Jaded Hearts (13 page)

He was also helping me go over my client
contracts. As I suspected there were a few areas for concern with
the commission structure, but he was looking further into things to
insure that there weren't any serious implications.

Great...

I didn't really feel as awful as I would
have expected considering the fact that I still hadn't heard from
either Evan or Colleen. I know that they must have seen Andrew that
night at Mangos.  I also hadn't heard from Julian, and it had
been almost three months since he'd left. I tried to ignore the
disappointment and hurt that was weighing on me more than I wanted
to admit.

Central Park was streaming with people
clamoring to enjoy an unseasonably cool Sunday in July and it was
just like I imagined. There where people sunbathing; playing with
their pets, jogging, rollerblading, and just strolling along like I
was at the moment as I headed to meet John. I was in awe of how
green and lush the landscape was compared to the cement and brick
metropolis that surrounded it.

Once John found out that I hadn't checked it
off my 'things to do in NY list', he insisted that we come here
this weekend. I spotted him walking towards me looking like a
college student, down to the backpack he sported. His golden hued
hair was longer than usual, and was lightly wind tousled and he
sported his signature sleeveless tee this time in white with red
shorts and a pair of throwback Jordan's.

Jordan's?

He smiled at me and I could only imagine I
didn't look much different with my hair pulled back into a high
bun, a snug white wife beater and coral colored shorts that stopped
mid thigh and all white old school Adidas. We walked into an easy
hug having spent so much time together lately that we were more
than familiar. I pointed to his sneakers

"Nice kicks," I joked.

He glanced down quizzically at his choice in
footwear. "What? Are you kidding? These are classic."

I just shook my head as we linked arms and
set off to stake our claim to a blanket sized plot on the big lawn.
We settled on a spot that was relatively less crowded and I watched
as he set up the blanket, two pillows, a large thermos, hummus,
crackers and chips with onion dip.

"Wow, you are really prepared. I'm
impressed. What's in the thermos?"

He shot me a sly grin and handed it over for
my inspection, watching as I opened it sniffed and tasted the
mystery drink.

"Yum, is this Riesling?" I took another
sip.

"Very good Ms. Spencer, you are a lush after
my own heart. "He teased.

I threw the top of the canister at him.

We spent the afternoon relaxing together.
Sunbathing with a good book is a very much-underrated experience.
Well, partial sun because it had grown considerably overcast as we
enjoyed our picnic, which was probably what contributed to the
cooler weather.  I reclined back on a pillow slightly
perpendicular to John while using his torso as a footrest. My
oversized Channel shades concealed the fact that I had stopped
reading the hilarious Abe Lincoln Vampire Hunter, and was watching
him instead. He was intently covering each page of an old National
Geographic edition.

Nerd!

A very handsome nerd though, and I could
watch him all day. It was so cute the way his eyebrows furrowed and
lips pursed slightly as he read. I found myself wondering how his
lips tasted. Just then he looked at me and I pretended to be just
looking up from my book and he shot me a wink.

Could he tell I was staring at him?

I flashed him a smile.

So what if I was looking?

Especially since I caught him studying me
when he thought I wasn't looking. Often.

After a while he closed and pulled his
aviators down.

"So, how's your book?" He asked as he
grabbed one of my bare feet and began to knead and rub.

Ah that feels good.

"It's really not bad. I was skeptical when
Donna told me that she was reading it, but it is funny and holds
your interest,” I raved.  

He continued to massage my thankfully
pedicured foot.

"I don't know, but I'm having a hard time
picturing our sixteenth president hunting and killing vampires in
his spare time. Vampires?" He shook his head with speculation.

I laughed in agreement.

"I know. I did too, but I'm telling you it's
crazy because it's mostly a true story so it almost makes you want
to believe the parts that are farfetched."

He didn't seem swayed.

"Well, how about I just take your word for
it because I don't plan to read it." I pulled my foot away and
waved my other foot at him for attention.

