Lit (Wrecked Hearts Series Book 1)

by Gabrielle Gibson

  Kissing her again last night had only confirmed that his reaction had been more than just a fluke.

  “Seafood,” Jessie said, interrupting his inappropriate thoughts. “Do you think this dress looks okay? Or should I change?”

  She glanced at herself in the mirror, eyeing her reflection critically.

  She turned to face Jack so he could assess her. His eyes slid over her slowly, taking in every inch of her, from the top of her blonde head down to her pretty polished toenails and back up again. She looked fucking fantastic.

  “You’re fine.” He seemed indifferent, but in fact he was trying to think of the right words to tell her how pretty she looked without giving her the wrong idea.

  She sighed and looked disappointed by his lukewarm response. She turned back to the mirror and smoothed her hair. Then she reached into her purse and pulled out a tube of lip gloss, touching up her lips as he continued to watch her.

  “Okay, then. Let’s go.”

  At dinner, Jack let Jessie try his conch soup and grilled snapper and she shared her lobster with him. They had fun, like they always did, joking with each other and good-naturedly giving each other a hard time.

  “So are you disappointed that you didn’t get a chance to sleep with Violet?” Jessie teased.

  Jack laughed. “No. Not at all. The more time I spent with her and saw what a cold bitch she is, the less sexy she was. Maybe you were right about that. I don’t think I usually spend enough time with the chicks I hook up with to get to the point where their personality actually starts to turn me off.”

  Jessie smiled. “I’m glad you realize that it’s not all about looks.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far.” Jack smirked.

  After dinner they walked back to Jessie’s room.

  “It’s still early. Want to come in and watch a movie?” She stood in the doorway and looked up at him, long lashes fluttering.

  Why was it so hard for him to say no to that face?

  He nodded and came in her room with her. They sat on the bed together and watched Independence Day.

  At ten-thirty Jack got up to leave. “Sure you don’t want to come with us?”

  Jessie got up and hesitated. “Oh, what the hell? Why not?”

  Jack was surprised that she agreed. “Great, let’s go.”

  “Give me five minutes.”

  THEY MET KYLE AT A beach bar frequented by locals as well as tourists. The place was jumping when they arrived. Hot, tanned, beautiful people everywhere.

  Jessie looked cute as hell in a white dress with tropical blue flowers all over it and Jack had been doing his best to keep his eyes off of her. The dress set off her tan, and the short length showed just enough of her pretty legs to be sexy, but not slutty. The neckline was also appropriate. Daring enough to be hot, but still tasteful.

  The three of them drank and talked, Kyle entertaining them both with stories about tourists and living in an island paradise, far removed from the realities of the real world.

  Jessie found herself having a great time. She was glad she had decided to come out.

  Jack excused himself to use the bathroom. Kyle had turned on the charm hard after Jack walked away from them, and Jessie was smiling up at him, her blue eyes lit up from several Malibu cocktails. The attention Kyle was showering her with was making her giddy. He was really cute. His hand kept resting on her arm as they talked at the bar.

  “You’re so pretty,” he said, reaching out and brushing his fingers over her cheek.

  “Thanks,” Jessie looked down, suddenly shy.

  “I told Jack he was crazy for not making you his girl. But you know how Jack is. He said he thinks you’re sweet but he isn’t into you. Said you give off that virgin little sister/good girl vibe, and he prefers girls who are already broken in. But that’s lucky for me, huh? I think you’re just about the sweetest thing I’ve ever fucking seen.”

  Jessie felt a little jab in her heart at Kyle’s words. Jack had said that about her? Well at least now she knew for sure what he thought.

  Fine, then. To hell with Jack Turner. He could keep his slutty women if that’s what he liked.

  There were plenty of guys that would be interested in her. In fact, Kyle was looking at her right now like she was the only girl in the whole place.

  Suddenly she really wanted to kiss Kyle. So when he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers, she let him. She kissed him back, sliding her hand up his chest and around his neck. She felt the weight of his hand on her hip and didn’t protest when he rubbed it across the back of her dress, squeezing gently as he moved closer.

