by Olivia Brynn
"Don't forget, you promised me a date on Friday." Adam had brought his stool as close to hers as they possibly could get while eating.
Jade popped a French fry in her mouth. She had forgotten her promise. "I'll have to break my date with Keanu Reeves, but I guess that's all right."
"Playing me already?"
Jade stood and walked behind him, laid her hands on his strong shoulders, and kneaded those muscles. She waited until he groaned before speaking. "You don't like how I play with you?"
"Play with me all you want, I love it…oh, that feels good…but if you're dating other guys, I want to know."
"Up for a threesome?" She had to tease, or she'd read too much into his words.
"Huh uh. I don't share well." He captured her hand with his, and brought her around to face him. "I know it's too early to ask for a commitment, you barely found out who I am, and you have a lot to lose by walking into anything serious with me." He hugged her hips with his knees, brought both of her hands to his mouth, and brushed his lips across her knuckles. "I just want to have the chance to show you what you'd be walking away from before you make up your mind. I'm a monogamous guy, Jade. No matter what you read in the papers or what you see on the internet."
She pulled her hands away from his so she could hug him. "I don't even like Keanu."
"That's good. Honesty is all I ask, Jade. If you want to date other people, just let me know. I promise to do the same."
"What…are you…is that a commitment?"
"From me. I'm not asking anything of you. Take your time, I'm in no hurry…yet."
Jade had to stop herself from pledging her heart to him right there. To keep her mouth shut, she plastered it onto his.
Damn, he was a good kisser. How many women did it take to get that good? She wondered if she'd seen any of his former girlfriends on television.
"Oh…excuse me." Ella had come in from the back door, directly into the stock room. Adam dropped his hands, but Jade left hers where they were on his shoulders. "I'm sorry—"
"Ella, this is Adam. He brought me lunch."
Adam stood and faced Ella, who dropped her backpack and bike helmet near the door, and crossed the room.
"So you're the guy. She said you were cute." Ella winked at Jade and shook Adam's hand. "You know who you look like? That country singer. What's his name?"
"George Strait?" Adam raised his eyebrow, and Jade giggled.
"No, the young blond guy. He was on Letterman." Ella's face screwed up in thought, and her jaw worked furiously on a wad of gum.
"Adam Nash?" Jade smiled proudly up at Adam.
"Yeah, that's it…oh shut up!" Ella looked from Adam to Jade. "You're shitting me!"
"I know. Hard to believe, right?" Jade stepped back into Adam's arms. "Adam Nash eats fast food and buys lilies."
"Shut up! I just bought Karina, and I never do that, I usually just download shit for my iPod, but I actually bought the hard copy. Will you sign it for me sometime?"
Adam smoothed his hand up and down Jade's back while giving Ella his attention. "Sure. I should be hanging out here a little bit, or give it to Jade."
"That's cool. So, God…Paul McCartney was on The Late Show with you, did you get to talk to him?" Ella sat down on the stool where Jade had eaten lunch.
"Ella? Maybe you should get clocked in." Jade had a vision of the blonde who now sported Adam Nash's autograph on her big-ass boobs. Her possessiveness was uncalled for, especially knowing Ella the way she did. One more thing Jade had to work on if she wanted this thing with Adam to work.
"Oh, I see. Yeah I should. I'm sure I can find something around the register to do." She winked at Jade, snapped her gum and hopped off the stool. "Really cool to meet you, Mr. Nash. Love your shit."
She grabbed her apron from the hook by the door, and left them alone.
"I love your shit too." Jade trailed two fingers down his body and teased the fly of his jeans.
"Your shit isn't bad either." Adam sat back down, and she resumed her position in the notch of his thighs. "Are you working Thursday?"
"No, I took it off." She'd given Dean today and Tuesday, but she insisted on taking Thursday off before her Saturday alone.
"The band is coming over tonight to hear "Always". We'll get started on the layers on Thursday, and I'd like you to meet them."
