Craving More (13 page)

“My
ass
was
thinking about you but I
didn’t call. Couldn’t actually. I can’t find my damn cell phone.”

She
snorted. Typical man. They can’t keep track of anything. “Check your couch out
then. It’s probably in there. That’s where Sam’s usually is.”

She
finally opened her eyes. “Is there something I can get you this morning?
Scone maybe and a large black coffee?
You look like you need
it.”

The
usual glimmer was missing from his eyes. He looked as fatigued as she felt.

He
reached down and pulled her up by her arms. “How about a morning kiss. I slept
like shit last night and need something good and sweet to start my day off
right.”

She
opened her mouth to say the smart-aleck reply on the tip of her tongue but he
cut her off.

“And
not a scone or muffin or anything like that. I want one of your sweet kisses.”

She
hesitated a minute before wrapping her hand round the nape of his neck. She
needed it too. Tugging on the back of his head she brought him down to her. Her
plan was to give him a gentle, chaste, sweet kiss like he asked for yet the
second her lips touched his she was on fire.

She
slipped her tongue into his mouth, stroking inside like she wanted him to take
her. He groaned, wrapping his arms around her. Locking their bodies together.
She could feel his erection pressing against her belly. Hot, hard and
insistent. His hand drifted to her ass, palming it roughly before pulling her
harder against him.

Too
soon he lifted his mouth from hers. She wanted to scream in frustration.
Instead she buried her face against his throat and groaned. Lifting her head
back a little she licked the juncture of his throat and shoulder. Needing just
one more taste. It was hard resisting the urge to bite him and mark him as
hers. Instead, she nipped him gently before breaking his hold.

“Is
that better?” she asked.
Her voice husky with lust.

“Damn,”
he breathed. “Hell yeah that’s better.” He glanced at his watch. “Shit, I need
to get going. Have a meeting in thirty minutes. Any chance I can get that scone
and coffee you offered up?”

She
rolled her eyes then walked behind the counter gathering up his order. Handing
over the bag she crooked her finger at him. He leaned in, curiosity stamped
across his features. Once he was close enough she planted a kiss on his lips,
drawing away before he could react.

“Just
so you know, I’m irritated with you, but since you kiss like a devil, I’m
thinking about letting it slide.”

He
cocked his head to the side clearly confused about what she was talking about.

“Have
a good day at work…
.
kitten
,”
she smirked. Shooing him out the door as couple of other customers came in.

Jett
didn’t call that night but then she expected as much. He’d probably have to
call out a search party to find his phone. She knew from experience that it
would probably take a woman to find it. She fell asleep early with thoughts of
Jett and hot kisses in her mind. Hoping to get a more in the morning.

Friday
rolled in and out without a word from Jett. He wasn’t the first customer to
walk through the doors and, by the end of the day, he never showed up. He
didn’t even call and she knew he had her number, at the bakery and her cell.

By
Sunday evening, and with still no word from Jett, she thought she finally had
the answer to one of her nagging questions. How long would it take for him to
lose interest? It seemed not very long.

At
one point during the weekend she built up the nerve to call his cell. He never
answered. She couldn’t help think he was avoiding her. She was never terribly
good at keeping a man around. That is, the few who were interested.

Lounging
on the couch in the basement she was surprised when MJ strolled downstairs with
Sam following.

That
relationship was beyond rocky and the sight of them together grabbed Corrine’s
attention. Instead of asking what was up, in fear of breaking whatever spell
was over them that had them playing nice, she waited–playing it cool.

After
ten minutes of her ignoring them and pretending to pay attention to the crime
show on TV, Sam finally spoke up.

“So,
sis, what’s going on?” Sam fidgeted nervously next to MJ on the other couch.

Corrine
let out a grunt. “Nothing.”

“Really?
There’s nothing you want to tell us?” he probed.

Corrine
glanced at them. Both had serious mom and dad looks on their faces. She rolled
her eyes and focused back on the television. “Nope.”

“Are
you sure?” he asked.
A hint of doubt lacing his voice.

“Oh
for god’s sake, Sam.” MJ huffed out drawing her attention. “What the hell is
wrong with you, Rini? You’ve been acting strange this whole week, even more so
today. And don’t even think of trying to tell me I’m wrong. I’ve seen that
flushed look every morning and it wasn’t because of how busy we were. Is it
him
?”

Corrine
was surprised how fast Sam’s head whipped toward MJ. “You told me something was
wrong with her. You didn’t say anything about there being a guy. Is there a guy
Corrine? What’s his name,” he demanded. His head whipping back over in her
direction.

Corrine
glared at MJ. “No. There’s no guy. Not one worth mentioning that’s for sure.”
She gritted her teeth as the lie came out.

“I
call bullshit.” MJ glared back at her.

“Don’t
do
this Mary Jane,” Corrine stressed.

“Sam
doesn’t even know, does he? That’s complete crap.” MJ stood, fists on her hips.

Corrine
jumped up from the couch adopting the same stance. “It isn’t Sam’s business. I
can do what I want. And I’m telling you right now there’s nothing worth
mentioning. Hell, he didn’t even show up Friday and hasn’t bothered to call in
four days. I’m fairly certain that means ‘kiss my ass’ in guy speak.”

“Oh
my god, that’s why you turned me down when I offered to work up front Thursday?
He’s been coming into the shop and you didn’t tell me.”

Sam
finally stood up. “So there is a guy,” Sam said.
Half asking,
half stating.

Corrine
and MJ both looked at him and shook their heads. Men were clueless.

