Back-Up (30 page)

“Flirting at the bar? Oh
crap.” She slumps forward, putting her head in her hands. I understand why that’s what upsets her the most. She is a very private person, and I can only imagine how she feels right now.

Trying to lighten the mood, I say, “You snore.”

“I do not.” She defensively retorts.

“Yes you do. You snore like a lumberjack
and you curse like a sailor. You have real bad potty mouth.”

“Liar.”

Laughing I watch as she nibbles on her bagel. “I used your shower last night. I hope that’s ok.”

“Of course.
I hope that couch was ok.”

“Yes it’s actually very comfortable.”

“The boys love that couch. I can’t get them off of it when they come over.”

“I can’t say I blame them.” I can picture four guys sprawled on her couch.
“I take it that the chair is your favorite spot?”

She looks over her shoulder. “Yes,
it’s the only corner of my apartment that has a view.” I stand and walk over to admire it.

“It is beau
tiful. I guess this your roof?”

She understands my reference.
“Yes. I guess that it is.”

“Oh, I almost forgot.  Your dad wants you to call him.” I say remembering my instructions.

“My dad? You spoke to my dad?” she asks looking confused and worried.

“He called last night. I think he was checking on me more than he was checking on you.”

She shakes her head and grabs her phone. Her conversation is only a few minutes long. She doesn’t leave the room and I’m flattered she feels comfortable to talk to him in front of me. She asks if he checked on Evan and listens while he talks for a few minutes. She agrees to something he says and at the end of her conversation she says, “Yeah, he is.” while looking over at me and blushing. She tells her dad she loves him and hangs up.

“Yea
h, he is what?” I ask dying of curiosity. She looks at me confused and I ask, “You said to your dad
Yeah, he is
. What am I?”

“A great guy.”

My heart skips a beat.

“Oh…I thought you were admitting
that I was still here.”

“Oh. W
ell he didn’t ask but if he did I probably wouldn’t lie.” She admits giving me a dazzling smile.

She takes my breath away
. I need to spend time with her. I just can’t leave yet. I walk back over sit at the table and ask, “What are your plans today?”

“
Nothing exciting. I need to get my car from the bar. Saturdays are laundry days, and since I’m no longer a member of Cliffhangers, I’m off tonight.”

“Want to show me how great Hoboken is?” I ask.

She smiles wide. “Sure, I’d love to. Do you like cannoli? We have the best there is.” She says proudly.

“I love cannoli.”

“Give me fifteen minutes to get ready.”

“Wait. F
inish your bagel.”

“You’re so bossy.” She finished her bagel and heads for the bedroom.
For two point five seconds I’m left wondering if this is a good idea. Then I argue with myself that I simply don’t care.

After I use her bathroom to freshen up, I send a quick text to Hunter to tell him I’m hanging out with Leila today. 

Of course he responds immediately.

jack…what are you doing?

i’m hanging out with Leila

yea, you sai
d that…dude?

bye hunter

Fucking Hunter…I should have never told him my secret. I’m already regretting it. His text resurfaces my qualms, and my brain tells me to listen. I should tell her that I couldn’t stay and leave before I do something I will regret.

I’m about to do just that when
she comes out in her shorts, pink top, hair in a ponytail, and tan legs…and my brain goes numb.

You would never know she was drunk off her ass la
st night. She looks so gorgeous, effectively causing me throw all logic out the fucking window.

“You clean up well. I look like death after a tequila night.”

“You’re blind. I do look like death. Ready?”

***

After retrieving her car, Leila showed me every inch of Hoboken. It’s a quaint town, and I can understand the attraction.  We spent hours sitting in a park on the Hudson, watching the boats go by. We laughed at all the countless dogs and their owners who morphed into look-a-likes. Late in the day, we decided to grab a pizza, some of Hoboken’s famous cannoli and go back to her place.

As I set her table, she pulls out a beer and some cheap wine for herself. It feels so natural to be with her. We really had a nice day, and there were times I wanted to hold her hand as we were walking along the river. I could get used to this. I enjoy being with her. This realization no longer scares me. What scares me more is being apart.

Chapter 21-Leila

“I probably shouldn’t be drinking so much today. My body just recovered.” 

“The second best hangover remedy besides aspirin and coke, is to keep drinking.” He
taps his beer can to my glass.

I giggle and
respond, “Good advice.”

I feel so relaxed and comfortable sitting here with him. His arm is stretched along the back of the couch, and he is la
zily playing with my ponytail.

After relentlessly grilling him to tell me how I acted last night at the bar, he finally gave me details of my over the top flirting. Crap, I told him he glamour’s me! I grabbed his thighs! I kissed his neck!
From the look on his face, he was purposefully withholding some other details.

No more tequila for me.

I will most definitely have some damage control to deal with when I see Dad and Lori. I’ll worry about that tomorrow. Evan was plastered, so I doubt he remembers my behavior.

He playfully tugs on my ponytail and
asks, “Where’s my cannoli?”

“Oh yea
h, cannoli time.” I bounce up and run to the fridge to grab the box.

