by J. S. Cooper
He grinned. “No bra, huh?”
“I couldn’t wear a bra with this dress,” I said, loving the look on his face. He reached down and touched my breasts, tweaking my nipples. I moaned. It felt so good.
“This is how I like to see you,” he growled. “In that thong and heels. I could picture you like this all day long.”
“You could picture me like this, huh?” My eyes narrowed. “Really? Is that your way of telling me that you have been picturing me like this?”
“Maybe, maybe not.”
I shook my head and walked over to him quickly undoing his tie and unbuttoning his shirt. I felt his hot breath on my cheek as my fingers deftly removed his shirt. I pressed my lips against his chest. His skin felt warm and smooth against my mouth.
He was just as gorgeous as I remembered. Just as gorgeous as I’d dreamed about. I didn’t care that he was an asshole. I didn’t care that he was Lucas’ cousin. I didn’t care that I’d told myself this was never going to happen again because here I was and here, he was, and it just felt right. My hands fell to his belt buckle and started to undo it, but they were trembling slightly and I was having a hard time. He chuckled, pushed my hands away, and undid his belt quickly before undoing his pants and stepping out of them. He stood there in a pair of black briefs.
They were tight on his skin and I stared at the way that the material clung to his hard cock. I licked my lips again.
“If you keep licking your lips, I’m going to suck on them,” he said, leaning towards me, grabbing my ass and pulling me towards him. I felt his hardness pressed up against my stomach. As his tongue entered my mouth, my breasts crushed against his chest and I moaned as his chest hair tickled my nipples. “You’re fucking hot. You know that?”
“I know.” I laughed as he pulled on my hair. He grabbed me and pulled me towards the bed, positioning me in the middle of his pillows before he straddled me. His lips pressed against my collarbone and he kissed all the way across my chest and down towards my belly button. When his tongue slipped into my belly button, I giggled and he looked up at me with laughing eyes.
“You’re ticklish, huh?”
“I guess I am.” I ran my hands through his hair, loving the warmth of his body next to mine. His teeth grabbed a hold of my panties and he started to pull them down. I shimmied on the bed so that he could pull them down faster. I wanted to feel his mouth against my wetness, wanted to feel his tongue inside of me. “Hurry,” I said to him, urging him on. He grinned up at me and then nipped my inner thigh, and I yelped. He ran his tongue along my wetness, and I closed my eyes, gripping his sheets, getting ready.
Knock knock.
I froze. There was someone at the door. Jack and I looked at each other.
Knock, knock.
“Who is it?” Jack called out.
“Jack, it’s me, your grandfather.
“Fuck,” Jack muttered under his breath. “Get under the duvet, quick!” He pulled the duvet and the sheet down and I hurried under the bedclothes. He covered me quickly and then he adjusted himself so that he was lying slightly on me. “I was just about to go to bed, but you can come in for a moment,” he said.
“Hey, sorry. I didn’t think that you would be going to bed so early.” I could hear Edward’s voice talking, even though it sounded muffled through the duvet.
“It’s fine, Papa. Is everything okay?” Jack sounded anxious, but maybe it was because of the duvet. I’d never heard that tone in his voice before.
“It’s okay.” I heard footsteps coming towards the bed and then they stopped. “Did you have fun at the party tonight?”
“Yeah, it was a good time. You know, Becky and Cindy love to have a good shindig.”
“They do, they do,” Edward chuckled. “It’s good for them. They deserve to have fun.”
“Yes, they do.”
“So, my boy …”
“Yes, Papa?”
“My latest prognosis isn’t as good as I would have hoped.”
I froze as I listened to Edward talking. What was he talking about? What prognosis?
“Oh, no.” Jack shifted on the bed. I knew he wanted to get up, but it would become more obvious that there was a lump in the bed if he got off completely. “Oh, Papa. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s okay. I’m not going to die tomorrow. I’ve got the best doctors. Thank God for having a lot of money,” Edward chuckled. “But I will be gone sooner than I would like. And I want you to promise me that you’ll look after Lucas and Becky and Cindy and Jenny, and of course, Edith.”
