by Erica Lynn
“I love your hair,” she said to Gigi. “That purple is fantastic.”
“Thank you.” Gigi ran her fingers through her hair, a smile forming on her face. “I think it’s time for a change, though. I’ve had purple for a while. Maybe some pink ones would work. Something different.”
The woman handed Stassi the beers, then looked at Lacey. “Nothing for you?”
“No thanks,” Lacey responded.
“She’s our designated driver tonight,” Stassi told the woman.
“Yep. She picked the short straw.” Gigi giggled and took a drink of her beer. She’d never been a fan of the stuff, and she often referred to it as horse piss, but tonight it was going down just right. “Is it just me, or does this place get more packed every time we come?”
“Business is booming,” the redhead replied.
“Good for the owners,” Stassi said, looking around.
“Yep, it’s very good for us.” The woman smiled, then stuck out her hand. “I’m Kara. My husband and I own this place.”
They all shook her hand, each expressing how much they loved the bar and how awesome it was for Kara that business was doing well.
Lacey dug out her phone from her back pocket, then shot Stassi a look.
“What was that?” Gigi asked, looking between the two women.
“What was what?” Stassi asked innocently.
“Don’t give me that. I just saw y’all look at each other weird. What’s up?”
“Time to go,” Lacey said, a large smile covering her face.
Stassi took Gigi’s glass and placed it on the bar, then grabbed her and Lacey’s hands and led the way outside.
“I feel like I’m being kidnapped,” Gigi muttered.
“Oh, hush up,” Lacey said. “You don’t have to be such a killjoy.”
They piled into Lacey’s car, Stassi and Lacey in the front, and Gigi in the back.
Gigi laid her head back on the seat and looked at her sister.
Lacey was everything Gigi wasn’t. She was strong. Kind.
Gigi had always been a bit on the smartass side. A loner. As much as she loved Lacey, and as much as she knew Lacey loved her, Jackson had really been the first person to know her. To know all of her…and to like her anyway.
She closed her eyes as she remembered their night together. The way his hands felt on her body, the way he moved inside her, the way he’d kissed her when she came. Their entire situation was a little, if not a lot, on the ridiculous side. They’d both lived in Houston their entire lives, even ran in some of the same circles, and never met. Then one day he walks in her office, a beyond ridiculous plan forms, and they’re both stupid enough to go for it. They live together for months, and when they finally decide to go all in, he moves three hours away. Gigi couldn’t help but let out a bitter chuckle. Life was a real mind-fuck sometimes.
Lacey pressed a button on her steering wheel, then spoke into the speaker, “Call Cameron-Big-Love-Monster.”
Stassi and Gigi both looked at her with nothing less than total disgust.
“What?” she asked, her eyes wide.
“Um…yuck?” Stassi answered.
“Cameron Big-Love-Monster? What the hell is wrong with you?” Gigi asked, a laugh bursting from her lips. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”
“I concur,” Stassi said, vigorously nodding.
“Y’all can kiss my ass,” Lacey said, her chin up and nose in the air.
“Hey, sugar,” Cameron’s voice came over the speaker.
“Are we ready?” Lacey asked, her eyes glancing at Stassi.
“Ready for what? What the hell, you guys?” Gigi leaned forward, her hands resting on each one of their seats.
“Yep. Ready to roll.”
“Okay. Bye, babe.” Lacey disconnected the call, then looked back at Gigi with a smirk. “Don’t ask.”
“Where—”
“Don’t ask,” Stassi said.
Gigi leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest like a small child. “Y’all suck.”
“We love you, too,” they said in unison.
Yeah. Okay. Feel free to love me less.
Chapter 13
Jackson’s heart began to pound harder in his chest when he saw Lacey’s car pull up. He did one last look around his studio, making sure every single inch was perfect. He knew this was his only shot, and he intended to make it count.
