The Geary Series Boxed Set (5 page)

My ringing phone woke me from my dreams the next morning. I’d slept so well, and for so long, it was ten in the morning. I couldn’t remember a time when I’d woken up in the same position I’d gone to sleep in. Regular sleeping pattern for me was tossing and turning and a maximum of five hours. Reaching for my phone, I looked at the display and saw Jack’s beaming face staring back at me. That beautiful face made me smile, and my heart beat a little faster.

I hit speaker phone and grumbled a hoarse hello to him.

“Morning beautiful, how did you sleep?” He bellowed down the phone.

“Like the dead, after a long bath and some self-pleasure, I was out like a light.”

I heard him groan on the other end, and I started to laugh.

“It’s not funny, you have no idea what is going through my head right now. I wish I were there to watch or better still give you the pleasure with my tongue.”

“You’re a rascal. To what do I owe the pleasure of being woken by your handsome face?” I asked him.

He chuckled down the phone. I snuggled deeper into the duvet and cuddled the phone to my ear. I loved hearing him laugh.

“What are your plans for today?” he replied.

“I plan to plot and scheme, what about you?” I replied, rolling onto my back and dropping a hand to my belly. I rubbed it as I heard it growl in protest of not being fed.

“I hope you’re not plotting to run away just yet. I have to go to work soon, but I thought that you might want a quiet, comfortable place to write. I know just the place. The food is good as well as their coffee, and they will leave you alone to write.”

“I’ll stay for another day and see what your mad skills will produce this evening. I’ll be plotting and scheming my new book outline. While I was in the bath last night, I’d a brainwave for a story, and I want to get it written down while it’s fresh.”

“I’ll pick you up in half an hour and walk you there, get your delectable arse in the shower and meet me in the lobby.”

Before I could protest he had hung up the connection, so I followed his orders and dragged my arse into the bathroom to get ready.

Thirty minutes later I strolled through the lobby to find Jack standing still, talking on his phone. He was wearing a three-piece suit and he looked exquisite. The suit was a perfect fit and the navy colour complemented his dark colouring. He looked edible. My instant reaction was guilt for having such thoughts, but I couldn’t help myself.

He was a stunning looking man, his dark hair cut short on the sides and back and left long on top. He was a man comfortable in his own skin, and it showed in his stance. As he started to pace, I watched the material of his trousers tighten on his thighs and it prompted a mental flashback to his naked body from last night. He was a hot man and a joy to look at.

In comparison, I was dressed casually, faded blue jeans, red t-shirt and a v-necked blue jumper. Trainers were on my feet and a scarf around my neck. I had my leather jacket with me but hadn’t put it on yet. It was Autumn technically but still unusually warm for the time of the year. I slung my laptop bag across my body and walked until I stood in front of him as he finished his call. Whilst he was still talking on the phone, he leaned down and pecked my cheek. I leant into his lips, they were warm and soft, and I wanted more.

“Morning,” I quietly said as I kissed his cheek in return. Jack finished his call and grabbed my waist and pulled me hard against him. In a flash, his open mouth was on my neck, and he blew a loud raspberry against my skin.

I laughed a little too loudly for the morning guests of the hotel lobby and was rewarded with various stares and glares. His lips tickled against my skin, and it felt wonderfully intimate. His lips relaxed against my skin, and he pulled me tighter to his body and softly pressed his lips to my neck. We were motionless wrapped in each other’s arms for half a minute. Pushing away from him with my hands against his chest, I pulled out of his embrace. I narrowed my eyes at his grinning face and laughed again.

“You look heavenly in that suit.” I told him.

“Thanks. Your jeans cup your arse like a second skin, and it makes me want to bite it.” He replied.

“Oh, my God, you’re terrible, and at this time of the morning too.” I said, and I slapped his arm lightly and chuckled at his compliment. It was taking a bit of time to get used to his overt statements. I’d never met anyone so openly sexual, and I quite liked it.

