by S A Clayton
“Seriously? Your parents?” I ask, wondering if I should just cut my losses and go into the party alone like I originally planned.
“Look, my parents are…wealthy, and we don’t necessarily get along. This party is a non-negotiable event for me, even though I would rather do anything else.” Is he serious right now? No way am I going to be a pawn in his game.
“So you want me to be a buffer…” I question, because that’s what it sounds like. “Or do you want to piss them off by bringing someone like me?” I try not to let the hurt come through, but it’s obvious that I’ve failed from the way his eyes soften.
“Someone like you? You mean gorgeous?”
I roll my eyes. This is the second time he’s called me gorgeous and if he’s not careful, I’ll start to believe it.
“JJ, my family might care about money, but I don’t give a shit.” My gaze meets his and he smiles. “For all I know you could be a self-made millionaire…”
I laugh because he’s right. We don’t know enough about each other to make these kinds of assumptions. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed the worst.”
He smirks, not giving me anything and I tilt my head to the side.
“Plus, for all you know I could be richer than you…” I trail off and that smile appears once again, and I wonder what I have to do to see it all the fucking time. “I’m not…but I can always dream.” I joke, because it’s so obvious.
A darkness crosses his feature as his eyes bore into mine, full of serious energy. “Money is not the end all and be all. It doesn’t buy happiness, or love.” His eyes are downcast and my heart aches for him. I know in that moment that Liam hasn’t had the upbringing I had, one full of love and laughter.
“But it does buy a Camaro, and we can both agree that that’s a plus.” He laughs as the tension dissipates.
“You like my car?” he asks, surprised. I smile, stepping forward as I lightly brush my fingers over the hood of the car.
“It’s sexy as hell, and I’ve always wanted to sit in one.”
He’s silent as his eyes search mine, for what, I have no idea. But before I think much of it he gives me that megawatt smile, “What about drive it?” A burst of laughter leaves my body as I roll my eyes at the idea of owning a car this sexy.
“I wouldn’t be able to afford the entrance fee into the building they sell them in, let alone drive one.” The self-deprecating tone goes right over his head as his eyes light up and his lips twitch in a smirk.
“Maybe one day I’ll let you have a go at riding the beast.” I look over at him and see the hunger there. For a minute I don’t know if the ride pertains to the car or him.
Who am I kidding, I could love both.
“Shall we?” I motion to the house and as we walk, his fingers lightly brush against mine, sending a shiver through me.
“So what should I know…before you throw me to the wolves?” he says as my pinky wraps itself around his as we continue to walk. He doesn’t pull it away and a small smirk crosses my lips.
“Well my ex’s name is Derek. We broke up six months ago. We were together a year and I thought we were meant to be…”
“But?” he interrupts, stopping us just shy of the front gate.
“But when I told him I wanted to get married and have a family, he said he wasn’t ready. What I didn’t know was that he just wasn’t ready for that with me.”
“He’s an idiot. He clearly doesn’t know what he’s missing.” I give him a small smile as his fingers fully entwine with mine. I look down and have a realization that I don’t know which fingers are his and which are mine. I like it.
Calm down, girl.
What have I gotten myself into?
The party is in full effect when we arrive and JJ’s fingers tighten against mine as she looks around. I take a moment to take in the feel of her hand in mine, and damn, do I love it. I have never had this kind of visceral reaction to a woman before in my life. I’ve had my fair share of women in my thirty-two years, but none of them mean a thing to me right now. All I see is JJ. She wasn’t what I was expecting when I rolled down my window. I know she’s looking for her ex, and I vow that I will do everything I can to make this easy for her.
There are red and white lights everywhere, garland twisting up the staircase, and if my eyes don’t deceive me, there are a total of four Christmas trees that I can see. One in the entryway, one in the kitchen, another in the hall and one at the top landing of the staircase. There’s some godawful oldies holiday music playing and I pray we can show our faces and leave as soon as possible.