“Of course, Papa.”
“You’ll be the head of the family, and they will need your guidance. I don’t know what happened to my kids,” he sighed. “Useless bunch, but my grandkids … You’re all wonders of my life. And you, Jack, you are the one trustworthy, dependable man in the family. I apologize for being so demanding when you were younger. I apologize for thrusting this responsibility onto you at such a young age, but…”
“It’s okay, Papa.” Jack’s voice was choked up and I could tell that this was a very meaningful moment. I felt uncomfortable lying there in bed. I knew I shouldn’t be listening to this conversation. I felt like I was completely invading their privacy, and I hated it.
“You’re a good boy, Jack,” Edward continued. “I hope you find a good woman. Like Lucas’ girl. What’s her name again?”
“Isabella,” Jack said, my name sounding like music on his tongue. I loved the way he said my name. As if it were beautiful and delicate. As if he were protecting and savoring it all in one breath.
“Yes, Isabella. She’s a pretty young thing, isn’t she?”
“I guess so.” I glared as Jack said that. Jerk.
“She’s one of those rare beauties. She seems very sweet as well.”
“Well, you don’t really know her, Papa, and neither do I and we’ll just see what happens with her and Lucas.”
“I can tell good women when I meet them. I may be an old man, but I am a wise man,” Edward chuckled. “Well, I’ll let you be. I know you must be tired, but I did want to have this conversation whilst everyone else was engaged and having fun, you know?”
“I understand, Papa.”
“I know you do, boy. You’re a good boy. Have a good night, son.”
“Yes, Papa.”
“Good night, Jack.”
“’Night, Papa.”
It went silent for a few seconds and then the door closed. After that, I felt Jack pulling down the duvet cover. “Hey,” he kissed me on the lips.
“Hey,” I said softly, staring at his face, looking into his eyes. That was a lot of responsibility to take on. Looking after a whole family. He couldn’t have been more than thirty-something. “Do you want to talk?” I said, my voice full of emotion. I so badly wanted us to have this moment together. I so badly wanted us to share something of depth. He stared at me blankly.
“Talk?” His hands moved down between my legs and he rubbed gently.
“Jack,” I moaned, as he slipped his fingers inside my panties and rubbed my clit.
“Yes, Isabella?”
“I asked you if you wanted to talk about …”
“No.” He leaned down and took my nipple in his mouth. I closed my eyes, feeling myself growing wetter and wetter. He moved his lips back up to my mouth and he stared at me. “Don’t tell Lucas anything, okay?”
“Of course not,” I said. “I wouldn’t tell him.”
“Okay, well just make sure you don’t.”
I stared at him, wondering what was going on in his head. What were all the feelings and emotions he wasn’t telling me about? And if he wasn’t telling me, who did he have to tell? Did he have anyone? And was that someone a woman? Jealousy surged through me, and I tried to ignore it. I didn’t want to think about Jack with another woman. He wasn’t mine. Not by any means. If anything, we were frenemies. And nothing more than that.
Chapter Twenty
Jack’s lips pressed against mine and the
n moved down to my neck and then to my breasts. There seemed to be an increased energy in his kisses and touch, as if he were full of some pent-up emotion that he needed to get out.
“I want you to scream out my name, Isabella.”
“I can’t do that!” I shook my head, moaning as I felt his fingers slipping in between my legs.
“Spank me, Isabella.”
“No! Jack, I …”
“Beg me,” he growled. And I felt a finger slipping inside of me.
“Oh, Jack!” I cried out. I couldn’t stop myself.
“I think about that lap dance you gave me every minute. You know that, right?”
“You do?” My eyes fluttered open, and I stared at him. His eyes were dark as he looked down on me.
“I do. It was probably the hottest lap dance I’ve ever gotten in my life.”
“And you’ve gotten a lot of lap dances?” I ask.
“What do you think?”