“What?
It isn’t like you’re having a private conversation. I’m just trying to wrap my
head around you hooking up with a guy, Cor.”

Corrine
turned her mounting anger on him. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’m so
horribly big and ugly no guy would be interested in me? I don’t believe this
crap. First off, it isn’t anyone’s business. Second, I can screw a guy if I
want. And that’s exactly what it was. A screw.
Nothing
more—nothing less.
He was out for a good time and we had it.
Third, and most importantly, we aren’t in a relationship. Won’t ever be in a
relationship. So there’s nothing to be concerned about. He was just out for a
little fun. Its over.” She threw her hands up in the air exasperated before
storming past her bother and best friend. “I’m outta here.”

She
made it to her room, locking the door a few seconds before they came charging
after her.

“Go
away. I’m not speaking to either of you.” She called out, walking to the
bathroom to start a bath. Without shifting and running this was the only other
way she would be able to relax; hopefully, enough to calm her down so she could
get a little sleep before opening the shop tomorrow.

Corrine
stripped down. Sinking into the hot fragrant water she let it do its magic. It
was time for things to go back to normal. Maybe if she kept repeating it, she
would eventually believe it.

Jett popped the top on yet another beer, downing half
of it before taking a breath.

What
an utterly shitty couple of days.

Closing
his eyes, he tipped his head back resting it on the couch. His mind went blank,
blocking all of the negative shit occupying his head. Slowly a vision of
Corrine filtered across his mind.

She
was standing in the kitchen just like she had been that first Saturday he was
at her place, this time though, she was naked except for the apron wrapped
around her waist.

Jett
groaned and adjusted his thickening cock.

A
crash from the front door had Jett lifting his head up. Sam’s scent wafted into
the condo followed by the angry stomping man.

Jett’s
burgeoning erection quickly died away, nothing like the brother of your fantasy
woman to kill the mood.

“Grab
a beer. Sounds like you need one,” Jett called out.

He
heard a grumbling sound from the kitchen. Seemed Sam was already headed there.

Sam
emerged with the now nine-pack under his arm. “Damn women,” he growled.

He
set the beer on the coffee table, snatched one up and flopped into the recliner
next to the couch.

Jett
raised an eyebrow in question. “Care to elaborate?”

“Some
jackass literally screwed my sister, dumped her and
she
says it isn’t any of my business. I don’t know whose neck I
want to wring first. Hers for hooking up with some asshole of a guy out for a
good time or his for fucking and leaving her.” Sam shook his head and twisted
the cap off his beer.

Luckily,
Jett wasn’t drinking at that moment since he would have choked.
What the hell!
He cleared his throat.
“You mind repeating that? You sister slept with a guy? When?”

“You
heard me right—my sister and some guy. It’s just strange beyond words and
she’s keeping it a secret from everyone. You know, I couldn’t even get his name
out of MJ and I damn well know she knows.”

Jett
watched as Sam tipped back his beer guzzling it down. He let out a sound of
satisfaction before putting it on the table and grabbing another.

“MJ
knows who he is?” he couldn’t help but ask as panic shot through his belly.

“I’d
bet the farm on it. Those two tell each other everything.” Jett’s brow
furrowed. “The most frustrating part is that MJ didn’t know the guy showed up
at the bakery everyday this past week except for Friday I guess, which means it
has to be serious. Corrine keeping secrets from MJ about a guy makes me
nervous. It isn’t like her at all. Fuck! I don’t want to have to kick some
dude’s ass and piss her off even more.”

They
sat in silence, each apparently lost in their thoughts.

This
whole relationship with Corrine was going to hell before it even really got off
the ground. Jett knew he needed to talk to Sam about Corrine; he needed to come
clean and tell his friend Corrine was his mate. If he hadn’t been convinced
before, he was now.

Four
nights of not hearing her voice before bed and he didn’t know why he bothered
trying to sleep. Friday, when he missed out on seeing her in the morning, he
was antsy and ready for a fight, spending most of the day pacing his office and
scaring off the other employees. He would have left early to drive out to her
place but he had back-to-back meetings that he couldn’t get out of.

If
he was honest with himself, he probably could have rescheduled. His biggest
reason for not running to her at the first opportunity was his run-in with his
ex, Macy, Thursday. He hadn’t even told Sam about that. Too afraid if he gave
voice to his worries they would come true.

He
was walking to his car after work when he spotted a woman leaning against the
diver’s side door. Her long blonde hair was scraped away from her face into a
tight ponytail. She wore a figure hugging black dress and a pair of killer
heels. She looked like the Macy he knew when they first started dating. She
seemed happy, calm and carefree; nothing
like
his last
memory of her. The psychotic woman from his last confrontation seemed to have
disappeared completely.

His
mind drifted back to his conversation with Macy.

“Macy?” He stopped at the trunk of the
car, nervous about getting any closer.

Macy turned her head in his direction,
a stunning smile on her lips. “Jett! I wondered if you were ever going to get
off work. Its so great to see you.”

Jett quickly glanced around to see if
anyone was near. Macy did always hate having people see her when she wasn’t the
picture perfect woman. With no one around he was no doubt going to get the
crazy bitch show.

She laughed lightly. “Oh Jett. I’m not
going to do anything to you. I just wanted to talk. I’ve been thinking over
everything while we’ve been apart. I really did get out of control there for a
while. I just want to apologize and hoped we could be friends of a sort.”

“Oh, I see.” A whisper of relief shot
through him as he tentatively took a couple of steps toward her. Still, there
was a part of him that told him to watch out, looks really could be deceiving.
“Things did get a bit intense between us,” he joked.