CHAPTER 15: NOAH
It’s great to be back in New York. The vibrant feel of big city life is what I live for. The sound of the vehicles, the cursing amongst the inhabitants and even its distinct smell makes New York the greatest city in the world. At first, it hit me like a truck driving straight into me after the tranquil beauty of Fall Creek. However, I got used to it quickly as I looked out of the limo’s window at the happenings in the city I so love on my way from the airport yesterday.
But it was not the same as it always was. The electrical current that usually runs through me is not as potent. I feel as if something is missing. An integral part of me, like a limb, an organ or maybe even my spiritual side. There is a hollow pit in the cavity of my stomach that tickles as if it is the abode belonging to millions of little butterflies. Their errant wings touching my insides, making me slightly nauseous.
Glyn and I arrived in the city yesterday. We went straight to the office, and after that, we both went to our respective homes. I ordered in from my favorite Italian restaurant and went to bed feeling like the king of the world with my tummy full of Italian red wine and pasta in a truffle sauce. All the time, the memory of how I fucked Zoey was a constant reminder in the back of my mind. I fell asleep and awoke this morning with a raging hard-on.
At first, I thought this was my usual reaction to one of my little sexual trysts. But judging, by the way, I feel now; I know this is not the case. I look out of the window in my office on the sixty-fifth floor in Manhattan. The view that always excites me leaves me without emotion. At this moment, I would give anything to be looking out over the lake from granddad’s porch.
I just phoned him and hearing his voice brought back memories I have long since stowed away. What the fuck is wrong with me? I have never felt this way before. And granddad asking me whether I missed her did not help. All I can think about is Zoey. And no, it’s not about the sex, even though that does pop into my mind from time to time.
Everywhere I look, whether it’s out of the window or at the screen on my laptop, I see her gazing right back at me. It’s as if the woman hypnotized me, or voodoo cursed me into falling in love with her.
HOLLY FUCK – Is that what I am? Am I in love with Zoey Brooks? I can’t be. My brain does a few more summersaults; my heart joins in, and my stomach nearly spews the contents of my breakfast onto the floor. “I’m in love with her,” I say, pressing my hands onto the glass of my ridiculously large desk.
“Finally, it’s about time you admitted that to me.”
My eyeballs nearly fall out of their sockets when I see Crystal walking up to me. She looks as hot as hell in a tight short skirt, net-tights, a snug-fitting top, the cashmere coat I bought her and killer high heels. “Miss me?” she purrs, running a long tapering finger across my chest and planting a wet kiss on my lips.
I don’t manage to say anything. My flight attendant prowls around my large office like a slinking predatory feline. We missed out on a little action on the flight back yesterday. You broke my heart, Noah.” She twirls on her feet. “I so wanted to suck your dick…” she pouts, “but bad Noah didn’t give his girl her protein shake.”
I watch her take her coat off. In moments, she has removed her top and has hitched up her uber-short skirt above her hips. Fuck, she’s not wearing any panties. I am speechless. I wish I could say this woman is having absolutely no effect on me, but that would be a blatant, ass lie. One part of me is shameless showing its approval no matter how much my brain and heart reprimand it for this treacherous show of affection.
My cock arches up, pressing against my suit trousers. I know that Crystal sees this by the way she is grinning at me. “How the hell did you get in here? Where’s Glyn?” I snarl, at last feeling the effects of some blood leaving my cock and reaching my brain.
“I don’t know.” She shrugs. “Who cares; I am here for you.” Crystal runs her pink tongue over her overly made-up red lips.
“Crystal, I need you to leave right now. I have a lot of work to do.”
As I move around my desk, my mind is in overdrive. If Zoey ever finds out about this, she will never speak to me again. Fuck, this woman has to leave my office now. The fear of losing Zoey completely robs me of my usual self-confidence. Instead of focusing on the matter at hand, I think of the best way to explain this situation to Zoey when I see her next. She has to know – I will not base the foundations of our relationship on a lie.
“Mm, it seems that this part of you totally disagrees.”
Jesus, Crystal is almost naked except for the tights and garters. Before I know it, she is on her knees unzipping the front of my trousers.
