by Rosa, A.
I didn't think this was how having a girlfriend would be. It's a normal thing to do, introducing her and such, but the circumstances are bizarre. "The art gala is Saturday. I already got you a ticket. Most of my friends will be there, including Marcus. Maybe you could snag his phone there."
She grins from ear to ear, and I swear she holds back a laugh. "Jeremy, now you are thinking like an agent."
I rub my face and I almost want to laugh, but it would be a dark, sad sort of laughter. "So we start with the gala. That's it?"
"I would call Marcus and clear things up if I were you. Comfort him. Offer him a friendly hand. Be bros—whatever it is that guys do. I need you to convince him that you two are fine, and you have to make him believe you. It's imperative for this to work." Her tone is stern and authoritative.
I take in a deep breath. "When?" I ask.
"As soon as possible." She raises an eyebrow.
There is a long pause. I look back at her, scrunching my face up. "Now?" I whine. She nods, smiling that deadly smile again.
I try my distraction technique. I take her face and command her lips. She giggles, and I can feel her grin against mine. She allows me access to her mouth, and I wrap my tongue around hers, tangling my hands into her black waves.
She pushes me away, still giggling. "Jeremy, I know what you are trying to do. You cannot use your sexpertise to distract me on this one." Damn.
I pout in defeat, heave in a deep breath, and pull out my phone.
She kisses me chastely on the lips and gets up. "Good boy."
I grunt my disapproval, but smile as I watch her walk away. "Don't think you can order me around!"
She winks. "Wouldn't dream of it. Now, I am going to give you some privacy for that phone call. If you're lucky, we can pick up where we left off after. That's, if you're lucky." She walks down the short aisle to the en suite in the back of the plane to leave me to my task.
I grunt this time because I am beyond fuck-strated from watching her slink out of my view. I adjust my pants. I can't focus on that.
I take in a last cathartic breath.
I can do this.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Lies & Despair
JEREMY HUNT
I tap my foot as the phone rings. He picks up three rings in. "What?"
The abrupt way he answers the phone shocks me. I guess I am far from forgiven.
"Hey, Marcus, I just wanted to call to see what's up. Miss seeing you around." Do I sound convincing? Because it feels weak, even to me.
"That's it?" I can tell he is a little more on edge than usual.
I adjust my jacket, and clear my throat. "I need to apologize."
"Apologize for Sunday morning? Or everything you have ever done to me?"
His words startle me. I have always known Marcus to be an easy going, forgiving kind of guy, but something is different. Since when does he hold my mistakes against me?
"I'm calling to apologize about Sunday, but if you need me to apologize for everything, I will. I miss my best friend."
He grunts. "Are you sure? You seem a bit preoccupied as of late."
I tense. "If this is about Alex, then I am sorry. I did not want it to end up this way." I peer around the living area to make sure Alex is out of earshot. "I really like her, and I know I handled it the wrong way but I ... I don't know, bro. I don't know what to say."
He sighs an exasperated breath. "Jeremy, it's like that with every one of them."
His words piss me off, because they're not true. "I get that maybe I cash in the best friend card too many times for a bunch of pointless fucks, but you have to know I like Alex a lot." He snorts into the phone, and I continue, "I'm bringing her to the gala on Saturday, and I want to make things right."
"You're kidding me right now, aren't you?"
Is he talking about the fact I am bringing a date? Or is he talking about the awkwardness of a re-introduction? "What do you mean, Marcus?"
"You want me to talk to the girl that I wanted, and is now some sex toy in your life? This is absurd, even for you."
His statement makes me mad, but I keep my cool. "Marcus, hear me out. We have been friends too long to let some girl get in the way."
"You're right. And that's why you shouldn't have let it. Does it make you happy to see me so fucked up?"
I can hear the heat in his voice, and it throws me. I shift back into the best friend I used to be. "What's going on with you, man? You sound strange. Tell me what's happening. Stupid girls aside, I'm worried about you. You still sniffing that shit?"
