by Ashley Blake
“I did, I have an office right in downtown Anchorage, and it’s going great. I was really nervous about doing it, but since I came from such a prestigious firm I was able to really get my name out there while I worked for them. So once I opened my own doors I had former clients refer people to me. I couldn’t take any current clients with me so word of mouth really worked for me. In the beginning my clients were 100% referrals. And what about you Lauren? I read in the alumni magazine that you made partner at your firm in something like 3 years. Is that true?”
“You did? Amy must have sent in my information. Anyway, it is true. What I really want to do is exactly what you did. I want to go out on my own.”
“My best advice would be to make sure you research the need for your type of law. You want to make sure there is a crowd who needs representation. In order to stand out among the competition, you must offer something that no one else is providing. That could be something as simple as reducing your fee. Once you build up your client base you can raise your fee on new clients only. I have to tell you, I love it and I would never go back. If I can do it, I know you can too. Lauren, when you go out on your own, if you ever have any questions, feel free to reach out to me. I will be more than happy to help you.”
Paul had always been so nice to me in college. Since he and Jake were frat brothers I saw him a lot because I spent a lot of time at their frat house. And now he was turning out to be an invaluable business contact.
“That would be awesome. Thank you so much Paul.”
We both pulled out our phones and exchanged numbers, email addresses and LinkedIn info. I could see Jake watching us out of the corner of my eye and he did not look happy. He started to walk toward us so I changed the conversation to a subject that I knew would rattle Jake. He wasn’t the only one who knew how to push buttons.
“So Paul, how’s the love life? Is there a wife? Kids? Girlfriend?” I asked my questions playfully not wanting to be too flirtatious but wanting Jake to hear so he would think I was flirting. It was time he had a taste of his own medicine.
Just as Paul began to answer me, Jake walked up. “You two look like you are deep in conversation. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” He tried to sound light-hearted but I could hear the strain in his voice.
“Love lives, dude, we’re talking love lives. To answer your question Lauren…no wife, no kids and no girlfriend. I haven’t met the right woman yet, but I know she’s out there.”
“She definitely is. When it’s right it will happen.”
“Yeah, and what about you? Husband? Kids? Boyfriend?”
I hesitated as I glanced at Jake who was practically burning a hole right through me. My throat was dry and my heart was pounding as I glanced at Jake again before answering Paul.
“No husband or kids, not yet anyway.”
“Oh, but a boyfriend, huh?” Paul gave me a teasing smile.
Jake was not amused. His tone was cold as he chimed in. “Yes, let’s hear about your boyfriend Lauren.”
I could feel myself getting upset and I didn’t want Jake to see the way he affected me. I cleared my throat and tried to excuse myself.
“My throat is really dry. I’m going to go get a drink. Excuse me.” Before I had a chance to leave, Paul chimed in.
“I’ll get it for you.” Just as I was about to protest, he was gone. My heart was pounding as I realized that Jake and I were standing there alone together. I cautiously looked up at him and he turned his stony gaze toward me. I searched his eyes looking for a hint of the man I fell in love with in college. He had to be in there somewhere. When I saw that cruel look again, I had to say something. This had to stop. I wasn’t going to go the entire trip with him so angry at me.
“Why do you keep looking at me like that Jake?” The irritation in my voice was evident.
“Like what Lauren?” Sarcasm dripped from his words.
“You look so angry, like you hate me and it is killing me. I was hoping we could get past what happened between us.” I felt so sad and I could feel the tears coming and I really didn’t want to cry in front of him. I glanced down and pretended to sneeze as I quickly wiped away what was about to spill over down my cheeks.
“God bless you.” I glanced up at him surprised at the kind gesture. I could see the anger in his eyes shift as a bit of remorse set in.
“Thank you.” My words were nearly a whisper.
“I don’t hate you Lauren.” The words were cold but the anger had subsided. I saw Paul walking back over to us with my drink in his hand.
