“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” she asks after a few beats of silence.
“I saw you and Bryn,” I blurt out before I’ve even had the chance to decide if I’m going to talk to her about this or not.
“You did, huh?” she asks. “And what exactly did you see?”
“He was close to you. Flirting with you.”
“He was,” she says.
“I didn’t like it.”
“I’ll be sure to tell him it had the desired effect.”
I frown at her in confusion as my brain tries to make sense of what she’s saying and fails. My head is whirring, it’s full of Lizzie and Bryn and Katie… and more Katie.
“He wanted to make you jealous, dreamboat, so that you’d realise you’ve got feelings for me.”
He did fucking what?
“I’ll be sure to tell him it had the desired effect,” I mimic her words back to her in a whisper.
“I’m not going out with him, Jackson. I don’t play those kinds of games,” she says and I don’t think she’s heard what I said.
I take a couple of steps towards her. I don’t even know what I’m doing anymore. I can keep telling myself that everything I’ve been doing isn’t to try and impress her, but that won’t change the fact that I am.
I’m thinking about her without even knowing I’m doing it.
I don’t know what’s going on with me, but I know one thing for certain. I want her. I need her… In some way more than what I have her now.
Tillie’s words echo in my brain again as I take another couple of steps closer to Katie.
“I know she comes across as tough and sure of herself, but she’s like a crème egg — hard exterior and all gooey in the centre — just be gentle with her.”
The last thing I want to do is hurt Katie, but I can’t deny myself any longer.
That kiss between us at the beach the other day was electric, and I want that again. I can’t stop thinking about it — no matter how hard I’ve tried to forget it ever happened.
I’ve got a pretty good feeling she does too.
She could be downstairs agreeing to a date with my best mate, but she’s not — she’s here with me.
I reach for her face and cup it in my palm. She closes her eyes and leans into my touch.
“What’s going on here, Katie?” I murmur as I look down at her.
Her eyes flutter open, and those dark eyes are staring at me again.
“I’m having a hard time thinking of something to say that won’t scare you off,” she confesses as she reaches up to wrap her arms around my neck.
“You couldn’t scare me off.”
“I can’t give you no-strings,” she says.
“I don’t want no-strings,” I promise as my arm snakes around her waist, bringing her closer to me.
“I don’t want promises you can’t keep.”
“I’m not making any promises.”
“Good,” she breathes.
“Can we just agree that we’ll see where this goes?”
She nods, her eyes still locked on mine.
“I lied. I want us to make one promise,” I say before it’s too late.
Her mouth is begging mine to meet it, and I know once that happens, I won’t have the same restraint I had on the beach the other day.
“What?”
“I want you to promise that you’ll tell me what you want.”
“I promise.”
I brush my lips against hers softly. “What do you want, dimples?” I whisper against her mouth.
“Right now, I just want you.”
That’s the easiest request I’ve ever heard.
I press my lips against hers and she clings on around my neck.
She moans softly as I grab hold of her ass and lift her into my arms.
I walk us towards the couch and lower her down.
She looks up at me as I lift her shirt over her head.
“Make me yours, Jackson,” she whispers as she returns the favour and removes my shirt.
I intend to do exactly that.
I shudder as her long nails run over my skin.
This isn’t at all like the first time, this is different. There are feelings other than lust involved this time. Bryn, Tillie, they’re right — I’m feeling things for Katie, and I’m going to show her exactly what those feelings are, with my body.
***
“We’ll make it to the bed next time, scouts honour,” I promise her.
“I look forward to it.”
She gratefully takes the glass of water I’m holding out for her and she sips the cool liquid.
I can’t take my eyes off her; everything she does fascinates me. I know I’m smiling, and I don’t even know why, it’s just her — she makes me happy.
“I like you, dreamboat.” She blurts out the words and her expression transforms into one of worry.
I smile a little wider. “I like you too, dimples,” I reply, and her features relax again.
I don’t have any idea where we’ll go from here, or if I’m even capable of giving her all of me, but I’m not going to worry about that now. I’m more than content with ‘like’ at this stage.
“Good.”
“If you give me half an hour, I might be able to show you just how much I like you all over again.” I wink at her.
“And they say romance is dead.”
I laugh low and long.
“I don’t know what I did before you came along,” I confess.
“Before you used to drink like a fish you mean?” she teases me.
I rest my knee on the couch next to her hip and hover above her, our chests touching lightly. “You’re making everything glow again,” I whisper.
She bites down on her lip as her eyes take in every bare inch of my body.
I know I said I needed half an hour, but I don’t know who I was kidding. I want her again already.
