Four Letter Feelings (The Jeremy Lewis Series Book 1)

by Lasairiona McMaster

  Turning on his heel he strode through the open door of the hotel and into the elevator. Tucking his aviators into his shirt he pushed the button for the top floor and stood back, waiting for the door to close.

  “Hold the elevator!” He heard a breathless voice call just as the doors started to close. Sticking his hand out to stop the doors from closing, he smiled as the owner of the voice darted into the elevator with him and said, ‘Thanks’, with a sigh.

  “Any time, Ms. Davis,” he answered, with a lopsided grin.

  “Oh fu—” She was stopped by two people joining them in the elevator.

  “What floor?” Jeremy asked everyone.

  “Two, please.”

  Don’t care, where are you staying Chelsea Davis?

  “Seven, please.”

  Still don’t care.

  Chelsea had sucked her cheek in between her teeth and she was blushing.

  “Fourteen, please.” She wouldn’t meet his gaze.

  Seven floors of just you and me, Chels.

  He pushed buttons for the various floors, stepped back away from the panel and stood against the wall of the elevator, taking a side-step towards Chelsea. He saw her side-eyeing him and he flashed her another smile.

  “Don’t you dare,” she mouthed with an eye roll and a shake of her head.

  On the second floor, four became three and when the remaining unwelcome visitor stepped forward to give himself more space, Jeremy seized the opportunity to take another step towards Chelsea.

  “Of course you’re here right now,” she groaned. The third-wheel glanced awkwardly behind him at Chelsea. “Oh, not you!” she blustered. “I didn’t mean you, I meant him.” She hooked a thumb in Jeremy’s direction.

  “Oh,” he answered, clearly still confused. “Is he stalking you or something?” He puffed out his chest. “Do you need help?”

  She needs an orgasm, man. That’s what she needs, so hurry up and leave so I can move this flirtatious dance we’re doing to the next level.

  She burst out laughing.

  “I can handle him myself, thank you. But no, he’s not stalking me.” She paused and raised an eyebrow, her eyes dancing with amusement. “At least I don’t think he’s stalking me, anyway.”

  “Ok, well. Ok then,” the stranger answered, as the elevator slowed to a stop. “Well, this is me.” He stepped out. “Good luck with whatever this…” he gestured between them, “is. Have a good one!” He pulled his luggage out of the elevator behind him and Jeremy immediately hit the ‘close door’ button. He wanted as much alone time with Chelsea as he could get.

  “Yes, I’m here right now,” Jeremy answered her earlier statement. “I’m leaving today though,” he added with a wink as he contemplated pulling the emergency stop button in the elevator.

  “Oh?” she asked, glancing up at him.

  “Yeah, I’m moving into my new digs.”

  “Ah. So not leaving, leaving, just leaving the hotel. Gotcha.”

  “Aw! Were you concerned you wouldn’t get to sexually frustrate me any longer, Chels?”

  He took another step towards her, and glanced at the screen noting that they only had a few more floors to go before they reached hers.

  “Is that what I do to you, Jer? Sexually frustrate you?”

  Don’t make a crass joke about the bulge in my pants.

  Don’t make a crass joke about the bulge in my pants.

  Don’t make a… shit, answer her, she’s staring at you all flirty-like.

  “Please tell me this isn’t news to you,” he answered, reaching out and brushing a stray curl out of her face and behind her ear.

  “You’ve never wanted me before. Why now? What’s different now?” she demanded.

  “I, eh—”

  Shit. Say something funny. This damn elevator is going to stop any moment.

  “I’m different… for one.”

  She snorted.

  Double shit. You’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?

  The elevator stopped and Jeremy turned towards the open doors as they slid open. When Chelsea didn’t make a move to leave, he glanced back and found her staring at him expectantly.

  “Isn’t this your floor?” he asked, confused.

  “It is.” She nodded slowly. “But I was giving you a chance to tell me all about how much you’ve supposedly changed.”