“Here you go madam. Sorry it took so long, the line was crazy.”
“Thanks Paul, you didn’t have to do that.”
“No problem, Lauren. Well guys, it was great catching up with you today but I am beat. I think I’m going to turn in; it’s been a long day. I’ll see you both tomorrow.” Paul took off and once again we were standing there alone together.
“I think Paul had the right idea. It’s getting late. I’m going to find Amy to let her know I’m turning in for the night. It was good to see you Jake.” I was emotionally exhausted. It was obvious that he wanted nothing to do with me and I just wanted to crawl into my bed and bury my head under the covers. He didn’t say anything as I walked away and that made me feel even worse.
I found Amy chatting with some of our old friends and let her know that I was going to bed. She could see the stress written all over my face and pulled me aside out of ear shot of the others.
“Are you okay?” Her blue eyes were full of concern as they searched mine.
“It’s just been a long day and I need to start over fresh tomorrow.” I didn’t want to get into the way Jake was treating me because I didn’t feel like reliving it. “I’ll probably be sleeping when you get back to the room so wake me for breakfast in the morning if I’m still sleeping, OK?”
Amy smiled at me. “Sure thing.” She gave me a big hug. “Sleep well.”
I was walking toward the door when Jake quickly rushed over to me, his dark eyes focused only on me. I rolled my eyes at him, not wanting to hear anything he had to say. I didn’t have the strength to endure his nasty demeanor.
“Let’s go talk somewhere else.”
He didn’t even wait for me to reply, he just started walking. And he kept walking. My head was telling me not to follow him, but my heart had more power.
“Jake, where are we going?” He was walking clear across the ship to the other side. He didn’t answer me and just kept walking. I reluctantly followed him and then he headed down to the secluded lower level.
He was a few steps ahead of me and when he hit the landing he rounded the corner. As I went around the corner Jake grabbed me and pinned me against the wall, his body pressed against my chest, both hands on my waist. I didn’t have time to react as he leaned in to whisper in my ear. I felt his warm breath on my neck and intimate feelings came flooding back to me as I savored his familiar touch.
“I don’t hate you Lauren.” That deep sexy voice caused my stomach to flutter. He pulled away a bit to search my eyes as a finger gently caressed my cheek. “I could never hate you.” His hands gently cradled my face.
My heart was literally pounding.
He looked down at my mouth and the next thing I knew, his lips were touching mine, softly, gently. I parted my lips to let him in, our tongues teasing each other. I let out a soft moan as I basked in the bliss of his gentle kisses. I felt the heat surge between my thighs and my arms crawled up around his neck and he pulled me closer. His hand grazed my breast over my dress, teasing my nipple as his kiss became more urgent. I could feel his stiff member through his pants as he pressed his body even closer. He let out a soft groan as my fingers combed through his thick hair. My panties were soaking as I thought of how it would feel to have him inside me. One hand slipped under my dress and lightly brushed over my panties and I let out a soft moan. His finger dipped inside the waistband of my panties and I pressed into him wanting to feel more contact. We were in the hall
way and anyone could see us if they happened to pass by but I was oblivious, I just wanted to feel his touch. His fingers grazed my wet core and started to manipulate my folds, sliding around the tender area. His thumb pressed against my sensitive bud as his fingers delved between my folds. I grabbed onto his arms, writhing under his touch but trying to stay quiet so as not to call attention to us. His touch and his mouth were so sensual and I shuddered as he started rubbing my bud harder. He planted a deep, long kiss on me as his skillful fingers teased my tender opening before pressing inside. My fingers dug into his arms as my tongue slid over his, wanting to inhale all of him. His thumb was furiously rubbing my clit as he now pressed two fingers inside me stretching the wet, tender skin. I was panting now and I could feel the pressure in my body build, I was almost there.
“Come for me Lauren.” His words were rough as his thumb rubbed in hard tiny circles against my slippery bud.
