“So you think to call me to tell me not to believe the photos. But then you think I’m going to be okay with you stripping in a room playing poker while drinking massive amounts of alcohol with four naked women?”
“Ah shit! I fucked up again. Didn’t I?” he slurs again.
“How would you feel if Stacy and I were in a room with four hot men and they were all naked and bi? And one of them takes a picture touching my female parts?”
He growls into the phone. “I would kill that asshole.”
“Ok…. See the point? You think it’s all fine and dandy to not screw other women. But you put yourself in situations where it could happen. Including the fact that you can watch your friends fuck and check out naked woman. What if I wanted to watch a female friend fuck a bunch of men? Or better yet just watch a bunch of naked men run around in my hotel room, drunk and horny. Would you like that?”
“Shit, no. Oh…. Damnit! I fucked up bad. We need to figure out what’s okay to do and what’s not. This is so damn new to me. I’m so sorry baby. I’m so sorry. Please don’t leave me. Just let me fix this. Call D if you want the truth. He’ll tell you. I’ll make it up to you. Please, just please don’t leave me.” He begs.
“I’m going to sleep now Johnathan it sounds like you need to do the same. Do me a favor and sleep alone. I’m exhausted from all you keep putting me through.” I sigh. James grabs me and pulls me to him, like he knows exactly how I’m feeling. I have the best bodyguard.
“You’re not leaving me are you baby? Please don’t. I love you so much. I can’t live without you. I need you. Please. I’ll make this better. I promise.” He pleads his voice drenched in desperation.
“Goodnight Johnathan.”
“No! Please. Just tell me if you’re leaving me?” He’s tone shrill.
“Why? I’m tired. I want to sleep. Your children want to sleep. You need rest. We will talk sometime when you’re sober.”
“Fuck! Baby, please don’t leave me. I will make this up to you. I love you. I love you so fucking much. Oh… shit… you’re going to leave me aren’t you? Oh… god!” he’s crying.
“Goodnight Johnathan.” James says and he clicks my phone off.
It starts to ring again. I turn off the ringer and tuck it into my bedside drawer.
Wow that was one hell of a conversation. Drunk and hanging with a bunch of naked women. What another strange world of rock and roll and Johnathan Striker. Yee haw cowboy.
“You look exhausted Emily. Do you want me to tuck you in?” James offers sweetly.
Awe, what an adorable man!
“If you’d be super sweet you could stay with me. The bed is big enough for the both of us. I promise I don’t bite and I’ll keep my clothes on.”
“We can share a bed. That’s okay. You wouldn’t ask if you didn’t need it. I know I get lonely sometimes too. But if you want to sleep let’s take my bed it’s bigger and it’s nicer.”
I nod and we both get out of bed me in a big T-shirt and panties and him in his pajama bottoms. I go across the hall and into his room. He turns on the light and damn his room is nice! It’s country rustic. With a log queen sized bed, hardwood floors, cabin wood paneled walls. Not that cheap mobile home kind. He has a faux bearskin rug, log bedside tables, antler lamps with green outdoor scene shades. A big window above his bed that is draped in a cream fabric that flows over the headboard. His bed has a big hunter green down comforter that he obviously never uses and cream flannel sheets with pinecones and leaves on them. So beautiful for a man’s bedroom.
He climbs into his side of the bed. Isn’t that nice, we don’t use the same side. He pats my side for me. I climb in and the bed and it’s so soft and cushy. I think I just fell in love with a bed for the first time. This is beautiful and no wonder he smells like cedar. I sniff the air. His wallboards are cedar. He lives in a cedar lined bedroom. That is awesome!
“This is a wonderful be, and you’ve decorated this bedroom beautifully.” I praise snuggling into the bed covering up with the comforter.
“I’m glad you like it. I’m kind of the outdoorsy man. You’re one of two women who’ve shared my bed with me. So I hope you enjoy it.”
