At least I knew his angle. I could better play my part if I knew the role expected of me. I was comfortable with him holding my hand and putting his arm around my waist. Even when he pulled me into his side and tucked me into that spot men reserve for women—I didn’t cringe. But when he wanted me to sit on his lap, my cheeks burned with embarrassment. As I tried to maneuver out of the situation gracefully, he smacked my butt and I just about lost it. Excusing myself, I went to the bathroom to regain my composure, not expecting Drake to follow.
I tried to close the door to the powder room behind me, but he slipped his hand in the crack just before the gap was gone. I backed off to allow him space to enter. I hoped I hadn’t embarrassed him, but I needed a second away.
“You okay?” he asked once the door was secure behind him.
I gave him a brief grimace of a smile. “Yeah. I just needed a minute. When you said you needed to seem committed, I didn’t know you meant quite that committed.”
He stepped closer to me, running his hand slowly up my bare arm. I couldn’t help but watch his fingers as they moved across my skin. “There’s a huge investor here. He and his wife just got married—she’s quite the little gold digger—but he believes they’re in love because they fuck like rabbits.” His hand continued to peruse my exposed flesh, traveling over to my shoulder and down the back of my arm again, sending chills all over me. It wasn’t arousal so much as being ticklish, but he must have thought otherwise. “You could certainly help me out. If I land this investor tonight with your help, there’d be a hefty bonus in it for you.”
I kept listening but didn’t speak.
“I could make your medical bills disappear. All you have to do is help me work this deal.” His gaze went from my face to my lips then slowly to back to my eyes.
He knew he had me over a barrel. If he truly knew what I was up against, he’d know the demand would never go away. “I’m not sure what you have in mind, Drake.” I prayed it wasn’t what I thought it was.
But his hand went to my hip as he pulled me into him, my waist to his. His eyes took on a sultry appearance as he stared into mine in some odd attempt to woo me in a bathroom.
“I’m sure that trip to the emergency room cost you a small fortune… You’ll never get out of The Village with debt like that stacked against you.” The words flowed from his mouth as though they were a pickup line—like I should swoon at the thought of financial suicide. Sadly, he only knew a fraction of the deck stacked against me. The whole scene was very odd. “All you have to do is play along, and Monday morning, I go pay those bills in full,” he whispered onto my neck. His breath was hot and muggy and left a trail of ickiness just below my ear.
He was right. I’d never get out of the ghetto as long as I continued to amass debt instead of wealth, and in my situation, I needed to eliminate bills, not collect them. The enormity of Emmy’s ongoing care was more important than my being uncomfortable, but Drake didn’t know that.
I let out a deep breath. “What do you need me to do?” I was exasperated but resigned to my fate.
“Good girl.” He praised me like a child. My brow furrowed, waiting for him to answer my question. “Just be a bit…more affectionate. I just played the part. You can too.” He winked at me, and some of the creepiness I’d just felt eased from the room. He was playing a part and that’s all he wanted me to do.
I agreed to his request, hoping if I played by his rules, he’d make good on his end of the agreement and stop by the hospital on Monday. The majority of the party started to wane around nine o’clock, which seemed terribly early to me on a Saturday night, but I didn’t make the rules. Those still in attendance appeared to have congregated together in a small group. I noticed all the men were slightly older than Drake but considerably older than the women on their arms or in their laps. I began to wonder what type of party this had become and prayed Drake’s expectations didn’t morph into something I couldn’t handle, just to land a business deal. I’d made sure to stay sober, not wanting to relive what took place with Holland, but these women all seemed completely straight as well. They were just very…loose.
