Falling Sweetly (Starling Falls #2) (27 page)

I tried in vain to reach the zip again, when I heard the front door open.

“Niki?” Liya’s voice called out, “Where are you?”

“In my room!”

I heard the creak of the top stair and her soft footsteps come down the hallway. I hadn’t realised how much I’d missed her coming into my room at weird times, flopping over my bed and just talking about everything and nothing.

She stopped in the doorway, when she saw me in the dress, with an odd look crossing her face that made me feel uneasy. Unable to hold her gaze, I looked down at the floor.

“I can’t reach the zipper,” I said quietly, still staring at the floor.

She put a small bag on the bed and walked over to me to pull up the zip, a soft look on her face.

“Well? Is it too much?” I asked her when she remained silent.

Liya turned me and made me look in the full length mirror. She hugged me from behind, wrapping her arms around my waist as she rested her chin on my shoulder.

“You look just like Mama,” she whispered softly in my ear. Tears filled my eyes as a lump formed in my throat.

“Really?”

“You’re beautiful, Niki. They’d be so proud of the woman you’ve become.”

“I miss them so much, Liya.” My voice cracked as I tried to keep the tears at bay.

“So do I,” she said gently.

I lost the battle against the tears as I met Liya’s gaze in the mirror. She reached around and wiped away a tear from my cheek. “Stop crying, you silly thing. You’re going to ruin your makeup.”

She pulled a tissue from the box on my vanity and began dabbing gently. As she continued wiping away the tears, I remembered the last time she had done this for me at our parent’s funerals.

I felt fourteen years old again as the memory of that horrible day came flooding back. I remember clutching Liya hand as if my life depended on it, afraid that if I let go, I would lose her too.

“You know, I realised I’ve never said thank you.”

“For what?”

“For everything you did for me when mama and daddy passed away.”

Liya looked confused. “What are you talking about?”

“You gave up so much. You put your life on hold to raise me when you were barely an adult yourself. You had to be strong for the both of us and allowed me to lean on you and never once complained about it. And you never stopped… not even when I was old enough to look after myself. Hell, you moved to a whole other continent for me.”

“You’ve always been my little bug. There’s nothing that I wouldn’t do for you, you know that.”

“I love you, Liya.”

She pressed a kiss to my temple. “Love you too, weirdo.”

I snorted at her response and turned back to the mirror, trying to repair some of the damage my waterworks had caused.

Walking back to her bag, Liya opened it, pulled out a small box and handed it to me. “I brought something for you.”

A soft gasp left me as I opened the box to expose our mother’s delicate ruby necklace and matching teardrop shaped earrings. “Liya…”

Our mother had never been a fan of jewellery or any kind of trinkets. After she passed away, Liya and I had shared her small jewellery collection between us. I had taken her old sapphire jewellery set and Liya had taken the rubies.

Liya took the necklace from the box and fastened it around my neck, adjusting the teardrop shaped pendant, so it sat in the hollow of my throat. I put on the delicate, matching earrings and looked in the mirror again.

“Perfect,” she said with a happy sigh. “How are you feeling?” she asked as she smoothed a kink in my hair.

“Okay, I think.” I made a face at my reflection in the mirror, the critical voices I’d been fighting all day managing to worm their way through my feelings, making me question what the hell Jake saw in me.

“Stop it,” Liya said sharply. “Stop doubting yourself.” She turned me to face her, and she took my shoulders in either hand firmly.

“Do you remember what you told me after I’d broken up with Caleb? You told me, ‘It’s time we both have to learn how to be braver.’ You encouraged me go after what made me happy, despite my fears. Niki, it kills me that you don’t see yourself for how amazing you are.”

“Liya…”

“I was young and immature when Mama and Daddy passed and I’ve always wondered if this was something I did wrong with you. Did I not tell you enough when we were growing up how brilliant you are? Was I too domineering? Was I not supportive enough and made you feel reliant on me?”

I shook my head horrified that she could possibly think that. “God, Liya, no. You were my rock. I was always the shy one. I wish I could pinpoint where it comes from, but I can’t. I keep trying to push past the insecurities, but…”

“The nasty voices are in your head are too loud?” She finished the sentence for me, and I nodded.

