“I had to see you. One more time. To apologize.” He takes a step towards me, and I take a step back, even though my body protests.
I shake my head. “You know, even if you didn’t get my messages, you had my number. You could have called me. Even if you didn’t have it, you knew my name. You could have found a way to get in touch with me.” I start moving around the store, straightening things so I can keep my hands busy and so I don’t have to stare at his stupidly perfect face.
“I did try one night,” he says. “I hoped you would get the message.”
I turn on him. “Playing cross-continental sex toy games with me at three a.m. is not the same as getting in touch.”
“So you did get that message?” He grins.
A blush so fierce it burns rises to my cheeks. “If I did, it’s none of your business. And I swear to god, Jet. If you ask me how I felt using it I will throw you out of this store.”
He follows me around while I continue to clean, staying close enough that I know he’s there, but far enough away that I don’t feel uncomfortable. He peruses the shelves while I straighten, occasionally looking at something or picking it up. Finally, I realize that he’s not going to leave unless I give him some sort of closure.
“Why did you come back at all?” I ask. “It’s been more than a month. You knew we were done. Why?”
As if in answer, he hands me a box. It’s a brand new toy we just started selling, from a brand I haven’t had the chance to research called KINdred Spirit Toys. It’s a couple’s toy, a cock-ring that also vibrates against the woman’s clit. He can’t be serious. “No,” I say.
“You don’t know what I was going to ask.”
I tilt my head. “You were going to ask me to test it and then tell you how I felt while using it. Well I’m not playing that game anymore. You had your fun, and you left. I’m fine with that.” I nearly choke on those words. “But I’m not going to do it anymore.”
Jet smiles, and it’s a little sad. “Well, that’s only partially what I was going to say.”
“Oh?”
“It’s a couple’s toy,” he points to the box, “and I want you to test it with me.”
Okay, he’s right, I wasn’t expecting him to say that.
“I want one more night with you,” he says. “Just one more. I’ll tell you everything you want to know, no secrets. We’ll play with this.” He taps the box, “And if after that, you still want me gone, I’ll disappear and you’ll never have to see me again.” I open my mouth to say something but he holds up a hand, “But, I want you to know, that even if your answer is no and this is the end, I’m still very glad to have met you.” He leans in and presses a kiss to my cheek, and I still love the way his lips feel against my skin. He takes the box out of my hands and goes to the counter where Ella rings him up.
I’m unsure what to do. Part of me thinks I should say no. Even if he was out of the country, it was stupid for him to not try to contact me—three a.m. vibration adventure aside. I should say no because if it doesn’t work out, it will be that much harder for me to get over him, and I’ve already spent so long trying to. I should say no, because I don’t want him to think he can just leave and show up whenever he feels like it. But if I say yes, he promised to tell me everything. If I say yes, I finally get the answers to the mystery that’s been pricking at me since the day I met him. If I say yes I get a night of glorious sex that I may never get to have again. If I say yes, I can always tell him that it’s the end.
Before I know it, I’ve made my decision. I wait for him by the door, debating how I’m going to tell him. He slows as he approaches me, and it’s the first time I’ve seen him look unsure. I straighten my spine as I speak. “One night. No promises.”
The smile that breaks out on his face is blinding, and I find myself smiling back as he leans down to kiss me. It tingles through me all the way to my toes, and I feel the desire for him rise from deep within. “I’ll send the limo for you,” he says.
“Are we going out?”
“No.” He winks. “We’re staying in.” As he pushes open the door he looks back at me. “Have you used the glass dildo?” He grins when I shake my head. “Bring it with you.”
I dampen at his words. I know that tonight is going to be one to remember, and whether or not I’ve just made a huge mistake is something only time will tell. I walk back to Ella, and she’s giving me a look that basically says ‘I-told-you-so.’ “I guess I’m not setting you up with Darren until tomorrow?”
“Yeah,” I say, trying to stifle my grin and failing. “I think I should see how tonight goes.”
She shakes her head. “You are in so much trouble.”
“I know.” That’s the part that excites me.
11
By the time the limo pulls up to my apartment at seven o’clock, I’m more than ready. Ella covered me so I could leave early, and I went shopping. If it’s going to be just one night, then it’s going to be a night that both of us remember. I bought clothes that makes me feel utterly sexy, a deep blue bra and panty set that’s more straps than fabric, and a little black dress that has more than its share of slink. The heels I bought are high enough to hurt, but I hope I won’t be wearing them that long anyway. I spent a long time on my hair going for the blonde bombshell look, with a smoky make-up look that makes my green eyes stand out. My goal is to make his mouth drop open, or to make him hard. Either one will do.
It’s the same limo driver as before, and even though he tries to hide it, I see him look me up and down. I hide my smile as I duck inside the car. It’s a good sign for the reaction I’m hoping to elicit from Jet. The glass dildo—I never even took it out of the box—is in my bag as he requested.
The limo takes a different path this time, up the eastern side of the city. We actually pass within a couple blocks of the store itself, continuing to the Upper East Side. I never asked Jet where he lived, but if he lives up here, whatever company he’s CEO of is certainly working out well for him. The limo pulls up to a gorgeous building, and the doorman runs to open the car door. He takes my hand as I step out, making sure I don’t trip in my heels, which I appreciate.
“Ms. Bishop?” he asks.
“That’s me.”
“Mr. Kincaid is expecting you.”
I struggle not to laugh, because it all seems so formal. But if Jet goes to places like Masa, then this is his kind of world. The doorman escorts me inside and over to the elevator, where he presses the button for me. It’s the top floor, number sixteen. Jet lives in a penthouse.
The elevator rises quickly, and when I reach sixteen, it stops, but the doors don’t open. There’s a sound like a doorbell, and I wait. After just a minute or so, the doors slide open to reveal Jet standing in the entrance of an open plan apartment that’s fucking gorgeous, all dark wood and silver finishes, with a view over the city that might be better than the one from our rooftop escapade. Jet is dressed in slacks and a button down, with the sleeves rolled up to see those tempting tattoos. We stare at each other for a moment, and I watch his eyes travel all the way to my shoes and back. His mouth doesn’t drop, but his eyes do widen, and it takes him longer than it should to say hello. I’ll take it.
“Hi,” I say, breaking the silence.
“Hey,” he says, gesturing behind him. “Please, come in.”
I come out of the elevator, into the foyer. He takes the little jacket I have on, and I hand him the box containing the dildo. “You wanted this?”
“I did.” There’s a gleam in his eye. “Thank you.” He disappears around the corner for a moment, and he calls back, “Are you hungry?”
“Starving,” I say, and it’s not a lie. I’ve barely eaten anything today in my frenzy to buy clothes and get ready.
“I ordered in enough Italian food for about ten people,” he says, reappearing and taking my hand. He leads me through the apartment, which is just as gorgeous as I thought it would be, with splashes of color here and there that draw the eye, and beautif
ul art. Jet has very good taste. The dining area has an impressive wall of slanted, paned windows that let you see a good portion of the skyline but also the sky. It must be a breathtaking room to be in when it’s fully dark.