What to Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection (WTRAFSOG Book 3)

by Lauren Hawkeye

  It took Jesika a few looks around before her eyes finally locked with mine. I watched as her face went from curious, to recognition, and ending with embarrassment before she was grabbing her friends arm and making a fast getaway to the bar.

  Aw hell, what does she have to be embarrassed about?

  I watched her slowly disappear through the thick crowd. Thankfully that was our last song. It didn’t take me long to find her standing by the outside bar, I was half expecting her to be uneasy by the way she had taken off. I figured I would play it safe and watch her from a distance for a few minutes, trying to get a feel of her mood before I approached. Her friend had an amused look on her face, so I knew it was safe to make my way over. The natural magnetism between her and I only seems to be getting stronger and now that I finally have opened up that gate there was no way I could stay away from her any longer.

  I was standing right behind her, so close I could smell her sweet perfume mixed with the sweat from when she was dancing. She was absolutely clueless on how many asses her ass put to shame. It was perfectly round and squeezable. It’s the kind of ass your hands should be glued to when she’s on top riding you or when you’re holding her up against the wall, your own personal gear shift.

  It was easy to picture kissing her softly and moving my hands down to grip that plentiful ass, pinning her up against the wall seemed like a perfect idea at that very moment. I know I shouldn’t be having those kinds of thoughts already, but fuck, she’s hot…and hell, I am a man.

  I’ve tried to enjoy going on a few dates this past year, and I’ve even had my share of random hook-ups, but when your mind is stuck on the what if’s with someone else, you end up trying to keep yourself available for that certain person. I would beat the shit out of myself if I missed the opportunity of truly getting to know the woman who has unwittingly entranced me. It wasn’t as if I avoided other woman just for the hopes of one day having her, but I’d drop a hussy in a heartbeat if the opportunity with Jesika presented itself. For me, staying single also had a lot to do with the fact that I had a lot of shit on my platter with being a single father, full time firefighter and part time drummer. I’m not going to lie, after everything she has been through this last year I’ve been worried that chance would never present itself.

  As I closed the distance between us with a couple more steps, hearing the words ‘orgasmic drumming’ come out of her mouth damn near made me spew my drink out and drop to my knees.

  Luckily, no one noticed, not even her munchkin of a friend. However I could tell by her widened eyes and devious smile she knew I had happily caught Jesika’s naughty confession.

  Her body had instantly tensed, somehow she knew I was behind her and heard what was not meant to be heard escaping from her lips. I give her props for keeping her cool and attempting to play it off. Under normal circumstances, I’d let the girl off the hook and not press the issue mainly for the simple fact that I wasn’t interested, but since nothing is normal with our situation I went in for the kill because I’m interested in this girl. And hell, having my body pressed up against hers and watching how my breath blowing on her neck completely affected her, damn, it nearly made me throw out every single reason I had to play it safe.

  I wanted to continue our playful banter, but knew I needed to quit while I was ahead. Plus I wanted to keep her interested, not to send her packing. She had looked so beautiful, hot, sexy, and well just plain gorgeous. The girl was every single compliment you could come up with wrapped into one. I know she doesn’t know the beauty she possesses or how hot her little curves are or how much I want to slowly run my hands down each one of them. I can feel my pants getting tighter as my cock grows hard just at the thought of her body. If only she knew what she does to me, and has been doing to me.

  So, here it is Sunday, two days later, and I am here wishing I would have asked for her number. This whole next week without getting to see her, after how I left her Friday night, is going to be freaking torture. Duty calls though and my four days off have come and gone meaning tomorrow I’ll be stuck at the station for the next four straight days. This also means I won’t be picking Emma up from school either. Therefore making my chances of running into Jesika a big fat ZERO. I love my job, but man do I hate the work schedule. It’s rough being away from home for days at a time. I have to admit they are actually pretty lenient with me knowing my single father status and all.

  I can’t seem to shake the image of Jesika out of my mind. It’s as if someone pushed the instant repeat button. The whole damn playlist going through my head is hers.

