Before Jamaica Lane

15

The Lumineers were singing to me. Usually that was a good thing, but the previous evening had been pretty physical and I wanted my Saturday lie-in.

Nate’s warm body was pressed against my side as I lay on my stomach, my face buried in my pillow. I felt him shift against me as my ringtone woke him up.

‘Babe,’ he said, rubbing my back lightly, ‘your phone.’

I mumbled incoherently into my pillow.

The delicious heat of him up my left side disappeared and I grumbled a little more. He rolled back into me, kissed my shoulder, and deposited the phone on the pillow near my ear. Wincing at how loud it was, I lifted my head and fumbled for it. ‘Hey,’ I answered sleepily, not even checking the caller ID.

Joss’s husky voice replied, ‘Hey, you. How’s it going?’

More alert now, I leaned up on my elbow, enjoying the feel of Nate’s fingers stroking my spine. ‘Joss, it’s good to hear from you. How are you? How was the honeymoon?’

‘It was great. You know Braden.’ She gave a low, intimate laugh. ‘It was fun.’

I shot a look at Nate, who was lying there watching me, all sexy and stubbly. I finally got what that low, intimate laugh meant. ‘Was it beautiful?’

‘Stunning. I recommend Hawaii to all. If it weren’t for the weirdos I sort of, might, kind of care about, I would never have come home. Speaking of, Ellie and Adam are house-hunting and are looking at a property on my street. Els said she wanted to check it out again, so I’m going with her this afternoon. We thought we’d come back to my place afterwards for a few drinks. I know Jo can’t make it because she’s working, but I hoped you’d want to hang out with us.’

‘I’ll be there. What time?’

‘Noon.’

I frowned. ‘Uh, what time is it now?’

‘Quarter –’ Nate began to answer, but I cut him off immediately, slapping my hand over his mouth. I glared at him as I felt his lips curve beneath my palm. His eyes danced with mirth.

‘What was that?’ Joss asked curiously.

The last thing I needed was my friends finding out about my situation with Nate – because the last thing I needed was a concerned lecture. ‘The radio. My alarm.’

‘Well, then, I guess I don’t need to tell you it’s nine forty-five. That’s a weird time to set your alarm.’

‘It’s a Saturday,’ I answered quickly, flustered. ‘I sleep in a little on a Saturday and, uh, you know, nine thirty seems too early but ten seems too late so …’ My hand tightened over Nate’s mouth as he laughed harder at my lame rambling.

‘So you’re weird,’ Joss finished for me. ‘I already knew that. See you soon.’ She hung up and I immediately took my hand off Nate’s mouth, fisted it, and punched him in the arm.

‘Dude, are you trying to get us caught?’

His laughter died down on a huff as he rubbed his arm. ‘I could give a shit.’

‘Liar.’ I shoved him playfully. ‘If I don’t want to be subjected to the concerned “ooh do you think that’s a good idea?” crap, then I know you certainly don’t.’

In answer Nate sat up, grabbed my hands, and forced me to my back, cocky seduction curving his lips as he pushed my legs apart with his.

‘What are –’

I was interrupted by his masterful mouth and soon found myself melting into the bed as he kissed me into submission. When he drifted his lips down my chin, sprinkling shivery little brushes over my neck, I managed to find my voice. ‘What are you doing? I’ve got just a little over two hours to get showered and dressed and haul my ass to Joss’s.’

‘Hmm.’ He traveled lower, freeing one of my wrists to cup my breast to his mouth. I sighed, involuntarily arching my back as he licked my nipple. ‘I’ve got judo in a few hours too. I’ll make this quick.’ He grinned up at me from beneath his lashes, wicked and seductive as his hand slipped between my legs. ‘I promise.’

Delicious sensations rolled through me. ‘Uh …’

And then he abruptly got up, leaving me lying there with my back arched off the bed. ‘Where the hell are you going?’ I snapped.

His warm chuckle hit me low in my belly as he began searching through my dresser. ‘Don’t worry, I’m coming back. I’m just looking for a pair of tights.’

Confused, I replied, ‘I don’t have any. I’ve got a pair of stockings in the bottom of my underwear drawer.’

‘Even better.’

‘Do I even want to know why you’re looking for stockings?’

