Bound Together (15 page)
Authors: Marie Coulson
Biting on my bottom lip,
I smiled seductively. Leaning forward, I let the tip of my nose
just touch his so that our lips were mere inches apart. He was
breathing hard as his eyes watched my lips with intense attention.
“When it comes to you Jared, I’m always ready.”
He grinned widely before
grabbing the back of my neck and pulling me in for a passionate,
deep, breathless kiss. When he came up for air I licked my lips,
still tasting his on them.
“
Well I won’t keep you
waiting then.”
We drove through the
streets passing small boutiques and shops on the way. I hadn’t had
time to explore the shopping district surrounding the campus yet
but after spotting several stunning shoe stores, I would certainly
be doing so soon. The idea of shopping immediately made me think of
Amy. Sliding my cell out of my pocket I typed a quick text to let
her know what was happening. I didn’t want her to worry. Turning on
the phone I noticed that there was a message waiting for
me.
Hey Superstar. Where are
you? We thought we might get some food in tonight. Just wondered if
you wanted to eat with us before your date. Gimmie a heads up.
Ollie xx
Received
19.35
From: Ollie
Jared glanced over at me
with a furrowed brow, a look of concern on his face. “Something
wrong?”
I shook my head and
smiled. “No just Ollie. He wanted to know if I wanted to eat with
him and Amy before my date. We went to the movies earlier today, so
I’ll tell him I ate at work so he doesn’t worry.”
Jared’s expression
changed. I studied his face trying to figure out what it was. His
lips were pressed into a hard line and his hands were gripping the
steering wheel tightly. Was he jealous? I decided not to broach the
subject and replied to Ollie’s message asking him to let Amy know I
would be home late.
“
When you say we went to
the movies who do you mean? Oliver, Amy and yourself?”
“
No just me and him. We
saw some awful horror movie and I swear I only managed to see half
of it because I had my face buried in Ollie’s hoodie most of the
time, trying not to look.”
He slammed on the breaks
and the car screeched and halted to a stop. Unbuckling his seatbelt
Jared got out and slammed the door behind him. I watched him,
completely
dumbstruck at what had just
happened. He shouted obscenities and kicked the ground hard before
raking his hands through his hair, clearly furious and frustrated.
I wanted to leap out of the car and confront him about what was
happening but I was glued to my seat with fear at his
reaction.
He stood still for a
moment facing the road behind us and fisted his hands on his hips.
Biting his bottom lip he stared down at the ground and shook his
head before returning to the driver’s seat again. I sat frozen and
speechless just staring at him, waiting for him to explain. But he
didn’t. He never uttered a single world. He was icy cold and when
he began to drive again, he didn’t make eye contact, speak or even
acknowledge my existence at all.
Looking out of the
window, I tried to shake off the uneasy feeling I was getting from
Jared’s sudden cool demeanor towards me. Ollie was just a friend
and we had already had this conversation once. Turning to him, I
placed my hand on his knee and he glanced down at it as if I’d just
laid a gun in his lap. He looked fierce, his eyes blazing and his
jaw clenched. I removed my hand quickly and sighed. “Jared, Ollie
is just a friend. We just hang out. I swear there is nothing
between us. Don’t you trust me?”
Snapping his head at me
he glared. “It’s not you I don’t trust. You’re a very attractive
woman Layla and there are a lot of guys out there just itching and
squirming to get into those panties and make you moan for them. But
you belong to me. You’re mine. And I am not willing to share you
with some frat boy who thinks he has a chance. Understood? You need
to make it very fucking clear to him that you are spoken for. Or I
will.”
A shiver of thrill and
excitement pulsed through me. I liked angry, possessive Jared. Why
did alpha male demeanors get me so turned on? He was smoking hot
and it took every ounce of my self restraint not to jump his bones
there and then. Instead, I settled for a kiss on his cheek and a
ghost of a smile crossed his lips as I made contact with his skin.
“You have absolutely nothing to worry about.”
