“What are you doing, Jett?”
Stupid question.
What would anyone think he was doing?
He joined me in the shower cubicle and gathered me in his arms. The water rained down on us, and for a moment I thought he’d try to get it on. I could only hope he didn’t insist we do it in the shower because I didn’t want to slip and break my neck.
“Can you pass me the shower gel?”
I stared at him in confusion as he just grinned at me and reached out to get the bottle, then lathered the foam into his glorious skin. I watched it run down his torso and gather in the soft hair around his manhood.
“Want me to do your back?” he asked, still grinning.
I shook my head, unsure whether he was being serious. He was behaving like we were an old couple, comfortable in each other’s presence. And while I was comfortable in his presence, the entire situation had something way too intimate about it.
“Then you’re ready to get out?” There was a sparkle of naughtiness in his eyes.
Struck speechless, I nodded.
Jett stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist, then draped one around my shoulders. I even let him pat down my wet hair, squeezing the water out of it, until soft waves and ringlets formed. He took one and wrapped it around his fingers, the light tugging sensation making my scalp tingle.
“I want you to be open for me,” he whispered.
His eyes mirrored the array of emotions in his voice. For a moment I wasn’t sure which direction this conversation would take—whether he wanted more or whether he was just enjoying keeping me intrigued.
Jett’s hands trailed from my breasts down my hips and then with no warning he lifted me up in one swift motion, as though I weighed nothing. My cheeks heated up at the new and intimate way he pressed me against his naked body. Gathering my arms around his neck, I let him carry me into the bedroom and lay me down on the unmade bed, our limbs entangling, mouths finding each other.
“What do you want me to do?” I asked playfully.
“I want you to be open for me,” he whispered again, his eyes reflecting the desire in his voice. He pulled my towel away and removed my hands from my breasts. “I want you to be the one asking for it.”
His authoritarian tone built a strong contrast to his gentle actions. His thumb was stroking my face, his wet hair was dropping on my skin, the coldness making me shiver. And yet, his kiss was hot, devouring my mouth, his hand going lower to explore my breasts, my hips, my legs.
“I want you,” I murmured.
“Not need me?” He raised his eyebrows, his erection pressing against my legs.
“I want you, I need you. What’s the difference? I’m open to anything.” I removed his towel from his hips, eager to taste him, to feel him, to have him inside me. I knew I was wet.
“You’d be surprised.” He pushed me down and his hands wrapped around my wrists. Gazing into my eyes, he pushed inside me, making love to me until we were both succumbing to an orgasmic release.
***
Later, I lay in his arms, gathering my breath, my hands trailing up and down his sculpted torso, marveling at the smoothness of his skin and the hardness of his muscles. He was perfect.
“I hope I’m the reason behind your smile,” Jett said, stroking my cheek. His statement caught me off guard. I hadn’t even realized I was smiling.
“Mmh.” I placed a soft kiss on his chin and regarded him lovingly.
Do people not smile after sex? Was it just hormones or something else?
Less than three days ago, I had been unhappy. Actually being unhappy was an understatement. I felt betrayed, lost, deeply hurt, and heartbroken. How strange he had been the reason why I tumbled into my second lowest point in life, and yet all it took to pull me out of it was for him to re-enter the picture. His words and actions had both killed my hope and rekindled it. He had destroyed and shattered my love only to conquer it again. If he hadn’t persisted in trying to reach out to me, I would never have known he didn’t hurt me on purpose and we wouldn’t be where we were today—in each other’s arms.
“I love it when you smile,” he whispered. “But I love it even more when I see your smile and know I was the one who caused it.”
“Having sex three times in less than twenty four hours would make anyone happy,” I replied.
“It’s all thanks to you, Ms. Stewart.”
“Me?” I cocked a brow. He pretty much instigated all of them. “What about you? You were the one to initiate them.”
“I followed your thoughts’ command. Besides, I’m just human. I can’t help myself when you’re around me. You can’t blame a man for being weak at a vixen’s feet.”
The way his eyes glimmered with mischief I wanted to do him again, even though my body screamed ‘no more.’
“I didn’t do anything,” I pointed out.
“Exactly. You didn’t do anything.” Jett’s gaze bore into me, touching my soul. “I’m not perfect. God knows I have many weaknesses, but my biggest one happens to be you, Brooke.”
His words made my smile widen. He was piling on the compliments. Coming from any other man, they would’ve hit on nothing but a brick wall. But coming from Jett, I wanted to hear more, absorb each word, and cherish it forever. If there was one person in the world whose words were special, it was Jett.
***
Feeling a need for a bathroom break, I entangled myself from him and only noticed the tray on the table upon my return. It held two cups of coffee, two plates with croissants and another two plates of bagels with fresh cheese spread. My gaze settled on the small violet gift box almost hidden between the coffee and the plates.