“Where are you taking me?” I said as I linked my arm through his.

“We’re going back to the bar we met at last night but a different part of the bar, I think you’re going to love it there.”

“Do you think you know me that well?”

“Yes, I do, you can tell me how right I’m in ten minutes. Eat this while we walk.”

He handed me a brown paper bag and when I peeked inside, I saw that there was a breakfast muffin inside. My mouth was full for most of the journey so we walked in silence to the bar. I took in my surroundings, the autumn air was fresh and invigorating. We passed a park with a massive oak tree and large open grass areas, perfect for family picnics. I had a pang of sadness that my husband and I had never had children, and I unconsciously rubbed the flat of my hand over my heart.

“Are you ok?” Jack asked me, I hadn’t realised that we had stopped walking. I looked up at his face after I’d blinked away the sadness. The space between his eyebrows had creased and wrinkled with concern. I reached up and smoothed out his worry with the pad of my thumb.

“I’m doing great,” I lied “are we here?”

“Yeah, we’re here, let me take you in and get you settled.” He eyes lingered on mine looking for a reason for my dishonesty. I could tell I wasn’t fooling him for a second.

He was gentlemanly enough not to pursue the issue. Jack led me into the bar by the hand. It was from another world, deep leather button back chairs and exposed floorboards. I fully expected to have men walking around with smoking jackets and puffing on cigars. It was dark and atmospheric. He was right, I was already in love with the place. It was like a drawing room in an old manor house.

“This place is fabulous, you can go now.” I said to Jack, shooing him away. He chuckled and pulled on my hand and led me over to the bar.

“Sit on that stool for a minute, I’ll be right back.” He ordered squeezing my arm as he left me perched on a high stool, soaking in the vision of the bar. Behind the bar high mirrored walls with a myriad of different shaped bottles and glasses. Low yellow lighting behind the draped curtains gave off an air of the 1920s. It was a stark contrast to the seating and artwork on the wall.

I didn’t absorb any of these details last night when I met Jack, it looked entirely different in the light of day. I fell in love with the place immediately.

Jack came back with a casual version of himself following behind and it brought me out of my daydreaming. The man’s smile widened as he approached us and he nudged Jack as they stood side by side in front of me. He was the barman from last night, he didn’t seem as big in the cold light of day.

“So this is the lovely Olivia. It’s a great pleasure to meet you properly. Please forgive my crassness last night, I didn’t really have a filter when it comes to Jack and his women. I didn’t realise until after you left that you were Olivia and not one of his dates. I hope you will forgive me, I’m Elijah.” He said as he clutched my outstretched hand in greeting. He shook it once and then lifted it to kiss the back of my hand.

He hadn’t offended me last night, I was too busy trying not to throw up from my nerves.  Jack checked his watch and cleared his throat.

“This idiot is my brother, he also owns Blue’s. I’ve told him you’re sweet, innocent and married so he knows to keep his hands off you.” Jack said to me while throwing a glare Elijah’s way. Elijah raised his hands in mock defence and elbowed Jack in the side.

“She is safe here with me, and I’ll keep a very close eye on her and make sure I look after her.” Elijah advised both of us with a cheeky smile.

“Are you comfortable here Olivia? We can go somewhere else, but I thought this might be perfect for you to write your sultry, sexy book.”

I raised my eyebrows at him and looked around. He was right it did ooze an air of secrecy and illicit trysts. I couldn’t wait to sit in a comfy chair and people watch while mapping out the story line. I already knew it was going to be a great day.

“It’s the perfect setting, thanks very much. I’m sure Elijah will take excellent care of me.” I said as I winked in Elijah’s direction. This action made him laugh raucously and he laughed even harder when he noticed Jack frowning at him.

“She is safe with me Jack, I promise. I won’t even tell her that you constantly talk about her or the things you want to do to her.” Elijah promised, examining the ceiling and mock whistling until he got a reaction from Jack he desired.

Jack harrumphed with a growl and took both of my hands in his.

