by Lily Silver
Are you nuts? Jessie’s mind accused, this man wants you--he wants to marry you. Why are you stalling? Why not just give in and go with it, like Jack always says?
“Okay.” She wavered, giving in to her heart and to her body’s weariness. It was just one night. Take it one night at time. She might regret it later, but with the morphine coursing through her brain, weariness claiming her--and Lex gazing at her with such yearning and devotion, she didn’t have the strength to say no. She might regret it later, but later wasn’t here, not yet.
Lex pressed the button on his keychain, and the garage door opened. He turned the key, and pulled the car into the garage. Once he turned off the engine, he exited the car and moved around to the passenger side. Jessie was already opening the door when he reached her. She stood up, wavering a bit with unsteadiness under the wilting effects of the painkiller. His arms wrapped about her quickly as he realized she was dizzy. Lex helped her into the house, up the stairs and into the master suite. Neither of them spoke as he led her to the bed.
Jessie reached up to caress his tanned, handsome cheek. His response was immediate. Lex leaned down and kissed her. He claimed her lips in a passionate, soul melting caress that said everything within his heart and soothed the questions in her own.
Yes, this was home. This was where she belonged, in his arms and in his bed.
Jessie’s arm wound about his neck, drawing him down, urging him to recline with her on the massive Hollywood style bed. Lex was most obliging. The coral hued twilight of sunset filtering in from the wall of glass overlooking the sea created a tableau of warm tones as their limbs were gilded by the dusky rays.
Jessie allowed him to remove her top and then her bra with expert fingers. He shrugged out of his T-shirt and tossed it aside, revealing a rugged, muscular torso cast in the vibrant hues of an old master’s oil painting. He was perfect, lovely, the raw essence of masculine beauty that any painter would die to capture on canvas. He was her hero, her demon. The master of seduction, a man who had charmed the hearts of women throughout the ages with his golden voice and his beguiling looks.
What’s wrong with you? Her conscience screamed as his lips moved down her neck to capture her breasts, suckling them, teasing them with tongue and teeth.
Half the women in America under the age of thirty would sell their souls to be in your place--to be in his arms right now, to be the object of his desire.
Why can’t you just let go and say yes?
“Yes.” She murmured, feeling a little stoned and a lot of pleasure as his lips moved down her belly, kissing, licking, caressing her tender skin as his hands worked quickly to free her of her jeans. The zipper opened, and his hands slipped beneath the rough material and beneath her silk panties to outline her hips as he pulled the restraining fabric from her hips. “Yes . . .” Jessie purred.
Lex sat up momentarily as he shrugged her jeans down her legs, and pulled them over her ankles. She was naked in his bed. Jessie grinned and held out her arms to him as he knelt on the bed above her. She was naked, and the silk sheets felt cool and welcoming. She was giddy, a little stoned, and she was with Lex--in his bed.
Heaven. This was her bliss. This was her refuge from the cares of the world. In his arms, only in his arms. Lex. He was her soul mate. She felt it now, keenly. Believed it.
Perhaps it’s just morphine, her intellect screamed. You are stoned, after all.
Oh, yeah. No doubt about that. She was really high, the room was spinning,
But hot damn it felt so good!
Lex leaned forward at the waist, bowing before her on the bed, as if in worship. The silhouette of his dark head and those broad muscular shoulders before the vibrant sunlit sea left her breathless for an instant.
And only for an instant, as his head dipped and he started kissing her knee and moved slowly, leisurely up along the inside of her thigh with the tip of his tongue.
Oh, God! Jessie knew where this was headed, where he was headed. She gave a little moan of pleasure, bracing herself for the next step. In truth, she’d never had a guy pleasure her with his mouth before. She was a little nervous and jumpy.
That tongue . . . she was squirming beneath his teasing tongue gliding up her inner thigh and then darting in to taste her aching, anxious sex. His hands cupped her hips, holding her still as he kissed her intimate flesh and suckled her swollen pink folds. It was glorious beyond imagining. Lex was a bold and generous lover. He didn’t hold back as he licked, suckled and pushed her closer and closer toward the edge of sanity.
