Saving jay, p.10
Saving Jay, page 10
part #3 of Breaking Free Series
I turned around and felt her warm fingers on my skin as she inspected my back.
“Nice. I have to say, this is probably the most badass piece I’ve ever done. Do you like it so far?”
I did. I loved it. I’d kept catching myself staring at it in the mirror this morning as I worked out.
“I love it.”
“Oh, good.”
I could hear the relief in her voice, and it surprised me.
“How could I not love it? You’re a genius.”
Jade laughed a little before her hand wiped cool ointment onto my back. “What do you think about making your next appointment longer?”
“That’s fine with me.”
We grew quiet as Jade’s hands rubbed the ointment onto my fresh tattoo. My skin was tender, but so was her touch.
“Can you come by tomorrow night to discuss the shop? I have a conference call at five, but after that, I’m all yours.”
Jade’s hands continued moving in slow circles across my back. “Sure. I have to double check, but I think I work until nine tomorrow.”
I peered over my shoulder. “Nine is good.”
Anytime would be good as long as she came.
“Okay. I’ll be there.”
Jade
It was taking every ounce of willpower I possessed not to jump Jay’s bones. Having him stand in front of me with his shirt off, his tattooed naked back under my hands, and his intoxicating sexy smell filling the air around us—it was like the worst kind of torture.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little anxious about going to his place tomorrow night. I had a feeling my willpower was going to be pretty scarce by then. I wasn’t sure if I was more nervous or excited. I’d been imagining having sex with Jay since the first day we met, and to be honest, I couldn’t wait to finally experience the real thing. I just hoped we wouldn’t be moving too fast. I’d never been good at keeping my emotions and sex separate. In order for me to really enjoy sex with a man, I had to feel an emotional connection, which also meant I had to risk getting hurt.
“Okay, all done.”
“Thanks.”
Jay picked his shirt up off my couch, and I put the cap back on the ointment before going into my kitchen to wash my hands.
“How are you liking your new apartment?” Jay slipped his tie back over his head and tightened it around the collar of his shirt.
I moved to lean against the kitchen entrance with a towel in my hands as I dried them. It hadn’t occurred to me until that moment that I had never told him which apartment I lived in. “It’s pretty nice. I just haven’t had a chance to unpack everything yet and really make it a home, you know? All I’ve really done lately is sleep in here. I’ve been so busy. How did you know where I lived anyway?”
Jay finished straightening his tie and collar before picking his jacket up from the back of my couch. “I have connections,” he said, his eyes holding an edge of mischief.
I watched Jay as he slipped his strong arms into his jacket and shrugged it on. Just a few articles of clothing had transformed his image so drastically. I found it incredibly alluring and sexy. He was like my very own Superman. Only, instead of sporting superhero tights under his suit, he was covered in badass tattoos.
Jay caught me staring at him and gave me a sexy smirk. “What are you thinking about, Ms. Holliday?”
“How you just transformed into Clark Kent right in front of my eyes.”
Jay chuckled and peered down at his suit before meeting my gaze again. He walked toward me until his body was only inches from mine, and I felt my heart pounding in my chest. Pushing his jacket back on one side, he slipped his hand into his pants pocket while raising his other arm to rest on the wall behind me. He leaned down without touching me, his lips hovering just over mine.
I wanted him to take me. I was dying to feel him unrestrained and uninhibited.
“Would Clark Kent do this?” He leaned down further and slowly ran his warm tongue up the side of my neck.
He stopped just before wrapping his soft lips around my earlobe, and he lightly nipped it between his teeth. By the time he released me from his mouth, I was panting, my nipples were hard, and I could already feel myself getting wet.
Oh fuck.
“Holy shit. You’re so much cooler than Clark Kent,” I whispered.
Jay started laughing, and once I realized what I’d said, I did, too. I dropped my forehead onto his shoulder, and he took his hand out of his pocket before wrapping his arms around my waist. I wasn’t sure why, but I felt safe inside his arms.
A few seconds later, there was a knock at my front door.
“That must be Jackie,” he said, his deep voice vibrating against me.
I expected Jay to let me go, but instead, he brought his hands up to my neck where he ran his thumbs along my throat. He let his fingers slide into the hair at the back of my head. Our eyes searched each other’s before he slowly leaned down and softly kissed me again. When he pulled away, I felt my body clinging to his. I wasn’t ready for him to go.
“Enjoy your massage,” he murmured against my lips before he took a step back.
I watched as he put his hand back in his pocket, and he made his way to my front door.
Jay
I spent the rest of Wednesday afternoon trying to stop fantasizing about Jade, so I could get some work done. I’d asked Faith to meet me for dinner to discuss Red. My lawyer had already sent the paperwork to my office, and as long as she agreed to take it, by the end of the week, I would no longer be the owner.