Dallas was amazing. It was everything he ever wanted, and he knew he’d be able to be successful there. His own studio. His own terms. Hire the people he wanted to hire. Those with real talent. People who saw the organic beauty of the world so often hidden by all the bullshit.
But it’d all been empty without Gigi. Each time he got excited about something he wanted to tell her, better yet, he wanted her holding his hand when he found out the news. Wanted her by his side on this journey. It meant nothing without her. Not one damn thing.
He began to chew on his lip when he saw the car stop. He walked to the other side of the room for a better view of when she walked in. He wanted to see her face when she everything. God, to see that smile again. To see her eyes take in her paintings alongside of his pictures. Their own little exhibit.
He’d moved everything out of the studio. His bed, his desk, the art supplies, all gone. Candles lined the floors and windowsills, shining their light on the art hanging on the walls. Gig’s paintings, his photographs, all lined up. This should be their world. Creating together, showing their work together, living their lives together.
He glanced over at Alec and Cameron, giving them a small nod of thanks, which they returned with smiles. They’d been lifesavers. As soon as Jackson had realized what he had to do, he’d immediately called them. They worked with Stassi and made sure to have Gigi out of her townhome so they could go in and get her paintings. Lacey still didn’t know the deal, but all would be explained later. Jackson knew she might be a little pissed at being left in the dark, okay a lot pissed, but hopefully she found it in her heart to forgive them sooner, rather than later.
“They’re walking up,” Alec said.
“You ready?” Cameron asked.
“Fuck no,” Alec admitted. “But it’s now or never. So right-the-fuck-now it is.”
“Why are we here?” Gigi asked, her voice becoming clearer as she opened the door.
She took a step in, and that’s when their eyes met. Her blue eyes met his, and he immediately felt his throat close up. It’d been too long. Too long since he’d seen her. Heard her voice.
“H…hey,” he stammered.
“Jackson?” she asked, her voice soft.
It was then that she looked around, her eyes taking in her paintings, hanging on the walls like there was no other place they should be. “This is beautiful.” She wrapped her arms around her waist, slowly walking around and looking at everything. When she got to the most important section, the pictures of her, she stopped.
Jackson held his breath as she took it in.
The middle picture was a large one of her, looking up into the sun, her eyes closed, arms spread wide by her sides. He’d taken it when they’d gone camping. He’d been looking at the lake, and glanced over at her. She’d been standing that way, taking in the sun, and in that moment, she’d never been more beautiful.
She turned to him, tears in her eyes, her cheeks flushed a beautiful shade of red. “What is all this?”
He walked toward her, aware of Lacey and Stassi huddled next to Cameron and Alec. When he reached her, he took her hands in his, and placed his forehead against hers. “This is me showing you how beautiful you are. How perfect your paintings are. How my pieces only work with yours beside them.” He placed his knuckle beneath her chin, lifting her head so she met his eyes. “We belong together, Gigi. You and me. We’re a team. I can’t be in Dallas without you. I can’t be anywhere without you. There’s no version of this life for me that makes sense without you in it.”
“Jackson…” Gigi made a choked sound
, then wiped under her eyes before any tears could fall. “This is gorgeous. It really is. It means the world to me. And, yes, I’ve missed you. So very much. I’m miserable. A walking, talking car-wreck, but that doesn’t change things. I can’t follow you to Dallas in the hopes that we become something we aren’t. I—”
“I’d never ask you to,” he cut in. “I’d never ask you to follow me anywhere, unsure of your place in things. Especially with how we started out, but…” he put his hand in his pocket, wrapped his fingers around the small box that had been weighing him down all day, and took it out. He heard Gigi gasp, both hands flying to her mouth, as he opened it. He took the single stone, emerald cut diamond ring out of his pocket and held it in front of her. “I was hoping you’d come with your fiancé.”
“Wait…what?” he heard Lacey whisper from behind him. “I thought…didn’t they already do this part?”