Entering an enormous
parking lot I looked up at a beautiful glass building. The colossal
structure had been built with glass walls and lustrous golden
doors. It was extraordinary in every way. Spotting the sign above
the entrance, I fathomed where we were “Garrett’s”. It was the mall
his father had been building, the same one Jared had completed
after his death. It was dark and the parking lot was completely
vacant. The whole place was obviously locked down. I stared at
Jared, perplexed. Smiling he turned off the ignition, ran around to
my door and extended his hand out to me.
“
Welcome to my palace my
lady.”
Unlocking the large
golden doors, he strode fast across to a security office adjacent
to the entrance. Punching in a code, the alarm ceased its deafening
screech and lights began to illuminate the pitch black halls. I
gawked in amazement at the rows and rows of little boutiques.
Taking my hand, Jared led me through the enormous entrance hall to
a store at the far end of the building. Passing beautiful displays
of clothes, accessories and appliances he stopped in front of a
small boutique. Grinning at me with delight gleaming in his deep
blue eyes, he opened the door and ushered me in. The lights
flickered on and I gaped in wonderment at the shining displays of
jewelry which glistened underneath heavily lit glass
counters.
I turned around, turning
my gaping expression to him. Smiling widely back at me, he walked
over to a counter in the corner of the room and unlocked it.
Reaching in he pulled out a beautiful white gold and diamond
encrusted bracelet. He raised his hand and gestured with his index
finger for me to come over to him. Taking my chin from the floor, I
tried to regain my equilibrium as I moved towards him anxiously.
Taking my hand, he slid the bracelet over it and onto my wrist. His
fingertips brushing my skin sent electricity surging up my arm and
through my body. I stared at the stunning piece in total disbelief
as he raised my hand to his lips and caressed my knuckles, smiling
sexily. “There. A bracelet fit for a princess. You should always be
dripping with diamonds Layla but this…” he paused lifting my hand
up so that the bracelet gleamed and shimmered in the light, “…is a
start.”
Draping my arms around
his neck I kissed him hard. He enveloped his arms around my waist
and swept me off my feet, pulling me tight to him. I was
overwhelmed with emotion and furrowing my brow I stared at the
jewels dangling on my wrist. Jared pulled his lips from mine and
looked at me with concern.
“
What’s the matter? You
don’t like it?”
I shook my head as he
returned me to my feet. “It’s not that Jared. It’s all of
this
.”
I gestured around the
room vaguely but his eyes were fixed on me. “It’s too much. You
hardly know me and you’re giving me a piece of jewelry worth
thousands of dollars. It’s crazy. Are you doing it because you feel
guilty for the whole coffee shop thing? Because if you are you
really don’t have to. I told you, I forgive you.”
Lifting my hand, he ran
his lips over my knuckles and placed a gentle kiss on the bracelet
that adorned my small and dainty wrist. “No Layla. I gave you the
bracelet because I wanted to and because I can. This is my store. I
just had this bracelet added to the collection yesterday and when I
saw you coming out of your dorm building last night all I could
think about was how perfect it would look on your exquisite and
elegant wrist. If you really don’t want it, I understand. But don’t
refuse it because you feel it’s a gift that comes with an ulterior
motive. It is certainly not.”
I nodded and placed a
chaste kiss on his oh-so-slightly parted lips. His expression
softened as he lifted my chin and gazed into my eyes. “You have the
most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen. I could get lost in them for
days. But for now I’ll settle for staring into them over a candle
lit dinner. Come on. Let’s go back to my place. I’ll even cook this
time.”
I raised an eyebrow
playfully. “You cook sir? My, my, is there no end to your
talents?”
Giving me a mischievous
grin, he whispered into my ear, sending shockwaves through my body
to my belly, igniting a now familiar fire inside. “I have a great
many talents my lady and I intend to show you all of
them.”
I was sure I was blushing
scarlet but I didn’t care. Jared made me feel alive, desirable and
sexy like a scorching hot temptress. It was exciting and I was
eager for more of anything he could dish out.
