by Jax Hart
Chase fingers inched under the hem of my shirt. I bit my lip as they traced tiny circles under my navel. My breath hitched; my heart picked up speed as we watched the actors on the screen fall into something.
Chase turned his head slightly; his lips found the spot right behind my ear. When he stood suddenly I was caged between his body and the ottoman. “Ryan and I are going upstairs to make out for a little bit. Be good.”
“Bro, you’re killing me.” Hunter bit a fist as his eyes went from us to the tv.
“Remember I have cameras down here. If you make a move on Charlie, I’ll know.”
I’d be embarrassed by his bold statement if I wasn’t so turned on. Chase grabbed my hand as he led me upstairs into the master bedroom. As soon as the door shut behind me, he turned the lock. The look in his eyes made my knees weak. He took his shirt off. But left his shorts on. Then hands found the hem of my tank top. I still had my tankini bathing suit top on underneath. His warm hands went to my shoulders, rolled the strap down until the fabric moved enough to free my breasts.
“Beautiful,” he sucked in a breath, hands roaming over my mounds, fingers circling the hardened points. Then his head was there taking turns tasting them both. My eyes closed. My hands buried in the back of his golden head. He lifted me, placed me on his bed. My legs opened for him to climb between. This time he let his hips rock into mine.
“Chase,” I hissed.
“I know baby.” His lips were everywhere as we writhed on the bed. My hands reached under the elastic band at his waist, reaching for him. He groaned my name as my hands wrapped around him. I pumped him in my fist as his mouth fastened to mine. Our tongues mated the way the rest of our bodies wanted to. He grabbed one of my hands, laced our fingers together, raising it high on the pillow while his other cupped my mound through my shorts. He molded it. Caressed it. Pressed hard, then light. I screamed into his kiss as I came hard just from the pressure of his hands.
I felt his smirk against my lips. But then he moved his hand inside my clothes, to play with the bud that had already had its release. “Chase! I can’t it’s too much!”
“You can and you will,” he growled. His mouth found a nipple, sucked, and pulled on it as he vaulted me to the stars a second time.
I scooted down, attempted to return the favor when his hand stayed me. “No, baby. Tonight, is about you.”
“Then give me what I want.” I challenged. I wanted to taste him, make him reach the stars too.
He hissed my name as I got my way. “Tastes better than the gummy ones,” I whispered right before he shuddered and fell back on the bed.
“Stay,” he whispered, stroking my hair as I moved to get up.
“I can’t. We need to make it at least to date number thirteen.”
He groaned. “Now you understand why I’ve been fighting you over how many we’ve had.”
“I’m not a virgin or a slut. I just… I’m afraid of getting hurt again.” He turned his head on the pillow, his hand, stroking mine.
“I’m not that fuck you dated. Look, I’m hardly a saint. I was on a few hook-up apps last year. I quit, cold when I realized I wanted something more. I wasn’t sure what that was until you. We’ll slow this down. This weekend we just collided after months of pent-up feelings that changed quickly. But I’m not going to lead you on into something I’m not willing to see through. And I’ve never cheated. I hate cheaters. Watching my father rip my family apart was enough to make sure I never wanted to be like him.”
I nodded suddenly feeling like I was going to cry and not exactly knowing why. “I need to go.”
“Are you sure? Stay, I’ll just hold you.” I hesitated, thought of my apartment that felt empty these past few nights. “Take a shower, help yourself to my clothes. I’m going to make sure Hunter hasn’t gotten past second base with Char while I take Daisy out.”
I bit my lip nodded and went into his bathroom. I took a hot shower, found one of his workout shirts and crawled into his bed. He came in some time later, took his own shower and curled up behind me. “Good night, beautiful.” He kissed the back of my neck as his thick forearm, wrapped around my waist, pulling me back into him. He moved a leg over mine, anchoring me to him. “I sleep with the ac on full arctic blast. I don’t want you getting cold. By the way, sleeping counts as date number four. In the colonial days I believed they called it ‘bundling.’ The couple would go to bed after their version of a date, but the girl would be sewn into the quilt like a sleeping bag.”
