“I got you, babe.” Luke stands, holding out two cigarettes.
Lisa looks at Harry. “You want to go out with them?”
He looks a little nervous, rubbing the back of his neck staring at Nel. “I uh, I have the two Cuban cigars Dad had left. I was going to have one this weekend, would you like the other?”
“Me?” She stares at him in disbelief.
“Who else?” He smiles at her. “Come on, Nelly-Belly. Let’s go.” He stands and holds his hand out to her as we all pile outside.
It turns out Nel does not like cigars. After two puffs and a lot of coughing and spluttering, she hands it to me to finish it off with Harry, who is savouring his own. We sit on their garden furniture in the cold, wrapped up in scarves and hats, Lisa staying upwind of the smoke and enjoying another hour of conversation. Harry is relaxed and easy going. Nel sits with Rhiannon and talks about her work with passion and enthusiasm. The evening is perfect.
When Lisa finally decides she’s had enough, she says goodnight and heads to bed, quickly followed by Rhiannon. Nel throws me a look that silently asks if I’m ready to go, so I start saying goodbye and the grateful smile she gives me has me staring at her lips.
Harry and Luke stay outside as we head our way through the house to the porch. Nel stops under the door to pull her hat further down before we leave. I see that sprig of mistletoe directly above her head and when she sees me, her gaze follows mine until she’s craning her neck to look up. It has to be the booze that moves my feet forward. I’ll blame the martini I had before dinner for stepping up to her until we’re toe-to-toe. I can attribute my hands reaching to cup her face to the wine I had with my meal, and the Old Fashioned is definitely responsible for my lips covering hers. She gasps into my mouth and the sound shoots straight to my dick. I gently kiss her, testing the seam of her lips with the tip of my tongue. When she melts into me, opening her mouth and welcoming my invasion, I take and take.
She whimpers and I groan as lips and tongues move together in lust and need and we pull apart panting just as the sound of the back door opening reaches us. Nel’s hand flies to her mouth, touching her lips and staring at me in disbelief. I stare back a prickle of guilt scurrying over the back of my neck. I shouldn’t have done that.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“You want all these whips out?”
NEL
Our journey back to the hotel is completely silent. Jake’s kiss still burning at my lips and the soft pressure of his palm still pressing against my jaw. It isn’t until we’re walking in through the lobby that I realise neither of us asked Lisa and Harry if one of us could stay on their couch. It seems after a brief discussion about it this morning, neither of us are actually bothered about our sleeping situation. We head up to our room and continue not talking to each other as we move around, getting ready to call it a night. Jake is already in bed, scrolling on his phone but I’ve only just removed my makeup and moisturised my face. I flip open my case to retrieve the pyjamas I’d shoved in there this morning and once again, my red lace bra and panty set is exposed to the room.
I don’t immediately shut the case this time, but I do turn to Jake to see if he saw anything. I find him staring at me with heavy lidded eyes and his expression dark. My tongue darts out to wet my lips and I swallow over my dry throat.
“Can I ask you something personal?” he says, cocking his head to one side and breaking the silence.
“Sure,” I croak, closing the case and standing.
“Did you bring that because that’s what you usually wear under your clothes, or were you planning on modelling it?”
I amnotembarrassed by what I do, but for some reason, I blush and look to the carpet. “Uh…well, I didn’t know we would be sharing a room.”
“I’m sorry I won’t get to see it.”
“I uh…what?”
“The post, I mean.” His amused smirk sends flutters through my belly and lower.
Is he flirting? I’ve seen Jake flirt with a lot of girls and have been so sure that I’d never be on the receiving end of it that my flirt receptors may be off. I mean, he did kiss me. But that was probably just so he didn’t get seven years’ bad luck.Or did we agree that was just mirrors?Hang on, what did he just say? Should I be speaking?
Jake chuckles. “Relax, Nel.”
“I was planning on doing some photos here. I saw the hotel online and the rooms are really beautiful.” I gesture to the chic botanical wallpaper and lush velvet bedding. “I thought they would be a good setting to take some pictures, but it’s cool. I’ll do them another time.” I shrug and the twinge in my shoulder reminds me that my back is still sore.
Jake must see the pain in my face as he frowns and sits forward. “Youarehurt?”
“I’m fine, Jake. Don’t fuss.” I wave him off.
“Go get changed,” he commands softly and my head jerks back at the sudden change of conversation.
I do as he says, changing in the privacy of the bathroom and trotting back to deposit my clothes back in my case. I pull the covers back to get into bed, but Jake pats the mattress by his leg. “Sit.”
With a raised brow, I do as I’m told and scooch over to sit next to him. At the first feel of his fingers on my bare shoulder, I gasp and turn to look at him. “What are you doing?”
“I told you I’d rub it all better.” His voice seems to have dropped an octave as he watches his thumb knead my aching muscles.
