by J. L. Perry
After placing the box on the coffee table, I hand her one of the beers and sit. The moment my arse hits the couch, she grabs my shirt, pulling me towards her.
‘It’s a perfect choice,’ she whispers against my mouth. ‘Perfect, just like you.’
And there you have it, a few encouraging words from her and she’s now made me glad I did it. I’m fucking bewitched.
‘Shit, plates,’ I say.
‘Let’s just eat straight from the box. We don’t need plates.’
‘Are you sure? You don’t seem like a straight-from-the-box type of girl.’
When she throws back her head and laughs, it’s like music to my ears. ‘The real me—the Jade on the inside—is a simple girl at heart.’ Taking a slice, she brings it to her mouth, taking a bite.
‘That’s what I love about you. You’re a breath of fresh air.’
She looks away as a blush spreads on her cheeks. I get the feeling this woman isn’t used to being complimented. And that astounds me. She’s not only breathtakingly beautiful, she’s smart, funny and so adorable. I have an urge to pull her into my arms and hug her tightly, but I don’t. I ache to protect her and keep her safe. I want to shelter her from all the ugliness in this world. And surprisingly, more than anything I want to make her mine.
Once the pizza and beers are consumed, we both seem more relaxed. We’ve been talking about insignificant things, but I need more. I want to know everything there is about her, but I still get the impression she’s not ready to open up. I don’t want to force her into doing anything she’s not ready for, but I’m hoping in time that will change.
‘I almost forgot, I got you dessert.’ I rise from the couch. ‘I’ll go grab it.’
‘You bought me a Snickers bar,’ she says when I walk back into the room and hand it to her. She hugs it to her chest, just like she did the day on the plane. She must really love chocolate.
‘I did.’ I sit down beside her.
‘I still have the one you gave me on the plane.’
‘You do?’
‘I couldn’t bring myself to eat it,’ she admits. ‘It was the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.’
I love that my small gesture meant so much to her, but it also saddens me to think nobody does nice things for her. Surely her family does?
‘I want you to eat this one.’
‘You’re not having one?’
‘I have something else in mind for me.’ When I wink, a pretty pink blush spreads across her cheeks. How can this woman do what she does for a living, and yet still exude such innocence?
My eyes are glued to her mouth as I watch her eat. Lucky fucking chocolate. She offers me a bite, but I shake my head; I’m having too much fun watching her. Who knew watching her eat could be such a turn on?
‘I’m so glad you’re here,’ I say, briefly placing my hand on her leg.
‘Me too.’ Her exquisite eyes gaze into mine as the world around us stands still. Our faces inch towards each other. The moment our lips touch, every part of me comes to life—it’s like she flicks a switch inside me. Her lips are so soft and sweet. The only contact we have is with our mouths, but it’s hot. Scorching.
I tilt her head back slightly and deepen the kiss. She moans and her hands grab my shirt again. Leaning back into the couch, she pulls me with her until my body is resting on top of hers. I groan when she hooks one of her legs over my hip. All my resolve vanishes. I need her like I’ve never needed anyone before in my life.
But tonight I’m going to take my sweet time with her. I’m going to savour every second. Who knows when I’ll be permitted to see her again? I fucking hate that we’re not free to see each other whenever we please, but I don’t want to think about that now. I want to stay in the moment. I can worry about that tomorrow.
‘Christ, you drive me wild,’ I say as my lips trail a path across her jaw. ‘I don’t think I’ll ever get my fill of you.’
Her fingers curve around the hem of my shirt as she slides it up my back. ‘I need to feel your skin, Brock.’
Her wish is my command. Moving off her to kneel on the floor beside the couch, I pull my shirt over my head. My gaze moves down to her waist as she shimmies her dress over her hips, revealing a tiny pair of pink lace panties. Fuck me. Does she realise how sexy she is? She crosses her arms over her torso, pulling her dress up and over her head in one swift motion. Her barely there pink bra cups her breasts perfectly, and I realise I’m in love with her tits.
