Promising You (The Jade Series #4)

by Everhart, Allie

  “I want to hear it from Arlin. He seems to have all the answers.” Garret picks his phone up from the table. “Will you be okay here? No, you can’t be alone. I’ll go down and get Harper to stay with you.” He starts to leave.

  “Garret, wait. I’ll just go with you.” I move to the edge of the bed and reach for my crutches. I feel dizzy again as I stand, but I don’t tell Garret or he won’t let me leave.

  “You sure you’re okay?” He gets my coat from the back of my chair.

  “Yes. Besides, I can’t let you go there alone. We don’t need another Kensington killing another Sinclair.” It’s not at all funny, but it sounds funny when I say it.

  Garret smiles as he shakes his head. “I’m not going to kill him, Jade.” As I hobble to the door he stops and hugs me. “But I might have to punch the old man in the face for taking you like that. And then taking your phone. I was so damn worried about you when I didn’t know where you were.”

  “Well, I’m okay now so you don’t have to worry.” He lets me go and we walk out to the parking lot.

  “So where is this place?” he asks as we get in the car.

  “It’s in that strip mall next to The Burger Hut.”

  Garret laughs. “Funny, Jade. Where is it really?”

  “I’m not kidding. It’s in that strip mall.”

  “A billionaire doesn’t put his office in a strip mall by The Burger Hut.”

  “I think it’s in a pharmacy and the office is in the back. Arlin was probably just borrowing the office. Does he own pharmacies?”

  “Yeah, he does. Their main business is the pharmaceutical company but a few years ago they started buying up local pharmacies. I forgot that he owns that one in the strip mall. Cunningham probably suggested meeting there in case he needed anything for whatever happened to you.” He reaches over for my hand. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

  “I’m fine. You worry about me way too much.”

  “It’s a side effect of being in love with you, so deal with it.” He lifts my hand up and kisses it.

  When we get to the strip mall, Garret comes around to open my door. I fumble with the crutches, which I’m still not good at using.

  Garret’s watching me. “Why don’t I go in and check if he’s there before you get out?”

  “What are you saying? That I’m too slow?”

  He’s laughing. “You’re kind of slow. Maybe I could carry you to the door.”

  “Just hold on.” I yank on his sleeve as I get my balance on the crutches.

  As we walk into the pharmacy a customer goes past us out the door, leaving only Garret and me. Garret goes up to the pharmacist, a tall, thin guy with wire-rimmed glasses wearing a lab coat. He’s standing behind the counter, putting a new roll of paper into the cash register. He sees us there but doesn’t even say hello.

  “We’re here to see Mr. Sinclair,” Garret says. “Is he still here?”

  The pharmacist gives us a strange look so Garret clarifies. “Arlin Sinclair? The man who owns this place?”

  The guy starts laughing, which is surprising because he looks like someone who never laughs. “Arlin Sinclair? The billionaire?”

  “Yes. Is he still here?”

  “Why on earth would Arlin Sinclair come to this pharmacy?” He pulls on the register tape and notices he has it in the wrong way. He takes it out and tries again.

  “Doesn’t he own this place?” I ask the guy.

  “He owns hundreds of pharmacies. He doesn’t go visit them.” He laughs again.

  “Is there an office in the back?”

  “There’s a storage room, but not an office.”

  “Are you sure?”

  The pharmacist is fighting with the register tape again. “I don’t know what you kids are up to, but I don’t have time for your college pranks. Go bother someone else.”

  Garret and I leave the pharmacy and go stand by the car.

  “Are you sure this is where you were earlier?” Garret asks.

  “Yeah. It was next to The Burger Hut and there’s only one Burger Hut in town.”

  As we stand there I try to figure this out. I remember being here so what happened to the office I was in? Maybe the pharmacist was lying. But he didn’t seem to be lying.

  3

  “I don’t understand. I was just here an hour ago.”

  “It must’ve been someplace else,” Garret says. “That’s okay. Just forget it.”

  “No. I’m telling you this was the place.”

