What to Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection (WTRAFSOG Book 9)

by Kristine Cayne

  She took the ease and ignored the discomfort. “I know. Poor Scot, getting ravished during work hours by an American.”

  His smile widened. “You’ve ruined me.”

  No way in hell she had, but, that, Jocelyn didn’t point out.

  The ritual began and it was barely twenty ’til five, Ian noted. Jocelyn shook out of her suit jacket and placed it haphazardly on the floor. She checked her purse at least twice for her car keys—an item she grabbed out of her office thirty minutes before and kept a good eye on the red leather. Her ordinary end-of-work ticks.

  In and out her feet crept out of the shoes whenever she stood still. She didn’t stand still long in between the final follow ups with security. More than five displays were up in the show room. One hundred feet wide and long, the room was cordoned off to patrons but still a security risk for the priceless items. Not once she did waver from her professionalism throughout the day despite what had happened in his office. It seemed to Ian she held it closer than usual.

  He hadn’t meant to incite an incident between them. Couldn’t even say what word or movement began the downward spiral of need and want for her. But the need for her made him lose his head. Screwing at work? What the hell had he been thinking? There was a guarantee of sex in the very near future, but still he couldn’t wait.

  He only knew something shifted inside him around the time he mentioned the married couples he knew. A collection of friends and colleagues he’d known over the years. They always welcomed him when he dropped by for a visit. It always amazed him how their lives changed so much in such a short amount of time. Most were in his field. They’d traveled. A lot. They stopped when shot between the eyes with love.

  Whenever he had a bit much to drink and was feeling dreary, Ian had the occasional daft urge to follow in their footsteps. Brain swimming in drink, he’d think maybe after he finished breaking his neck to get the exhibition around the world, build up his rep, he could let a woman shoot him between the eyes and make him want the madness. An unlikely affair though, no woman ever looked at him with love.

  But, aye, the need and want shifted at the mention of marriage, heightened when sadness crept into Joce’s usually bright and teasing gaze. He simply didn’t question the primitive awakening and blindly sought out a way to get her naked and trembling. All that with one glance from her.

  Troubling, to say the least.

  Jocelyn’s mobile rang and she lunged for her phone in the purse. Answering it, she paced a few feet away. Only hearing one side of the conversation deepened Ian’s scowl and his fingers fumbled over the buttons of the replica dress.

  “I’ll be there in thirty minutes…”

  “Just hold on until I get there…”

  “Yeah. Absolutely can’t wait. So excited…”

  “Well,” she laughed, “I guess I’ll owe you one then.”

  Who was she flirting with? Jocelyn hadn’t said what she’d be doing after work. Not that he cared. They weren’t in a relationship. Leaving faster than the speed of light after their every session was more than fine with him. But—no doubt there was a man on the end of the line. And she was excited? To fucking do what?

  He continued buttoning the million useless buttons in the front of the dress. But…his mind thought of all the things they’d done. Her enthusiasm made up for any inexperience she might have had. She joked about him ruining her for all other nice men. And he’d joked back that it was he who was ruined. Somewhat the truth. He wasn’t anywhere near close to being done with her.

  He tried to straighten up their work area and not think about how she sounded talking on the mobile or how she’d turned her back to take the call. Ian shouldn’t give a shit, but he wasn’t done.

  Aye, he was worried a little that he may never be done, but nonetheless, things would end when he left. He enjoyed his affairs, but didn’t linger or leave anyone waiting for him. It was unkind leaving someone waiting, hoping you’d come back. Even worse to hear through the grapevine you’d moved on.

  Ian severed his affairs, not coldly, but in a finite way where there was no left over hopes he’d change his mind. He’d do it again with her. Had to. Not like she’d roll out the welcome mat and ask him to stay. He was a number on her bucket list. One he willingly volunteered for, because that’s what he was good at—fucking. He’d made that clear to her from the outset of this affair. Why get mad at her now for sticking to their agreement?

  He glared into the lifeless eyes of the mannequin.

