I have nothing to hide, not where she would ever find it at least, and I want her to be comfortable here. I’m never going to be able to look at that tub the same way.
I have a large square Jacuzzi tub that is more Jacuzzi than conventional tub. It is tall with built in seats halfway up; one wall connected to the shower that is all matching stone ¾ of the way up where it was glass up to the ceiling. The only wall of the shower not made of stone is the door that swung open and locked for steaming. It has a built in stone bench and shelves for the soap and various million other products women store in the shower. I, personally, am as simple as they come; gimme a bar or bottle of Irish Spring and I’m set. It covers the face, the hair and the body; all the essentials.
Of course I also keep a couple bottles of the chick stuff Taylor uses, here in the house. We’ve always been close and if she ever leaves Tommy, she can come over here. It seems weird, but Tommy insisted. Usually I don’t even listen to him jabber when it comes to Tay, I just nod and plan what I’m going to eat for supper.
This Italian chick tried to teach me to cook once and I lit her bungalow on fire. I’ve never even thought about cooking since.
The things I can do with various weapons will astound you but cooking is not in my repertoire of impressive skill sets.
For about ten seconds I ponder just leaning forward and allowing gravity to work on getting me down the stairs but Luke appears at my side, slapping me on the back before jogging down so I
follow suit.
Matt is sitting at my bar, sipping a glass of orange juice and eating a plate of Meatloaf. Seriously, a whole plate. He didn’t even bother to cut himself a piece, just grabbed the dish ma sent over and started eating.
“Manners, dick.”
“What?” He asked facetiously with a mouthful.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, smacking his feet off my counter.
“Tommy told me to keep my eyes on you and make sure you keep your mitts to yourself. Said Luke would look the other way and neither of you were to be trusted.”
“Such disrespect in my own home.” Luke shouted overdramatically.
“Still my house, Lulu.” Luke reared back as if I’d bitch slapped him and Matt snorted, clapping the bar-top.
“Both of you, get out.” I point to the back door.
“Fine, but I’m taking your meatloaf and OJ with me. Oh, and Tay is pissed at you so watch your back.”
I decide not to tell him how I was drinking that orange juice out of the carton only last night. Come on, Karma.
“I’m only going because I have work to do.”
Luke makes way for the front door and as if they had timed it, both doors slam simultaneously.
Little women, the both of em’.
T.V. is my best bet at pretending to fool myself that Jamie is not soaking wet, bare ass naked, just above me in my own bathroom.
Sweet fuck, I’m doomed. A ticking time bomb.
Diesel and I get comfortable in our recliners – well, okay, my recliner and his dog bed made of old recycled couch cushions – before flipping through every channel known to man.
At some point we settle on an old western before we both start snoring away.
My dreams are full of caramel skin and honey eyes, delicious lips that capture me between them, milking me. I thrust my hips and groan at how fucking perfect I fit in her mouth. Nails claw into my skin as I tug her hair to make her look up at me.
“I want to see you.” I tell her before thrusting into her mouth again. She picks up the pace before I feel the fire lick at my balls, pulling in and rising up.
“Noah?” Jamie lightly shakes my shoulder before I meet my sweet release in her mouth. I can still feel her lips around my cock and I need to get away from her before I shove her down to her knees.
“I, uh, I’m good. I have to go check-” I don’t even try to finish the sentence before I lunge out of the recliner in record timing, hauling ass down the hallway and disappearing into my office.
What.the.fuck.Am I going to do?
Whose brilliant idea was it to have her come here, to my house? We all know I’m batshit crazy and can’t be trusted around her. Okay, maybe only I know that (and Tommy…and Tay), but fuck!
“Noah, is everything alright?” She asks through the door.
“Yeah, sug. Sorry, I just needed to check something.” I lie. For good measure I smack Luke’s keyboard a few times, waking the screen up and moving my computer chair around on the wooden floor.
“Oh. Okay.”
She leaves and I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding.
Jamie Wright is going to murder me and she won’t even know it.
Also, Its official, I’ve grown a vagina.
The next two weeks are spent in similar fashion; I have wet dreams about Jamie in all the rooms of my house, set off like a kid who saw his first pair of breasts then run around pretending to do things so I can’t force myself onto her. Her birthday is in a week and I’ve come up with an idea for her gift but I need Tommy to help. He’s currently holed up in their NYC apartment with Taylor with all phones and computers shut off. Still.
If he doesn’t check back in by tonight, I’m sending a friend in to deliver a message.
My phone rings, breaking the silence of my office.
I swing around in my chair, kicking my feet up on a bookshelf, answering “No.”
“Happy!” A little Barbie doll voice calls to me from the other line.
“Baby. How ya doin’ girl?”
We call her Baby, but don’t be fooled; Baby is her name, killing is her game.
“I got your message, what’s going on hot stuff?” She cooed seductively.
“I got a job for you. If you’re interested.”
“You know I am.”
There is no reason to bullshit her.
“You got any luck finding him?” Him as in her fuckface step-brother.
“Not much.” I could hear her clenching her fists and anger rising as she sighed.