  “Let’s not worry about it until we talk to my dad. His assistant said he’s flying back from London tonight, so we can’t talk to him until tomorrow.”

  “But what about—”

  “Jade, stop. The doctor said you’re supposed to avoid stress and this thing with Sinclair is totally stressing you out, so we’re done talking about it for tonight.” He points to The Burger Hut. “Are you hungry? As long as we’re here we could get some food to take back.”

  “I’m not really in the mood to eat.”

  “You’re eating something. I’m supposed to take care of you, remember? We don’t have to go here. I’ll take you wherever you want.”

  “Let’s just go here. I love their cheeseburgers.”

  We get our food to go and take it back to my room. As we’re eating, my mind is still on that office. How could it just be gone?

  “So I have a surprise for you,” Garret says, tossing his trash in The Burger Hut bag. “Should I go get it?”

  “What is it?” I scrunch up my burger wrapper and add it to the bag.

  “If I told you, it would ruin the surprise.”

  “Okay, go get it.”

  As he leaves, he turns on my blue ceiling lights. I stare up at them, remembering when he snuck in my room and put them up. It took him hours to do. Every time I look at them I think about how much I love him.

  I can’t imagine my life without Garret. There’s no way I’m breaking up with him. I’m not following orders of some secret organization.

  “You ready?” Garret pops his head in the door.

  “Yes. I’m ready.”

  He kicks open the door and carries in a large, thin box.

  “You got me a TV?” I practically yell it I’m so excited.

  “I had to. You’re sick, and when you’re sick you have to lie around watching TV. And I knew you wanted one.”

  “I did, but Garret, that’s too much money.” I quickly cover my mouth with my hand. “Crap.”

  He just looks at me and smiles.

  I’m laughing. “Okay, what do you want?”

  Garret and I made a deal that if I ever mention money again, in regards to him spending too much on me, I owe him a striptease or I have to wear lingerie or a skirt. He acts like it’s a punishment and I play along, but we both know I’d totally do those things for him anyway.

  We made the deal a few weeks ago after Garret decided he couldn’t take any more of my complaints about money. I was getting tired of it, too. We always ended up arguing and it wasn’t worth it. Sometimes I still get annoyed when he buys me stuff but I try to let it go.

  “I definitely want the skirt,” he says, coming over to kiss me. “But not until after you get off the crutches.”

  “Okay, I can do that.”

  My friend, Harper, gave me a denim mini skirt for Christmas and as soon as Garret saw it on me, we had what he now refers to as “skirt sex.” Now he keeps insisting I get more skirts. The boy really likes skirts. Then again, I think all boys do.

  “Where do you want it?”

  My head is still thinking about the skirt sex and I give him a funny look.

  “The TV, Jade. Where do you want it?”

  “Oh, yeah, the top of the dresser.”

  I watch as he removes the TV from the box and hooks up all the cables. He has such a hot ass. His jeans fit him perfectly. His arm muscles flex as he maneuvers the TV and it totally turns me on. I haven’t been with him since I hit my head. Actually longer than that becaus
e before I hit my head we had a fight and didn’t talk for days. So it’s been almost a week, which for us is forever.

  “It’s ready to go.” Garret hands me the remote. “It’s your TV so you get to be the first person to turn it on.”

  I toss the remote aside. “The TV can wait. Come here.” I pull him down on the bed with me and press my lips to his.

  “Jade. Not yet,” he says between kisses. “You know what the doctor said. No physical activity.”

  “I can’t even kiss you?” I tug his t-shirt up to feel his ripped abs.

  “You keep this up and there’ll be more than kissing going on.”

  “I think I need that.” I undo his belt. “I think it would help me recover faster.”

  “You do, huh?” He kisses my neck.

  “Definitely. In fact, I think the doctor even mentioned that today.” I flick open the button on Garret’s jeans and yank the zipper down.

  “Jade, stop.” He says it softly by my ear, making me shiver. “It’s too soon. You need to get better first.”

  “It’s not too soon. I need this.” I slide my hand over his black boxer briefs as his lips return to mine. “And so do you.”

