Nate chuckled. “And you’re all bite. I’ve got a few marks on my body to prove it.”
Flaming hot heat rushed to her cheeks, and his chuckle turned into a laugh.
“I’m not complaining though,” he assured her.
She nudged him with her elbow and got out of the car. He didn’t leave until she was inside.
She found her mother, Connor, and Kaitlin gathered in the living room. They turned their attention toward her as she entered the room.
Kaitlin held a bowl of popcorn on her lap, shoveling handfuls in her mouth like she was getting ready to watch a movie. And Connor wore a scowl so hard it surprised her his face didn’t crack.
Standing by the window, he crossed his arms over his chest. “Glad to see you’re wearing a decent amount of clothes today. If you’re not stripping off on a public beach, you’re plastered all over the internet wearing practically nothing.”
Jade rolled her eyes and sat next to Kaitlin and grabbed a handful of popcorn. “You’re being so dramatic,” she said before she shoved it in her mouth.
Connor pushed his fingers through his dark auburn hair, the waves so cooperative, they fell back into place. Why did she have to get the carrot-top and wild, untameable locks? Even Kaitlin’s hair fell neatly to her shoulders.
“You think I’m being dramatic! Have you seen your bare arse online?” he said.
She inhaled sharply, and a piece of popcorn lodged in her throat. She coughed, and Kaitlin slapped her hard on her back to help dislodge it. Jade held out her hand for her to stop; she liked her lungs where they were.
When Jade got her breathing under control, she frowned at Connor. “Firstly, my arse was not bare. The photo was front-on, with all my bits covered. And secondly, this isn’t my fault, so stop glaring at me like I did this on purpose.”
“Wake up, Jade. He’s a freaking famous musician who must have paparazzi following him everywhere. God, you were skinny-dipping with one guy the other night and half-naked with another the next. What the hell is wrong with you?”
Jade had enough of her brother yelling at her like a naughty child. Who was he to judge? Before becoming a police officer, he used to get up to some crazy shit too. Now the uniform he wore was like a stick up his arse.
“Wish I had a sex life like that,” Kaitlin mumbled into her popcorn.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but it’s not what it looks like. And will you sit down? My neck is getting sore looking up at you.”
He dropped onto the couch in front of her. It surprised Jade that he did what she’d asked.
“How the hell is this not what it looks like?” The belligerent tone was still the same.
Jade blew out a frustrated breath. “I wasn’t with two different men. Not that it’s anyone’s business if I was.” She glanced briefly at her mother who was sitting quietly through the conversation. Yes, she was an adult who could do as she pleased, but it didn’t make it any easier talking about her sex life in front of her mother.
“Oh, really? Because the two guys I’ve seen you with look nothing alike.”
“I’m glad. It works,” she said.
Connor shook his head. “What the hell does that mean? What works?”
“Nate’s disguise. Nate Miller is the guy you met the other night. Nathan Harvey is the musician. They are the same person.”
Her family sat still and silent. Then Connor and Kaitlin shot questions like bullets at her.
She held up her hand. “Whoa. I can only answer one question at a time. And none of yours, Kait, you perve. God, can’t you see Ma’s in the room?”
The next hour Jade filled her family in on who Nate was and why he used a disguise. Once Connor learned she wasn’t planning on doing most of the men in Brimland Point, he calmed down a touch. Kaitlin was beaming from ear to ear. She was hoping to get VIP tickets to their next concert.
From the moment Jade had walked into the house, her mother had remained silent, just watched and listened. Now her scrutiny was making Jade squirm in her seat.
Finally, not able to take the silence from her any longer, she said, “Just say it, Ma. You’re ashamed of me, aren’t you? Your good, Catholic girl is an embarrassment.”
“That’s not what I was thinking at all,” her mother replied. “Yes, having my daughter half-naked on the internet wasn’t what I wanted to see. But it’s not your fault.”
