The Fall (6 page)

Addison shrugged. “Fine.”

An awkward silence settled in, which Archer broke after a few moments with a sigh. “I’m sorry,” he admitted. “I had no right to behave that way.”

“No,” Addison agreed, “you didn’t. I appreciate you protecting me, Archer, but you have no right to police who I talk to or what I do.”

“You’re right,” Archer repeated smoothly, regaining his usual control. 

The waiter returned again with Addison’s food. He arranged it in front of her and slid a piece of paper across the table towards her.

“Call me sometime,” he said.

Addison smiled politely and picked up the paper.

“It was nice to meet you, Mark.”

The waiter nodded and began to walk away. Addison was about to shovel a group of fries into her mouth when Archer wrapped his hand around her nape and pulled her towards him.

Addison seemed too shocked to do anything but oblige, and Archer closed his lips over hers. She opened her mouth in alarm, and Archer took advantage of it, sliding his tongue inside quickly and drawing on hers. He pulled on her lip with his teeth before opening his eyes dazedly.

The kiss ended as quickly as it had begun. Addison looked up at him, her face flushed and eyes glossy with desire.

What the hell? Archer thought. What was he doing? He had been convinced that he could withstand the attraction he felt towards Addison, but he needed to claim her.
Claim?
Archer pulled away, shaken by his reaction. He stood up and grabbed his black jacket, avoiding Addison’s penetrating gaze.

“I’m going outside. You eat, I’ll get Jake to come and take you home.” Archer snatched the paper out of her hand, and scrunched it up before putting a fifty-dollar note on the table, leaving without waiting for Addison’s response.

Archer saw the waiter glowering at him from the counter and smiled inwardly before catching himself, strengthening his resolve. He had to put a stop to these feelings.

Jake arrived within a few minutes.

“Who’s Addison talking to?” he asked, not bothering with a hello. 

Archer spun around, and growled when he saw the damn waiter back at Addison’s table.

“Is it just me, or are guys not as smart as they used to be?” Archer asked Jake distractedly.

“Is that rhetorical? Maybe you just aren’t as scary as you used to be,” Jake replied with a grin, slapping Archer on the shoulder affectionately.

“Doubt that,” Archer said, his jaw tight. “Go and watch her. Don’t let her leave your sight. Let me know if that little dipshit tries anything else. If he does, I have a gun and a shovel, and I doubt he'd be missed.”

“Did you just quote
Clueless
?” Jake asked in shock.

“You watched it about a hundred times in nineteen-ninety five alone,” Archer replied grudgingly. Shaking his head with a reminiscent smile, Jake walked into the diner.

***

Addison was caught between being pissed off, confused, and sexually frustrated. She was furious that Archer had just left her to eat alone and confused at why he had done so. But wow, she thought. She couldn’t help but recognise that his kiss had been amazing. She could still taste him on her tongue, and the wild spices were like nothing she had ever experienced. Her body seemed to be buzzing with electricity.

Jake walked into the diner. He was dressed in dark denim jeans, black boots, and a white t-shirt. Almost every female’s eyes followed him as he walked towards her. Many of them were scowling at her, clearly remembering the last man she had seated beside her, and obviously thinking she was getting a piece of Jake too.

“Hey Jake.” She attempted a smile, but realised it probably just looked like she was in pain.

Jake kissed her on the cheek and gave Mark a murderous glance, making him pale and walk back to the counter. Addison groaned.

“Argh, not you too. I am surrounded by way too much damn testosterone.” Jake laughed and started eating her nachos. “Preaching to the choir, babe. So what did you do to Archer to get him so shitty?”

“How should I know? He almost gives poor Mark a stroke, kisses me, then leaves without any explanation,” she mumbled whilst flicking the food around her plate. This might be the first time ever she had been unable to finish a meal, she mused. Jake’s eyebrows drew together in surprise.

“He kissed you?”

“Why so shocked?” Addison asked curiously. Was she not Archer’s usual type?

Jake shrugged casually. “No reason. He’s not usually into PDA.” Jake signalled to a waitress who came over, blushing, arranging her top so that more of her cleavage was visible.

