Loyalty Card

by Ella Goode

  “What is it that you do for Higgins exactly? Just run his laundromat?”

  “I do his books.”

  The car swerves. I yelp in surprise and grab the bar above my head.

  “Sorry. Fuck. Sorry,” Nick says and rights the vehicle. His knuckles turn white as he grips the steering wheel hard. “So books,” he says in an intentionally light tone. “What does that mean exactly? You have an accounting degree?”

  I rub my neck self-consciously. This guy has an MBA and I wasn’t done with my degree yet. To be fair, I was almost there, but suddenly I feel real inadequate. Softly, I admit, “I don’t have my degree yet.”

  “But you’re good with numbers,” he shoots back.

  I shrug. “I guess so. Haven’t screwed up Higgins’ books too much. He’s still in business.”

  Nick pulls up to his house and brakes but doesn’t get out right away. Instead, he pins me with this deep, intense stare. “You know how I came to this town?”

  “No.” How would I? Other than his name, the only personal details I know are the ones he just shared with me.

  “I got out the map of Illinois, closed my eyes and pointed. It landed here.” The left side of his mouth quirks up. “I never was a huge believer in fate because my parents just died and if that’s how fate is going to act, who wants any part of it, right?”

  That makes sense. I nod.

  “But now, when I look at you, I believe again,” he continues, “so I’m going to go by my gut here and trust you. The reason I stayed away for three days was because I didn’t want to get you hurt, but I did anyway.”

  I close my mouth and look away, not wanting him to see that I am affected. He reaches over and squeezes my leg. “I’m sorry. I’m a dumbass who spent more time in the library than figuring out how to interact with women. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I want you. All those things about babies and marriage, I want those with you. I’m not even joking but before I can have those things, I have to put my uncle behind bars or he’ll hurt you, my gran, and me.”

  Out of all the things I thought he might say to me, I never once came up with the story he just told me. I can only stare at him in shock.

  The little half smile disappears. “Too much?” He nods then and says quietly, more to himself than to me, “I understand. Then wait for me. I’ll fix this shit and come back for you.” He puts his hand on the gear shift and flips the car into reverse.

  Alarm bells start ringing and I awake from my stupor. Wait for him? This man whose voice even turns me on, who is more handsome than any real person has the right to be, who has left me lunch for three days straight, who has a smile that could light up all of the night, really, truly wants me? I’m dumb, but not that dumb. I slap my hand over his. “No. It’s not too much.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Birdie

  “It’s too much, isn't it?” Nick runs his hands through his hair. I’m sitting in the middle of his bed as he paces back and forth at the end of it. I’ve got his laptop out in front of me and books all around me.

  “No, it’s not too much.” He’s clearly overwhelmed by all of the information he has gathered. “This is good.” There’s a lot of things to go through but I love paper trails and I don’t mind looking everything over for him. I want to help him find the smoking gun that will put his uncle behind bars.

  “Good?” He stops pacing. “Shit. I shouldn't have pulled you into this mess.” He keeps saying that. I bite my lip to try and keep from smiling. Maybe I should be worried about his uncle and the threat he brings, but I’m not. All I can think about is helping Nick clear this up and maybe some of those crazy sweet words he said to me earlier. Nick is turning out to be a little too good to be true. Still, here I sit trying to figure out his books for him.

  “You can’t fudge the numbers, Nick. Everything has a trail and I’m going to find it,” I try and reassure him. “You can’t lie or change them. They are what they are. If you do try and change them, things get messy quick and you can find it rather easily. So, whoever tried to alter the books is an idiot.” People always think they’ll get away with it but in the end they get caught. When it comes to money, everything is traced and tracked. I have a keen eye and I intend to inspect this information as if my life depended on it. From what Nick says about his uncle, it might.

