What to Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection (WTRAFSOG Book 7)

by Lexi Buchanan

  Yeah, Thalia had made me want something I never thought I’d have, but no matter what happened with her, I needed to talk to Mia to try and put a stop to everything. I should have done this a long time ago before everything started to get out of hand. I sure as hell wasn’t looking forward to it though. Mia could be rather dramatic when the occasion called for it, but, the fact was, I didn’t think the marriage was what Mia really wanted either.

  Until everything was sorted, and maybe after for a short while, I would bunk with Donovan, because there was no way I could be so close to Thalia without searching her out.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Thalia

  “Will you stop,” Liam practically shouted beside me sounding frustrated.

  “Stop what?”

  “You know damn well what. For the past two weeks since Jack moved in with Donovan, we can’t go anywhere without you looking around for him. We’ve been out to dinner a few times and you looked for him. Whenever we’ve been shopping, you looked for him. Thalia, it has to stop. Jack is marrying Mia in about four week’s time. Hell!”

  He stomped off into the coffee shop while I perched on the window ledge outside, not having a clue how to reply to his outburst. What he said was true though. I wished that I could deny what he’d said, but I couldn’t. I’d missed Jack these past couple of weeks, since our early morning together on the porch.

  I knew he was staying away from me because of his engagement and because he thought I was Liam’s girl. Part of me wished that I’d corrected him, but that wouldn’t have solved the engagement issue. It made me so jealous, thinking about Jack with Mia and what they were getting up to.

  Liam had kept me busy by showing me the tourist things and the different towns we’d driven through had been great and helped to pass the time. He’d been good company and had stopped being a jerk after the first couple of days, much to my relief.

  “Here.” Liam thrust my vanilla latte at me, apparently still in a huff.

  “Look, I’m sorry okay. I didn’t know what I was doing until you pointed it out. I’ll stop doing it, if you’ll stop sulking.” I looked at him and watched a smile appear.

  “I’ve stopped sulking, but I don’t think it will be as easy for you to stop looking for my brother.”

  I frowned. Realistically I didn’t either.

  “Thalia, I’m only thinking about you. You know that right? Yeah, I got pissed because when you’re with me, a guy, you can’t stop looking for him.”

  “Liam…”

  “I know there’s nothing happening between us like that, but it’s still hard on the male ego you know.”

  He was so serious that I burst out laughing and, thank God, so did Liam.

  He walked over sitting down beside me, nudging me with his shoulder. “I know he moved out because of you.”

  I quickly met his eyes.

  “He didn’t say anything. In fact, it was in passing. He just said he needed space before he did something he shouldn’t and I got the feeling he was referring to you.”

  “I can’t explain my attraction to him. It’s more than lust.” I let out a sigh.

  He choked. “I’d rather not know any details.”

  “I feel drawn to him – a connection. Oh God, I sound like an idiot, right?”

  “No. No you don’t. Just be careful, okay,” he answered.

  “I will. Thank you for caring.”

  “Come on, let’s walk to the lake, it’s not far from here.”

  Liam took hold of my hand and pulled me up from the ledge. We quickly crossed the road and were walking down the sidewalk when Mia came barreling out from a boutique with another girl.

  “Liam and, oh you,” Mia said as though I was an insect on the floor.

  “Yes me,” I replied and felt Liam tighten his hold on my hand.

  Obviously remembering her manners, she turned to her friend. “Rebecca, this is Liam’s little friend, Thalia. Thalia, this is my best friend, Rebecca.”

  I wanted to scream. The bitch had the guy that I couldn’t get out of my head and she was also one of the rudest people I’d ever met.

  “Thalia, that’s me. If you’ll excuse us, we were just about to go and find a secluded spot in the forest to make out.”

  With that comment, I dragged Liam in the direction we were already heading, leaving Mia and Rebecca on the sidewalk in shock. I grinned, because that had felt damn good.

