Almost Forgotten (Contemporary Erotic Romance) (The Broken Men Chronicles Book 2)

by Carey Decevito

  I shook my daze off. “Uh… yeah, sure, where’s your car?”

  Up the street was a brand new BMW sedan ill-parked against the curb, with a flat.

  I nodded my approval as I parked behind the vehicle. “Nice car.”

  “Thanks,” he said as he walked toward the trunk. “The spare is in here but I don’t know how to do this kind of stuff.”

  I proceeded to get the tire iron, the spare and the hitch from the trunk and got to work. He leaned onto the car and watched me in silence.

  “I know you, you know,” he started after a moment. “You’re that lawyer that blew his case against my mom.”

  I stopped all movement and looked up at him. He was the teenager from the courtroom that Danica and her father had hugged. “What do you mean?”

  He smirked. “Come on, man. I might be a kid to you but I’m not blind or stupid. You blew that case on purpose.”

  “Seriously, kid…” Had I been that obvious? “You have no clue what you’re talking about.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Sure I don’t.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I watch Law and Order, CSI and all those shows, you know.”

  I chuckled at this self-assured teenager’s words. He reminded me much of myself at his age, always looking to be right. “That shit ain’t real,” I said. “Half of what you see on TV never goes down that way in real life. Trust me, I know.”

  I finished with the tire and put the flat in the trunk along with the tools I used to do the job. “Now, you’re going to jump in my car and I’m going to give you a ride home. If your mother knew I let you drive underage, not to mention, without a license, she’d have my balls.”

  “And judging by the piss-poor way you defended Bruce, you’d lose hands down, hot-shot.” My head snapped in his direction with shock. The moment my consternation faded, my head tilted back and I laughed. Who knew a mere teenager could be so entertaining.

  “Where to?” I asked as he hopped into my car and buckled up.

  “It’s a few blocks down and four blocks over, by the park,” he said. I knew that area well since it was on one of my regular jogging routes.

  The drive was spent in silence until I couldn’t take the whirlwind of thoughts sloshing around in my head.

  “So Danica’s your mom, huh?” I asked. “What’s your name anyway? I’m Jake Landen. I suppose I should have introduced myself earlier.”

  “I know who you are, remember?” The kid snickered. “Jordan, Jordan Withers.” He extended his right hand to take mine after I parked in the driveway of a beautiful two-story brick home.

  “Your…”

  “Jordan Jacob Withers, get your soon-to-be grounded ass in this house now!” I saw a stark raving mad Danica stomp out the front door, waiting on the front porch with her hands fisted on her hips.

  Jordan winced and said, “I think I better go. Thanks for the ride.”

  “No problem, kid.” I nudged his shoulder. “I’ll see if I can make her go easier on you.”

  He opened the car door and proceeded to get out. He peered down into my car and smirked. “Thanks but I think we both know who’ll win this one, hot shot.” His expression sobered and when his mother called to him again, he shut the door with a look of dread dominating his face.

  I watched as a skittish Jordan hurried past his mother, into the house and couldn’t help but notice that the apple hadn’t fallen that far from the tree. She was very much like her father whether she was willing to admit it or not.

  Definitely hotter. I kept watching her and then her eyes narrowed on me. She stomped her way toward my car. Fuck! With a cleansing sigh, I turned the ignition off and exited.

  “Jacob?” She looked at me with worry, every bit of anger and annoyance leaving her features. “How… well… uh… small world.”

  “Your car is up the street from my place. Seems like he wanted to take a joyride but he ended up with a flat. It’s fixed enough for you to take it in and get everything checked. I can have it back to you just as soon as I get back to my place,” I said.

  “I can’t believe he did that. What was he thinking?” She clapped her hands to her cheeks, shaking her head in disbelief. “Thanks for not letting him drive back. I don’t know what I would have done if something happened to him. He’s my life.”

  “It’s fine, no bother at all, really,” I said. “He seems like a really good kid.” I turned and proceeded to open my car door to get in.