“Sshhh,” Stasi hushed her. “I’ll explain later.”
“Are you serious?” Gigi asked, her eyes darting from the ring, back to him, back to the ring.
“I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.” Jackson got down on one knee, Stassi squealing behind him as he took Gigi’s hand. “Marry me. Be my wife. I swear to you, I’ll do whatever I can make you happy. To be worthy of you.” He held his breath as she stared at him, his heart beating so hard he thought it’d burst out of his chest. Please, baby, say yes.
Gigi couldn’t believe what was happening. Her head had gone dizzy when she’d seen what he’d done to his studio, and now she thought she surely must be dreaming. Jackson, the man she loved, was kneeling before her, complete with a black suit and shiny shoes, with the most beautiful diamond ring she’d ever seen.
She knelt down by him, taking his face in her hands. “Are you sure? Because you don’t have to do this. We can try to work this out. I don’t want you doing something you aren’t ready for—”
“We’ve lived together for months. I know you. You know me. This isn’t about getting you back or trying to manipulate you into moving.” He squeezed her hand harder, his fingers curling around hers. “This is about me knowing, without a shadow of a doubt, that we’re supposed to witness each other’s lives.”
Gigi felt the tears begin to fall. She took a deep breath, then nodded. “Yes.”
“Yeah?” Jackson asked, his face breaking out into the biggest smile she’d ever seen.
“Yes. Hell, yes.”
Jackson hopped to his feet, then pulled her up into his arms.
Gigi kissed him, long and hard, giggling a little when she heard her sister ask what in the hell was going on. She turned her face to Lacey, giving her a grin. “I’ll explain it all later.”
“That’s what I said,” said Stassi, pulling a confused and frustrated Lacey into a hug.
Jackson set Gigi down, then took her hand in his, and slipped the ring on her finger.
“It’s beautiful,” she said. “What are we going to do with this one?” she pointed toward the small band he’d given her when they’d first come up with their ridiculous plan.
“Wear it on your other hand. It can be a reminder to us to follow our hearts, even when we’re acting nuts.”
Gigi smiled and threw her arms around his neck, a small squeal escaping her lips when he picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist, rubbing her cheek against his.
“You make my heart go bang,” he whispered, so only she could hear.
Gigi looked into his eyes, into her fiancés eyes, and kissed him again.
Epilogue
I can’t stop staring at it,” Gigi said, pulling her mask into place as they walked up the steps toward the mansion. They hadn’t been to one of the parties in months, well, except for that night when she kind of lost her shit, but that was neither here nor there.
“It looks amazing on your finger,” Jackson said.
She smiled up at him, still awestruck that he was hers.
“So what are we doing here?” he asked. “I didn’t think this place was really your thing.”
“And it’s yours?”
“Eh. I can take it or leave it.”
Gigi ran her fingers up Jackson’s arm, earning her a devilish grin as he knocked on the door. “Well, tonight I have a surprise. So you just relax, and let me lead the way.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Jason opened the door and took their invitations, then led them inside.
Instead of walking into the living room with the other guests, Gigi grabbed two glasses of champagne and led Jackson to one of the back rooms.
“Uh oh,” he said as she opened the door and motioned for him to go inside. “What do you have planned tonight?”
“You’ll see,” she said, her eyes taking in his ridiculously sexy mouth. Damn. The things he does with that mouth… She planned to put that mouth to good use in a little bit, but first, she had a plan. “Sit down,” she instructed.
Jackson did as requested, taking off his mask and tossing it to the side. “I hate those things.”
Gigi ignored him and walked to the nightstand, opened the drawer, and took out his camera and a black wig.
“Hey, what the hell?”
“Wait for it…” she teased, holding it out in front of him, then quickly pulling it away when he reached for it.
“Oh, I see,” he said, his hand rubbing his hardening length over his pants. “So tonight you’re in charge, huh?”
“I guess you’ll have to wait and see.” She teasing him once more before finally putting the camera in his hand.