He’s facing away from me, lying on this side his arm tucked under his pillow. I scoot up behind him, and wrap my arm over his side resting on his thick ribbed abs. I press my head to his back. He sighs and then he takes in a deep breath like he’s about to say something.
“Thank you so much for all of this. I appreciate it Calvin James.” I hug him tighter real quick and peck his back and then roll over to my own side and ready myself for a goodnights rest in the most comfortable bed known to mankind.
Chapter Twenty Four
I open my eyes and stretch. I look over and my bed buddy is still lying next to me. On his side, facing the opposite way. I lean up and reach over him to turn the clock on the nightstand so I can see what time it is. Damn! It’s already one. I guess we didn’t get to sleep until late because of the stupid Johnathan bullshit. It’s kind of cool James sleeps like I do. Or maybe he woke up and then came back to bed? I have no idea. But he sleeps so soundly. Not a noise. His body is huge. He’s tall but not a giant height like Johnathan but his body is thicker. Johnathan is big and wide and ribbed but James has a light layer of fat over his golden caramel silky smooth skin. He barely has any hair. I can’t help but wonder if he has some sort of Native American blood or Mexican? His short black hair on his head suggests one or the other and so does his brown green eyes. He runs extra warm and he always smells better than any man I’ve ever smelt. It’s not an erotic kind of way it’s soothing and gentle. Like something you want to cuddle with forever. Like a dog or a giant teddy bear.
I lean up so I can gaze at his face. He’s so peaceful. The last man I slept with as Johnathan for a few hours but he was up before I was. Stacy I’ve slept with a hundred times and he lightly snores and sometimes steals blankets. Which annoys the shit out of me.
I lay back down beside him and slide a little closer up to his warmth and so I can check out the tattoos on his back. I’ve seen Johnathan’s but I’ve never had the chance to get a good look at most of them. Claire doesn’t have any and neither does Stacy. But James has a bunch and his back has a giant one spread across his shoulders of an angel with open wings. The angels a man looking to the heavens and it’s in black and gray but it’s so detailed I bet it took thirty hours to complete its shading and huge outline. On the lower part of his back across right above where his pants would rub is a sentence saying something but it’s not in English. I lean up and across his ribs on his left side is an ancient scroll that goes from a few inches above his thick hipbone to right under his armpit. It has a bunch of dates on it but it’s not full. And it has beautiful roses and foliage encasing it. It’s lovely. I wish I had that much pain tolerance to sit through something like that. If I lean over a little more to his stomach I can see Mary and then below her, lower on this stomach more towards his pelvic area that I really shouldn’t be looking at because it’s ribbed and too beautiful. But I can’t help myself. He has a colorful old school rose and a bird, all in full color. The bird has a ribbon in its mouth and that says love in Italian. I can make that out at least.
“What are you doing?”
Woah! I sit up straight, moving myself from leaning over him. My stomach just leapt into my throat. I could almost piss myself. He scared me. My heart’s pounding.
I clear my throat. “Sorry I was just checking out your tattoos.” My voice is hoarse. Smooth Em, real smooth.
He rolls onto his back and tucks his hands under his head, his arms spread and his giant biceps curled so hotly. His eyes have that sleepy morning look and they crinkle a little at the sides showing signs of distinguished age. It’s not unattractive if anything it’s quite the opposite.
“You didn’t have to spy on me when I’m sleeping Emily to see my tattoos. You could just ask.”
I’m sitting cross-legged, no blankets on, turned to face him wit
h my knee touching his ribs. I shrug. “I know I’m sorry. I didn’t know about them until last night I just woke up and I got curious.” I pout.
He smiles sleepily and reaches up and fingers my bottom lip quickly, then returns his arm above his head.
“Stop that. I was just teasing.” He reassures me sweetly.
“How old are you James?” I question bluntly.
“Why? Does it matter? If I’m old does that mean you don’t want me as your bodyguard anymore?” he asks evenly with his face unreadable.
I reach up and gently touch the crow’s-feet around his eyes softly running my finger up and down. He follows my hand with his eyes and then closes them allowing me to touch is soft skin.