Sitting in the passenger
seat of his luxurious car, I looked down at the bracelet on my
wrist. It really was beautiful but something inside me was
uncomfortable with this token of his affection. Although he had
given me his reasons for the gift, it just didn’t sit well with me.
The bracelet itself was stunning. The purest of white gold and each
diamond had been cut to complete perfection. It glistened and
sparkled as the streetlight beamed through the window. It was heavy
and according to the information I had read on the ticket back at
the store, it was worth a staggering $
11050 and contained eight carats of diamonds. The fact that
he was totally at ease about giving me such an expensive piece of
his collection made me wonder if this was something that he did
often. Was I just one in a long line of women he’d given jewelry
to? And if so, did he assume that a casual fuck every so often was
all I was hoping for? I glanced over at him as hurtful and unwanted
thoughts consumed me. Why was I torturing myself? I should just ask
him.
Swallowing hard I tried
to sound as impassive as possible. “Jared, this
bracelet.”
Putting his hand on my
leg, he gripped me tightly and gave me a long hard stare, silencing
me immediately. “No. Whatever it is you’re thinking about, the
answer is no. I gave you that bracelet because it’s a stunning and
breathtaking piece of art. Just like you. When I purchased that
piece I thought it was very attractive but could never really
understand the enthusiasm my associates had given it. That was,
until you walked out of that door last night. You looked amazing
and the moment your hand was in mine I knew that bracelet was made
for your delicate, little wrist. And before you ask, no, I don’t
make a habit of giving women diamonds. In fact, apart from you, the
only woman I ever gave a diamond to was my mother and it was a pair
of earrings on her birthday. Don’t over think this Layla. It’s
yours and I don’t want to hear another word about it.
Understand?”
It was as if he had read
my mind and in one swoop had completely dissolved all of my doubts
about the wonderful gift he had given me. Mentally chastising
myself for questioning his motives, I gave him a smile, leaned
across to his side and kissed him on the cheek.
when I’d told her about our evening at the coffee shop. She wanted
every last detail, which I happily gave her. Although she did agree
that he should have been forthcoming about his ownership of the
shop, she understood his reasons for not telling me. Naturally, she
instantly forgave him after I showed her the diamond bracelet he’d
given me.
Ollie hadn’t been so
thrilled about it all. “He was totally dishonest about who he was.
How can you continue to date someone when you have no idea who he
really is? Can you honestly say you trust him? A diamond bracelet
doesn’t make up for lying and pretending to be someone you’re not.
He’s a fucknut if you ask me.”
His comments had irked me
a little but I tried to understand where they were coming from.
Ollie cared about me and probably not in a strictly friendly way.
“Ollie cut him some slack will you? Besides I’m a grown woman who
is perfectly capable of deciding if someone is trustworthy or
not.”
Kissing him on the cheek
I smiled sweetly. “But thank you for looking out for me.” He
flushed a deep shade of pink which, not wanting to embarrass him, I
decided was best to ignore.
very quickly, thankfully, as I began to settle into my new routine.
Now that I was in a relationship I was aware of my need to be
cautious and
after making an early
appointment with Dr. Roberts, I decided against the contraceptive
pill. I knew myself well enough to be sure that at one time or
another I would forget to take it or miss one, so I chose the safer
option of a shot instead. My ass was still a little sore from it as
I drove back to Long Beach and hopefully in time for
class.
Classes were getting
intense but with Ollie there, they felt more like hanging out with
a friend. Assignments were rolling in thick and fast and I worried
how I would find time for everything in my life. I hadn’t been home
for a while as I found myself constantly busy with shifts at the
shop and Jared. I had planned on going the last weekend that had
passed but after dad called and told me he had to work, I decided
to have a girly evening with Amy instead. We were now half way
through October and the weather was turning, which made the walks
to work that little bit more of a chore. Amy was a regular there by
now and would often meet me at the end of my shift for girl
talk.