  “Jacob?” she asked so soft that I almost missed it. I looked over at her with a questioning look in my eyes. “Do you think you could wait a minute? It would be easier all around if you just dropped me off at my car and I drove it back. I’ll just let Jordan know where I’m headed off to first.”

  “Sure thing, Mrs.-”

  She cut me off with laughter in her eyes. “It’s Ms. now and Withers, not Spalding.”

  “Duly noted, Ms. Withers.”

  “Please don’t ever call me that again,” she said. “You make me feel as old as my mom.”

  “Fine, Nica.” I slipped in using that nickname of hers for the second time this week. Old habits die hard. Regardless, with the smile she graced me with, my lips couldn’t help spreading into a smirk and reality hit like a punch to the solar plexus.

  God, I missed that smile.

  Chapter 10

  Reasons as to why I felt nervous with Danica sitting next to me in my car evaded me. Come to think of it, she had been the one girl I ever felt nervous or unbalanced around. There had always been something about her — a challenge perhaps? She sure as hell always managed to keep me on my toes.

  “So,” I said, breaking the awkward silence, “I hear that you’re back for good?”

  Yeah,” she said almost at a whisper.

  The lull in conversation overcame us again. I pulled over and parked next to the curb behind her car. For the longest time, she sat there, staring out the windshield.

  I noticed that she looked tired. I was right in my initial assessment of her, she hadn’t changed. She still wore her emotions on the surface. Although hardened by what life had thrown at her, her body language said more than words could ever say and what it said was that she wasn’t quite ready to leave the confines of my vehicle for whatever reason.

  I turned my head and stared out the window, wondering if I should say something. Her floating out into space grated on my nerves, increasing the edginess I felt.

  “Jacob,” she said.

  “Huh?”

  “Thank you.” She smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes.

  “You’re welcome.”

  She pulled her car keys out of her purse and made to get out. With hesitation, she exited and then bent down to peer inside the car. “I appreciate what you did for Jordan today.” I nodded. “Take care of yourself.”

  With that, she shut the door, crossed over toward the front of her car. I watched as she paused to look back at me from her open drivers’ side door. She gave me a quick wave and got in. When her car coasted forward, I pulled a U-turn and headed home.

  What was it about that woman that had me thinking of her so much in the last week?

  Stuck in my thoughts, I headed to the den, poured myself a drink and settled in the living room. I turned the stereo on and was thankful that the radio was set to an alternative station. For tonight’s mood, it was perfect.

  I figured it was high time to figure how to get Danica out from under my skin. We were bound to be bumping into each other what with some of our social circles intersecting and let’s face it, the city wasn’t all that large and we lived near each other.

  I set my empty glass down, surprised that I had guzzled the dark amber liquid and failed to notice the burn when it went down.

  When my head hit the sheets that night, I vowed to forget the resentment, the hostility and most of all, my anger. It might just be time to start fresh. Why couldn’t I? What was the point in me being bitter anyway? We were just kids back then, right? Maybe, in time, my cynicism would disappe
ar too.

  Chapter 11

  Sweat covered my bare chest. The sheets were tangled around my waist. Groaning, I managed to catch my breath. What the fuck?

  It was that damn dream again. This time, it was more vivid and had grown even more explicit with each passing night since first seeing Danica again. I looked down to find myself pitching a tent in my boxers.

  Rubbing myself to relieve some of the tension, I tried to roll over, ignore my semi-painful erection, and fall asleep again. The memory of the feel of her lips over my heated skin, her fingernails digging into my shoulders and those legs of hers tightening like vices around my hips was etched into my mind.

  I lifted my head, my bedside clock reading five-thirty. I settled onto my back and covered my eyes with the back of my forearm. Something’s got to give.

  Disentangling myself from my bed linens, I shifted my legs off the mattress, got up and headed for my closet, stretching the tension out of the rest of my body.

