Why Stars Chase the Sun

by C. R. Ellis

  I shook my head in frustration, wondering how long he would hold out. I didn’t know how much longer I’d stay in New York, and I wanted to make the most of whatever time I did have with him. Inside of Emmett’s arms was my new favorite place to be, but there was absolutely, unequivocally no feeling like the one I felt in my bones and through my veins when he was filling me completely.

  After his cold shower, he made eggs Benedict and enough bacon to feed the entire building. We avoided talking about Saturday night completely until Dean called. Emmett stepped out to discuss Harrison’s progress, but I quickly dismissed Emmett’s attempt to talk about it after he got off the phone. I just wanted to move on and forget about the whole night.

  We spent the day watching James Bond movies and talking about anything and everything that didn’t have to do with his crazy family or my impending trip back to Texas. I already felt like I’d known Emmett for years, not days, but the more I learned about him the deeper I felt my attachment grow to this enigmatic man.

  Emmett went to work Tuesday morning, and I attempted to get some work done from his place. But every time my eyes scanned the space, something would catch my attention and remind me of Emmett. I was going stir-crazy from spending so much time confined to the apartment. I was also going straight up crazy from lusting after the man occupying the apartment with me.

  “Enough is enough,” I declared to the empty space. My fingers drummed impatiently against the cool granite of the kitchen island as the hum of the A/C was the only response I got. I pulled up an app for restaurants on my phone then called Merci, the top-rated French restaurant on the app, and made a reservation.

  I checked my watch. Three twenty-five. I had at least two, maybe three more hours before Emmett would be finished at the office. Two plus hours to drive myself crazy watching the clock.

  “I did something impulsive,” I confessed into my phone after my call to Jas went through.

  “About time! Did you pull the emergency stop lever in the elevator and ride Emmett’s face until the firemen came and pried the door open to save y’all? Did you show up at his work, march into his office, and give him a blowjob he’ll never forget? Did you finally get to finish what you started in the front seat of his car? Did you—”

  I choked on a laugh-slash-gasp and cut her off. “Jesus Christ, Jasmine! No. None of the above.”

  “Okay, okay. Hmm…what, then?”

  “I made dinner reservations at a romantic French restaurant. Without realizing I don’t have my fashion and makeup wizard to make sure I don’t show up looking like a homeless cow.”

  “JP, I think we need to talk about your definition of impulsive. I’m glad you’re taking the initiative, but if you wanna get laid you’re going to have to do something drastic. Make sure the man knows you’re all good and perfectly capable of being thoroughly fucked.”

  I groaned. “Like what? I’m all ears.”

  “Sexy lingerie would be a good start. Tell me you brought some.”

  “Uh, negative.” I cut off her groan of exasperation before she could launch into her always be prepared spiel. “I wasn’t exactly thinking I’d want to get laid when I packed for New York. Sue me! Not all of us think about when our next fuck-fest will be, Jasmine!”

  “Damn, I forgot how grouchy you get when you’re hard-up for sex. Relax, Jade, I know a guy.”

  “You ‘know a guy,’ who can what? Come over with a trunkful of lingerie for me to choose from?”

  “More or less. What’s your dress situation?”

  I dug through the contents of my suitcase and stopped when I pulled out the coral and navy cocktail dress I’d thrown in at the last minute. The material was form-fitting, and showed off my curves while giving me the perfect amount of cleavage. Not over the top, but sexy enough to catch his attention. “I’ve got the coral and navy dress you borrowed a couple months ago.”

  “Perfect! Okay, text me the address, and I’ll have Luca bring you some options. And before you get all weird about having a strange man bringing you lingerie, relax. He’s the guy I met during my summer internship in New York. And he’s gay and works as a buyer for Saks. Plus, he owes me, so I know he’ll come through.”

  “I don’t know if I’ve told you this lately, but you’re the best. And I love you.”