“Yes . . . yes . . .” Jessie murmured, surrendering to the buoyant waves of sensual pleasure crashing over her with each expert stroke of his serpent’s tongue. “Yes . . .”
“And what was the question, my love?” His deep, husky voice slid over her like a warm blanket just as his firm body slid over hers and they merged together in a heady, sensual-sweet reunion. His cock filled her, bringing Jessie to the sharp pinnacle of yet another orgasm by just the mere contact of hard masculine flesh against the soft, welcoming folds of her core. She was losing it, again, convulsing around his engorged spear and he’d barely entered her.
“Yes . . . I’ll marry you . . . if--if you . . . still . . . oh--Oh--OH--Oh--oh, yes.”
He moved inside her, pushing forward, retreating. Jessie arched up to greet his thrusts, and wrapped her legs about his hips. How could any woman say no to a lifetime of bliss?
Lex leaned down and their lips became fused as they shared an earthy, soul shattering kiss. A reunion . . . yes . . . their souls were merging, meeting, embracing, reaching across time and through eternity to become one, become whole once more.
Thunder awakened her. Jessie stirred within the warm cozy nest of his arms. The sound of thunder above them was instantly thrust to the background as searing agony consumed her brain. Jessie moaned and rolled away from her lover’s sides as she clutched her arm. It hurt in ways a body shouldn’t hurt. The sharp, throbbing pain made it feel as if her arm were on fire.
“Jessie?” Lex had sat up and turned on the light. “Oh, shit.” He leaned over her as she clutched at her throbbing limb. “You’re bleeding.” He said, noting the crimson bloom on her bandaged limb. He jumped up from the bed and disappeared. When he returned, he had a towel and was pressing it over her soaked bandage.
She was near tears. The morphine wore off while she slept and now she was feeling the full effects of torn, jagged flesh that met Darrell’s blade hours earlier.
“Hold the towel in place. I’ll get ice, and your pain pills. I left them downstairs.” Lex commanded and then was gone.
Jessie whimpered. It was the most god-awful sensation. A deep stab wound was painful. She wouldn’t believe those stupid action movies anymore, where the hero kept right on going, fighting the bad guy, even after his flesh had been pierced by a dagger or an arrow, even a gunshot. It couldn’t be real. No one could stand to be in this much pain and keep on fighting.
The memory came in a rush of pain. A flash, like lightning piercing the dark landscape. She remembered lying on the cold, stone floor, immobilized by excruciating pain. Jessie gasped. It was hard to breathe. It hurt to breathe. She clutched at her chest as the sharp, tearing pain made her rasp and choke. She lifted her hands from the burning ache of her wound. They were covered in blood, thick, warm, crimson blood.
“Jessie, honey, you okay?” Lex’s face filled her vision, replacing the ugly horror of that quick flash. “Jessica, answer me!”
“Yeah . . .” She sagged forward like a rag doll. Lex eased her onto her side so she way lying down. He removed the towel to examine her arm.
“The bleeding has stopped. The doctor said that might happen with too much agitation. Sorry. My bad. I thought I was being careful.”
“I was pretty high.” Jessie croaked. “I didn’t feel any pain.” She turned her head to grin at him as he sat behind her. Lex gave her one of those sexy smiles, and her heart did a queer little stomp and kick in response.
He tu
rned about with his back to her. She heard a funny clicking sound and turned onto her back to see what he was up to. He was opening the plastic prescription bottle of pain pills the hospital sent home with her. After shaking out a dose into his palm, he twisted the cap and placed the brown bottle on the table.
Jessie rolled onto her back and scooted up on the bed until she was leaning upright against the headboard. She grabbed the sheet with her uninjured hand and pulled it up over her breasts. Lex was butt naked and unconcerned as he sat with his back to her on the edge of the bed. He turned and held out his hand. Two white, oblong pills were cradled there.
“Two?” She grimaced, giving him a look.
“It says one to two. Judging by your pain, I think two is the right dose. At least you can sleep through the rest of the night.”
She didn’t argue with his logic. God almighty, who would have thought a small stab wound could be so frickin’ painful? The doctor said something about a deep muscle puncture wound. Wow. Darrell was going to be her bitch for the next decade.
