Damaged: An Erotic Romance Story (2 page)

Nathans face fell and Jessica saw a brief flicker of hurt and confusion before he composed himself. “Uh. Okay. Well, it was nice to meet you.” He laughed shyly, “that sounds so formal, but you get what I mean. I’m truly sorry for earlier. I hope your injuries heal quickly. Please get in touch with me about paying for damages.”

“I will.” Jessica said, knowing full well she wouldn’t. He didn’t look like he had much money anyway and besides, she could afford it. She really did not want to see him again. His purpose had been served.

“Enjoy the rest of your visit here. Bye Nathan.” Faking a smile, she closed the hotel room door behind her.

“I cannot believe that jerk reversed into you.” Jessica’s best friend Sophie tossed back her thick blonde hair angrily.

“He must have been going some too, judging by the state of your car and your poor face. After all you’ve been through lately.” Sophie curled down her bottom lip to show sympathy for her friend. Jess handed over a mug of coffee and sank onto the sofa next to her.

“It really was an accident, Soph.” She explained. “You should have seen him – he was so apologetic. Plus, if I hadn’t have had my head on the steering wheel then my face wouldn’t have been quite so mashed up.”

“What did you have your head on the steering wheel for?” Sophie frowned.

Jess tucked her legs underneath her and stared at the drink in her hands. “I had a bit of a...moment.” She looked up to her friend with woeful eyes. “I just fell apart while I was in the store and then lost it back at the car.” Jess sighed. “I keep thinking it’s going to get easier. But it doesn’t.”

Sophie put her arm around Jess’ shoulders and pulled her in. “It will honey. I promise you, it will. You lost your best friend and the love of your life. Give yourself a break. It’s only been seven months.”

The pair sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Then Sophie suddenly blurted: “How come you were outside that grotty hotel when I picked you up? It’s just occurred to me. I was so distracted by the bruises on your face I didn’t think to ask.”

Guilt coursed through Jessica like poison and she shifted uncomfortably. She wanted to tell Sophie badly. Soph had been her best friend since school so she knew and had been accepting of Jess’ old, promiscuous ways. Before she had met Mike and calmed down. That stab of guilt again. Mike. She couldn’t bring herself to tell her
about Nathan, despite him being the most fun she had had in ages. It felt...wrong now, sat in the apartment her and Mike used to share together.

“Oh, I’m not sure.”  Jess shrugged, hoping she looked nonchalant. “I think I was a bit disorientated when I left hospital. I just started walking and wound up there.”  Jessica felt yet another pang of guilt at the sad concern in Sophie’s expression and moved in for a hug so she could avoid seeing it any longer.

“I’m fine, sweetie. Really, I’m fine.” This time, she was only partly lying.             

Later on that evening; the pain from Jess’s bruises had started up again. As she rummaged through her bag to get the pills, a folded slip of white paper caught her attention. Opening it with curiosity, she realised it was Nathans details: phone number an
d email but no address she noticed. Underneath this information was a scrawled note in scratchy handwriting:

‘Apologies to the most stunning girl I have ever reversed in to! If you can ever forgive me, I would love to take you to dinner sometime, fat lip and all!’

Jess gave a short laugh and a warm sexy tingle started to build in her lower regions at the memory of Nathan fucking her. She bit her lip and stared at the digits on the paper. When she’d left him earlier, she’d meant what she said. She had used him for one thing, got it and that was that. She did not want to get involved with anyone; she had just lost her boyfriend and had been through enough emotion recently. She wanted less in her life, not more.

But this wasn’t involvement, was it? Just a girl, trying to rediscover her sense of identity after having it tipped upside down. Deciding she was making things mean more by the analysis, Jess reached for her cell and deftly copied the number onto the screen. Pacing as it rang; the sexy feeling that pulsed through her soon dissipated any thoughts that this was the wrong decision.

“Hey Nathan? It’s Jess. From earlier.” She added, somewhat un-necessarily. The sound of his voice down the phone actually flipped her stomach, a thrilling sensation she had long forgotten.