  I adjust myself because just the thought of her makes the crotch in my jeans two sizes too small and it is starting to get uncomfortable. I let out a heavy sigh as Seth enters the living room.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “Nothing,” I bark. “Nothing’s wrong with me.”

  He laughs, “So this sudden shitty mood of yours doesn’t have anything to do with that hot sexy chick you ran after on Friday night?” Seth looks at me, waiting for me to deny him of the truth.

  I sigh again because I hate it that he’s right and the bastard knows me so well. “You’re right,” I groan again, shoving my hands through my hair. “It has everything to do with her. I’ve been wrapped around this girl for like the last year, almost two. She has me by the balls and has no fucking clue about it.” I sink back into the couch shocked by my own confession.

  Seth looks down at me, “Damn Derek, I haven’t seen you this whipped since, well, since you know who.” I give him a warning glance to not continue with his sentence. He starts to walk off, but turns and looks back at me over his shoulder. “Are you ready to work out some of that pent up sexual tension you got going on? The boys are waiting for us down in the basement.” I meet his gaze, thinking he better be done running his mouth.

  Then he adds on, “Oh and hey! Do you think you can get someone to cover your night shift Thursday night just for a couple of hours? I was able to book us a last minute gig and I don’t want to cancel.”

  “Sure. I’ll see if Nick will come in early so I can leave in time since he’s always up for taking extra hours when possible. His baby momma is a bitch and has him shit deep in child support payments.” With that said, Seth left the room to let me sulk by myself about my situation with Jesika.

  Once practice is over I tell Seth I’m going out to our grandparents to work on the old Challenger I had back in high school before I pick Emma up from her friend’s house. It looks like a piece of shit right now, but one day she will be a beauty again. Who am I kidding, the car was never beautiful, but it will be one day. I’ve actually got a lot of it restored for the most part. Old Betsy, as my grandpa used to call her, is a 1971 Dodge Challenger. I’ve been slowly working over the years to get her fully restored. It was a job gramps and me were going to do after I graduated college, but all of that ended up going to shit, so along with that my car did as well.

  This whole restoration has been slow on my part. First of all being the fact that I was supposed to be doing it with the only male influence I truly had growing up, and now without my gramps being around to be a part of this with me, it made it really hard to even want to. As the years passed by Seth convinced me to do it. Mainly, by manipulation which he is notorious at using. I’m very thankful that he black mailed me into it though, I really did love this car back in the day and so did the ladies. It was definitely a chick magnet.

  After an hour of sand papering the rust spots, Seth shows up. He’s not one for manual labor, so I’m shocked when he grabs a piece as well and starts helping. To say we’ve had our share of rough spots in our relationship is understatement. There was a time I questioned everything, and wasn’t sure there was much hope for us to ever get along, but here we are now as if nothing ever happened. Maybe it’s more like what we went through brought us closer.

  For the most part we have an unbreakable bond now. I still think there are things he keeps from me, not sure why, but I’ve ac
tually learned to trust him because no matter what, he does have my best interests at heart. He isn’t some selfish dickhead like most people think. It’s more like he wants people to think that. That’s the persona he wants to roll off of him, that way he keeps everyone at an arms distance.

  Mainly the females, well besides the ones he keeps at a close distance pinned underneath him. That’s all it is though, sex, getting off, and fucking.

  It’s mainly a distraction. A distraction from reality to keep from ever having to really feel any emotion towards a woman ever again.

  Shit. I’ve been fucked over just as bad, if not worse, and you don’t see me giving up the hope of real love and companionship. That’s one of the main areas that we disagree on, meaning I rarely ever attempt to bring the topic up.

  “What brings you up here?” I ask, replacing another piece of sandpaper.

  He shrugs his shoulders. “I got bored after the guys left, so I figured I’d come help your pansy ass.” Who the fuck is he calling a pansy?

  “That’s real rich of you pretty boy. What time is your manicure?” I chuckle. He’s not a pretty boy. But I like to throw it back in his face since that’s what he likes to call me because my style in clothing is preppy compared to his rocker apparel.