I watched each of them with earnest curiosity. These were the types of women Jase and his friends were worried about—every one of them seemed invested in earning a lifestyle, not loving a man. It was easy to discern listening to them what their motivation was, but the men seemed fine with having eye candy instead of love. I was fascinated by the dynamic as I tried to ignore the feeling Drake’s hand on my hip gave me. He had pulled me into his lap when we joined the group and his fingers lingered dangerously close to my pelvic bone. The way the tips dug into my skin when he’d laugh caused me to jump, which in turn caused Drake to give me a peculiar look almost pleading with me to hang in there and bear with him. I grimaced back, indicating it was a reflex—I was ticklish. Surely, he could tell how uncomfortable I was as I nursed the same glass of wine I’d been sipping on all evening.
Slowly, the women, all but me and one other, seemed to migrate toward each other in the center of the room. Having kicked off their heels, they made themselves comfortable on the floor while the men talked business around them. Drake never made a motion for me to move, so I held my position and prayed time would speed up. Either these girls were drunk as skunks or they were used to…playing with each other. When the first two kissed, my eyes shot straight up to the only other female, who wasn’t sitting on her butt on the floor acting like a high school Harriet exploring her sexuality. The same look of fear crossed her face. I suddenly needed a bathroom reprieve and asked my new friend across the room if she’d like to join me…an invitation she quickly accepted.
I looked to Drake in an effort to be polite in front of his associates. “I’m going to run to the restroom. Would you like another drink on my way back?” He eyed me apologetically before asking anyone else if they needed refreshers. At this point, I’d be more than happy to play hostess if it kept me from making out with other women.
My sidekick and I took the refreshment requests and left the room. I escorted her to the bathroom farthest away from the group and introduced myself the second I closed the door behind us.
“I’m Kelly.” She stared at me as though she wanted to say something, so I waited. “Do you have any clue what’s going on out there?”
I shook my head and let my guard down.
“I’ve never been out with Matteo before. He seemed like a nice guy. I had no idea this was the type of party we were coming to. Did you?”
“Nope.” I popped the P before I continued. “And I’m really uncomfortable, but I don’t want to embarrass Drake.”
“I feel like I’m auditioning for a part. Matteo whispered for me to feel free to get to know the girls. I looked at him like he had to be kidding, but Gianna, he was serious. I am not that kind of a girl. My mom would kill me if she thought I’d ever been involved in something like that.”
I couldn’t help but giggle. She was sugary sweet and shouldn’t be tied up in this mess of men. I didn’t know any of them well, including Drake, but I knew enough to know she was in over her head. “I feel you. I’m just trying to make it through the night without getting pulled into something I don’t want to be a part of.”
We agreed to stick close to each other and prayed we made it out unscathed. The two of us acted as though we were being asked to commit murder, when really, it was just dirty old men living out their fantasies. And boy were they living out their wildest dreams. When we returned to the group with drinks in hand, I was grateful none of them had requested coffee for fear they’d spill it on their naked skin. Kelly situated herself next to Matteo and attempted to join the conversation, and thankfully for me, Drake just pulled me into his side. He kept his arm around me and toyed with me respectfully—his hand in my hair, on the back of my neck, around my waist. He kissed my temple when he got up to leave the room and held my hand in his lap, but he never made a move that caused me discomfort. He treated me as though he truly cared for me and
not like I was a piece of meat on his floor. It didn’t escape me he never watched the action taking place on the floor, either.
Kelly kept nodding, and Matteo finally took the hint. It was late, and it appeared the men would soon be joining the women. I had no idea how Drake and I would get out of this one, but when Matteo announced their departure, my date asked him to drop me off on his way.
My eyes went wide as saucers. I wasn’t sure which was more mortifying—being forced to join the naked, or his friends knowing I lived in The Village. He squeezed my hand as he texted Matteo my address for his GPS and led me to the front door. His lips met my cheek, and just after he kissed me goodbye, he whispered in my ear, “Jase will take care of you. He knows you’re on your way.” I let out a heavy sigh, thankful Drake had kept my secret and felt his hand slip my payment into the pocket of my pants.
I stared back at him with adoring eyes and lifted on the tips of my toes to peck his mouth. I hugged him tightly and thanked him. He knew what I meant, and I was grateful he’d been respectful, even when I’d thought he was asking for a lot more.