She leaned in, making extra certain her breasts gently touched his chest, and whispered in his ear, “I want you to take my picture.”
Jackson raised an eyebrow, his interest definitely piqued. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah.” Gigi leaned in and ran her tongue over the seam of his lips, then took a few steps back. She slipped the black wig on, running her fingers through the strands.
He hesitated for a second, then held the camera up, and began to snap away.
Gigi swayed her hips back and forth, encouraged by the way his cock continued to press against the front of his pants. She let her fingers flirt with the bottom of her dress, then, inch by inch, brought it up and over her head.
Jackson growled as he took in her sheer black bra and panty set. “Do you like what you see?”
“Fuck yes, I do.”
“Do you want a taste?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’d love a taste.”
Gig sauntered toward him, lifting one foot and placing it on the side of his hip, her pussy right in front of his face. “I didn’t say stop taking pictures.”
Jackson looked at her in surprise, then nodded, his face broken out into a shit-eating grin, and snapped more pictures.
Gigi patted her sex over her panties, gasping a little at how good it felt. She began to rub her clit, the material covering it growing damp with her excitement. “Jackson?” she moaned.
“Yeah, baby?” His own voice was deep. Gravely.
“Stop taking pictures and eat my pussy.” She pulled her panties to the side, her sex now on display.
“Mmm. With fucking pleasure.” He set his camera down, pushing it under the bed, then roughly palmed her ass with his hands. “Spread your lips for me.”
Gigi opened her folds with her fingers, watching as he stuck his tongue out, looked up at her, then began to lap at her clit. Her legs began to shake as he pulled it into his mouth, swirling his tongue around her sensitive bundle of nerves, gently stroking it like a lover.
“Bend over,” he told her as he gave her hips a gentle twist.
She knew she was supposed to be in charge, but in that moment she didn’t care. All she wanted was to turn him on. To make him so hard he could barely stand it. So she did as he said and turned, hooked her thumbs into her panties, and pulled them down her legs as she bent over. She heard a rustle from the bed, then the sounds of his camera as he snapped pictures of her pussy and ass. Hmm. I think we can do a
little better than that…
She reached back between her legs and ran her fingers through her center, smiling when she heard Jackson curse from behind her. “Do you like that, baby?”
Jackson responded by burring his face in her pussy and growling into her wet flesh. He ran his fingers through her juices, then slipped two inside her while his thumb gently massaged the skin on her ass.
His movement rocked her forward, and she had to put her hands on the ground to keep on her feet. She shamelessly rotated her pussy against his mouth, grinding herself on his face until her orgasm shot through her. She cried out, fingers shaking on the floor as he continued to eat her. He took her clit into his mouth and gave it quick, pulsating sucks as his fingers continued to work her, and then she felt his thumb slowly, tenderly, slip inside her as well.
She couldn’t stop the sounds coming from her mouth. She’d never felt anything like it. Had never had anyone play with that, and suddenly she knew she wanted more.
When she came down from her orgasm, her body shaking and every nerve on high alert, she turned to him and crushed her mouth to his. She tasted herself on his lips, smelled it, and it only made her all the more excited. “Can we try something?”
“Anything you want. You know that.”
She pulled her face away from his, then reached down and slipped her fingers into his pants and around his cock. “I want you to fuck me.”
“Okay.”
She took his hand and sheepishly led it to where she needed him the most, her face flushed with desire. “Here.”
Jackson’s cock grew even harder when she touched his fingers to her ass. He scooped her up in his arms and laid her on the bed, then walked to the nightstand.
Alec always kept new, small sex toys and other necessities ready to go for anyone who wanted to partake. It was one of the things everyone loved about this place. Not everyone wanted to go to a swingers club or a dungeon, or even felt comfortable going to sex shops. The mansion provided a safe environment to anonymously go and indulge your fantasies. It was the perfect adult playground.