When Connor started to object, their mother threw him a sharp look, and he kept quiet. Jade wished she had that kind of control over him.
“No one’s privacy should be invaded like that no matter who you are,” her mother continued. “It’s the dirty paparazzi who should be ashamed of themselves. Not my daughter.”
“Go, Ma!” Kaitlin cheered.
“But I don’t want this Nate leading you astray. You’ve had an upbringing with strong morals. I’d hate for you to throw all that away. I’m hoping there is more of a connection between the two of you than just…just…”
“Are you trying to say sex, Ma?” Kaitlin giggled.
Connor scrubbed a hand over his face.
Their mother blushed rosy red.
Jade’s cheeks burned.
“Just be careful,” her mother said.
“I will. I’d like to say it was great spending time with you this afternoon but…” She shrugged. “I’m outta here.”
“Where are you going?” Connor demanded.
Jade rose from the couch and slapped her hands on her hips. “Seriously, bro, you are so uptight. When was the last time you got any action? Do you need to go to that house in town with the red light outside? Maybe someone can loosen you up a little.”
Their mother sighed. “Why must you have these conversations when I’m around?”
“Because every time I do something, we seem to need a freaking family meeting.” Jade left with Connor scowling, her mother shaking her head, and Kaitlin grinning like a lunatic.
Chapter 18
A balmy breeze tussled Jade’s hair as she walked to her house. As she rounded the corner of her street, a group of journalists stood on her lawn. She quickly turned to go back the way she’d came, but they spotted her before she could take two steps. A ring of people with microphones and cameras hurried over to her, pointing them at her face. The bright light blinded her, and she held up her hand to shield her eyes.
“Jade, tell us how you met Nathan Harvey.”
“How long have you been seeing each other?”
“He’s never gone public with a relationship before. Does this mean you two are serious?”
“How does it feel to be the envy of thousands of women around the world?”
One after another they fired questions at her. She spun around in circles, searching for a gap to squeeze through to make a bolt for her house, but they closed in tight, giving her no room to breathe.
“Get the fuck away from her,” said a menacing voice, one she recognized well, and she wanted to sag with relief.
Keeping his head low, and wearing a black cap and dark sunglasses even though the sun had just sunk behind the mountains, Nate elbowed and barged his way through the wall of people, grabbed her by the hand, and pushed his way out of the crowd. Once free from the cage, they made a run for Nate’s car parked on an angle on the road like he’d just stopped it in the middle of the street in his rush to get to her. The group followed close behind as they dived into the car. Nate had left it running, and they burned out of there before anyone reached them.
“Those people are fucking arseholes.” Nate slammed his hand against the steering wheel. “Are you okay?”
“Yes-s.” Her teeth chattered and her body shook as if she were cold when outside was a warm, summer evening.
He shot a quick glance in her direction. “Shit.” He pulled over into a small parking area on the side of the road. “You’re shaking and as white as a sheet.”
“Unfortunately, that’s j-just my n-natural complexion.” She tried to smile but her lips wobbled.
He threw o
ff his hat and glasses, pulled her as close as he could with the car’s console between them, and rubbed her arms, trying to warm her up. “I think it’s a little more than that. You’re so white even your freckles have disappeared.”
“I told you I’ve spent a lot of money trying to hide those things. Who knew all I needed was a run-in with the media to get the job done?” The shaking eased, and her body was warming up. It felt so good being wrapped in his arms. “Won’t they wonder who came to my rescue?”
“I’ll have someone leak it was your overprotective brother. That’s easy enough to believe.” He tried to smile but failed. “I’m sorry this is happening to you.”
“It’s not your fault. Why were you at my house?” she asked.
“I knew they’d still be hanging around and that you would walk into…well, exactly what you did. I wanted to pick you up before you got home, but I was too late. I arrived just as they surrounded you.” His harsh tone belied the gentle stroking along her arm.
She sighed with pleasure, the tension slowly easing from her body. “You said it will blow over soon. Do you really think that will happen?”
