So. Long.: Bad Boy Next Door (26 page)

“I stopped by to invite you two ladies to dinner this Friday.
I thought we could choose your victim.”

Victim
? Seriously? “You’re talking about a real live
person, who’s going to walk unsuspectingly into a trap.”

Jackson glances from me to Shay. “Nah it’s only a trap if
they fall for it. And if they do, then that’s on them. Right,
Leave ‘Em
?”

Shay pulls back a fist as though she’s going to let him have
it. “Don’t make me hurt you. I’m sure you’d get some
press
if I turn you
into a one-nut wonder.”

I should let her pop him one. Alas, she is my friend. I jump
between them before Shay winds up in jail.

I push Jackson toward the front door. “Maybe you should go.”

He blows a kiss to Shay, whose back is turned as she stirs
her coffee—of course, her other hand is in the air, flipping him off.

I lightly smack his arm to get him moving. “Go, would you?
You two are like a couple of bickering children.”

“Hey, she started it.” He grins.

I can’t help but smile at him. “Shh. You’ll get her riled
up. Not the best idea first thing in the morning.”

Outside, he takes my hand as he heads toward his car.
“Seriously, I meant it about dinner. I’ll pick you two up. Around seven?”

A seed of wariness sprouts in my gut. “I don’t know. I think
you may want to steer clear of Shay for a while. She’s pretty pissed about this
bet.
I’m
not super happy about it either.”

When we get to his car, he leans close and brushes his lips
across mine.

He lightly squeezes my fingers. “I promise, it’ll be fine.
Nothing can go wrong. You’ll see. Trust me.”

I pull my hand free, giving him a doubtful shake of my head.
“Trust you? I don’t even
know
you.”

“Then I guess we’ll have to remedy that. I’ll see you soon,
Love
‘Em
.” He winks as he gets into his car.

THREE

Please, God, let me get off the street before it dies.

The car sputters and chokes. I let off the gas and take the
right turn, coasting along. The entrance to the pet store’s rear parking lot mocks
me.

I pat the dash. “Come on, Sweet Sue, you can do this. Just
another fifty feet to a spot in that lot.”

A jolt throws me against my seat belt. I wrestle the
steering wheel, trying to guide the car to the metered parking spot at the side
of the road. There’s no way we’re making it to the other side of the street.

The car rolls to a complete stop.

Here? It has to die
here
? Eight more feet, and I’d
have been in the spot. Great, now I’ll have to push the car.

Shit.

I hit the button to turn on the hazard lights. I jam the
gear shifter into neutral and get out.

Luckily, traffic is light at the moment.

Damn it.

I grab the door frame with one hand and the steering wheel
with the other, pushing.

Push. Harder.

“C’mon, Sue, roll. Just a few feet.” Tightening my grip on
the car, I try again.

Progress. She moved—all of about three inches, if that gum
spot just under the edge of the door is anything to measure by. I’m sure it was
closer to the front of the car a moment ago.

I’m sure.

I hope.

The breeze blows my hair into my face, I brush it back.

“One more time. This is it, Sue.” My hands strain against
the car, and my shoes grip the pavement.

I hold my breath and try again.

Not even a centimeter.

“Damn it to hell.”

A car wheels out of the pet store parking lot, but it
immediately pulls into a metered spot on the other side of the street, directly
across from where I’m trying to get Sue parked.

I heave another time.

Nada.

“You looking for your knight?”

The rasp in that voice is familiar. Embarrassment turns to
heat that flushes through me. If I jump in the car and close the door, maybe
he’ll go away. I hang my head for a moment, contemplating valid evasive
actions.

Just get it over with.

I turn. “Hello, Jackson.”

“Looks like the damsel is in distress.”

I ignore him and try once again to get the car to budge. His
body comes in close to mine, heating my back and ass as he places his hands
alongside of mine.

He whispers in my ear. “Try again.”