“It doesn’t matter James. I was just curious because I can tell you’re not as young as the rest of us.” I answer softly, caressing his face. It’s smooth and warm.
I pull away and he opens his eyes. They’re almost glowing.
“I’m forty three. Old enough to be your father.” He says.
I rear back with a disgusted look of my face and shake my head. “I’m sorry Sir Calvin James your age may indicate you could be my father. But you do not look old enough or have anything about you that could make me think or feel that way.”
He laughs in his chest with a smirk creeping from the corners of his mouth. “That maybe the case but facts are facts.” He states. “I can’t be much younger than him.”
“Now don’t bring him into this. He’s forty nine I think. But that doesn’t matter.” I wave it off. “So….Does it bother you that you work for a woman who’s so young?” I quirk up my brow playfully and do a little wiggle.
“At first no. Now yes.”
Ok I thought that was going to go a different way. I figured I’d get some “No I’m your big brother and I’ll kick men’s asses speech.” I mean he could be my big brother if my father was like sixty. Okay, maybe he could be my uncle. That works a little better than father or brother I suppose. But I don’t think of him as either. He’s a bodyguard, best friend, who’s hot. Even if he is forty three and I’m twenty four. Jesus that’s nineteen years. So what, Claire’s thirty eight. If she was straight I’d so hook them up. But she might be a little too dominate for him. I dunno? I know James fairly well. Not as much as I know Stacy who I’m starting to be a little less mad at. Shit my mind has got to stop jumping around like this.
I shake my head back and forth to clear it. “Ok James comma Calvin, why a no at first and a yes now?” I tease.
“When I started working for you I was okay with protecting a flirty sexpot, who’s sweet. Now I’m not only protecting a flirty sexpot but living with her and she sleeps in the same bed with me and is threatening to wear only panties and bras around the house. I don’t mind living with a woman. But it’s just going to kill me in my gentleman’s region.”
I giggle. “James are you talking about an erection.”
He nods shyly. For working with a bunch of rockers for years he doesn’t talk sex well. He’s shy about most things uncomfortable. I’m not because I grew up with a foulmouthed father who never referred to sex as ‘making love’ he called it fucking. So that’s probably why I do. And my mother let us talk like that. Then Stacy and I’ve always been open. I’ve never had much to discuss in the sex department but I’ve openly discussed it if I needed. Although he went into way too much detail a lot. But overall before I was even sexually open, I’ve never been a prude talking about sex stuff as long as it didn’t involve me. Now I’m fine either way. But James is in his forties and works for rock stars who I know he’s seen screw a bunch of women and he’s shy and meek about it. Sometimes he makes little hints or comments but he’s not forward. Deacon on the other hand is forward. He’ll say it ‘you make my dick hard.’ Or whatever perversion he wants to conjure up. They are like polar opposites. I can’t believe he’s gone this long and not crossed over to the dark side.
“Yes.” He blushes.
“How can you have worked for rockers James and be so shy about sex? Didn’t you ever jump in on the orgies and just go at it? Most bodyguards would if they got the go-ahead. I’m just curious, you don’t have to answer.” I say gently I don’t want to be pushy and bitchy too. He’s too nice to treat that way.
“I’m a sidelines kind of guy. I’ve been that way all my life. I was a special op’s sniper in the military. I do the wallflower thing well. That’s why the bodyguard thing works. I’ve got killer patience and I’m rather quiet. Plus I don’t approach women and I wouldn’t know how to even if I wanted. I’ve always been shy especially talking about sex. And even more so talking about it with a woman who’s in just a T-shirt and panties in my bed, who’s twenty four and pregnant and not my girlfriend.”
“Would you like my help talking to woman? I’m not an expert but I could help.” I offer. I’d love to help James. He’s too nice not to.
He laughs squinting his eyes. “Emily, Emily, Emily.” He shakes his head. “You may have a saucy mouth sometimes but you are so damn sweet. Now come here and hug me so I don’t have to look at you.” He says, throwing his arms out wide.
