“Tequila,” he says, putting two of the shots down in front of me.
I’ve never tried tequila, but what the hell. This is the new Mia. The new Mia could be a tequila drinker.
I pick up one of the shot glasses, but his voice stops me. “Salt first.”
Taking the seat across from me, Jordan picks up the salt shaker from the table.
“Hand,” he says.
I hold my right hand out to him.
When he takes hold, my body instantly fires on all cylinders, the traction heading straight to the right parts of my anatomy.
He pours a line of salt on the side of my hand and says, “Lick.”
Jesus Christ. That sounded really hot.
I could really get into this tequila drinking. Especially if I get to hear Jordan talk to me like that.
Doing as told, I lean my mouth down to my hand and lick the salt off.
Jordan’s eyes haven’t moved from me. I see them flare the moment my tongue touches the salt.
I may or may not make the most of the moment, taking my time licking the salt from my hand.
I kind of like the affect it has on him.
When the salt is safely in my mouth, dissolving away, Jordan says in a really hoarse voice, “Now, drink the shot.”
I pick one of the shot glasses up. Glass to my lips, I down the tequila.
“Holy crap!” I’m breathing fire. I place the back of my hand to my damp lips, my eyes watering from the burn.
Jordan laughs. “Chase it with the beer, it’ll take the edge off. I forgot to bring the lime over.”
I take a big mouthful of beer.
My eyes are still watering, so I run my fingers under them catching the leaks.
“Not a tequila drinker?” He grins.
I shake my head. “This is the first time I’ve had it.”
“And what do you think?”
“Tastes like crap.” I grin. “But it does the job. Am I drinking alone?” I nod at his untouched drinks.
He shakes his head, then makes quick work of his own salt licking. He throws back his shot with far more ease than I just did.
Glass down, his eyes smile brightly at me.
I lean back in my chair, taking my beer bottle with me, and start picking at the label. “You look like a seasoned pro at that.”
“The tequila?”
“Hmm.” I nod.
“I’m a hard liquor man. What can I say.” He grins and picks the salt shaker up. “You want another hit?”
I flinch. He notices.
“I meant the salt, Mia. Do you want another hit of salt for your next shot?”
I shift, embarrassed. My face burns with my shame. “Uh … yes.” Biting my lip, I hold my hand out to him.
Instead of pouring the salt, Jordan encases my hand in his. Normally I would feel intimidated by this, but with Jordan, I don’t. His hold feels safe, gentle … kind.
For the first time in my life, I’m with a man who literally has me in his hand, and I don’t feel fear.
Instead, I find myself feeling connected to another human being in a way I never thought possible.
Releasing his hold a little, he turns my hand over and runs his thumb over my palm. It leaves a delicious trail of sensation in its wake.
My emotions start to tilt on their axis, and straight in his direction.
Lifting my eyes, Jordan’s gaze instantly captures mine. Without moving his eyes from me, he runs his fingers to my wrist, guiding my hand to the side.
He slides his hand back along mine. Palm to palm. His fingers gently rest against my pulse point.
I can only hope he can’t feel that it’s practically beating the blood out of my body.
Tilting the salt shaker over our joined hands, he runs two lines of salt. One on mine. One on his.
“Do you mind if I…?” He tilts his head in the direction of our connected hands.
Unsure of the question, I raise a questioning brow.
“The salt?”
Still lost, I just nod my head, not wanting to come across as stupid. Hoping that by agreeing, I don’t end up looking stupid.
Then Jordan does something that I will forever remember as the most insanely intimate moment of my life.
And his question makes perfect sense when he leans forward and licks the salt from my hand. Slowly.
Holy. Crap.
Head still lowered, he looks up at me through long dark lashes with a look that turns me to mush.
“Your turn.”
What? He wants me to lick the salt from his hand?
Holy Jesus.
This is a really sexy thing to do. I’m not sexy. I have no clue how to do sexy.
No, come on, I can do this. New Mia here. I can lick salt from Jordan’s hand. No big deal.
Taking in a breath, I lean forward and sticking the tip of my tongue out, I lick the salt up onto my tongue.
All I can taste is him. The salt doesn’t even register. And now I’m begrudged to drink the tequila and take away his taste in my mouth.
“Drink,” he says, his voice sounding husky.
Glass to my lips, I tip the shot back at exactly the same time as he does.
His hand leaves mine.
I’m left feeling bereft without his touch, dizzy from the alcohol, and wondering if that just actually happened.
My hands start to fidget of their own accord. I reach for my beer.
“Second time easier?” Jordan asks, sounding completely normal as though we haven’t just licked salt of one another’s hands. Or maybe this is just what normal people do. What do I know?
Clearing my throat, I force a casualness I don’t feel. “Much easier.”