  “Yeah, yeah. Anyways, on a serious note—” he stops the sanding, which I knew he wouldn’t last long at anyways because it’s me who is the pansy so he says. I eye him suspiciously because I honestly never know what Seth is going to dump on me. “I really hope things work out with this chick you’re interested in. I’d have to have been fucking blind or just plain stupid to not know there is something different about her that draws you to her. I’m really proud of where you are these days with your life and how you didn’t let the shit from the past drag you down or change you in the process. I really do admire that about you. I will never admit I said that. I will lie my ass off.” He lets out a laugh then as if nothing was funny all seriousness returns to his face. “I hope one day I can move on from my past instead of letting it keep me bound up. One day I hope I find the one woman who can change it all, if that’s even possible.”

  I nod my head at him. “It’s possible. If you leave your mind and heart open to the possibility.” And with that dose of reality, he nods back at me and goes back to sanding.

  Chapter Five

  Jesika

  Let me start off by saying, I love my bestie Mallory…but sometimes I really, really love her. She always knows how to pick my spirits up, or how to get me to do something I think is completely crazy, but is actually so needed. Desperately needed. So, with that being said, the fact I haven’t seen Derek in four days sucks. No, scratch that. It completely blows.

  Admitting that I actually have a crush on someone is still hard to admit to myself. It almost feels like I’m cheating on Jake. The fact that I’m thinking about seeing Derek more than thinking about how much I miss Jake is making me feel somewhat guilt ridden. Then again, I also know that it is something I need, I know I will never forget Jake no matter who is in my life, but that doesn’t make it any easier. I’m kind of confused by these sudden feelings I’m having for someone who is practically a stranger.

  When I get home, after being thoroughly disappointed again that there was no Derek at the school, I feel like I’m about to Hulk out. Maybe it’s the way he left me Friday night; a little worked up, hot and bothered, damp between the legs…freaking feeling like a lioness in heat.

  He’s a freaking tease. He did this to me on purpose.

  I walk into my room and on my bed is a little purple with yellow polka dots gift bag with a card sticking out. I take the card out and it reads, ‘Thinking of You in Your Time of Need’.

  “Humph,” I say to no one in the room. I open the card and read it aloud. “Hey Jes! I know you’d never buy this for yourself, but trust me when I say you need it! Seriously, I am your Best Friend. Love ya, Mal.”

  I dump the bag over and pull the pink tissue paper away. “What the hell is that?” I say, again to no one. I pick it up and I swear I’m holding a bedazzled tampon holder. It’s small, fits in my hand and it’s slightly bigger than a lipstick holder. I go to open it and the damn thing starts buzzing and shaking in my hand. I drop it.

  Holy shit!

  Mallory bought me a battery operated toy. I start laughing thinking about our conversation after the concert. She was so right, I would never buy myself a battery operated toy or any kind of sex toy for that matter.

  For the last year, sex has been the last thing on my mind. The fact that I’m now experiencing some signs of sexual tension makes me blush as the butterflies start to flap around. I know damn well who is responsible for these reincarnated feelings.

  I wake up Thursday morning feeling completely refreshed and in an extra good mood. Realizing that damn toy is pretty much responsible for it makes me crave that feeling again. I refrained from using it the first night because honestly, I was a little embarrassed for no reason in particular. Or for the fact that I’ve never used one before.

  Mallory had called me last night to let me know that The Rifters were having a concert tonight and I needed to find a sitter. Before Derek, I wouldn’t have cared enough to try finding a last minute sitter, but after another day of not seeing him, I was literally craving his presence.

  “So, Jesika, did you like your gift?” Mallory throws the question into our conversation casually.

  “Umm, yeah I always wanted a bedazzled tampon holder, how’d you know?” I say in a completely serious tone.

  “Holy hell Jes! I knew I should have sent an instruction manual with the damn thing. Leave it to you to have no clue what it is!”

