Bad Blood (Left at the Altar Book 5)

by M. Malone

  Georgie moaned when his hand speared through her hair to cradle her head and pull her closer. Lights sparked behind her eyelids when his tongue snaked out to tentatively touch hers. Everything about him aroused her from his strength to the clean rugged scent of his skin.

  Sex with him wouldn’t be a weekly chore.

  It would be an experience.

  As soon as the idea bloomed, she started tugging at his dress shirt. Buttons popped off and scattered across the floor as her hands pushed beneath the fabric searching for his skin.

  “Whoa, Georgie. Slow down.”

  “Don’t want to slow down. I want you, Jamie.”

  His tortured groan only increased her urgency.

  “Georgie,” he whispered, turning his head slightly to keep his lips away from temptation. “We shouldn’t be doing this.”

  “Why? Because I’m goody-two-shoes Georgie? The girl who never has any fun?”

  He tapped her nose. “No. Because I care about you too much to take you to bed for a night. You deserve more than that.”

  “Maybe I don’t want more than that. For once, I want to do the irresponsible, impulsive fun thing. Life is short and I want to have wild, crazy sex that makes me forget about the years I wasted on Alex.”

  “Revenge sex?”

  Georgie huffed out a frustrated breath. “What’s wrong with that? If I’d made a few mistakes before getting engaged then I would have known something was off about my relationship.”

  Jamie hung his head. “I must have done something really bad in a past life.”

  “What?” Confused, Georgie could only stare as he set her aside carefully and stood.

  “Nothing. Just that this is cruel and unusual punishment.” He walked into the kitchen and then came back with a glass of ice water. “Drink this. Then text your brother. Otherwise he’ll end up coming here to check on you.”

  Then he walked down the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

  While he was gone, Georgie reluctantly drank the water and thought about what had just happened. She’d never seen him like that. Out of control and uninhibited. He was always so polite and distant that it drove her crazy.

  But now it was like the outer layer of perfection he always wore like a mantle had been stripped away and his vulnerable underbelly was exposed.

  She liked it.

  But if his reaction afterward was any indication, she wouldn’t be seeing it again. Despite his obvious physical reaction to her, he didn’t seem nearly as interested in getting naked as she was.

  When he finally returned, he was wearing a new shirt and looked perfectly composed.

  She sighed. “So I guess revenge sex is off the table then?”

  He wouldn’t meet her eyes. “That’s correct.”

  Not that it should be a complete surprise. After all, she had a really embarrassing memory that proved she wasn’t his type.

  She’d always figured he tolerated her because of his close friendship with King not because of any real affection for her. He’d always seemed annoyed by her constant rambling.

  The kiss was more than likely a result of timing and alcohol.

  “I know, I know. Because I’m King’s sister.”

  “No… okay, that’s partially why. But also because, I’m here to make sure you’re okay. Not… whatever that was.”

  She sighed. She really should be used to disappointment by now. Of course Jamie hadn’t kissed her because he’d secretly been pining for her. She knew his reputation with women. Kissing her had probably just been a reflex when seeing a girl crying and pitiful in his apartment. She was the one who’d dragged him closer. Now he was trying to let her down easy.

  “You know what, let’s just skip the whole it’s not you it’s me thing, okay?”

  Funny, she wouldn’t have thought her day could get any more embarrassing. But then she’d always been an overachiever.

  Maximum mortification: Achieved

  Chapter 5

  When he got back home, it was quiet.

  Too quiet.

  Jamie turned on several lights and then some music for good measure. He was alone but that was no different from any other night. There was no logical reason that his apartment should suddenly feel cold and empty.

  He opened the refrigerator and the first thing he saw was the pizza he’d shared with Georgie. The one covered in pineapple that he thought was disgusting but he’d ordered because it made her happy.

  He closed the refrigerator.

  It was a Saturday night. Usually he’d be out on a date or catching up on some work. Jamie didn’t believe in boredom. Bored people were ones who either didn’t have enough to do or any creativity to think of something to amuse themselves.

  But he’d canceled his date as soon as things started going downhill at the wedding. And there was no way he could concentrate on work. His eyes would cross if he tried to read a profit and loss statement right then.

  For the first time in ages, he was bored.

  No, that was a lie. He wasn’t bored. He was frustrated. Because he had free time but he couldn’t spend it doing what he wanted to do. Namely going back to that hotel and climbing into that huge hotel bed with Georgie.

  His phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket, ready to switch it to silent. He definitely wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone. But a quick glance at the display showed King’s number.

  Better to get this over with now.

  “Hey man. I figured you’d be calling. Georgie is at the Fitz-Simmons in a suite that I booked under my name. When I left she said she was going to bed.”

  “Good. I’ve been going crazy over here. Thanks for taking care of her.” King sounded stressed as hell.

  Truthfully Jamie couldn’t blame him for being stressed. A Kingsley wedding was a huge social event and something people would be talking about for weeks even if it had gone off without a hitch. But to have a runaway bride and groom, it was the kind of thing that would feed the rumor mill for months. King was no doubt dealing with his parents and damage control with the media.