“How do you know this?”
“Eighth grade American history. North Carolina is full of American history. A lot of Scots were sent to settle the colonies and push west after they lost their battle for freedom against the crown. Wilmington was the port the Royal Navy used to bring them all here.”
“I’m very impressed with your patriotic knowledge Mr. July.” I turned in his arms, finding his lips, peppering them with kisses.
“Stop, wench. I’m trying to behave here.”
“You’ll just have to sew me in.”
“Date number four?”
“Date number four,” I agreed as we kissed deeply before he pulled back forcing me to sigh as he spooned me again. “I changed my mind. Forget thirteen. My new number is six.”
“Not five?” He chuckled against my hair.
“The way you keep count, five will be coffee and toast.”
Twenty-Five
“Did you reach her?”
“No. Her phone still goes straight to voicemail.”
Bunny smirked, as she continued clicking away on her keyboard.
“Don’t say it.” I warned.
“Nope. Not a word from me.”
My hair was sticking up in the back. My usually crisp, starched shirts had a few wrinkles and pieces of dog hair on it. I was called back to Durham for important meetings. My plans to work remotely dissipated before I could implement them. Instead of date number five with my girl, she left on the research vessel to go tag sharks in the Bahamas for a week. We had our one magical weekend and then bam, life slammed into us disrupting our plans.
My cell buzzed. Shit. It was the management company that runs the building my condo’s in.
“Mr. Carmichael?”
“Yes?”
“We’re receiving multiple complaints again today about the sound of a wailing dog coming from your unit.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “My apologies. She’s a rescue and used to being with people or other animals during the day.”
“Something needs to be done. We’re receiving too many complaints.”
My eyes fell to the watch at my wrist it was only 11:30. “Hold my calls Bun. I’m going home to get Daisy.”
“What? Are you crazy?” She hissed. “You have a partner meeting at one. And Adams has a nasty allergy to pet dander.”
I smirked. “Adams is on his way out. I’ll be doing him a favor if he leaves early due to watery eyes.”
“You devil.”
“That’s what your granddaughter said,” I winked. She blushed. “Just kidding Bun. But we would have good looking babies admit it.”
“Don’t tease an old lady with the thought of great grand-babies. That’s just cruel.”
“You’ll have to settle for a great-gran-furbaby then.”
“You are going to get me in trouble.” She wagged a finger.
“Trouble is my middle name.”
“As long as it’s not heartbreaker.”
“That would be Hunter’s.”
It only took me fifteen minutes to get back home. I grimaced, hearing Daisy’s pitiful howls as soon as I exited the elevator.
“Daddy’s home, baby!” I called out as she ran to me. “What did you do?” Her tail sagged. “You tp’d my condo?”
A roll of toilet paper was torn, shredded and everywhere. Her water bowl was tipped over. But at least she didn’t relieve herself.
“Here’s what we’re going to do. You are coming to work, ok?”
&nb
sp; I clipped on her pink leash, picked up her water bowl, a box of treats, and left. I didn’t have time to clean.
“That was fast.”
I pressed a finger to my lips indicating Bunny should zip it. I had Daisy under one arm with my suit coat draped over to shield her from view.
“Put her under your desk.”
“That makes me an accomplice.” But her chair rolled back.
I deposited Daisy in the space where Bunny’s legs were, gave her a treat and retreated to the boardroom.
The meeting was long. Boring. Diersky somehow snuck his way in, uninvited as he wasn’t even close to making partner. He caught my scowl returning fire with his middle finger. I rolled my eyes and took notes on the meeting. When it was over, I didn’t waste any time heading back to my office.
“How’s little tits doing?”
My fist clenched but I ignored him. He was trying to goad me into fucking up my life by breaking his nose at work.
“I wouldn’t know. I haven’t seen your sister since the Christmas party two years ago.”