He laughs at my enthusiasm as I bring them over to
where we are sitting. “Prepare yourself, these are life altering.”

“Can’t wait.” He reaches in and picks up two
of them, one of which he hands to me.

We both bite down at the same time. “It is delicious.”

Savoring my bite, I close my eyes and moan. “MMMmmm. It’s so good.”

When
I open my eyes, I’m surprised to see Jack staring at me with a heated look on his face. Reaching over, he slowly wipes his thumb across my bottom lip, sending a jolt right through me. He brings his thumb to his mouth and sucks off the cream he removed from my lip. The cannoli I am holding is the last thing on my mind as I drop it back into the box, and it lands with a thump.

“Delicious.”

We continue to stare at each other for what seems like an eternity, and with each passing second my heart beats louder and louder in my chest. He removes the box from my lap, drops his cannoli in and puts the box on the table. He holds my face and slowly pulls me in until we are inches apart. In slow motion, he pulls me in closer until our mouths touch.

Our kiss starts off soft and slow. When he slides his tongue along my top lip, I open my mouth giving him complete access. Accepting my invitation, his slips
in further to taste me slowly. We make out like teenagers and it’s the best make out session I’ve ever had in my life.

I finally gasp for breath and
pull away. “I need to catch my breath.”

He releases my head and takes my hands. “Leila, if you want me to stop, I’ll stop.”

“What happened to being friends?”

“It’s not enough.”

“I’m scared things will get complicated between us.”

“I won’t let it.”

He pulls me into his embrace and kisses the top my head. “Leila, I want you to know something before anything happens. I can’t stop thinking about you. Since my party, you have consumed my thoughts. You have taken over my life.”

I turn in
his arms so I can see his face better. His confession has me reeling. “Jack, don’t say things like that to me.”

“Why?”

“Because I won’t recover.”

“Baby, I mean every word.”

Tilting his head down, he kisses me softly on my lips. Weeks and weeks of holding back, of hiding my feeling, of denying my feelings for him all come flooding to the surface. I kiss him back harder, clutching his shirt between my fingers to force him to move his lips against mine and respond to my kiss.

Jack does respond by
drawing me into his hard body and making love to my lips with his own. He lays me back on the couch and slips his hand under my tank. Slowly, he moves it up my body until it reaches my breast, skimming his thumb on the underside of my bra. He pulls away and watches for my reaction.

“I want you Leila. I can’t fight this any longer.” He stops
and waits for my consent.  “Please, I want to be with you.”

“I want that too, b
ut it’s complicated. Our working relationship, the tour, it’s all too complicated.”

“Stop over thinking it.”

When I remain silent, he starts kissing me slowly at first but then it quickly builds, escalating to the point we are writhing against each other on the couch.

Breaking our kiss,
I rasp, “I know what you’re doing.”

He sta
nds and pulls me off the couch, wrapping his arms around me. His hands find my lower back.

“What are you afraid of, Leila?”

“What will be left of me when it ends.”

“Why does it have to end?”

He’s right. Who goes into a relationship already worrying about how it will end. I can’t continue down the friend path anyway… while living with him, or being with him. That is no longer an option. In my mind, I’ve crossed over that line weeks ago. I had no idea he had as well.

Bottom line, I want him.
I need him.

“Leila, I want to be with you. D
o you feel the same?”

As he continues to wait for my response, my decision is already made. What I’m about to do will change everything. I’m done hiding how I feel. I’m done playing games. Pulling him down to lightly kiss
him, I whisper, “Yes.”

Taking his hand, I lead him to my bedroom.

Once inside, he embraces me, desperately gripping me to his chest as if afraid to let go. When he does let go, he lightly strokes my cheek before pulling me in for a kiss. Slowly, he pulls off my tank and then grazes his right thumb over my bra and across my erect nipple. How can such a simple touch wreak absolute havoc on my insides? I can’t stand it any longer. If I don’t have him soon I’m going to die.

I pull his shirt up and off his body, unfasten his jeans, and slip my hand in to feel him. His size is impressive, an
d I stroke him from base to tip, smooth skin over steel. He pulls my hand away and takes a few steps back.

“I want to go slow.”

My heart is pounding in my chest and I feel desire spread through my entire body. His eyes never leave mine as he slowly peels away his clothes, leaving him bare. He takes my breath away, and he is absolutely stunning. The muscles of his chest, his arms, and his stomach are all so well defined. He’s perfect from the pronounced v on his hips to the thin trail of dark brown hair that leads from his belly button to his obvious arousal.

Jack moves closer and quietly undresses me. It is so erotic
as he devours me with his eyes. Once I’m naked, he steps away to admire my body.

“You’re so beautiful.”

I subconsciously move towards his body to touch his skin. The pull I feel in undeniable, like a tether holding my heart to his. He steps closer at the same time. It was only a few steps, but it may as well have been miles.