"Or, how about I read it to you?" I
suggested.

John cocked his head to the side as he
tugged my foot lightly pulling me of my pillow.

"I think I like that. That's a creative
compromise Ms. Spencer."

I giggled as I repositioned myself on my
pillow and began reading to him about Abe Lincoln meeting Edgar
Allen Poe in New Orleans.

Just as I finished the chapter I was reading
a splatter of water hit my book.

I knew it smelled like rain.

I looked at John who was wiping a drop from
his nose and then we both scrambled to pack up our garden
party.

The downpour hit just as we were scurrying
out of the park. John grabbed my hand and I followed him as he ran
a few blocks west of the park to his building.

"You can wait it out with me until it clears
up,” he offered.

I nodded in silent agreement at his
suggestion. I was soaked and my bun came loose somewhere between
the pouring rain and the running. His building was older but it was
very well maintained. We took the large ornate wooden stairs up to
his second floor apartment and I leaned up against him
involuntarily for warmth at the air-conditioned hallway. He opened
his door and pulled me into the apartment with him. I wrapped my
arms around myself as he put down his backpack.

"Let's get you warmed up. OK?" He rubbed my
arms before he disappeared down a hallway, I assumed to his
bedroom.

I loved his place. It had a totally dark
wood, Sherlock Holmes without the clutter feel to it. There was a
large bay window in the living room that was surrounded by floor to
ceiling bookcases on either side. His sectional was light brown
micro suede that went perfectly with the tone of his wooden floors.
I walked over to one of the bookcases to marvel at his book
collection but a glass door at the bottom caught my attention. It
housed a record player accompanied by a rather large record
collection. I saw Elton John, The Beatles, Neil Diamond, Michael
Jackson, Dionne Warwick and Burt Baccarat, Led Zeppelin, Motown
Greats, The Big Chill Soundtrack. There had to have been well over
one hundred records. I kept flipping through and stopped when I
spotted the Isley Brothers.

Yes!

I turned on the sound system and gently
dropped the needle on the groove for the first track.  

"You find something you like?"  I heard
John shuffle back into the room while I was loading the album, and
turned around to face him with glee as the soulful ballad filled
the room.

He stood there shirtless, his wet hair
disheveled and holding a big T-shirt and towel for me. I was
captivated by the definition of his body. He wasn't bulky, but
chiseled. Every muscle was defined, even the hard lines that led to
his hips stood out. He didn't have a six-pack; he had a ten
pack.

The look in his hazel eyes was unmistakable
as he looked me up and down and I realized what I must look like.
My hair hanging in wet spirals around my T-shirt that was soaked,
and plastered to my body revealing my black lace bra, and all of my
curves.  I flushed red hot, even more aware that I was now
aroused so my nipples were probably peaking through my top. I stood
wordlessly as he walked over to me holding up the accessories to
get me dry.

"You must be freezing," he observed. '

Every step he took closer to me made my
heart beat faster and faster. He thought I was cold.

Not quite.

*

We stood face to face or more like my face
to his chest that was almost completely smooth except for a
sprinkle of golden hair in the middle. Maybe it was the proximity
of his body or the fact that his bare skin was exposed but I
unconsciously reached out and ran both my hands across his chest.
His shoulders were broad and all his muscles were in perfect
symmetry from his daily workouts. John didn't make any sudden
moves, but just inhaled deeply as my hands touched him.

"Do you want me to help you out of those wet
clothes?" He murmured low and huskily.

I just nodded still at a loss for words and
uncertain of what was happening. This was John, my friend. We'd
both sworn off relationships, so what was happening now was
unexpected.

He slid his hands down my sides to the hem
of my damp top, and slowly pulled it over my head letting his
finger slide against my bare skin as he did. I looked up at him to
gauge his expression but his eyes were fixed on my skin, my wet
hair, my lips, everywhere but my eyes. I slid my hands up his
chest, over his throat and cupped the sides of his face forcing him
to look at me. Needing him to look at me. We locked eyes and his
hands held on to my hips as if for support. He was restraining
himself. This was so different. He didn't want me any less than
Julian did, but he just didn't want to lose control.