“I woke up early. You were still asleep so I thought I’d get us breakfast.” Walking over, Jett pointed at the tray and cleared his throat, answering the question I had been asking myself since waking. “I know last time didn’t go so well but I figured why not give it another try? I hope you’ll like it.”
He picked up the tiny box and handed it to me.
“Thank you.” My throat constricted. My legs began to shake again, so I sat down and left my fingers trail over the gift box.
It was surprisingly heavy for its size. The shiny satin-feel paper shimmered in the sunlight spilling through the window. I untied the white ribbon, and opened the lid, then removed the black cover. Even before I saw it, I knew what it contained, but the knowledge didn’t quite register in my consciousness until I saw it before my eyes. Sitting on a black velvet mount was a sleek steel watch with a silver wrist bangle and tiny gemstones that sparkled like diamonds.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered.
And, judging from the feel and look, expensive.
“I thought it might be the perfect gift so you’re never late again for our dates.”
I grimaced at him, unsure whether to feel offended or laugh. In the end, amusement won.
“Seriously?” I glanced up, biting my lip.
“I’m just kidding. I got it a while back.” He slumped down in the chair next to mine and regarded me coolly. “Call it intuition. Come one, take it out.”
I gingerly removed the watch from its box, and was about to unfasten the clasp, when I noticed something was engraved on the back.
“In the stream of life, I’ll always search for you. As time goes by, you’ll always be on my mind. Jett. Did you come up with this?” My questioning gaze searched his, begging him to tell me he had picked it up from somewhere and it didn’t mean anything.
Jett nodded. “It’s the way I feel.”
For a few seconds, I was utterly and deeply moved, unable to say a word. My throat constricted, and my eyes swelled up with moisture. I forced myself to take slow breaths, so I wouldn’t give away the storm of emotions tormenting me inside. The bathing suit was one thing—an expensive gift but nothing too personal. I could give it back, because I didn’t want to feel like I had been bought. But the watch was an entirely different situation. The personal message showed me he cared about me and I couldn’t be happier that we reconnected, but more than anything I was happy there was still an us.
I wanted him to know just how much I loved him and yet I kept silent as I kissed him in complete abandonment of my heart, my brain racing to engrave every little detail about him forever.
“Thank you. It’s…I want to say beautiful but that’s an understatement.”
His hand touched my chin and he moved closer until we were barely an inch apart. “It’s nothing, Brooke. It’s just a watch. Promise me that you’ll keep it.”
Ever so gently he lowered his soft gorgeous lips onto mine. I breathed in his heavenly scent, savouring his proximity, the moment.
“I do,” I whispered forcing a smile to my lips. “I will treasure it forever.”
Even if things weren’t meant to last, I wanted to at least remember, because in the end my memory could be the only thing left.
Chapter 16
The room smelled of fresh butter croissants. The coffee cups were on the table, untouched, almost forgotten now. Jett’s hand kept touching mine as he fidgeted with the box, waiting for me to stop gushing.
Our first night together in a hotel room.
Our first breakfast together after spending the night in a hotel room and having sex in a whirlpool.
The first gift I ever accepted from him.
I made a mental note of all of those things because, ever since meeting Jett, I had been counting all my firsts with him: the first time we used certain words and phrases, the things we did together for the first time, the first activities we planned together. My brain had become a huge scrapbook of first memories together and I couldn’t wait to fill it with more of those.
“Let me help you.” Jett took the watch from my hands and clasped it around my wrist. I held it up to admire it. It was the perfect size with the right feel.
“I love it,” I said again. And I did, but I also hated the feeling of not having something to give back. So I was more than eager to buy him a gift—something unique, something to remind him of this occasion, which I hoped was as special to him as it was to me.
“It suits you beautifully,” Jett said, placing a soft kiss on my wrist.
“Hmm.” I smiled and felt myself melting against the magic of his lips.
“I switched on your phone while you were busy in the shower.” His lips trailed up my naked arm and collarbone, until he found my special spot below my chin.
“Yeah?” I moaned softly.
“Yeah.”
I felt him smiling and wrapped my arms around his strong shoulders, clasping them behind the nape of his neck.
“Sylvie might have called a few times,” Jett whispered.
Oh, shit!
My blood froze in my veins. How the heck could I forget her? She was probably waiting for me, worried that I wasn’t back yet.
While it wasn’t unusual for her to stay the night away every now and then, it had never happened to me. Besides, we always at least texted our whereabouts. She’d be so mad. No, make that livid.
“I have to get home,” I said.
Jett shook his head vehemently. “That’s not a good idea. You’re not safe. Better we try to find out who followed us first.”