  “Shit, Jade.” His eyes close as I continue to touch him, and then he speaks against my lips in a hoarse whisper. “You know I can never say no to you.”

  So much for waiting. Guys are so damn easy.

  I whip my shirt off while he does the same with his. Then he kicks off his jeans and boxers while I tug my jeans and panties down, letting him finish taking them off. Usually we take some time to kiss before moving on but not tonight. We’ve both missed being together and as soon as he gets on top of me he slips inside, rocking his hips in a fast rhythm that sparks small ripples of pleasure through my core. They continue to build until finally hitting a peak causing a release of all the tension in my body.

  Yeah, it’s definitely been too long. That was just what I needed.

  Garret carefully moves off me so he doesn’t hurt my knee. “Feel any better?”

  “A lot better.” I kiss him. “Thanks, Dr. Kensington.”

  He laughs as he kisses my cheek. “I recommend twice a day treatments.”

  “Twice a day? I could do that.” I smile.

  “I’m kidding, Jade. We probably shouldn’t have even done that.”

  “Why? I feel better now than I have all day.”

  His face gets serious. “You’re still not going to class tomorrow. Or the next day. And that’s Dr. Cunningham’s orders. Not mine.”

  “I know. I’ll stay here.”

  “I only have one class tomorrow. The other one was cancelled so I’ll be here with you all day.”

  “Really?” I pull his face to mine and kiss him again. “So I’ll be able to get my twice a day treatments?”

  He laughs. “What’s gotten into you? I mean, not that you ever turn down sex, but you usually don’t ask for it.”

  “I love you.” My fingers trail over his chest and down his abs. “And you’re hot. I can’t help myself.” I lean in and whisper in his ear. “I want you.”

  “Are you trying to get this twice a day thing going yet tonight? Because this new side of Jade you’re showing me is really turning me on.”

  “If you’re up for it.” I glance down at the boxers he just put back on.

  He flashes his cocky smile. “Give me a couple minutes.”

  We kiss until he’s ready to go again, after just declaring this no-sex-until-Jade’s-better rule.

  I’ll say it again. Guys are so damn easy.

  After our second round, I try out the TV. The picture is crystal clear, almost 3-D. “Garret, this TV is awesome. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. I would’ve got a bigger screen, but I knew you’d complain if I spent too much so I tried to limit my spending.”

  “Good. Because I don’t need some $1000 TV set.”

  His eyes dart away.

  “Garret, did you spend that much on this TV?”

  “I got it on sale. And you like it, right?”

  “Yes, but still.”

  He squints his eyes, waiting for me to say it.

  “You spent too much money.” I say it on purpose.

  “Yes! Okay, this time it’s a striptease. I’m keeping track of these by the way.”

  “I know you are.” I scoot back into his arms and watch my new TV.

  I should probably be spending the night thinking about Sinclair and worrying about what happened earlier. But I don’t. Ever since I met Garret I don’t worry about stuff as much. He has a way of taking my mind off all the bad stuff and making me focus only on the good.

  The next morning when I wake up Garret’s already at class but he left a cup of coffee and donuts next to my bed. I sip the coffee, which is still hot, and read the note he left. A little something to help you feel better. I’ll be back at 10 for your morning treatment. I love you.—G

  His note makes me laugh. But I think his sex treatments are actually working. I do feel better today.

  It’s 9 and normally I would be at class right now. It’s weird not to be there. I never miss class.

  I take the bag of donuts and turn on the TV. I can’t believe I have my very own TV!

  Morning talk shows are on and I stop at one that I used to watch last summer. It’s hosted by a guy and girl duo who both have bright blond hair, deep blue eyes, overly tan skin, and super white teeth. They’re practically identical and they’re way too chipper for this early in the day.

  I listen to their celebrity gossip as I eat my donuts and sip my coffee. This is so great. I don’t even feel sick and I’m being forced to take a sick day.