“Stay here and make yourself comfortable, I’ll come by later to pick you up for an early dinner. If you get bored then give me a call and I can meet you and take you back to your hotel.”

“I’ll be okay here, I’m a grown woman, I’ll be ok, you know. I might even move in, I love it here so much.” Elijah beamed at my declaration and clapped his hands, rubbing them together.

I didn’t know why he was worrying so much I was more than capable of spending a day in a bar, especially a glorious place as Blue’s. I wanted him to leave me to it so that I could get started.

“What can I get you to drink Olivia?” Elijah asked me.

“I would like coffee in the largest mug that you have.” I told him.

He walked off to the end of the bar and spoke with one of the bartenders and then disappeared through the door. Jack turned to look at me with a pensive stare.

“Are you ok Jack? You look a bit worried. I’ll be okay on my own, I like my own company.”

“Sweetheart I’m not worried. I feel sorry that I couldn’t take a week off to be with you. I shouldn’t have been so impulsive with the timings to meet. I wanted to meet you so desperately. I should have planned it better so that I could spend every waking moment with you. Alas, I have meetings right through to the end of today, and I’d better get going. Please call me if you need to leave, and I’ll come and get you.”

I don’t know what was going on in his head, but his lurching from one emotion to the next was making me dizzy.

“Seriously Jack, stop stressing, I’ve been on my own for a while now, I’m ok with it. You don’t need to wrap me in cotton wool.” I said, instantly regretting my choice of words.

He frowned again and a look of confusion washed over his face. Stepping towards me his wrapped his arms around my waist and gave me a bone crushing hug. Dropping his hands to my arse, he squeezed, hard. I looked up at him to scowl only see him cheekily grin back.

“You, Mr Geary, are swaying back and forth with a lot of different emotions, are you sure everything is ok?”

“Most people are like a pane of glass to me but I can’t work you out Olivia. Give me a bit of time and it will all click into place and I’ll know what my next move will be. You’re not what I was expecting, and it has thrown me slightly.”

“What were you expecting?”

I was afraid of what he was going to say, it had become incredibly important that he approved of me. My irrational need to be liked by him danced around the edges of my insecurity. I hoped and prayed he didn’t work out my secret before I was willing to tell him.

“I was expecting a beautiful, prudish woman. I thought that because you had never written about sex in your books you would be a complete prude, but you aren’t. There is a lot more to you than that. You’re a sensual woman, but it seems you have hidden that side of you. I can’t help but wonder what that husband of yours does with you in bed. He sure as hell doesn’t bend you over the back of the sofa and fuck you hard. I saw it in your eyes last night when you were watching Laine and me fuck.” He paused in his speech and looked down at our joined hands. Lifting his head, he continued talking. “You run your life on a set of rules, and I’ve a compulsion to make you break each and every one of them.”

“Wow, I see. I wish I could enlighten you, but it’s hard to understand what you want to know. One minute you’re intense and the next you’re playful. Even if I did know I probably wouldn’t tell you.”

“There is another example of your rules.” He placed his hand flat on my chest just over my heart. “What does this tell you to do sweetheart?” He asked me, his eyes boring holes into me. “What is this saying to you, does it say that you can trust me? I hope it does because I trust you.”

He lifted his hand and placed one finger on my lips. “Don’t answer that, it was rhetorical. Just think about it.”

I kissed his finger in reply and smiled as he placed the same finger on his own lips. Jack kissed the same finger and put it back on my lips. I could have melted at the endearment, it made my heart swell and beat faster and brought the heat to my cheeks. Holy hell if I were not careful I might fall for him.

“That was very sweet Jack, you will make a fabulous husband when you find the woman of your dreams.” I stated, not expecting any reply.

“I’m glad you think so and to have your vote of confidence, it means a great deal to me.” He cupped my face in his hands and kissed my forehead. “I’ll see you later on, beautiful.” Jack turned on his heel and left the bar.