“Hmm, smells good.” Tilting the bottle, he took a drink. He hissed after he was finished. “Fuck, I needed that.” He chuckled.
I had a flash back to Aiden saying that to me in the elevator after he had sex with me. Grimacing at the reminder of how used I felt that night, I took a swallow of tequila. I coughed afterwards, not used to the liquor.
“You okay?” Tyler asked.
“I’ll be better next time.”
He held the bottle to me, and I took a drink. This time, it went down more easily. “Better.” I nodded as I passed it back to him and watched him take a drink. He really was attractive. He had a lock of hair falling over his forehead, and I pushed it back. His head turned to me slightly, but he said nothing and took another drink.
“Does he know?” I asked softly.
After a moment, he answered. “No.”
I nodded. “Why aren’t you honest with him?”
“Because he’s a great guy and has so many wonderful qualities, but he isn’t as open-minded as he thinks he is.” He took another drink.
“You might be surprised.” I took the bottle off him and took a drink.
“I won’t be.” Tyler gave a short laugh.
“So you’ve never been with a man before?”
“Once, just after I left my girlfriend. It was a moment of madness outside the back of a bar.” Tyler took another drink. “I mean, it wasn’t much and was awkward and it shouldn’t have happened.”
“Did your girlfriend know?”
“Know what? That I think I’m bisexual?” He shook his head. “No.”
“That sucks.” I leaned in closer to him. “What are you going to do?”
His arm wrapped around me, and he gave a low chuckle. “I thought I might sleep with my neighbour, see if that fixes me.”
I nodded as I leaned my head on his chest. “That would work. I could see if I miss Aiden or just miss sex with him.” I shrugged casually.
“Yeah?” Tyler took a drink. “I could see if casual hot meaningless sex made me forget my roommate.”
“Sounds like a great plan.” We sat like that in silence for a while, just passing the bottle back and forth. “I think I’m drunk,” I said quietly.
“Yeah, I think I am too.” Tyler’s head was tipped back on the back of the sofa, and I was pretty sure his eyes were closed.
“Think you’re definitely going to sleep with your neighbour,” I mumbled as my eyes closed.
“Knew I could hit that.” He let out a quiet grunt as I poked his side.
“I’m too comfortable to move,” I said as I drew my legs up under me.
“Then don’t.” I heard the bottle cap getting put back on, and then I heard nothing.
Loud banging woke me. Very loud banging. It was coming from everywhere. Opening my eyes, I realised I was sprawled across Tyler, who was still sound asleep. How was he not awake? The banging happened again. I got to my feet and groaned as the room spun. Oh my God, my head. Staggering to the door, I opened it and looked at Steve.
“What the fuck happened to you?” he asked me in astonishment before he shook his head. “Never mind, Jemma, Tyler hasn’t come home from his shift. I haven’t heard from him, and why are you holding your hand up, what is it?”
Leaning over, I pulled Steve inside and then closed the door. I tugged him into the living room where he saw Tyler lying on my couch with his T-shirt rumpled up, showing some skin. He’d kicked his boots off, and they lay haphazardly on the floor. I pointed at the empty wine bottle and the almost empty tequila bottle.
“You’re too hungover to talk?” Steve whisper hissed at me. I nodded. “He’s been here all night?” I nodded again. “Did you guys…”
I shook my head violently, but that caused the room to move, and I stood still with my hands on my stomach.
“Neither of you thought to tell me.” Steve glared at me. “Fuck, Jemma, I thought he was hurt.”
I squinted at him as he checked Tyler over for injuries. “Sorry.” My voice was cracked and croaky.
“You look like shit.”
I nodded. I didn’t know what I looked like, but I guessed it wouldn’t be pretty.
“Go to bed. I’ll get this one home where he belongs.”
I cocked my head as I looked at Steve. Where he belongs? Huh, I think Tyler may not be met with the resistance he thinks he would.
“Why are you staring at me like that? Are you trying to focus?”
I shook my head again. The room moved again. I groaned. Steve bit back a laugh.