“Hi Jess!” The delight in his voice made her smile. “I didn’t think I’d be hearing from you to be honest. How are you?”

“I’m ok.” She decided to get straight to the point.

“Listen, I was wondering if I could come over again tonight?” She screwed her face up at how forward she sounded, but she was desperate to feel that pleasure again. That freedom. She heard Nathan’s deep chuckle. He clearly understood what she was after and she could imagine his shy, awkward stance as he thought of a reply.

“Sure! But, can I take you out first?” Jess rolled her eyes. She wanted a simple booty call; easy, temporary happiness. Her hesitation was clearly obvious to him and he quickly backtracked.

“Okay, okay. I get it.” Nathan tried to sound unaffected. “Come over when you like, I’ll be here all night.”

Jessica hung up and went to turn on the shower, trying to ignore the bubbles of excitement in her belly.

Arriving at the hotel; Jessica could already feel herself starting to get wet at the anticipation of what lay ahead. Nathan opened his door in different clothes than earlier. He looked even more attractive in jeans with bare feet, and the khaki t-shirt made the color of his eyes zing, causing Jess to take a sharp intake of breath.

Her automatic response was to begin apologising for the obvious reason for her call; her visit. But she stopped herself, refusing to feel sorry for trying to add good feeling to her life.

Nathan looked as uncomfortable as ever, and Jess pondered how many women he’d had before her. He was certainly different to the self-assured men she had come across before. He waggled a bottle of wine at her.

“I get that you don’t want to date, or get to know me.” He said this more casually than she knew he felt.  “But I figured we could least have a drink? A little small talk?” He lifted his shoulders as if to say ‘I’m trying.’ and Jess defrosted slightly.

“Okay. One drink.” She agreed, pleased at the reaction this got from the tough-looking soft guy. He poured the drink into two plastic cups gleaned from the bathroom and Jess sat on the end of the bed. He passed her the drink and perched next to her, leaning slightly to chink her cup.

“Cheers.” He smiled, displaying gloriously shaped teeth. “Sorry about the plastic. This isn’t the greatest hotel in the world – no bar to steal glasses from.”

“Don’t worry.” Jess said graciously, suddenly feeling self-conscious and nervous about what questions he would ask her.

“I hope you don’t mind me saying; you seem very closed. I’ve never met a woman who doesn’t want to talk before.”

“My story is sad, Nathan. I don’t want to come across as rude, but I’ve no wish to add people to my life right now. Tell me about yourself instead.” Jess sipped her warm wine and hoped he’d accept the change of subject.

Nathan shrugged and mirrored Jessica’s position, placing their heads close together. “Not much to tell really. I’m been away travelling for years. Australia, New Zealand, Dubai. Picked up work where I could, met some amazing people, saw some amazing things. I had to get out after me and my girlfriend split. We had been together since High School and my heart was broken.” Nathan stared down at the floor, seeming upset. Shaking himself, he looked deep into Jess’s eyes, turning her legs to jelly.

“It appears we both have sad stories.” He lifted his finger and gently traced along her jaw down to her chin, which he held gently in his fingers. Pulling her lips to his, he delicately kissed her, soft as a butterfly.                      

“Does that hurt?” He referenced the cut on her bottom lip. Jessica shook her head once, the surge of passion rendering her almost speechless.

“No.” She whispered. Nathan leaned in and kissed her again, darting his tongue teasingly inside her slightly open mouth.

Jess could not bear the tenderness. The way he made her feel out of control. So she stood and plucked the drink from his hand, placing it out of the way before pushing him onto his back and climbing sexily on top of him. She could see his hard-on already and she ran her palm along the bulge. Shuffling back slightly, she pulled at his jeans popping the buttons easily this time, and slid them off down his legs. She surveyed the half naked man lying in front of her: Penis fully erect and bottom lip between his teeth, and felt powerful and extremely horny.