I’ve resisted all of this for so long, but not anymore. Now I’m going to get my fill of her.
I lower myself down, and given the soft moan she makes, I know she’s feeling the same way.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Katie
To: Katie
From: Jackson
I miss you.
To: Jackson
From: Katie
You miss me, or your penis misses me?
To: Katie
From: Jackson
Would it be the wrong answer if I said we both do?
To: Jackson
From: Katie
I think it would be the honest answer, dreamboat.
To: Katie
From: Jackson
Can me and my honest penis come over then?
To: Jackson
From: Katie
I have to meet a new client in two hours, come over after instead so we’ve got more time?
To: Katie
From: Jackson
That’s cute that you think I could last two hours. I’ll see you in five.
I shake my head in amusement. It’s been the same story every day for the past week.
He can’t seem to get enough of me, and I’m anything but complaining.
I don’t know what the two of us are, but I do know that Jackson hasn’t mentioned his ex once since things changed between us, and I’m taking that as a sign that he’s finally moving on from that part of his life.
I’d be lying if I didn’t say I hope he’ll be moving on with me.
The more time I spend with him, and more specifically under him, the harder I fall.
There hasn’t been a period of time more than a few hours long in which I haven’t heard from him. He calls and texts me so often I feel like I’ve become one of those girls who are constantly looking at their phone.
I feel giddy, happy and in love.
I’m totally in love with him.
There’s no point trying to deny it, or hold back my feelings anymore. Something like this can’t be denied.
I m
ust have got caught up thinking about Jackson, because I’m startled by a knock at the door.
I scramble out of my chair and jog across the room. I can’t get to him fast enough.
“Hey, beautiful,” he says as I open the door, and I fall just a little bit deeper again. He’s wearing that grin of his, the one that melts me.
I think he could get me to do anything he wanted if he smiled at me like that.
He chuckles at me and I blush.
“I think I missed you too,” I whisper.
“I think I like the sound of that.”
***
He pulls me back to him and kisses me again.
“I’m going to be late,” I murmur against his lips.
I’m making no real move to leave either, but he’s certainly not making it easy for me to walk away.
“So, go then,” he says as he pulls away.
“I need to,” I say as I drag him back against me.
His lips find mine again and I feel his tongue trace the curve of my bottom lip.
“I really have to go,” I say, with all the willpower of a jellyfish.
He chuckles and rests his forehead against mine.
“Call me when you’re done?”
I nod.
“Come for dinner at my place.”
I nod once more.
He kisses me again, one quick chaste kiss and then moves back.
I don’t know how he does that. I’m a strong woman, but one kiss from him turns me to mush.
My head gets cloudy and the responsibilities of my world all fall away.
I shake my head in an attempt to clear it.
“I really have to go.”
He leans against the door of his car and crosses his arms across his chest.
He looks like a god damn male model standing there like that, and it gives me goosebumps as I think about the fact that he’s looking at me.
I climb into my car before my will power escapes me entirely and blow him a kiss as I drive away.
***
I arrive at my usual spot to meet clients and give Johnny, the owner, a wave.
Thanks to Jackson and his all-consuming energy, I am in fact running a few minutes late, so when I look over to my usual booth and see a lone male, I’m confused.
I approach the man and smile warmly at him. “Grant?” I ask.
He stands and smiles back at me. “You must be Katie.”
I take the hand he’s extended to me and shake it firmly.
He gestures for me to sit down and I do.
“Sorry, Elizabeth is running about ten minutes late, she should be here soon.”
“No worries at all,” I say as I pull my planner out of my bag and sit it on the table in front of me.
He picks up his cup of coffee and takes a sip.
Under normal circumstances, I would have thought that he was an extremely attractive man, but given that I can’t shake Jackson and his smiling perfection from my mind, Grant isn’t having quite the same effect.
I flip open my planner. “We can go over a few details while we wait anyway; you were planning a wedding for next summer, is that right?”
“Correct.”
“Did you have a date in mind?”
“I think Elizabeth had a few possibilities written down.” He chuckles, “I’m sorry, I won’t be much help — there seems to be a lot of information I’m not privy to.”
“Excellent.” I smile at him. “You sound like a typical groom.”
He holds his hands up. “Guilty.”
“Have you decided on a location or will we need to go through some options?”
“I just know she wants it in a garden somewhere.”
I nod as I scrawl that down on my page.
“I’m so sorry I’m late,” a breathless voice says.
I smile as I look up from my page and then like a blow to the gut, the smile falls off my face.
I’ve seen this blonde woman who looks a lot like a Barbie doll before.
