Lust (The Stripped Bare Series Book 1) (8 page)

I really am that pathetic.

I click on her profile, thankful that it’s public, and flick through her pictures. There are a lot of pictures of a kid on there, and I wonder whose kid it is. She has never mentioned having a son to anyone. I scroll down to see if she has updated it recently. I check all the time but there’s never anything new. I’m shocked when I see that she has been tagged in a check in. ‘Piper is with Jasmine in Cruise nightclub’. She’s in here. Crap, I can’t let Dexter see her, it will totally ruin his ‘getting over her’ night, and I need him to get over her. I head over to where Dexter is practically dry humping the busty blonde and whisper to him that I’m going to take a piss. He nods his head and carries on what he was doing.

I make my way towards the ‘Svenska’ room. As I enter my vision is blinded by the fluorescent lighting. The room is basked in opulent beauty, lots of whites and silver furnishings. I scan the room trying to find her auburn hair, no doubt it would stick out in this room. I don’t see her, so I make my way up the next flight of stairs towards ‘Manhattan’. I notice her as soon as I walk into the disco themed room. She’s wearing a short red dress and killer heels. Her hair is tied up into a neat ponytail on top of her head, a few tendrils are hanging down against her oval face. She looks radiant. Piper walks over to her and hands her a glass, she smiles. She has the most enchanting smile in the world; it’s even better when I put that smile there. I’m not sure how long I stand there watching her before she lifts her head up to scan the room. Our eyes lock and her face flames. I imagine those rosy red cheeks as I tower above her, with my cock buried deep inside her. She says something to Piper and then walks towards me. I’m frozen to the spot as she takes slow, sensual steps. She beams as she gets closer, then she walks straight past me and I’m left standing in the doorway wondering what the hell has just happened.

Jasmine

I finish up with Scotty. I’m pleasantly surprised by how much I’ve enjoyed myself but I’m completely exhausted. My muscles ache. I’ve always been fit, I used to go to the gym regularly before I moved, but this is a different kind of fitness. I’ve got pains in places I didn’t think possible. Hopefully, if I do these lessons every other day, like Scotty wants, it should get easier.

I decide to go and see what Max wants before I get changed and head home. I’ve got a date with my son this afternoon that I need to keep. Standing outside Jake’s office a little longer than I usually would, I’m nervous. I hope I haven’t done anything wrong. He sits up straight as I enter the room, he’s trying to be dominant and it’s sexy as hell. When he mentions how I’m getting along with the other staff it makes me uncomfortable, I don’t want him to think that I make a habit of leading men on and then letting them down. That’s not me at all. The thing with Dexter is different. Any other time I’d probably have given him a chance, I’d have gone on a date with him, but I don’t want him, I want Max. I don’t tell him that, though.              

I make my way home. I can’t wait to spend some time with Austen, I’ve really missed him. Even though we have spent the days together, I miss the down time at night. My phone rings and I pull over to the nearest safe spot before digging it out of my bag. I start to wish I hadn’t bothered when I see the name Gavin lighting up on my screen. I knew I shouldn’t have texted him my new number. I hesitate before finally pressing the little green button.

“Hello.” My tone is clipped and short, as it always is when I speak to my ex-husband. I don’t think we have had a civil conversation since our divorce.

“Jasmine,” he starts. He’s always called me by my full name and it reminds me a bit of Max. I wonder if it’s a dominance thing? “Why are you in Chester?” I roll my eyes, even though he can’t see it. I knew this conversation was coming.

“I needed a break. Things weren’t working out in London and I missed my parents.” I lie. It’s none of his business anyway, it’s not like he would have even noticed we were gone if I hadn’t have text him. I’m starting to regret that decision.

“So, you take my son away without even telling me?”

“I did tell you.” He’s hard work. He thinks the whole world revolves around him; he hates being left out of things.

“Yes, three weeks after you left. You have no right to take Austen away.” My blood starts to boil. He’s pissing me off now.