  My cure-all which had always been reserved for weekends had become somewhat of a daily ritual due to my early risings over the past week.

  Slipping on my shorts, I was relieved to see that the throbbing in my dick had calmed. I covered my chest with a form-fitting black t-shirt and opted for a baseball cap. Grabbing my iPod, I marched downstairs to get my shoes.

  The frequency of my early morning runs was starting to grow on me. It was better than hitting the gym before or after work on weekdays. I loved the feel of the road underfoot. I felt free. Maybe that’s why my runs always worked in clearing my mind whenever I felt consumed with certain overwhelming thoughts. As of late, those thoughts surrounded a certain raven-haired, blue-eyed devil in angel’s clothing.

  I cranked the tunes to drown out my musings, set foot to pavement and let my feet be my guide.

  Early mornings were quiet. I didn’t have to worry about neighbors or too much traffic from pedestrians or cars.

  I set my pace to an energetic jog at first and by the time I neared the park, I upped my tempo to a full out run. Turning onto the gravel trail that took me into the woods, I didn’t notice the oncoming person until it was too late.

  Bodies crashed together and I fought for balance as my hands reached for shoulders to prevent the other party from falling over. Grip tight, stance stable, I froze at who stood in front of me.

  “I’m sorry,” I heard, but my eyes were fused to the person who still had yet to look up and see who it was that she’d bumped into. “Talk about a brick wall.” She rubbed her nose. My surprise gave way to chuckles and that’s when her head snapped up and her eyes widened. “Jacob?”

  Her nose scrunched up and she jumped back from me, my hands falling to my sides. I reached for my ear-buds as my mind scrambled about, trying to figure out what to say next. The fact that she’d backed away from me as if I was the most repulsive thing to her hadn’t gone unnoticed.

  Her actions rubbed me the wrong way and Mr. Rude came out to play. “Watch where you’re going.”

  “I’m not the only one at fault here!” she said.

  “I’m sorry.” I avoided her gaze, regretting the tone I had taken with her. So much for putting my hostility to the side. “Are you okay?” Cold one minute and hot the next. I had no clue what was going on with me. The woman had my emotions twisted like a pretzel.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Good.” I decided on sticking to a more dry and unaffected front. “Enjoy your run.” I proceeded to pop my ear-buds back in and turned to move past her.

  “Wait.” She grabbed my arm.

  I turned and looked down at her hand and then back up to her face. My brow rose in question. “Well, what?” I asked when she didn’t say anything.

  Her gaze went to her hand on my arm and I felt her thumb rubbing small circles. I pulled it out of her grip. Her warmth wreaked havoc on my senses. Her nearness always had. I needed distance — lots and lots of distance right now, what with that dream of mine being so fresh and all.

  “I’m sorry for being so short,” she said. “Lot’s on my mind, you know?” She crossed her arms at her chest, thrusting those glorious breasts of hers up, which accentuated the look of that tight sports tank she was wearing.

  “No, I don’t know,” I said, “but I understand.” She nodded. When she didn’t say anything else, I made to continue on with my run.

  “Listen,” she began and sighed, “would you like to have coffee some time,” she looked beside herself with nervousness, “to talk?”

  Now she wants to talk? I was about to say no when I heard the exact opposite escape my lips. “Sure.” What the hell? But before I could think of some excuse to negate my agreement, she smiled. And just like fifteen years ago, I found myself wanting to bend over backwards to be on the other end of that smile of hers again. The witch. How did she manage that when no other woman beside my mother ever could?

  “Good.” Her smile widened. “I really want to know what you’ve been up to since I left.”

  “I doubt you’d find any of it interesting.”

  “Your eyes should be brown instead of green with the bullshit that just came out of your mouth.” Her lips quirked up in a smirk. “Word has it that you’ve captured the hearts of many.” She was teasing but the lack of humor in her eyes denoted that she wasn’t unaffected from what she’d heard about me since her absence. Interesting.

  A dry chuckle escaped and I said, “Well, that’s to be debated.”