  “You haven’t—not today, anyway. And I love you too, JP. But please don’t feel like you have to rush back. Elliot has everything under control, and your contracts are already going back to vendors. So, enjoy things with Emmett, and for fuck’s sake, please don’t let the restaurant reservation be the most spontaneous, impulsive thing you do. You heard my suggestions…” She trailed off.

  I rolled my eyes, even though she wasn’t there to see. “It’s like you’re trying to be a life coach, but for sexual advice. Kinda weird, but kinda perfect for you.”

  She laughed. “Hate to break it to ya, but you’re stuck with my kinda weird ways, Preston.”

  “Wouldn’t have it any other way, Winters.”

  “Good. I’ve gotta run to a meeting, so I’ll call Luca and send him over.”

  “Okay. Thanks, Jas, you’re a lifesaver.”

  An hour and fifteen minutes later, I was staring at the apartment door when my phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number, but I figured maybe Jas gave Luca my contact info.

  “Hello?”

  “Jade,” Harrison bellowed from the other end. “Is there a reason an impeccably dressed man named Luca is here to see you?”

  “Er, yes. I, uh, need his help. You can trust him, I promise.”

  I could sense Harrison’s shoulders slacken as I heard his sigh through the phone. “Okay. By the way, this is my number, so save it and let me know next time you’re planning to invite a man over.”

  “I’m not inviting a man over!” I balked. “Luca is gay! He’s bringing me some… clothing items I needed.”

  His response came in the form of a low chuckle. “I’m just messing with you, Curious Jade. I knew he was gay. And I could probably guess what he’s bringing. Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.”

  I let out the breath I didn’t know I’d been holding as I felt my cheeks flame with embarrassment. “Thanks for nearly giving me a heart attack, Harrison.”

  Another low laugh.

  “Where are you, anyway? Holed up in some basement security room or something?”

  “Yes to the security room, but no to the basement. I’m just two floors below you.”

  “Oh. Well, sorry I didn’t think to let you know I was expecting someone. It won’t happen again.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Jade,” he offered before we disconnected.

  Luca was a lifesaver in more ways than just the killer supply of lingerie he came armed with. After trying on every different type of lingerie imaginable, he helped me decide on a lacy navy and white bra and thong with sheer stockings and a garter.

  “Damn, you look good enough to eat. If ever there was a time for me to switch teams…” Luca stood, propped against the bathroom counter, admiring his handiwork as I eyed myself in the mirror.

  I bit my lip. “You don’t think this is too much? Does it make me look desperate?”

  He stared at me blankly as his thumb and pointer finger moved rhythmically against his chin. “Baby, desperate is kinda the point. If he’s not banging you into next Tuesday after seeing you in this, I’d be concerned for his health. I haven’t touched a pair of tits since my days in the closet a decade ago, but yours look phenomenal. And I see a lot of tits in my business.”

  I laughed, grateful for his reassurance. “I totally see why you and Jasmine are friends.” He wasn’t what I’d imagined, for some reason. The expensive, tailored suit and tie, yes. The shaved head, beard, and bulging muscles were unexpected, but suited him.

  He grinned. “We were cut from the same cloth. Even down to our taste in men.”

  “Breathing?”

  He snorted a laugh. “You forgot hot. Definitely hot, breathing men.”
>
  I shook my head and shifted my eyes back to the mirror. Yes, this should do the trick. I was done waiting, and this little number was sure to push Emmett past the careful boundaries he’d tiptoed around for days.

  “What are you doing with your hair? Makeup?” he asked, inspecting my features closely.

  “Uh, I’m not sure. Don’t suppose you'd have suggestions?”

  He clapped his hands together and immediately moved toward my makeup bag and hair supplies on the opposite side of the counter. “As a matter of fact, I do.”

  “In that case, I am your canvas.”

  “Excellent! Go put your dress on first; I can’t work with your boobs staring at me,” he ordered, waving his hands and gesturing toward the dress hanging from the closet door in the bedroom.

  I laughed and obliged. If I couldn’t have my best friend help me get ready for tonight, Luca would absolutely do.