“Look, Gavin, what I do with MY son has got nothing to do with you. You haven’t even seen him for over six months. Do not start with me. You know where we are if you want to see him, you know my number if you want to talk to him. I’ve never stopped you from having contact with him, even though you consistently let him down. Do not try to tell me what I can and can’t do. I’m no longer your little submissive play thing, you have a new wife for that, so leave me and my son alone.” I take a deep breath, I’ve never spoken to him like that before, maybe the distance is making me braver. There’s silence on the line, and I pull the phone away from my ear to make sure that we are still connected.

“Fine, I’ll be in contact,” he finally says, after a while. I doubt anyone has ever stood up to him in his life; it’s probably a shock. I hang up the phone and put my hands back on the steering wheel, they shake with adrenaline. I feel amazing; I can’t believe how strong I was. Mentally, I high-five myself, before heading home with a big smile on my face.

“That was so cool, Mum,” Austen shouts as we leave the bowling alley. It’s the first time he has ever been bowling, although he needed the barriers up, he was a natural.

“You did amazing, kiddo.” I smile at my little munchkin, he’s growing up so fast.

“Can we have ice cream now? Please, Mum, please.” He bounces up and down on the spot. How can I say no to his sweet little face?

“Sure, let’s go.”

We make our way home, after Austen eats almost his weight in honeycomb ice cream. I may regret it later, when the sugar rush hits, but I love seeing his little face light up. It makes me delighted that he’s happy. I was so sure that coming here was the wrong decision, but seeing how exhilarated he is, and how excited he is about going to a new school and making new friends, cements my decision to stay in Chester.

“Grandma, guess what?” he shouts, as he charges through the front door of my parents
’
house. He jumps up into my mum’s lap and I make my way upstairs to change. Putting on my pyjamas and tying my hair up into a messy bun, I head back down to get a glass of wine and some popcorn for the movie. I’d promised Austen that we could watch the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. It feels so good to cuddle up on the sofa with my family. I feel so much lighter being home with my parents. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I am where I belong.

We walk into Cruise, once again bypassing the queues outside. Piper flirts with one of the doormen, she introduced me to him, I think his name was Joey, but I honestly wasn’t paying any attention. My mind has been on Max all day; I can’t get him out of my head. Piper sent me a text this morning to let me know that she was going out tonight and, after speaking to my mum, I agreed to go with her. I was hesitant at first; I’ve left Austen so much this week already that I feel guilty about leaving him again. Mum told me that I deserve a night out after working so hard all week. If only she knew what my job really entailed. To be honest, I need this night out to relax and get drunk. My head is in such a mess with everything that has happened that I just want to forget about it for one night.

“What do you want to drink?” Piper asks, as we head into the Manhattan room. It would be nice to see what some of the other rooms looked like, but Piper loves it in here.

“Just the usual, but make it a double.” I need to get really drunk. Thankfully, school doesn’t start for a few more weeks, so I don’t need to get up early to take Austen. Avicii’s ‘
Waiting For Love
’ blasts out over the sound system and my hips start to sway instinctively. I love this song; it’s my current favourite. A few more doubles, and a couple of shots later and I’m feeling really good. I told Piper about my conversation with Gavin yesterday and she hugged me and told me how proud she is of me for standing up to him. I’m feeling so good about myself lately, Piper was right; working at Lust really does make you feel powerful. Piper heads off to the bar to get the next round, her hands instinctively twirl in her hair as she flirts with the barman.

She hands me my glass as a shiver runs through my body. Getting the sense that someone is watching me, I scan the room. My stomach lurches when my eyes lock onto Max’s. For a moment, I panic but try not to let it show in my reaction. His eyes burn deep inside me and I can’t look away. Leaning into Piper, I whisper that I’m going to the toilet, she nods letting me know that she’s going back to the ‘hot’ bartender – her words. As I make my way towards him, I try to remain confident, walking tall and sensual, the way Scotty taught me. My eyes never leave his, burning a hole straight through his glistening, brown pools. Reaching his large frame, I don’t stop; instead, I walk straight past him, out of the door and down the corridor. Smirking to myself as I wait at the top of the staircase, my stomach knots, what if he doesn’t follow?