  Jocelyn ended the call and despite his better judgment, Ian turned around to see her face. Flushed. Sodding bastard. He’d already done too much by looking at her, letting her know he’d been listening. It showed he cared what she was doing instead of coming to his flat. So, he wouldn’t ask.

  Her teeth worried her lip as she put the mobile away. “Being impulsive is on my bucket list. Apparently.”

  Not a word. Not one fucking word, but he raised his brows. If she was going to continue, Ian wouldn’t stop her, but he wouldn’t ask.

  Her feet slipped in and out of her shoes. “I’m going to see a man about a dog.”

  “Ah,” he said and frowned. “In a literal sense?”

  “Yes, checked Craigslist.”

  “What?” Ian said sharper than he intended.

  “Adopting would take forever,” she rambled on. “If I passed muster, and I really want a puppy. Now.”

  “And what’d you do for a sitter while at work?”

  “Sister. Already called her during my lunch.”

  The muscles in his shoulders still felt tight. “You’re going to a man’s house. Alone? A stranger? Who posted pics of cute puppies?”

  She sighed. “He’s not a masher.”

  “How do you know?”

  She smiled. “Saying he sounded nice and sane won’t change the expression on your face, will it?”

  Was the woman crazed? Was he? Ian felt like he was. “I can’t let you go there by yourself. Do you even know what a dog needs?”

  “Figured I’d ask the people at the store.” She paused. “Are you angling for an invite, Ian?”

  “No,” he said without thought but then his mind started to work overtime.

  Jocelyn was very much a grown woman who could make decisions on her own. Smart enough to do research and glean from that what she needed to design an exhibit and capture breathtaking moments in history. Clever enough to leave his flat before he was forced to ask her to. From what he picked up on, she had many relationships before him, but maybe only one major encounter that spurred her need for a bucket list. If the man hadn’t put that haunted look in her eyes, Ian would have thanked him.

  She could take care of herself, but he didn’t like the idea of her meeting someone from Craigslist alone. They weren’t in a relationship. They were having sex. They were coworkers. Didn’t mean he’d want to see her hurt. What exactly did he have to do after work since she wasn’t coming over? Nothing.

  He was on her bucket list and going with her would be no different. “I’m coming.”

  “I should be annoyed you invited yourself.” She blew out a breath and considered him without deeper meaning, but with general affection. “But I want someone to come with me now that you’ve made me doubt my decision about going alone.”

  How would he know, anyway, if she looked at him with something other than general affection? That much was good enough for him. Ian breathed easier. This wasn’t a big deal. No need to give in to the niggling feeling that there was more to it.

  Chapter Seven

  Ian stepped into the house behind Jocelyn and caught when the interest dimmed in the man’s gaze. They exchanged an imperceptible nod while she offered her hand. Taking in the home, Ian realized, it wasn’t much of one.

  For a man with a litter of puppies, he didn’t have much furniture. There were pictures on the wall—kids but none of a wife. The children had his same fair coloring and eye shape. The boy more so than the girl, but there were no toys, no general messines
s, no sounds of children. After a brief exchange of words, Ian understood why Jocelyn got the nice and sane vibe from the man—Galen probably was. He still wore a wedding ring.

  Galen gestured to the back of the home, but Jocelyn’s mobile rang again. “My sister. Can you give me a moment?”

  “Sure. We’ll be out back. Can’t miss the little shed,” the other man said and Ian followed him out.

  “So, uh, how many places have you guys gone to look at puppies?” Galen asked.

  The question insinuated they were looking as a couple. Ian started to correct the man but that would make him a dick. What difference did it make if the man knew the truth? Other than Ian felt the need to point it out. Dobbers did things like that. Aye, he liked to mark his territory and had no qualms about it, but Jocelyn wasn’t his. Still, he’d invited himself to make sure nothing happened to her. “The first place.”

  They stepped out under an overhang. The backyard was huge. A fairly new swing and seesaw set took up a portion and the shed took up another. He caught the pained expression on the man’s face.

  Ian shifted uncomfortably having witnessed the unguarded moment. “Did they pass?”