Sitting at my usual table in Clara’s Seafood Restaurant, I thought about the first day I’d walked into that club. It had been a mess on the inside, but from the second I’d laid eyes on it, I had known it could be something amazing. I could still feel the excitement that had coursed through me as I walked around and imagined all the things I could do with it. I’d worked my ass off to get that place exactly how I wanted. At the time, I had been desperate to prove myself, to show the world that I wasn’t just a rich man’s son. I had been determined to make Red a success, and that was exactly what I had done. Only, the pride and relief I’d wanted never came. I’d thought that once I had owned a successful business, I would no longer feel that relentless urge to justify my worth. It wasn’t until recently that I’d realized I had been trying so hard to convince everyone else but myself, the only person who needed to believe it.
I took a sip from my wine just as the hostess appeared with Faith following behind her. I put my glass down on the table before standing up to greet her.
“What is this about?” Faith asked, skeptically eyeing me.
I grinned and gave her a quick hug.
She was wearing a black dress with a swooping neckline, her hair hanging down around her shoulders. She looked ten years younger.
“Look at you. You’re absolutely breathtaking,” I said, ignoring her question.
Faith ran a hand through her hair before fidgeting with her dress and waving me off. “Stop buttering me up, Jay. What is this about?”
“Please take a seat.” I extended my hand toward the empty chair across from me.
Faith’s eyes went to her seat and came back to mine before she suspiciously lifted her eyebrow. I smiled, and eventually she conceded. After she was seated, I sat down in my chair and gestured toward the menu before picking up my wine glass. Straightening her back, Faith took the menu into her hands and began reading it. I watched her as I took a sip of my cabernet.
“What do you suggest?”
“Their steak is fantastic, but if you want seafood, then I recommend the crab.”
Faith put the menu down and looked at me. “Steak it is.”
Our waitress must have been watching because she was at our table within seconds. After placing our orders, I decided to put Faith out of her misery.
“I asked you here tonight because I have a proposition for you.”
Faith studied me as she leaned closer and folded her hands on the table in front of her. “Okay.”
“I’ve been thinking about this for a while now, and as you’ve probably noticed, I’ve been too busy to give Red the attention it deserves.”
Faith’s eyes moved to my wine glass, and a look of worry passed over her face. She hid it and met my gaze again.
“You’ve been with me from the beginning, Faith. You even stuck with me when I nearly lost the club two years ago. I’m not sure I could ever repay you for all you’ve done.”
She gave me a sad smile. “It was my pleasure, Jay. I love that place.”
I nodded. “I know you do. That’s why I’d like to give it to you.”
Faith had begun to look away, but once she’d heard what I’d said, her eyes shot back to mine, and they were wider than I’d ever seen them.
“What?” she half-whispered across the table.
“If you’d like it,” I added.
She brought her hands to her cheeks that were now flush. “Are you kidding me? It’s not nice to tease a woman, Jason Clarke.”
I chuckled as I shook my head. “I’m not joking. I’d like to give you Red. It would be yours to do what you please.”
“Give it to me? Just like that?”
“Just like that,” I said with a smile.
Before I had a chance to stand, Faith was out of her chair and around the table. She leaned down and wrapped her arms around my shoulders where she also rested her head.
“Oh my God, I can’t believe this.”
I could hear the emotion in her voice, and I heard her sniff against my jacket.
I carefully stood up, and she moved to wrap her arms around my waist, her head now on my chest. I was in shock. In all the years I’d known Faith, I’d never once seen her cry or get emotional. I put my arms around her and hugged her back.
“You have no idea what you’ve just done,” she murmured against my shirt. “I was just about to lose my house,” she admitted before sobbing against me.
I could feel her tears seeping through my shirt, but I didn’t care. I just hugged her tighter. I had no idea that Faith had been having so much trouble, but it didn’t surprise me that she hadn’t said anything. She was a proud woman.
“Shh…it’s okay. You don’t have to worry about that now,” I said, stroking her hair.
Faith quickly pulled away and looked up at me. Her makeup was smeared, and tears stained her cheeks, but she had the most beautiful smile on her face. “Holy shit! Is this real?”
Before I could answer her, she was hugging me again. “You are a saint, Jason Clarke. Oh my God, my boys. My boys can go to college now.”
Faith continued crying and laughing against me as the reality of what I’d told her sank in. My face hurt from smiling so much. It felt amazing to make someone I cared about so happy, and it only reaffirmed my decision to leave Red behind.
She finally excused herself to the restroom to clean herself up when the waitress brought us our food. When Faith returned to our table, her eyes were a little red, but she looked refreshed and lighter.
“Oh, wow. This looks delicious,” she said as she took her seat.
She arranged her napkin on her lap, and I began cutting into my steak.
“Do you mind if I ask what brought this on?”
I peered up from my plate to see Faith eyeing me as she took her first bite.
“Time—I feel like it’s slipping away from me.”
Faith nodded, and her eyes flicked down to the candle between us before she looked at me again. “How’s your dad doing?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “He seems all right, but he doesn’t talk about it much. I’m not sure he would tell us even if things were bad.”
Faith gave me a sympathetic look before taking a sip from her water. “You should see if you could talk to his doctor and maybe go to an appointment with him. He’s going to need a lot of help. He can’t do this on his own.”