It feels like forever as I lean against the golden covered wall. People walk past without paying any attention to me. Keeping my head down, I try not making any eye contact with the passers-by. I feel him before I see him; my body becomes aware of his presence and reacts, sending goosebumps up my arms. He reaches me and takes hold of my arm, dragging me into a corner under an alcove. It’s dark. No one would see us unless they’re close enough. His eyes bore into me, penetrating me deep inside. My breathing starts to accelerate and my palms become clammy. He looks down at me, his over six-foot height towering over my five-foot-four.

“Why did you ignore me?” he asks, his voice sounds strained. I know he’s affected by me, I can feel it.

“I didn’t want Piper to see,” I breathe. To be honest I just wanted to get him alone. The alcohol I’ve drunk has made me confident.

He puts his hand against the wall above me, pressing me back further so I’m touching the cool, hard plaster. He smells delicious and looks amazing in his chinos and t-shirt. It’s the first time I’ve seen him without his work clothes on. I so desperately want to see what’s under that shirt.

He moves closer. Parting my lips, I wait for him to take me, silently begging for him to claim my mouth. His face contorts as if he’s quarrelling with himself, before he finally pushes his rough lips against mine. Opening up, I let him inside. He grabs the back of my head, twisting my hair in his hands, as he pushes me back roughly. His tongue enters my mouth, tasting me and teasing me, tangling my tongue with his. I reach up to grab the back of his head pulling him into me, closer, harder. My insides clench with excitement. My breathing accelerates and my skin flames with the heat.

Finally, he releases me and pulls back, breathless. His eyes look heavy, but he also looks remorseful. Straightening my dress and hair, I try to recover from the mind-blowing kiss. Wow, I’ve never been kissed like that before.

“I’m sorry,” he says, bowing his head. Why the hell is he apologising? It’s not like I didn’t want him to kiss me. I’ve wanted him to kiss me since the first time I saw him.

“Why are you sorry?”

“I shouldn’t have kissed you. I apologise, I should go.” He goes to walk away. Grabbing him by the arm, I try to stop him. He spins around to look at me, remorse on his face.

“Why are you walking away? Did I do something wrong?” Has he realised he doesn’t like me? Maybe I’m such a horrendous kisser that he never wants to do it again.

“No. Oh hell, no, Jasmine.” Grabbing my face, he pierces me with his eyes. “This can’t happen, no matter how much I want it, it just can’t happen.”

“Why?” My heart feels like it’s just dropped into the empty pit where my stomach used to be.

“Because.” He pauses, taking a deep breath. “Dexter is my best friend, he’s my brother. I’d never betray him like that. I’m sorry, Jasmine, I’ve got to let you go.” His eyes look sorrowful, but I understand what he’s doing, and it makes me like him a little bit more. He’s loyal, that’s something you don’t see often, and I respect him for that.

Lowering my head, I nod. “I understand.” He moves closer again. Reaching up, he brushes his finger across my lip. He never breaks eye contact, and I notice he has a tiny little black dot in the white of his eyeball. Eventually, he presses his lips lightly against mine before releasing and walking away.

I’m thankful that no one can see me right now because I must look a real mess. I make my way, on shaky legs, towards the bathroom. Once inside, I lean against the sink looking at my reflection in the mirror. My cheeks are flushed and my head is glistening with beads of sweat. I don’t know how to react to what just happened, a part of me wants to jump up and down, screaming from the rooftops that I’ve finally had
the
kiss. You know, that kiss that every girl dreams about. The one in the movies where the boy takes the girl in his arms, they kiss and it’s so passionate – that kiss. The other part of me wants to cry. Why the hell did Dexter have to make a move for me? I should have shot him down the second he showed an interest. I’m paying for my mistake now. What do I do? I can’t live the rest of my life never feeling those lips on me again. I’m in need of a plan, I just don’t know what, yet!