure, but I think there’s a law against anything that tastes this good.” Reilly’s groan of pleasure drew Matt’s attention back to him. He nodded sympathetically when he saw the slice of dense, nearly black chocolate cake on his friend’s plate.
    “Jessie calls it death by chocolate, and I think she may mean it literally. I thought about having a second piece, but I don’t think my arteries would survive.”
    Reilly took another bite and sighed with pleasure as the thick chocolate melted on his tongue. “Deadly. Who would have thought that sweet little Jessie would grow up to be so vicious?”
    “Who would have thought she’d grow up?” Matt murmured, his smile fading a little as his eyes sought her out. She was standing across the room, talking to Gabe, who was laughing at something she’d said.
    She was wearing a dress again. This one was black and made of some kind of thin fabric that clung to every curve. And there were plenty of curves for it to cling to. Warm feminine curves that turned his mind in directions it had no business going. God, didn’t she own any pants? he wondered irritably. Or a nice, ankle-length skirt? Did she plan her whole wardrobe around garments designed to show off those mile-long legs?
    “I still can’t believe she’s the same skinny little kid who used to tag along after us,” Reilly said, following his gaze and apparently reading his thoughts. Matt hoped he couldn’t read all of them.
    As if sensing his gaze, Jessie turned her head, her wide mouth curving in a smile when their eyes met. She said something as she touched Gabe’s arm, and Matt lifted his beer in acknowledgment when his brother glanced across the room. He was willing to bet that Gabe was already thinking about making his getaway. Parties ranked a half step ahead of visits to the dentist on his older brother’slist of favorite ways to spend his time. He’d only come to this one because it was intended as a welcome-home for Matt.
    With a last word to Gabe, Jessie turned and walked toward him, and Matt promptly forgot his brother. She couldn’t possibly be wearing a bra under what there was of that dress, he thought, and then wished he hadn’t. It was bad enough that he couldn’t ignore those legs. He didn’t need to think about her underwear. Or lack thereof.
    “You are a cruel woman,” Reilly said as she approached. “You may even be evil and depraved.”
    Jessie