"Jeremy, it's too late for you to care about me." He sounds offended.
It's another strange thing for him to say, and knowing what I know, I'm flooded with worry. "Marcus, tell me you're all right."
"I'm fine and I don't want to fight with you, especially over a fucking girl. We are fine. Let's just drop it."
His brusque tone is less than convincing, and I feel like he's telling me what I want to hear. This conversation is all sorts of fucked up. I am making no progress. I'm actually worried about him. And hell, am I allowed to admit I don't want to lose the only good friend I have?
The sinking realization that maybe he isn't a good friend anymore hits hard. He is using my money and my company to wreak havoc on an innocent world. In a way, I don’t think I have any idea who he is anymore.
I'm not sure how I can fix this. There is a lot on the line with this.
"Where the hell are you right now anyway? Rebecca told me our meeting was rescheduled."
I don't want to talk about work. "I'm flying out to see Dad."
"Your dad? Is he OK?" His tone shifts to one of concern, worry, and maybe even a dash of panic. I come to an enlightening realization.
Marcus has always liked my dad way more than I do, but that's the way it goes, right? He has always been incredibly protective of him, especially since my dad got cancer. Marcus waited through every chemo treatment with me, and even picked up my dad's meds when my dad still lived in town. He treats him like his own father. It's understandable since my dad took him in during our first year of college, which was a year after Marcus's parents died.
This is my way in.
I make a rash decision, hoping I can follow through with it. Alex might be proud. "No, he isn't, actually. They say the cancer's back, so I thought I would go and see him for a day." I exhale, letting my lie trail off in the silence.
"Why didn't you tell me? I would have come with you!" Obviously, there is at least one person in his life he cares about.
I feign panic and concern. "I am calling you now, man. I need us to be OK, because, well, I know you care about my dad, and I think he is a little more important that some girl, right? It was a last-minute decision to come see him, and to be honest, I wasn't sure if you wanted to get within fifty feet of me ..." I continue to let my sentences trail off in hopes that it will rope him in.
He sighs, and I can sense the exhaustion in his voice. "Dude, Jere. I'm sorry. Should I fly out there and see him?"
"No, no, it's fine. He has his first consultation with his doctor today to talk about the next step. I'm scared, Marcus."
"It's going to be OK, bro; I'm here for you."
Gotcha.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Remain Seated
ALEX TURNER
Sleep feels good. I feel warm and safe. I snuggle into the pillow and take in a deep breath. Mmm, it smells of soap and Jeremy. It's the most calming, comforting smell, and I snuggle closer to it. It's harder than I expect, and I realize that my pillow has a heartbeat.
I grin before I open my eyes, and Jeremy's crystal blue eyes greet me. His mouth curves upward at the sight of mine, and he whispers, as if I might still go back to sleep, "I didn't have the heart to wake you, but I didn't want to be away from you."
His arm cradles me, and he runs his hand through my hair before pulling me closer to him.
What's wrong, Jeremy?
It's a new experience for me, this
whole being affectionate and caring, but I am able to identify it for it is. I look up at him again and see his face is set in a hard line.
I lift my head up and place a kiss on the corner of his mouth, surprising even myself. His eyes dart back to mine. He seems shocked too, and he wears that secret smile again. Before I can say anything, he beats me to it. "Agent Turner, you can be quite sweet sometimes, did you know that?"
I blush, because I wasn't aware that I had the capability to be sweet either, but I tense at the name. "Please don't call me Agent Turner. I don't like it."
His face still seems set in stone, but his eyes ignite warmly. "To be honest, I don't like it either." He scoots his body down so he can kiss me. It's quick, but when I feel his lips against mine, his shoulders relax. I weave my fingers into his blond mess of hair, tugging him away from my lips so that I can look up at him. The lines around his mouth tell me he is stressed, but he still manages a smile.
Oh, that smile. "Jeremy, tell me what's wrong."