All of a sudden, JJ tenses beside me and her eyes track a man making his way to us. His blond hair curls at the ends and the sweater vest he’s wearing proudly looks like his grandmother made it for him ten years ago. He has a quizzical look on his face as his gaze meets mine, almost as if he’s not sure what to make of me. “That him?” I lean down and whisper in her ear. She nods, saying nothing. Her anxiety cascades over her body and I know I need to calm her somehow. “Listen,” I whisper once more. “I promise I will make sure he feels like a complete ass for letting you go.”
Our eyes lock and it’s like I forgot how beautiful her eyes were, because those emerald gems sear my soul. “And how will you do that?” she teases. I wink, loving the look she gets in her eyes.
“You’ll just have to wait and see. Just don’t kill me for what I plan to do…” I laugh at my own lame comment, but I love the brilliant smile that crosses her face. I don’t even know what I plan to do, I just know that around her I tend to go overboard.
“Josephine?” her ex says as he approaches. JJ cringes at the name and I take note never to call her that. Obviously, he never figured that out.
“Derek, nice to see you again.” There’s a smile on her lips, but I know it’s forced. I don’t blame her. He’s not what I was expecting. His surfer attitude flows off him in waves and I wonder for a second what she saw in him. My eyes cast down, watching as she takes him in, and a sense of relief flows through me when I notice her hard eyes and a clenched jaw.
“I didn’t know you were bringing someone…” His voice trails, as he looks me up and down. My hand tightens against her hip as I give Derek my biggest smile.
“It’s fairly new,” I say, feeling JJ laugh against me. His eyes flicker to her face and a look of surprise crosses her face and I wonder what that’s about. I don’t have a chance to ask because JJ cuts in.
“Derek, this is Liam. My boyfriend.” She says it so casually and I’m surprised at how amazing that word makes me feel. I’ve never been the commitment type, but the idea of being attached to JJ sounds extremely appealing.
“Boyfriend? Already?” Derek mutters, but we both hear it and I don’t like the tension that creeps into JJ’s shoulders.
“This coming from a guy who’s engaged already…where is your fiancée anyway?” The words are clipped as they leave my mouth, but there’s a flicker of a smirk on JJ’s face, so I know I didn’t cross a line.
“If you must know, she’s not feeling well…morning sickness.” JJ looks like someone smacked her across the face, and it takes me a few seconds for his comment to sink in. Damn. Pregnant? This bastard doesn’t waste any time, does he?
“She’s pregnant?” JJ whispers, and beside me her body starts to shake. I need to get her out of this conversation…and fast.
“Yeah, we’re really excited,’ he says as if the words don’t cut right through JJ’s tough exterior. “We’ve been trying for a few months now and we finally got the good news.” JJ is still beside me and her eyes search the room. “You like the place? We decided to renovate after…” He’s obnoxiously talking about their breakup and I know I need to get her out of here fast.
“Well, it’s been fun, but I want to get my girl a drink, make the rounds then take her home so we can actually have a good time. Excuse us.” Derek says nothing as I lead JJ through the small house and into the backyard. We pass the keg that’s set up on the deck a
nd down the steps that lead to a small wooded area. There’s a patch of trees a few years away and decide she definitely needs some privacy. Once we’re safely away from prying eyes she deflates against the side of a tree.
“She’s pregnant…” she whispers, as the tears threaten. My chest tightens. Before I think better of it, I press my lips to her forehead and my palm finds her cheek, making her eyes meet mine.
“He’s an ass. He never deserved you.”
She shakes her head, the tears falling from her eyes faster than I can wipe them away.
“He told me he wasn’t ready for a family. He told me he wanted to concentrate on his career and that a kid would complicate things…was it just me? Is there something wrong with me?” The tremor in her voice lets me into the torment she’s feeling, and I want to find Derek and punch the living fuck out of him. What gives him the right to flaunt his new life in her face like that? It’s a dick move, and if it wasn’t for the woman standing in front of me falling apart, I would do just that.
“There is nothing wrong with you. He’s an idiot for leaving you for her,” I say, kissing along her temple. Her tears continue and I find myself wanting to comfort her at all costs. My arms wrap around her, pulling her close. Once her arms are around me too, a sense of calm washes over me, and a smile threatens to show.
