by Joanna Blake
The dog would have eaten anything, even styrofoam. If it was beef flavored. The pooch had been half starved, and not just for a little while either. She’d survived so much.
As a result, Pepper was the opposite of picky.
Her phone beeped again and she sighed, going to check it. She expected it to be work, or one of her friends from the animal hospital razzing her about Kendall again.
Instead it was a picture.
A picture of her and Kendall in the car together. Her phone pinged again. Another of them standing in front of his house with the dog. And one of them on his deck together.
Oh my God.
Cathy was the one texting the pictures. Which meant… they were out there. It wasn’t like Cathy had been watching them with a fancy long distance lens.
Jess almost threw up, even though her stomach was empty. It was a good thing she hadn’t had her breakfast yet. So much for staying out of the limelight. And the texts kept coming.
Want to clue me in, Mrs. Jackson?
Where did you get these?
Um, OK Magazine? They are everywhere though.
Oh no.
Oh YES. Tell me everything.
I can’t. This is a disaster.
Girl, you famous.
Shit. Shit shit shit.
Link?
Cathy sent the link and Jess clicked on it, reading the article. What she read made her sick to her stomach.
Kendall Jackson strikes again- the serial modelizer always has a hot girl on his arm. This one isn't famous for once but she certainly fits his penchant for gorgeous women. The infamous playboy has been out and about with Beverly Hill Veterinarian to the stars Jessica Sheffield, MD. Maybe she can reign in the famous bad boy, known for his modelizing ways, but I wouldn't count on it.
Jess stared at her phone. This should not be a surprise. He was a known modelizer- it was true. He literally only dated tall, impossibly thin women. She was neither. She was short and curvy- definitely not his type.
She was definitely not going to be reigning him in.
No. She wasn't reigning anything. She was leaving.
She tip toed into the bedroom and quietly gathered her clothes. She took one last look at Kendall, her heart twisting at the sight of him. He was sound asleep, looking like an angel.
The man was too beautiful. That was only part of it. He was cool and fun and made her feel special.
But she wasn't special.
She was one of many.
You’re a joke, Jess. You’ll never be loved. You don’t deserve love, remember?
It was just an act on his part. An irresistible act she'd let herself get caught up in. She softly shut the door and dressed quickly. Then she grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, scribbling a hasty note. She owed him that at least.
Had to run. Thanks for the pizza.
-Jess
She patted Pepper's head and snuck out of the house.
Jess was trying to figure out where to get a cab as she walked through the exclusive LA neighborhood. So far she hadn't seen anyone, but it was still early. The sun had just risen, coloring the sky a hazy pink.
Thank God no one saw her.
This was literally the ultimate walk of shame.
It was epically shameful.
As long as no one she knew saw her. Or the paparazzi. She stopped in her tracks. Omg. Were the paparazzi going to start following her now? No. That didn’t make a lick of sense, dummy.
She was feeling like an utter moron when she heard it.
The rev of an engine behind her. She refused to look. She knew it was him. It wasn’t the milk man for goodness sake. Nobody else was out at this hour. It was too late for the partiers and too early for the fitness nuts.
It was Kendall. It had to be him.
He pulled up beside her and rolled down the window. She kept walking. He let the car roll slowly down the hill.
"Jess."
She ignored him.
"Let me give you a ride."
"It's fine. I like to walk."
"In LA?!? Seriously Jess, get in the car."
She just shook her head and kept walking.
"After last night are you seriously afraid to get into a car with me???"
"No. I'm not afraid. I'm fine. I just need to stretch my legs."
He stared at her, steering with one hand as she walked a few more paces in silence.
"Oh my God, you don't want me to know where you live, do you? Jesus Christ, Jessica.”
"I'm fine, Kendall. Just get on with your day. Forget about me."
“Forget about you?”
“Yes.”
"Just like that?"
She stopped and faced him squarely.
"Just like that."
“Do you really think I could?”
She gave him a withering look.
“Uh, yeah. Mr. Modelizer. I think you could.”
“It’s not like that Jess. I care about you.”
“That’s awfully big of you.”
“I mean it, Jessica!”
“Thanks. Now, I need to get back home. I have to feed my cats.”
“You have cats?”
“Yes. See? I’m a crazy cat lady. You don’t want to see me again. Let’s just cut to the chase?”
“The chase? I’ve flown all over the country trying to track you down. How’s that for a chase?”
“Well, you got what you wanted didn’t you? So, let’s leave it at that.”
“Like hell I will!”
Chapter 33
Kendall
Kendall was fuming.
She'd snuck out on him. Again.
He revved the engine, pulling ahead of her. He drove to the end of the block and parked the car. Then he sat on the hood and waited for her little legs to carry her down the block toward him.
She was scowling the entire way.
He was pissed, but he still thought she looked adorable.
