Loving You (The Jade Series #3) (9 page)

The next day we sightsee but cut our itinerary down to just a few tourist spots. I’m worried that Garret’s overdoing it. I don’t want to make his injury worse or make him run around New York City when he’s in pain. That night, he offers to take me to Rockefeller Center again to see the tree, but I insist we stay home. As much as I’d love to see the tree, I’d rather have Garret rest and get better.
 

Thursday morning I wake up to the feel of kisses on the back of my neck and Garret’s strong arm around my waist. “Happy New Year’s Eve,” he says softly.

“What time is it?”

“Nine. You can go back to sleep if you want.”

“Then why did you wake me up?”

He laughs. “Purely selfish reasons.” He slips his hand under the hem of my pajama shorts. The feel of his warm hand moving along my lower abs instantly wakes me up.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I say, innocently.

“I’m a guy. And it’s morning.” He tugs me closer against him and I feel what he’s referring to. “And you’re freaking hot and right here next to me.” His warm breath tickles my neck. “You smell good. You feel amazing. What can I say? I had to at least try.”
 

I yawn and adjust my pillow. “I think I’ll just go back to sleep.”

“Damn. Seriously?” He sighs. “Okay.”
 

He sounds so disappointed it makes me laugh. I flip around to face him. “I’m kidding. You know I won’t turn you down, especially since I have to go without you all next week.”

He eases me down on my back and starts kissing me, then stops suddenly.

“Hey. Why’d you stop?” I sound annoyed but it’s only because I was really liking his kisses.

He has this huge smile on his face, which I find extremely sexy, especially combined with his tousled morning hair. “I love you. So freaking much. You know that, right?”

I nod, smiling. “Yeah. I know. I love you, too. Now are we going to do this or what?” I sit up a little and rip my shirt off, tossing it on the floor.

He laughs. “And I thought
I
was the impatient one.” He tosses the covers back, then leaves kisses along my stomach as he slips my shorts off. I close my eyes, arching back to stretch a little.

Even if I wasn’t leaving on Saturday, I still wouldn’t turn him down. I love this way too much. In fact, I wish he’d wake me up like this every day.

Later that morning, we go out for an early lunch, then pack up our things and head to the hotel in Times Square. The streets are already packed with people waiting to see the ball drop. It’s a cold, windy day and a light sleet is falling. Everyone on the street is bundled up in coats, hats, and gloves. Standing out there all day and night does not look like a fun way to spend New Year’s Eve.
 

“Are you ready?” Garret asks as he slides the key card into the door of our hotel room.

“Ready for what? I’ve seen a hotel room before.”

But it’s not just a hotel room. He opens the door to a massive suite. We walk into an open space that includes a kitchen, a small dining area, and a living room with a long couch and two chairs. Across from the couch is a wall of windows that face Times Square, giving us a perfect view of the ball drop tonight. Off to the side is a master bedroom with a separate sitting area near the window. Next to it is the biggest bathroom I’ve ever seen. The bathtub is almost as large as a hot tub. The shower could fit at least five people in it.

“Garret, this place is huge.”
 

“Check this out.” He flips a switch on the wall and a TV appears in the bathroom mirror. He takes a remote control from the counter and tosses it to me. “Try it.”

I point the remote at the mirror and start flipping channels. “This is crazy! But come on. Do people really need a TV in the bathroom?”

“It’s a want, not a need.” He comes over and takes the remote back, shutting the TV off. He takes my hand and leads me back to the living room. “I had them make you a concession stand for tonight.” He points to a basket of snack foods in the kitchen. “Obviously, I would’ve done a much better job but I didn’t have time.”

“It’s great. Thank you.”

“And . . .” He picks up a bottle from a silver ice bucket. “Fake champagne for our toast at midnight.”
 

“I think that’s real champagne.”

He reads the bottle. “I told them no alcohol. What the hell? I’ll call the front desk and have them replace this.”

“It’s okay. I actually want to try some. It’s New Year’s Eve. You gotta have champagne.”

“But, Jade, you don’t drink.”
 

“I’ve been thinking about that a lot and I’m not as worried about it anymore. I mean, my mom was only an alcoholic because of those pills that doctor gave her. The pills made her an addict. It wasn’t genetic. Her parents didn’t have problems with alcohol.”

“I know, but still. You’ve only had alcohol one time. And it didn’t end well.”

“That was totally different. This time I’ll be with you and we’ll just have one glass.” I take the bottle from him and set it back in the bucket. Then I drag him to the couch to sit down with me. “I’d rather have my first real drinking experience be here with you than at some college party. And it’s not like I plan to get drunk. It’s just a glass of champagne.”

“I’m still going to call down and get the nonalcoholic version just in case you change your mind.” He gets his phone out and calls the front desk.

When he’s done, I take his phone and set it on the table, then lean over and kiss him. “You’re a really nice boyfriend, you know that?”

“I just want you to have a great New Year’s Eve.”

“This is more than great. This is an awesome New Year’s Eve. What do you have planned for Valentine’s Day? On second thought, let’s skip that one. I’ve never liked Valentine’s Day.”

He nudges me. “We’re not skipping Valentine’s Day. It’s a holiday and I’m making you celebrate all of them. Even President’s Day. And Arbor Day.”

I run my hand along his soft, black t-shirt that fits snugly over his muscular chest. “So how’s your gunshot wound?”

He smiles. “It’s fine. And from now on, you should ask me
that
, instead of ‘How’s your chest?’ It sounds better. More masculine.”

I shake my head. “Whatever. Is it really better or are you just saying that?”