He closes his eyes and buries his face into my chest. His shoulders tense, and he squeezes me against him again in a tight embrace. He needs comfort. It's obvious. Jeremy is strong, but when it comes to the people he cares about, he can be adorably vulnerable. Who knew the stoic big shot would have such a soft side? It almost makes me jealous. His emotional range is vast, and mine seems so limited in comparison.
I continue running my hands through Jeremy's hair, letting him come to me when he wants to. It feels good to feel needed this way. Jeremy doesn't need my guns and my protection. He needs me.
Abruptly, he pulls away, locking his arctic stare with mine, commanding my attention. He opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out, and he shuts it almost immediately. Oh no. I'm flooded with worry so I do the only thing I know: I press my lips to his. He moans into my mouth, and his kiss turns urgent. He ravages my mouth, opening it up and tangling his tongue around mine as he lets his free hand cradle my face. One by one, his muscles relax, and he pulls away enough to trail sweet, adoring kisses down my neck.
"I. Need. You. So. Much."
I brace myself for tension, but it never comes. Instead, my heart swells and my chest tightens—but in a good way. I don't know how to deal with these feelings, so I stay silent. He lifts his head from the crook of my neck with that secret smile, as if he knew saying such things would knock me off balance.
I smirk, and his face softens as if my Jeremy is finally returning from a stress-filled abyss. He kisses me chastely. "It's OK not to know what to say."
It is as if he can read my mind.
I don't know why, but my first reaction is annoyance. Maybe because it sounds like some weird, twisted challenge to succeed at this relationship business. He seems more like some innocent teen who got the girl and has no notion of pain; whereas me, I am on the edge my seat waiting for it all to crash down around me. Jeremy came from a loving home, and I, on the other hand, didn't.
I sigh, roll my eyes, and decide the best remedy to this situation is his lips. He accepts mine willingly, and the hand cradling my face makes its rough, leisurely decent down my body. He cups my behind, swinging my leg around his waist. I cradle him between my legs, and I don't want to be anywhere else.
We hit a bit of turbulence, and I yank my face away from his reflexively. He places a quick kiss on my jawline and laughs. "Nothing to be afraid of, babe."
This time when he says babe, my heart skips a beat. When I look back, he's smiling. "I'm not afraid," I quip.
"Uh-huh." His smile remains on his lips, and he simply rests his chin on my chest, taking in a deep cathartic breath as he closes his eyes.
I run my hand through his blond hair, and then drag my fingertips down his sideburns to his bottom lip. His angular features are as striking as a Viking god.
He's acting as if he has never been more comfortable. He takes another breath. Tension still lingers in his body though.
"I talked to Marcus," he states.
"And?" My tone is quiet and calming as I stroke Jeremy's hair, and sometimes down his neck to his shoulders.
He closes his eyes. "I had to lie." He sounds like he's confessing. His tone is stern. I can sense his distaste.
"You lied? What did you lie about? I didn't realize making up with Marcus was going to require a lie."
His overwhelming huff says it all. "Well, it did."
He rolls off me and back onto the bed. I don’t want him resenting me. I don't like making the people I care about lie.
"I'm sorry, Jeremy."
He ignores my apology. "I tried my normal I'm sorrys, but he wasn't taking the bait, and then it hit me." He pauses to rub his face as if the epiphany is baffling. "I told him I'm on my way to see my dad, and Marcus thought my dad was sick again." He rolls over, perching his head on his hand to look at me. "I knew that my apologies weren't cutting it, and when I realized that Marcus still cared about my dad, I lied. I knew it was the only way. I told him my dad's cancer had come back. At the time, it was easy. I didn't realize lying to him would make me feel so ... I don't know"—he sighs before he looks back up—"terrible. My dad's cancer is not something I like to lie about, regardless of the reasons. But I knew that I had to. It was the only way." I can see in his eyes that he feels awful about it.
Instead of speaking, I crawl next to him and nuzzle into the crook of his neck. He wraps an arm around me.