  Liam had a frown on his face when I glanced at him. “That was a good one. I can’t remember the last time someone spoke to Mia like that,” he said, grinning.

  “It felt good. You’re going to have to carry on leading the way though, because I have no clue where we’re going.”

  “Head through the gap in the trees up ahead.”

  Once we started walking through the forest I let go of the death grip I had on Liam. “Sorry.”

  “I’m fine, but you do realize that she’s going to go and tell Jack what you said about making out in here.”

  Crap. I hadn’t given much thought to anything getting back to Jack. I chewed my lip wondering how he would react if he thought I’d been making out with his brother. I mean my thoughts had been running rampant these past couple of weeks imagining him with ‘her’. Perhaps he’d crack and come see me. I could dream.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Jack

  It had been two weeks and ten hours since I’d been sitting on the porch with Thalia in my arms, and I’d missed her like crazy, which was totally insane considering I’d only known her for a short time.

  After she’d gone upstairs to dress, I’d hurried to my room and packed a bag. On my way out, I’d bumped into Liam and when I told him I was bunking with Donovan for a while, he’d shaken his head. He’d known the reason I was leaving, although it stayed unspoken between us.

  I’d thrown myself into work, which had given me headache after headache thanks to the couple who wanted a divorce one day and to live happily ever after the next. Then back to square one the following day. They had basically driven me crazy and my dad had told them not to enter his practice again until they were one hundred percent certain it was what they wanted.

  Donovan, Reece and our music had prevented me from going completely mad. Ryder had decided that we made the most money for him so he’d keep us for Wednesday and Saturday evenings, which suited us fine.

  A couple of days after I’d moved in with Donovan, Mia had come paying me a visit, wanting to know what was going on. Mia had looked – odd – and I still couldn’t put my finger on what had been wrong with her.

  It was nearly four weeks to the wedding and it was creeping closer and closer to d-day. I needed to put a stop to it once and for all, but yeah, I kept putting it off.

  Donovan had said I could stay with him for as long as I wanted too, so at least accommodation wasn’t a problem. If I was honest no matter how much I hated them occasionally, I didn’t want to lose my family. My mom wouldn’t be too bad, but my dad would be pissed to hell and back and I wasn’t too sure he’d come round, and carry on paying my tuition.

  “I’ve been sitting in front of you now for about five minutes and not once have you acknowledged me.”

  I blinked in surprise, ran my hands through my hair and looked at Donovan. “My life is so fucking screwed up. Have you got any idea how bad Mia is going to react when I tell her the charade is over and the wedding is off? She’s going to be so pissed. I just pray my dad doesn’t react the way he said he would if I don’t go through with it.”

  Sitting back I looked out into the forest, spotting a squirrel, which I watched for a short time, munching on some berries.

  “Do you want some advice?” Donovan broke the silence.

  “Do I get a choice?”

  “Wear body armor,” Donovan suggested as we heard a car pull up outside the cabin.

  Neither of us moved, but hearing the beep from the lock engaging I knew it was Mia and by the look Donovan threw at me, so did he. She was the only one I knew
who locked her car.

  “I’m inside if you need me. Get it over with before it’s too late.” With that he disappeared through the door.

  “Jack, what the hell are you doing living in this dump?” she asked marching up the steps.

  Why she always insisted on calling Donovan’s home a dump, I had no idea because it was always spotless. His parents had been killed in a car accident two years ago, and for some reason Donovan always had to keep the place neat as a pin, like his mom used to keep it.

  “Nice to see you too.” I tried to ignore her, but no such luck. She was standing with her back against the porch railing, after testing it to make sure it was secure.

  Yeah, I hid a smile.

  “We need to talk about the wedding and the fact that I don’t want, you know who, standing for you.”

  I gulped the rest of my beer down and slowly put the empty bottle on the floor at my feet while I watched her. “I need to talk to you about the wedding.”

  “I’m waiting.”

  Sighing, I asked, “Do you love me, Mia?”