  Laughing I say, “Mal, you are my best friend, I have no choice but to know what it is with all those damn COSMO magazines you leave lying around my house. You better hope Jaxon never picks one up and starts asking me questions because I’ll be sending him your way.” Realizing the effects that conversation would have on my son, I take back that threat. “Never mind, you’d scar the poor boy for life with your endless knowledge. Anyways, back to your question, it’s really pretty and all…and I’m sure it works wonders, but I haven’t used it yet.”

  “What? You haven’t freaking used it yet?” She squeals, the shock apparent in her tone. “Knowing how that boy makes you feel, I get horny just talking to you. The horniness you are hoarding seriously just rolls off of you. You need to release it, especially before we go to the concert—because if you don’t, you’ll be humping the hottie’s leg like a dog in heat!”

  Yeah, tell me something I don’t know.

  After hanging up with her last night, I decided to take the sex queens advice and took my little studded toy for a test ride. I thought of Derek, his hot breath on my neck and the way his body felt pressed up so close to mine made my whole body quiver at the thought. The way I feel when he’s playing his drums and I completely let go at the wonderful pounding of the drums. How it would feel to be completely overtaken by his powerful body. I had never gotten off so many times in one sitting before, even with Jake. It was like I couldn’t get enough. I literally ran an orgasm marathon. Which I think should totally be a new sport by the way.

  I wanted to put extra effort into getting ready for the concert. I want Derek’s full attention and I want to leave a lasting expression. I dress in my mid-thigh jean skirt, and well fitted purple long sleeved shirt with my black cami underneath. I want to look sexy, but still leave something for the imagination. I top off the look with my heeled black boots. I’m still not brave enough to attempt wearing Mallory’s heels. I let her do my eyes again, but I have her go for the smoky eyed sultry look.

  I have to admit we both look really hot, but I’m only looking to get one man’s attention tonight. I’m a woman on a mission, and I have to admit it feels really good to have something, well, someone to look forward to seeing.

  The bar is packed but as always we manage to mingle our way up to the stage after taking a few shots at the bar. I’m
definitely in need of a little liquid courage tonight. It was easy last week, not having a care in the world as I danced the night away front and center, but now that I know the man who will be sitting behind the drums setting the tempo to my moves is the incredibly sexy Derek. That detail puts a slight crinkle in my not giving a shit armor. Once we reach the stage I’m hyper aware of his position on the stage. If the beats of the drums weren’t zoning me in on his exact coordinates, it’d be the heat from his burning eyes drawing me in.

  Derek sets a fire to my senses that I haven’t felt in a long time. Damn, I’m not sure I’ve ever felt the way he makes me feel before. If I heard someone else saying these types of things I’d chalk it all up to crazy talk, but damn if I’m not the one sounding like I belong in the Looney Bin.

  It really is amazing seeing him fully in his drumming element. The way he moves his whole body, bouncing his head in rhythm with each beat of the sticks, is like a magic spell. I can’t close my eyes or even look away. For the most part, my focus is glued to him and his is the same with me. If he didn’t have to somewhat concentrate, I know he’d never break the eye contact. Every now and then he throws a wink my way only causing me to blush like a thirteen year old girl. Even when Mallory nudges me with her elbow I can’t take my eyes away.

  “God heffer! What the hell was that for?” I say half teasing and half serious since I know she most likely bruised me.

  “Do you think I have a shot with Seth? He’s fucking hot! I know its cliché and all, but I would so do him!” She’s right. Seth is sexy, though a different kind of sexy than Derek is. Derek’s got the all American hottie look going where he could have walked out of an American Eagle ad.

  Seth, he’s got some mystery to him. Maybe it’s all in his eyes, where Derek’s are pure ice blue, Seth’s are more like the deep depths of the ocean blue. He could pass as a model too, since you see all sorts of hot models these days tatted up. He isn’t rough looking or all scruffy though. You can tell his image is very important to him. His hair is darker than Derek’s and slightly longer, it seems shorter than I remember it being at the last concert. Their body sizes are the one of the most prominent differences. Seth has to be a good five inches shorter and twenty pounds lighter. The lead singer position fits him and his voice is amazing as well. He’s a complete natural up on the stage; the way he grabs the attention of everyone in the audience is mesmerizing.