I let out a muffled cry into his shoulder as my orgasm rocked my body, my core pulsing and tightening around his fingers. I collapsed against the wall, panting and gasping for air. I had not meant to allow this to happen but my body betrayed my mind. I looked at Jake and he had a look of pure sex on his face as he started to unbuckle his belt and my core was aching to be filled by him. We heard a noise at the end of the hall and we quickly composed ourselves and straightened our clothes. Doing so gave me a moment of clarity. I was not going to have sex with Jake, after 10 years, in a hallway on a packed ship. What are we doing?
I stepped away from him. “We can’t do this.”
He seemed to be yanked out of his reverie by my abrupt movement away.
“Why not?” His breath caught as he glanced down the hall to make sure no one was around.
Um, Vivienne. You have a girlfriend Jake, or at least you claim to. I didn’t want to say the words out loud because that would give them power and make them real. I didn’t feel like facing that reality tonight. If he really did have a girlfriend he shouldn’t be here with me.
“Can you just walk me back to my room, please?” My voice was small and I felt defeated. I was so exhausted I didn’t have the strength to dissect what tonight meant.
He looked confused, but obliged. When we got to my door I said goodnight.
Jake kissed me on my cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow Lauren. Sleep tight.”
I was so confused when I crawled into bed. Sleep tight. He used to say that to me years ago every night before we went to bed. My mind was racing as I relived the night in my head. What did the kiss mean?
Thankfully Amy wasn’t in the room yet, because I was sure she would have questions about tonight. I wasn’t up to rehashing anything. I was going to keep this to myself for just a little while.
CHAPTER 4
The following morning I awoke to gorgeous sunshine and smooth, crystal clear blue waters. Amy was in the shower so I stepped out onto the deck to inhale the fresh ocean air. I was nervous about seeing Jake today. I still couldn’t believe what had happened the night before. His hands, his lips! He was all I could think about but I had to remember that we were not the only two people on this ship. I hadn’t spent much time with Amy or any old friends, so today I wanted to catch up. If Jake wanted to see me, he would have to wait until it was convenient for me. I went back into the room and Amy was brushing her hair.
“Sooo…what happened last night?” She sat on the bed, eyes wide, waiting to hang on to my every word.
“All I will say is he is definitely not the same Jake Hunter we knew years ago. We talked before I went to bed and cleared some things up.” I didn’t want to go into any more detail than that. Not yet. I felt that I would be betraying Jake if I did. How silly is that? What am I protecting him from? Maybe I was protecting myself. I wanted to see where things would go with this new, sexier Jake, if anywhere at all.
Amy peered into my eyes, searching. “There is something that you are not telling me, but I’ll let it go, for now.” She winked as she grabbed her purse and opened the door. “I’ll meet you in the dining room when you’re ready. The class breakfast starts in 30 minutes.”
I’d chosen to wear a simple, but pretty, pale blue summer dress and I was just putting the finishing touches on my makeup when I heard a light tapping at the door. Amy must have forgotten her key. “What did you forg…”, as I opened the door Jake stood there leaning against the doorway, catching me totally off guard. Is it possible that this man looks even more gorgeous today than yesterday? His dark good looks were unnerving and I quickly tried to compose myself.
“Good morning Lauren. Did you sleep well?” He had a slight smirk on his face.
I refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing how he had affected me even though I wanted him to take me right then and there. I wasn’t going to let him know that I tossed and turned all night thinking about him.
“Good morning. Yes, I slept very well, thank you. How about you?”
“Like a baby.” Again, that sly little smirk. “I was just getting ready to go to breakfast and thought I would walk over there with you.”
“OK, let me just grab my purse.” I tried to suppress my excitement that Jake actually came to get me for breakfast. Clearly I was on his mind if he was at my door first thing that morning. I didn’t really want breakfast. I lost my appetite the second I saw it was him at the door. What I really wanted was for him to throw me down on the bed and make mad, hot, passionate love to me. What I really wanted was to feel his strong arms around me. What I really wanted was to be with him forever and ever.