My heart jackhammers against my ribs. My mind clamors for something
pithy to answer him with.

“I got nothing,” I say.

He leans into me, his chest coming against my back, and his
hard-on pressing at the top of my ass. “What do you mean you got nothing?”

I shake my head. “I’ve got no witty reply. Thank you for
your help.”

Jackson heaves against the car, so I throw my weight into it
as well. Sweet Sue moves, slowly at first but then it picks up a little
momentum.

He says, “Hop in and steer her into the spot.”

I do as he suggests, and he lets go of the wheel and pushes,
using the car’s frame. His arms flex, and the cords of his muscles come into
stark definition.

Not just gorgeous. He’s strong. And those muscles.

Once the car is in place, he lets go. “All right. Now what?”

Wonder if I were to just run my fingers over those cords,
would he notice?

“Now what,
what
?”

He quirks one eyebrow. “What are you going to do about the
car?”

“Oh, the car—well, I don’t know. I guess I need to have it
towed or something.”

Jackson steps to the curb, digging change out of his pocket.

“Might be best to get it done sooner rather than later.” He
deposits quarters into the slot at the top of the meter. “That sign says one-hour
parking.”

Great. All the tow-trucks for hire in the greater Los
Angeles area are probably busy, and I’ll get towed by the one that only carries
cars to the impound lot.

I pull my phone out and search for tow trucks, car repair
shops—anyone, anywhere—who will come pick my car up before it earns me a big,
fat fine.

Jackson slides his finger across the screen on his phone and
taps it a couple of times.

“Hey, Rod. Look, I have a friend who needs a tow.”

I wave to get his attention, whispering, “What are you
doing?”

He ignores me.

“Can you meet us at the corner of La Cienega and Blackburn
Avenue? There’s a pet store on here. Thanks.” He tosses me a smile. “Oh, and
this needs to be now, because it’s in metered parking. Good deal. See you in a
few.”

He hangs up. “Done. Rod’s guy will be here within the hour.”

I take a deep breath and let it seep out slowly. “You didn’t
have to do that. I don’t know how to thank you.”

He tips my chin up. “Have lunch with me.”

Lunch?

With Jackson Tremaine?

Those green eyes search mine.

The cleft of his chin. His strong jaw. Those damn dimples.
And that’s just his face.

I sigh. “Shay’s gonna shoot me, but okay.”

He grabs my hand and kisses my knuckles. “Good. I know this
great little Vietnamese place.”

An hour later, my car is at the auto tech place, and Jackson
and I are eating Vietnamese spring rolls.

I dip some peanut sauce onto the end of my roll and take a
bite. I chew and swallow, acutely aware that his gaze seems to take in every
small move I make.

“Why do you keep staring at me? It’s unnerving.”

Jackson’s thumb comes toward my face. I lean away from him.

He licks the corner of his mouth. “C’mere. I’m not going to
hurt you.”

My curiosity gets the better of me. I come closer to him.

He slides his thumb along my lower lip and up to the corner.
When he pulls it back, he puts it in his mouth and sucks the condiment from it.
“The peanut sauce is my favorite part.”

My heartbeat throbs all the way to my pussy as my tongue
darts out to calm the tingles he left behind.

His hand slides around my neck while his gaze holds mine. “I
can’t help but stare at you. You’re positively gorgeous, and I’m dying to kiss
you again.”

Warmth floods my body, pooling in my core.

“More tea?”

Jackson’s gaze pulls away from mine to the small lady with a
pitcher poised over his glass.

He straightens in his seat and smiles. “That would be great.
Thanks.”

While the fog is lifted from my sex-starved brain, I switch
to the chair across from Jack, rearranging my plate and drink.

I hold up my spring roll to the woman. “These are
delicious.”

“Yes,
everything
is scrumptious.” Jackson winks.

Shay calls through the house. “Dickey, come on; it’s bed
time.”