And then it hit her. Jack. Darrell could have killed Jack if he’d been more precise. She wasn’t sure, as it happened so fast, but wasn’t Jack’s chest just inches from her arm? “Oh, God--Oh God--I want Jack, Call him. Now.” She gasped, panicking at the thought of her brother being so close to death in that elevator.
“Jess, its 3 a.m.”
“No, he’s always awake. Where is my cell? Call him, right now. I want him here.”
Lex stood up and grabbed the pile of pillows on the floor. He placed two on the bed and lifted her arm. “Doc said you need to keep it elevated, especially with the pain. And,” He paused, and sighed dramatically. “You were supposed to keep that sling on. Where is it?” He bent and starting searching through the piles of clothing on the floor. “Ah, here.”
After helping her into one of his shirts, and then a sling, he retrieved a pair of jogging shorts from his closet. Her phone was in her jeans pocket. He turned it on, and pressed the speed dial. Jack picked up right away. Lex walked to the windows and stood in silhouette against the lightning flickering skies as he spoke to her brother in a low tone. After a couple of moments, he brought the phone to Jessie so she could talk to Jack.
“Hey, Jess.” Jack’s voice held a false note of cheer. “I’m here. What’s up? Lex said you’re in a lot of pain.”
Jessie started crying into the phone. She was blubbering like a baby. Somehow, Jack caught her gibberish, or sensed what it was she was trying to say and failing miserably.
“its okay, Jess. I’m fine. . . . I’m fine. It was just a a stupid thing . . . shhh . . . come on, don’t cry over me . . . I’m a big boy. Hey, stop it now, you’ll ruin the magic . . . what magic? . . . why, your hot make up sex with Lex, don’t cry afterward and call your bro!”
“Oh, you Jack-ass!” Jessie huffed, and pressed the end call button. She tossed the phone on the bed with annoyance. Hot make up sex with Lex? How the hell did he know that?
“Everything okay next door?” Lex emerged from the dark bathroom.
“Yes. I just--It just hit me.” She looked up into his concerned features. “Darrell could have killed Jack today in the elevator. He could have killed my brother.”
“He could have killed you.” Lex sat down on the bed, facing her. He cupped her cheek in his palm. “I don’t know if I should thank him or kill him. I have this overwhelming urge to go over there and beat the crap out of him.”
When Jessie awoke next, it was to a soft tongue licking her neck. She started, expecting Lex to be there beside her and was charmed and disappointed at the same time.
Duncan, her faithful little Scottie, was on the bed and he was licking her awake. She smiled at the little black face and stroked his head just behind his ears. Soft brown eyes gazed up at her adoringly.
She scooted up in the bed and patted her lap. Duncan climbed aboard and allowed her to hug him with one arm. Her other arm was tied up in that sling Lex had forced back on her after she woke up in such dire pain. The arm ached, but it wasn’t that awful burning sensation she experienced last night when the morphine petered out.
After a few moments, she heard footsteps in the hall. Jack peeked his head into the spacious bedroom. His hair was loose and wild. He looked like hell with dark circles beneath his eyes, and yet, he was cheerful, the perpetual clown to her philosopher.
“Nice digs.” He gazed about the room with appreciation. “This room’s as big as half of our upstairs.”
“What are you doing here so early?”
“Early, hey lazy chick, it’s past noon.”
“Is it?” Jessie looked about for the alarm clock. Sure enough, the red lights said 12:45. “Oh, crap. Don’t we have to be somewhere today?”
“No. You’re staying right there. Steve called Max. We set the schedule back two weeks so you can recoup. Don’t worry. We got it covered. Maybe Kyra will be back for the MTV shoot by then.” Jack walked over to window and gazed out with his back to her. “You know, I think your man has a good head on his shoulders.”
“My man?” Jessie perked up at that pronouncement. “Lex isn’t mine. We just had a thing last night, that’s all.”
Jack turned about with a sly grin. “Yeah, nice how that worked out, isn’t it. Darrell’s fuck up might have set us back a little with the MTV special, but it also scared some sense into the dude downstairs. He’s freakin’ worried about you, now Jess. He wants you to move in with him. I agree. I think it’s for the best. Hell, Duncan loves it here.”