His face turned purple, but he bit his tongue as I rounded the corner where clients waited in the lobby area.
“One day you’ll get yours Carmichael.”
I stopped short. “What’s your deal, Diersky? I never did a thing to you.”
“Your father fucked Ma. Busted up my parents’ marriage. I never forgot the guy’s name. Carmichael. Was blonde like you too.”
I grimaced so hard my teeth gnashed. “I had nothing to do with that or him. Take your beef elsewhere.”
He was still pissed and looking to fight but I left him behind, pretended to show Bunny the report in my hand and waited for him to leave before scooping up Daisy and bringing her into my office.
This day was fucked. Only thoughts of my golden girl kept me from going into a completely black mood. I missed her. But I would never stand in the way of her dreams or opportunities. Heck I wish I could be with her tagging sharks, living on a boat. Instead, I was stuck in a high rise going over legal papers. At least Daisy was with me. But I needed a permanent solution. I couldn’t leave her home alone and would get caught sneaking her into the office building eventually. I opened a web browser typing in ‘service dog.’ Ten minutes later I had a plan. I’d have to pull a few strings first. I scrolled through my phone until I found my old buddy Clark who just graduated from med school.
“Dr. Clark Greene’s office.”
“I need the doc stat.”
“You’ll need an appointment.”
“Tell him his old frat brother Chase is having an emergency darlin.”
“Chase?”
“How’s it going Clark?”
“What’s your emergency?”
“I’m having anxiety attacks. My job is stressful as shit. I need a therapy dog.”
“Get the fuck outta here. I’m busy ass wipe.”
“Fine. I rescued a Corgi who is having separation anxiety. Can you blame her? You know how the ladies get attached. I brought her to work with me, but I’ll get busted sooner or later. I need a script saying I need a therapy dog so I can bring her.”
He cursed. “I could lose my license for this.”
“We can do a telehealth appointment. Besides, you owe me for covering for you sophomore year.”
He swore again. Thirty minutes later I had a telehealth link and thirty minutes after that a legit script. Clark owed me big time. He got drunk, streaked the quad and had broken into Professor Attwater’s office, snapping pics of the final exam. I kept my mouth shut, was his alibi and here we were years later with me calling in my mark.
I pressed the button on my phone connecting me with Bunny.
“Yes?”
“Bun. I need you to order Daisy a yellow ‘service dog’ vest—maybe a tag for her collar.”
“That’s illegal.”
“I just emailed you the script from my doctor. I’m stressed. Have anxiety. He ordered me a service dog.”
“I don’t even want to know how you pulled that one off.”
“When I go after something, I tend to get my way.”
“My mama used to say, ‘if you can’t hunt with the big dogs stay under the porch’.”
“Wise woman. Order next day delivery. I don’t care what it costs.” The dog pulled on my damn heart strings. She was curled up on my feet, finally sound asleep under my desk. Poor thing tuckered herself out with the nervous breakdown she had earlier. With Daisy curled up on my feet, I read through three different agreements. Drafted new ones. Kicked the shit out of my emails. “Maybe there is something to this therapy dog thing after all.”
“Working late tonight?”
“You know it.” I grinned at Piers one of the partners at my door. Truthfully, I was waiting for everyone to leave for the day before sneaking Daisy out.
I picked up Daisy cuddled her to my chest, snapping a selfie. Then I sent it to Ryan.
Me: My new PA. JK Daisy has been a big help at work. Miss you babe.
I knew her cell was out of range but couldn’t help sending her a few. My eyes fell to the calendar. Not mine but the boring vanilla one my last PA probably picked up at Staples. I never used to care for them. Now I find myself staring at the plain white boxes wishing for them to have their day and be done. The faster this week goes, the closer I’d get to date number five.
Twenty-Six
“I’m pathetic, aren’t I?” Princess cocked her head, looked down her feline nose at me as I changed her litter. She was new to the shelter. Young and knew she was beautiful with her snow-white fluffy fur and jade green eyes. Her owner paid thousands for her just to give her up after discovering she had a cat allergy. So, Princess got booted from her sprawling six-thousand square foot mansion on the beach to her 3x3 metal cage. “I miss him. Miss his kiss, his cocky grin—his fancy espresso machine.”
