Tiger Lily: Part Two

by Amélie S. Duncan

  “Rest,” he commanded. He pulled me to his side like a caveman to spoon me. “Go to sleep,” he said, just in case I didn’t remember what “rest” meant.

  If I wasn’t so passionately spent, I would have been upset at his sudden change of attitude and behavior, but then it hit me. I was categorically his friend now, and as a personal rule of his, he wasn’t intimate with friends. He was supposed to be with Melissa.

  Borrowing his words, fuck it.

  CHAPTER 19

  A warm hand on my shoulder broke through the barrier of my sleep.

  “I’m sorry to wake you up, but it’s close to eight and I need you to have breakfast before I leave.”

  His breath tickled my ear, and I cracked a smile, which must be why he pressed in with his lips.

  “Eight?” I croaked.

  My eyes fluttered open to find Jonas leaning over me at the side of the bed. His hand lingered and warmed my shoulder as it rubbed down my arm. A thrill went through me. He couldn’t stop touching me. My body craved more.

  I looked past him to the bright light of day shining through the gap in the heavy embroidered curtains in his hotel bedroom. When I rolled over onto my back, Jonas made a sound that caused heat to fill my body. His eyes followed my movements as I pulled up the sheet to cover my nipples, which immediately started poking out through the thin layer of fabric. I took in a shallow breath. His hand moved towards me, then detoured to adjust the bulge poking out the front of his dark trousers.

  He turned his head. “Last night, I lost…‌We both lost control.”

  It was his way of cutting straight to the issue at hand. He was so unlike me in this way, as I would have, of course, preferred to think and process through everything before talking about it.

  I licked my lips. “Yes…‌of course. You’re with Melissa.”

  My voice went up at the end, making this sound more like a question, as if I thought last night meant he would leave her and choose me. That wasn’t something I believed, nor did I think it possible. Not after everything that had happened.

  I opened my mouth to correct my error, but Jonas spoke first.

  “What I’m more concerned about right now is your well-being,” he said, not exactly answering my non-question. “I didn’t mean to take advantage of you. I mean, you’re sick….”

  His words hit my heart.

  “Nothing happened that I didn’t want to happen,” I said in a soft voice. I lifted my chin, but could only meet the stubble along his. “I didn’t mean to take advantage of you. You’ve been so helpful to me with the doctor and everything yesterday. I think it was only natural for us to fall back into…‌In our situation, and with the close proximity….”

  I didn’t know what the hell I was saying, but Jonas nodded and said, “True.”

  He took the “I’m not a jerk for cheating on my current girl with my ex” out I had given to him. Was he cheating? If Melissa was his companion, I supposed not. But I bet she, like me, wouldn’t see it that way.

  I really didn’t want to be naked right now, and so I started searching around for something to put on. Jonas stood and crossed the room, collecting a robe from a chair in the corner and bringing it back to the bed. He held it open for me to put on.

  “Let’s go have breakfast.”

  “I’m not….” I let the words die as I met the scowl marring his handsome face. “I’ll eat after I shower.”

  “Now would work better. It will be a few hours before lunch.”

  The dots from my cluttered mind finally connected. Jonas planned to be my personal food watcher.

  “I. Can. Manage,” I said, punctuating each word.

  Jonas only moved a shoulder and kept his stoic position with the robe, as if he had all day to wait for me. My jaw tightened as I moved with the covers to stand, ignoring the fact that we both knew he had spent part of the night between my thighs with the lights on. I put in an arm and dropped the sheet, then awkwardly put the robe on backwards and quickly closed it up to my neck.

  “Stubborn and grumpy,” he teased.

  Before I could react, he swept me off my feet, and I was creasing another one of his pressed shirts as he cradled me.

  I narrowed my eyes. “This is going to stop right now. I’m not a baby to be held. I’m not a collie to be petted.”

  “You like being carried and petted.”