With the edge of her nail, she lightly scratched up the inside of his thigh and felt herself slippery at the sight of his twitching, expectant cock. Looking confidently into his lustful eyes, she dipped her head and circled the tip of his manhood with her moist tongue. Nathan let out a shaky breath as she gripped the base firmly in her hand and hungrily put the rest of the length in her warm mouth, moving it up and down slowly. It turned her on to watch his reaction: he thrust his pelvis and began to pant until Jess could take no more – she needed to be touched, her clit was throbbing so hard it hurt.

Wriggling off of the bed, she tore her clothes off as he looked on, drinking in her body as if paralysed by passion. Jess straddled him and hovered with his rock hard dick just touching the entrance to her excited pussy. They stared at each other, both gasping hard with expectation. Then, Nathan flipped her over and separated her knees with large hands. Jess gasped as he kissed down her stomach and across her hip-bone, expelling a desperate moan as she felt his hot tongue flick her engorged clitoris. He made hard circular movements on her button and pressed his finger just inside her, then pulled it back and circled the hole, dipping his finger in a little further the next time. Jess grabbed his hair and moaned loudly, feeling her juices start to run down her leg. Half-wild with desire, she writhed beneath him and pushed down hard when his finger slid back inside her warmth.

“Oh God, oh God, oh God.” She cried, unable to keep it in. Nathan increased the intensity and hot ripples of fire drowned her, as her muscles spasmed and tensed with the electric release of her orgasm. She pushed at his shoulders, the nerve endings too raw; the pleasure too much.

Nathans eyes were half closed as if dazzled by the want inside of him. He cupped her breast in his hand and thumbed her pert nipple. She jerked - every touch another rush of pleasure. He plunged his full length into her with a guttural moan. Barely finishing her last orgasm, she felt the pulses of another building, her head swimming with the over-whelming sensation. He pounded into her, filling her up. She felt the first pump of his come deep within and the two of them shook together as they gave in to their simultaneous climax.

Panting in silence for a while, Nathan eventually spun Jess over so that they were both lying on their sides. She buried her face in his shoulder, wanting to hold on to the glow and relishing the closeness. She knew reality would descend as her heart rate slowed, and she did not want to greet it.

“So...I’m probably here for another week.” Nathan grinned, “do you reckon we could do this a few more times before I leave?” He stammered, unsure of himself now.

Jess’ wall immediately rose up, but further consideration smashed holes through it. ‘This could be perfect,’ she mused. ‘A stranger in town, gone within a week. No-one has to know and I get some form of comfort for a while.’ She playfully slapped Nathan’s chest.

“Don’t look so worried, travelling boy.” She said, making fun of his pensive features. “Yes. Okay. We can do it again. Just sex though. I can’t handle any type of attachment or
feelings
” Jess spat the word distastefully. “I don’t care if you think I’m fucked up. I’ve had an awful year and I need to make things easier for myself, not harder. So, sex for the week, then strangers forever. Deal?”

Nathan’s dark eyebrows rose at her blunt reply, but he was starting to feel less surprised by the matter-of-fact attitude this enigmatic woman projected.

“Yes.” He nodded, somewhat over enthusiastically.  “Yes, deal. I have some people to visit and a friend to catch up with, but other than that I’ll be free most evenings. How about you just call me when you want to come over? I’m assuming I won’t be permitted to come to your place?” He half joked.

“You presume correct, Mister.” Jess started to trace the lines of his intricate tattoo with her fingertip. It was an artistic vine: thick, shaded branches sprouting spiky leaves travelled across his shoulder and up to his neck. Down his arm, the vine became thornier and a beautiful vampire hid in the shadows beyond it. Catching herself, she jumped away from him as if stung. She had made the terms herself; being fascinated and interested in this guy’s body art definitely counted as the beginnings of attachment in her mind.

Dressing quickly, she made a hasty goodbye and travelled back to her empty apartment where, for the first time in months, she fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.

Stretching her arms into the beam of sunlight shining through her window, Jess felt relaxed and well rested for once. A knot of anxiety and that pesky guilt still sat in the pit of her gut, but it was only there if she focused on it, so she got up to busy herself.

The phone ringing provided the perfect distraction, and she answered it without registering the name on the display.