“Well listen, it’s pretty full time here, got a place all set up for yall. I’ll email you the info and flight leaves tonight. Private jet so get comfy, enjoy some wine and get some sleep.”
She purred in appreciation and clucked her tongue. “You sure know how to spoil the girls, Happy.”
“Oh Baby, you deserve it.”
“How’s your family doing?” She asked, hesitantly.
“They’re good. Ma is excited for you to get here.”
“I know you’re gonna take this all outta my pay, right? No free rides.”
“Whatever you want.”
“I’ll see you tonight, handsome.”
“See you tonight, Baby.”
She blew a kiss before disconnecting the call.
A crack of the floorboard has me whipping around to find Jamie on her tip toes, back to me, trying to flee.
“Jamie.”
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to snoop on your conversation.”
I didn’t try to hide my smile.
“Yes you were.”
She finally turned to me and gave me her best impression of a woman offended.
“How rude of you to assume-”
“I never assume, sugar. That makes you an ass.”
Jamie grumbled something and strolled away as my email alert sounded, drawing my attention.
From: Kane, Thomas J.
To: Kane, Noah E.
Subject: WTF Do you want?
Sent: 3 July 2015 08:50 A.M. EST
The subject says it all.
-Tommy
I chuckle as I imagine his big ass chicken pecking the keys of Taylor’s laptop just to send that tiny message. He was probably going for menacing but I only laugh harder when I think how it probably took him twenty minutes just to open the email program, let alone write and send the message.
From: Kane, Noah E.
To: Kane, Thomas J.
Subject: EAD
Sent: 3 July 2
015 08:52 A.M. EST
I’ve got an idea on what I’d like to do for Jamie’s birthday – need your and Annie’s help.
-Noah
P.S. Give my favorite girl a big ole wet one from me. I know she’s got to be missin’ me somethin’ fierce.
Not but two minutes later does an email arrive from Taylor this time.
From: Kane, Taylor A.
To: Kane, Noah E.
Subject: You better leave him alone…
Sent: 3 July 2015 08:54 A.M. EST
Before he has an aneurysm or something. What do you have in mind? By use of my nickname, I’m guessing it’s sneaky? Anything for her.
Give her a big kiss for me, please!
Tay
I reply back to her with my plan and promising I’ll do more than just kiss Jamie. It’s easier to flirt with Taylor and act like the whore bachelor everyone knows me to be, than to be honest with them; especially Taylor who will dissect me and realize how deep I am when it comes to her best friend. Once the plans are set, I know they will be home in a few days with everything that I need. Quickly, I shoot an email off to Luke asking him to forward all the info to Baby before standing to stretch. Time for a break.
A loud bang from the kitchen echoes down the hallway making up my mind on where I’m headed.
“I’m okay!” I hear Jamie yell.
The floor is nearly flooded. I don’t even have to ask.
“LUKE!” I roar.
Jamie is laying on her ass; the whole front of her is soaking wet and her knees are red.
The tiny white gauzy shorts she’s wearing hardly cover her ass and as wet as they are, don’t leave much to the imagination. Because I needed the illustrated diagram.
“Are you alright, sugar?” I try to make my way over to her but Diesel is already by her side and Luke is loping his way down the staircase.
“Diesel, brace.” She says.
Someone was either doing their homework on service dogs, or she had just paid very close attention to my interactions with Diesel.
“Whoa. What the hell happened?” Luke asked, using a towel to dry his shaggy hair.
“This is the twelve hundredth time you’ve left the water running in the sink. At some point I have to think you’re doing it on purpose.” I shout at him.
I reach out to grab Jamie’s hand and pull her to my body when she grabs it.
“Come on, you need to get some dry clothes before you flash all the Kane men.”
“I don’t mind.” Luke offered, grinning despite his blush.
The look on my face said all I would never say in the company of a lady. “Clean this shit up.”
“Yes, sir.” My idiot brother clicked his heels together dramatically and saluted.
“Wrong hand, idjit.”
He just chuckled and threw his towel down on the floor.
“The man is smarter than ought to be allowed and he leaves the faucet running, every damn time. I swear there are rocks in his head sometimes.” Shaking my head, my eyes roll unconsciously and Jamie laughs at me.
“I’m glad you find it amusing. Are you sure you’re alright? Nothing’s broken?”
I can’t help it when I run my hands down the length of her body after we hit the top of the stairs.
“Just my ego. I fell when I tried to make it over to the sink to shut it off. I slipped on the water and caught myself on my knees.” She took my hands in hers and led us to the bedroom.
“You should have come and got me, or even Luke.”
That was a lie. I didn’t want her to get my brother. I only wanted her to come to me. Come for me. With me. All of it and then some.
Zero to sixty in nothin’ flat.
Jamie disappears in the closet to get clothes leaving me to sit on the window seat.
“I’ll have the guest bedroom set up for you in a few days.” Lie.
“I appreciate it. I’m sure you want your room back.” Her voice floated out.
“Honestly sugar, I don’t mind. Seeing you and having your scent all over my house is fine by me. Better, being in my bed.”
She stepped out wearing some sweats and a shirt that were far too large for her.
Mine. Not just her, but the clothes.