“I think we shouldn’t be doing this,” I mumbled breathlessly. He slipped another finger inside of me, and I cried out, “Jack, please!”
“Please, what, Isabella?” His eyes glittered as he stared down at me, his lips pressed against mine, and he kissed me hard. “What do you want?” he said against my lips.
“I want you.”
“Where?” he growled.
“Inside of me. Please.”
“Scream my name. Beg me.”
“I am!”
“Beg me louder.”
“Jack, please!” I cried out. As he slipped his fingers out of me, I felt bereft at the sudden loss of his touch. I stared at him, kissing him back hard, letting him know with my mouth how badly I wanted him.
“What do you want, Isabella?”
“I want you to fuck me now!”
“Now?” he said. “Not later?”
“Stop teasing me!” And then I paused. “Unless you don’t want it. Unless this is just a game to you.”
“This has never been a game to me, Isabella.”
He reached over to the side of his bed and grabbed a condom. He had it on before I could blink, and his cock was thrusting inside of me. I cried out at the immediate feel of him inside of me. It felt even more wonderful than it had before. It felt like he fit me perfectly. I moved my hips back and forth, wanting him to go even deeper.
“Fuck, you’re so tight and wet,” he growled as he palmed my nipples. He started moving faster, not worrying that we were shaking the bed. I dug my fingers into his back, squeezing his skin, and I bit down on the side of his neck as he thrust into me harder and harder. It felt amazing. I felt like I had died and gone to heaven. I never wanted this feeling to end. I never wanted to be anywhere but in this position with him, which was absolutely ridiculous because this was never going to happen again. I was never going to sleep with him again. But I couldn’t even think about that now. He was bringing me to orgasm. I was so close, so close. His fingers started rubbing my clit, and that was all it took for me to reach the edge of the cliff—and fall.
“Oh, yes, Jack! Oh, yes, Jack!” I screamed as he slammed into me one last time, his last thrust more powerful than any others. My orgasm took me over the edge, and what was so perfect was that he started orgasming at the same time, and our bodies trembled and shook together before finally he collapsed on top of me.
“That was good,” he panted.
“That was amazing,” I agreed.
He kissed me lightly on the lips, and then he pulled away.
“I think …” he said and then paused. There was a light in his eyes that I hadn’t seen before. An inner torment that made me want to pull him into my eyes and hold him tight.
“Jack, what’s wrong?”
“I think it’s time for you to go to your room, don’t you?”
“What?” I blinked, surprised at his words. Was he sending me away?
“The first time we made love, you left. I didn’t want you to, but you left. So, the second time, I’ll send you away before you can leave me again.” He shrugged and turned on his back. “It was fun, though. Let’s do it again sometime.”
I felt dismissed. I felt horrible. I felt like my heart was breaking into a million different pieces, and once again, I realized how much I hated him, how much I hated myself for sleeping with him again, for giving him my body. He was a jerk, a complete and utter jerk.
I quickly got out of bed and grabbed my clothes and headed for the door.
“Have a good night, Isabella.”
The words sounded mocking to my ears. I was furious. I was rejected. I was broken. Jack was a man unlike any I’d ever met before. I hated him and I wanted him and I had no idea what was going on in his head.
So I ignored him. I left the room and went to my own bedroom, thankful that I’d be leaving tomorrow and going back home. I didn’t care what Lucas wanted for me after this. I was done. I was never coming back to this place. I was never going to pretend to be his girlfriend again. I didn’t care what he needed me to do to get this coffee shop. He could do it by himself. This wasn’t worth my dignity and self-respect. This wasn’t worth a broken heart.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Thanks so much for coming with me this weekend, Isabella. I know it wasn’t exactly what we had planned, but I do hope you had fun,” Lucas said as the taxi stopped outside my apartment building.
“It was an okay time.” I forced a smile. “I mean, your grandparents are lovely, and they have a beautiful house and well, you know, I had fun, but …” I made a face.
