by Jo Iles
‘Oh,’ she said, her face slowly clouding and her eyes narrowing. No doubt she was worrying about what the two of them had been discussing, Tom thought.
Tom had a split second to decide what to do. Should he whisk Jessie home and interfere in her love life once again? Or should he leave her to Jack and let her figure out whom she wanted to be with by herself?
‘Sure,’ Tom said, answering her question about leaving. ‘I’m going to the gents first though, so why don’t you take a seat here and keep Jack company for a minute?’ Tom said, getting to his feet quickly.
Jessie reluctantly settled herself on Tom’s stool and Tom stifled the urge to laugh at her immature pout. As he passed by Jack on his way to the gents he leaned in to whisper something to his rival for Jessie’s affections.
‘Don’t fucking hurt her,’ he muttered into Jack’s ear, out of Jessie’s earshot. Then he disappeared before Jessie could offer any objection, leaving Jack and the object of his desire sat next to each other at the bar.
Chapter 89
Wonderful. Jessie huffed and puffed as she settled herself on the stool and rearranged her tight-fitting dress. She was conscious that she seemed to be exposing an awful lot more leg all of a sudden. Judging by Jack’s lingering gaze down at her legs, this was a fact that hadn’t gone unnoticed.
‘So,’ Jessie said, looking around and wondering where the hell her date had vanished off to.
‘How’s your boyfriend?’ Jack said with a knowing smile, as he tore his eyes from her legs and settled them upon her face. His smug look didn’t go unnoticed by Jessie.
‘How’s your girlfriend?’ Jessie heard herself snapping back, as she put two and two together and realised Tom must have let on about their parting. So much for crossing that bridge tomorrow.
Looking at Jack, Jessie felt a fresh wave of annoyance pulse through her. She was still pissed off with him for behaving the way he had yesterday. He’d made it blatantly obvious he hadn’t believed a word she’d said about Charlie and Sonia, and now he wanted to talk to her. Come to think of it, she was pretty much pissed off with everyone and anyone who dared to come near at that moment.
‘We broke up,’ Jack replied blankly and unemotionally. ‘Today,’ he added, as though she needed the extra clarification.
‘Look, Jessie, I’m sorry about yesterday,’ Jack began, suddenly sounding deadly sober, despite the fact that he was slumped on his stool. ‘I was a dick. I should have listened to what you were saying. In fact I don’t know why I didn’t. Probably some innate loyalty to my brother which I’m trying to shake, believe me.’
‘I accept your apology,’ Jessie managed stiffly as she digested what he’d said. She stared straight at the bar, studying the different bottles on display so she didn’t have to look at Jack.
‘Is that all you’re going to say?’ Jack asked, clearly exasperated by her.
‘What else do you want me to say, Jack?’ Jessie replied, finally flicking her eyes in his direction. ‘Do you want me to say all is forgiven, run into your arms, and live happily ever after? Well, I don’t think so, pal. I tried to help you yesterday. I tried to help you six months ago, when I still had feelings for you, and you didn’t take a blind bit of notice of me. Well, it’s too late, Jack,’ Jessie finished, not entirely sure she was actually speaking the truth. She was in a bad mood, confused by the day’s events, and her tongue had kind of gotten carried away with itself.
‘Right. You don’t have feelings for me anymore?’ Jack asked, a combination of fear and dejection clearly written all over his face.
‘Nope,’ Jessie said without a moment’s hesitation as she slid off her stool and strutted towards the exit. Of course, it was a blatant lie. But she’d wanted to hurt Jack the way she was hurting inside right at that moment. She was hurting from Jack’s rejection when he didn’t find a way to get out of Sonia’s clutches six months ago. She was hurting from her so-called best friend’s ultimate rejection of her because she was a woman. Hurting because she was alone. Again. Well, at least she wasn’t a bridesmaid. That was the only saving grace of the day as far as Jessie was concerned.
Jessie crossed the hotel foyer, knowing that there was no way Jack was going to come after her. He hadn’t chased after her yesterday, and she felt sure in her heart of hearts that he wouldn’t be making a mad dash today either, after what she’d just told him. Jack didn’t seem to be the chasing type. Wondering if Tom had actually really deserted her or was genuinely in the gents, Jessie walked over to the empty reception area to ask if they’d seen a tall, handsome man in a well-cut suit walk past in the last five minutes.
‘I think he’s standing behind you,’ the receptionist giggled at her.
‘Thanks,’ Jessie said with a forced smile at the receptionist’s annoying girlishness.
‘Can you take me home now please?’ she said wearily as she turned to see not Tom, but Jack. Jessie was conscious that she was staring. He looked gorgeous now that he was unslumped and standing tall in what was indeed a well-cut suit.
‘My sentiments exactly,’ Jack smiled, as he guided her over towards the enclosed lift lobby. On the way he gave the receptionist a friendly wink, which Jessie felt her green-eyed goddess take offense to. Yep, she definitely still had feelings for Jack Davenport, alright.
Jack was about to press the button to call a lift, but stopped and abruptly turned on his heel and walked smoothly towards Jessie. In one swift movement he’d pushed her up against the wall, slammed his mouth into hers, and kissed her passionately as though his life depended on it. What was she supposed to do? Deny everything inside her and not kiss him back? Her body betrayed her most traitorously as she pulled Jack towards her and positioned herself on either side of his leg. It felt like a long time since she’d been kissed properly like that. Not since Jack had last done so, all those months ago.
She groaned as he suddenly pulled away, and secretly begged him to call the lift and take her upstairs.
‘So you don’t have feelings for me?’ Jack asked, smiling triumphantly at her. For a brief second, Jessie thought he’d done it to prove a point and he was now going to snub her again.
‘You came after me,’ she said, still a little breathless, avoiding the question as her mind raced, trying to deduce if and what game he was playing with her.
Jack looked at her, for a second taking in her words. He then smiled his warmest smile at her and launched himself at her for another round of intense kissing. It was Jessie who pulled away this time, with an unasked question in her eyes.
‘Of course I came after you. I let you get away in Hong Kong because of my own foolish jealousy and pride. I wasn’t going to make the same mistake again,’ he said softly as he stroked up and down her arms.
Jessie found that she didn’t have any words to say. Whilst he hadn’t exactly said everything she’d needed to hear, his actions were definitely a start. And however much she tried to deny it, she clearly did like Jack and still had feelings for him.
‘If you agree, then I think we’ve wasted enough time and I want us to give this a go. I think we could be epic, Jessie,’ Jack said with feeling.
‘And if it all goes wrong, at least we’ll have had some epic sex!’ Jessie joked as she ducked out of his embrace and called the lift.
‘Jessie Slaymaker, we’ll be doing that and a whole lot more,’ Jack replied playfully as he bundled her into the lift—for what Jessie hoped would be some of that much-needed epic sex.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
/>
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88
Chapter 89