She really couldn't deny him anything when he looked so deeply into her eyes. She pushed down her reluctance to meet more celebrities. "Okay," she whispered.
He smiled. "They're great guys. You'll like them. Why don't you just drive over after work on Wednesday? I'll get you a key so you can let yourself in." He stroked her cheek with two fingers.
She barely had time to assimilate his first comment when he continued.
"I missed you last night."
Now, how was she supposed to keep objective, when he said stuff like that? Without thinking, she responded honestly, "I missed you too."
"I kept thinking about you in the hallway, and I couldn't stop thinking about all the other things I want to do with you." His voice dropped to that smooth level, the one that reminded her of those late nights on his boat.
She closed her eyes, and held him against her until Ella called for her help. "Jade, the register is making that funky noise again. I swear she's gonna blow."
Jade groaned. "Someday I'm going to have to break down and buy a new register. I'm worried the old thing isn't going to make it much longer."
"Sounds like some day might be today." They could hear the whirring from the sales floor.
"I'll have to see what's in the budget."
"Wait long enough, and you'll have to work out of a tool box," he teased, yanking on one curl before tucking it behind her ear in that tender way that made her knees weak. "But I should get going." Adam left a lingering kiss on her forehead. "I'll call as soon as I can kick the boys out."
She didn't want to let him go. "Thank you for bringing lunch."
He kissed her. His mouth mated with hers in the timeless ritual, and Jade couldn't get enough. She stroked his lips with her fingers even as hers were suctioned to them.
"Um…" Ella poked her head back through the doorway, "should I just pry open the drawer and count back change the old-fashioned way?" Those words finally gave her the strength to back out of his arms and wave like a little girl as he left through the back door.
She unplugged the register, knocked it in the sweet spot on the right side, plugged it back in, and it hummed back to life. The rest of the day passed without incident. When she wasn't busy with customers, she was fending off Ella's questions about Adam.
"Why didn't you tell me who you were sneaking around with?"
"I didn't even know until the other day." Jade bit her tongue, but it was too late.
"You didn't recognize him? Oh God, Jade, I would have just died from embarrassment. That's so funny."
Ella unfurled one braid, only to rewind it. This was a process that was repeated several times over the course of her shift. At times Jade thought Ella might have some sort of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Jade went through the emotions that went through her that night. Embarrassment wasn't one of them.
Until now.
"I wasn't embarrassed; I was pissed." She pulled off some wilting leaves from an African violet.
"Hmm, pissed at Adam Nash. Interesting." She blew another bubble. "So have you seen his house?"
Jade gave up on discretion, and helped Ella with the monthly maintenance on the rose cooler while she described Adam's house as well as she could. "And you should see the yard. Dean and I could spend hours in there."
"I'm so jealous. See if he has any single band members or something."
She usually sent Ella home before closing, just to save some payroll, but tonight, she asked her to stay and help her close. Jade didn't know if she just wanted to keep talking about Adam to a captive audience, or if she was afraid that if she was alone she'd think too much about him. Either way, they got out of the sho
p in record time.
Just as she walked in the front door of her house, she received a text message from Adam. I've got your panties.
She laughed, and typed a response. I have your shirt.
Dean came out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dish towel. "Be impressed. I made dinner."
Jade was impressed; the house smelled like garlic and tomatoes. "Spaghetti?"
"Of course." It was all Dean really knew how to cook. "I wasn't sure if you had plans or not."
Put it on, came the text from Adam.
"Adam is practicing with his band." Can't. Dinner with Dean, she responded. "Do you need help?"
"Well…no. I've invited a guest. He's bringing the salad."
"Oh." Jade opened the oven, and took a big whiff of garlic bread. "Just give me a plate, I'll eat in my room."
"You don't have to do that." Dean slapped her hand away from pinching off a chunk of bread.