  “You look so fucking sexy on my bed.” I know he’s lying because I look a hot mess right now. Still, it doesn't stop my body from heating under his appraisal. “You should take a break. You’ve been at it for hours.” He pushes the laptop closed. I’ve only been at it for an hour and I’ve barely cracked the surface of anything. Still, maybe a small break won’t hurt. Nick climbs on the bed, moving so he sits behind me. He wraps his arms around me and begins feathering kisses down my neck. My head falls to the side, allowing him access. I let out a small moan of pleasure as my body relaxes into his. I turn my face, silently asking for a kiss.

  He gives it to me. I melt into him, letting his warmth surround me. It feels so good to be in his arms. I feel right again. For three long days, I’ve felt out of sorts. As if a piece of me was missing and now it is sliding back into place, righting me again. I moan into his mouth.

  “Oh shit.” I jump at the sound of Gran’s voice. I scramble away from Nick, almost falling off the bed but Nick saves me right before I roll off. “I was sure that I was too old to sneak up on anything.”

  “Gran, I’m trying to make you a great-grandma.” My mouth falls open. I gape at Nick. I can’t believe he just said that. He’s smiling.

  “I’m already great,” she says before she sits down on the edge of the bed. Her eyes immediately go to the papers that are strewn all around. I see the look of surprise as she sends a questioning look Nick’s way.

  “She knows everything, Gran. As luck would have it, Birdie is good with numbers and does the books at her work. She’s offered to take a look at everything and try to help.” I sit quietly, watching their interaction.

  “I knew something was up the night I came to dinner here. I overheard you and Nick talking while I was in the bathroom. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but the walls here are paper thin,” I say as my cheeks heat with embarrassment. “I thought you guys might be on the run from the law or something.” That has Gran cracking a huge smile. I reach out to grab her before she slips off the bed in her fit of laughter. She’s so fragile, I’m worried she will break something.

  “Do I look like I could run anywhere?” Gran teases and we all laugh this time. A warm feeling fills my chest at how this feels. Sitting around, joking with one another. I feel a part of something for the first time in a long time. Sure, I have Mr. Higgins, but I’ve longed for more. I appreciate and love him but I get lonely.

  “You’re good for us,” Gran says as she pats my arm. I hear Nick sigh behind me. He keeps getting worked up. I don’t blame him. The truth of the matter is if all he’s saying is true than his gran is in danger. He’s already lost his parents.

  “She’s here for me, Gran,” he says in mock frustration. I smile as they fight for my attention.

  “I’m here for both of you.” I kiss Nick on the cheek first and then lean over and, to Gran’s surprise, plant a kiss on her cheek as well.

  “I’m not great at sharing,” Nick mumbles from behind me.

  “I wiped your snotty nose and your ass for years. I think the least you could do is share.” She lifts an eyebrow at him. Their banter puts me at ease and makes me feel at home, settling something inside me.

  “Any luck?” Gran asks with hope in her voice. I have a feeling she’s just as worried about Nick as he is about her. They really love each other. I can see their bond. It’s something I never had with my mom.

  “Not yet, but I’ve only been at it for a little bit.” She pats my hand one more time before she gets up to leave.

  “He’s a good boy, Birdie,” Gran says before she leaves the room. Nick and I remain silent for a few minutes. His hands reach up and begin rubbing my shoulders. I relax
and enjoy him touching me. I’ve only known him a short time but still I feel comfortable around him. I think he might be right about this fate stuff.

  “Let’s get back to it. I’d like to get through a chunk of this today.” I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want to help Nick and his gran get justice for his parents’ death and be able to live without fear.

  I work for the next few hours, marking down even the slightest of discrepancies. My eyes grow heavy and I’m about to quit for the night when I notice something isn’t adding up. “There are double-check numbers,” I say. Nick looks up from the stack of papers I printed off to have him scan through. “Then they did a year-end adjustment to try and balance it.” It’s really an easy find. If you’re looking for it. The IRS would have snagged it, if they ever got audited. “It doesn’t look like you have everything here though. Is there more?”

  I push the laptop over to Nick, showing him what I’m seeing. His eyes scan the documents carefully. “That’s everything I have,” he says with a look of concern on his face. “The rest is probably back in Chicago at my dad’s office. It’s too dangerous to go back.”