She sighed. “Keep fighting them, little bug. It may take time, but you’ll get there. You have such a kind, beautiful soul.”

She turned me back to face the mirror and wiped away a few more stray tears as I sniffed loudly. “You’ve finally found someone who totally appreciates that. Let him in, Niki. He’s not going to care about the stretch marks or any extra folds. All of that is just a small unimportant part of who you are. Your sweetness and kindness… that’s all that truly matters. Be brave, right?”

I smiled at her in the mirror and nodded, but before I could respond, the doorbell rang.

“Oh God, that’s Jake. How stupid is it that I’m nervous? It’s not like we haven’t spent time together before. I feel like I’m going to throw up.”

“You’re a knockout, and he’s not going to know what’s hit him.” She inhaled suddenly, a mischievous smile making an appearance. “Can I open the door and do the whole ‘hurt her and die’ bit? I never got to do it properly before!”

“Liya. No.”

“I’m totally doing it. I’m embracing my inner Godfather,” she said as she dodged around me quickly and hurried down the hallway.

“For goodness sake, Liya.” I started to hurry after her when I remembered I didn’t have anything on my feet.

Yeah, shoes would be a good idea.

Pulling a pair of black pumps from my closet, I slipped them on quickly. I applied a final coat of red lipstick, grabbed my clutch and my coat only stopping briefly to pet Shadow.

“Be good,” I whispered to him as I hurried down the stairs, hoping that Liya hadn’t succeeded in scaring Jake off.

Standing at the top of the stairs, but still out of sight, I took a moment to look Jake over. He looked very handsome in a dark blue dress shirt stretched across his broad shoulders tucked into black slacks. I felt my heart start to beat a little faster.

“…and that’s how I would dispose of your body after I had finished disembowelling you. In summary, if she cries, you cry. Do we have an understanding?”

Jake looked slightly pale as he nodded. “Jeez, Liya. Did you have to be so descriptive? I don’t think it’s even possible for a human body to do half the things you said.”

“Hurt her, and we’ll soon find out,” Liya said, narrowing her eyes in an attempt to look dangerous to the man who towered over her.

I rolled my eyes, the clattering of my shoes on the wooden stairs alerting both of them to my presence. “I’m sorry about her, Jake. She’s obviously not been taking her meds. I hope I’m not overdressed.”

From the expression on his face, it was obvious that Jake hadn’t heard a word I had said to him. His jaw had dropped, and Liya was smiling smugly next to him.

“Fuck. Me.” His words were whispered loud enough for me to hear as his eyes ran over my body.

“You might want to pick your jaw up off the floor. You’re drooling,” Liya said with a small chuckle.

Liya’s words woke Jake from his dazed state. He walked towards me and held out a bouquet of pink tulips.

“These are lovely, thank you,” I told him gratefully, taking the flowers from him.

Jake just shook his head. “Sorry,” he clipped out.

“Sorry? For wha-” Before I could finish my question, he pulled me towards him roughly, one hand on the curve of my hip, the other sinking into my hair as his mouth found mine. His tongue took advantage of my open mouth, making me moan loudly.

“Sorry for messing up your lipstick, baby,” he panted before pulling back to look me directly in the eyes. “I can’t believe I get to call you mine,” he said in a hoarse whisper, “I’m the luckiest bastard ever.”

He placed a softer peck on my lips. “You ready to go?”

Nodding, I silently cursed my face for always being so quick to blush and snorted when I saw he had my lipstick smeared on his mouth and chin.

“I think you may need a tissue, Jake. That shade really isn’t your colour.” I pulled a tissue from the holder on the side table and started to wipe the colour off, all the while feeling his eyes on me.

“All done.”

He brought my right hand up to his mouth and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “Thank you.”

Liya walked past us looking smug. “I’ll put these in water for you. Off you go, you crazy kids. And, Jacob, remember what I said.” Liya made a cutting motion across her throat and threw Jake a final threatening look before she walked to the kitchen to find a vase.

Jake entwined our hands as we walked out of the door. “She was kidding about all the mutilation stuff, right?”

“Umm, I wouldn’t put it past her. Liya can be slightly unhinged at times.”

