by A. Zavarelli
“Jameson,” she breathed his name like it had never tasted so good. “There you are.”
They exchanged double cheek kisses, which seemed absolutely ridiculous, before she pulled away with a feline smile. “Your mother told me you were coming home this year. I had to see it myself to believe it.”
I clenched my hands at my sides and took a deep breath. She had completely disregarded me standing beside him as if I were nothing. But to my surprise, Jameson tucked me against his side, wrapping a possessive arm around my waist as he introduced us.
“Katherine this is my girlfriend, Harper. I don’t believe you’ve met.”
Her lips flattened as her gaze finally swung to me out of necessity. Her crystal eyes travelled the length of my body, not even attempting to hide her distaste.
“Lovely to meet you,” she purred. “Jameson’s quite the catch.”
“He is.” I glanced up at him and allowed my eyes to wander over his face.
“I should know.” She laughed too loudly. “Since I had him first.”
Okay, so the claws were definitely coming out tonight.
“Well, you are right about one thing.” I gave her an icy smile. “He is quite a catch. And I’ve no intention of letting him go.”
Jameson appeared both surprised and pleased by my possessiveness, and I guessed I was doing something right.
Robert cut in with a boisterous laugh as he blatantly ogled Katherine right in front of Jameson. “You look magnificent, Kat. How many years has it been?”
I didn’t catch the tail end of their conversation, because the next moment, Jameson was leaning down to murmur in my ear. “Vixen.”
One word, so many possibilities. He wanted me to show this room full of people he belonged to me. That I couldn’t get enough of him. I was beginning to fear just how true that may be the longer we played this game.
I spun in his arms and gripped him by the shirt collar before trailing my palms up his chest. His eyes flared with heat as I wrapped them around his neck and pressed my body flush against his. I could feel him hardening against my stomach, and it sent my pulse skyrocketing.
I stopped thinking about what to do next and just let my body do what it wanted to. My lips found his neck, and he sucked in a breath of air, his grip on my hips tightening painfully.
I kissed my way up towards his jaw, inhaling his cologne as I went. He smelled so good. Like cedar and limes. I wanted to rub against him like a cat, bathing myself in that scent.
I didn’t get to finish my attempt at seduction, because a moment later, his lips were on mine, greedy and demanding. I gasped against him, and he invaded my parted lips with his tongue. I was vaguely aware we were in a room full of people, and I wondered if he’d intended for it to go this far. But I didn’t care. All I cared about was the feeling he ignited inside of me. Like he’d lit a match and set fire to my insides.
I clenched my thighs together and smashed my breasts against his chest just to try to get some relief.
Someone made a noise of disapproval behind us, and a low growl erupted from his throat before he pulled away. His eyes were wild, filled with surprise and unadulterated lust as he stared down at me. I could feel that lust reflected in my own eyes, and suddenly I wished we were upstairs. Alone.
And then the shutters came down. His face became cold and expressionless as he nodded towards Robert.
“I’m going to get a drink,” he told me. “Why don’t you go mingle.”
I felt like I’d been slapped as he turned away from me and left me standing there like that. And to make matters worse, Katherine trailed after him like an eager puppy. But he didn’t tell her to go mingle.
Lily sidled up to me and handed me a much needed drink. I swallowed it in three gulps.
“You don’t have anything to worry about,” she said softly. “He wouldn’t touch that again with a ten-foot pole.”
There was something cryptic about her words that told me she was a lot more clued in than what she let onto. But I simply nodded. It didn’t matter because I knew the truth now. Jameson was using me to make Katherine jealous.
It was why he’d called me vixen while I was standing right in front of her. And the only reason he would want to make her jealous was if he still cared. I wasn’t a relationship expert, but even I knew the basics of human emotions.
“This party is a drag,” Lleyton said as he joined us. “There aren’t even any single ladies here.”
“Well, I could think of one,” Lily replied with a teasing smile.
Lleyton’s gaze narrowed on his sister. “Not even remotely funny.”
Another inside joke I wasn’t privy to, I kept quiet.
“How nice of my brother to leave you to fend for yourself,” he remarked.
I glanced across the room to see Katherine with her hand on his chest, way too close to be considered appropriate. “Yeah, well I guess he’s busy.”
Lleyton followed my gaze and frowned, shaking his head. “Do you want to dance?”
I regarded his outstretched hand, remembering Jameson’s words clearly. This would probably be considered not staying the hell away from his brother. But he was too busy flirting with his ex-girlfriend to notice, so what the heck.
I took his hand and let him lead me onto the dance floor. Lily called after us with a worried gleam in her eye that Lleyton waved off.
“What is going on?” I asked as he swayed back and forth. He was a good dancer, unsurprisingly.
“What do you mean?” he frowned.
“I mean it feels like there’s a giant elephant in the room, and I’m the only one who doesn’t know what it is.”
Lleyton’s expression turned sad before he nodded and spoke. “You aren’t the only one,” he muttered. “Most of my family doesn’t know. Except Lily. Because Jameson is too much of a good guy to say anything about it.”
“About what?” I asked.