“You’re just being nice because I’m crying,” she mutters against my chest, and a laugh rumbles through me.
“True. Tears are my weakness.”
She laughs, but my jacket muffles the sound and I wish I could hear it. I lean back so our eyes meet. “I meant it, you know. He’s an idiot for giving you up.” A hint of a smile appears, and a single tear escapes, trailing down her cheek and I gently wipe it away with the pad of my thumb. Our eyes lock and my fingers find her pulse jackhammering almost as fast as mine is right now. Her tongue darts out, licking her bottom lip. Does she want my lips on hers as much as I do right now? I don’t ask the question, or wait for the answer, I just press my lips to hers.
The moment his lips touch mine, it’s like a fire is ignited. I forget about Derek and the baby. I forget my own damn name. All I know is I want more… so much more.
His hands are everywhere, as he pushes me up against the tree. My fingers tangle in the hair at the base of his neck as I pull him ever closer. The cry that reverberates through his body spurs me on, and I want to feel all of this without winter layers separating us. His tongue traces the seam of my lips and when I open for him, I sink. This kiss is beyond anything I’ve ever felt, the strainof his hands tugging at my hips, pulling me tight against him, makes my head spin.
“Jesus, angel, we need to slow down…” Liam whispers as his tongue traces a line from my jaw all the way down my neck, making me shake with every breath he takes. “Damn, I knew you would taste good, but damn, sweetheart, you are unbelievable.”
I weep at the admission, my head falling back against the tree and giving him free access to whatever part of me he wants.
“Don’t you dare stop…” I say breathlessly, pulling his lips back to mine. This time he doesn’t hold back. His hands find my ass as he lifts me off the ground. My legs wrap themselves around his hips as he pushes me onto the tree and his hardness grinds against me, and I lose my grip on reality. “Yeah, you can never stop,” I mutter as he laughs, making me smile against his lips.
“I don’t plan on it, but we either need to leave and go someplace private or stop right now because I’m not doing this where other people can hear you. Your moans are mine,” he growls, and I whine into his neck, loving the possessiveness in his voice.
“Are you sure you want to leave right now?” I say as seductively as I can, my hand traveling down his muscular stomach and feeling his hardness through his pants.
“Fuck me…” He groans as my fingers lightly trace the outline of his cock and his head falls forward. His tongue darts out against my neck and I wish with everything I have that we were anywhere else than this stupid fucking party.
“That’s the idea, angel…” I tease, taking the shell of his ear and nipping it hard enough to elicit a cry so primal his hips grind harder into my core, making me feel things I haven’t felt in years. Yeah, this needs to happen, and soon.
“Fuck, JJ, we need to stop because I am not fucking you at this party…especially in your ex’s backyard.”
One mention of Derek and everything comes crashing back to reality. It’s like a cold bucket of water is poured over my head and I automatically unhook my legs from his waist. He lets me go, but he doesn’t go far. “Baby?” he asks quietly, and I shake my head.
“I am not your baby,” I mutter. Loving the way that endearment feels coming off his lips doesn’t drown out the fact that this whole scenario is insane. I need to get out of here and clear my head. “This was a bad idea,” I say, gathering my bearings and looking up at him.
Why does he have to look so good after my hands have been through his hair? He looks like we just fucked and it’s a good fucking look on him.
“Bad idea? How is me kissing a woman I’m attracted to a bad idea?” he asks, and I look away because the truth I see in his eyes scares the living hell out of me.
“Good idea? How is any of this a good idea? I just found out my ex is getting married and having a baby with a woman he was probably cheating on me with. Then I go out into the forest and practically climb you like a tree…”
“Not complaining,” he says, his hands raised in surrender and a smirk on his lips.
“Plus, I just met you half an hour ago…this is not what I do. I am not this stupid. I make plans…I have plans…” I can see the war of emotion cross Liam’s face and I cringe. The last thing I wanted was to put my issues on him or anyone else. This should just end now. “You know what? I’m sorry you had to come here with me. I’m just gonna go and we can forget this night ever happened okay?” As if I could ever forget that kiss.