“Stop this now,” I snarl.
“Oh, come one, just one little fuck,” she purrs, running her hand along my bursting length.
“Things have changed; I have a girlfriend now.” Admitting this makes me feel really good despite having this woman attempting to rape me.
“Good for you. You had your little conquest; now you can return to fucking me.” By now Crystal’s hand holds onto my cock through the fabric of my pants, squeezing.
“Are you nuts. Get away from me.” I want to push her away, but at the same time, I worry whether I would hurt her. No matter how much Crystal is pissing me off right now, this is not her fault. First, I created this sex-crazed vixen and second, I never told her about Zoey. How the fuck could I? I only realized that I love her until a few moments ago. “Jesus, Crystal…stop, stop…” The protest comes out in throaty wheezes.
“I can see that you have made yourself right back at home.”
My eyes snap up and focus in the direction of the venomous voice – the voice I love with all of my heart. No! Please! Why now? I swear I have never seen anyone look more surprised, hurt and heartbroken than Zoey in that very moment.
“This is not what it looks like,” I say in an attempt to soften the hostile expression on Zoey’s face that I know so well from the party and the hospital. Only this time, she looks as if she is about to kill me.
“Oh, this is very much what it looks like,” she hisses.
“Who is this?” asks Crystal, getting to her feet and leaving my open fly for the world to see. “Oh, that’s why you were so hesitant. You wanted to wait for the other girl to get here…she’s really hot.” Crystal walks up to Zoey. “Hi, I’m Crystal. What do ya say we two-time this bad boy until he begs us to stop.”
Her eyes fill with tears that I know she’s trying to hold at bay with all of her strength. “You people are disgusting. I never want to hear from you again, Noah…ugh…I can’t believe I said that name.” Zoey turns around and storms out of the office. “Your boss is a pig, Glyn,” she says on the way out.
“What the hell is going on here? Oh, my god…Noah…really, couldn’t you have waited for a few days until you got back to Fall Creek. You fucking broke Zoey’s heart. The girl is crying.”
“Glyn, this is not what it looks like. Damn, this can’t be happening,” I say, zipping my trousers back up.
“I am so sorry, Noah. I didn’t realize that you really had a serious girlfriend.” Crystal sits down and starts crying. “All I wanted to do was make you like me.”
“It’s not your fault, Crystal. I am the asshole here. Let me figure this mess out, and we will have a talk about all this when I can.” I stroke her face and give her my cloth handkerchief with my initials. I am old-school. Granddad always told me, “You gotta have a hanky with ya in case the ladies cry, trust me, boys, it happens a lot with us Jacksons.”
“Glyn, look after Crystal, will you. I have got to see whether there is still something to salvage with Zoey.”
He nods at me solemnly. I am grateful that he believes Crystal and I that we really weren’t about to do it. To lose Glyn as well would kill me.
I run out of my office in the direction of the elevators. I shout at my employees whether they have seen a good-looking redhead walk past. I get into the first lift and press the button for the lobby. It takes like forever until I get there. Like a crazy man I run through the foyer, shouting at the top of my lungs until I am outside the building and on the street.
I look ahead, to the left and right, but Zoey is nowhere to be seen. “I lost her,” I whisper. I spend another twenty minutes standing on the sidewalk in the autumn cold in just my shirt and trousers. I beg that my habitually curious and forgiving Zoey will come back to at least tell me off. She doesn’t. Reluctantly, I turn and head back to my office.
“I sent Crystal home with Stacey,” says Glyn when I am back upstairs.
“Thanks, Glyn. What would I do without you?”
He smiles at me. “Jesus, you have the Midas touch in business, but when it comes to love, you’re as unlucky as hell.” He waits a moment for me to sit down. “So, what are you going to do now?”
I look up with determination in my eyes. I built up a multimillion Dollar business from scratch, I never gave up, and I am not about to now. “Patch me through to my granddad after that I need to speak with my brother. And when I am done with my family put me through to NBC. After that, we have some serious work to do.”
“Sure thing, boss,” says Glyn with a huge grin on his face.