“Hi, honey,” Jake said smoothly. “Could I please have two double-beef burgers with extra chilli fries, a Caesar salad, and wedges with sweet chilli sauce and sour cream?”

Addison stared at Jake in open-mouthed astonishment.

“What?” He shrugged. “I had a light breakfast.” The waitress assured him it wouldn’t be long and left them alone.

Addison smiled in genuine amusement. “I like it; you make me seem like a lightweight eater. There aren’t many people who can do that, my dear.”

Jake grinned in response. “Always try to make a woman happy.”

“So, are you going to tell me why Archer is being so abrupt?” she asked, idly stirring her juice with the straw.

Jake seemed to weigh each word before speaking.

“Archer is very … complicated. He makes things more difficult for himself than they need to be,” Jake said. “But he is a good guy. He holds the weight of the world on his shoulders and refuses to share the load. I try, but, well … he’s Archer.”

Addison locked gazes with Jake. “He’s lucky to have you.”

Jake grinned. “Yeah, he is.”

Five minutes later the waitress returned with Jake’s food. “If there is anything I can do for you, let me know. Anything at all.” She smiled suggestively at Jake before walking away.

Addison scoffed. “She would probably do you right here on the table in front of everyone.”

Jake chuckled. They both sat comfortably, chatting together, and enjoying their meal. Addison really liked Jake. She didn’t find friends easily, so it was these moments she most treasured.

“Time to go home, Addy,” Jake said as they stepped outside.

“Do we have to?” Addison grumbled. “Let’s go do something fun.”

Jake beamed. “Well, you said you were sick of all the testosterone … I have just the place.”

***

Fifteen minutes later they were in front of a small bar that had neon lights shaped like naked women filling the windows.

Addison arched an eyebrow questioningly.

“You said something fun, I do believe,” he retorted happily. Addison shrugged and got out of the car. What the hell. She figured she needed something to distract her from thoughts about a certain dark-haired male.

They were greeted at the door by a blonde with huge, unmoving breasts that were scantily covered by a metallic-gold bikini top. A matching cheerleader skirt clung to her narrow hips, baring her thin legs that were lengthened by four-inch heels.

“Jake!” she cried, hugging him. Well, really, it was more like she just rubbed her breasts against his chest.

“Hello, Candy. Table for two, please,” Jake asked politely, giving Candy a stunning smile that left her breathless.

“I’m guessing you come here often.”

“Of course,” Jake said, as if it were obvious. “This is my happy place.”

Another barely-dressed woman came up to them. Her hair was so red that it had to be coloured, and she was a little shorter than Candy.

“Would you like some drinks?” she asked.

“Ginger, my sweet. I’ll have my usual. Addison?” he asked, not taking his eyes off the aforementioned Ginger.

“Vodka with orange juice, please,” she told Ginger before turning to Jake. “Are there any male strippers here?”

Jake wore a look of shock and repugnance. “Of course not!”

Addison wasn’t homophobic in the least, but being comfortable around a lot of naked women required inebriation.

“Sorry, Ginger, could you add a few tequila shots to that? I think I’ll be needing them.”

One screwdriver, five tequila shots, and four of whatever the hell she stole off Jake later, Addison was seated in a cubicle adjacent to Jake with a hundred and ten pounds of woman in her lap. She giggled and looked over at Jake, who was concentrating hard on the pair of large breasts in front of him, making sounds of approval. When she had admitted that she had never been to a strip club before, Jake had insisted on buying them both lap dances.

Jake had asked which stripper Addison found the most appealing, and she had chosen the redhead.

When Jake had asked why, Addison had drunkenly responded, “She brought me the drinks!”

Jake looked over at Addison and grinned unrepentantly, before telling her, “Addison, we should do this more often! This is the most fun I’ve ever had with a woman I wasn’t naked with.”

“Well, this is the most fun I’ve had with an almost-naked woman,” she garbled with drunken amusement. “You, Jake I-don’t-know-your-last-name, know how to have an interesting time.”

***

Archer arrived home at eight that night and was surprised to see that Jake and Addison weren’t back yet. He was feeling dreadful for leaving her at the restaurant without an explanation and had planned to apologise. He called Jake, who answered on the seventh ring. Loud music blasted through the phone.