Laying my hand on his chest, I can feel his heart pounding. Succumbing to the incessant urge to touch him, I run my hands over his chest,
abdomen, and hips. Tracing his erection with my fingertips, he closes his eyes and moans, completely lost in my touch.  I take his hand and lead him toward my bed.

“I’ve dreamt of you…of kissing you…of tasting you.” He says
as he travels down my body, placing kisses in between his admissions. Stopping at my breast, he pulls a nipple between his lips and tugs gently while his fingers begin stroking me below. His lips and touch, cause my back to arch and my hips to follow his rhythm. The ache below becomes agonizing.

Pulling his hand away, he leaves me bereft.

“Jack.”

“Ssh,
baby.” He grabs each of my ankles and pushes them up so my legs are bent at the knee and spread wide open.  He runs his thumb up my sex very slowly, causing me to shudder.

His head disappears between my legs, his lips teasing, touching everywhere but where I need them to be. Once they touch my most sensitive part, I become unhinged.  As I bury my hands in his silky hair, he relentlessly tortures me, running his tongue through my folds and slipping his finger inside my entrance.

“Please… don’t stop.”

Jack complies expertly, causing
sensations I’ve never felt before. He covers me with his mouth. I buck into him to quicken his pace. He sucks forcibly while stroking relentlessly with his fingers inside of me. My legs begin to tremble as he brings me to an intense orgasm causing my whole body to jerk. Weeks of pent-up desire come to fruition through my release.

It’s been so long since I felt these sensations. Fighting to catch my breath, my head is spinning from the pulses that continue to manipulate my body. 

Once I lay motionless, he states, “You taste better than I imagined.”

He kisses his way back to my breast, pulling my nipple with his lips. I feel a throbbing ache in between my legs as if I didn’t just have a mind blowing orgasm seconds ago. Remembering my initial hungers, I grab his head and pull him up until he is looking at me.

“I need you.”

He
bends to kiss me. I can taste myself on him as I greedily suck on his tongue, causing him to groan loudly.

Suddenly he breaks our kiss. “Don’t move.” Climbing off the bed, he pulls his wallet out of his jeans and retrieves a condom.   Watching him roll it on to his erection is the sexiest thing I have ever seen.

The minute he gets back on my bed he stretches over me, his length is positioned and teasing. I am one pulsing nerve ending. My entire body is aching for him.

Linking our hands together
, he slowly pushes himself into me, without breaking eye contact. I can feel every inch of him fill me and I never want this to end.

“Leila, you feel so good.” His words
are raspy with raw emotion and give voice to my own thoughts.

We move together and it’s pure bliss. I clench around him, as he moves excruciatingly slow.

“Jack…faster.” I tighten my legs around his waist.

He flips us around so I am now straddling him. His hands are at my hips and he pulls me down so he can plunge in deeper. The sensation he is causing inside my body is mind blowing. He sits up and the shift causes me to gasp, as he presses against the perfect spot inside.

Burying his hands in my hair, he pulls me down to kiss my mouth. I inhale him, taking him every way I can, taking control and moving myself over him even faster. My second orgasm quickly builds. He is right there with me as we climax together, our bodies trembling concurrently.

“
I’ve dreamt of this.” He admits as I clutch him to my body.

All I can do is nod to his admission. Words aren’t presenting themselves to me at the moment.

We stare into each other’s eyes as we sit panting, nose to nose, still connected. 

“My God.” He says kissing my face all over while I cling to him.

Still unable to speak, I simply nod again. I want him inside of me forever. Now that I’ve been with Jack, I’ll never get enough.

***

As we lie in bed holding each other, Jack plays with my hair. “You smell so good.”

“Jack?”

“Hmmmm?”

I can’t bring myself to say what I want to. I chew on my lip and he turns my head to look into my eyes.

“What?”

“Um…have you ever had sex without a condom?”

He smiles
and understands why I’m so nervous. “No, I never did.  Have you?”

“Um, no,
never. I’m on the pill.” I offer. He smiles the CCDS, making my heart skip a beat.

“Leila, I trust you
. Thanks for telling me because I hate condoms.” He kisses me, and I settle back on his chest.

As he draws circle patterns on my back, I call his name again. “Jack?”

Chuckling he says, “Yes?”

“Aren’t the guys going to wonder where you are?” 

“For a second I thought you were going to ask me to go again.” He replies with disappointment. “Hunter knows I’m with you.”

“What?” I
sit up unable to hide my shock.

“What? Hunter won’t tell anyone. We can trust him.”

“
We
can trust him with what?” I start to panic.

He sits up
and shrugs. “I told you, I’ve been thinking about you a lot. I also wasn’t acting as myself. Hunter noticed and called me out on it. I confided in him. He thinks I should stay away from you, and he’s right…I should. But I can’t. He won’t tell the other guys how I …” He’s stops mid-sentence, then adds,  “He won’t say anything.”

“Jack, you don’t need me as a distraction right now.”

“Leila, not being with you will be the distraction.” He says kissing me. “Do you remember what you said to me last night?”

“No,
what?”

He hesitates for a moment,
and then runs his nose along the length of mine. “Forget I mentioned it.”