  The doors closed slowly, but neither of them broke eye contact as the elevator started to ascend to Jeremy’s floor. She glanced down at his lips and in that moment, he knew he had her. The corner of his mouth turned up into a half-smile as he watched her pull her plump bottom lip between her teeth before running her tongue over it.

  Fuck it.

  “Chelsea Davis, I—” His voice was gravelly and coarse once again as he leaned towards her so their lips were almost touching. He didn’t get the chance to finish his sentence as she tipped her chin closing the distance between their lips. As they kissed, he could feel her whole body relax against the wall of the elevator and as it dinged its arrival at his floor, he cursed as she broke the kiss.

  “Now, now, Mr. Lewis,” she drawled, bopping him on the nose with her index finger. “This is your stop.”

  “I don’t have your cell number,” he grumbled. “And I don’t even know what room you’re staying in,” he continued, fully aware that he was verging on whining.

  She laughed. “This is all true,” she cooed. “I guess you’ll just have to figure something out then, won’t you? I mean, that is, if you want it badly enough, anyway.”

  “Oh, believe me,” he sighed. “I want it plenty badly enough.”

  He groaned.

  “I could tell.” She indicated to his crotch with a nod of her head and a sly smile.

  He groaned again. “You’re killin’ me, Chels.” He stepped out of the elevator as she held the door open.

  “You don’t have to pursue me, Jer. I’m not forcing you to. You say you want me, then you’re going to have to prove it. I know your game. I’ve been around jocks like you long enough to know you’re only out to get in a girl’s pants and leave. I’m not like that, nor will I ever be. Jeff was one jock too many. I’m not looking for marriage and babies but I won’t be just another notch on your belt either.”

  He opened his mouth to throw out a smartass reply, but thought better of it.

  “Men like you love the thrill of the chase, Jer. Once you get what you want, you move on to the next chase. That doesn’t fly with me. You want this,” she paused, gesturing to her body. “Prove. It.”

  She stepped back and shrugged. “I’m only in town for two more days, Jer!”

  The elevator doors closed leaving Jeremy standing with his mouth wide open and his jeans reminding him of just how badly he wanted her. He sighed and shook his head, knowing that if he was going to get anywhere, he’d have to put the work in.

  Do I really want to pursue something with her? He wondered as he tapped his key card on the panel and let himself into the room.

  He pondered the question as he changed into clean clothes and quickly packed up his things into the two large cases, carry-on case and his back pack.

  “Yup, I’m pretty sure I do.” He spoke loudly, as he pulled the cases to the door.

  As he was standing at reception to check out an idea popped into his head. Offering his most winning smile, he turned the charm on for the woman, Jasmine, behind the desk. He told her that he’d met Ms. Chelsea Davis in the bar the previous night and he’d like to send a bottle of wine, some chocolate covered strawberries and a note to her room. Jasmine giggled and batted her eyelashes at him.

  “That’s so romantic! And what would you like the card to say, Mr. Lewis?” Her long nails clicked on the computer keyboard as she made arrangements.

  “Could you write, ‘The puck is in your zone, Ms. Davis.’”

  “Sure thing!” She giggled.

  “And can you add my cell number to it, too, please Jasmine?”

  She giggled again at the m
ention of her name, as though it was surprising that he knew her name, despite the nametag on her blouse. Under normal circumstances he’d have taken this woman to bed, but right now, he only had eyes for Chelsea.

  See? Told you I’ve grown, Chels.

  As he left the hotel, he was more than confident in his gesture and had a sneaking suspicion that he’d hear from Ms. Chelsea Davis before she left the state.

  Chapter 9

  “Not to sound like your mom, or a nagging wife, but where the hell were you?” AJ asked as Jeremy struggled to pull his cases through the door of the dorm room.

  “No, no. Don’t get up, man. I got it!” Jeremy huffed, as he abandoned the cases and collapsed into the armchair. “And not that I owe you an explanation, but I bumped into Chelsea… and, well…”

  “You didn’t, did you?” AJ seemed shocked at how fast Jeremy moved.