‘You’re so beautiful,’ I whisper as I kiss a path up her leg. ‘Perfection.’
‘Brock,’ she says breathlessly as her hands stroke over my hair.
‘Lie back,’ I command. My lips curve up against her skin when she does exactly as I ask. ‘As pretty as these are, sweetheart, they’ve gotta go.’ Sliding my fingers into the flimsy lace, I tear them effortlessly from her body, exposing her sweet pussy. My eyes hungrily drink her in. Breathtaking. I bunch up the lace in my hand before shoving it into my pocket. I’ll add these to the pair I swiped from her in New York. If I get my way, I’ll soon have a drawer full.
Hooking my hands under her legs, I place them over my shoulders. ‘It’s time for my dessert,’ I whisper, blowing hot air against her sensitive flesh.
‘Brock,’ she pants, pulling my face forward. My greedy girl. The moment my tongue is on her, she moans. ‘God, yes.’ I smile as I watch her head tilt back and her lips slightly part as the pleasure takes over. I can’t describe the feeling I get knowing it’s me who’s making her feel like this.
‘You taste so sweet,’ I murmur as my hand moves up her body to pinch her nipple through the thin lace of her bra. She whimpers, and I love how responsive she is. I slide the fingers of my other hand through her wetness, coating them, before moving down to her arse.
My mind drifts back to the paperwork M gave me on Jade. Her hard limits both thrilled and infuriated me. I can’t even put into words the jealousy I felt towards the other men she sees. It ate away at my insides. I couldn’t bear to think of what she’s been through, or what she’s done with them, for that matter. It only made my need to possess her—to make her solely mine—even stronger.
Immediately I feel the resistance when I slide the tip of my finger into her arse. I pause, giving her time to adjust. ‘Can I?’ I ask because I don’t want to force myself on her. I know anal is one of her hard limits, but I won’t be satisfied until she gives herself over to me completely. But in saying that, I don’t want to take anything she’s not ready to give me. For some reason, I need this with her. I don’t want any restrictions when it comes to us. My need to claim every inch of her is overpowering.
She pushes her hips towards my face as I continue to work her over. ‘Yes,’ she moans loudly, so I push my finger in a little further and plunge my thumb into her pussy at the same time. When her grip tightens on my hair and her legs start to tremble as they squeeze my head like a vice, I know she’s close.
Slowly I withdraw my finger and use her juices to lubricate it again before gently pushing it all the way back into her tight little arse. I can tell by the way her body pushes into my hand that she likes it. The second I suck her clit into my mouth, she falls over the edge.
‘Oh God!’ she screams as her whole body shudders.
Hearing her scream like that is almost my undoing, but I don’t relent until I’ve drained every ounce of pleasure from her. When I’m done, her legs slide off my shoulders and she slumps back into the couch, exhausted. My girl is spent. Kissing my way back up her gorgeous body, her eyes flutter open when my face is hovering inches away from hers. The contented smile on her face hits me right in the chest.
‘That was … that was … amazing,’ she gasps, pulling my lips briefly down to hers.
‘Get used to it, sweetheart,’ I say, brushing her hair from her forehead. ‘There’s plenty more where that came from. I want to experience everything with you, Jade. Only you.’
She cups my face and smiles, but it doesn’t quite re
ach her eyes. I can see a hint of sadness and possibly torment, reflecting back at me. It tears at my heart. Like her, I don’t know what the future holds for us, but I pray it holds something. There is something truly special blossoming between us, and I know I’m powerless to stop it, even if I wanted to.
Standing, I scoop her into my arms before turning and heading for the staircase. I want to take her to my bed and show her just how much she means to me.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
JADE
I woke to Brock’s handsome face between my legs, which was a pleasant surprise. We barely slept. I’ve had the most amazing time here with him. I wish it never had to end.
‘Morning beautiful,’ he breathed against my sensitive flesh. ‘I hope you don’t mind, but I was hungry.’
I let out a small laugh as I ran my fingers through his hair. ‘You’ll get no complaints from me,’ I said breathlessly. ‘None whatsoever.’ I’d love to wake up like that every morning.
