Chapter Ten
Ria
I can smell coffee and feel a body next to me before I even open my eyes.
“Hmmm, coffee. Gabs, you are the best.”
I open my eyes, turning my head to the side. She”s dressed in a black sports bra and matching shorts. Knowing Gabby, she”s already been on a run and done Pilates. I stretch out my arms and reach out for my phone.
“It’s not from me, babe. Action man has outdone himself again.”
“What, he sent Starbucks again?”
“Uh huh.”
Okay, that is ridiculously sweet.
I open my phone to check my messages and thank him for the Starbucks.
Ria
Good morning. Thank you for the Starbucks. it was a lovely surprise to wake up to. I won”t ask you how you knew Ali and Gabby’s address *laughing emoji*
Within seconds, he replies.
Jack
Good morning, sweetheart. It”s the least I could do after keeping you at the club. Ha, I know a guy who knows a guy.
Ria
Well, my employee feedback form will have a glowing report. ‘Boss is very attentive and caring and will go above and beyond for his staff’.
Jack
Only for my best staff *winky face emoji* See you later, Ri.
Later? Will he be at the club?A flutter of excitement bursts in my stomach. God, I hope so.
Scrolling down, I see there is also a message from Anne.
Anne
Good morning, my darling. The girls slept great and they are out walking Nugget with Grandpa, and this afternoon we are taking them to the park that has the sandbox. Lexi has plans to build a Barbie dream sand castle. Call anytime, but we are fine and you make sure you get some rest. I hope your first shift went well. We are so proud of you, love you, Anne x
Tears prick in my eyes at her words and my mind drifts to thoughts of my own mom, who I haven”t heard from once since leaving Alex. She hasn”t checked in or told me she’s proud. I’d give anything to hear those words from her.
I sip my coffee and fire a text back, telling her my shift went great and I will FaceTime before I start my shift.
“So how was work?” Gabby asks as she sits crossed legend at the end of the bed.
“You”ll never guess who my new bosses are…” She stares at me blankly, shrugging her shoulders and sipping her coffee. “Brad, Harry, and Jack.”
She lowers her mug and her mouth falls open. “Shut the fuck up. I need all the details.” She yells at the top of her voice, “Ali, get in here. Ria has gossip.”
Once Ali has come in and made herself comfy on the bed as well, I tell everything, including how his hand on my back made me feel.
“I don’t know what this thing is between us—if it’s even a thing—but he makes me feel good, you know, like I”m worth looking at. He makes me laugh and I like how I feel when I”m around him”
“Ri, you’re beaming… look at you,” Gabby squeals, reaching and squeezing my hand.
“But is it too soon to be enjoying another man”s attention?” I question, picking at the light pink nail polish on my thumbnail.
“Ri, there is no set time after a breakup, and he’s not some random guy you met online. It’s Jack. He’s a good one,” Ali reassures me.
“I know, but I”m not ready for any of that yet. I don”t want a relationship. I just… I don”t know. It feels good to have fun.”
“It’s your life, babe. You get to control what happens, what you do and who you let in. You wanna walk up the aisle with Jack tomorrow? We’ll support you and if you just wanna ride him like a rodeo pony, then we’ll support you too.”
She scoots over and nudges my arm with her elbow and I rest my head on her shoulder.
“And we’re gonna need all the details because if that man fucks as good as he looks, holy hell, Ri. Do not deprive yourself, you’ve gone far too long without some quality meat,” she says, laughing.
I laugh so hard with her that tears roll down my cheeks and my sides ache. It’s the laugh I didn’t know I needed. I know I overthink, over analyze and question everything, but the idea and the reality of letting myself let go and moving on are two very different things.
Night two is just as busy. The club is heaving, so we’ve had to re-stock the bar twice. The rich sure can drink. To my surprise, Jack is here again. I didn”t think he would be around so much, but I”d be lying if a small part of me isn”t hoping he is here to see me.
I’m pouring a whiskey on the rocks in the VIP area when I feel eyes on me. I glance up and see Jack standing next to another man who is talking to him, but Jack’s not paying him any attention as he’s looking at me. I give him a small smile, and the one he gives back makes me feel giddy.
Get a grip, Ria. You’re twenty-nine, not nineteen.
Jack’s wearing his usual black suit pants with a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His light brown hair has that messed up look but like it was intentional. His jawline looks like it has been hand-crafted by the people who built the pyramids. He hasn”t shaved today and honestly, it only adds to his sex appeal. I imagine how good it would feel to run my tongue along his jawline. He looks edible.
I am snapped away from my daydream by one of the girls shouting my name over the thumping music.
“Ria, babes, we are running low on vodka and tequila. Can you go to the stockroom and grab a couple of bottles?”
“Sure thing,” I shout back as she throws the key card in my direction and I catch it.
“Take the radio too, just in case we need anything else, I”ll buzz ya.” She points to the radio next to the cash register.
I escape the loud VIP area of the club and head down the back stairs to the stockroom, swiping the key card and opening the door.
It’s a lot quieter down here and a bit chilly. Rubbing my hands over the tops of my arms to warm myself up, I scan the room for what I need. The music from the main room faintly plays through a small speaker in the corner. I hum along as I search the shelves of liquor. I spot the bottle of vodka I need and lean up to reach it, stretching on my tiptoes, my fingers only just touching it.
The sound of the door opening and slamming closed again makes me jump, the force of my movement, knocking the bottle off the shelf. It falls to the floor, shattering against the concrete.
‘Shit,” I mutter, bending to pick up the larger bits of glass.
“Ri, no, leave.” A deep voice echoes in the room.