But before he can open his beautiful mouth and find a way to make me stay, I walk away. Well, I wouldn’t call it walking, more running like a bat out of hell through the house, avoiding Derek’s voice calling my name, and out the front door.
This is for the best…right?
Oh hell no.
Did she just leave right after a kiss that changed everything? I have never felt this connection to someone I just met, let alone a woman I know nothing about. She thinks she can just walk away? Think again, sweetheart.
I run after her, weaving my way through the crowd of people. She runs through the front door and before I can catch her, a solid body blocks my path. “Get out of my way, Derek,” I say, veering right, but he follows. I veer left and he follows again. It’s official, this guy is a parasite. “I’m serious,” I growl, my eyes locking with his.
“I know I have no claim over Josephine…” he says, putting his palm on my chest, stopping me from going anywhere. I take his hands in mine and shove them away.
“Damn right you don’t.” He rolls his eyes at my macho bravado. I ignore it and continue my stink eye. The longer he delays me, the harder it’ll be for me to catch her, and I need to catch her.
“But, I think you need to let her go. She’s not ready for someone like you.” My forehead scrunches at the admission and I can’t help the laugh that bubbles out of me. “What?” he asks as I continue to double over in hysterics.
“You can’t be serious…” He looks at me dumbfounded and I wonder how a woman like JJ ever got with a loser like Derek. “Listen. Neither of us has a say in what JJ wants in her life. You might think that letting her go is what’s best, but for me? Letting her go might be the worst mistake of my life, and unlike you I will not be making that mistake.” His eyes bulge as the words sink in. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a woman to chase.” I push past him and run down the front steps. I look both ways down the street and see no one.
Fuck.
I run towards my car, hoping the way she came earlier is the way she left. But as I round the corner past the coffe
e shop where the smell of peppermint wafts onto the street, I stop and see an empty street. A subway sign across the street catches my eye and I jog in its direction, hoping that by some miracle she’s still waiting on the platform. I run by the storefront windows that display happy families and ideas for the perfect gift, but I ignore it all. I head down the stairs, pay my fare and search. My eyes strain on every woman with a black coat, but they all start to blend together, and after twenty minutes I resign myself to the fact that the woman I will most likely regret letting go…is gone.
My keys land on the kitchen island with a clang and I head to the fridge, pulling out a beer and throwing the cap in the garbage under the sink. I can’t get JJ’s face out of my head. If I’m honest, it’s the look of utter fear in her eyes after our kiss that haunts me, and I want to know what I did to put it there.
I take my beer and head into my living room and sink into my couch, bringing my phone out of my pocket with every intention of trying to find JJ somewhere on the web. But it’s the new voicemail message that takes my attention. I recognize the number as my mother’s and I have an internal eye roll at the thought of what she wants. Who am I kidding, I know exactly what she’s calling about. I dial and listen to the message with tensed shoulders.
“William Arthur…” Urgh, I hate when she calls me by my full name. It always makes me feel like such a pretentious shit, and I’ve spent the later part of my twenties trying to break away from that image. “You are to answer your phone when I call. I will not have a conversation with your answering machine.” My head leans back against the couch and I wonder how much beer it would take for me to forget this message…
“I am calling to remind you that our Christmas dinner is on Christmas Eve this year and I expect you to be there. Not like last year when you ignored your family.” And by “ignored” she means stayed at the office and feigned indifference to my family’s tradition that is nothing but a shit show. Always has been. To put it mildly, my relationship with my parents is strained. Growing up I always thought I was adopted since I had nothing in common with anyone in my family. “I want the whole family there this year. So please be there.” She abruptly disconnects the call and I’m left wondering if my entitled brat of a sister is behind this need for family attendance. She has a flair for the dramatic and loves to flaunt her wild ways in all our faces, especially mine. This isn’t the first time she’s pulled something like this. The last time she did, she told us she was dropping out of Yale to backpack across Asia with her hipster boyfriend. My parents thought it was a great idea, they said it was a great way for her to learn about the real world. Yet two weeks after she left, my parents had to fly her home because said boyfriend dumped her and according to her, “It’s really weird over here.”