“Right. I’ll definitely be a good boy on my best behaviour then.”

Feeling bold, I stepped closer to him and pressed my body into his. “Not too good I hope. That would seriously suck when we come back for coffee and dessert later.”

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Coffee and dessert? Miss Abbott, are you trying to seduce with caffeinated beverages and cake? Because, it’s working.”

I smiled, loving how at ease he was able to make me feel around him. “Jake, I’m serious. I want tonight-”

“I know, sweetness. Believe me, I’ve not been able to think of much else the whole day. Tisha came close to throwing a pot at my head because I was so distracted. But I promised you a date where shit doesn’t go wrong, so that is what we are going to have.”

He pressed a brief, but sinfully sensual, kiss onto my lips. “Prepare to be wooed like you’ve never been wooed before.”

CHAPTER 25

Jacob

I held the car door open and couldn’t resist sneaking another kiss as she got in. How the hell I was supposed to behave and keep my hands to myself, when she looked like that, I had no fucking clue.

“You smell good,” she murmured as I broke away. Her words made me smile at the memory of the last time Niki said she liked how I smelled.

“Déjà vu, baby. That’s what you said to me New Year’s Eve before passing out,” I chuckled.

She cringed and made a face at her vague memories of that night. Not allowing her to dwell on the past, I kissed her again and whispered, “But this time when I get you into bed, there’s going to be a very different ending.”

Hearing the excited hitch in her breath made me grin like a mad man, and I resisted the strong urge to drag her back upstairs. Reluctantly, I pulled myself away and walked around the car to get into the driver’s seat.

“Where are we going?” Niki asked, buckling her seatbelt.

“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you now, would it?”

She bit her lip nervously. “I may have mentioned before that I hate surprises. Surprises don’t usually end well for me.”

I snickered as I pulled out of the driveway. “Patience, grasshopper. This is a surprise I think you’ll like.”

As I drove toward the park, the conversation between us flowed easily. Comparing it to the first time I’d had Niki in my car when we went to The Saloon, I felt a lightness in my chest at how far we’d come in a short space of time.

The drive to the park was short, and Niki furrowed her brow. “We’re having dinner at the park?”

I grinned but said nothing, opening my door while Niki followed suit, meeting me at the trunk of the car. I pulled out a large, picnic basket, filled to the brim and covered by a big, chequered picnic blanket. I hooked the basket over one hand and took Niki’s hand in the other.

She smiled coyly. “A picnic? Why how romantic of you, Mr Jameson.”

“Not just a picnic.” I gestured towards a movie poster and the arrows leading the way to the outdoor screening of a movie.

“A screening of Casablanca,” she squealed and threw her arms around me. “But how? When I checked, they had a different movie showing tonight.”

“I know a guy. Well, technically Josh knows a guy.”

During a movie evening at Niki’s house, before the great freeze out after New Year’s Eve incident, she had mentioned that Casablanca was her favourite movie. I owed Josh’s big time for convincing his friend to switch the movie being screened, but it was worth it to see Niki so excited.

“Come on!” She tugged on my hand, practically bouncing up and down as we joined the other people entering the gates. “I want to get a good spot.”

Laughing at her enthusiasm, I allowed her to lead me into the park, and we found a more secluded spot to sit under a tree. I laid out the blanket and she began to unpack the picnic basket.

Once we sat down, I popped open the bottle of champagne I’d brought, poured it into two flutes, and handed one to Niki.

“Cheers, baby.”

The smile she gave me as she clinked her glass against mine made my heart thud just a little bit faster.

“Cheers,” she said as she leant over and kissed my jaw. “Thank you for this, Jake. It’s perfect.”

“You’re welcome, baby.” I moved her gently so she was practically sitting in my lap, leaning against me.

“This is going to get uncomfortable for you.” She wiggled in my lap, and the sound of her light laughter went straight to my cock. “Let me go!”

I tightened my arms around her. “If you don’t want to get fucked behind the tree, you need to stop moving,” I whispered roughly in her ear, my lips moving down her neck.

Niki stiffened, and despite her back being to me, I could feel her roll her eyes. She shook her head at my stubbornness and settled on my lap. “Fine, but don’t blame me when you get a dead leg.”