by Sarah Clay
“I had no idea she was coming over; you’re not spoiling anything. I like you being here.”
I peek over at him, trying to gauge his mood and notice he’s looking down at me with a boyish grin on his face.
“Although we really need to talk about you trying to steal my dog. The furball’s barely looked at me since you’ve been here” he grumbles out, causing me to smirk over at him.
“I can’t help it that Charlie boy likes me better, he has good taste.” I nudge him as I finish on a giggle.
He tries to nudge me back but Charlie sits up, growling over at him.
“Alright, alright, you have good taste” he holds up his hands in surrender to the dog.
Charlie seems to accept his apology but moves into the space between Jackson and me.
I snicker over at them, rubbing Charlie's ears.
Jackson just glares at him, “Really Charlie, I can’t even sit next to the pretty girl now?”
He joins in patting his fur but stops when he notices me staring at him.
“What?” he asks cautiously.
“You think I’m pretty?”
He scoffs over at me, “it’s not the first time I’ve called you that, you know you’re beautiful Liv.”
I don’t know what strikes me mute more, the fact that he’s calling me by the nickname I’d heard him use only a handful of times or that he thinks I’m beautiful. I can feel my cheeks heat and it has nothing to do with the fireplace beside us.
Jackson shakes his head in my direction before I hear him mutter “fuck it.”
He leans over Charlie, tucking my hair behind my ear. He’s done this a few times now, but unlike normal, he doesn’t drop his hand away; instead cupping my cheek with his palm.
Of all the ways I thought tonight might go, this wasn’t one of them.
But I’m more than okay with the change of plans.
I lean into his hand a little more. I don’t want him to think I don’t want this. I’d been drooling over his half-naked body every morning since I’d arrived here.
“Liv, I’m going to kiss you” he warns, “I shouldn’t.”
I peer up at him with his confession, “But it’s the only thing I’ve been thinking about doing since you first stepped into my office.”
He pats Charlie’s side without dropping his eyes away from my mouth.
“Charlie, on your bed.”
For once he obeys the command and sulks off.
Darting my tongue out, I wet my lips. Still not breaking our eye contact.
I hear Jackson growl in response, dropping his hand from my face before grabbing my arms and tugging me towards him instead.
I stumble into him, falling half on his lap. His hands roam back to my face, leaning in and dropping his lips to my mine, kissing me softly, to begin with.
Moving his lips over mine, exploring every inch.
I can’t stop the moan from escaping my throat when his hands start roaming over me, shifting under my singlet and creeping up my skin.
I feel his tongue sweep over my mouth, as I part my lips to him and grant his tongue access. He tastes like scotch and mint. An intoxicating taste.
I pull my arms out from between us, winding them up and around his neck and holding him in place. He groans against me, pulling his mouth back a little; nipping at my bottom lip.
I smile up at him and suddenly he’s shifting me so I’m lying on my back in front of the fire and he’s leaning down on top of me.
“This mouth is even better than I’ve imagined” he mumbles before leaning back in and kissing me again.
Taking everything I have to offer. I can feel his hard length against my leg as he grinds down against me.
Threading my hands into his hair, I pull him in closer. Not wanting any space between us.
He’s leaning his weight on one arm, the other is roaming all over my body again. Touching and teasing. When his hand skirts over my breast I moan into him.
That’s all the incentive he needs to pull my singlet down, followed by my bra. Freeing my breasts.
Dropping his forehead to mine, he groans out “I shouldn’t be doing this, but fuck if these aren’t the nicest looking tits” he kisses me briefly before trailing his mouth along my jaw and down my neck, moving his mouth lower before taking my nipple into his mouth.
I grind up against him, needing more friction.
He licks and nips before moving over to the other. Sharing his attention out. Holding my hands in his hair, I’m pulling him in. Begging for more.
“Tell me to stop.” He half pleads with me, but he doesn’t stop sucking my nipple into his hot mouth.
“Never” I moan out; he raises his head to look me in the eyes.
“Fuck, you’re going to get me in trouble pretty girl” he admits, pushing my hair back from my face.
I lift my hips slightly, smiling up at him; he just shakes his head as he returns my smile.
Slowly leaning up and away from me, he undoes the first couple of buttons on his shirt before pulling it over his head and throwing it to the sofa.
My eyes instantly drop from his, down to his chest.
I trail my fingers up and over every ridge and muscle. His abs tense under my touch as I scrape my nail over his nipples and back down. Grazing over the deep ‘V’ that leads below his pants.
As I reach for his belt I hear him blow out a heavy breath before leaning back into me.
Just before his mouth meets mine I hear his phone start ringing between us, bursting our private, intimate bubble.
Jackson groans, but ignores it; coming back in to kiss me anyway. I smile against his lips, grateful he’s just as intent to continue. But just when his phone stops ringing, it starts up again.