  My phone buzzed in my lap, and I smiled at the name. Much to his dismay, I’d changed it from Boston the Sex God. I could only imagine how awkward that conversation would be if I forgot before going to dinner with my parents and they happened to see it.

  EMMETT:Longest. Day. Ever. I can’t wait to see you. Promise I’ll be back around 6, 6:30 at the latest.

  JADE:I can’t wait to see you, either, Boston the Sex God. I’ll be waiting…

  I attached a picture starting at the hem of my dress, where one of my hands rested against my thigh, and ended at the heels on my feet. I wasn’t sure it came across as sexy as I’d hoped, but Luca peered over my shoulder and gave his approval, so I hit send. My phone buzzed almost immediately after my message went through.

  EMMETT:I just dropped an f-bomb in a meeting with the VPs of a company we’re in negotiations with to buy. Thanks for that.

  JADE:Just tell them an incredibly hot brunette sent you a provocative photo and you can’t be held responsible for your reaction.

  EMMETT:And have them all trying to picture you naked? Not a chance, Tiny. That mental image is reserved for my use only.

  I pulled my dress up enough to show the garter and suspenders and snapped a sexier version of the same photo.

  Luca whistled and shook his head with a chuckle. “You are ruthless, Jade. I better hurry and finish your makeup before he storms in here and throws you down immediately.”

  I bit my lip and hit send. “What? Jasmine’s not the only one who knows how to use her sexuality to get what she wants.”

  “Good for you,” he approved with a wink before turning his attention back to my hair.

  My phone buzzed against the counter and we both leaned over to look.

  EMMETT:Jesus Christ, Jade. You are killing me. I’m on the verge of faking an illness to get out of this goddamned meeting. If a hard-on was considered an illness, I wouldn’t have to fake anything…

  JADE:Mmm. I’d like to see that. Actually, I’d like to feel that. Maybe lick too.

  EMMETT:Fuck. Me. You’re trying to send me to an early grave, aren’t you?

  JADE:Hopefully not before I get the chance to cure your ‘illness.’

  EMMETT:You’re so going to pay for this. Turning off my phone now.

  JADE:What exactly did you have in mind for my punishment? I’ve heard handcuffs are fun.

  EMMETT:…phone going off. Seriously. Call Harrison if you need me.

  I laughed and Luca fanned himself as he finished with my hair.

  “Well, that’s one way to ensure you get laid,” he called, lifting his wine glass to clink against mine.

  I smiled and sipped the Riesling from my glass.

  Half an hour later, my hair was perfectly in place in a low, twisted knot at the base of my neck, and my eyes were sporting a flawless smoky-cat eye look I’d never be able to duplicate.

  Luca bent to peck my cheeks, careful of the makeup, before making me give him one last spin in my dress so he could get the full effect.

  “Emmett is one lucky man. You are breathtaking. You certainly didn’t need my assistance to get there, but I’m glad I could play a small part. Please don’t be a stranger, and I promise I’ll come see you and Jas soon!”

  “Please do, Luca. And thanks, you played more than a small part in all of this.” I smiled, hands sweeping down my ensemble.

  After he left, I wandered aimlessly around Emmett’s office, admiring the built-in bookshelves. It was a purposeful distraction; the nerves swimming in the pit of my stomach quickly fell away. I flipped through book after book, using each carefully penned word as a way to keep from thinking about the man I was dying to have in my arms.

  I picked up Grapes of Wrath and flipped to a page with a bookmark saving someone’s place. I started reading and didn’t stop until I heard the elevator’s ding.

  “Jade,” Emmett shouted the instant he stepped into the apartment. Keys clanged against the metal bowl on the entryway table.

  Heavy, purposeful footsteps sounded against the hardwood. I willed myself to breathe as I leaned back against the edge of Emmett’s desk, waiting for him to come to me.