“Come on, JimJem, time for bed.” He picked me up and carried me to my room. Placing me gently in my bed, he pulled the covers over me. “Sleep it off, lush, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
A few minutes later, I heard soft voices, and then a few minutes after that, I heard my front door close. I reached for my phone and looked at my last text to Aiden. Burrowing under the covers, I closed my eyes.
Sunday was a complete and total write-off. When I did get up, I felt terrible. My head was pounding, and the idea of food made me nauseous. I drank glass after glass of water but couldn’t take anything else. I poured the tequila down the sink. There was a reason it was on the very top shelf. As I stared at myself in the mirror after a scalding hot shower, I thought about my drinking. Even Aiden had commented on me starting too early on Friday, and I was probably overreacting, but I decided I needed to lay off the solitary drinking at home. There was nothing wrong with drinking in moderation, but I think when you just started drinking straight from the bottle, it was time to take a step back. Maybe I should start working out more. I choked on my water—that couldn’t have been a thought in my head. Maybe I was still drunk.
A light knock on my door caught my attention. I went to the hall, and seeing it was Tyler, I opened the door. “Hey, neighbour.” I smiled at him as I stood back to let him inside.
“Hey, Jemma.” He stood in my hall and looked around nervously.
“I’ll never breathe a word to him.”
Tyler looked at me hopefully. “Really?”
“Promise.” He caught me up in a tight hug, which I returned with a squeeze of my own. “You okay?” I asked him as he stood back.
“Head is killing me. It’s going to be a long shift tonight.”
“At least it’s just a few hours, right?”
“Twelve hours, we were sent home early last night.”
“Oh.” I knew I wasn’t to ask. “But you’re okay?”
“Yeah, getting shitfaced drunk with my neighbour helped.”
“I hear she’s utterly fabulous,” I joked dryly.
“She is.” Tyler nudged me gently. “You’ll be okay, Jemma. He’s an idiot if he lets you walk away.”
“I think he may be an idiot,” I said quietly.
“Then he never deserved you.” Tyler looked at his watch. “I have to go. You’ll be okay after last night?”
“I think I need an early night to shake off my tequila.” I grimaced as I looked at him. “I’m sorry you have to work and can’t do the same.”
“I can handle my tequila better.” He winked. “Steve said you looked so bad this morning he actually felt bad for you.”
“Did he give you a hard time? For not telling him where you were?”
“Yeah.” Tyler smiled at me shyly. “He did.”
“Good.” With another hug, he said goodbye, and then he went to work. I was smiling as I made my way back into the living room. “Where’s my phone?” I asked the room suddenly. I found it under my bed, and I had no memory of dropping it. I opened it and instantly knew I didn’t need to sleep the rest of my hangover off as I was fully alert. Oh shit.
Me: You don’t deserve me and I slept with my neighbour
Aiden: Let’s hope for your sake—and his—that isn’t true.
I stared at my phone. When the hell did I send this? I remembered Steve putting me to bed, and then I remembered reaching for my phone.
“Nooo, Jemma. Why? Why would you send this?” I c
hecked the times that I sent the message. Seven thirty this morning. Aiden’s reply was fifteen minutes later. It was now five in the evening. Biting my lip, I started a message.
Me: I was drunk and that message isn’t what you think
Aiden: Okay
Me: Okay? You’re not mad?
Aiden: Why would I be mad?
Me: Because your message earlier seemed like you were mad
Aiden: Okay
I stared at his reply. He was okay? I didn’t know how to feel about that.
Me: ‘kay then. Sorry to have bothered you
Aiden: Alright
Huh. Well that was unexpected. I let out a breath. Good. He was fine. I could have slept with Tyler, and he wouldn’t have cared. I trudged to bed yet again feeling sorry for myself. My phone lit up.
Aiden: I’ll see you tomorrow Jemma.
Jesus. Adrenaline and apprehension sped through me. I needed another day at least before I was ready to see him. This was going to be bad, I knew it in my bones. I knew within my soul that his message was not a simple pleasantry. No, it was a loaded promise. Shit.