Chapter Ten
I sat in the back of Matteo’s sedan listening to him and Kelly chatter. He seemed oblivious to her discomfort at Drake’s house, and I wondered if she’d ever agree to another outing, but I kept my mouth shut. When we pulled up to a gigantic house, my jaw fell open seeing Jase’s home for the first time. He’d left the lights blazing on the front porch, and both Matteo and Kelly commented on the beauty of the structure. All I could muster was a muffled, “Thank you.” I slipped out of the back seat and waved as they pulled away.
Jase opened the door just as I reached the stoop, and I about tripped over my own feet at the sight of his bare, tan chest and jersey shorts hung low on his hips. My eyes started at his toes and crawled up every inch of his body until I was met with resounding laughter. I realized he knew I’d just appraised him like a piece of meat, and sadly, my mouth was open and my eyes were wide.
“You’re not so bad yourself.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me into a hug as he closed the door behind us. He smelled like soap but with that warm scent of skin. I inhaled deeply and enjoyed his embrace while I listened for children who might still be awake, but the house was silent.
“I’m not really sure how I ended up here, but your house is stunning.” I pulled away from him and took in my surroundings. He had the finest of everything, and it was immaculately clean. He took my hand and pulled me down a hall and up a flight of stairs. He opened a door when we reached the top and put his finger to his lips, indicating my need to be quiet. I peeked into what I assumed was Jase’s man cave based on the stadium seating, enormous TV, and gaming chairs, to see my children sleeping soundly on the floor—and Derrick was in there somewhere. His foot stuck out from under a pile of blankets, but I couldn’t see the rest of him.
A smile erupted on my face when Jase closed the door. He’d pulled off a sleepover of epic proportions. These kids thought he hung the moon, and they’d be high off this experience for weeks. I followed my host back down the stairs, through a maze of rooms, and down a separate staircase. He didn’t turn on the lights as he went but held my hand and led the way. I realized we had ended up in Jase’s bedroom when he turned on the lights.
He dropped my hand and moved to a dresser before producing a T-shirt and pair of boxers. “I’m sure it’s not what you’d prefer to sleep in, but it’s the best I can do on short notice.” The wink he sent my way had my panties bunched up. He had no clue what I’d do to sleep in his clothes every night.
“Sorry to impose. Things were getting a little crazy at Drake’s, and he sent me to you.”
He rolled his eyes and clenched his jaw muscles just slightly. “I can imagine, but you’re always welcome here.”
I took the clothes from his outstretched hand and he motioned me to the bathroom. My thoughts ran wild being in his house, in his clothes, with my children asleep upstairs. I mentally slapped myself, refusing to allow my mind to play house with Jase Lane. I quickly changed and folded my clothes neatly on the counter. Emerging into his room, I found him perched on the side of the bed, staring at the bathroom door and then me. I had rolled the top of the boxers down to keep them from falling off, leaving them invisible beneath the hem of his shirt that swallowed me. If I hadn’t known better, if it had been any other man, I’d swear he was looking at me like he wanted me to be his next meal, but his gaze shifted and the moment was lost. Awkward.
He stood and adjusted himself in the process. I tried to keep my focus on his gray eyes and not the shorts, but I was struggling. My heart was so twisted up in Jase Lane I’d never find freedom from the knot. He cleared his throat and brought me back to the present. “Do you want to watch TV with me for a little while before you go to bed? I know it’s late, but I usually need time to wind down when I get home. All the guest rooms are upstairs, but you can stay down here and go up when you’re ready.” He spoke in rapid succession, and I couldn’t help but think of him as a nervous teenager. I caught a glimpse of the awkwardness he claimed to be a victim of in his youth. It was endearing. This man, who could buy the majority of the city, whose family had more power and wealth than that of five countries, was nervous being alone with a woman.