I smiled seductively. Leaning forward, I let the tip of my nose
just touch his so that our lips were mere inches apart. He was
breathing hard as his eyes watched my lips with intense attention.
“When it comes to you Jared, I’m always ready.”
He grinned widely before
grabbing the back of my neck and pulling me in for a passionate,
deep, breathless kiss. When he came up for air I licked my lips,
still tasting his on them.
“
Well I won’t keep you
waiting then.”
We drove through the
streets passing small boutiques and shops on the way. I hadn’t had
time to explore the shopping district surrounding the campus yet
but after spotting several stunning shoe stores, I would certainly
be doing so soon. The idea of shopping immediately made me think of
Amy. Sliding my cell out of my pocket I typed a quick text to let
her know what was happening. I didn’t want her to worry. Turning on
the phone I noticed that there was a message waiting for
me.
Hey Superstar. Where are
you? We thought we might get some food in tonight. Just wondered if
you wanted to eat with us before your date. Gimmie a heads up.
Ollie xx
Received
19.35
From: Ollie
Jared glanced over at me
with a furrowed brow, a look of concern on his face. “Something
wrong?”
I shook my head and
smiled. “No just Ollie. He wanted to know if I wanted to eat with
him and Amy before my date. We went to the movies earlier today, so
I’ll tell him I ate at work so he doesn’t worry.”
Jared’s expression
changed. I studied his face trying to figure out what it was. His
lips were pressed into a hard line and his hands were gripping the
steering wheel tightly. Was he jealous? I decided not to broach the
subject and replied to Ollie’s message asking him to let Amy know I
would be home late.
“
When you say we went to
the movies who do you mean? Oliver, Amy and yourself?”
“
No just me and him. We
saw some awful horror movie and I swear I only managed to see half
of it because I had my face buried in Ollie’s hoodie most of the
time, trying not to look.”
He slammed on the breaks
and the car screeched and halted to a stop. Unbuckling his seatbelt
Jared got out and slammed the door behind him. I watched him,
completely
dumbstruck at what had just
happened. He shouted obscenities and kicked the ground hard before
raking his hands through his hair, clearly furious and frustrated.
I wanted to leap out of the car and confront him about what was
happening but I was glued to my seat with fear at his
reaction.
He stood still for a
moment facing the road behind us and fisted his hands on his hips.
Biting his bottom lip he stared down at the ground and shook his
head before returning to the driver’s seat again. I sat frozen and
speechless just staring at him, waiting for him to explain. But he
didn’t. He never uttered a single world. He was icy cold and when
he began to drive again, he didn’t make eye contact, speak or even
acknowledge my existence at all.
Looking out of the
window, I tried to shake off the uneasy feeling I was getting from
Jared’s sudden cool demeanor towards me. Ollie was just a friend
and we had already had this conversation once. Turning to him, I
placed my hand on his knee and he glanced down at it as if I’d just
laid a gun in his lap. He looked fierce, his eyes blazing and his
jaw clenched. I removed my hand quickly and sighed. “Jared, Ollie
is just a friend. We just hang out. I swear there is nothing
between us. Don’t you trust me?”
Snapping his head at me
he glared. “It’s not you I don’t trust. You’re a very attractive
woman Layla and there are a lot of guys out there just itching and
squirming to get into those panties and make you moan for them. But
you belong to me. You’re mine. And I am not willing to share you
with some frat boy who thinks he has a chance. Understood? You need
to make it very fucking clear to him that you are spoken for. Or I
will.”
A shiver of thrill and
excitement pulsed through me. I liked angry, possessive Jared. Why
did alpha male demeanors get me so turned on? He was smoking hot
and it took every ounce of my self restraint not to jump his bones
there and then. Instead, I settled for a kiss on his cheek and a
ghost of a smile crossed his lips as I made contact with his skin.
“You have absolutely nothing to worry about.”
