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“Hey,” he said, bringing a hand up to his forehead to
shield the glare
of the setting sun from his eyes.
Carly stood there. “You trying to run me over or
just scare me half to
death?”
Jason cocked his head, squinting his eyes more in confusion
than from
the sun. He stared at this woman, her hair lit
up looking almost like a
golden halo from the glare behind her. “If I’d
have wanted to run you
over, I would have,” he stated.
Carly rolled her eyes in exaggerated annoyance.
“Whatever…” she
muttered. Just who did this guy think he was?
Okay, so he’s handsome,
comes from a rich family, whom he wants nothing to do
with…Carly just
didn’t get it.
“You want to go for a ride?” Jason asked, his eyes traveling
from her
face down her body—taking in her tight low-cut shirt
that didn’t quite
reach the belt loops of her denim shorts, leaving a small
strip of
midriff showing. Jason’s eyes lingered there for
a moment, taking in
her milky white skin and the smooth curve of her waist.
He instantly
felt a small surge of desire, and involuntarily let his
tongue escape
his mouth, licking his lips. Carly noticed and
instantly felt in
control. She liked to be in control—she needed
to be in control, and
could tell it would be a battle with this man.
A grin widened over her features. “Where to?” she asked.
Jason revved the engine, scooting forward on the seat
to make room for
Carly. “Here, there, anywhere,” he said vaguely.
Carly snorted at this, swinging her leg over the bike
and straddling the
leather seat. “Okay, James Dean,” she said, encircling
her arms around
his waist, breathing deeply and inhaling the distinct
scent of leather
from his jacket. Jason looked back, shooting her
a confused look and at
the same time making sure she was all the way on before
lurching the
bike forward and speeding off the docks onto the deserted
highway.
Carly held on as tight as she could, contemplating the
look he’d just
given her. It took her a couple of minutes to realize
that he would
have no idea who James Dean was. She laughed out
loud at this. The
wind rushed through her hair, pulling it straight out
behind her as they
raced through the otherwise quiet twilight.
Jason leaned forward, pushing his bike to full throttle,
enjoying the
feel of Carly against him. He realized the faster
he went, the closer
she pressed herself to him. He instinctively tensed
up when he heard
Carly let out a shrill scream. He found himself smiling
though, when the
scream turned into a gleeful laugh.
Tears streamed from the corners of Carly’s eyes as the
wind rushed past
her face. She couldn’t remember when she’d felt
this free, this alive.
When Jason leaned far to the left in a sharp turn, Carly
immediately
leaned the other way to keep from falling off.
“Lean with me!” Jason shouted to her.
Carly barely heard him, but instinctively leaned with
him and felt the
bike even out under their weight. She clasped her
hands together at the
base of his abdomen, her forearms automatically tightening
around his
waist. As they straightened again, Carly felt her
heart beating hard in
her chest. She hoped Jason couldn’t feel it on
his back. A shiver
coursed through her, and for the first time Carly noticed
the cold. She
squeezed Jason tighter, replacing her cheek on his upper
back, her lips
just brushing the nape of his neck. Unexpectedly,
Jason began to slow,
the motor faltering as he pulled the bike off to the
side of the road,
steering it through some thick foliage until Carly was
sure they’d fall
off the edge of the cliff. Carly squeezed her eyes
shut, burying her
face into the collar of Jason’s jacket, to avoid the
leaves and twigs
reaching out to grab her as they glided by. She
wondered what Jason was
doing. Was there a path here or what? Carly
wanted to look down at the
ground to make sure they were following some sort of
trial but didn’t
dare open her eyes for fear of losing it to a nasty twig.
A thought
panicked her for a second. Did Jason have his eyes
closed too? Or were
they open, in which case they’d probably been poked out
by the menacing
branches brushing by them. Before Carly could give
this gruesome
thought anymore entertainment, they entered a clearing
and Jason killed
the engine completely. Carly waited until they
were completely stopped
before opening her eyes. Jason looked down at Carly’s
hands, still
clasped around his waist. Her knuckles were white.
He chuckled a bit,
leaning his weight back into her. His angle pushed
Carly’s face off his
back and she was able to look around. The first
thing she saw was
Jason’s head turned toward hers, amusement dancing in
his eyes.
“Can I help you?” Carly asked defensively.
“You can let go of me now,” Jason said, patting her hands with his.
A red flush creeped up Carly’s cheeks. She let go
quickly, bringing her
arms back around to her sides. They ached just
slightly, and Carly
tried to shake them out as inconspicuously as possible
while she
dismounted the bike. She looked around at her surroundings.
Her breath
caught in her throat. It was one of the most beautiful
places she’d
ever seen. The foliage they’d just scrambled thorough
made a wall,
shielding the clearing from view from the highway.
The clearing was
small but lush, the grass sinking below her feet, moist
with dew.
Walking to the edge of the cliff, Carly looked down—unable
to see
anything in the darkness. She strained to hear
but was greeted with
silence. Even the crickets seemed oblivious to
this secret spot.