  Jonas gave me a dark look, which tightened things low on my body. But that couldn’t be helped.

  “This isn’t fucking,” he said as he carried me through the bedroom door. “This is giving you what you need.”

  “What I need is not your concern. Furthermore, I’m not someone that needs their food intake supervised. Carrying me is inappropriate. I mean, we just discussed breaking boundaries last night. So, stop.”

  He ignored my glare and brought me to the dining table, where he sat me down on the chair before a covered plate and took the seat next to me.

  “You practically passed out in front of me yesterday. Do you know I stayed up all night watching you?”

  The anguish on his face had me instantly feeling remorse.

  I dipped my head. “All I can say is that I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disrupt your sleep or your life. I’ve been under a lot of…‌stress,” I said, my voice scratchy.

  I didn’t want to bring up my situation with Declan again.

  I glanced over and noticed that Jonas’s eyes had clouded over. “Yes, I know.”

  The guilt on his face had me reaching out to squeeze his hand. “It’s not your fault. This is all my doing.”

  “No. This is that piece of shit exe’s of yours fault.” He took in a couple of deep breaths to calm down. “You need support and that includes comforting. It’s something I would have given you anyway if you had remained my companion, and I will continue to give you as your friend. Now, eat your breakfast.”

  My lips parted in protest, but I knew we were both wound too tight after yesterday and last night. So I decidedly removed the lid on the plate before me and found poached eggs, a bagel with cream cheese and salmon. My mind immediately started calculating the caloric intake out of habit, an internal voice telling me I wasn’t hungry. As I shifted the food around my plate, I wondered if I really did have a problem.

  “Lily,” Jonas said my name with slight irritation, calling me back from my thoughts.

  I ignored him and took a huge bite out of the salmon and bagel, then peeked at him through my lashes and found him gazing at me intently. A flutter went through my chest, and a small smile snuck to my lips.

  “Thank you,” Jonas exhaled. “I have a meeting in town.”

  He mixed the eggs and toast together on his plate and started eating. Back to the real world for Jonas, but not for me. I had been placed on leave.

  “I probably should get information to Human Resources and call Gregor—”

  “David dropped off the paperwork this morning,” Jonas said, interrupting me. “You have an appointment for a massage at the spa in a half hour. Afterwards, a body wax, manicure, and pedicure. By then I should be back for lunch.”

  My cheeks warmed as I stared at him in disbelief. “I didn’t agree to any of that, and I’m not going. I don’t need it. I’ll take care of the rest when I go home.”

  “Don’t fight with me, Lily. This was your doctor’s orders,” Jonas said and sipped his coffee.

  “Massages, not the rest,” I muttered, staring down at my plate.

  Maggie crossed my mind, and Gregor’s warnings. Even though Jonas had explained his relationship with her, I still didn’t want to get caught up in his generosity.

  “I don’t need to be pampered. I want to function within my means. I know I have problems. I just need some time to think, to plan….”

  “And you’ll have it,” Jonas said. “We still need the results from the blood test, too.”

  My mouth went dry. “We?”

  He reached out and rubbed the frown between my brows. “Yes, ‘we.’ I’m concerned abo
ut you. You need less stress. As far as the rest, I know you like those things.” His tone was light.

  I pursed my lips and stared at him. I did like the manicure and pedicures, but we both knew the body wax was for him.

  “Fine, your body waxing is for me,” he finally admitted. “So you’ll have it. You’re not going—”

  Jonas’s phone started chiming, interrupting his next declaration. He pulled it out and answered it. I could see the relief on his face as the call ended our second argument of the day, before the day had even started.

  “Yes.”

  He took a small plate and a bagel, a hint of amusement on his face as he eyed my pout. He stood and walked over to the desk where he had set up a workstation, leaving me in my seat to stew. I ate a couple more bites of my bagel and drank the fresh orange juice from the glass pitcher on the table.

  What was I going to do?