The drawstring on the sweats was pulled so tight it hung to her knees.
If I was being tested, I was about to fail.
“I hope it’s alright. I need to do laundry.”
My mouth opened, but no words fell out.
She came to stand before me and I automatically reached out to pull her between my legs, sliding my hands up the back of her thighs. I buried my face in her stomach, a low rumble forming in my chest.
Jamie’s hands slid into my hair and brushed through it, over and over. For a solid five minutes we sat there, unmoving other than her hands.
“Hey, Noah?” Luke called from the other side of the door, twenty feet away.
“Go the fuck away. Get out, go to ma’s. Don’t come back!” I practically growled.
Despite my recent rant, Luke was not stupid enough to think I was joking.
The front door shut not ten seconds later.
Chapter 7
Sweet NY style cheesecake, Noah had been avoiding me for weeks now and just when I quit praying he’d come find me…
“Come here, sugar.” He whispered.
Noah pulled me into a tantalizing kiss that curled my toes and turned me on; Lord have mercy did it turn me on.
His hands slid to my thighs and yanked, pulling me down into his lap; I wrapped my legs around his waist and crossed them at the ankles. The feel of his big strong hands on my butt was like magic, melting my bones. He stood effortlessly causing the air to whoosh right out of me.
Two strides to the bed and we fell together, tongues thrashing, bodies gyrating.
I didn’t know entirely if I was ready for this, but I definitely knew I wasn’t ready for this to stop.
As if they had a mind of their own, my fingers curled around the hem of his muscle shirt and yanked it off of his frame. My body was on some foreign auto pilot. Thank God.
Seeing all of his tattoos again, I was practically dripping. I had seen tattoos on a man before but nothing in this world was as sexy as they were on Noah Kane.
His deft fingers ripped the string and waistband of his sweats I was wearing before he pulled them down and threw them across the room.
The suddenness of the situation hit me like a freight train. Thinking so many wicked thoughts of Noah for the past few weeks kept my mind plenty busy but after hearing his phone call this afternoon, I wasn’t so sure of anything.
“Noah.” I breathed heavily, holding him back.
“What’s wrong? Do you want me to stop?” He moved sluggishly but shifted to sit astride the bed.
“I just – um…” I shook my head and swallowed. I’m not sure I want to know the answer. But no matter what, I never want to be that woman.
“You can tell me anything, Jamie.” Noah tipped my chin and looked me in the eyes. And that did it. His tenderness and patience was what would tip the scales every time giving me just enough false bravado to stand up for whatever I felt I needed to.
“Is there someone else? Like, a girlfriend or…” I made some spazzy move with my hands and tried to look away. Clearly I’m not a smooth operator, but I’m pretty sure he gets the point. I heard him huff and turn to me completely, demanding my attention.
“I’ve told you before now, but listen very closely, Jamie Wright. You’ve got me. You’ve got all of me. You may not want it or need it, but I can’t help myself. In my past I may have been a slut, but I’ve never cheated on a woman and I won’t ever. You have my word on that. Got me?” Noah’s words floated in my mind before I could fully grasp them; his severity and desperation for my understanding bowled me over. Despite our total lack of a relationship and having only known each other for a few weeks, he spoke with fervor, total certainty like I should already know. It sparked something more in me.
Th
e desire making me blind and mute, I pulled him back to me feverishly.
There would be time later to ask who “Baby” was. Right now, he said he wasn’t with anyone and that was all I needed to know. When his tongue stroked mine like so, there weren’t many things I wanted to discuss. Not verbally anyway.
He pulled away, sucking in air laboriously. Good to know this was affecting him the same way it was me. My chest was rising and falling with the effort to replenish my lungs.
“I can’t promise you that I won’t have my wicked way with you, but you set the pace, okay?”
Another small nod and his lips smashed down on mine in a frenzy of need.
One of his hands slid down my side, grazing my breast, tickling my waist and stopping at the hem of my panties. He paused and I covered his hand with mine, guiding him to my center.
I could handle this. I could.
Noah made me feel things I could only read about or heard of. He never hurt me or mistreated me in any way. He took it above and beyond with everything to make sure I not only felt safe with him, but that I just felt safe.
My hope, a new dream, was that through Noah I could move on and take control over my whole life, my fears and stupid phobia’s.
If there was anyone in this world who could do it, it was him. I’ve only ever felt this safe, this whole, once before in my life with one chiseled, rough around the edges man; my first “No.”
As irrational as it sounded, maybe I took to Noah because he was such a strong resemblance of Nolan.
Of course at that age I had recognized how handsome he was, but didn’t feel any kind of attraction for my savior. Noah though – I’m pretty sure my behavior speaks for itself. He saved me just like Nolan did, running into the fray and pulling me away to safety. Both promised me that no one would hurt me ever again so long as they lived but only one of them had made it back out.
Images of the fire, the sounds of screaming and alarms, and the acrid smell of smoke and burnt flesh assaulted my senses, stealing me away from my moment with Noah. Memories of the years he hurt me and allowed others to do so; this was where it started - all the way back to the pig of a sperm donor pimp who tried to whore me out.
Keeping You: KJ Elite Inc. Page 9