Jason stood by his bike, watching Carly admire her surroundings.
He’d
just found it a few days ago, but had been there every
day since. He
found it peaceful, a good place to think, or not think
if that’s what he
wanted. Jason knew Carly wouldn’t be able to fully
appreciate the
spot’s beauty until she saw it in daylight. Small
flowers dotted the
edges of the clearing, and the view from the cliff was
amazing. For
miles and miles—all the eye could see was rocks, mountains,
hills and
other cliffs. Sometimes lazy clouds could be seen
drifting, making its
home on some mountain or hill far below. There were no
roads, no houses,
no people to been seen.
“You should see this place in the daylight,” Jason said,
voicing his
thoughts.
Carly whirled around at the sound of his voice.
She’d been lost for a
moment, emersed in her own thoughts.
“I bet it’s beautiful,” Carly said, sliding up next to
Jason. She
wasn’t sure if she was doing it to be flirtatious or
warm. She supposed
it didn’t matter. Jason didn’t seem to mind.
He stared intensely at
her—he seemed to be boring his ice blue eyes deep into
her soul. Carly
shivered noticeably. As much as she hated to admit
it to herself, the
cold was not the culprit. Jason seemed to think
it was, and took his
jacket off, draping it on Carly’s shoulders. Carly
smiled, reaching her
arms back and slipping them through the warm sleeves.
They were too
long on her, and covered her hands as well. She
regarded Jason,
standing now in just a T-shirt and jeans, and tried to
determine whether
he was cold. His gaze stayed steady on her and
Carly felt small shivers
shoot up her spine. She turned her body away from
his, picking a spot
on the grass and flopping down. She brought her
knees up and rested her
arms across them, heaving a sigh as she did so.
Jason sat down next to
her, then leaned back, supporting himself on his elbows.
Carly looked
back at him, noticing his muscles that showed through
the thin cotton of
his T-shirt.
“Can you answer me a question?” Carly asked, turning her
body to face
him and sitting Indian style. She rested her elbows
on her knees,
placing her chin in her upturned palms.
“What?” Jason said, turning his face up to the sky, studying the stars.
Carly watched at the moonlight lit up one side of his
face. She
couldn’t help but think of the Greek Gods she’d studied
in high school.
Adonis’ they were called. His jaw was chiseled
cutting a definite line
across his face. His neck was smooth, curving down
into some of the
broadest shoulders Carly had ever set eyes on.
As if he could feel her
eyes on his, Jason turned his face, his eyes catching
hers before she
could look away.
“Carly.”
Carly dipped her head then looked up at him through her
thick eyelashes.
She dropped her eyes again, studying the ground.
She’d completely
forgotten she’d asked him a question. Jason smiled
to himself, gazing
at her. He loved the way she looked in his jacket,
her blond hair
windblown and wild, stroked the collar, random pieces
still tucked under
the leather like she’d forgotten to pull it out when
she put the jacket
on. The sleeves were pushed up just enough so her
fingers poked out,
absently caressing the grass near her feet.
“Were you gonna ask me a question or not?” Jason finally
said, breaking
the silence.
Carly looked up at him. She smiled sheepishly. “I
was just wondering
what you remember and what you don’t.”
Jason sighed, slightly annoyed at this question.
He had no idea what he
knew until he needed to know it.
Carly scowled at him in the dark. “It was just a
question, God…” she
muttered disdainfully.
Jason looked back toward her, sensing the animosity in
her voice. He
told her what he’d just been thinking. “I don’t
know what I remember
until I remember it.” It was simple to him.
He didn’t expect her to
understand it, but there was really no way to explain
it. Jason
Quartermaine knew all kinds of things about math and
science and
sometimes he just knew stuff—presumably what Jason Quartermaine
knew.
He didn’t know other things, like what foods he liked
or how to be nice
to people. Those things would be useful and of
course it was those
things he didn’t know. And people were so damn
sensitive, it made him
want to be meaner to them. But not this girl.
This girl was mean right
back. He didn’t have to be anyone but himself with
her. He noticed
Carly hadn’t said anything and wondered if he’d really
made her mad. He
studied her while she studied her shoes. In an
apologetic gesture, he
reached his arm out form behind him and placed it on
her knee.
Carly looked at him, meeting his eyes. Her expression
quickly grew from
serious to playful. “Do you remember what it feels
like to kiss
someone?” she asked, half surprised at her own words.
“I don’t know,” Jason said, pushing himself all the way
up, sitting with
his legs outstretched in front of him. “Why don’t
we find out?”
Carly was taken aback. She thought she was going
to be the aggressive
one here. A mischievous grin appeared on her face
and she raked her
fingers through her hair, grimacing at all the tangles.
Balancing
herself on her knees, she leaned closer to Jason, brushing
her lips to
his. As soon as their lips joined, Jason opened
his mouth, deepening
the kiss. Carly gasped at his advance but it caught
deep in her throat.