Saying I’m feeling a little tender between the legs would be an understatement. I love that I’ll be feeling the effects of being with him long after I’ve left here. After Brock had me for breakfast, he took me up against the tiles in the shower, but it was wonderful.
Now we both have sombre looks on our faces as he carries my bag downstairs. After placing the suitcase by his feet, he pulls me into his arms. ‘I wish I didn’t have to let you go.’
Tears sting my eyes, but I don’t reply. I’m scared if I do, I’ll cry.
‘I’m going to swing by M’s on my way to work this morning. I need to see you again, Jade. Is that okay with you?’
He cups my face in his hands as he awaits my reply. I still can’t bring myself to speak, so I smile and nod instead. His kiss is so sweet that I have to clench my eyes shut to stop the tears from falling.
‘Look at me,’ he demands when he pulls back from me. My watery eyes open to meet his. ‘This isn’t goodbye, sweetheart. We will be together again. I promise.’
My arms tighten around his waist as I hold him. I hope he’s right. I’m not sure how I’d cope if I never saw him again.
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small box. ‘I bought this for you. It’s a phone. Do you have somewhere to keep it where M won’t find it?’
‘You bought me a phone?’
‘I did. I’ve programmed all my numbers into it. Home, work, mobile. I’m going to go out of my fucking mind if I can’t communicate with you.’
‘But M—’
‘Don’t worry about her. Everything is registered under my name, so there’s no way it can be traced back to you. The last thing I want is to get you in trouble.’
‘You’re sweet.’
‘Can you call or text me sometimes to let me know you’re okay?’
‘I can definitely do that,’ I reply as my mouth meets his. ‘Thank you.’ I’m so overcome by his gesture. I miss him so much when we’re apart. I can’t say how many times I thought of calling him after he gave me his card at Theo’s, but it was just too risky. M checks all of our phone records, and I saw what she did to poor Anna the day she found out some guy from the university she attends had called her phone. It turned out to be something innocent, but M still flipped her lid. M slapped Anna’s face and threatened her in front of all of us. It was awful.
‘You’re welcome,’ he says tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. The look he gives me melts my heart. Apart from Rupert, nobody has ever watched out for me before. ‘I’ll wait impatiently to hear from you.’ I let out a small laugh when he says that. ‘I don’t want to risk calling you in case she’s around. I don’t want to do anything that’s going to jeopardise this arrangement and keep us apart.’
*
The second I climb into the back of the limousine after my inspection with M, I tear open the white envelope that contains my schedule for the next few days. I smile when I see I’m attending a function with Theo this evening and my smile widens because I have tomorrow night off. My gaze moves down to Wednesday and my heart sinks. Frank Agostino. Great. He’s one of my clients that always expects sex. Bye-bye lucky streak.
A few weeks ago that wouldn’t have bothered me. It would’ve been just another job that I’d suffer through as best I could, but things are different now. Now that I’ve reconnected with Brock, I’m going to feel like I’m being unfaithful to him. I know that’s stupid because we’re not what you’d call an item, but he’s more than just a client. I’ve never felt this deeply for a man in my life—for anyone, for that matter. And it fills me with hope.
I pull out the phone I’d hidden under the seat of the limo before we arrived at M’s. Removing it from the box, I turn it on. The first thing I see is Brock’s beautiful face: he’s put an image of himself as the screensaver. I gently run my finger over the glass.
Opening the messenger app, I type him a short message.
Jade: I miss you already. xx
He replies almost instantly.
Brock: I miss you too, beautiful. I’ll be arriving at M’s shortly. Hopefully I can arrange to see you again this week. x
I hope so too.
Jade: I’m free on Tuesday. Tonight I have a function to attend with Theo.
I’m not going to mention anything about my Wednesday night appointment. If by some miracle he can convince M to agree to tomorrow night, I’ll discuss it with him then. I hate to think how my situation must make him feel. I know if the roles were reversed I’d be devastated. I don’t want to share him with anyone. I want him all for myself. Maybe I need to open up more, so he understands the predicament I’m in. It’s not like I have a choice.