  “But if we got what we needed, your uncle would go to jail and it’s not too dangerous anymore,” I point out. I’m more than willing to face his uncle if it means they will be safe again. I want Nick to know I’m in this too. It might be crazy fast but I don’t want to fight it. “Road trip?”

  Chapter Twelve

  Nick

  The suite at the top of the Waldorf off Rush Street feels strangely domestic. There are two pairs of shoes resting side by side on the black marble tiled entryway. In the other room, I hear doors closed and drawers pulled open. Birdie makes small, muffled exclamations upon each discovery.

  Slippers? They give you slippers? What’s this? A comb? Since when do you get combs at a hotel? I wonder if I can keep this or if I have to pay to use it? Is this fruit real? Is that a chocolate on my pillow?

  It puts the first smile on my face that I’ve experienced in hours. The closer we got to the city, the heavier the memories of my parents weighed down on my shoulders. The sight of the Ferris wheel at the Navy Pier had me gripping the steering wheel so tight I almost pulled the vinyl off. I’m so fucking grateful that Birdie is with me. Her delight over these small things is providing a good distraction. If she wasn’t here, I’d probably be at my uncle’s doorstep with a gun.

  “I can’t believe this is a hotel room,” Birdie exclaims as she joins me in the living room. “Since when do hotel rooms have two bathrooms and a fireplace in the living room?” She taps the stone mantel. “Why do you even need a fireplace in a hotel room?”

  I shove away from the window and walk over to the entry to flick the switch of the gas fireplace. There’s a crackling sound and a small whoosh as the gas is released before flames jump up.

  “Because it’s pretty?”

  Birdie just shakes her head. “It’s unreal. So what am I looking at here?” She pushes one of the heavy dark blue velvet drapes aside.

  “Rush Street.” I amble over to stand behind her. The city lights are on and there are a few cars going up and down the road. People are starting to spill out of the bars and climbing into taxis. “This was my mom’s favorite hotel. They would come in from the North Shore and stay here.”

  “Is it close to something?”

  Her hair smells like strawberries. I dip my head down until my nose brushes the top of her head. “Yeah, Barney’s. It’s a block away and Mom’s favorite place. Also Hermès is over there.” I point to the right. “She’d pick up something new there every visit.”

  “I have no idea what those names mean but they sound fancy.”

  “After this is all over, we’ll go on a little shopping spree then.” I smooth a hand over the curve of her shoulder and then down the outside of her arm. She feels small and fragile under my fingers. For the thousandth time, I wonder if I should’ve told her anything and whether I should’ve left her back with Gran.

  “Birdie, maybe you—“

  She turns and places a finger over my lips to shut me up. “Don’t say it.”

  My skin burns under her touch and I can barely get my question out. “What?” I croak.

  “Don’t say you don’t want me.”

  I laugh, a dry, humorless chuckle, and capture her hand, pressing it against my cheek. “I’ve never wanted anything more and that’s the problem.” I turn so my lips are against the inside of her palm. “Until I met you, I had lost everything important except for my gran. If you’re gone, what’s the point?”

  “You’re not going to lose me. We’re going to get into the house, get the rest of the files, figure out the clue to your uncle’s embezzlement, and send him to jail forever.”

  Her confidence is as sexy as anything. “I love your dirty talk,” I tell her.

  She laughs at this. “If that’s what turns you on, I guess I don’t have to be so nervous about the one bed here.”

  “Birdie, you breathing turns me on.” I drop our hands to my groin and press her hand against the erection I’ve lived with since she started sassing the clerk at the grocery store.

  She sucks in a harsh breath. “Is this really your dick? It’s huge!”

  I almost choke. “Yeah, real dick.”

  “Man, I don’t know.” She backs away, shaking her head. “Is there like a starter dick in your pants? I don’t know if I’m cut out for this.”

  I advance. If she’s talking about it, she wants to do it and that’s all the sign I need. “Yeah, it’s called my tongue.” I waggle my hand at her. “Also my fingers.”