  Galen blinked and shook his head. “Divorce. She took the kids. I got the dog. They can’t have them where she is.”

  “Oh,” he replied with sympathy and hoped that would end the exchange.

  The man laughed and clapped him on the back. “Yeah, you’re here for puppies, not a therapy session. Shall we?”

  They entered the shed and Galen left the door open. The mother had sable coloring with white spots and weighted about twenty-five pounds soaking wet, but with enough bulk to not be an ankle biter. She stood and her pups started jumping up like popcorn around her. Not even fazed, she focused on her owner, wagging her tail happily.

  Ian asked the proper questions as he picked up one of the pups for a closer inspection. Healthy, happy. They might grow bigger than their mum, but not by much.

  “They’re already vaccinated, but they’ll need to be spayed and neutered. I’ve already done the mom.” Galen’s smile tightened. “No more dogs for me. Puppies are a handful.”

  Ian put down the dog and stood. Jocelyn’s voice carried into the shed as she ended her call. He turned to her. “If you’re on the fence about getting a puppy don’t come in and look at ’em. They’re too cute to walk away from. I’m warning you.”

  She halted for a moment and then closed the distance. It took a one-hundreth of a second for her to melt at the sight of them. He laughed and said to Galen, “You’ll be one short by the end of the day, at least.”

  Surprisingly, Jocelyn asked all the same questions he had and then haggled over price with the man like a pro. Then it came down to choosing which one to take home. She started for the pup that looked just like its mum and settled on the one with white around its nose and paws. With her hands full, he made sure to get one of the blankets in the makeshift nest.

  “I feel bad for taking her.” She doubled checked. “Yeah, her.”

  Galen said, “I really appreciate it. I can’t take care of all of them and they needed a home.” He paused. “I know this might be asking for too much, but the kids would like to see pictures every now and again. You can just email them.”

  Her tone softened. “Not a problem at all. I’m a single woman. I’ll be taking tons of pics.”

  The man looked at Ian for a split second but fingered his ring with his thumb. “Thank you, anyway. Let me see you out.”

  At their cars, Jocelyn turned to Ian. The new puppy cuddled into her chest, quivering and whining. He handed over the cover and she tucked the dog into it. “Now the deed is done, not sure what the hell to do next.”

  “She needs stuff. Lots of it, but you shouldn’t take her out in public yet. Vaccinated or not.”

  She bit the side of her lip. “Yeah. Wonder if my sister can sit while I go.”

  “I can,” the words left his mouth before he could consider them. Shit. What was wrong with him?

  And then he thought of the possibilities and pushed the offer. “Go home and I’ll bring all the stuff you need.”

  She pursed her lips. “I don’t know.”

  “I’ve done this before. I know what needs doing.”

  Her gaze narrowed, because she probably caught onto his tone. “You’re just trying to get into my pants.”

  “I am.” He paused and smiled at her. “Is it working?”

  “Depends on what you bring, uh…” She looked down, squinted. The pup had fallen asleep. “Killer.”

  “Oh, God, no. Better name.”

  “Paws?” She barely contained her laughter when she said it.

  “Somewhat better, but you can do classy.”

  “Ruff?”

  He made a sound full of pity. “Poor dog.”

  “And Sadie for a male dog was the epitome of Great Britain’s and its colonies superiority over Americans?”

  “It was humorous. With a ‘u’, by the way. You guys spell it wrong.”

  She grinned up at him. “Okay. Okay. Lexxie.”

  He eyed the slumbering dog and nodded. “I won’t make fun of Lexxie then. See you in a bit.”

  She’d texted him directions to her address once she put down the dog. He left her behind, feeling light-hearted. He wasn’t losing his mind by pushing the boundaries they’d drawn. They’d have sex at her house. To make sure of that he picked up a few extra things on his doggy run.