“Hello!” Jake screamed into the receiver. Archer’s heart dropped. He knew that Jake could be irresponsible and wild, but this was downright reckless. Archer had repeated to him that Addison mustn’t be left alone and had to be protected at all times. If anything had happened to her, Jake had better run. Fast.

“Jake, where the fuck are you? I told you not to leave Addison alone! Where is she?” Archer yelled, his heart beating faster with every second. 

“Calm down, buddy. She’s here with me.” Jake, forgetting to pull away from the phone, yelled into Archer’s ear, “Addison! Archer says we missed curfew!”

“Jake, what the fuck is going on?” Archer demanded. He was relieved that Addison was safe, but Jake was doing nothing to calm his pounding heart.

“OUCH!” somebody that sounded suspiciously similar to Addison yelped.

“Be home soon!” Jake yelled before cutting the line. Archer was going to explode. Or at least murder Jake.

***

Addison was still rubbing her leg where she had knocked it on the table when she felt someone grab her rear. She spun around and caught a sleazy guy and his friend with their hands outstretched, diving in for another grope.

“Damn, you are fuckin’ sexy,” the tall one slurred.

“You should be up there on the pole,” the shorter one agreed.

Addison was hammered, but before she could reply or knock some sense into them, Jake had them both against the wall, a throat in each hand.

“Apologise to the lady,” he demanded.

The men both stammered through apologies while their faces turned red.

“Jake, come on, let’s go,” Addison mumbled. Jake must have understood her as he dropped them to the floor before gallantly offering his arm. She leaned on him heavily and got into the opened car. She belatedly realised that Jake had just lifted two men, who weren’t exactly small, as if they were bottles of gin.

***

Archer heard Jake’s car and was out the door before the engine had turned off. When he entered the garage, Jake was helping a stumbling Addison out of the vehicle. Archer’s heart dropped to his stomach.

“What happened to her, Jake?” he yelled, his arms reaching out to steady her and check her for injuries.

Addison let out a garbled giggle. “Stop it, Jake, that tickles.”

“Addison,” Archer began, his voice filled with bewilderment. “Are you drunk?”

“Only a little.” She began giggling again.

Archer shot Jake a murderous glare before turning back to Addison.

“Addison, honey, are you okay?” he asked calmly.

“Oh, Archer, it’s you,” she said, her face lighting up before dropping the next second. “You jackass, you left me at the restaurant alone!”

“I know, Addison,” Archer said. “I’m sorry.”

Addison let out a long sigh. “Whatever. Jakes and I went to a titty bar.”

Archer’s mouth dropped. “You went where?” he asked.

“Titty bar,” she repeated. “Lots of boobs.” She paused and frowned adorably. “Their boobs don’t move. It’s like magic. I couldn’t touch them, but they were really firm when they rubbed against mine. Way tougher than mine, too.”

Jake let out a smothered laugh and shut the door behind her.

“Come on, Addy. Let’s go inside.”

Addison smiled and looped one arm around Jake’s waist, unable to reach his shoulders properly, reaching her other one out expectantly to wrap around Archer. Archer obliged, noting that she barely weighed anything.

They went inside before Archer told Jake, “Go. I’ll take her to her room.”

Jake didn’t question him but removed Addison’s arm.

“Thanks, Addy, you were a blast.”

Addison gave him a big kiss on his nose. “Thank you, Jakey. You’re even more fun than I thought you would be.” Jake left quickly, grinning, though he didn’t miss Archer’s vicious stare.

Archer carried Addison to her room and placed her on the bed. He removed her shoes and jeans, stifling a groan at the sight of her small black lace panties. He went to find her a shirt to sleep in, and when he turned back, she had removed her top.

The matching black lace bra cupped her ample breasts seductively, and when Addison put her hand out for the top Archer couldn’t stop staring. He walked over to hand it to her, and she pulled it over her head, causing her breasts to move. Archer pulled his gaze away and turned back to her only when he heard her settling into the sheets.

“Good night, Addison,” Archer said, bending over to kiss her on the forehead. Addison surprised him by turning her face up and kissing him on the lips. The kiss was innocent, but still managed to set fire to Archer’s blood.

Addison sighed contentedly. “Good night, Archer.”

Chapter 8