  Jack came up from the bathroom, shaking his head in disbelief. Some hot chick had been coming on hard. He had politely declined. Some other time he might be into that scene, but not when Jessie was here with him. He certainly couldn’t just ditch her.

  Jack stopped in his tracks when he looked at the bar.

  Kyle had one hand tangled in Jessie’s soft blonde hair and the other all over her perfect ass. He was kissing her.

  And from where Jack stood, it looked like Jessie was enjoying it.

  Fuck. Why did seeing them kiss make him feel so pissed off? He had clearly said he wasn’t interested in Jessie, so why did Kyle making a move make him want to knock his teeth down his throat?

  As for Jessie… he had warned her about how Kyle was. Yet there she was, letting him kiss her and put his hands all over her ass.

  And twenty-four hours ago she had let him kiss her and put his hands all over her too.

  So maybe she was serious about wanting to have a little fun after all.

  Jack shook his head and continued walking toward them.

  What the fuck was wrong with him? Why should he give a shit who Jessie fucked around with? And if Kyle wanted to get a little taste of that wholesome blonde sweetness, who the fuck was he to object? It wasn’t as if he had any plans to keep her for himself.

  Kyle and Jessie pulled away from each other when Jack returned to his seat.

  “Oh, hi,” Jessie greeted him, her already flushed cheeks turning even pinker.

  “Hey,” Jack replied gruffly.

  “You two want to go do a line? I’ve got some good coke,” Kyle asked.

  Jessie glanced nervously at Jack, who seemed to be considering it. She shook her head.

  “No, thanks, I’m good,” Jessie declined.

  She had never tried drugs before, except one time she and Zoey had smoked pot with some friends in college. It had just made her tired and she had fallen asleep within fifteen minutes.

  Jack shrugged and looked at Jessie, who was anxiously waiting to hear what he would say. “I’ll pass, dude. Thanks, though.”

  “Okay… I’ll be right back.” Kyle smiled, patting Jessie on her back.

  After he left, Jessie turned to Jack. “Does he do that a lot?”

  Jack shrugged. “I don’t know. He didn’t used to.”

  “Well you don’t seem very surprised.”

  “I’ve seen him do it before, but as far I know it’s just an occasional thing,” Jack answered her, taking a drink from the gin and tonic the bartender had just set down in front of him.

  “Have you ever done it with him? He seemed to think you’d be into it,” Jessie asked.

  Jack looked into her eyes and nodded. “Yeah, I tried it once. I’m not into it. I heard it could enhance sex, and maybe it does for some people, but it didn’t for me.”

  “No? What did it do?”

  “Just made me really wired and jumpy. Felt like shit later when it wore off.”

  Jessie was disappointed that Kyle was into cocaine. She thought he was so cute and funny, and now she knew he was a really good kisser, even if his kiss didn’t rock her world quite the way Jack’s had. But the drug thing was a big turn-off for her. She was glad to hear that Jack wasn’t into it.

  “So you and Kyle are hitting it off,” Jack said, looking away from her.

  Jessie shrugged. “I guess so. Is that okay? I mean, is it
weird that he’s your friend?”

  “Why would that matter? You don’t need my permission, Jessie. Do what you like.” Jack’s words said he didn’t care, but the heated look in his eyes said something completely different.

  “I don’t like that he does drugs, though. It’s kind of made me lose interest.” Jessie tried to ignore the sharp stab at Jack’s indifference.

  “What difference does it make? It would just be a one night thing anyway.”

  “No, it wouldn’t. I don’t do that.”

  “Oh, okay. So what were you thinking? I told you what he’s like. And even if he wasn’t, how are you planning to have a boyfriend who lives in St. Thomas?”

  “I don’t know. I hadn’t thought about it.” Jessie laughed. “Okay, you made your point. It was just a kiss, Jack. A kiss doesn’t mean anything, right?”

  They stared into each other’s eyes, both silent for a moment as they each remembered the kiss they had shared the night before.