I sat at my desk, checking every person who came out of the elevator. It was almost eleven, and so far none of them had been Aiden. I started looking over my shoulder at the back fire door. My foot hadn’t stopped tapping either, and Nadine was now just giving me covert glares.
“Jesus, Jemma! What the hell is wrong with you?” she finally snapped.
“Huh?” I looked at her as I raced for something to say. “Nothing.”
“Then why are you jumping all over the place?”
“I got really drunk on Saturday with my neighbour Tyler,” I blurted out.
“Did you sleep with him?” she asked as she leaned forward with interest.
“Yes, but not like that. We passed out on my couch.”
Nadine frowned at the uninteresting details. “He hot?”
“Yeah. I guess he is.”
“Single?”
“Um, yes.” I nodded.
“Tell me you at least kissed him,” Nadine asked me eagerly. I shook my head, and she sighed. “He like curvy single women?”
No. “I’m not sure, I never asked.”
“I can’t believe you get two hotties moving into your building, and I get Mrs Bishop and her gazillion cats.”
“A gazillion?” I laughed.
“I swear she got another one. Or ten.” Nadine stood and smoothed her blouse. “I’m going to make coffee, want some?”
“Coffee would be perfect, thank you.” I watched her walk away and start to talk to one of the receptionists. Smiling, I tried to focus on my work. I was halfway through a proforma when I felt him behind me, and I tried to remain at ease, but I knew he would have seen me tense.
His hand caressed the back of my neck, and I jumped slightly from his soft touch. “Jemma, Ben wanted to know if you would be joining the morning meeting, or does he have to come down like the other weeks?”
I could see him out of the corner of my eye. His suit was a deep navy blue, and I knew if I looked at him, I would be lost.
“I’ll come up.” I was so proud my voice was steady.
“Good.” He waited.
“When I’m ready,” I said tersely.
“We’re ready now. It’s almost eleven thirty.”
Ugh, you’re an insufferable bastard. “Fine then.” I pushed my seat back as I stood. I was wearing slim fitting black capri pants and a soft cream chiffon blouse. Denver was enjoying a dry spell, and I had jumped on the chance not to wear boots. I headed to the elevator, and Aiden followed. “You can go up the stairs surely?”
“I could.”
I could hear the smirk in his voice, and I clenched my jaw to stop from saying anything.
“When are you going to make eye contact?” His tone was amused.
“I don’t want to talk to you, so why should I look at you?” Every adolescent the world over is impressed at your maturity.
“You seem extra feisty today,” Aiden commented with pleasure.
“Do I?” Don’t rise to him, Jemma, don’t do it. He is a prick. A prick. Remember! The elevator doors opened, and we both went inside. I pressed ten and hoped to God the journey was quick.
Aiden reached out and tugged gently on my ponytail. My eyes snapped to him, and I inhaled sharply at how close he was to me. Aiden took a step closer, and I froze as he smiled slowly, sexily. My heart picked up speed as he leaned into me and whispered, “Did he fuck you as good as me?”
I jumped back from him in protest. “I told you it wasn’t like that.”
The doors opened, and I tried to rush past him, but he caught my elbow. “No, baby, I don’t think so.” With a firm hold on my elbow, Aiden guided me to the far rear of the floor. I had no PPE on, and I almost told him so, but his hand on my arm tightened. Everything had been ripped out from this end of the floor and was a general mess. Aiden opened a door and pushed me gently inside. I looked around and noticed we were in a store cupboard that looked like they had started to tear it down and then found something better to do. Turning to confront him, I gasped when his hand covered my mouth. Aiden gave me a warning look as he pulled the door behind him. His hand still covered my mouth, and giving myself a mental shake, I reached up to pull his hand away, but his other hand caught the back of my neck, and he held me firmly.
“Now, Jemma, let’s have a talk.” Aiden smiled down at me, and I rolled my eyes at him. He smirked. “Poor choice of words. I’m going to talk, and you’re going to keep quiet.” His thumb rubbed the back of my neck. “You will nod for yes and stay still for no. Do you understand me?” Glaring at him, I nodded. Given his hold, it was difficult, but I managed. “See, you can do what you’re told.” Aiden leaned down to my ear. “And if you tell me what I want to know, I’ll be very good to you.” He nipped my earlobe as he straightened.
