Chapter Nine
Jordan
I hold Jay close as the horses weave their way through the street and into the park. I’ve planned for us to ride down to the lake and have a picnic dinner.
But after only a short time, I start to smell it.
“Oh, that’s pretty strong,” Jay says, covering her nose.
I laugh it off and try not to let it bother me. “Yeah, nature of the beast, I guess. If you’re going to sit behind horses, I guess you expect it to smell.”
“Yeah, I’m sure the wind will change once we’re closer in,” she says, smiling at me.
I go to lean down and kiss her again, unable to control myself. But another waft of horse shit lands between us, and the mood is ruined.
Jay begins to cough. “God, I think I swallowed some of the smell,” she sputters, her eyes watering.
“Let me see if there’s a problem.” I try to comfort her as I get up from the bench seat and sit forward, getting the driver’s attention. “Hey, is everything okay?”
He looks back at me, and I see he’s got a half mask over his mouth and nose. “Sorry, one of the horses is having a bit of a rough go of it,” he says in a thick British accent. “Musta got in something.”
Just then I can hear the sounds of the horse relieving himself, and I don’t look down to see the aftermath.
“Just take us straight to the lake,” I say as he picks up the pace.
Leaning back, I look over at Jay, who still has her hand over her nose. “I’m sorry,” I say, hating that tonight isn’t going perfectly. “Guess our horse has the runs.”
She starts to laugh, and pretty soon I’m joining in with her. I guess sometimes that’s all you can do.
We grin and bear it as we get close to the lake, and blessedly, when we get there, the smell is gone. I jump down out of the carriage and hold out my hands, taking Jay by the waist and picking her up. Slowly, I lower her to the ground, letting her rub against my body as I do.
“I couldn’t resist,” I say, winking at her.
“And you didn’t even apologize.” Her cheeks are pink, but she hasn’t tried to pull away.
“I’ll never apologize for what I want when it comes to you.” I reach into the carriage to grab the picnic basket, and help her down to the lake.
“Thank you again for the flats,” she says as we follow the path closer to the water.
“I like when you look happy. And those heels did not make you look happy.”
I squeeze her hand, and the look she gives me squeezes my heart. God, this woman is going to break me in two.
When we get to the edge of the water, I take out the blanket and spread it out. The grass is soft but dry, and I help her sit down as I unpack the food and join her.
“I ordered takeout from the deli you like. I thought finger foods might be best,” I say, opening the containers and spreading them out around us.
She reaches for one of the cherry tomatoes and hums as she eats it. “They have the best food.”
We eat while we laugh and talk, just being our normal selves. Time goes by, and the sun begins to set, but it feels like we’ve only been here for a few minutes. I wonder if being friends first didn’t help ease us into this. I never wanted to only be her friend, but it was the best way to get her to know me. And to see that I’m not as scary as some people act.
“How’d you get your scar?” she asks, nodding at my cheek. “It’s not something we’ve ever talked about, but you seem to try to hide it sometimes.”
I didn’t realize that was a conscious maneuver, but if she noticed it then I must be doing it. I pause, thinking about how to tell her, and she takes my hesitation as something more.
“I’m sorry. That was rude. I’m sure it’s personal and—”
“No, I was just trying to think of a way to tell you without making you feel sad.” I shrug and let out a breath. “But there’s no way to do that. I’ve told you about my parents and how my mom died when I was in high school. She was hit by a drunk driver, and I was in the car with her. My face hit the passenger side window, and that’s how I got it.”
“Oh, Jordan, I’m so sorry.” She puts her hands on her mouth like she can take the question back. Then she puts her hand on my face like she can take the hurt away.
Maybe she can.
“Thank you. It was a long time ago. I miss her, but we’ve had to learn to heal. She would have wanted that.”
“And you still go see your father every week?” She smiles now, remembering the stories I’ve told her about Pop.
“Every week. The man loves his scratch-off tickets.” I place her hand in mine and bring it to my mouth, kissing the palm. “Come visit him with me on Sunday.”
Her eyes widen in surprise, but then she nods excitedly. “Yeah, that sounds like fun.”
“I’ll just have to warn him to keep his hands to himself.” I trace my finger along her jaw, and she leans into my touch. “I have a hard enough time as it is.”
Unable to stand it any longer, I take her face in both my hands and press my lips to hers. Almost immediately, she’s opening for me, allowing me to take control and taste all of her sweetness. I moan around her lips when I feel her tongue touch mine.
Before I know what’s happening, I’ve pulled her onto my lap, cradling her, her legs to one side. I’ve got both arms wrapped around her back as I hold her close to me, and she dips her hands in my hair.
I run my fingers down her side and to her hip, squeezing her there. Then I move them lower, brushing against the warm, exposed skin just below the hem of her dress. I ache to move my hand under it, to touch between her legs and see how wet she is. Wet for me.
She moans my name as my mouth moves to her neck, and I kiss her soft skin there.
“You drive me crazy, little bird,” I growl, sucking the skin under her ear, praying I leave a mark.
“Are people going to see us?” she whispers, but she doesn’t stop. She’s holding on to me just as fiercely as I’m holding on to her.
“Would it bother you if they did?” I bite her earlobe and feel her shiver. “If someone saw you being kissed like they could only dream of? If someone watched me hold the most beautiful woman in the world and make love to her with my lips?”
I kiss a trail down her neck to the center of her chest.
“When you put it like that...” she says, but she doesn’t finish her sentence.
Kissing my way back up, I take her lips again, and this time it’s even more intense. We are becoming crazed for one another, and now it might not be such a good idea to be in public.
“Take me home,” she moans, echoing my own thoughts.
I stand up, holding her in my arms, and she laughs. The sound is music to my ears, and it’s all I ever want to hear.
Just as I take a step, the edge of the blanket catches on my shoes. Jay thinks I’m going to drop her, so she tries to put her feet down at the same time I try to turn with her. The entire thing happens so fast I don’t have time to tell her no before she’s out of my arms and kneeing me in the balls as I fall backwards.
I hear a scream before I stumble back and hit the water, and as I’m submerged in the lake, I don’t know if the sound came from her or from me.
* * *
“Are you sure you won’t come up?” Jay asks with a disappointed look on her face.
“I honestly wish I could, but I’m afraid I might give your apartment E. coli. That lake isn’t exactly sanitary.”
A smile tugs at her lips, and she leans up to kiss me. As much as I hate it, I have to take a step back. I can smell the fishy stench on me, and I couldn’t allow myself to do that to her.
The climb out of the lake was a mess, and even more so because my balls ached so bad. I think she apologized a hundred times, but no matter what I said, she still felt bad.
“This only half counts as a date. Tomorrow, we get a do-over.”
That seems to brighten her up a little, and she nods. “Why don’t you come over and let me cook for you?” I like the idea. We could end up spending the whole weekend together if I’m lucky.
“Do you own a fire extinguisher and have the fire department number handy? I’m not saying you’re a bad cook, I just want to cover my bases.”
“We could always order in, if it makes you feel better. But I’m pretty good in the kitchen.” She winks at me and then turns, walking up the steps and into her building.
“Goddamn, woman, you are something special.”
Just then I hear the horses behind me and roll my eyes. The carriage driver gives me a thumbs-up, and I bury my head in my hands. After a second, I climb into the Cinderella carriage and lean back in the seat.
“Let’s go,” I say, and take the ride to my place next.