  I turned and looked at Jonas. The pull he had on me flared to life. I wanted every inch of that stubborn, complicated man that was bossing me around, both in and out of the bedroom.

  After what I had experienced with Declan, I knew Jonas was motivated by a desire to help, not hurt me. He was my friend, though even that was blurry. Admittedly, we were both responsible for what had complicated us the night before. Neither of us had been able to keep our hands off the other. Still, I went in knowing he wasn’t available. He wasn’t mine. Complicating it more, his orders of spa services made it evident that he planned to do it all over again. And that excited me.

  The lines between anger and happiness were blurry, too. I truly had no idea what to do. I wanted him to be mine. I wouldn’t share him.

  I watched him as I nibbled on the rest of my plate until he hung up the phone. He immediately started packing up his briefcase, before finally turning back to me.

  “I’m going to have to get moving, but I will be back soon.”

  He walked over to me and I turned sideways in my chair.

  “David will pack our things while you’re out for us to leave after lunch.”

  He squatted down next to me.

  My heart stopped. “You’re leaving today?”

  The desperation in my tone embarrassed me, but not Jonas. He stood and moved his legs between mine and smoothed my hair. I closed my eyes and without thought leaned my head against his stomach.

  “This is okay, don’t move away from me,” Jonas assured.

  I let out a long exhale as he continued to hold me to him.

  “We’ll discuss more of this later, but I’ve given this suite to a friend to…‌stay in. We’ll be vacating this place this afternoon.”

  “Oh. How long will you be in town?” I said in a hushed tone.

  “I don’t know,” Jonas purred as his fingers massaged my neck. “But that’s also something I’m working on this morning, so I need to get going. I’ll give you a call about setting up the lunch for four a little later.”

  He was being vague, which was unlike him.

  “Who are we having lunch with?” I asked.

  He stilled his hands. “With Paul and…‌Melissa.”

  I moved my head to look at him, so I could check to see if he had completely lost his mind. “Jonas, what are you thinking? I don’t want to have lunch with her, especially after what happened last night.”

  “It will be fine. She’s going to be staying here. She’s a great psychiatrist,” Jonas said.

  My mouth dropped open. He had definitely lost his mind.

  “She won’t be shrinking me,” I argued. “She’s way too tangled in—”

  “I know that, Lily. I only said that to give some perspective on her capacity for understanding,” Jonas said, pressing his lips lightly on my frown.

  He was living in a dream world if he thought any woman would be understanding of him having sex with his ex. But then again, Dani and Ian were his best friends, and they were awfully understanding themselves.

  “Perhaps,” I conceded. And then, unable to help myself, I added, “Is she your friend, or companion?”

  He eased away from me and walked over to the desk, picking up his coat and briefcase.

  “Why do you keep asking me that?” He didn’t wait for me to respond before adding, “Call me if you need me.”

  “Jonas?” I asked when we reached the door.

  He paused in the gap, looking gorgeous, and my mind blanked for a few seconds.

  I folded my arms. “She may understand, but I most certainly do not. I’d never want to share you with anyone. Ever. I’ll have this lunch. And thank you for the spa. But I won’t allow what happened last night to happen again. As long as she’s yours, I…‌I won’t be.”

  “No one I have ever been with, including Dani before our marriage, has ever made such demands on me,” Jonas said. “I don’t like to be pushed, Lily.”

  Not knowing how to respond, I turned on the balls of my feet and walked away in defiance. I heard the sound of the front door close with force just as I simultaneously closed the bathroom door behind me.

  CHAPTER 20

  “Ms. Salomé? I’m Carrie,” a young woman with a bright smile and tailored suit said.

  “I’m here to take you down to the Guerlain Spa. Are you ready?”

  I had just opened the suite door, approximately thirty minutes after Jonas left. Just as he had planned.

  I was showered and dressed in a blue and white checked shirt, jeans that were looser than I remembered, and ankle boots. I imagined I wasn’t her usual clientele in a designer tracksuit, but this wasn’t something I had planned or packed for. All I could do was plaster a smile on my face to match hers.