"I don't mind. I'm going to bed early tonight anyway. I've kept crazy hours over the past few days." She happened to be staring at her phone hopefully when the next text came through. Text me when you're in bed.
"I thought Adam was practicing with his band?" Dean dipped a spoon in the marinara sauce and offered it to Jade while she typed. It's not too early for bed?
"Needs more oregano. He is practicing with his band."
"Then who are you texting with that look on your face?"
"What look?" Trying to arrange her features into an innocent smile was a lesson in futility. Her lovesick grin wasn't going anywhere, and Dean saw everything she felt. She ended up laughing.
Not if you're naked.
Dean narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, that look."
"Maybe he's taking a break." Shouldn't you be working? she texted. "When is your boy coming over?"
Dean folded his arms across his chest. "I'm going to ignore that, because once you see this man," he glared at her, "you'll be sorry enough. And he'll be here any minute."
I'm Multitasking ;)
Jade couldn't believe Adam's emoticon wink was almost as sexy as his genuine version. You're good at that :)
She took a plate from the cupboard and loaded up a plate of noodles. "Who is this guy? I haven't heard you talk about anyone new."
"His name is Marco. I met him Saturday when he delivered my lunch."
"By bicycle or car?"
"Bike. Why?"
Jade took her plate and made her way to her room before throwing her last comment over her shoulder. "Just wondering if he has his driver's license yet."
Just as she knew he would, he took off after her. Good thing she had a lock on her door. She laughed when Dean jiggled the doorknob and cursed.
"You'll pay for that Jade!"
"I'm not afraid of you!" The doorbell rang. "Go answer the door, your play date is here!"
God, she loved Dean. With a female roommate she would have to deal with competition, cattiness and clothing theft. Dean was able to share her appreciation for men, but obviously not competing with her for the heterosexual type. She sat in the armchair near the window, ate Dean's spaghetti, and sent text messages back and forth to Adam.
They like your song.
My song?
Three and a half, remember?
Can't wait to hear the finished product.
We'll play it on Thursday for you.
You should get back to work.
I know. I'll call you when they leave. You should get ready for bed ;).
By the time she peeked into the living room an hour later, Dean and Marco were tangled together on the rug, both of them shirtless, and mouths fused in a violent-looking kiss.
She tiptoed back to her room. At least from what she saw of Marco, he wasn't a kid, he was a well-built Hispanic man.
* * * *
Jade yawned. Again. Earth Scents was slow, which left her too much time to daydream. Ella was in the back room, arranging the afternoon deliveries for John, who probably tapped his foot impatiently.
She and Adam had talked way too long last night. She was glad for the distraction though. She even turned up the television to drown out the sounds of passion coming from Dean's bedroom. Marco was still there the following morning, and he even cooked breakfast.
He was taller and lankier than she thought, and she was wrong about his heritage, Marco was an Italian, born and raised in Florence. He even came with the accent, and oozing hot-blooded Latin sexuality. He came to L.A. to go to school, so he was smart, and he must not be a snorer, or he wouldn't have made it all night in Dean's bed. Maybe her friend had met his match. By now they were probably in the throes of another session of hot sex.
Jade's nipples reacted to her daydream, remembering what Dean had told her about a front row seat. Of all of Dean's former lovers, this Marco would get her vote for most fun to watch.
Wednesday she got to spend the night in Adam's huge bed, though they didn't get much sleep.
"Tell me what I need to do before you let me inside you bare," he asked after disposing of yet another condom. He crawled back onto the bed beside her and stroked her hair, damp with perspiration, away from her face.
It took her a few seconds to catch her breath before she could answer him. "I'm already on the pill."
"Then I'll see my doctor. I really want to feel you surround me."
She'd never had sex without a condom. She tried to imagine how it would feel. She moaned against his throat, and her sex clenched with need. "I'll see someone too. I'd love to feel you come inside me."
He trailed his rough fingers across her stomach, and whispered his adoration in her ear. When he touched her everywhere, teasing her with his restrained passion, she pushed him to his back and returned the favor.
