Sweet Affection (Truth Book 3) (25 page)

“You wanna go home?” He asks, lips brushing over mine again lightly.

“Yeah,” I say breathlessly. His kisses do this to me. Even just the briefest of touches can get me thinking all sorts of naughty and nice things. And tonight, I’m in the mood for naughty. I slide my hands up his torso, feeling the hard muscles under his shirt, then wrap them round his shoulders, pulling him into me as I lean against the wall. He rolls his hips and my eyes flutter back in my head.

“I want you.” He whispers, in that sexy, gravelly,
need to fuck your brains out
way of his, and it sends a shudder all around my body.

“Take me then.” I whisper back, before he grabs my hand, says goodbye to the others in record time and takes me. Twice.

I snap my eyes open and spend a few seconds waiting for it to register where I am. It’s just a normal night, I’m in bed with James next to me. I watch as he breathes in and out steadily. Something woke me up.

What the hell was it?

I lift my head and listen for a noise. The clock on the wall ticks. James makes a funny gurgling sound which makes me laugh silently. I can hear a car fly past through the open window. Then nothing, so I settle my aching limbs back against the mattress and smile sleepily into the pillow. I turn on my side. I don’t know how many minutes pass until I jerk my head against the pillow, annoyed I can’t get back to sleep. I slowly climb out of bed, careful not to disturb James, and walk out the door to use the main bathroom. It’s far enough away from Tyler’s room that it won’t disturb him either. I walk past his door and stop dead in my tracks when I hear murmurs coming from inside his room. I lean my ear forward towards the door and shut everything else out but the voice. Moans, they must be loud for me to be able to hear them. I wait to see what kind of moans they are. If they’re what I think they might be, I definitely don’t need to be hearing that shit. But as I listen closer, I realise there are no sexual undertones. They sound…scared. Angry. Is Tyler having a nightmare? Holy shit, it sounds bad. I feel conflicted as I stand there in the middle of the corridor, just waiting. I don’t know for what. I can hardly just walk in there but can I just leave him in the middle of it? I sigh when I think about how he’d react. Obviously I’m just going to have to leave it. I turn back round and use the bathroom before climbing back into bed and cuddling up to James’ side. I close my eyes and try to clear the tortured sounds from my mind.

Chapter Fourteen

James

The next few days are filled with work. Both Laurel and I have been going non-stop. I’ve been concentrating on this pitch, and a few other smaller projects. Fortunately for us, Riker had to fly to his Paris hotel,
Le Favori
, for an emergency meeting with one of his managers, so ours was pushed back an extra few days. It’s allowed Seb and I time to perfect it, and ensure all our research is solid. Now, finally I can give myself a much needed day off.

I yawn as I pad downstairs, my muscles just starting to wake up. Laurel’s still asleep, I didn’t want to wake her. My eyes drop down as I reach the last step, and see a trail of clothes scattered across the hardwood floor. What the fuck? I hop over a pair of shorts; I don’t want to stand on them.

Don’t know where they’ve been.

There’s a bra hanging on the end of the bannister, and a thong half falling off the front door knob.

That’s disgusting. And I know exactly who’s responsible. The fact a female’s clothes are still here means that she, whoever she is, is still here too.
Motherfucker.

I snarl at the clothes then stalk into the kitchen. This is
my
fucking house. Who does he think he is?

I stop abruptly in the doorway to the kitchen.

“Who the fuck are you?” I growl at the naked female standing at the kettle, with her hands reaching for Laurel’s coffee.

I don’t think so, love.

She turns to me in surprise, but not bothered in the slightest that she doesn’t have any clothes on. Her eyes roam over my bare chest and down to my sweats. I fold my arms over my chest. She leans back against the sink, and bites her lip.

“Well hi there. Where were
you
last night?”

God, she’s one of those women.

“This is my house. Get out.” I glare at her, but she just laughs and flips her long brown curls over her shoulder. They were covering her tits, but now they’re in full view.

“Honey, I can’t. Tyler and I have got round two all planned out. I don’t normally do threesomes, but I’d make an exception for you.” She winks, lifting herself to sit on the counter, crossing her legs and I glare harder. Laurel’s going to freak if she sees her here like this. And we’re going to have to use some kickass bleach on that worktop too.

