Consumed by a Stranger (Craved Series #4) Page 3

  And the fact that he spoke my language both in and out of the bedroom was enough to make my head spin.

  After he pulled his shirt over his head, I stood up and wrapped the blanket around me like a towel, tucking the end in so it would stay up long enough for me to say goodbye.

  "Did you want to take your coffee to go?" I asked, noticing his nearly full mug on the table.

  "As delicious as it was-"

  "That's okay," I said. "You don't have to bullshit me."

  "It probably just wasn't sweet enough for me because I'm used to Thai coffees now."

  "Sorry," I said. "I'm afraid I'm all out of condensed milk."

  "You and every coffee shop in Seattle no doubt."

  "Probably."

  He made his way around the corner to the front door. "I'll pick you up at seven thirty," he said. "If that works for you."

  "Sounds good," I said, stepping ahead of him to open the door.

  Jack moved in the doorway and ran one hand over the chenille blanket from my thigh to my waist before lifting his eyes to mine. "It's good to see you again."

  "You too," I said, focusing on his blue eyes.

  "Thanks for giving me a chance to explain."

  That’s when I decided I would never mention that I could’ve saved him a lot of trouble if I'd just opened the door in the first place.

  "I'll see you later," I said.

  He leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek, and even after everything we'd done, his lips still set my cheek on fire.

  And then he was gone.

  I closed the door and leaned my back against it, letting out the most satisfied sigh ever.

  When I noticed the flowers were still on the entry way table, I picked them up and smelled them as deeply as I could, as if I could fill my whole body with their floral scent.

  Why would a handsome doctor fly from the other side of the world to see an unemployed woman who thought ice cream was a food group and couldn't even make a decent cup of coffee?

  I must’ve been dreaming.

  I went to the kitchen to put the flowers in water, moving as nervously as someone whose just learned an asteroid is about to hit Earth but decides to go about what they were doing anyway.

  Unfortunately, the only vase I had was far too small for the bouquet so I filled my glass popcorn bowl with water and propped the flowers up in it for the time being.

  Then I leaned my head in the front room and stared at the couch. It was a totally different couch than it had been before, a couch I couldn't even look at without smiling like some kind of idiot.

  And then I realized how I could confirm that this was actually happening.

  Megan.

  I went to my room and grabbed my phone off the bed.

  "You sneaky bitch," I said when she answered.

  "What are you talking about?"

  "I'd say guess who just showed up at my apartment, but that would be silly, wouldn't it? Because you know damn well who it was."

  "Who?"

  "Don't play dumb. He said you were the one that told him how to find me."

  "So?"

  "So what?"

  "Aren’t you happy he had a chance to explain himself?"

  "As opposed to thinking he just stood me up?" I asked. "Of course."

  "Good," she said. "I thought his explanation warranted the opportunity to apologize in person."

  "Agreed."

  "So what happened? I'm assuming he's not there or you would be too busy to call." She lowered her voice. "If you get my meaning."

  "Are you at work?"

  "Did Jack Quinn just knock on your door?"

  "I want to say yes, but I'm sort of having an out of body experience."

  "Where did he go?" she asked. "Why isn't he there?"

  "We'll he came… and then he came again, and then he left."

  "Damn girl, you work fast."

  "I was going to suggest we go somewhere to talk, but one thing led to another."

  "Yeah, well, I'm not surprised. If I went that far to see about a guy, I'd want to get some, too."

  "He's taking me out tonight, but he went back to the The Drake for a rest so I could get some work done."

  "Like you could possibly work at a time like this."

  "I know."

  "Where are you going to dinner?"

  "I don't know."

  "How long is he staying in town?"

  "I don't know."

  "Wow, you weren't kidding. You didn't waste any time talking at all."

  "I thought I would never see him again."

  "Well, you do have me to thank since I'm the one that remembered to leave my contact information with the handsome guy I met in paradise."

  "Yeah, I guess I owe you one."

  "I'm just glad it worked out. At least now you have some closure- or not-"

  "Anything's better than the way things ended before."

  "Exactly. That's what I figured."

  "I don't know how this is going to sound, but does it seem odd to you that someone like Jack would come this far to see me. I mean, the guy could have anyone he wants?"

  "But he wants you."

  "Does he though? Or is this just some kind of game? I mean, it's not like the money's an issue for him. Maybe he just wanted a few more American fucks and knew I was sure thing."