Entering an enormous
parking lot I looked up at a beautiful glass building. The colossal
structure had been built with glass walls and lustrous golden
doors. It was extraordinary in every way. Spotting the sign above
the entrance, I fathomed where we were “Garrett’s”. It was the mall
his father had been building, the same one Jared had completed
after his death. It was dark and the parking lot was completely
vacant. The whole place was obviously locked down. I stared at
Jared, perplexed. Smiling he turned off the ignition, ran around to
my door and extended his hand out to me.
“
Welcome to my palace my
lady.”
Unlocking the large
golden doors, he strode fast across to a security office adjacent
to the entrance. Punching in a code, the alarm ceased its deafening
screech and lights began to illuminate the pitch black halls. I
gawked in amazement at the rows and rows of little boutiques.
Taking my hand, Jared led me through the enormous entrance hall to
a store at the far end of the building. Passing beautiful displays
of clothes, accessories and appliances he stopped in front of a
small boutique. Grinning at me with delight gleaming in his deep
blue eyes, he opened the door and ushered me in. The lights
flickered on and I gaped in wonderment at the shining displays of
jewelry which glistened underneath heavily lit glass
counters.
I turned around, turning
my gaping expression to him. Smiling widely back at me, he walked
over to a counter in the corner of the room and unlocked it.
Reaching in he pulled out a beautiful white gold and diamond
encrusted bracelet. He raised his hand and gestured with his index
finger for me to come over to him. Taking my chin from the floor, I
tried to regain my equilibrium as I moved towards him anxiously.
Taking my hand, he slid the bracelet over it and onto my wrist. His
fingertips brushing my skin sent electricity surging up my arm and
through my body. I stared at the stunning piece in total disbelief
as he raised my hand to his lips and caressed my knuckles, smiling
sexily. “There. A bracelet fit for a princess. You should always be
dripping with diamonds Layla but this…” he paused lifting my hand
up so that the bracelet gleamed and shimmered in the light, “…is a
start.”
Draping my arms around
his neck I kissed him hard. He enveloped his arms around my waist
and swept me off my feet, pulling me tight to him. I was
overwhelmed with emotion and furrowing my brow I stared at the
jewels dangling on my wrist. Jared pulled his lips from mine and
looked at me with concern.
“
What’s the matter? You
don’t like it?”
I shook my head as he
returned me to my feet. “It’s not that Jared. It’s all of
this
.”
I gestured around the
room vaguely but his eyes were fixed on me. “It’s too much. You
hardly know me and you’re giving me a piece of jewelry worth
thousands of dollars. It’s crazy. Are you doing it because you feel
guilty for the whole coffee shop thing? Because if you are you
really don’t have to. I told you, I forgive you.”
Lifting my hand, he ran
his lips over my knuckles and placed a gentle kiss on the bracelet
that adorned my small and dainty wrist. “No Layla. I gave you the
bracelet because I wanted to and because I can. This is my store. I
just had this bracelet added to the collection yesterday and when I
saw you coming out of your dorm building last night all I could
think about was how perfect it would look on your exquisite and
elegant wrist. If you really don’t want it, I understand. But don’t
refuse it because you feel it’s a gift that comes with an ulterior
motive. It is certainly not.”
I nodded and placed a
chaste kiss on his oh-so-slightly parted lips. His expression
softened as he lifted my chin and gazed into my eyes. “You have the
most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen. I could get lost in them for
days. But for now I’ll settle for staring into them over a candle
lit dinner. Come on. Let’s go back to my place. I’ll even cook this
time.”
I raised an eyebrow
playfully. “You cook sir? My, my, is there no end to your
talents?”
Giving me a mischievous
grin, he whispered into my ear, sending shockwaves through my body
to my belly, igniting a now familiar fire inside. “I have a great
many talents my lady and I intend to show you all of
them.”
I was sure I was blushing
scarlet but I didn’t care. Jared made me feel alive, desirable and
sexy like a scorching hot temptress. It was exciting and I was
eager for more of anything he could dish out.