Without answering, Nate found the stockings and climbed back up on the bed. With deft efficiency that took me completely by surprise, he tied one end of the stockings around my wrists and the other around the slats of my headboard.

Makeshift handcuffs.

I tugged on them, feeling the material stretch but not loosen. ‘What the hell?’

Nate was no longer smiling as he braced himself over me. ‘When I held you down the other night … it made you so wet, babe, it makes me hard just thinking about it.’ His voice thickened as his eyes darkened. ‘You got off on it.’

I flushed, remembering how much I’d enjoyed the fact that Nate could do whatever he wanted with me and my hands weren’t free to stop him. It was altogether a surprising feeling, but one I didn’t think I’d have with just any man. I allowed myself to be intrigued by the notion of being Nate’s captive, allowed the fantasy, because … I trusted him. Behind the fantasy was the knowledge that he’d only do things I liked, loved, and that he would never hurt me.

Still, I didn’t know I’d made it so obvious.

I tugged on the stockings, growing steadily more breathless. ‘So what now?’

He caressed the backs of my thighs and then curled his hands around them, pulling my legs up around his hips before pressing his hard, hot erection to my entrance. ‘Now you’re completely at my mercy … while I fuck you senseless.’

Staring at the stripped-out kitchen, I wondered if Ellie and Adam were nuts.

‘Guys, we’re talking a lot of work here,’ I murmured, taking in the loose wiring and a damp patch in the lower left-hand corner of the room.

Ellie glanced back at me and Joss regretfully. ‘Adam said as much, but I wanted another look.’ She stroked the wall. ‘I love these buildings.’

‘Ellie, you know if you want the flat back, Braden and I are happy to look elsewhere,’ Joss offered.

But she might as well have offered to drown someone’s cat. ‘Joss, no! That flat is special to you guys.’

‘It’s special to you, too.’

‘Not as much.’ She shook her head with a heavy sigh. ‘Let’s go. Staying here is depressing.’

We shuffled out of the flat on Dublin Street, Ellie looking back at it longingly as we climbed the hill toward Joss’s place. ‘It’s such a massive renovation job. We just don’t have the time.’

‘It’s a money pit,’ Joss added. ‘There was damp and cabling issues. Els, it would be a constant headache.’

‘You’re right, you’re right, I know you’re right,’ Ellie grumbled, and pouted at me as Joss let us in at her flat.

I rubbed Ellie’s arm in reassurance. ‘You’ll find a place.’

Braden was working at his nightclub, Fire, so we had the flat to ourselves. In preparation for us coming, Joss had already made up little snacks and bought a cocktail mix. We laughed and joked in the kitchen as we sipped mojitos and ate tiny sandwiches.

‘So will you treat us to details about the honeymoon?’ I asked, grinning cheekily at Joss.

Joss smirked at me. ‘With Braden’s little sister in the room? No. All I will say is that a delicious time was had by all. And Braden only growled at one guy.’

I laughed. ‘Growled?’

‘He was staring at my boobs, and I mean staring, while Braden was right there.’ She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. ‘I thought Braden was going to pop a vein.’

We laughed, but my amusement froze up under anxiety when Joss suddenly threw me a mischievous grin. ‘So, Ellie said you went all Lady Sass at Club 39 while I was gone. Got some guy’s number?’

I snorted, trying to cover up the fact that my heart was pounding hard and I was starting to sweat. Lying was horrible, shitty, and excusing it by telling myself that I wasn’t lying, I was merely withholding, was just a crock of crap. I was lying to my friends and I didn’t like it. ‘Lady Sass? It was just a number.’

‘I’ve never seen you so interested before.’ Ellie turned her wide eyes on Joss. ‘You should have seen her flirting her arse off. Speaking of’ – she looked back at me questioningly – ‘how would you feel about going on a date with a guy Adam knows?’

The heart pounding became more of a sickly fluttering. ‘You’ve been talking about me?’

‘Only since that night at the bar. We thought maybe you were taking time to get settled before you started dating, so we never said anything before. But then on Saturday you seemed to show interest. And Dougie is lovely.’

‘Doogie?’

‘Douglas. Dougie.’

I snorted. ‘He sounds charming.’

Joss laughed. ‘I’m picturing Doogie Howser.’

‘Right.’ I giggled immaturely.

Ellie frowned at us both. ‘Um. Who?’