  “I guess that’s true enough.” Jack finally spoke, finishing his drink. “It’s getting late. You want to head back to the resort?”

  He hoped that she’d say yes. He didn’t like the idea of her leaving with Kyle, though there would be nothing he could do about it if that’s what she wanted.

  “Yeah, whenever you’re ready, I am, too,” Jessie replied, sending a feeling of relief through him.

  When Kyle returned they let him know they were heading out. He made a half-hearted attempt to get Jessie to stay, but he was getting a strange vibe from Jack that made him back off a little. He was getting the feeling that Jack might be a bit more interested in this luscious little blonde than he had let on.

  Kyle laughed and slapped Jack on the back as they hugged and said goodbye. “Got it, dude. No problem. Have a safe trip back.”

  Kyle hugged Jessie and kissed her cheek. “Bye, beautiful. Don’t take any shit from this asshole.”

  Jack smirked and rolled his eyes.

  Jack made sure that Jessie got in her room safely when they returned to the resort and then he made his way down to the pool bar. It was two o’clock in the morning, but the party went on all night at this particular resort. Within minutes a cute redhead had approached him, asking if he was alone. He nodded and she took his hand.

  “You’re really hot. Want to join me in my room? My husband is over there… it’s what we’re into. He likes to watch.”

  Jack glanced over at the guy and shrugged. “I’m not into guys, but I don’t mind if he watches.”

  “Oh, he’s not into guys either, don’t worry. No contact between you two. He just wants to watch you pound my pussy.”

  So Jack did.

  “DIDN’T YOU SLEEP WELL?” JESSIE asked as they waited for their flight to board. Jack looked exhausted.

  “No, I couldn’t sleep when we got back. Went down to the bar for a drink. Ended up hooking up with some crazy chick… was in her room until four o’clock.”

  Jessie felt her heart drop. “Oh. You met someone?”

  Jack nodded. “Yeah, some chick whose husband likes to watch her get banged by other dudes.”

  “That’s… different. Did you… have a good time?” Jessie cringed inwardly while trying to remain nonjudgmental on the outside.

  “Yeah, she was pretty wild.” Jack glanced at her.

  He felt a little uncomfortable talking about this with her. But he kept thinking that it was best to be totally open with Jessie. The more she knew about the sick things he was into, the better.

  Maybe it would turn her off, like she had been turned off by Kyle using drugs. Maybe it would make her stop looking at him like she wanted him to take her clothes off and show her just how hard he could make her come. If she stopped looking at him like that, it might make it easier for him to stop thinking about her so much.

  Jessie nodded, her face flushed. It was hard to even comprehend some of the things that Jack was into, but who was she to judge? It was none of her business, really. She looked at her Kindle and read quietly until their flight started to board.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  JESSIE TAGGED ALONG WITH CHRIS and Zoey for a weekend at Jack’s beach house. Jack wasn’t there when they arrived around lunchtime but Chris had a key to the house. He assured them that Jack was fine with them making themselves at home.

  The house was gorgeous, almost as nice as the beach house her parents owned not far away. Profit sharing at Drake & Associates must be pretty lucrative, Jessie thought. She would be eligible to negotiate that into her contract after two years.

  Not that she cared that much about money. She had grown up wealthy and having money wasn’t something she ever thought about it. She just did, and living any other way never occurred to her.

  They changed into their bathing suits and headed down to the beach. Jessie laid in the sun, intermittently reading and watching Chris and Zoey play together in the water.

  About an hour later, Jack appeared next to her, Cody beside him.

  “Hi.” She looked up at him and took a deep breath.

  He was shirtless, tan and gorgeous.

  There should be a law that he never be allowed to put on a shirt, she thought.

  “Hey.” His eyes were hidden by his sunglasses. He allowed his gaze to roam over her.

  She was barely covered by a sweet little light blue bikini, her blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her tan legs stretched out in front of her on the lounge chair, a white beaded anklet laying against her golden skin. She was glistening with sunscreen as she lazily set aside her Kindle.