Was it wrong that my core tightened at his velvet soft voice and unspoken promise?
“Was it the guy from your building you were at the car wash with yesterday?”
I nodded.
“Are you seeing him?”
I didn’t move.
“Is he the neighbour you slept with?”
I didn’t move.
“You slept with another neighbour?”
I nodded. Aiden’s eyes narrowed to slits as his hold on my neck tightened. Suddenly, he moved and I was pressed against the wall. I had a fleeting thought to my black pants, but the look Aiden was giving me overrode all rational thought. Aiden’s hand slipped from my mouth to my neck, and he held me against the wall as he watched me. His other hand caressed my breast before slowly trailing down my front to rest on the button of my pants. As he flicked it open, my hands flew to his to stop him.
“Don’t fucking move,” he growled at me as his hand tightened on my neck. “Did you let someone touch what’s mine?”
“No,” I whispered. “Aiden—”
“No. I’m asking the questions.” Aiden pulled my zipper down and slipped his hand inside my pants. He ran a finger over the skin above my panties, and my breath caught. Why the hell was I responding to this?
“Which neighbour?”
“Steve’s roommate.”
“He fuck you?” Aiden asked me as his fingers slid into my panties, and he parted me.
“No.” I gasped as he rubbed me. “You don’t need to behave like this. We can talk about this.”
“You can explain now.” Aiden smirked at me smugly. “You’re so wet for me; your pretend embarrassment is fooling no one.” As if to prove his point, he withdrew his fingers and held them up for me to see. I looked away from him, and his hold tightened on my neck. “Look at me.” I did, and he smiled as he sucked his fingers into his mouth. “Still so fucking sweet.” His hand went back inside my pants, and I gasped as he pushed two fingers inside me. He shook himself out of his suit jacket while he worked me over, his hand slipping from me as he took it off completely.
“Aiden, this is insane,” I whisp
ered. “Someone will come in.”
He ignored me as he returned his fingers and started moving them in and out, and I moaned as his thumb started to rub me. “You like this, baby?” His lips kissed along my jaw. I didn’t answer. I think the evidence spoke against me anyway. “Now, why don’t you tell me about the neighbour?” His voice was calm, casual even, like we were discussing the weather.
“His name’s Tyler, he’s a friend. He heard me scream in my apartment on his way home, and he came in and we got drunk. We passed out on my couch. That’s it,” I told him hurriedly. Jesus, what was he doing to me? His fingers stilled inside me, and only his thumb moved over me. “Aiden.”
“He touch you?” His fingers started to move slowly.
“Only for a hug.”
Aiden withdrew his fingers, and he pinched my nub, and I gave a strangled moan. “Did he kiss you?”
“No.”
“Are you lying to me, Jemma?”
“No!” I looked at him in outrage. “I’m telling you the truth.”
He pushed his fingers back inside me, and I arched my back with pleasure. “Why did you scream?”
“What?” Oh God, I was so close.
“In your apartment, why did you scream?” His fingers slowed, and I mewled in protest.
“I was angry at you.”
“Even when I’m not there, I have you screaming for me.” I could hear his arrogance, and I hated him for it, but his fingers sped up, and I clutched at his arm. “You gonna come for me, Jem, you gonna come all over my hand?”
“Yes.” My breath caught. “Fuck yes,” I moaned. I heard him chuckle at my swearing, but I was too far gone to react.
I cried out when he removed his hand altogether. Aiden pulled down my pants, and then his mouth was on me, and I was overwhelmed as pleasure coursed through me. I had enough sense to cover my mouth to keep my moans from alerting the whole site to knowing what was happening. As I felt my orgasm approaching, I bit into my hand. No one had ever made me react like Aiden did. I could hardly stand, it was so good. Aiden’s hand pressed me into the wall as he hooked one of my legs over his shoulder, and he devoured me. I wasn’t going to keep quiet, I knew it. I was going to scream. Oh, heaven help me, I’m going to scream.
Her Greatest Mistake Page 24