Lleyton sighed. “Three years ago, Jameson and Katherine were dating. They’d been together since high school, and it was all but an arranged marriage between our parents. If they’d had it their way, the ink would have been dried on the marriage certificate the moment they turned eighteen.”
I frowned at this new development, not realizing exactly how serious it had been between them.
“So what happened?”
“Our father wanted both of his sons to follow in his footsteps. But that was never Jameson’s way. He’s always done his own thing, whether anyone approves or not. I admire him for that.”
Lleyton was quiet for a moment before he spoke again. “He doesn’t know it. He thinks that I’m the golden son because I do everything that’s been laid out for me. But I’ve always been jealous of Jameson. We’ve been rivals since we were kids.”
“Aren’t most brothers?” I asked lightheartedly.
Lleyton shook his head. “I don’t know. Jameson’s always been a bit of a lone wolf. He royally pissed off our father when he chose business school over med school. When he started up his company, he had to spend a lot of time in New York to get established. But he couldn’t take Katherine without marrying her first. He told her he just wanted to get things up off the ground because he knew her father wouldn’t approve otherwise. Kat’s dad also wasn’t too pleased in Jameson’s choice of career.”
“That seems kind of unfair,” I remarked. “He should be able to make his own career decisions.”
Lleyton just shrugged. “That’s the way it works in these kinds of circles. There are a lot of expectations that come with family names. But Jameson never fit the mold.”
“So is that why him and Katherine separated?” I asked. “I mean, he obviously ended up succeeding, so I don’t see why her parents wouldn’t approve.”
“No.” Lleyton grimaced. “It wasn’t that.”
He closed his eyes and made a face like he was steeling himself before explaining. “We were having our annual Christmas party that year, and Jameson was busy trying to make some new contacts. Katherine
kept pouting and whining about how he was ignoring her. So I offered to take her mind off it. I snuck a couple bottles of champagne and we went out to the pool house.”
My entire spine stiffened as I braced myself for what he was about to say next. His voice was anguished, and the puzzle pieces were starting to fall into place.
“We got really drunk,” Lleyton explained. “And I know it’s not an excuse. But she practically threw herself at me. And I was thinking with my dick, not my head. Jesus, it was so stupid of me.”
“Oh my God, Lleyton.” My heart squeezed in my chest. I couldn’t even imagine the betrayal Jameson must have felt.
“He thinks I did it because of our rivalry. To prove a point. I honestly didn’t, but he’ll never believe that. He won’t forgive me, and I don’t blame him.”
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered. It was the only thing I could think to say.
“He thinks I went after her, but Katherine was the one who came onto me. I know it makes no difference, but he doesn’t see it that way. He thinks I ruined his relationship on purpose. But truthfully, I’ve wondered since then if I was the only one she did that kind of stuff with.”
I didn’t get a chance to answer him. Because a moment later, a strong pair of hands was ripping me out of his arms.
“Stay the hell away from my girlfriend,” Jameson slurred.
I stared up at him in shock, surprised by how drunk he was. Apparently when he said he was going to have a drink, he meant ten.
“Jameson,” Lleyton began…
“What’s the deal with you?” Jameson snapped. “One wasn’t enough? You want all of my sloppy seconds?”
His words hurt me, and I tore my eyes away as they filled with tears. Lleyton’s voice was filled with anger as he spoke again, and I knew people were starting to take notice.
“Don’t talk about Harper that way,” he growled. “Don’t punish her for my sins.”
Jameson laughed, low and deadly as he gestured between us. “What, are you two teaming up now?” he asked. “Did he raise my offer, Harper? How much?”
Lleyton glanced at me in confusion, and a sob escaped from my chest as I tore my arm from Jameson’s hold. “Don’t you fucking touch me,” I hissed.
“Harper?” Lleyton’s voice called after me as I darted for the stairs. I didn’t listen to what he had to say. The only thing I could do was get away from the prying eyes around us, so I could cry out my humiliation alone.
12
“Harper?” Jameson’s voice sounded from the other side of the bathroom door again.
I didn’t answer. I was curled onto the shower floor, letting the water wash over me in hopes it would make me feel clean again.
“Please tell me you’re alright at least,” his voice cracked. “I’ll break the door if you don’t.”
“I’m fine,” I called out. “Please just leave me alone.”
Silence fell between us, but I knew he hadn’t left. I could almost picture him there, on the other side of the door, wondering what to say.
I wanted to leave. And if there wasn’t a room full of people downstairs to witness it, I would have.
In the morning, I would have to make a decision. I knew Jameson was drunk, and he hadn’t meant what he said. It was his emotion getting the best of him. But his words hurt me. And for the first time since he’d brought me here, he treated me as though I were nothing more than a whore.
Tears streamed down my face and I sobbed. I still had twelve more days of this to get through. Would I ever be able to manage? I didn’t know.
I woke to the sound of a light rapping at the door.
“Jameson?” Julia called out from the other side. “Is it safe for me to come in?”
I glanced over at the sofa to see Jameson’s confused expression, followed by a moment of panic. He stumbled quickly across the room and stubbed his toe on the bed frame before falling in beside me.
“What are you doing?” I squeaked.
He answered by burrowing under the covers and pulling me against him.