When she passed him, he reached out and grabbed her. She pulled against his hand so he pinned her against the side of the car.
That’s great Kendall. Add assault to the list of stupid things you were doing.
“Stop wiggling around! I don’t want to hurt you!”
"Let go of me."
“Jess, please just listen to me,“
He stared down into her face while he held her wiggling body against the car. He pressed forward, holding her still with the weight of his body. Finally she stopped struggling, staring up at him resentfully.
He stroked her face gently.
“I just want to talk.”
“Fine. Talk.”
"What are you so afraid of, anyway?"
She lifted her chin and stared at him.
"I'm not afraid."
He knew she was lying. Worse, he could see it in her big, beautiful eyes. She rapidly blinked back tears. He released her abruptly.
"Fuck, did I hurt you Jess? I forget how tiny you are sometimes."
She was rubbing her shoulders and staring at the ground.
“No, you didn’t.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m fine."
"Jess, please. Don't do this. I want to be with you."
She shrugged, refusing to look at him.
"Yeah, but for how long? I don't feel like being your girl of the month. Better to just- end it now."
He leaned back over her, lifting her chin. He used his hips to push her back. He wasn't rough, but he wasn't letting go.
"Is that what you think? That I want another flavor of the month?"
She looked away but he brought her chin back up.
"Jessica. Is that what you think?"
She was swallowing convulsively. He could feel it on the back of his hand. He realized he was manhandling her again. Maybe she was actually afraid of him. He cursed and pulled her into his arms, kissing her neck and shoulders.
"Please, Jess… don’t do this. Give me a chance.”
She made a suspicious sniffling sound
. Crap. She was crying!
“Give us a chance.”
He felt her little hands creeping up his shoulders. He heaved a huge sigh of relief when they snaked around his neck. She was holding him back.
“Just talk to me, Jess.”
“Okay.”
She wasn't going to send him away. She just stood there and let him hold her. Finally she took a deep breath and started talking.
"My dad wasn't around. I guess he had- lots of girlfriends. He took off when I was still a baby. It made my mom sad. When she was sad, she drank. And when she drank… she forgot to make dinner. Or breakfast. Or do the laundry. Or pay the electricity bill. Or get out of bed. Or-“
She trailed off and he kissed her soft hair. She felt so delicate in his arms. So fragile. He wanted to take her pain away.
He wanted to protect her.
More than anything else in the world.
"Shhhh- it's alright."
“No. It’s really not.”
Jess wasn't crying anymore though. Her eyes were dry against his chest.
"That's awful, Jess. No wonder you're so self sufficient."
"It's no big deal. I just got my life lessons a little early. I can take care of myself. I like it that way."
He squeezed her tighter. She'd been through so much. But he was going to take care of her now. He leaned back to look at her.
"That's not going to work forever, Jess. We’re human. We need each other.”
He felt her shrug in his arms. He lowered his head to her ear and kissed it.
"What is it going to take to make you trust me? Do you need to be with me all the time to see that I'm not like he was?"
“All the time?”
“How would you feel about taking a sabbatical from work?”
She opened her mouth but no words came out. He gripped her hand and led her to the passenger side of his car.
"Okay, that's it. Come on."
"What? Where are we going?"
He lifted her up and put her in his car. Then he got in and buckled them both in.
"We are going to your place. To pack. And feed the cats.”
"What?!?"
"And then you are coming to New York with me."
"Kendall I can't. I have a life you know-"
He grinned at her.
"Yeah. With me. I think they can work around you a little bit. It doesn't matter anyway. I decided I'm keeping you."
"Kendall, I'm not a puppy!"
He slid his eyes over her body.
"No, you're not. But weren't you the one who told me that pets are people too?"
“But, New York is so far!”
“Not as far as London or Tokyo.”
“What?”
“Those are the next stops on the tour.”
“You are joking. You don’t expect me to-”
“Oh yes, I do.” He kissed her quickly. “I hope you have a passport.”
He grinned at the outraged look on her face. But she didn't say a word to argue. Because there was nothing more to say.
He could feel it in his bones.
He'd won.
Chapter 34
Jessica
The New York crowd was going wild.
Jessica stood on the side lines, watching as In Tempo performed the last song of the night. It was the third encore. That’s because Kendall had said this was it, this was the last tour.
London, Paris and Tokyo would round it up, then they would finish it all off in Nashville for one last blow up.
Then he was hanging up his tracksuit for good.
Then again, she'd sworn to herself that she'd never fall in love. Look where that had gotten her. She was in New York with her new boyfriend, watching him make the audience swoon.
She knew how the crowd felt. She had melted in the face of Kendall’s insistence.
Back in LA movers were boxing her stuff up and moving it into his house. ‘Their house’ was what Kendall was calling it now. He was amazing, on top of everything. Jess had barely had to do a thing.