Sitting in the passenger
seat of his luxurious car, I looked down at the bracelet on my
wrist. It really was beautiful but something inside me was
uncomfortable with this token of his affection. Although he had
given me his reasons for the gift, it just didn’t sit well with me.
The bracelet itself was stunning. The purest of white gold and each
diamond had been cut to complete perfection. It glistened and
sparkled as the streetlight beamed through the window. It was heavy
and according to the information I had read on the ticket back at
the store, it was worth a staggering $
11050 and contained eight carats of diamonds. The fact that
he was totally at ease about giving me such an expensive piece of
his collection made me wonder if this was something that he did
often. Was I just one in a long line of women he’d given jewelry
to? And if so, did he assume that a casual fuck every so often was
all I was hoping for? I glanced over at him as hurtful and unwanted
thoughts consumed me. Why was I torturing myself? I should just ask
him.
Swallowing hard I tried
to sound as impassive as possible. “Jared, this
bracelet.”
Putting his hand on my
leg, he gripped me tightly and gave me a long hard stare, silencing
me immediately. “No. Whatever it is you’re thinking about, the
answer is no. I gave you that bracelet because it’s a stunning and
breathtaking piece of art. Just like you. When I purchased that
piece I thought it was very attractive but could never really
understand the enthusiasm my associates had given it. That was,
until you walked out of that door last night. You looked amazing
and the moment your hand was in mine I knew that bracelet was made
for your delicate, little wrist. And before you ask, no, I don’t
make a habit of giving women diamonds. In fact, apart from you, the
only woman I ever gave a diamond to was my mother and it was a pair
of earrings on her birthday. Don’t over think this Layla. It’s
yours and I don’t want to hear another word about it.
Understand?”
It was as if he had read
my mind and in one swoop had completely dissolved all of my doubts
about the wonderful gift he had given me. Mentally chastising
myself for questioning his motives, I gave him a smile, leaned
across to his side and kissed him on the cheek.
* * *
when I’d told her about our evening at the coffee shop. She wanted
every last detail, which I happily gave her. Although she did agree
that he should have been forthcoming about his ownership of the
shop, she understood his reasons for not telling me. Naturally, she
instantly forgave him after I showed her the diamond bracelet he’d
given me.
Ollie hadn’t been so
thrilled about it all. “He was totally dishonest about who he was.
How can you continue to date someone when you have no idea who he
really is? Can you honestly say you trust him? A diamond bracelet
doesn’t make up for lying and pretending to be someone you’re not.
He’s a fucknut if you ask me.”
His comments had irked me
a little but I tried to understand where they were coming from.
Ollie cared about me and probably not in a strictly friendly way.
“Ollie cut him some slack will you? Besides I’m a grown woman who
is perfectly capable of deciding if someone is trustworthy or
not.”
Kissing him on the cheek
I smiled sweetly. “But thank you for looking out for me.” He
flushed a deep shade of pink which, not wanting to embarrass him, I
decided was best to ignore.
Chapter
15
Out Of My Dreams &
Into The Car
very quickly, thankfully, as I began to settle into my new routine.
Now that I was in a relationship I was aware of my need to be
cautious and
after making an early
appointment with Dr. Roberts, I decided against the contraceptive
pill. I knew myself well enough to be sure that at one time or
another I would forget to take it or miss one, so I chose the safer
option of a shot instead. My ass was still a little sore from it as
I drove back to Long Beach and hopefully in time for
class.
Classes were getting
intense but with Ollie there, they felt more like hanging out with
a friend. Assignments were rolling in thick and fast and I worried
how I would find time for everything in my life. I hadn’t been home
for a while as I found myself constantly busy with shifts at the
shop and Jared. I had planned on going the last weekend that had
passed but after dad called and told me he had to work, I decided
to have a girly evening with Amy instead. We were now half way
through October and the weather was turning, which made the walks
to work that little bit more of a chore. Amy was a regular there by
now and would often meet me at the end of my shift for girl
talk.
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