  "Don't be ridiculous. He likes you a lot."

  I knew better than to think that amazing sex necessarily equaled genuine feelings. “How can you be so sure?"

  "Cause when he got a hold of me, he wouldn't take no for an answer, and he said nicer things about you than even I would say."

  "Really?"

  "Yeah," she said. "And you know if I didn't think you should give him a chance, I'd say so."

  "I know."

  "But he's one of the good guys, Audrey," she said. "So don't blow it."

  Chapter 6: Jack

  I was in such a good mood when I left Audrey's, I was sure people in the street could sense it.

  And why wouldn't I be? I'd just flown around the world without knowing if she would even let me in, and she was delighted to see me.

  And so was her body. I felt pins and needles just thinking about the way she shuddered over me, the way it felt to have her breasts pinned against my chest.

  She was such a gorgeous woman it was hard to believe that she hadn't been snatched up. She’d obviously been dating the wrong guys. Even the fact that she thought I stood her up was unfathomable to me.

  Had she really been treated so poorly in the past that she would allow herself to believe that?

  It was like she had no idea how much she had going for her. I didn't know how she could be so confident and yet so self-unaware. And I felt ridiculously fortunate that our paths crossed when they did because I really needed some excitement in my life, some direction, some inspiration.

  Maybe she didn't believe in muses, but she certainly made me a believer. I felt like I could do anything when I looked in her eyes, like I could be anything. Not only did I like her, but I liked myself better when I was with her.

  Her taste was still on my lips as I walked through the doors of the shopping center, dodging the people flowing towards the exit like a fish swimming upstream. Having her again worked up my appetite, and I needed something to settle my stomach before I tried to nap.

  I considered getting room service, but I didn't want the challenge of trying to stay awake while I waited for it. I figured it was better to get something now and let it digest as I made my way back to the hotel.

  So while it was never my intention to walk into the bookstore, it was like my feet had a mind of their own. And before I knew it, I’d made my way to the health and fitness section and found myself standing in front of my book.

  There I was on the cover. Arms crossed over my bare chest while a stethoscope hung between my pecs. Why I ever agreed to that was beyond me, but at least my agent was right. It did sell books.

  I picked up the hardcover copy on top of the
small stack and turned it over in my hands. It wasn't dusty or anything, but it was weird to see so few copies when the last thing I remember was having a prominent display in every book store across the country.

  The blurb on the back was short and professional. It listed my medical credentials and the testimonials from people whose lives I helped change before I decided to write the book.

  And reading it again was bittersweet.

  I knew writing it was a good thing. I helped a lot of people improve their quality of life in a massive and measurable way, and that was definitely something I was proud of.

  But I hadn't done much since, and it was hard to imagine that a weight loss book might be my greatest life's work, especially when I was still so young.

  Sure, I threw myself into a lot of expensive hobbies, which is what I imagine most guys would do if they started earning fuck you money at the age I did. But I couldn't expect hobbies to sustain me for the rest of my life.

  Still, the book in my hands was proof enough that when I set my mind to something, there was no stopping me.

  It was like the Audrey thing. Or even my commitment to my Dad. When I applied myself, I was relentless.

  And part of me craved having a passion like that again.

  Obviously, I was more committed than ever to getting my Dad the help he needed, and I was going to do everything I could to convince Audrey that no man could make her as happy as I could.

  But neither of those things were going to happen overnight, and touching down in America again alerted me to the healthy buzz of productivity and ambition that was currently lacking in my life.

  And I needed to get it back.

  But that was a bigger project than I could tackle today. For the moment, I needed a snack and a nap, and I needed to think of something epic to do with Audrey tonight because our last date consisted of toasted cheese sandwiches and canned beer.

  And I was eager to show her that my taste in food was just as compelling as my taste in women.

  Fortunately, when I walked out of the bookstore, I saw a tourist guide to Seattle featuring a picture of the Space Needle and it hit me. I would make sure I gave her another night she would never forget- and hopefully another orgasm that would make her putty in my hands.

  Not because I was interested in controlling her, but because having her filled me with the surge of energy I craved. Besides, now that I knew how difficult things had been for her lately, I was more determined than ever to take her mind off the pressure she was under.

  After all, my money made it a lot easier to be unemployed with a sick parent. How she was coping was a mystery to me. I knew how hard it was to have a loved one that wouldn’t help themselves, and it killed me to think that she was dealing with that, too.