Jason’s hand found it’s way around her neck and laced
his fingers though
her hair, pulling her face closer to his. Carly
closed her eyes,
matching his passion, placing a hand against his chest
to keep her
balance. Jason moved his other hand to Carly’s
waist, pulling her,
almost urgently, to him. She responded, bringing
her leg up and around
him, straddling his lap. Their kiss did not break
until Carly was
settled on top of him. Jason moved his lips from
hers to her cheek,
down her neck and lingered on her collarbone.
Carly could hear his breath coming in short gasps.
Her mind was
spinning. Here she was with this gorgeous guy who
obviously wanted her
as much as she wanted him. He was a virtual stranger,
and had probably
even fewer friends than she did in Port Charles at this
point. Giving
in to her desires though, right now, she knew she’d regret.
She didn’t
know how she knew, or why, but she did. She wanted
something more to
come of this. Friendship? She nearly laughed
out loud at the thought.
Jason was rude, arrogant and just plain trouble.
Jason was trying to pull her shirt up over her head at
this point. His
hands had found her waist and abdomen and they were exploring
her with
little abandon.
“Jason,” Carly gasped, barely able to get a breath.
No reaction. Still roaming hands, still moist soft kisses on her neck.
“Jason,” she panted again, this time putting her mouth near his ear.
Jason murmured form somewhere deep in his throat.
He showed no
intention of stopping. Carly used both her hands,
placing them on his
chest and pushing herself away. She swung her leg
back around, finding
herself off his lap and back on the grass in a matter
of seconds. Jason
was dazed. He reacted slowly, not realizing at
first that she was no
longer on top of him. He reached out for her, wanting
her, but she
wasn’t there. Carly regarded him with a strange
look from where she
sat. Jason turned his head, finally seeing her,
shaking his head
vigorously, as if to clear his mind. Carly put
a smile on her face,
hoping he wouldn’t be mad.
“Do you remember what it feels like to kiss a woman now?”
she asked,
keeping her tone light.
Jason got up, dusting the grass off his pants and moving
toward the
cliff. He stood there, looking out into the darkness,
his hands clasped
together resting on top of his head.
“When I was in the hospital,” he began, speaking out into
the open space
in front of him. “This girl named Keesha, who said
she was my
girlfriend, she kissed me.”
Carly’s face fell. She was glad his back was turned
so he didn’t see
her disappointment.
Jason continued talking. “But it didn’t make me feel like that.”
Carly’s face instantly brightened. Go me, she thought
triumphantly.
“This girl, Keesha,” Carly said, rolling her eyes as
she said the name,
glad Jason’s back was turned. “Is she still your,
um, girlfriend?” She
felt silly asking and was trying to be as nonchalant
as possible.
“Does it, um, matter?” Jason asked, mocking her.
He turned around, his
eyes glinting in the moonlight, his face serious again.
“She was Jason
Quartermaine’s girlfriend,” he said, heading back to
his motorcycle.
“Jason Quartermaine’s dead.”
Carly stared after him, sorry she’d asked. She pushed
herself up onto
her feet and slowly made her way toward him. “I’m
sorry,” she said,
standing right in front of him, placing her hands on
his shoulders and
looking him straight in the eye. “I, for one, am
glad or I never woulda
met you.”
Jason stared at her as if mesmerized. “Do you mean
that?” he asked,
letting his guard down, staring into the eyes of this
woman who seemed
too good to be true.
“Of course I do,” Carly said, sliding her hands down his
arms and taking
his hands in hers. “I didn’t know Jason Quartermaine,
nor do I give a
damn who he was.” With that, she straddled the
bike, allowing enough
room in front of her for him.
Jason stood where he was, frozen in place, for what seemed
like an
eternity.
Carly shifted in her seat and waited. This is ridiculous,
she thought.
Her butt was gonna fall asleep at this rate. “I
wonder if you would
remember what it feels like to make love to a woman,”
she said, hoping
to break him out of his revere. It worked.
Jason turned toward her slowly, reaching out a hand and
gently caressing
her cheek. He lowered his face down to hers and
gave her a deep sensual
kiss. Carly’s mind went reeling again. After
a moment, Jason released
his lips, burying his face into her neck.
“I could have found out if you’d given me a chance,” he
murmured, a hint
of laughter in his voice.
Carly leaned her head back and laughed, feeling his rough
cheek, in need
of a shave, scrape against her neck. “Patience
is a virtue,” she
reminded.
Jason pulled away, pulling his bike over with Carly still
on it and
holding it steady by the handlebars while he swung his
leg over and
flipped the kickstand up. When he was on, Carly
put her arms around him
again, running her hands up his T-shirt and around to
his shoulders.
She pressed her body as close as she could to his back,
nuzzling his
neck.
“What’s a virtue?” she heard him ask, and she smiled into
his shoulder
blades, thinking for a moment about how to explain.
“A virtue is like something good, something people want
to have…like a
gift.” She shook her head, unable to come
up with anything better than
that.
Jason breathed in a deep breath. “You’re a virtue
to me, Carly
Roberts,” he said. Then, before Carly could respond,
he brought is leg
up and down, revving the engine to life in one powerful
movement.
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