He reached for another condom and rolled it on. "You make me so hot and hard. I swear I can never get enough of you."
Jade had never been with a man who recovered so quickly. It gave her a heady burst of pride to know that she affected him so.
They slept late, and spent the morning in bed, only leaving when the scent of fried chicken wafted from a tray Elaine had placed by the door around noon.
Dean was right, they needed a House Manager.
She met the members of Adam's band, and true to his word, they were a cordial down-to-earth group. With Ella's request in mind, she scoped out the men. Tim, one of the guitar players, and John, who played bass, were both married. Jason was a good-looking all-American blond, but the drummer was gay. Too bad for Ella, and too bad Dean had switched to brunets. Mick, the keyboard player was indeed single, and he even looked like Ella's type, with long black hair and heavily tattooed arms.
They all sat in Adam's music room, which was like a studio combined with a college dorm. There were musical instruments everywhere; digital recording equipment took up part of the space. The rest was filled with a side bar, easy chairs, beanbags, and a long sofa. They worked on the layers of "Always". Each band member took his turn playing his part solo, and took advice and changed a few things. The recording of one part would be played for the next layer, and so on. Soon, the parts all came together, and they played the song in its entirety. Jade sat out of the way, and was completely entranced. Although this wasn't a formal recording session, they all took their parts seriously. After playing a few other songs, with Jade as the only audience, they "threw some riffs around". They must have been playing together for quite some time, the way they could read where each other's minds were going. Even tempo changes sounded choreographed. Eventually they all made their way toward the bar, and started in on the snacks Elaine brought up.
Tim sat down beside Adam with another cold bottle of beer. "I figured Nash was hooked on some girl," he elbowed Adam without spilling from his longneck, "when he turned down poker night." Tim had one of those interesting faces that reminded her of a football player—square, ruddy and a nose that looked like it had been broken at least twice.
Jade put on her appalled face, while secretly pleased that he preferred her company. "No!
Not poker night!"
Adam just pulled her closer against his side. "I get enough of their ugly asses on tour. Besides, they never pay up."
"Bullshit!" Jason yelled out from his perch on the stool behind Adam's drum set, and pointed his bottle toward Adam. "You're the guy who always loses."
By the time the men filed out of Adam's house, Jade had phone numbers of the two band wives, and an invitation to a two-year-old's birthday party.
He took her to bed, and spent his time loving her thoroughly. Jade wasn't sure she'd ever had more than three orgasms, but under Adam's masterful touch, she surprised herself.
Fully satisfied, she lay beside him, listening to his heartbeat, wishing she had packed an overnight bag.
"Don't forget, tomorrow I'm taking you to Marc's restaurant." His after-sex voice was the sexiest. She almost wanted to tell him to use it when he sings, but millions of fans fall in love with this man through his voice. This post-coital voice she'd keep for herself. "This will be your coming out, you know. We'll be seen. Together. Your face will be in the news after tomorrow night."
Jade did know that. She knew Adam had been shielding her since that first date. She also knew if she wanted a part in Adam's life, she would have to learn to live the life he did. What if she took the leap, and was humiliated by a very public breakup down the road? Could she handle that kind of heartbreak? The only other option was to walk away from Adam right now, before the world knew who she was. One look into his blue eyes told her she would never be able to do that.
"Do you want to think about it some more? I can wait, Jade."
She looked him directly in the eye. "Should I dress up?"
He visibly and physically relaxed. A smile briefly tipped his mouth, then he smothered her with kisses. "It's a nice place, but you know I like you wearing anything," he licked a line down her jaw, "and nothing."
"You've seen my only dress." She laughed when he tickled her throat.
"I'll buy you something sexy."
"No. I don't want you to spend money on me."
He made his way down to her chest, and he nuzzled in between her breasts. "Do you want me to spend money on some other woman?"