I get that.

I used my thumbs to gently caress his face,
cheeks and finally his lips. I've wanted to kiss those lips since
our first meeting. Feeling courageous, I leaned up on my tiptoes
while gently guiding his face to meet mine. I could feel his hands
stirring against me as he finally pulled me against him and pressed
his lips into mine for a sensually delicious lip lock. I sighed
against his lips in delight at finally feeling them against mine.
He kissed me softly and gently almost lulling me into a trance.

My hands roamed up and down over the toned
muscles of his back finally settling around his neck as I leaned
into him. John sighed, and held me closer to him, gently rocking me
to the smooth sounds of the music. His kiss was tender and sweet
and my emotions swirled inside me. I cherished his friendship, but
I couldn't deny my attraction to him either. It was more than
physical and now it was more than friendship. I knew he wanted to
be more than friends since the beginning.

But how much more?

His hands traced around the waistband of my
shorts until his fingers were at the front and undid the snaps and
gently shoved one hand inside. The other arm encircled my waist
pulling me up in the opposite direction of my shorts until they
were past the fleshy meat of my thighs and slid off my legs onto
the floor.  I held onto his neck for support but we never
broke our kiss. His body felt like a sexy tree that I needed to
climb.

Our tongues did a slow dance as we both
wrestled with our secret fear of totally giving in to the moment.
He wasn't going to force me to lose control; he wanted me to show
him that this was exactly what I wanted. The longer we kissed the
more I could feel the tension building in him bursting at the seams
for release. It felt so good to feel his toned muscles flexing
against my sensitive skin. My hunger for him grew slowly and
steadily until there wasn't any doubt in me that I wanted him right
now. It was like his hesitation increased my desire for him. All my
usual reserve was nonexistent when I was with John.

His thin basketball shorts were a failed
barrier for his long pulsating erection. I strained against him
trying to feel as much of him as possible.  A small moan
escaped his lips when my hands fell to the waistband of his shorts
and I played with the sensitive skin of his hips threatening to go
lower. I could feel his breathing increase and more random noises
escaped his lips in-between his short rapid breathes.

"Jade." He said my name in a groan as if I
was torturing him and he was warning me to stop. In some ways, this
was like torture as both of our bodies ached for each other, but
enjoying him was so sweet.

"Yes? Hmm? Yes." I murmured against his lips
as I slid my hands deeper into his shorts and let my fingers wander
through the soft thicket of hair. His grip on me tightened and I
whimpered in excitement.

"Yes."  I said once more as I pulled
his shorts lower freeing his erection and pressing it against my
body.

"OK." was all he said as he stepped out of
his shorts and leaned me up against the back of the couch. He
slowly fell to his knees while nuzzling my thighs, kissing my
knees, and biting at the edges of my lace panties.

Oh shit!

I held onto his head twisting my fingers
into his hair as he continued to kiss and lick my lower
extremities. I watched in painful curiosity as he lowered down on
all fours to kiss my feet. This was different.

I gripped the back of the couch for support
while he slowly sucked my toes one by one. Toe sucking wasn't
really my thing but I was so surprised, and he was so good at it.
Ronald Isley's crooning helped to drown out my loud panting and
soft curses as I rolled my head back, looking away from the erotic
sight of him completely naked and carefully licking each of my
toes.

Jesus.

Once he was done with my feet he gently
kissed each ankle and came back to a kneeling position face to face
with my black lace panties.

"Do you want me to take these off Jade?"
Once again his teeth pulled at the edges of lace.

"Yes." My response came in a soft groan. But
that wasn't enough.

"Then tell me. Do you want me to use my
teeth? Tell me how you want it done."