I pad into the kitchen where she stands on the step stool
looking behind the fake ivy that’s collecting dust atop the cabinetry.

“Dickey go A.W.O.L. again?” I pull a bottle of Kahlua from
the fridge.

She hops off the stool and heads into the living room. “Yes.
He knows it’s bedtime, so he’s hiding so he doesn’t have to go back into the
cage.”

A dollop of milk to go with my alcohol makes the perfect
drink for some special relaxation techniques.

I pass by the empty perch and cage on my way to my room.
“Just leave him out. He’s out all day anyway. He never hurts anything during
daylight hours. Why would he at night?”

On her hands and knees, she looks under the sofa.

“You think he’d actually go
under
the furniture?”

She pushes to her feet. “I’ve looked everywhere else. All
right, I’m leaving him out. If he disturbs you in the middle of the night, just
remember that it’s your own fault for suggesting it.”

I salute with my glass. “I’ll keep that in mind. Good night.
Don’t forget, dinner tomorrow evening. Jack’s picking us up at seven.”

Shay mutters under her breath about bastards who make bets as
she checks behind the curtains.

I close my door and take a long sip of my White
Russian-esque drink.

After I turn on some quiet, sexy music, I light a couple of
candles. Then I dig in the back of my night table drawer for my rabbit.

Battery Operated Boyfriends aren’t ideal, but they’ll work
in a pinch. B.O.B. gets to come out to play when I’m desperate. But, my pussy
has been in need of some attention for too long. My reaction to Jackson
Tremaine the last couple of days proves it. I’d better do something for myself
before I lose my grip.

Lights out, I climb in bed. I close my eyes and let my mind
drift back over the afternoon. Lunch, with Jack’s green eyes intent upon me.
His sexy smile. Those well developed muscles in his arms. I let out a deep
breath.

After lunch, he brought me home. When he got out of the car
and followed me to the door, I wasn’t quite sure what to do. It wasn’t a date,
though it had felt like one. I’d barely turned the key in the lock when he
gently took my shoulders and turned me to face him.

His kiss was long and slow and sweet and sexy all at the
same time. Jackson Tremaine kissed me more thoroughly than I’ve been kissed.

I pull my panties off and stroke my clit, remembering the
way he nipped my lips and sucked my tongue. Hitting the button on the end of my
rabbit, I set it to mid-speed. The vibration soaks through my skin and into my
pussy as I recall the way Jackson’s warm tongue delved into my mouth and slid
alongside my tongue.

I rub my bud with the end of the vibrator, warming up to it.
I dip into my entrance and drag the moisture to the edges and up around my
clit. Jackson pulled me in close, finding that sensitive place on my neck.

Then he moved back to my mouth. I plunge the vibrator into
my slit. Jackson Tremaine tongue-fucked me right on the front porch. I pump the
poor substitute for him in and out of my pussy, until finally, the coil begins
to tighten, pressure building.

I imagine him rolling my nipples between his big fingers,
and moving lower to rub those fingers around my clit, the juice there making
them slip into my pussy nice and easy. As I pump harder, I think about how big
his cock felt pressed against my belly. I bet when he thrusts, he touches the
deepest parts of a woman. Of me. I let out a little pant as I close in on the
goal.

I slam the vibrator in and out of my pussy, arching my back
to get it at just the right angle. So fucking close. If Jack were here—

“I see you. I
see
you.” A voice calls through the
darkness of the bedroom.

I freeze. The rabbit’s ears beat against my clit as the
voice comes again. “I seeeeeee you.”

Something presses down on the blanket near my foot. I
scramble to the head of the bed, the vibrator still running and hanging half
way out of my vajayjay. I fumble for the lamp at the same time that I grapple
with the rabbit.

Finally, I get the light on.

Dickey sits at the foot of the bed, his head turned almost
upside down as he scratches his beak.

“Damn bird.” I grab the rabbit and switch it off.

Dickey flaps his wings and mimics the sound of my rabbit.