Jack?
I look up and find his familiar blue eyes on me.
“What are you doing down here?” I ask, stepping over the broken glass to move closer to him.
“I saw you on the security camera heading down here. You shouldn”t come down here alone. Always come in twos, okay?” There is concern in his voice.
“Sure. Sorry. It”s busy and we need some more vodka. We”ve got some thirsty guests tonight.” I giggle nervously at his proximity.
He smiles, his eyes, like always, never leaving mine. The intensity of his gaze leaves me a little breathless.
“Let me clear this up and I”ll pay for the bottle. I”m sorry, you just made me jump.”
“Don”t apologize. It was my fault for startling you.”
He reaches out his hand, helping me up on my feet. “Even so, I”m sorry.” He takes my hand in his and his thumb caresses the palm of my hand, sending a warm feeling through my body.
“What else did you need? Let me get it for you.”
I release my hand and turn to face the unit that houses the alcohol. “That one up there.” Pointing to the top shelf where I can now see the tequila and the vodka I need, he steps behind me, his chest to my back. I gasp at the contact, his solid body like a wall of muscle.
“Turn around.” There is a deep husk to his voice. I turn so we are chest to chest, closing my eyes because I’m not sure I can cope with him this close to me.
“Is this what you want?” I’m not sure if he’s talking about the bottles or being pressed up against him, so I give my head a tiny shake.
He leans in and his nose brushes the shell of my ear, his lips grazing my neck gently.
Jesus.
My thighs squeeze together on their own accord, trying to ease the thumping arousal gathering there, causing my body weight to shift from one foot to the other.
“Ria,” he whispers. “Tell me to stop.”
I don”t say anything.
“The thing is, sweetheart, the memory of you taking that shot off me and the feel of your lips on mine has been replaying over and over in my mind.”
My mouth feels dry. Holy shit, what do I say to that? But he continues before I even find the words. “If you don”t tell me to stop, I might have to have another taste of you.”
His lips lightly dust my collarbone and I let out a whimper.
Dear God, Ri. Keep your cool.
“Tell me to stop,” he rasps, snaking his arms around my waist and tugging my hips towards him. I lean my head to one side, giving him more access to my neck. He groans against my skin before he places feather-light kisses all the way up to my neck and my jaw.
“Tell me to stop Ri,” he says with a little more force as he lifts his eyes to mine. They are hooded and full of want. I”ve never had a man look at me this way. Like he”s fighting every urge not to devour me and I can feel his hard length against my thigh.
“Don’t stop,” I whisper. As the last word leaves my mouth, he crashes his lips to mine and we become frantic. My hands are in his hair as he grabs my ass with one hand and the other grips the back of my neck, deepening the kiss.
I let out another embarrassing whimper. I kiss him like he is my oxygen supply. His hand drifts down to my thigh and he slowly pulls up the hem of my skirt. I release another moan, moving my hands down his back, reaching for the base of his shirt—A buzzing sound fills the stockroom.
“Ria, are you okay? We need that alcohol, babes.” Kate”s voice crackles through the radio.
Jack and I both stop dead, trying to regulate our breathing. The reality of what almost just happened seems to hit us both.
He steps away from our embrace, running his hands through his hair as I smooth out and tug down my skirt. Reaching for the radio on the shelf behind me, I press the button to reply. “Yeah, I’m okay, Kate. Sorry, a bottle smashed. I”m just cleaning up. I won”t be long,” I tell her, trying to not make it obvious I was just kissing my boss, and he was seconds away from having my panties off.
“Okay, babe,” she radios back.
I drop the radio back onto the shelf and turn away from Jack. Closing my eyes and covering my mouth with my hands, I let out a sigh.
What the hell just happened?How could I have let myself get carried away like that? This isn”t me. Shit, I”ve just ruined everything. All because my horny ass couldn’t keep herself together. I run my fingers through my hair, panic building in my chest, making my breaths shallow.
Jack puts his hands on my shoulders. “Ri, that—”
“Was a mistake,” I interrupt. “And it shouldn”t have happened, I”m sorry, I had a moment of weakness, I should have…”
He spins me around, cupping my face with his hand.
“No, it was wrong of me,” he tells me. “I”m the one that should have stopped it. I got caught up and forgot my place. I”m so sorry, Ri… if I made you uncomfortable.” His expression is full of regret.
“You didn”t, you didn”t do anything I didn”t want, Jack,” I reassure him, stepping out of his hold and taking the bottles of alcohol off the shelf. “But what I want and what is right are two different things.” My voice is shaky.
“I don’t have the luxury of making mistakes and putting my wants first. I”ve got my girls to think of, and I really need this job. What I want doesn”t matter right now,” I say, fighting back the tears that threaten to fall.
“Ria, what you want does matter.”
“Jack, please,” I say with a sniff. “This didn”t happen, okay? Can we just forget it happened… please,” I beg.
“Whatever you want, Ri” His gaze drifts to the floor, his voice sounding dejected.
I hurry past him, needing to put some space between us before I get lost in the feelings I have when he’s around me.” I need to get these up to Kate.”
I walk as quickly as my shaky legs will carry me and fight back the tears that are trying to escape. I can”t fall apart now. I don’t have time. I”ve spent my whole life burying my feelings and my wants. What”s another evening? I take a deep breath and swing open the club door. The music thumps and the smell of sweat and alcohol fills the air.
I see Kate and she waves me over. I take an order for four spicy margaritas, acting as if that moment with Jack didn”t just happen. A moment I know I will replay in my mind like an old movie because for the first time in my life, I got a taste of what it was like to act on my wants, and God did it feel good.