  Either puppies slept a lot or she picked an incredibly lazy one. Lexxie checked out the house and sniffed at things. If Jocelyn had been slower on the draw, Lexxie would have peed on most of the stuff she’d sniffed. But after that grand adventure, her puppy tottered around in a circle on the cover from her previous home and went to sleep. Not at all what she imagined having a dog would be like. Since she had no Frisbee, chewed up shoes or tennis balls it was kind of anti-climactic.

  She didn’t have time to do something really sappy like watch Lexxie sleep because Ian knocked. It hit her for the first time he’d see the inside of her apartment. Not a neat freak or a slob, the apartment was presentable. Nothing close to high scale as his, but it fit her. Should she care if he liked it?

  A moot point, but nerves settled into her stomach. Before she could let them screw with her head and momentary confidence, she whipped open the door for Ian. The man had shopping bags up to his chin.

  “How much crap did you get?”

  “Half the store.” He glanced around her apartment. “Nice place. Looks like you.”

  He had to push a few pillows out of the way to drop all but one bag on the green couch. The matching love seat had a huge pillow. Normally she would have sunk into the chair by now while watching TV on her flat screen, but she had stuff, so she dug in. “What do you mean it looks like me?”

  “Comfy. A few surprises.”

  She looked up at him and around the room. The apartment looked like her office with both functional furniture and also things like pictures, replicas of famous statues only the size of her palm…little things that made her apartment a home. “Comfy?”

  He stuffed one hand in his pocket and gripped the black bag in the other. “You’re soft. I like it. It’s a compliment. Now revel in all the doggy glory I’ve brought you.”

  Still wary, she asked, “How much do I owe you?”

  He blinked. “Pay me? Why?”

  He sounded incredibly offended so she put up her hands. “It’s just…not what I expected from you.”

  His brows slashed down into a frown. “Well, yeah, I am dobber.”

  “Not that.” She sighed, tried again and then shook her head. “Never mind.”

  Ian’s gaze was intent on her face. “Say it.”

  “It’s just unexpected.” And made her feel for him what she definitely shouldn’t. Made a little nugget of hope grow that they’d become more than sex buddies. “It’s thoughtful. Thank you.” She paused, narrowed her eyes. “What’s in the other bag?”

  He smile
d. “After you get everything together for Lexxie, I’ll show you.”

  Ian walked her through how to prep the food. At that point Jocelyn accepted she did get the lazy dog. Lexxie woke up the moment food hit the bowl and toddled back off to sleep once done on her new sleeping pad. It amused the hell out of Ian.

  They settled on her living room floor and watched her sleep. It felt good. Not at all awkward, but she didn’t know what to make of it. Was he changing the rules? Or did he do this with every woman he slept with? She opened her mouth to ask but then stopped.

  Ian snorted and continued to rub the puppy’s head. “That makes it twice now.”

  “What?”

  “You chickened out on asking me a question earlier at the museum. You know history as well as I do. Yet, you’re curious about mores? Ask.”

  Well, there was her in and no way to back out now without reaffirming her chicken status. “I’ve only ever been in monogamous relationships. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do here, with us. Are you supposed to go with me to get a dog? Buy my dog stuff?”

  He shrugged slowly. “I’ve made this confusing to some extent, but we’re dating, in a way. It’s not going anywhere. We’ll end and we know that date. But, I can do things like this for you and you for me, if you want. Does that help?”

  No, because no matter what he said Ian shouldn’t have been there, having this quiet moment with her. Not if they’d end. She wasn’t built for affairs. If that didn’t make things any more conflicting, she felt safe with him. She’d asked for things she’d never had the balls to with any of her ex-boyfriends. She trusted he wouldn’t think less of her, wouldn’t be baffled why she wanted to explore a certain fantasy.

  Three more weeks and then she’d have to find someone else who’d stay, who’d make her feel safe and trust him. She’d have to scrounge up the same courage to be this woman with a new man, but then it’d matter when they had quiet moments like this. They would be building more between them instead of coming to an abrupt end. Yes, she wanted that fantasy relationship with Ian. He didn’t want a relationship, had told her from the beginning sex was all he could offer, and that knowledge dug a pit in her stomach.