“It’s really better. In fact this morning I didn’t even take a pain pill.”

“Good. Because you were starting to worry me with the numb arm and then the constant pain.” I climb onto his lap, straddling him and giving him a hug. My actions cause movement in his pants.
 

“I’m just hugging you, Garret. That’s it.”
 

“I can’t help what he does. He’s got a mind of his own.”

I sit back, my gaze drifting from Garret’s bright blue eyes to his sexy smile. “I guess if your chest, or gunshot wound, is better, we could maybe try out the bed.”

He grins. “Or we could just stay here. Try out the bed later.”

“On the couch? That’s gross. People sit here.”

His eyebrows raise. “Like it hasn’t been done before?”

“Eww.” I start to scoot off his lap. He reaches around my lower back, keeping me on his lap and pulling me closer until I’m pressed up against him. He kisses me, then moves his hand to the back of my neck and takes the kiss deeper. My concerns about the couch quickly disappear.
 

After a few minutes, he stops. “Get up for a minute.”
 

I scoot off his lap. He stands up and takes his shirt off and lays it over the couch to keep it clean. At this point I really don’t care, but his attempt to keep it clean is very sweet. He slips my sweater off and unhooks my bra as I get to work on his pants.
 

I hear some sirens out on the street and glance behind me. “Garret, we’re right by the window.”
 

“Yeah. And we’re thirty stories up. Nobody can see.”

“They could if they had binoculars and were in a really tall building. Or a helicopter.”

He laughs. “You worry way too freaking much about that shit. You always think people are going to see us or walk in on us.” He tugs my jeans down and I step out of them.

“Because I don’t want people watching or—” I stop when I feel his hand doing something seriously amazing between my legs.

“I obviously need to do a better job of distracting you.” He looks right at me and smiles. “Now what were you saying?”

“I don’t remember,” I say, bringing his face to mine and kissing him.
 

After a few minutes, he slowly sits down and I straddle him again and try out this new position.
 

 
When we’re done, he smiles at me. “So what do you think? Better that time?”

“It wasn’t as tiring if that’s what you’re asking.” I get off him and we both get dressed.

He pulls me back on his lap. “Good. Because I don’t plan on going anywhere today, so if you’re up for it I figure we could do that a few more times before midnight.”

“A few more times? I didn’t think you could do it a few more times.” I’m totally kidding but he takes it seriously.
 

He huffs out a breath. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
 

I shrug and adjust my sweater, trying not to laugh. “I thought guys could only do it once or twice a day. And we’ve already done it twice today.”

“I’m 19, not 40. I can do it a lot more than that.”
 

“Oh. Sorry. I don’t know how all that works.”

He rolls his eyes at me but smiles. “What I was going to say before you insulted my manhood is that I’m really going to miss you when you’re gone next week.”

“It’s just a week.”

“Yeah, but I have no distractions to keep my mind off you. No school. No swimming. Nothing.”
 

“You have physical therapy.” I half smile.

“I’m done with that now. I just have to do the exercises he taught me for range of motion and then check in with him in a couple weeks.”

“How were you able to heal so fast? What was in that shot the doctor gave you? Because whatever it was, it really worked.”

Garret reaches over and adjusts the pillow on the couch, which doesn’t need adjusting. “I don’t know. I didn’t ask.”

I take the pillow from him. “What’s going on with you? You always act weird whenever I ask you about this doctor. And now you’re acting weird when I ask about the shot.”

“I’m not acting weird.” His eyes remain on the couch.

“Garret, I know you’re hiding something from me and you know I won’t let you get away with it. So tell me. What is it?” I get off his lap and sit next to him, waiting for an answer.

He sighs, then looks at me like he wants me to just forget about it. But I won’t let him keep secrets from me.

“What is it, Garret? What’s the deal with your doctor?”

“He’s just part of a . . . I don’t know what to call it. It’s a medical group that very few people know about. Honestly, Jade, I don’t even know that much about it.”

“What are you talking about?”

He hesitates. “You can’t say a word about this to anyone, okay? I’m serious.”

“Yeah. I got it.”

“Like I said, I don’t know all the details about this group. Nobody has ever come out and told me anything about it. I don’t even know if I’m right. I’m just making assumptions after seeing what they can do. I have a regular doctor. I’ve only gone to these people when I’ve been really sick.”

“Why? Do they have magical healing abilities?” I joke.
 

“No, but close. They have advanced treatments that most of the public doesn’t have access to. I think they might even have cures for certain illnesses, like serious disease shit.”

“Yeah, right. I think you’ve been watching too many movies. That doesn’t sound like real life.”

“I know, and I can’t prove it, but the more I think about it the more I believe it. My grandfather had lung cancer a few years ago and it just went away. He didn’t have chemo or radiation. Nothing.”

“Maybe he just got better. Do you seriously think doctors would hide a cure for cancer?”

“I don’t want to believe that but my grandfather’s cancer was pretty advanced. How did he get better like that?”

“If what you’re saying is true, that would be pure evil. To only let some people have access to these treatments but not others? I suppose only the rich have access?”

“Rich. Or important. This group is headquartered in DC. They take care of some of the important people there.”

“Like the president?”

He shrugs. “President, senators, judges. This doctor who’s been taking care of me was down in DC last summer when I was an intern. He came into the office of the senator I was working for.”

“So you think that shot they gave you isn’t available to regular people? What’s so special about it?”

“The doctor said it speeds tissue growth so you heal way faster than normal. I’ve never heard of anything like that. Have you?”