I crawl up to him and throw a leg over his stomach and lay my head on his thick warm cedar scented chest. Soaking in his warmth and soothing body. Johnathan is hot and so sexual but why can’t he be calm and soothing like James?
“Why don’t you want to look at me? And want me to hug you instead.”
He rubs my back with his large hands holding me close.
“Don’t worry about it and just hug me.”
James and I lay in his bed cuddling for the next three hours talking. He brings food into his bedroom for us and we eat cereal in our pj’s, in a room that looks like we are off on a holiday together in a log cabin somewhere. It’s so awesome! I might just have to steal his room from time to time to get away. It smells divine and it’s serene. A lot like James in that sense. Who would have thought hanging with my bodyguard would be so amazin? I found out a little more about his tattoos. The scroll is full of important dates that have happened to him. Like the day he joined the military and the day his dad died, things of that sort. What a cool tribute. What I love about him most is he’s sweet and he doesn’t talk to me or treat me like a piece of meat. I love that Claire digs me so much and Johnathan does too but James seems to welcome our friendship. It’s not about sex, at least not often. Bonus points for that.
Chapter Twenty Five
Knock! Knock! Knock!
“Yes?” I call.
My door opens and James’s head pokes in.
“Claire’s here, you want to meet her outside or do you want me to wave her in?”
“I’ll be out in like ten, just tell her to wait please. Oh, and thanks James.”
“No problem.” He smiles and closes the door.
After hanging with James most of the day I finally ducked back into my bedroom about five and saw I had twenty seven missed calls and over a hundred texts. Only two texts from Claire the rest are from my very screwed up boyfriend. I’m letting him simmer on the shit he’s done to me the past week. I’ve dealt with a lot and talking to him today I know will just make my life more stressful and spending an entire day cuddled up with James was so relaxing and so will spending time with Claire. I’ll face Johnathan tomorrow.
The texts from Claire were just telling me she’d be here to pick me up around seven. So I took most of the time getting ready. I unpacked some of my bags and tucked the contents into the dressers in James’s spare room. I’m wearing a high waited electric blue skirt and a white tank tucked into it. With the same silver three tiered necklace I wore when I was with Claire in the hotel last weekend. I went nearly six weeks with no sex or anything and now I’ve had Claire a bunch this week and Johnathan in one long session. I’m just glad B.O.B and I haven’t been stuck dating as often. He needed a break.
I didn’t even bother with the texts from Johnathan I tucked my phone back into my nightstand.
I leave the bedroom sliding on my
white flats. I’m not in the heels kind of mood. I’m in a lazy mood. I didn’t even bother to do my hair I threw it up in a sexy messy pony and scrunched it up with a bunch of hair gel. It’s kind of 80’s retro.
I walk down the hall and turn into the small but nice and efficient kitchen. It’s rustic in a way, just like James’s bedroom. Oak cabinets, dark granite counters, hardwood distressed floors. Very cabinesque.
I find James in there preparing himself dinner.
“Hello handsome what cha making?” I inquire standing in the doorway watching him pull bread out of a bag.
He turns and looks at me, then back down to his plate and sandwich. “I’m making some sandwiches. I’d ask if you want one but I know Claire’s going to take you to dinner. Don’t forget to take your pill.”
He slides me over my bottle of fish supplements I take at night. Then he slides over a glass of water that he just took a sip from.
“Thanks.” I open the bottle and take the water , downing my fish supplement.
“You need to eat something small so that doesn’t bother your tummy.” He orders nicely. Wow, he does pay attention to me. He’s so efficient and thoughtful. What a wonderful man.
He shoves his fingers into the peanut butter and scoops up a big mouthful and eats it. I laugh watching him. He gives me this face that tells me it tastes, oh-so-wonderful.
He has a little on the side of his mouth. I take a step, reach up and swipe it from his face with my finger. I take the dollop and suck it into my mouth. I love peanut butter specially the smooth kind. Yum!
Stricken Unveiled (Stricken Rock #2) Page 19