"Something is going on with Marcus. I mean, obviously he is plotting something terrible, but beyond that, he isn't the same. He seemed fine last week, but overall, he has been progressively more on edge. He didn't even sound like my best friend. I felt like I was apologizing to a stranger. Maybe it's the drugs, I don't know."
My head perks up in surprise. "Did you say drugs?"
He shrugs as if it's no big deal. "Yeah, Marcus starting doing coke about, I don't know, maybe six months to a year ago. I never approved, and technically, it could cost him his job, but he's my best friend, ya know? I didn't want him to get into trouble, so I told him as long as he kept it under control and only did it socially I would let it go. He dabbled with it in college, so I didn't think it was a big deal."
My eyebrows furrow in concern. "It is a big deal though. Doing a drug like that can alter your moods, thought patterns, and behavior. A serious user can become desperate, irrational, and dangerous."
Jeremy's eyes widen. "Marcus has always been an in-control kind of guy."
"Obviously not, Jeremy. Marcus could be a loose cannon at this point, depending on his usage, but this could also be a way in. Drug users like other drug users."
Jeremy's body tenses. "Excuse me? You're not thinking about doing it with him, are you?"
"No, I don't want to, but let's say I see him Saturday and he gives me the cold shoulder. I could use his habit as leverage to get closer to him, to get him to confide in me, or even to trust me."
He sits up. "I don't like that." Of course, you wouldn't. I can see that getting used to what my job entails will be a rough road for him, so I decide to try a different angle. "I can seduce him if you prefer?" I clamp my teeth on my bottom lip, knowing the reaction I will get.
Jeremy's blue eyes frost over with, what? Jealousy? He climbs over me and grabs my arms, pinning them on either side of my face as he presses his hips into mine. "No, I would definitely not like that." His tone is commanding, heated, and hot.
I smile, and he leans down to grab my bottom lip with his teeth, tugging it free of my grasp. "I don't share."
He doesn't allow my smart mouth to respond as he kisses me, and as urgent as before. In a way, this is my favorite version of Jeremy. He's secure, commanding, and confident. I don't have to think when he is in this mode. He owns me, and I think he knows it and enjoys it. When he's like this, I don't fight back—well, for the most part.
He moves from my lips, then kisses down my jawline and takes my earlobe between his teeth. The move is my kryptonite. I moan into his ear, and he presses his hips into mine. His erection teases the apex of my
thighs through the material of his jeans, and it does things to me. I want to claw at his shirt. I try to jerk my hands free, but he tightens his grip, growling while nipping and kissing down my neck to my cleavage.
Ding. "Attention, the plane will begin its decent into Sedona, Arizona, Airport momentarily. Please return to your seats immediately."
He collapses in defeat onto my chest, still pressing his hips into mine. "You have got to be kidding me."
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Awkward Greetings
JEREMY HUNT
As the chauffeur begins the journey down the private road to my dad's ranch, I realize my head is anywhere but in the game for this one.
Alex is all sorts of distracting, and I have never been so happy to be distracted.
I couldn't keep my hands off her the whole drive here. Her bashful laugh is what pulls me in. That's when I want more. That soft caramel center oozes adorable girl, rather than the hard exterior. I like both versions, but she seems to reserve the sweet side for me. It drives me crazy. It shocks me to feel these sort of things, but I want to see where this yellow brick road leads me.
When the car slows, I steal a rushed kiss, knowing I have a short time left alone with her.
She giggles. "Jeremy, we are about to see your dad." The smile does not once leave her lips. Her smile makes me want to smile. Strange.
I let my hands drag down her tight, toned body, and I begin my assault, trying my luck. Maybe she is ticklish. While my lips try to coerce hers into giving me more, she yelps and tries to squirm away. She can't manage her girlish giggles. "Jeremy, what"—giggle—"are you doing!" Giggle. "Stop it!" Giggle. "I mean it!"
She grabs for my wrists, lightning quick, and with a surprisingly tight grip. Like a spark, her sexy grin catches my eyes, and she manages the strength to pin my hands down. It's the most seductive thing a girl has ever pulled on me.