  “What? Bed her? No! Jeez! I just kissed her. But it totally threw me off my packing game. It just took way longer than expected.”

  “Ah. You kissed her, eh? You think you’re gonna get further with her?”

  “I’m damn sure gonna try,” Jeremy answered with a confident nod. “Wheels are already in motion, too. I’m sending her some wine and strawberries – with my cell number – let’s see if she uses it.”

  AJ shook his head and chuckled. “You’re shameless, man. Utterly shameless.”

  Once he’d unpacked his clothes into the small wardrobe, and put his toiletries in the bathroom, he left AJ in the dorms and went to the bookshop to pick up some resources he needed for his course. Business Management wasn’t something he’d always dreamt of doing, but he had the required grades to get in and, at the end of the day, for him, it was all about the hockey anyway. His dad, Tom, on the other hand, hadn’t taken his career choice well at all. To him, Jeremy should forget about playing ‘that silly game’ and be a doctor, like both his grandfather and his father. It wasn’t that his father didn’t approve of sports, it was more that he thought Jeremy’s grades would have been markedly improved had he not spent so much of his time on the ice. He also didn’t think that Jeremy was destined to play at NHL level. He never denied that Jeremy was talented on the ice, but as far as he was concerned, if you weren’t good enough to make it to the big leagues, why bother pursuing it at all? It didn’t matter to him that Jeremy loved the game, or that he was actually pretty good at it, what mattered to him was how financially secure you were at the end of each month. In his mind, pursuing a mid-level hockey career, at best, wasn’t nearly as ‘rewarding’ as being a well-paid doctor who could work anywhere in the world. It was one of the only times in his life Jeremy was almost relieved his gramps wasn’t around anymore so he could get it in the neck from another angle, too. His gramps had been even less in favor of Jeremy pursuing sports than his father was.

  As he scanned the bookshelves in the business section, he churned over those arguments with his dad in his mind. He resolved to prove him wrong and to make something of himself, to make his father proud. Shaking his head, he reminded himself that as long as he was proud of himself it shouldn’t matter what his dad thought of him, but try as he might he knew the deep yearning for acceptance from his dad would still be there. It was always there.

  “Business Management, eh?” A voice jolted him out of his thoughts.

  “That’s right,” he answered, turning to face the voice.

  “First year?” she asked with a warm smile.

  He nodded. “Yeah, though by the look of this stack of books I should have taken something easier. Like color-by-numbers or some shit.”

  She giggled. “Well, if you ever need a study buddy, I’m in first year business management, too. Maybe we can help each other out.”

  Maybe we can, indeed.

  Wait. Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea… you want Chelsea, remember? No more notches on belts. No more booty calls. Just Chelsea.

  He glanced at the cashier who had come out from behind the counter to talk to him. She was tall, wearing form-fitting dress pants, her low-cut blouse was covered in little flamingos and her name tag said her name was Adrianne. Strands of her jaw-length blonde hair kept falling in her face as she talked and he thought he might get lost in her dark-brown eyes. As his eyes followed the line of her shirt, he noticed that her necklace also had a flamingo pendant.

  “I like flamingos,” she offered by way of explanation.

  “Clearly.”

  He grinned.

  She half-shrugged.

  “No judgement,” he offered.

  She blushed and returned to the counter as another student needed to check out while Jeremy grabbed the last two books on his list. He watched her from the corner of his eye as her bracelets jingled as she checked the woman out.

  No, he scolded himself. You want Chelsea.

  Except Adrianne is all kindsa cute, and from the color of her cheeks and those glances she doesn’t think you notice, she thinks you’re kinda cute, too.

  “Thanks, have a good one!” she replied to the customer.

  Jeremy plopped his books onto the counter in front of her.

  “All done?”

  “Almost.” He grinned. “I have everything I need… except your digits.” He flashed his trademark, stellar grin and watched as the corners of her mouth pulled into a smile.

  “Wow, that was so smooth I almost overlooked just how cheesy it was.” She giggled again.

  “I love cheese.”