  Because she’s watching me and not where she’s going, she ends up falling onto the sofa. I pounce, pinning her to the cushions. “Trust me, Birdie. It’ll all be good.” I don’t let her answer. She just needs to feel and so do I. We both need out of our headspaces where things like doubts and revenge and anger are bottled up. Instead, we should concentrate on the moment—on how her soft lips feel crushed against mine and how she tastes like mint and chocolate—tangy and sweet. My tongue dives into the humid recesses of her mouth, exploring the rough, sensitive roof and the smooth, porcelain teeth. Her own tongue rubs against mine, timid at first and then more aggressive, claiming me as I claim her.

  I cup her breasts, molding and shaping her tits, flicking a thumb against the hard nipple that is trying to poke through several layers of fabric. My hand drifts to the hem of her shirt and the strip of skin above the waistband of her jeans. She shifts restlessly, her legs drawing up so I can sink even deeper against her sex. I start to move, stroking my jean-clad erection against her cloth-covered cunt. She gasps against my mouth and clutches me closer.

  “That’s right, Birdie. Ride me. Come for me. Show me how hot you are.” I pull the shirt up until her bra is exposed. I don’t bother to unclasp the damn thing. Instead, I pull the satiny fabric to the side until her nipple pops free. I latch on, sucking hard.

  Her nails dig into my scalp as I work the small nub into a diamond hard point. Deep, long draws have her squirming. I slide my hand between us, pulling the cotton aside. She’s wet. My cock jumps in my jeans, pressing hard against the zipper. I need to be inside of her like yesterday. I slide my fingers along her juicy lips. She shivers and gasps.

  “That’s right. You like that?”

  She nods.

  “You touch yourself?” I want to know so I do this right. “What makes you feel good?”

  “This...what you’re doing. I like that.”

  Those simple words make my heart soar like it’s a fucking bird in my chest. I didn’t know I could feel like this. When Dad told me to hold out until I found the one, I thought it was a joke, even though I nodded along and tried to look serious, but he was right. I’m ready to say the L word but I don’t know that she’s prepared to hear it. I need to make this the best night she’s ever had. Slowly, I slide one finger inside her channel.

  “You’re real tight,” I murmur against her cheek.

  �
��Yeah,” she pants. Her snug cavern clamps around my finger, so hot and so slippery that I need to bite my tongue to stop from coming. “I don’t know about this.”

  I let my hand rest against the junction of her legs. “That’s okay, little bird. We’re not in any hurry.”

  My throbbing cock begs to differ but I silently tell it to shut up. This is about her and how she’s feeling. Except she reaches down to tug on the waistband of my jeans.

  “What about you?” she says.

  “I’m good.”

  “Are you sure?” Her palm slides down to cup my hard-on. I nearly swallow my tongue. Even that little touch is about enough to send me over the edge. I peel her hand away.

  “I was until you touched me,” I growl.

  Her eyes widen. “Did I hurt you?”

  I rush to reassure her. “Nah. I just have almost no control right now. I’m about one kiss away from coming in my jeans and you’re too tight for me yet.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize dicks were this big!” she wails.

  “You talking about the size of my cock isn’t making it get any smaller,” I tell her. “The thing is that I think I need to eat you out. That’ll make a difference.” I withdraw my finger from her core and scoot down her body.

  I’m in the process of peeling her underwear off when I hear, “A-are you sure you want to do that?”

  I look up at her beautiful face. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  She sucks in her lower lip. “I don’t know. I heard some guys don’t like doing that.”

  “Some guys are idiots.”

  “Have you done it before?”

  “What? No.”

  “Then how do you know you’ll like it?”

  “Because it’s you, little bird. I like everything about you. I like how your curly hair feels like a pillow against my hand, I like having your gorgeous green eyes on me, and I know I’m going to like the way you taste.” I draw her panties down, run a finger through the drenched lips and then pop it into my mouth. I lick every last drop off, allowing the nectar to sink into my taste buds. Birdie watches me intently, her green eyes pinned to my face.