  She opened her mouth to reply then shut it again. “What kind of question is that?” she finally asked, standing up and flickering her keys in agitation.

  “A simple yes or no will do.”

  “Well, do you love me?” she asked me with one of her come-hither looks, which I seemed to be immune to.

  It was now or never. “No, I don’t.”

  Her face fell as she fussed with her bag.

  “You still haven’t answered me.”

  “We’ll start to love each other. What does love matter? Now about your…friends.”

  Fuck.

  “Let’s not discuss my friends; they are not open for discussion. They’re more than friends; they’re like family. Do you want to marry me?”

  She hesitated. “Jack, stop asking stupid questions. Of course I want to marry you. You’re just being silly.”

  Sitting up, I rested my elbows on my knees and stared at her. “I can’t marry you Mia.” I’d said it, now to face the music.

  “Yes well, we both know the wedding will be going ahead, so I suggest you get any fantasies you are having out of your head, because this wedding will take place in four weeks. Now as you’re unwilling to co-operate about guests, mainly the two you want to be part of the wedding party, I’ll leave you alone to do whatever it is you do up here,” she said without missing a beat, leaving me stunned on the porch.

  “Don’t just sit there, go after her and finish this,” Donovan said, walking out onto the porch.

  Shit. I shot up from my chair and rushed after her, only to watch her put her foot down and shoot down the lane.

  I was an idiot. Of all the reactions to my ‘can’t marry you’ statement, I hadn’t expected her to completely ignore what I’d said. Standing on Donovan’s drive I wasn’t sure who the biggest idiot was. Me for letting her go and not reacting sooner, or Mia for not listening to any damn thing I said.

  Donovan walked up to me and slung his arm around my neck. “You, my friend, are a fuckup. What was so wrong with saying ‘Mia the wedding is off, get over it’? How the fuck could you stay sitting there and let her go. What’s wrong with you?” Letting me go he stomped inside.

  The fact was I’d planted the seed in Mia’s head, so hopefully, I prayed, she’d start to think about what I said, otherwise I was going to have to go through with this whole charade thing. I couldn’t see any other way out of it without Mia’s co-operation. At least if she cooperated things might settle back down pretty quick, but something that still bothered me was why did she want to marry me, when there was no love lost between us?

  I needed to head home, because I was running out of clothes and I missed my horse. Kayne, one of the trainers, had been looking after Trigger for me. I also hoped to see Thalia and see her smile.

  “Either go and fuck her or stop grinning like an idiot.”

  Reece had appeared from where, I’d no idea, but he was standing about ten feet away waiting for my comeback. He was going to be disappointed.

  “Tell Donovan I’m heading home for a bit.”

  Climbing into my car, I knew I was making a mistake going back, but I’d stayed away too long and soon my so called fiancée would hopefully come to her senses and realize there was more to life.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Thalia

  It was five-thirty in the morning and I couldn’t get back to sleep. I needed the bathroom for one, but didn’t want to wake Jack up. Jack. He’d come home last night while I was sitting on the porch with Liam. If it hadn’t been for Liam, I would have gone running to him. He’d climbed out of his car and walked towards me with a grin to match mine until Liam had made him aware that he was sitting with me, witnessing how happy we both were to see each other again.

  I couldn’t get enough of him and my eyes ate him alive. He’d seemed to pull himself together and then walked straight past us both and into the house. I hadn’t seen him since and wasn’t sure what to make of his behavior.

  The wedding was still on as far as I knew, and I was sure the whole town would know if it had been cancelled.

  Every time I thought about Jack, my heart would pound and my stomach would flutter with butterflies.

  My bladder desperately needed to be relieved so I threw back the covers and slowly made my way to the bathroom, hoping Jack was still asleep. He gave me enough heated looks when I was fully clothed. I had on my favorite baggy sleep shorts with teddy bears printed all over them; they hung from my hips and a tank top in pink. So basically my outfit didn’t leave anything to the imagination.