“Oh, so you decided for me, while I was asleep.”
Jack shrugged. “Hell, yeah. That’s what big brothers do. Lex pointed out that with things so unstable between the band members, its best if we don’t live under the same roof for a while. I agree. Steve called Darrell and told him he can’t live with us anymore, to come and get his stuff. Darrell didn’t come home last night. Probably didn’t have the guts after what he did. He makes enough money to afford his own place. Steve and I will bunk together next door and you’ll be here. Kyra might be on to something, Jess. We’re not in high school anymore. And the frat house gig is getting old. Hell, we’re getting old.”
“Naw, you’re still under thirty, that’s golden. Believe me.” Lex stepped into the room with Dr. Roberts following. “Good Morning, my sweet. Inez will be up in a moment with breakfast. In the mean time, Doc Roberts has made a house call.”
The doctor examined Jessie’s wound and applied a new wrapping. He advised her to keep it elevated today with ice, and to keep it in the sling. Lex and Jack watched the proceedings with an amiable camaraderie.
Jessie liked it. The two men she loved the most working together as friends.
After the doctor left, Jack lingered while she ate her breakfast. Eventually, he made his excuses and headed for the door as well. That left Jessie alone with Lex. Alone, and not drugged up on morphine or other pain meds. She took one pill this time, so her head would remain below the clouds.
“Why did you tell Jack I would live here, with you?”
“I didn’t. He’s the one who suggested it, I merely agreed.” Lex stood at the foot of the bed.
“Last night, we had sex. End of story.” Jessie reminded him. “Great sex.”
“No, it’s a beginning.” Lex paced about with his hands crossed across his chest. “A good one. I pushed you too fast, Jessie. I’m sorry. It’s just . . . after waiting for so long for the one you’ve yearned for--I just wanted us to be reunited. I pushed you, and you were scared and so you pushed me away. I should have understood your feelings a little better. It doesn’t have to be over. We can still be a couple.”
Jessie released a heavy breath. She didn’t expect this. Lex walked out on her. He left her a month ago, just dropped her like a bad habit. It burned. She felt as if someone walked up and ripped out her heart. She survived it. She threw herself into the band, getting ready for the next album release. She grew accustomed to the emptiness.
And yet, the band was falli
ng apart around her. Darrell’s attempted assault on Jack was a sobering reality they couldn’t ignore. Darrell’s simmering resentment coupled with Kyra’s flagrant abandonment made her realize she couldn’t live for the members of Heartless any longer. They grew up together. They ran away from abusive parents and eked out a life for themselves here in LA. Their determination paid off. They were now rich and relatively famous--and they were clawing at each other like rabid dogs.
This man, this wonderful, handsome, perfect man was asking her to live with him, to create a life with him. He was still standing there, holding out a hand to her, holding out a life line. Jessie stared at him, humbled by his persistence.
After everything that had happened between them, he still wanted her?
That great sex last night came flooding back and with it the memory of her babbling. She’d said something about marrying him, didn’t she? It was all fuzzy now. She kept saying yes while he was going down on her, and then he asked what the question was. Did she merely think it or had she actually said it aloud?
“ . . . yes . . . I’ll marry you, if you still want me . . .”
As if in answer to her thoughts, Lex said. “Yes, Jessie. I still want you.”
“I still need time. I don’t want to be pushed into something I’m uncertain about.”
“I know. We’ll take it a day at a time. You’re alive. Darrell didn’t kill you, and I’ve decided not to kill him, at least not today.”
She couldn’t help but smile at his quip, and yet, as Jessie gazed into Lex’s steely blue eyes, she realized he wasn’t joking. He meant every word.
“And, we’re not getting married . . .” She added. “At least, not today.”
He nodded. “Not today. But some day. When you’re ready. Until then, you can live with me or visit me and bunk next door with Jack. But--“ His voice dropped an octave in warning. “If I see Darrell next door, if I see him anywhere near you and there isn’t a camera involved, I’m calling in the big guns. And believe me, in this town, 300 pound bodyguards are a text message away. I won’t allow him to hurt you again, intentional or not.”