“I have to get this” he grates out, I nod towards him noting the look of disappointment he’s wearing, I’m sure it matches my own.
Dropping a chaste kiss to my lips once more before he pulls away. Standing up and shuffling his phone from his pocket.
“What!” he snaps into the receiver.
He’s still looking down at me, but I’m suddenly feeling incredibly exposed. I straighten up my bra and pull my singlet back in to place. The whole time Jackson stares at me, frowning.
I stand up, brushing off my pants. Jackson takes my hand and pulls me into his side, before resting his arm around my waist and settling his hand on my lower back.
He’s not talking, just listening to whoever is on the other end of the line.
We stay standing like that for a few minutes, neither of us taking our eyes off of the other.
“Alright, just give me a second, I’ll go to my office.” He bites into the line before covering the receiver. Letting me go to tuck my hair into place once more, it seemed like something he was doing more often than not.
Clearly, I needed to invest in a different brand of hair tie.
Leaning in, he kisses me once more, It’s like he can’t help himself at this point.
“Head to bed Liv, I’ve got some things to handle.”
I pout at him, but oblige his request, spinning in the direction of the stairs. He swats my butt before I get too far away and I let out a giggle before I pick up the pace to get away.
I hear him chuckle before he gets back to his phone call. “Alright, tell me again.”
∞
I’d been lying here for close to two hours, sleep refusing to come and take me over.
I flick the lamp on and sigh up at the ceiling.
I hear a soft knock on my door; before it opens slightly.
Jackson pops his head in the door and looks relieved when he notices I’m still awake. He pushes the door open further and walks in. He’s still without a shirt and I don’t even try and hide the fact that I’m looking.
“Eyes are up here babe” he jokes, coming to sit on the edge of the bed.
I smirk up at him but trail my fingers out to his abs.
He puts a holt to my hand with his. When I meet his eyes, I notice he’s
frowning.
“What’s wrong?”
He blows out a frustrated breath, “What happened earlier shouldn’t have happened.”
“Why not?”
He lets go of my hand, tracking his own through his hair instead.
“Fuck. You’re Cooper's little sister for one, you’re only nineteen; I’m five years older than you” he complains.
I nod along with the facts he’s laid out for me, waiting for more of an answer. But he doesn’t say anything else.
“That’s it?” he raises a brow in question.
“Jackson, I am aware of my age and yours. It’s really not that big of a deal. I’m not a virgin if that’s what you’re thinking or worrying about.”
He groans out, dragging his hands from his hair and down his face.
“I don’t know whether to be happy that you’re more experienced and mature than other 19-year-olds or pissed off that there’s someone else out there that knows what it’s like to be inside you.”
I laugh at that; he can hardly talk. His fuck buddy was here just a few hours ago.
“You’re not the only one who gets a little jealous now and then Jacks,” I admit, albeit very quietly.
“Honestly Liv, I don’t know what it is about you. I’ve only known you for a couple of months and already I have this irrational jealousy towards every other male that gets to be around you. I hate seeing the guys around the office checking you out or trying to talk to you. I’m struggling here, picturing someone else between your legs.”
I smile at his admission, feeling cared for in a completely different way. Even if he is being a little irrational.
“Well then, do something about it” I challenge.
He lets out a sigh before shaking his head.
“Not tonight pretty girl. I was coming in to tell you that I’d spoken to the boys earlier. Coop doesn’t think he’ll be back by the weekend like he’d originally planned. I’m supposed to tell you that if you really want to go stay at his apartment, you can.” He explains.
Well damn, Coop was supposed to be back this weekend and he’d already planned for me to be back at his apartment by the time he had returned. As much as I loved it here, I knew I should go back to Cooper's apartment.
I was intruding on Jackson's life, his structure. In the time we’ve had to get to know each other better, I could tell that was something he strives for.
I mean, we nearly slept together a few hours ago. But I get the feeling Jackson is all about casual hookups instead of some long term commitment. And with me staying here, it was obviously affecting that for him in different ways.
I wasn’t about to beg the guy to sleep with me if that’s not what he wanted too.
I wasn’t looking forward to being alone in Coop's place, but I’d put my big girl panties on. The ones that I was so desperately trying to convince Jackson I owned, and deal with it.
“Okay, well I guess I’ll head back there tomorrow. I could catch a ride into the city with you?”
He’s gorgeous face morphs into a deep frown, which makes me hope for a second that he’ll tell me to stay.
But instead, he nods in agreeance.
“That’s probably a good idea.” He takes a deep breath before he stands and walks towards the door.
“I’ll let you get some sleep, Night Liv.”
Chapter Ten
Jackson.
I’d been lying in my bed for over an hour now, trying to come up with ideas to get Olivia to stay.