Tyler comes in the kitchen, scratching at his bare chest, and stops still in front of us when he opens his eyes. “You’re still here? Hell, woman. Get the fucking message.” He grumbles as he crosses the room to the fridge with a deep scowl.

“Tyler.” She hums through a sultry smile, then hops off the counter to walk towards him. “I was just suggesting to this one that we go for round two. He could join us?” Her hand strokes over his chest before resting it on the waistband of his jeans.

“One, I don’t share with another dude. If there’s gonna be three, there’s gonna be two hot as hell women that are going to have to share
me.
And two, I don’t do seconds. Told you that last night. Time for you to go, I got shit to do.” He peels her hand from his waist and gestures to the door, then takes a swig from the milk carton.

“There better be a bloody good reason why there is a naked female in my kitchen!” Laurel comes strutting through the door in her tight little pyjama shorts that show off her long legs and a vest with no bra underneath. Even next to a female with no clothes on, my eyes are drawn to her body. As are Tyler’s.
Asshole.
I pull Laurel next to me, and just slightly behind so he can’t see her anymore. His eyes meet mine and he smirks as though he knows what I just did. The nameless female huffs and narrows her eyes at Laurel.

“Who is that?” She asks Tyler, and edges in closer to him. I want to laugh so hard. I know what Tyler’s like, I used to be exactly the same.

“None of your goddamn business. Get your shit and leave. I’m going in the shower. Later.” He walks out with the milk carton leaving the girls standing there with their mouths wide open.

“Is he seriously just going to leave her here with us?” Laurel bites out in a frustrated whisper.

I chuckle and shrug my shoulder.

“Of course. He doesn’t care. He would have told her exactly how it was last night. Not his fault she thought she was going to be different.”

“Oh my God, I’m living with such douchebags.” She raises her eyes to the ceiling then glowers at me.
What? What did I do?

She disappears into the laundry room and comes out with a towel.

“Honey, you’re more than welcome to a shower. I’ve got this strawberry shampoo that’s to die for.” She wraps the towel around the other female’s shoulders, and that’s when I notice the tear rolling down the girl’s face. Well shit, now I do feel like a douche bag.

“I’m going to make some breakfast.” I try to make up for my lack of sensitivity. “Have some before you go.”

The girl looks up at me and offers me a weak smile. “Thanks.”

She walks out the kitchen with Laurel and I hear her mumble through a few more tears, “But he was so sweet last night.”

Maybe he didn’t make it clear enough then.

After a breakfast filled with awkward tension, the brunette whose name we learnt was Rosie, leaves, and Tyler comes down the stairs at pretty much the same time as the door slams shut.

“Thank fuck for that. Thought she’d never leave.” He mumbles with relief, slumping onto the stool and pouring himself out some coffee.

“You’re such a jerk.”

His eyebrows shoot up at Laurel. “Why’s that,
abuela
?”

I don’t like that name he has for her in the slightest so I narrow my eyes at him. Again. He chuckles and raises his hands in front of him.

“The fact you even have to ask, just shows exactly how much of a jerk you really are. How can you just treat women like that? You got the
wam bam
, but left out the decent
thank you ma’m!”

He frowns. “If I had said thank you, she would have taken that as
I want to see you again
. Not happening. I told her the deal last night. I’m not having that guilt put on me.”

Laurel rolls her eyes in frustration and growls as she looks over at me. Fucking hell, she wants me to get in the middle of this too. Fine!

“Not in my house, dude. That shit’s not cool. I don’t want to come downstairs to see that before I eat.”

“Alright, throw me to the wolves. I get it.”

“That’s so not the point!” Laurel cries out. “It’s not the fact it’s in this house. He can have all the sex he wants here. I don’t care. It’s the way he treats them. It’s disgusting.”

“Kind of like our first night together, huh? How’s it any different to what you did?” She looks shocked, and I see her mind going over my words. I’m going to be in trouble for bringing it up. She doesn’t like to talk about it, but it’s the same kind of thing.

“What she do?” Tyler asks, looking between us. He’s too damn interested all of a sudden.