Sighing, I shut her crate. It had only been about a week, but it felt longer. After our series of dates in forty-eight hours we stalled out. First because Dr. Winnfield asked me to sail to the Bahamas for four days unexpectedly when she received grant money to tag sharks. Chase was ecstatic for me. Even a bit jealous after I assured him, I’d be safe. “Being a lawyer is boring as fuck,” he muttered as he kissed me goodbye. He had shown up at four in the morning with Daisy in tow just as we were about to leave the dock. He kissed me like there was no tomorrow, not caring the crew looked on. I had no cell service out at sea but spent every night thinking as soon as I got back, I was jumping July. But when we were three miles offshore and two bars showed up on my cell, I received his string of texts that work had called him back to the city.
I made the pic he sent me of him and Daisy in his office my screensaver. I was going to surprise him in the city, but now everything was on hold. Kell’s wedding was this weekend. I was a crappy maid of honor being wrapped up in tagging sharks while dreaming of Chase that I had almost forgotten. I ran to my cell as it started buzzing on top of Princess’s crate making her hiss.
“Babe?”
“Hey!”
“How was it?”
“Amazing! It was absolutely amazing. You’ll have to come next time.”
“I’d love that. I can’t wait to see you this weekend. I’m leaving Thursday after work and staying until September. I already told the partners I’d be working remotely from my shore house.”
“They let you do that?”
“There was little they could do. I threatened to walk.”
“What happened?”
“Don’t get upset…. I brought Daisy to work since she was getting separation anxiety at my condo. Diersky toed her in the ribs. She’s fine. He’s not. They fired him immediately. Well, after I broke his nose.”
“My poor baby. What kind of asshole hurts a sweet dog?”
“The kind who’s in jail for animal cruelty. The DA is an old friend of mine. Bunny was a star witness who saw the whole thing. Anyway. She’s good. Misses you too.”
“I won’t be here this weeke
nd. It’s my pregnant girlfriend’s wedding. You know Kells?”
“Ah, the infamous Kells.”
“Go with me? It’s in Charlestown. Gran could watch Daisy...”
“Is that date number five? A wedding?”
I blushed. “It is.”
“I’ll be there, babe. Text me the info. I have a meeting in ten. I’ll call you tonight?”
After we disconnected my mind raced. I smelled like diesel fuel and chum. I needed help ASAP.
“Kells?”
“Ryan! Get down here! My tummy popped. I feel fat. My gown needs to be taken out and my boobs feel heavy. I’m horny all the time and never want to let my fiancé out of bed. I’m a mess.”
“I’m on my way, with an emergency of my own. I’m dating Mr. July—you know from the beach house calendar. And he is the owner I sued—who happens to be Gran’s boss.”
She didn’t miss a beat. “Well, that just dills my pickle. Did you sleep with him?”
“No, that’s happening on your wedding night.”
“I’m grinnin' like a possum eatin' a sweet tater.” She squealed. “But why the wait?”
“I was tagging sharks in the Bermuda Triangle for a week. My nails are down to nothing, my hair fried, my nose burned. I’m feeling insecure instead of sexy.”
“Honey, a good Brazilian wax, my colorist, and the spa at the hotel will take care of all that. Get your butt down here!”
“As soon as I shower, I’ll hit the road.”
“Ryan? You have a minute?”
Steve was covered in sweat, out of breath his hair messed from his hands raking through it. “Is everything okay?”
“No. My wife is spotting and having early contractions. She’s being admitted to the neonatal unit at Durham General. I think it’s best if we stay in a hotel or rent an apartment there until the baby comes. I need you to run this place for us.”
“Of course. Anything you need.”
“It could be a month or so. I won’t charge you a dime of rent.”
“I love these babies. I’d never abandon them.”