I glance down at her left hand and sure enough, it’s the same bony fingers — only this time, it’s a different rock.
I’ve literally come face to face with my worst nightmare.
“This is Elizabeth,” Grant tells me, breaking me from my trance.
“All my friends call me Lizzie,” she says as she holds her hand out to me.
I don’t take her hand. I just stare at her, then at him, then at her again.
“Oh god, it’s you.”
“I’m sorry, do I know you?” she asks as she looks at her fiancé in confusion.
“No, no you don’t.” I shake my head rapidly. “We’ve never met.”
“Um, you’re not making any sense,” she says.
I hold my face in my hands for a few seconds, willing this to all be a bad dream.
Of all the couples and all the wedding planners, fate had to match the two of us together.
It hits me then what that rock on her stupid hand means — she’s getting married, and this man in front of me is probably him. He’s most likely the man who stabbed Jackson in the back.
“I know who you are,” I say, and I can hear the strength coming back to my voice.
The shock has worn off and been promptly replaced with anger.
I’m angry as hell with the two of them.
She giggles nervously and looks at Grant again. He shrugs at her.
“I’m a friend of Jackson’s.”
Her face visibly pales and her jaw falls slack. Grant’s expression turns sheepish and I know then that he is the one.
“He’s told me all about the two of you actually,” I say as I shut the planner in front of me. I won’t be needing it here — there’s no way I’m planning this wedding now — not for all the money in the world.
I could get up and leave, but I’m not quite done here yet.
“He told me about how you slept with his best friend and ran out on him.” I look at her as I speak before turning to him. “And he told me how you claimed the woman he was going to marry as your own, without so much as two fucks given about your so-called mate.”
“We never meant to hurt him,” Lizzie says, her voice barely above a whisper.
She looks like she’s seen a ghost and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying her obvious discomfort.
“Really? That old chestnut?” I raise my brows at her. “You know what, Lizzie?” I sneer. “If you didn’t want to hurt him, you could have not fucked his best mate. That would have been a good start.”
Her eyes widen.
I’m not exactly being quiet, and some of the tables around us look like they’re ready to bust out the popcorn and enjoy the show.
I grab my planner and begin stuffing it into my bag.
“Wait, where are you going?” she asks me in a panicked voice.
I huff out a laugh. “Lady, if you think I’m planning your wedding, you must be high. Unlike you, I have morals.” I look her up and down as I get to my feet. “And class.”
I take a couple of steps away but change my mind and go back.
“And one more thing… You traded Jackson for him? Girl, get your eyes checked.”
I give Grant one last look and word of advice. “If she’ll do it with you, she’ll do it to you, just sayin’.” I smirk at him before I turn on my heel and stalk out of the café.
I hope my performance came across more confident than I feel right now, I’m literally trembling.
I’ve just made one hell of a scene at my usual spot, but that’s not even what’s got me shaken as I get into my car and start the engine. My biggest concern is that I’m going to have to break it to Jackson that the two people who hurt him the most are living happily ever after, together.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Jackson
My phone rings on my desk and I smile before I’ve even picked it up.
This whole thing with Katie is going better than I could have imagined. She’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a woman, combined wit
h all the things I never would have thought to ask for.
It sounds cheesy and cliché, but she’s perfect — for me at least.
She makes me forget all the bullshit in my past, and I’m finally getting to a point where I’m spending more time looking forward than I am looking back.
I tap the green icon to answer her call. “I was just thinking about you.”
“Jackson,” she says, and I can immediately tell something’s up. She’s shaken.
“Dimples, are you okay?”
I get up from my chair and shut the door to my office.
“I’m okay… I mean, I’m not okay, but I’m not hurt or anything.” She exhales deeply, and I can hear an actual tremor in her breathing.
“What’s going on?” I demand. If someone has done something to upset her, they’re going to have me to deal with.
She sucks in a deep breath and blows it out again before finally speaking.
“You know how I said I had a client I had to meet after I left you?”
“Yeah…”
There’s silence for long enough to make me nervous before she finally speaks again.
“It was Lizzie… and Grant.”
“Lizzie and Grant? But you’re a wedding planner…” It’s as I’m saying the words that I realise exactly what that means.
They’re getting married.
My ex is getting married… to someone who I once considered a friend.
“I’m so sorry, Jackson,” she whispers. “I swear I didn’t know it was going to be them. You never told me what his name was, and she contacted me as Elizabeth… I didn’t know.”
Of course she didn’t know. She never would have met with them if she did.
“What happened?” I demand in a tone far harsher than I intended.
Mr. February: A One Night Stand Romance (Calendar Boys Book 2) Page 9