But I couldn’t let that show. I had to be very careful not to screw things up and push him away. I knew he was hurt by me and he probably resented me on some level. I didn’t want to do anything to make things worse. I wanted the old Jake back who wasn’t so cold and distant.
We arrived in the dining room just as everyone was sitting down to eat. The class breakfast was fun. I made it a point to catch up with people I had missed talking with the night before. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jake talking to Arianna. The way she was hanging all over Jake was starting to piss me off, but what made me even angrier was that he let it happen. The way he was acting toward her made me think he might have eyes for Arianna also. They sure looked chummy over there by the window. I was so hoping she wouldn’t even come to the reunion. I’d heard that her fiancé dumped her a couple of years before because he’d met a younger, richer girl. I didn’t want Jake to get distracted by anyone else, and then I remembered Vivienne. Vivienne! Did he really have a serious girlfriend? If he did, why was he flirting so openly with Arianna and why did he seduce me last night? The Jake I knew was not a cheater, and the fact that he kissed me last night convinced me even more that Vivienne was a figment of his imagination. There was no way she was real, but just to be sure I was going to ask him about her the next chance I got.
Looking over at him with Arianna I thought, what a jerk if you really do have a girlfriend. Flirting with her, kissing and seducing me…you really might just be a scumbag now. Maybe he was giving all of that attention to Arianna to make me jealous. Well it was working. I decided to get some fresh air before I made a fool of myself. Seconds after I stepped onto the deck, Jake was by my side.
“Walk with me.” He grabbed my arm and didn’t let go. I tried to snatch it away but his grip was firm. We went to the second level of the boat and stood by the railing. He turned blazing eyes on me. “I saw you watching me talk with Arianna.”
I looked at him, indifference written all over my face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh? So you weren’t watching me talk with her?” There was that damned smirk again.
What did it matter?
“I don’t know, so what if I was? I didn’t say anything or do anything, did I? I didn’t make some sort of spectacle of myself, did I?” My hand was on my hip and I was clearly annoyed and didn’t try to hide it.
“I like this feisty side of you.” He leaned in to whisper in my ear. “It’s a huge
turn-on.”
That deep, sexy voice of his caused my stomach to flutter. I was tongue-tied once again. I just looked at him. I couldn’t believe what an effect he had on me.
“So what are your plans for today Lauren?”
I cleared my throat and was finally able to put two words together without sounding like a bumbling idiot. The first day on the ship we were at sea so I had made plans with Amy.
“Amy and I are going to explore the ship and then a little later we’re going to a lecture from the spa staff about beauty tips. Then we’re supposed to play bean bags and just hang out. There’s a martini tasting this afternoon that we’re going to do also.”
“Cancel your plans.”
I looked at him, confused. “Why?”
“We need to spend time together.”
“Really. We need to spend time together Jake? How would Vivienne feel about that? And how would she feel about what happened between us last night? You know, your girlfriend?”
My eyes captured his, waiting for his response. He took a deep breath and I saw his dark eyes soften as they returned my gaze. “I may not have been completely honest with you about that.”
I knew it!
“I ended things with Vivienne before I came here.”
Was he telling me the truth? I didn’t see any twitching. “Is there really a Vivienne, Jake?”
He looked completely confused. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, does she really exist?” My hand was still sitting impatiently on my hip.
“Of course she does. I didn’t lie about her, I just was not completely honest about the state of our relationship.”
“You mean you lied about your relationship with her.” I wasn’t going to let him off the hook with this one. “Why did you do that?”
“I wanted to hurt you, plain and simple.”
I stood there stunned looking at the floor. Well it worked Jake, it did hurt.
“I know it was wrong, but I was still so bitter about our break up Lauren. Look at me. Please.” His voice was gentle now.