  Fuck. It was like she was purposely trying to make him insane by putting that pretty body on display and looking up at him with those blue eyes and that sweet smile. If she was any other girl he’d be dragging her into his bedroom and tearing into her hard and rough, punishment for getting him so fucking turned on that he could hardly think straight.

  Jack tore his eyes away as he sat down in the chair to her left. Cody panted next to him. Jessie reached out to pet the dog and lavish him with affection. He happily accepted her attention.

  “Y’all eat yet?” Jack asked.

  That slight touch of a southern accent that came out sometimes always made Jessie’s heart do a little flip.

  “No, not yet. I’m hungry though. Are you?” Jessie answered casually. “You’re such a handsome boy… yes, you are!” Jessie continued to baby talk Cody.

  The little fucker was eating it up. Jack laughed as Cody sat down next to Jessie and rested his head on her lap. Smart dog. He knew where the best place in town to lay his head was.

  Jack nodded. “Yeah. I’ll go see if they want to go with us.”

  He walked down to the water, his perfect, hard body attracting stares from every woman on the beach. Jessie watched as he consulted briefly with Chris and Zoey. After a few minutes he walked back across the sand toward Jessie.

  “They’re coming,” Jack said.

  “Thanks for inviting me to come along this weekend,” Jessie said.

  Jack nodded. “Anytime.”

  “Your place is so cool. Chris said you renovated it yourself.”

  Jack shrugged. “Yeah, did most of it. Chris helped a lot, too.”

  “When did you come down?” she asked.

  “Last night,” he answered.

  He’d gone to see Mallory, a girl he’d been hooking up with off and on for about a year. She was sexy as fuck… tall, dark hair and eyes, fantastic, athletic body. And she could fuck like a porn star, which was what he liked best about her. He’d never been with a woman who talked so fucking dirty in bed. He couldn’t even believe some of the shit that came out of her mouth, but damn, it was hot.

  He had gotten back to his place really late. When he woke up he had taken Cody out to the beach to go for a walk.

  “Going to take a shower. Be ready in a few minutes,” Jack said, heading up toward the house. “Let’s get you inside, buddy, and get you some water… it’s getting hot out here.”

  Cody
hesitated, torn between wanting to follow Jack and wanting to stay with Jessie, who was still petting him and scratching behind his ears. Jack laughed.

  “Think you’ve got yourself a fan.” He called to Cody again and this time the dog followed him, glancing back once at Jessie as he ran along the sand.

  THEY PILED INTO JACK’S JEEP, the guys up front and the girls in the back.

  “Where are we going?” Jack asked, turning the key in the ignition.

  Zoey suggested a popular beach bar and restaurant and they all agreed.

  The place was packed when they arrived, but the attractive hostess knew Jack. She threw her arms around him enthusiastically and then seated them right away outside on the deck overlooking the water.

  The pretty brunette flirted with Jack and glared at Jessie. Chris and Zoey were holding hands, clearly a couple. The girl obviously assumed that Jessie was there with Jack.

  “Old friend or something?” Chris asked Jack, punching him playfully in the arm when she walked away.

  Zoey rolled her eyes at Jessie.

  Jack laughed. “Or something.”

  “Jack, you should be ashamed of yourself. She can’t be more than twenty-one,” Zoey scolded him with a smile and a playful swat.

  “She might be twenty-one now. The question is, how old was she when you hooked up with her, you fucking pervert?” Chris joked.

  Jack laughed and shook his head. “Yeah, right. Trust me, she was old enough to play.”

  “What did you do last night?” Chris asked.

  Jack glanced at Jessie briefly before answering him. “Went to Mallory’s.”

  “She’s still around? Wow, she’s lasted a long time,” Chris observed.

  Jack didn’t answer him.

  Jessie pretended like she wasn’t listening, but she was burning with curiosity, not to mention the jealousy that sat like a pit in her stomach.

  The food was good and the beach party atmosphere was fun. Jack ate all of his lunch and half of Jessie’s.