  “Me too,” she answered, as she pulled a block of Post Its out from the drawer and jotted down her number. “If you ever want to study together, or… stuff… gimme a call.”

  Taking the Post It from her he slipped it into his wallet before taking out his credit card to pay.

  “Oh, I’ll definitely want to study, or… stuff.”

  He waggled his eyebrows at her as he took the bag of books and enjoyed watching a flush creep into her cheeks as their hands brushed against each other. “See ya round,” he added before leaving the shop.

  As soon as he was back out on the street, he pulled his phone from his pocket and checked his messages.

  Nothing from Chelsea.

  Swallowing his disappointment, he called AJ to ask if he needed anything brought back for lunch.

  “I’m getting a Subway, man. You want some meatballs? You ain’t getting’ any of my balls, so if you want balls, you need to get your own.”

  “You’re a complete adolescent, you know that, right?”

  “It’s all part of my boyish charm,” he answered. “So, where are we on the balls?”

  “I could definitely go for some balls.”

  “Atta boy. Foot long, right? Ain’t nobody got time for a six inch.”

  “Size matters, dude.”

  “Ain’t that the truth.”

  “Jer?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Why are you suddenly talking like a gansta rapper?”

  “’Cause I’m gangsta, yo.”

  “Oh, Jesus.” AJ groaned and Jeremy chuckled. “I kissed a beautiful woman in an elevator and the lovely Adrianne in the bookstore just gave me her digits. She wants to hang out and do stuff. I found a place to stay, though. I’m putting it out there right now, if we room together beyond this year, we’re getting an apartment or something, I’m way too cool for dorm life – and I’m destined for a meatball sub. Life is good, man.”

  AJ chuckled again. “Preach!”

  ***

  Matt Nathanson was playing when he got back to their room.

  “Don’t you ever listen to something… I dunno… upbeat?” Jeremy asked, as he burst into the room.

  “Nathanson can be upbeat,” AJ answered, indignantly.

  Throwing AJ his sub, Jeremy gave him a skeptical look, raising an eyebrow. “Uh huh. Sure he can.”

  “Thanks for this, man. What do I owe you?”

  “Don’t mention it.”

  They sat on their beds and tore into their subs.

  “Uhm. Are you rich or something?”
/>
  “Or something.”

  “Ah.”

  “Why d’you ask?”

  “You’re a college student who has just come back from a year out, you don’t have a job – at least not that I know of – and you’re staying in the most expensive hotel in town.”

  “I was staying in the most expensive hotel in town. Now I’m here, slumming it with the commoners.” He added a wink for good measure. “Dude, we’re friends now, right? We’re going to be doing this turnabout thing for a while and I really don’t wanna pinch pennies and keep a record of every cent we spend on each other. I’m terrible at math.”

  “You’re doing a business management degree.”

  “Fine. I’m terrible at friend math.”

  “I see, and friend math is different to regular math because?”

  “Because I don’t feel like friendship should come with a ledger.”

  “Good answer. Friends shouldn’t keep score.”

  “I’m glad we understand each other. Also, I’m not rich, my parents are. Dad’s a doctor and he’s made all kinds of investments over the years so they’re pretty well off.”

  AJ took a bite of his sub and seemed to be mulling over the information he’d just been given, trying to decide whether to continue the conversation, or to just let it drop.

  “So…”

  “Yeah, I know. Sounds like a good deal, right?”

  AJ nodded as he chewed. “You just don’t seem to be all that ok with your folks…”

  Jeremy sighed and swallowed. “Dad and I are going through some stuff right now,” he offered. “He doesn’t approve of my life choices.”

  “So, you flipped him the bird and traveled Europe?”

  “Yeah, and then I flipped him another bird and decided to pursue hockey and business management instead of becoming a doctor like him and Gramps.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Yeah. He almost cut me off from the family fortune. It’s not really a fortune, I just like calling it a fortune ʼcause it makes me sound faaaaancy. He was big mad. Like, big mad. Mom calmed him down, though and we’re working through things.”