“Yeah, I do. But the next couple of days will be a lot like what you’ve experienced today.” The dashboard lights illuminated the frown on his face.
“Maybe I’m the one who needs to wear a disguise now. I’ve always wanted to be blonde. I hear they have more fun.” She laughed, trying to lighten the mood.
He twisted a curl around his finger and gently tugged so her face drew closer, their lips almost touching. “I love your hair. There’s no chance in hell you’re covering it up. It’s fucking sexy when it’s wild and crazy. Makes me imagine all the ways I can mess it up.” His eyes flashed heat.
The tremble of her heart vibrated behind her ribs. He loved her hair. No man had ever said that before. If Nate kept saving her from creeps and sweet-talking her like that, she could easily fall for him. But she couldn’t let that happen, so she did the next best thing—kissed him.
The slow-burning kiss shot fierce desire through her veins, but it wasn’t enough, her body needed more contact. Breaking off the kiss, she lifted herself over the console and straddled Nate’s lap, wiggling to get comfortable.
He hissed at the sensation then cupped her face and brought her lips back to his mouth. Skimming his hands down her body, he gripped her butt, guiding her to rock against what was growing hard and strong underneath her. She didn’t need encouragement. It was exactly what she wanted to do too.
Nate’s hand wove its way behind her head, and he buried his fingers into her hair. “So sexy,” he said as his lips skimmed her mouth, along her jaw, and down to her neck.
Sucking in a deep breath, Jade tilted her head to the side, and his tongue swirled in circles against her pounding pulse.
God, Nate made her body tremble like she’d never experienced before. The few men she’d been with had never set her on fire with a mere kiss. She’d never lost herself in the passion of the moment. It was like all those times she was only going through the motions.
Sure, she’d had fun, but this…this was another level. It was out of this world. And she couldn’t get enough of him.
“Have you ever made out in a car before?” she asked, tugging at his shirt, jerking it over his head and throwing it toward the backseat.
She ran her hands along his smooth, firm chest. Muscles bunched under her fingertips, and his eyes hooded right before he leaned forward and placed his mouth on her breast, ripping a moan from her lips.
“That’s another teenage fantasy I never experienced,” he mumbled against her chest.
She sighed and broke out in goose bumps as his warm breath tickled her skin. “Man, you’ve missed out. It’s a good thing you met me to show you the way.”
Nate chuckled low and deep. “Thank God for that.”
A loud knock pounded at the foggy window, and they sprung apart.
“Out of the car please,” came a stern, firm voice.
“Oh God!” Jade scrambled off Nate’s lap, kneeing him in the groin in her haste to get to the passenger seat.
“Fuck,” he hissed, cupping himself.
“Sorry,” she said as she leaned over into the backseat to look for Nate’s shirt.
Another knock sounded at the window. “Out of the car now.”
The familiar voice was not happy. God, did Connor have a freaking tracking device connected to her she didn’t know about? Jade fumed as she busily searched for the shirt.
Nate must have opened the window because Jade felt a cool breeze on the back of her legs. Then someone groaned. “Not you again. And that arse up in the air better not be my sister!” He yelled so loud she was sure the entire city could hear.
Jade wiggled back into her seat, leaned over Nate, who was still shirtless—if she had her way, it would be twenty-four hours a day—and glared at her brother through the open window. “Are you following me?”
“No. I was on my way to work and drove past a fogged-up car practically rocking off its springs. Do you realize this is a residential area? There are houses all around you. And you.” He pointed a finger, and luckily not a gun, at Nate. “Haven’t you gotten my sister in enough trouble? Get a fucking room, or I swear to God, if this shit keeps happening, I’m arresting both your arses. I don’t care who the fuck you are.” With that, he stormed away.
Jade and Nate sat in stunned silence for a beat then burst out laughing. “Oh my God. Can my life get any crazier?” She giggled into her hands.