I felt my eyes twinkle with a hint of laughter as my cheeks pushed them closed with a smile. I loved everything about Jase—including his awkward nerd. His bed was unmade, which must have been the only unkempt thing in the house. I climbed in the middle, situated the pillows, and pulled the covers up to my waist. He stood in the same spot with his head tilted to the side just slightly and his quirky grin playing games. I bit my bottom lip as the scar above his eye caught my attention.
“You going to stand there?”
He shook his head. “Sorry. I’ve never seen a woman in my bed.”
Stop the train.
Hold the phone.
He’d never seen a woman in his bed.
My brows scrunched up, unsure I’d heard him correctly. “What?”
Jase was silent while he joined me on the bed and leaned back against the headboard. His armed draped lazily behind the small of my back. I desperately wanted to lie down and curl into his side, but I stayed put. “Nope. Not one.” Aware of my disbelief, he continued. “I told you I’m not good with women. I never have been. And I haven’t wanted them in my home.”
Involuntarily, my head did a slow nod in acknowledged skepticism.
“Stop reading too much into it. Just because I never bring women here doesn’t mean I haven’t been with anyone.”
“So why am I here?”
He shifted to his side, his hand brushing my butt as he adjusted himself. “What do you mean? You’re my best friend, Gia. Why wouldn’t I want you in my home?”
“Your home is different than your bed.” I didn’t know what it was about Jase that caused me to speak before I thought about the words coming out of my mouth, but right now, I wanted to hide in a closet.
“You’re not naked in my bed, so don’t make it perverse.”
And there was the cold bucket of ice water I needed to cool my libido. Having sobered my thoughts, I steered the conversation in a safe direction. “How were the kids tonight?”
Jase launched into animated details of their evening and all the things they’d done. He never turned the TV on, and as he told me stories, I watched his face with admiration. This man spoke of my children with love as though they were his and he was proud of them. They’d gone to ride the little go-carts, and Emmy was scared, but she toughed it out and loved it. The look on his face was one of pride—like she was his child. I watched the memory linger in his eyes before he shifted his focus to me and his face fell.
“What’s wrong with her, Gianna?”
The question seemingly came out of nowhere and slapped me upside the head. “What do you mean?” I hoped he’d let me play dumb. I wasn’t ready to give out this information and see his perception of me change.
“She told me she
’s sick and has been for a long time. I know you take her to the doctor a lot, but I just thought that was kids being kids with colds and shit. But when I asked her if she had a cold she said no, it wasn’t that kind of sick. I didn’t press her, and she didn’t offer any more information.”
I waved him off and told him she was making more of it than it was. “Kids take things to the extreme, Jase.”
Silence hung in the air while he debated internally about continuing the questions. I waited. “Okay.” He replied with a yawn and pulled my arm out from under me.
My body crashed to the bed, and I knew if I didn’t get back up quickly, I’d be a goner. I was exhausted and only awake because I’d been sitting up talking to him. He grabbed my hand and tugged it over his stomach as he pulled the rest of me into his side. I needed to get up and go to another room, but I wanted to stay just a little while longer. The warmth of his embrace, the security of his arm around me, the beat of his heart through his chest—I wanted to hang on to all of it just another minute.
Another minute turned into morning.
I woke to a firm chest turning into me. My arm still wrapped snugly around his waist, he pressed the length of his body to mine as he stretched. I’d bet money there was evidence of his arousal, but as soon as I’d felt it, he moved again. He propped his head up on his hand and stared down at my sleepy eyes. His fingers traced the line of my jaw, pulling hair from my face in his path, every second more intimate than the last. His eyes were warm and lazy, and when I reached up to touch the scar above his eye, a grin toyed with his lips. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the stampede of little feet above us. Instead, he placed a kiss on my forehead and cupped my jaw with his hand. I wanted to beg him not to leave the comfort of his bed or our embrace, but when the kids started calling his name, I knew I’d lost his attention.
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