I gave Faith a small nod before focusing on my steak. My jaw clenched as I thought about my father. He still worked the same hours, still worried about his company more than his family, and still left my mother to take care of herself. He’d talked to the doctors, and he’d probably done what he always did—tried to throw money at the problem.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” Faith said, bringing me back from my thoughts.
I realized I had been gripping my fork and knife so hard that my knuckles were now white. I loosened my grip. “No, it’s fine. You’re right,” I muttered before taking a bite of my steak.
Later that night, I called my mom.
“Jason, how are you, dear?”
“I’m good, Mom. How are you?”
“Oh, I’m fine. I’m excited for your date on Friday. I really think you’re going to like this girl.”
I was glad my blind dates gave my mom something to look forward to, but that wasn’t why I had called.
“When is Dad’s next doctor’s appointment?”
“What? Oh, I don’t know. Next week, I think.”
“I want to go.”
“I’m not sure he wants anyone there, dear.”
“I want to go, Mom, and I think you should be there, too.”
She sighed into the phone, but eventually, she said, “Okay.”
After hanging up, I tossed my phone down on the couch next to me and took a sip from my gin and tonic. I wasn’t sure who I was angrier with—my father or myself. My father was dying. We would lose him soon, and I still couldn’t seem to let go of the pain and hurt I felt every time I looked at him. It made me feel selfish and ungrateful. I should be able to put our differences aside and just love him. I had to find a way past this.
Jade’s words from yesterday repeated in my head. “Parents are human, too. They’re not perfect. I just tried to forgive him, so I could move on.”
She’d made it sound so simple and easy to forgive someone whose absence had changed everything.
Parents should love their child, and they should be willing to do anything to protect their child from pain, not be the cause of it. To me, that was unforgiveable. Deep down, I knew my mother always loved me even if she wasn’t the best at showing it, but things with my father were different. With him, I wasn’t so sure.
Jade
I woke up on Thursday morning to another flower and coffee delivery. Unfortunately, Jay wasn’t the one at my door, but he had sent a note.
I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO TONIGHT.
~JAY
I held the small card between my fingers, and I smiled when I thought of all the naughty things I wanted to do to him. Despite my reservations, I couldn’t deny that I wanted Jay. We had chemistry that I’d never felt with anyone else, even Damon. Every time Jay and I had kissed, I could feel his dominant and commanding side emerging. I got wet from just imagining the things he could do to me. I wasn’t sure if tonight was the night, but I did know that every time I had been around him, it got harder and harder to control myself.
I sat down at my dining room table and sipped my coffee while I made some adjustments to a sketch I’d started the night before. I had a busy day ahead of me, but luckily, I loved my job, so I was excited to get the day started.
Just as I was standing up, my cell phone started ringing in my living room. I walked over and grabbed it to see that Asia was calling.
“Hey, girl.”
“Hey, Jade. How are you?”
“I’m good. About to head into the shop. How is New York?”
“Fuckin’ cold. It looks like we’ll be coming back early. A group of us are planning on going out for drinks on Saturday night. Can you make it?”
“Sure. What time?”
“Um, we’ll probably be there around nine or so. We’re going to Frank’s Sports Bar on Constitution. Do you know where that is?”
“I’m sure I can find it. Do you mind if I bring a date with me?”
“No, not at all. Who is this date, huh? Is he giving you the D?”
Asia and I both laughed.
“No. No, D—not yet anyway.”
“Ah. So, you’re holding out. Good for you.”
“Yeah, well, it’s hard,” I said, smiling as I doodled a heart on a blank sheet of paper.
“I’m sure it is.”
I shook my head and smiled at Asia’s dirty jokes. Not much had changed.
“Well, bring him. I want to meet this dude.”
“Okay, I will.”
“Sweet. I’ll see you then.”
“Okay. See ya.”
After hanging up, I sent a text to Jay.
Good morning. Want to go out with me on Saturday night?
He texted me back a few seconds later.
Of course.
I was excited to introduce Asia to Jay. I just hoped they liked each other.
Pulling up in front of Expressions, I smiled to myself when I looked at the new sign hanging above the door. The lettering was in the traditional American tattoo style, and I’d drawn some filigree in the background to help give it more of a feminine feel. I’d dreamed of having my own shop for years, and after the things I’d gone through with Damon, there was a time I’d doubted it would ever happen. Now, I was chasing my dream with even more determination and drive. I’d been so close to losing myself, but because of everything I’d been through, I now knew how strong I could be. There was no way a little stress was going to keep me down.
I carried my bag and sketchbook into the shop a few minutes before ten and noticed a young woman sitting on the leather couch in the lobby. She had bright pink hair and was wearing a pair of crazy patterned leggings with Doc Martens on her feet. Her shirt was way too big for her, but she pulled it off well. She had bangle bracelets on her wrist that jingled when she waved at me.
“Oh my God, you’re so much prettier in person,” she said, smiling at me from the couch.
She was sitting up straight and looked incredibly giddy, like a fangirl.
Before I could respond, Dustin came walking in from the back of the shop. “Stop freaking out, Celeste.”
She and I both looked at him before smiling at each other.
“Is this your sister?” I asked Dustin as I put my stuff down on the table in the corner.