  “Sure.” She offered a dry laugh. “It amazes me that you’re not married.”

  “Checking up on me?”

  “No.” I couldn’t help the slight disappointment that lined the pit of my stomach with her quick answer. “I would have asked but Pax told me.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest. Could she tell I felt defensive? “What’d he tell you?” For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why I felt ashamed of how I’d been living my life up until now or why I cared what she thought of the man I’d become.

  “Nothing much aside from the fact that you were the same old Jacob Landen I knew through school.” I breathed a little easier. I wondered what she’d say when she found out the truth. “I should let you get on with your run.” I nodded. “So, coffee, soon?”

  “Sure,” I said.

  “Okay.” She smiled and this time, the light danced in her eyes. And just as quick as she’d plowed into me, she high-tailed her fine spandex covered ass and legs in the opposite direction I was heading. Hips that swung from side to side and those curves of hers were so smooth and generous they should have been made illegal.

  “What the fuck were you thinking?” I asked myself. The rustling of the warm morning breeze could be heard up in the treetops, as if whispering a response that I couldn’t decipher. I knew I was in trouble.

  Chapter 12

  I found myself at Rex’s that night, another one of my haunts, scoping out the scene. I had gone home after my run, showered and moved about my regular Saturday habits. After a day of errands and a few office fires to snuff out, it was time for a bit of fun.

  Just as I turned from getting my drink from the bar, my favorite blonde walked in. She looked around and when her eyes found me, she smiled that sexy smile that reminded me of what those lips were capable of.

  Brandy was what you would call a fuck buddy if you want the short and crass version of it. She always popped into my life when I need a distraction most, and tonight, I sure as hell was at the top of the list where distractive needs were concerned.

  “Why, hello there, handsome.” She came to a stop beside me. I kissed her cheek while she slid a nail down my bare forearm. “It’s been a while.”

  “It has.” I smiled at her. “You alone?” She nodded. “Let me get you a drink?”

  We’d been flirting with one another for about an hour when something caught my attention. In the back corner sat a trio of women in animated conversation, giggling on occasion. It was one of those giggles that caught my ear. I would recognize it anywhere, even after
all of these years.

  As if sensing that I was watching her, Danica’s eyes connected with mine and she lifted her drink, toasting me with a lazy smile.

  “Jake,” Brandy said, “who is she?”

  “Who?”

  “That woman over there who you seem to be stuck on?” she asked in a duh tone.

  I watched as the three ladies seemed to be having a good time. “Just someone.” I turned to Brandy.

  “Right.” She moved closer. “You want to get out of here?” She rubbed her palms on my chest in an up and down motion.

  No, I answered in my head. Enjoying the view in that far corner, I wasn’t quite willing to part with it just yet. Also, the idea of leading Brandy on for the night felt wrong too. A second later, Danica caught my eye and waved me over.

  “Excuse me for a minute,” I kissed Brandy’s cheek, “I’ll be right back.”

  “Sure, stud.” She laughed. “Take your time.” I watched as she walked away and headed for the end of the bar where two men had been eyeing her since her arrival. That’s what I loved about no attachment sex. There was no jealousy. It was carnal, a fulfilling of sexual needs.

  Turning to the barman, I got him to get the ladies at Danica’s table each a drink and headed in her direction.

  “Hi!” Danica got up, a little more cheerful than I had seen her since her return. Judging by the way she was leaning on the table, it was safe to presume her tipsy. “Girls, you remember Jacob Landen, right?”

  I made to correct her. “It’s Jake.” Aside from my parents, she had been the only one I allowed to call me by my birth name.

  The two women turned to face me and I recognized one as Alissa, Paxton’s wife and the other, the one with the glare, as Danica’s best friend from high school.

  “Hi Jake.” Alissa got up and hugged me and I returned her hug with a kiss on the cheek.

  “How you doing, sweetheart?” I asked. “Enjoying marital bliss?”