“Come in, mom,”
His warm body pressed against mine, nothing but his boxer briefs and a silk cami separating us. I tried to ignore the way my body responded as he wrapped his arm around my waist and held me against him as though I might bolt at any moment.
The door swung open and Julia appeared, a worried expression on her face.
“Is everything okay between you two?” she asked.
Jameson tensed against me, squeezing me a little tighter in response. I couldn’t breathe he was holding me so snug. I reached over and clasped his hand in mine to let him know I wasn’t going to rat him out.
“Everything’s fine.” I yawned. “It was a lovely party last night.”
“Yes, it was,” Julia agreed, narrowing her gaze on Jameson. “Until Lleyton told me that you mistreated Harper.”
“Of course he did.” Jameson grunted. “Any opportunity to screw me over.”
“This isn’t about Lleyton,” Julia scolded. “I want to know what happened last night, Jameson. I did not raise you to mistreat women. And Harper, I’d want you to tell me if he were.”
Jameson was quiet, taking his mother’s criticism without any defense. And when I looked up into his dark eyes, I saw that they were filled with guilt. So I took it upon myself to remedy the situation.
“Julia, we just had a small misunderstanding,” I said. “It was silly of me. But… I got jealous over Katherine, and I said some foolish things that I shouldn’t have. Jameson didn’t do anything wrong.”
The words surprised me when I said them, and it seemed I wouldn’t be thinking over what I was going to do today after all. I’d just made the decision myself. Julia glanced between me and Jameson for another moment with the weight of a mother’s uncertain gaze before she finally relented.
“Okay,” she said softly. “I’m sorry for butting in, I just want to make sure that everything’s alright.”
“Everything’s great.” I mustered up a smile. “Thank you so much for allowing me to come and spend the holidays with you, it’s been… really nice.”
“You are welcome any time, sweetie,” she insisted. “Now I better get downstairs and make some breakfast. It seems that Jameson isn’t the only one who had too much to drink last night.”
He groaned, and she shut the door softly behind her when she left. I’d expected Jameson to release his hold on me, but he didn’t. In fact, he pulled me closer.
“I’m so sorry, Harper,” he whispered into my hair. “I know I was a complete asshole to you last night, and you didn’t deserve that. Can you forgive me?”
“Yes?” My voice came out breathy and unsure.
He moved his hips, and something hot and hard grazed against my bottom. I swallowed. My heart was racing a thousand miles an hour, and all I wanted to do was lay there with him like this all day long.
He rolled me over in his arms, searching my face with his eyes.
“I should probably let you go,” he noted in a husky voice.
“Yes.” I croaked. “You probably should.”
He didn’t. His gaze fell to my lips, and I licked them in response. I wanted him to kiss me so badly, but I knew he wouldn’t. He still seemed unsure, like he didn’t believe I’d really forgiven him. I knew I shouldn’t. But I wanted to taste him again. I wanted one kiss that wasn’t for show. So I threaded my fingers through his hair and pulled him against me.
Jameson groaned when his lips brushed over mine, and then he devoured me completely. The next thing I knew, he’d flipped me onto my back and was hovering over me, kissing his way down my neck and across my chest.
I was breathing hard, my nipples scraping against the silk fabric, longing to be free. My hands clung to his biceps, marveling at how strong and solid he was. I wanted to feel his body against mine. To feel him inside of me. I’d never wanted anything so much in my life. But he pulled away and sat back on his heels, scrubbing his hands over his face.
“I’m so
rry,” he bit out. “I took it too far.”
I closed my eyes and sighed. I couldn’t stand to see him go cold again, so I just nodded and acted like it was no big deal. Though in truth I wanted to tell him he hadn’t gone far enough.
“It was my fault,” I said. “I started it.”
“I’m uh…” His eyes darted around the room for a likely escape route. “I’m gonna’ go hit the shower.”
I didn’t even have time to respond before he was gone.
13
The snow fell hard that day, and I was introduced to another King family tradition.
Building snowmen.
It brought back my inner child, and I was actually quite enjoying myself, even though Jameson wasn’t participating. He sat on the bench outside and watched as I helped his sisters make Mrs. Clause in snow form. The men were responsible for Santa, and even Charles seemed to be enjoying the youthful festivities. The longer I spent in his presence, the less suspicious he seemed of me. He’d even gone so far as to give me a friendly smile at breakfast that morning.
“So what are we going to do while the boys go out tonight?” Lily asked.
I’d only just learned they had a bachelor party to attend tonight, and for obvious reasons I wouldn’t be accompanying Jameson.
“We could rent some movies,” Lacey suggested.
“Boring!” Lily retorted.
“Nothing is ever boring if you’re with the right people,” Lacey admonished.
Lily tossed her a wry look.
“Okay, then we’ll add some alcohol too.”
“What do you think, Harper?” Lily asked. “Movie night and drinks?”
“Sure. That sounds great.”
Jameson’s sisters and I made it till midnight before we called it a night.
Lacey was passed out on the sofa, snoring like a log, and Lily said she wasn’t feeling well. I wasn’t surprised after the amount of Margaritas she’d downed. Still, the night had been a blast, and I had a great time.