I know I’d just told Liv nothing could happen between us but fuck if I wasn’t struggling with what I wanted and what the ‘right’ thing to do was.
Hell, If I could just rewind a few hours ago though. Back to when she was spread out under me, tits out and lips swollen.
I wouldn’t answer my phone; Cooper would have never been able to offer the alternative arrangements. And she’d still be staying here.
Instead, I was going to have to drop her off at his apartment tomorrow morning.
I knew I could have just failed to pass on the message, but he would have called her tomorrow anyway. I didn’t want to conceal anything from her just because I wanted her to stay with me.
Fuck, when I’d gone to her room tonight I had no idea what I was doing. I was in two minds, wanting to pick up where we left off; and wanting to tell her we couldn’t let that happen again.
Then she tells me she’s not a virgin and I wanted to punch something; anything.
I hear what I think is a soft knock coming from my door.
“Hello?”
My door slowly opens up and Liv peaks her head in. My lights are off, but the TV up on the wall is on; some old comedy playing in the background. I hadn’t been watching it though, I sit up straight at the site of her.
“What’s wrong, are you okay?” She nods hesitantly and I notice she’s chewing on her lip.
“I couldn’t sleep, I heard the TV” she points up at it.
I Smirk over at her, she’s wearing little sleep shorts and another one of my hoodies, her hair piled on top of her head. She’s fucking gorgeous.
I hadn’t noticed her attire when I was in her room earlier; completely distracted by her lips, listening to the words coming out, wishing my lips were against them instead.
“Come on.” I throw the blanket off on the other side of the bed.
She mumbles out a quick thanks before rushing over and climbing into the bed beside me.
I wait as she settles in on the pillows and wraps the blanket around herself.
“You good?”
She nods but I notice she’s still chewing on her lip. I tug it out from her teeth with my fingers.
“Talk to me” I prompt her.
She rolls on to her side and faces me, wedging a hand under her cheek.
“I just, I kind of feel a little lost.” She admits.
I turn on to my side and mimic her position, waiting for her to continue.
“My dad was always planning my future for me, making the decisions. And now I’m here. I have no idea what I’m doing. If I want to go to University or not, I mean it’s a bit late now. So I’d have to wait for next semester anyway. But even then, I can’t encroach on Coop's life forever. I should probably get a job, find a place. Start looking after myself, I’m not Coop's responsibility. It’s just me now… It’s making me feel a little lonely.”
I listened to her talking, but at some point, I’d reached out and taken hold of her hand.
Her eyes were all glassy now and it hit me somewhere deep that I’d do anything to make this all okay for her. To wipe that look from her beautiful face.
“Where will I even go, do I stay here so I can be close to Coop or do I go back to our hometown where I know all my friends are or do I go somewhere completely new?”
A tear finally breaks free, dancing along her cheek.
“I know most people would feel all excited by all the possibilities, but I feel the opposite. I’m kind of scared.”
The thought of her leaving, leaves an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. But I can’t admit it out loud. If I’m honest, I don’t know what it even means for me that I feel this way. It’s all new to me. So I push it away for now.
“No wonder you can’t sleep, come here” I pull her in closer to me.
She shuffles over without hesitation, letting me wrap her up in my arms. Burying her face into my chest, I can hear her soft cries and feel my chest getting damp.
But, I let her cry, all while rubbing my hand up and down her back trying to comfort her.
“Shh babe, we’ll figure it out, it’s all gonna be okay.”
I pull her back from me a little so I can see her face.
“Promise?” she whispers; I break into a smile that I wouldn’t have thought possible at this moment.
“Pinkie promise.”
We join fingers before I pull her back into my chest. She stays wrapped up in my arms, softly sniffing for another twenty minutes.
When I notic
e she’s gone still, I peer down at her and see she’s fallen asleep.
Leaning over I’m careful not to wake her, I flick the TV off before settling back down beside her.
∞
My alarm buzzing on the nightstand wakes me up, it’s a surprise; considering the last few mornings, I’d been woken by the smell of breakfast drifting into my room.
When an arm tightens than relaxes around me, I freeze.
Slowly looking down, I see Olivia still wrapped up beside me. Her arms and legs are thrown over the top of mine. My other arm underneath her.
She looks peaceful and I can’t help but notice it’s the latest she’s ever slept in; since being here at least.
I stay beside her for a few more minutes before reluctantly shuffling out from underneath her. Tucking the blankets tightly around her, but I don’t make a move to go for my run straight away. Instead, I watch her sleep for a few minutes. When I hear Charlie scratching at my door, I jump into action; before he can wake Liv.
It was a long run this morning. I pushed myself and subsequently Charlie, hard just now. Striding through the backyard and towards my back door. As soon as I get it open, Charlie bursts through it.