  Chapter 17

  Emmett

  Coming to work today was a bad idea—untangling myself from Jade’s limbs this morning to get out of bed should’ve been proof enough of that. The sexy-as-hell pictures she’d texted escalated it from bad idea to colossal fucking mistake. I had used every ounce of self control I possessed to keep my hands off of her for this long. That shit went out the window the minute she sent the first photo. The second was enough to make me contemplate rescheduling the meeting that had brought me to New York in the first place. The words accompanying the photos surprised me, but I was absolutely feeling them. A little too much, if you asked my poor dick.

  I was forced to spend the next hour and a half burying the mental images Jade had scorched into my mind, while a handful of middle-aged men discussed things like quarterly earning figures and future profit margins. Things I cared about a week ago. Now, I couldn’t find the will to give two shits what kind of profits Axtero Technology pulled in last quarter. I would’ve been tempted to bail if John had been able to come to the meeting. I considered texting Harrison to drag Jade’s ass to my office, just so I wouldn’t have to wait a second longer than absolutely necessary to get my hands on her flawless body. But I had several creative ideas for how to pay Jade back for those photos, and they all required a level of privacy not offered at my office.

  Usually when in New York, I liked to take long runs through the park before heading to the company’s penthouse apartment after work. It cleared my head to take in nature juxtaposed against the rest of the city. Today, there wasn’t a dollar amount high enough to entice me to run after work.

  I rushed into the lobby of my building and headed straight for the elevator, tossing a quick hey over my shoulder in the direction of the doorman. He must’ve been able to tell I wasn’t in the mood to chat, because he stopped mid-question as I repeatedly jammed my finger into the elevator’s door close button. The only conversation I was willing to have involved a green-eyed brunette at the other end of this elevator.

  My hands twitched with anticipation, and I felt my dick already stirring to life the higher the number climbed on the elevator’s electronic screen. Is it possible for a dick to take control of a person’s brain? Because that’s what’s happening right now. Some might call it lust. But with Jade, it wasn’t just lust. Sure, she had looks and a body worthy of being immortalized with a bronze statue, but I wanted her for more than physical characteristics. I wanted her for the way she lit up a room just by walking into it. I wanted her for the way she blushed when I caught her staring at me or when she found out she had muttered something about me in her sleep. I wanted her for the understanding and strength she always gave me. I wanted her for the way she looked at me, like she just knew I was capable of greatness, even if I didn’t. I wanted her for the way she pushed me to be a better man without even realizing she was doing it.

  I practically sprang out of the elevator, turned on and wound
up after traveling thirty-six floors while staring at the photos Jade sent.

  “Jade,” I bellowed when she was nowhere to be seen in the living room or kitchen. I darted glances down both hallways visible from the living room, one leading to the bedrooms and one to the office. My feet knew which direction to go before my brain did. Not surprising, considering which part of my anatomy is running the show right now.

  All those thoughts of ways I wanted to make Jade pay for torturing me earlier evaporated as soon as I stepped into the office. I had half a second to take in the sight of her, casually leaning against my desk looking drop-dead gorgeous in a dress that would’ve looked even better discarded on the floor, before she launched herself into my arms. I welcomed her assault and hauled her body against mine.

  “Missed you,” she drawled against my lips, while her hands looped around my neck.

  “Missed you too, pretty girl,” I replied before sealing our smiling lips together. Keeping her in place, I walked backward to the desk and eased Jade down on an empty spot.

  I allowed my hands to glide over the silky material of her dress along her waist, my desperation for her growing with each inch of fabric I covered. She leaned into my chest, fisting the hair along the base of my skull and pulling me closer. My hands traveled along her ribcage until they were parallel with her perfect, full breasts that begged for my attention. My thumb grazed her peak, and she moaned into my mouth while letting her legs fall open so I could close the last remaining space between our bodies. Her hands worked furiously at the tie around my neck while I stripped off my suit jacket and let it fall to the floor. I immediately dropped my hands to the hem of her dress, tugging it up to finally expose those legs I’d spent half my day wanting wrapped around my body.