  “Of course. No thanks needed.”

  “Still, I appreciate it. I know dealing with hysterical women is not exactly your favorite thing.”

  Jamie was suddenly grateful the conversation was taking place over the phone and not in person. There would be no way to hide his reaction. The last person he wanted to guess just how happy he’d been to be there for Georgie was her overprotective brother.

  “How is she really? I just got off the phone with her but she wasn’t giving me anything.”

  Jamie was glad she’d kept her word and contacted her brother. It was clear that King’s dominating personality was a struggle for Georgie to deal with. That made him smile. Despite what her brother thought, Georgie was just as strong-minded. She just didn’t feel the need to assert her opinions at top volume.

  “Good. I told her to call you so you wouldn’t worry about her.”

  King grunted. “I’m going to worry anyway but at least she’s already at the hotel. The vultures won’t be able to find her as long as she’s behind closed doors. The staff at the Fitz is loyal. Or at least they have been in the past.”

  Jamie gripped the phone tighter. The thought of Georgie having to fight off the press in the midst of everything made him feel completely helpless. The media barely bothered with him. Although he worked closely with the Kingsleys, he didn’t have a famous last name or a bunch of extremely photogenic relatives for them to splash on the front page. He’d have to do something pretty crazy for the paparazzi to give a shit.

  Something like steal Georgina Kingsley from her own wedding?

  Jesus.

  “So, anything we need to worry about?”

  King was quiet. “It’s bad, James. They’re reporting that Alex had a mistress. And since he still can’t be found either, they’re saying he’s run off to be with this mystery woman and abandoned Georgie. At least there’s no pictures yet.”

  He sagged with relief and t
hen immediately felt like an ass. There were no pictures of him spiriting the bride away from the wedding but the stories so far were bad enough. Georgie definitely wouldn’t like being portrayed as the woman scorned.

  Especially when that wasn’t how things had gone down at all.

  “I’ll check on her first thing tomorrow. Make sure no one is bothering her.”

  “Wait, tomorrow? I thought you were going out of town?”

  There was an uncomfortable pause before King cleared his throat. “James? Is everything okay?”

  “Yeah. I figured I can swing by the hotel before I leave tomorrow morning. No big deal.”

  “Right.” The way King dragged the word out made it clear that he wasn’t buying it. “Just watch it.”

  Jamie ran a hand over his face, cutting off anything he might have said in the heat of the moment. Nothing that he would let fly right then would have been a productive comment to the man he thought of like a brother. Because all he really wanted was to tell King to fuck off and let him deal with Georgie.

  “Glad to hear you have so much trust in me.”

  “That’s not what I meant–”

  “Look, I need to finish packing. Since my plans for tonight fell through, I’m going to use the time to go see my folks.”

  King hesitated before speaking again. “Cool. Tell everyone I said hi.”

  “Will do.” Then he hung up and headed for his bedroom. Packing wasn’t what he wanted to do but it was at least productive.

  The next morning, Georgie woke up to blinding sunlight. Groggy, she sat up and pushed her hair out of her face. It was tangled around her head like a rat’s nest. She usually braided it or put it in a bun before bed.

  Which meant that she hadn’t washed her face before going to bed either. She turned her head slightly.

  Yeah, black streaks all over the white pillowcase. Housekeeping was going to love her.

  “Great.” She stood gingerly, ignoring the fuzzy, old socks taste in her mouth. Hangovers were just lovely, weren’t they?

  When things were all going to shit and a person needed a little liquid fortification, they shouldn’t have to pay the price with a headache and garbage breath the next morning. Really, that was just like kicking someone when they were down.

  Georgie figured that this was about as down as she’d been in a long time. Or ever.

  Ruined wedding. Sexual Rejection. Hangover. Bad Hair.

  Yeah, things definitely weren’t going her way lately. Then she stepped in front of the mirror and a startled shriek erupted.

  “Oh dear God.” She peered at her reflection in horror. There were not only black streaks all over her face from her mascara but her eyelashes looked like they were glued together on one side forcing that eye wide open. It gave her a look of perpetual surprise. Combined with all the tangles on her head, she looked like she’d just been electrocuted.

  “Suddenly really happy that Jamie turned me down now.” It did give her a bit of a laugh to imagine his reaction if he’d woken up to this.

  She headed into the bathroom and started the shower. This was going to require a head to toe scrubdown.

  Half an hour later Georgie emerged from the bathroom scrubbed, brushed, polished and detangled. She was in the middle of towel drying her hair when her phone beeped.

  It took her a minute to find it. King had couriered over some of her stuff last night. Her handbag and the suitcase from her bedroom that she’d packed for the honeymoon.

  Georgie sighed. Knowing Alex, he was on their flight to Fiji right at that very moment. The look on his face when he’d realized she’d overheard him had been shocked but not devastated. It was unlikely that he was sitting in a hotel room alone feeling sorry for himself. She squared her shoulders and pushed more stuff out of the way until she found her phone.

  Yesterday had been awful but in the grand scheme of things, she was lucky. And grateful. It might have taken her three years to see through Alex’s games but at least she’d found out. Some people lived their whole lives without knowing they were being used.