  I slowly pushed the door open and sighed in relief when I didn’t see Jack, although I did feel a slight disappointment, which was stupid. Annoyed with myself, I quickly, walked across the bathroom and slid the lock into place on Jack’s door – I sure as hell didn’t want him to catch me having a pee.

  With my bladder finally relieved, I washed-up then opened the lock on his door. Before I could move his door flew open and there he stood, in his practically naked, tattoo, pierced glory. Oh my God. I couldn’t take my eyes from the tattoo on his chest or the ones on his arms, but my eyes kept straying back to his chest, and his pierced nipple.

  There wasn’t an inch of fat on him. His shorts hung low on his hips and I mean really, really low. He was bare, and his erection, which was straining for freedom, tented his shorts. I gulped and moved my eyes back up his body, hovering around his pierced nipple, which I wouldn’t mind playing with, and finally met his eyes.

  His eyes were like molten liquid. He looked ready to eat me alive. His breathing was about as choppy as mine with his hands flexing at his sides.

  I licked my lips.

  “Thalia,” he whispered, “you’re driving me crazy.”

  My nipples pushed against my top while my stomach fluttered with need. He inhaled when he noticed – his hands shaking. His eyes finally moved from my erect nipples down to my stomach. He froze and dropped to his knees in front of me putting his hands on my hips.

  “You have a tattoo?” he asked me this question, already knowing the answer. I had a circular tattoo around my belly button of strawberries, my favorite fruit. Silly, but I loved it and from the sound of awe in Jack’s voice, so did he.

  He leaned forward and placed a kiss to one of the strawberries. Without thinking I reached out with my hands and ran them through his hair – he shuddered and tightened his hold on me.

  Between my thighs, I was wet and throbbing, where I wanted his lips.

  “This is wrong.” He moved from one strawberry to the next leaving a trail of kisses in his wake. By the time he’d finished his hands were on my naked butt, having smoothed them up my legs and up past the bottom of my shorts. His cheek was resting against my stomach. I was falling for this guy.

  I stroked down to his neck and the top of his shoulders. He let out a sigh as I continued to – soothe him, I guess. Jack seemed to need some comfort. Darn it, but he probably never got
any from his family or even his fiancée. In fact the latter seemed more like an arranged marriage than one of love.

  Jack started to pull back, standing he met my eyes, and then reaching out, he caressed my face. “You have me tied in knots. I’ve missed you so damn much these past couple of weeks. I don’t know what the fuck to do about it.”

  He took a deep breath. “I’ve tried keeping my distance, but here we are. I’m getting married, Thalia, nothing can happen between us – it would hurt us both too much in the end.” He laughed. “Hell, what am I saying? You’re my brother’s girl. I shouldn’t even be touching you. There’s just something…” He shook his head and rested his forehead against mine.

  My hands quivered as I placed them on his hips. “I’m not his girl,” I whispered.

  His eyes met mine.

  “We went out a few times, but prefer to be friends. He asked me to pretend to be his girl while I’m here.”

  He smiled. “Probably so Mom doesn’t start throwing every available woman at him. She can be such a pain in the ass. You probably shouldn’t have told me that.”

  I took a deep breath and reached up to run the back of my hand along his cheek to his jaw. “I better go back into the bedroom.”

  “Yeah,” Jack agreed.

  Neither of us moved.

  My hand started to trace the outer edges of the eagle on his chest, moving slowly towards his nipple ring. He reached up and stopped me with his hand.

  “You touch me there and I won’t be able to stop myself from taking you back to my bed. I’m having a hard enough time as it is.”

  I stepped back – reluctantly.

  “You need to go back in there and lock the door.” He gave me a slight push.

  At the door I turned back to look at him. He was standing with his hands on the washbasin, gripping it for dear life, while he watched me through heavily lidded eyes with his jaw tense.

  He breathed heavily. “Please go.”