Brock: Brilliant. I’ll work on tomorrow night then. Can I call you?
I’m not sure that’s a good idea while I’m still in one of M’s cars. Being the controlling bitch she is, it wouldn’t surprise me if she has her vehicles bugged.
Jade: I’ll call you once I arrive back at my apartment. I’m still in the limo.
Brock: I look forward to it. <3
I’m smiling as I clutch the phone to my chest when I see the heart at the end of his message. Is this what it feels like to be in love? If it is, it’s the most wonderful feeling in the world.
*
‘You look beautiful,’ Theo says, when Rupert drops me at his house. The function we’re attending tonight is formal, so I’m wearing a gorgeous silver gown. It’s strapless with a bead-encrusted bodice above a skirt that falls softly to the floor in a wave of tiny pleats. The only jewellery I’m wearing is a pair of diamond stud earrings. My personal hairdresser has styled my hair into a loose low bun that sits at the nape of my neck. I feel like a princess. Getting to dress up on a regular basis is the only perk that comes with this job.
‘Thank you. You look rather dashing yourself,’ I say, when he kisses my cheek. There’s something about a man in a tuxedo, especially someone as handsome as Theo. I can just imagine how dreamy Brock would look in one.
‘Is there anything special I need to know about tonight?’ I ask him once we’re seated in the back of his limousine.
‘Nope. Just smile and look beautiful as always, leave the rest to me.’
‘So be your arm candy, in other words?’ I hope he can hear the humour in my voice.
He laughs. ‘Something like that.’
‘How are things going with Adam?’ Theo’s been dating Adam for a few months now.
‘We split up.’
‘What? Oh no, Theo.’ I rub my hand gently down his arm. ‘What happened?’
‘He didn’t like the double life I was leading. He hates that I pretend that I’m straight when I’m not. We had a heated argument, and he gave me an ultimatum. I don’t like ultimatums, so we broke up.’
‘I’m so sorry to hear that. Doesn’t he realise why you do it?’
‘Yes, but he doesn’t understand my reasons.’
‘Oh, Theo. One day the right man will come along, you’ll see. He’s going to love you so completely, the only thing he’s going to care ab
out is being with you. Nothing else will matter.’
‘Like you and Brock.’
‘I wish,’ I say with a sigh, hooking my arm through his and resting my head on his shoulder. I don’t think this thing between Brock and me will ever be more than it is, but a girl can dream. Dreams are free. I’m sure he’ll eventually tire of having to pay to see me. ‘I like him so much, Theo. So much that sometimes my heart hurts. I’ve never felt like this before. Never.’
‘I get the impression he’s smitten with you too, pretty girl. You’re an easy person to love. If I didn’t bat for the other team, I would’ve snapped you up years ago.’
His comment makes me laugh. ‘You really think he’s smitten?’
‘I know he is.’ He rests his hand on mine.
I walk into the grand ballroom of the luxurious hotel with Theo, smiling and greeting everyone he stops to talk to. These events can get pretty boring, but I’d much rather be here with him, than with the majority of my other clients. And after his revelation in the limo, there’s no way I’m going to be able to stop smiling.
My mind drifts to Brock while Theo listens to some short, chubby man babble on about how successful he is. I really don’t understand people who feel the need to constantly big note themselves. I guess Theo feels the same, because within minutes I hear him say, ‘If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll take my gorgeous date for a spin around the dance floor.’
‘You hate dancing,’ I say, laughing as he guides me across the room.
‘I know, but I’d rather suffer on the dance floor than spend another second listening to that tool blow his own trumpet. Just one song, I promise.’
‘Fair enough,’ I reply, as he spins me around and pulls me into his arms. ‘You really should take lessons in preparation for situations like this, though. I’m not sure if my poor toes can handle a whole song with you.’
He throws back his head and laughs. ‘I’ll try my best not to step on your feet this time.’