  Her phone beeped again and she blinked at all the little red flags visible.

  She scrolled through her texts quickly. One was from Regina. It was dated early enough that it was probably when they’d first discovered her missing at the wedding.

  Delete.

  A few from wedding vendors. She rolled her eyes. Probably reminding her that she wasn’t getting any money back.

  Those could wait.

  There were thirty voicemails on her phone. Georgie shook her head when she saw that about twenty of them were from her mother. That was something else she’d have to do today. Call her mother and listen to the barely concealed disappointment.

  That could definitely wait.

  But as she scrolled up, there was one from a number she didn’t recognize that had come in just a few hours ago. Who would be calling her in the early morning? She clicked it and let the message play. Then almost dropped the phone when Alex’s voice came through.

  I’m so sorry, Georgie. This is not how I wanted you to find out.

  There was some static and then it sounded like he fumbled the phone. Was he drunk?

  Can explain everything. Don’t believe them. I know we can work this out.

  The message cut off there. Georgie played it again and it still didn’t make much sense. What did he mean about not wanting her to find out? Did he really think that was the way to win her back, promising that he’d never wanted her to know he was just in it for the business contacts?

  Not exactly the best apology.

  And what was he saying about don’t believe them? Believe who? She put her phone on the nightstand and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Clearly she wasn’t the only one who’d been hitting the liquor the night before. Alex had apparently been drowning his sorrows at the bar, too. Although she wasn’t sure why he was so depressed. Surely, he could find another heiress to dupe into marriage.

  But it wouldn’t be Georgina Kingsley. Never again.

  Alex might have ruined her wedding day and Jamie might have rejected her last night but she wasn’t going down without a fight. She was determined to get her sexy on and she knew just where to do it.

  She did still have her access key for Club VIP after all.

  Chapter 6

  As he walked down the hallway, Jamie counted off the numbers as he passed. In order to avoid too much attention, he’d been sure to book Georgie a regular suite instead of one of the deluxe suites or the penthouse. Now he was wondering if that had been a bad move.

  What kind of security was there on these regular floors? There was no one manning the elevator so what was there to stop anyone from approaching her room?

  He’d worked himself into a near frenzy by the time he reached her door. There was a room service tray right outside and the do-not-disturb sign was on the door. The faint sounds of the television were audible. He pulled out his phone and texted her.

  Jamie: Knock. Knock.

  Georgie: Um, who’s there?

  Jamie: Me. Right outside your hotel room. And did you really throw away a whole slice of key lime pie?

  The door suddenly flew open and Georgie grabbed him by the front of the shirt. He allowed her to tug him inside.

  “What are you doing outside my door, you weirdo? And stop staring at my leftovers!”

  Jamie closed the door behind them and put the chain on. “I was just surprised you didn’t eat that. I thought you had a sweet tooth.”

  Georgie shrugged but her cheeks went bright red. “I do have a sweet tooth. But it turns out key lime isn’t my favorite anymore if I have it with breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

  She was so damn cute that he couldn’t resist pulling her into a hug. That was when he noticed what she was wearing. A short black skirt and a sheer blouse that allowed a tantalizing amount of skin to peek through. Her hair had been styled in soft ringlets and she was wearing that same dramatic makeup that made the color of her eyes look
like a clear sky.

  “You’re dressed up. Were you going out?”

  She was suddenly very interested in the paint color of her nails. “I was thinking about it. Why?”

  He took the opportunity to move past her and examine the room. It looked like organized chaos with piles of clothes on the desk and chair, and then a bunch of lacy things on the bed. As he walked closer, he could feel his blood pressure rising. Were those…

  “Thongs? You’re trying on thongs?” he practically shouted.

  Georgie rushed past him and snatched the offending lace off the comforter before stuffing them behind the pillow.

  “That is private. Why did you come by, anyway? Wanted the opportunity to knock my self-esteem down another peg? More of the it’s not you, it’s me crap? Except it clearly is about me since I’m the one who can’t get laid!”

  Her running commentary almost made him laugh until he looked around the room again and put the clues together.

  Hot outfit.

  Dramatic makeup.

  Sexy underwear.

  “You’re not going back to that damn sex club!”

  Georgie slapped a hand over his mouth. “Would you pipe down? I don’t need everybody here knowing my business.”

  He pointed to the pillow hiding the thong collection. “You don’t think they’ll find out when they see you walking through the lobby looking like sex on legs?”

  “First, I’m not entirely sure what that even means. Second, contrary to some beliefs, thongs are usually not worn on the outside of your clothes. So no one would even see that.”

  “Except the guy you plan on showing them to, huh?”

  She tilted her head as if considering it. As if actually considering it!

  “You’re not going back to that–”

  Georgie spun around and poked one finger against his chest.

  “I don’t know who you think you are but this is none of your business, Jamie.”

  “None of my business?”

  All control gone, he scooped her up in his arms ignoring her screech of outrage. It took a bit of maneuvering but finally he had her spread out on the bed beneath him.