Lisa and Cathy were looking after her cats, Calliope and Cameron. And the fish, Henry. And the bunny.
Sir Fuzzy Pants.
Kendall was okay with all of them moving in too.
She fingered the ruby necklace that hung around her neck. He’d told her she had to get used to presents. And room service. And exotic vacations.
He’d even said they could find an animal shelter wherever they went, so she could volunteer for a day or so. He promised to volunteer right along side her.
He even wanted to open up an animal shelter in LA. And name it after her.
Well, both of them.
The Sheffield Jackson Help For Animals Center.
It was a mouthful, but the way he was planning their lives together was overwhelming. But in a good way. She felt safe with him. He’d even told her he loved her, right in the middle of turbulence on the flight to NYC.
If she'd learned one thing over the last week it was this: Never say never.
Oh, and that Kendall Jackson was very much a man of his word.
She smiled. She'd decided to keep him too.
Chapter 35
Kendall
“You ready?”
“For what?”
He lifted Jessica up and she let out a yelp.
“To go back to the hotel.”
“You don’t want to hang out with the guys?”
He shook his head slowly.
“No. I was thinking more… champagne in the bubble bath.” Jess gave him a dubious look and he laughed. “Or whip cream and Belgian waffles.”
“Oh. That sounds nice.”
“Nice?”
It was her turn to laugh at the outraged look on his face.
“Don’t you have a flight early in the morning.”
“We have a flight. Which is why we really should be getting to bed soon.”
She squealed as he threw her over his shoulder and walked to the security checkpoint.
“Is the ride here?”
“It’s right outside.”
He lowered Jess to her feet and took her hand.
“Come on, one more surprise.”
A stretch limo waited outside. Jessica’s eyes got wide.
“Is this just for us?”
“Uh huh.”
“Aren’t we less than ten minutes from the hotel?”
“I thought we could take the scenic route.”
Jess was staring at him as the driver opened the door for them.
“What are you trying to do to me?”
“I thought we should take this opportunity to make up for lost time.”
“I don’t understand…”
She climbed in and he followed her into the limo.
“Neither one of us went through the traditional American teenager phases.”
“Like what?”
He slid his hand up her thigh and watched her pupils dilate. Now she really looked like a doll with saucer eyes.
“Like… fooling around in cars.”
He grinned at her and pressed the intercom.
“Once around the park please.”
“Yes, sir.”
He grinned and watched Jess start to fidget. She was still shy about asking for what she wanted. He was about to teach her a lesson in that.
“Lay back.”
“Huh?”
He slid to his knees and nestled himself between her thighs, stroking them soothingly. She was wearing a cute little skirt with tights. It was almost begging him to get a taste of her.
“I want to make you come.”
“Oh. Here?”
His smile was sensual as he tugged the tights down her legs. She was trapped now, held open by his shoulders and unable to move because of the tights around her ankles. He rested his knees on the tights.
Gotcha.
“Yes, here.”
She swallowed nervously, glancing at the windows.
“Privacy tint. You can see out but the
y can’t see in.”
“They?”
“Everyone in midtown manhattan.”
She paled and he laughed, letting his fingertips brush up and down her thighs. He let them drag over the front of her panties.
“You want to… um…”
“I want to go down on you.”
“Oh.”
She let out a squeak as he leaned forward and kissed her through her panties.
“Can I?”
His fingers didn’t rest, teasing and toying with her puffy little lips through the thin cotton fabric.
“Oooohh… Okay.”
He smiled in answer and tugged her panties down. Her ankles were together now and her knees apart. He slid his hands under her juicy little ass and lifted her slightly.
Like a meal he couldn’t wait to devour.
But he was going slow. After all, he wanted her to enjoy the entire ride, not just the trip to central park.
Slowly he lowered his mouth to her. And blew.
She jumped but he held her firm. He slid his tongue up and down the line between her lips a few times. She gasped and he chuckled, blowing on her again.
“Open the window a crack.”
“But it’s freezing!”
“It will feel nice, trust me.”
He heard the sound of the window going down and spared a glance upward. Jess was bright red, staring at the tiny sliver of empty space.
“No one can see you.”
“Okay.”
“I’m sure they’d like to watch you getting your pussy licked.”
She made a strangled sound of embarrassment as he started kissing her pussy lips in earnest. He made out with her, scooping his tongue just inside her and twirling it around.
“Ohhhh…”
He was smiling as he let his fingers get busy with her clit. He used a light touch. He knew his girl was sensitive.
“What are you-“
He plunged his tongue inside her, then out again. In and out. In and out.
He tongue fucked her while she moaned helplessly. Her hands were on his shoulders, holding on for dear life.
“Kendall!”
She was close. He knew it. So he stopped.
“Oh… oh my God what are you doing to me?”
He smiled up at her.
“What would you like me to do?”