  “Lily, please,” I said. “I’ll just get my cellphone.”

  I quickly scanned the room for my handbag, spying my phone plugged into the computer on the desk. This must have been courtesy of Jonas, as I had completely forgotten to charge it myself. It was one more thing he has taken over, I thought as I rushed over to collect it.

  Once we closed the door to the suite, I suddenly realized I didn’t have a key to get back in. I looked down at my phone and sent Jonas a message, alerting him to my error, as I was too shy to ask Carrie about getting me a key. He sent back a text a few seconds later, alleviating my concern.

  Carrie is aware, and will escort you back to the room. How are you feeling?

  I couldn’t help but smile as I texted back.

  You only left me an hour ago. I’m fine. Just a little nervous.

  He responded.

  Don’t be. The massage will do you good.

  I followed Carrie to the elevators and sent another text as we waited in polite silence. Thanks for this, but no more spoiling me. It makes me feel uncomfortable. Okay?

  He replied.

  I know it does. But if I want you to have something, I’ll give it to you. I would have given you a massage and saved you the discomfort, but I was told hands off.

  I let out a groan.

  “Everything alright, Lily?” Carrie asked, eyeing me questioningly as we climbed in the elevator.

  “Yes. Sorry,” I said and pretended to cough.

  When we climbed out, I sent a message back.

  Hands on if you’re available. Hands off if you’re taken.

  He responded.

  Just my hands? I think you enjoy more than my hands, according to your dream.

  I covered a giggle that rose in my throat as we walked through the lobby.

  Aren’t you working, Mr. Crane?

  He sent back.

  I am. Answer.

  I shook my head as I followed Carrie to the spa and stared down at the text. There was the Jonas I knew. He was ready to rule me, if I let him. I responded.

  I do. You already know that. Now. I’m about to go in the spa.

  Another message popped up.

  Are you aroused? I bet you are. I would make you show me if I was there.

  A tingle went through me. He was infuriating.

  I pressed my lips together and wrote back.

&
nbsp; I’m not. Stop, Jonas. I’m going into the spa.

  Jonas answered.

  We both know that’s a lie. Stop pushing me and I’ll stop.

  My skin flushed and a flutter went through my stomach. I was pushing him, when I didn’t really have the right. I had let him go. I sighed and decided to send one last message.

  Great. You have me so turned on that I’ll have to ask my massage therapist for a happy ending. Hope he’s hot.

  My phone vibrated once more. With a wicked grin, I turned it off and stuffed it in my pocket. I then felt a pang of guilt as we crossed into the beautiful glass and stone hall of the spa. I pulled my phone out to take one last glance at what he had said in response to that.

  Nice try. I already reserved a woman. Enjoy and I’ll see you in a couple of hours.

  Jonas planned everything, of course. He didn’t want Ian, or anyone else, touching me, but he seemed oblivious to my feeling the same way about him. It was infuriating.

  Carrie turned me over to another smiling hostess that led me to a changing room to remove my clothing and put on a robe and slippers. After a quick change, I sat down on one of the plush chairs in a softly-lit lounge with a glass of champagne. This was living, I smiled to myself.

  From there, I was led into a beautiful, dimly lit room where a female masseuse turned on meditative music. My worries and tense muscles went into her hands as she massaged honey vanilla lava oil into my skin. The warm oil and music lulled me into a peaceful sleep. Peaceful, because I had no ghost of my past invading them or thoughts of the problems I had waiting for me. There was only the bliss of being in Jonas’s care and attention, which I had sorely missed.

  He pressed his cock inside of me, and we moaned together at the incredible sensation of being joined together again. He pulled back and thrust deeper. I gasped and moved up to meet him. He started pumping in and out of me, first slow enough to make me whimper, then hard to make me cry out as the orgasm crest in me.