  Plus, if I remembered correctly from our first dinner date, her Dad wasn’t only an alcoholic. He was paralyzed from the waist down and couldn't work.

  I couldn’t even imagine the stress her Mom must be feeling. Which reminded me… Seeing as how I was only a short flight away from my own Mom, it was only right that I go see her before I headed back to Thailand, hopefully with Audrey in tow.

  It would be great to introduce her to my Mom. I was sure they would get along. Not only was my Mom super sweet and fairly feisty herself, but I knew she would be relieved to discover I finally found a woman I could get series about.

  She’d been on my case for years saying I needed to settle down, especially since she was under the impression that I’d been doing nothing but dicking around for the last few years. Of course, that would’ve been my impression too based on the only time she came to visit me.

  Not that I could blame her. Seeing my Dad was difficult for her despite the fact that she'd moved on.

  And I’ve no doubt she wasn’t thrilled about having a son who'd thrown away a massive heap of opportunities and an enviably high standard of living so he could drink banana milkshakes and be alone on a paddle board.

  It wasn’t exactly a Mother's dream for her son.

  But that would make it even more fun to set her fears to rest and tell her I had a new woman in my life, a woman I couldn't wait to see again.

  Chapter 7: Audrey

  "So he told you what happened?" I asked, leaning against my kitchen counter. "With his Dad and everything?"

  "Yeah," Megan said.

  I knew how much I went out of my way to keep my Dad from coming up in conversation so the fact that he opened up about it meant a lot.

  "Do you think it's too weird?" I asked. "That both of our Dads have drinking problems."

  "I don't think it's a reason you shouldn't go out if that's what you're asking," she said. "If anything, I was thinking it might be a relief for you to know he would never judge you for that."

  "Maybe."

  "Look, Audrey. You might as well give him a chance. He came all this way just to see you, and I think he would've found you whether I helped him or not."

  "You do?"

  "He said as much anyway."

  "What?"

  "He said if I didn't help him, he wasn't going to stop looking for you and that he already had a PI in mind if I refused."

  "A PI?! What the hell?"

  "I know. So if anything, he owes me a big thank you for the money I saved him and you owe me a thank you for keeping you out of a professional stalking situation."

  "Christ."

  "But I have been dying to tell you I heard from him. You know how much I suck at keeping secrets."

  "Yeah."

  "When I realized he was essentially hunting you down, I was pretty jealous. I don't think any guy's ever gone to that much trouble for me."

  "Max did get you that cookie cake when you graduated."

  "Fuck off."

  I smiled.

  "What are you going to wear tonight?"

  "I don't know. Something plunging maybe. Then again, he said he’s picking me up on his bike."

  "Oh. That does limit your options."

  "I know," I said. "Any suggestions?"

  "You always look gorgeous in blue," she said. "Cause your eyes."

  I sighed.

  "Not sure if that helps."

  "No. It's something," I lied.

  "Have you wondered what the heck you're going to do if this works out?"

  "Of course not. We haven't even been on a date in real life yet."

  "Until tonight."

  "Right," I said. "But your whole ‘no feelings just fun’ strategy seems pretty useless right now."

  "Oh yeah, you can forget about that. That strategy no longer applies. Though let's be honest, you weren't really following it anyway from day one."

  "True."

  "But don't beat yourself up about it."

  "Thanks."

  "Jack is by far the most eligible guy you've liked since you got your braces off."

  I rolled my eyes, but I didn't dare think about how true her statement was.

  "I'm sure he'll show you a good time."

  "He's pretty much batting a thousand at this point anyway," I said, remembering how it felt to have him inside me.

  "Be sure to ask if he has any other sexy doctor friends."

  "What about Matteo?"

  "What about him?" she asked.

  "Has he been in touch or anything?"

  "No," she said. "But I'm cool with that. I knew from the second I laid eyes on him that he was just a fling."

  "Uh-huh."

  "But he did get me all fired up about how good sex with new people could be after an embarrassingly long dry spell."

  "Yeah."

  "And I'm not really interested in revisiting that type of desolation so I need to find a new man pronto."

  "I'll keep my eye out."

  "Thanks."

  "Well, I better go. Ever since I swore at you Sandra's been giving me that look like she knows I'm on a personal call."