  After a commercial break, the blond girl introduces the first guest. “Fans from all over America have been anxiously waiting for it and now it’s finally here. The Prep School Girls’ Reunion debuts next week and we have one of the stars of the show with us today. Please welcome the beautiful Ava Hamilton.”

  “Are you kidding me?” As I say it I realize I’m talking out loud to myself.

  Ava goes to school here at Moorhurst. She used to live on my floor but got an apartment off campus this semester. She dated Garret for a few weeks when they were 15 and acted as his fake girlfriend last semester, as ordered by Garret’s parents. She was on Prep School Girls, a reality TV show, during her senior year of high school. While she was on the show, she pretended to be dating Garret and now she’s pretending to date him again for the reunion show. Her made-up fantasy world has caused paparazzi to follow Garret around and celebrity tabloids to make up stories about him. And his dad won’t get his lawyers involved because he doesn’t want the bad publicity of a lawsuit. Plus the reunion show only consists of three episodes and Pearce thinks Garret’s popularity will end once the show does.

  “Ava, welcome to the show,” the male host says.

  “Thank you, Kurt,” Ava says, smiling at him. She, too, has overly white teeth. She’s wearing a tight red dress with a plunging neckline that shows off her fake breasts. Kurt seems to be having a hard time keeping his eyes off them.

  “So tell us what we can expect on the reunion episodes,” Cassie, the female host, says.

  Ava pivots her body and talks directly to the camera. “Well, I’m not supposed to say too much but I will tell you that the fans who’ve been waiting for Garret to come back to me will be very pleased.”

  The audience oohs on cue.

  Cassie clasps her hands together. “What else can you tell us about Garret? Because I have to say, I have a HUGE crush on him.”

  Seriously? Cassie’s like 35. What is she doing crushing on a 19-year-old? I turn the volume up.

  “I probably shouldn’t say this on TV but…” Ava leans over like she’s telling Cassie a secret. “If you think Garret’s hot with clothes, you should see what he’s got going on under those swim trunks.”

  The audience oohs again as Cassie pretends to fan herself.

  “Ugh. Gag. I can’t believe this!” For some rea
son, I’m talking out loud to myself again.

  “So I take it you two are back together?” Kurt asks. He looks disappointed. He was probably hoping to get Ava to sleep with him after the show.

  “You’ll have to wait and see.” Ava faces the audience as she says it. “The first episode airs next week, so don’t forget to watch. And afterward, go to the show’s website and you can rate Garret’s hotness and download photos of him.”

  Rate Garret’s hotness? What the hell does that mean? He’s either hot or he’s not. Where does the rating come in?

  Cassie asks Ava about the other girls on the show and then Ava finally leaves the stage. The interview makes me so ill I shut the TV off and go take a shower.

  Around 10:15, Garret comes back from class. “How’s my patient?”

  “Good. Thanks for breakfast.” I kiss him as he sits down on the bed. He always wears this cologne that smells so incredible on him I just want to sit there and breathe him in. His face is smooth from his morning shave and his bright, aqua-blue eyes are wide awake. Today he’s wearing jeans and a fitted gray t-shirt, a combo that would seem boring on most other guys but Garret can make anything look sexy. And his t-shirts are the softest I’ve ever felt.

  I smooth his shirt with my hand, feeling his tight abs underneath. “I think it’s time for my treatment. You said 10 o’clock right?”

  He laughs as I undo his belt. “Is this from your head injury? Because ever since you hit your head you’ve been—”

  I put my finger to his lips. “Are you complaining?”

  “Shit, no.” He kisses my finger, then pulls my hand away and replaces it with his lips. His tongue tangles with mine and his warm breath tastes like mint.

  Hearing Ava and Cassie talk about Garret that way makes me want him even more. He’s hot and other girls want him, but he’s all mine and there’s something really sexy about that.

  I unzip his jeans and slip my hand down them, taking him to the edge as we kiss.

  “Jade, slow down. I’m supposed to be doing this for you.”

  “You want me to stop?” I start to pull my hand away.

  He nudges it back and talks softly against my lips. “I didn’t say stop. Just slow down.”