“I know,” he sighed, “Jack. I’m sorry. I know he’s a jerk, and I hate that he’s treated you like this. I really don’t know why he has been such an asshole to you.”
“It’s fine. I mean, I don’t even care about him. Whatever. I’m glad he’s going to help you, though, with your business.”
“Me too.” Lucas looked excited. “It’s really happening, Isabella. We’re going to do this!”
“Well, who knows if I’m going to be a part of it.” I looked away. “It doesn’t seem like Jack really wants me to have any part.”
“I don’t care what Jack has to say. He can’t tell me that you can’t have your art gallery there, and he saw your artwork. I mean, Nana was going on and on about your skills. There’s no way he can tell me no. We all can tell you’re so very talented.”
“Well, you’re sweet, Lucas, but I should get out. The meter’s running.” I could see the taxi driver watching us through the rearview mirror. He looked pissed, even though he was still getting paid. “I’ll see you later?”
“Yeah. Text me later, okay?”
“Okay, bye.” I jumped out of the taxi and hurried into my apartment building.
I was happy to be home. Greenwich was beautiful, but I liked my place. Even though it was cramped and small and stuffed with all sorts of knickknacks that my roommates and I had collected, it felt like home. I hurried up to the apartment and opened the door, hoping that someone would be home.
“Hello? It’s me,” I called out.
“Hey, Isabella, come into the living room!” Abby shouted.
I was glad she was home, even though I was still a little pissed at her.
“How was your trip?” She jumped off the couch and headed towards me, “Don’t touch my nails.”
“Um, okay,” I laughed. “Why would I be touching your nails?”
“Just in case,” she grinned, “I’m doing them. Guess what? I got a new job!” She started jumping up and down. “Sorry, I was going to wait to tell you because I want to hear all about your weekend, but I’m so excited! I got a job!”
“Wow, that’s amazing. What are you going to be doing?”
“Have you ever heard of Dylan McAllister?”
“Um, no.”
“You’ve never heard of Dylan McAllister? He’s like in every who’s who of young eligible hot men in the city.”
“I don’t really read those, Abby.”
“Oh, well. Anyway, I’m going to be working for him a
s his secretary. Can you believe it?”
“What? I can’t believe it. You’re going to be a secretary? You can’t even type well.”
“Shh!” She giggled. “I’m going to take one of those classes online to practice my skills. It’s just so cool. I’m so excited. I’m slightly nervous, of course, because I heard he doesn’t have a great reputation, and his last five secretaries have all left within a couple of weeks, but the money is amazing.”
“Oh yeah? How amazing?”
“Like 10K a week amazing.”
“Get out!” My jaw dropped. “10K a week? Like, 40K a month?”
“Oh, oops.” She shook her head, “I got that wrong. I mean 10K a month,” she laughed. “I wish 10K a week.”
“I was about to say we would be so out of here.”
“Yeah, we would,” she agreed. “After I paid off my student loans, of course.”
“Of course. So how did you get this job? Tell me more.”
“I’ll tell you more later. I want to hear about your weekend. How was it with Lucas’s family and—”
“Girl, guess who Lucas’s cousin is?”
“… Um, I don’t know? Andrew Rockefeller?”
“Isn’t he dead?”
“I don’t know.” She laughed. “Teddy Roosevelt?”
“Honestly, Abby, you’re not even trying.”
“Well, how am I supposed to know who his cousin is?” She made a silly face. “I barely know him.”
“Jack is his cousin.”
Abby looked blank. “Jack and the Beanstalk?”
“Abby? Really?”
“Sorry. Um, Jack and Jill from Jack and Jill Went up the Hill?”
“You’re such an idiot.”
“I’m sorry. I just really don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Jack that I went on the date with. That obnoxious guy.”
That got her to focus. “No way! Not the guy that you slept with?”
“Yes. Him.”
“Oh, this is juicy. Okay, tell me everything. He’s Lucas’s cousin? Whoa. So, what did he say when he found out you and Lucas were dating?”