‘It was an American TV show.’

‘About what?’

‘A kid genius doctor.’

Ellie gave us a long-suffering look. ‘Dougie is not a kid. He’s a very nice and very good-looking architect.’

‘Don’t let Adam hear you say that.’

‘Liv, I’m serious. Please consider going out with him.’

‘I don’t do blind dates.’

She eyed me carefully. ‘Did you call the guy whose number you got?’

Uh-oh. How did I tell her I didn’t want to date this Doogie guy because I was too busy screwing Nate? I racked my brain for an excuse that sounded plausible, becoming increasingly nervous as the silence stretched thin between us. My eyes sought Joss for help since she was the queen of not doing anything she didn’t want to do and not giving a rat’s ass if you didn’t like her explanation. Instead of help, I watched as her face turned a sickly color.

‘Joss, are you okay?’ I leaned forward, touching her arm.

She pressed her lips together and turned toward the sink. Ellie was watching her sister-in-law in concern.

After a moment Joss sucked in a breath. ‘Do these mojitos taste okay to you guys?’ she asked weakly.

‘Fine.’

Joss shuddered, taking another breath.

‘Uh –’ I backed off warily now. ‘Are you going to upchuck?’

She grimaced at me. ‘No, I’m not going to upchuck.’

‘Here.’ Ellie shoved a plate of sandwiches toward her. ‘You’ve barely eaten anything this morning.’

‘Ellie, if you don’t get that plate out of my face I will eat you.’

‘I think she’s going to upchuck,’ I murmured, pulling Ellie back.

‘Stop saying “upchuck,” ’ Joss snapped.

I raised my eyebrow at Ellie. ‘Someone’s crabby when she’s sick.’

‘Yup,’ Els agreed. ‘She got the stomach flu last year and hissed at anyone that came near her.’

‘I’m standing right here,’ Joss huffed, slanting a dangerous look our way. With her tip-tilted gray eyes she really knew how to give good glare.

‘And we’d like you to remain there if you’re going to be sick.’

Ellie giggled at me. Joss did not.

‘You’re lucky I like you, Olivia Holloway.’

I grinned at her and replied meaningfully, ‘Don’t I know it.’

She flicked her gaze up at me. ‘I can’t be crabby when you’re being cute.’

‘And my genius plan works.’

Joss snorted and then immediately clamped a hand over her mouth.

We waited as she took deep breaths until finally she turned to us. ‘I’m fine.’ She moved over to the table in the corner and settled into a chair. ‘Those mojitos are definitely not working for me.’

Without having to be asked, Ellie poured Joss a glass of water and we joined her at the table. To my chagrin, the first thing Ellie said was, ‘So? Dougie. Yes?’

‘No. I’m …’ I shrugged, deciding to give them a little of the truth. ‘There’s a guy at the library. I like him.’

Ellie grinned, curiosity sparking bright in her pale eyes. ‘Fair enough. Do you work with him?’

‘He’s a student. Postgrad.’ My tone said, ‘I don’t want to talk about it’ and, surprisingly, Ellie let it go.

Instead of giving me the Spanish inquisition on him, she asked, ‘How is work?’

‘Good. It’ll be hard to get promoted but, you know, it’s a good atmosphere and I like my colleagues. I don’t think I’ll be leaving anytime soon. What about you?’

‘I’ve almost finished my PhD and the university is discussing giving me a year contract with them as a course lecturer. They’re impressed with me and my thesis, so they pulled me aside yesterday to let me know that they’re considering me.’

Ellie was a scholar in art history. I didn’t know much about it, but I did know that she’d dreamed of a career in academia just like her stepdad, Clark, so this was huge news.

‘You didn’t tell me that,’ Joss said softly, delicately picking at a sandwich.

Ellie shrugged modestly. ‘I wasn’t sure whether to mention it or not in case it falls through.’

‘It won’t, Els,’ Joss replied firmly. ‘I’m proud of you.’

‘Me too.’

She smiled gratefully at us. ‘Thanks.’

‘It means I’ll probably be consulting with you on research materials for the library.’

‘Yup. Maybe you can point out Library Guy while I’m there.’

I nodded, then took a large gulp of my mojito. Why, when I thought of Benjamin, did I no longer feel butterflies and a rush of possibility?