“For a second I thought I’d get shot.” Nate chuckled.
“He came close,” she joked. Well, she hoped she was joking.
“We should go, in case he comes back and really arrests us.” He flicked a glance toward the backseat. “Any luck finding my shirt?”
“Nope. You don’t need it anyway.”
His eyebrow rose. “I don’t?”
“Why would anyone want to cover up a body like that?” Her hand slid over his chest and tattoo. She would never get sick of the sight or feel of him.
As her hand wandered a little south, he clamped it in his own. A flare of heat shot from his eyes. “I have a better place to finish this than in my car.”
She pointed to the street. “What are you waiting for?”
Chapter 19
The next day after school, Jade still couldn’t get inside her house without a police escort—Connor. Sometimes her brother came in handy even though he was the biggest pain in the arse.
Nate had tried to convince her to go home with him, but she needed to work from home and write reports for her students. As tempting as his offer was—his whispered, wicked promises caused her knees to weaken—she was too far behind to keep putting her work off.
What would the media do if they found out she’d spent last night with Nathan Harvey? They’d go nuts, that’s what.
As she made her way into the bedroom, the package her father sent sat unopened on the chest of drawers. He’d called a few times the past week, and she let it go to voicemail, then texted an excuse about being in a meeting and she’d call back.
She picked up the parcel, sat on the edge of the bed, and opened it. A long, navy-blue box was inside. She lifted the lid. Nestled in the velvet lining, she found an emerald stone attached to a silver, intricate chain. She fingered the cool gem; it was beautiful. Next, she read the card.
To my birthday girl.
When I saw the colors of this stone, it reminded me of you. Beautiful and bright.
I hope you had a wonderful birthday.
Miss you, sweetheart, and I hope to see you soon.
Love, Dad xx
All her life, her father had missed important events. Birthdays, dance recitals, and her university graduation just to name a few. His job as an airline pilot had him traveling around the world and hardly ever home. At first, he’d only flown around Australia, and he’d be gone a couple of days at a time. But when he flew internationally, the time away stretched longer and longer, un
til one day, he never came home.
Over the years, he called her regularly, but depending on the time zone of the country he was in and their work schedules, they often missed each other.
Even after all this time, it still hurt that he left his family. His little girl. The daughter who followed him around like a shadow. The one who wanted to grow up and be a pilot like her dad. But when he didn’t come home, and chose his work over family, she decided she never wanted a job that would take her away from loved ones. A part deep in her heart believed maybe he didn’t love them enough to want to stay. And that’s what cut the most.
She couldn’t put off calling him back any longer and pulled her phone from her pocket.
After three rings, he answered. “Hi, shortcake.”
He’d given her the nickname Strawberry Shortcake because of the color of her hair. The name got shortened over time.
“Hi, Dad. I hope I haven’t caught you at a bad time?” She could hear rustling through the phone.
“No, just heading out to the airport.”
“I won’t keep you. I just wanted to say thanks for the gift. It’s beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like it. Sorry I didn’t get it to you on time. You know how it is when I’m halfway around the world.”
Yeah, she knew what it was like. It meant she rarely had her father in her life.
“I’ll be flying into Sydney next month, and I have time off, so I’ll be heading down to Brimland Point. I’d loved to get you kids together to hang out for a few days. I miss you guys so much.” More noises in the background and someone calling his name.
“Sounds great,” she said with exaggerated enthusiasm. The words clogged her throat. “I can hear you’re busy, so I’ll talk to you later. Have a safe flight.”
“Okay, shortcake. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
When the call ended, she blew out a long, shuddery breath and flopped on her back on the bed. She always looked forward to seeing him, and they had fun while together, but every time he left, it still chipped away at her heart. She’d learned to mask the pain. As a kid, she’d cry and cling to him, trying to stop him from walking out the door. But as an adult, she smiled and waved him off. She’d never let him see the pain that twisted in her heart.
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