“That is nothing like this.” She grinds out. Yep, her eyes are shooting daggers at me. I’m in trouble.

“Wait, you two started with a one-nighter?” Tyler laughs, and butters a slice of toast. “That is too damn funny. Who did the kicking out the next day?”

I pause and wait to see if Laurel’s going to answer, but she stays silent, lips pressed together in a straight line. If I cared what Tyler thought of me, I might not wanna admit to it. But I don’t.

“There was actually no kicking out the next morning. Laurel left before I even had the chance.” Her eyes fly to mine. “Not that I would have kicked you out, babe.” I quickly add when I feel the heat of her anger burning into me.

“So you’re annoyed because I didn’t do the whole thank you crap, but you didn’t either? A little hypocritical isn’t it?” Tyler asks with a grin.

“No. We both knew where we stood. It was just expected that it was going to happen like that. Rosie was clearly expecting more from you.
That’s
not okay.”

“You don’t remember that night, babe. How do you know I wasn’t expecting a relationship with you? It broke my heart for you to just leave. I felt used.” I say dramatically clutching at my chest. Even though I know my words are like a red flag to a bull, I can’t stop taunting her. She’s so damn cute when she’s all worked up.

“Oh piss off.” She mumbles, stealing a slice of bacon from my plate, and walking to the door.

“Thief!” I shout out and she smiles deviously as she kisses her middle finger and waves it at me.

Laurel

“Which one of these would you pick for your wedding?” Jess asks me as she runs her fingers across the whole rail of gowns, eyeing them in wonder. “I mean,
how
would you even pick? There’s so many.” We have a welcome ten minute breather before our next appointment gets here, it’s been non-stop all day.

“I don’t know.” I say honestly. I wouldn’t have a clue where to even start. I always see dresses I like, but I’ve not once thought about what I would actually want for my wedding.

Jess swings her eyes back to me. “You mean, you’ve never tried any on, in all the time the shop’s been open?”

I laugh at the sceptical rise of her eyebrows. “No, when would I do that? You think I’d stay after work and spend my free time in dreamland?” I roll my eyes. I have better things to do with my time.

“I just thought that as you’re with J and everything, you may have thought about it. You wanna get married don’t you?”

Her question tugs at something inside me. Since my ex Darren, I’ve not been one of those girls that sits around and dreams about her wedding. I’ve been too much of a realist for that crap, but now I guess marriage could be a real possibility. James has mentioned it in passing but I can’t help but wonder if he really was serious. I’ve known him as a total ladies’ man longer than I’ve known him as the perfect monogamous boyfriend.

“Sure, I guess.” I shrug off her question and busy myself moving some files on the desk. I don’t really want to talk about it.

“What about you?” I grin up at her. “What would you choose?” I see her eyeing the dresses again. She looks at a couple thoughtfully then taps against her chin. “These aren’t right. I want something….different. Something ‘out there’.” She sucks in a sharp breath and her eyes light up. “I’ve got it. This one.” She skips over to another rail and picks out the dress of choice.

My eyes widen and I can’t help laughing loudly as soon as I see it. It’s Ian Stuart’s Rock Star dress; an ivory mini-dress with a ridiculously large oversized flower at the side, teamed with a jacket that has huge puff sleeves. It’s definitely ‘out there.’

She holds it up against her body in front of the mirror and shakes her head, “Actually I think I’d look like a total dork.” I bite my lip to stop from agreeing with her.

Her phone beeping on the desk snaps her away from the mirror. I let her have her phone out while she’s been dealing with Brian and the shop-fitters.

“Hey, Laur. Can I take a few minutes?” She holds her phone up to me and there’s something in her eyes that softens me, an anxiety I haven’t seen before.

“Sure chick.” I wave her off and rearrange the wedding magazines on the coffee table and sweep a few bits of fluff off the doormat. I want people to have the best impression as they walk in.

My eyes narrow at the office door when I hear her raised voice. Her anger dissipates and turns into a placating murmur. Apologies come tumbling out her mouth and immediately my hackles are up. She doesn’t have any family that I know of, so what would she be worried about? Most of her friends are my friends now. There’s only a couple of other girls that I’ve met over the past four years. Who’s she apologising profusely to, and what the hell for?