Bound Together (29 page)
Authors: Marie Coulson
His damp clothes clung to
his body as he moved around to the driver’s door and a shiver ran
down my spine. My feet were freezing but my blood was still running
scalding hot. And he was
mine
. The thought was almost too
good to be true, but it
was
true. Jared Garrett, millionaire, businessman,
playboy and philanthropist was in love with me. Layla Jennings, a
simple girl from
Pasadena
with divorced parents and a high school diploma.
It was mind boggling and a little frightening. Everything had moved
so fast between us. I didn’t believe in instant love or love at
first sight but what I felt for him was deeper than anything I’d
ever felt before. I had always thought Josh had been my first love,
but what we had shared didn’t even scratch the surface of what I
was feeling for Jared. Had he ever been in love before? Had anyone
ever even come close? Surely he’d had a high school girlfriend and
at college there must have been dozens of young preppy girls just
itching to get into the shorts of the young Garrett heir. I
instantly found myself wondering about the others. How many women
had there been for Jared? He certainly wasn’t short of admirers and
from what I’d heard, he’d not just sown his wild oats, there were
entire plantations of them!
I watched him, deep in my
own self torturing thoughts and bit my lip. The questions were
poised on the tip of my tongue. How many women? Did he love them?
Are they still around? I didn’t want to be
that
girl; the jealous, clingy and
needy type. But surely it wasn’t completely irrational to want to
know a little about the relationship history of the man I love? I
mean they do say that you’re not just sleeping with them; you’re
sleeping with everyone they ever slept with. I just needed a rough
idea of what I was up against. Josh had been the only man I’d ever
been with till Jared. Well, except for Gary Colbert; but a fumble
in the back seat of his car followed by a premature ejaculation
really didn’t count in my book.
Catching me staring at
him, Jared raised an eyebrow and glanced at me quizzically. “What
is it? You have that
‘I’ve got something
to say
’ look on your face. Come on,
honesty remember, out with it.”
I remained silent
weighing up the pros and cons of asking my intrusive questions. But
he was right. We needed to build trust and honesty in our
relationship. Taking a deep breath, I exhaled slowly. “Ok, here
goes. I was just wondering, how many women you’ve been with. I know
I have no right to ask and you have no obligation to tell me, but I
just wanted to know. So there you go. Do with it what you will.”
Slumping back into my seat with relief I waited with bated breath
for a reply, any reply, but mostly, I hoped it would be one I could
both swallow and accept.
Smiling, he licked his
lips while his eyes stared straight ahead at the road. “You want to
know how many women I’ve slept with. That right?” I nodded weakly.
“Well considering I don’t keep count I’m going to have to give you
a ball park figure.”
Oh god, oh god, a
ball park figure? He couldn’t even count them on one hand, or even
two!?
My mind began to conjure scenes of
lust filled orgies and hundreds of women flitting in and out of his
beautiful white bed. He must have seen my anxiety because he
immediately shut me down. “Stop it. Right now. Why torture yourself
Layla? It’s not as many as you think. If I
had
to give you a number, which by
the way I find a little unsettling, it would be…sixty,
approximately. I started having sex when I was sixteen Layla. So
when you think about it, that’s ten women per year. Not that many
is it? And that’s including you. But none of them even matter
because I’m with you. You’re the only woman I want in my bed,
shower, tub, dining table, counter top, sofa and anywhere else I
can throw you over. You, Layla Jennings are the only woman I will
sleep with from now till the day I die. And I bet I know the next
question and the answer is no. I didn’t love them. I never knew
what love was. I cared about them sure and I wanted to make them
happy but I didn’t love them. I love you. I’ve never met anyone
that affects me the way you do. I feel like I could conquer the
world, bench press a bus and run a marathon when I’m with you. You
make me feel alive and so happy I can’t even think
straight.”
Sixty women! Sixty
perfect strangers that the man I love had pleasured his bed. I felt
sick to my stomach as the images began to flash through my mind
like a bad movie. Taking my hand, he held it tightly while steering
with the other. “Hey, don’t do this to yourself Layla. I mean it.
They were meaningless, one night stands, trysts and fleeting
romances. They can’t even hold a candle to you. You’re the only
girl for me. It’s like every other woman in the world ceased to
exist the moment I laid eyes on you. Please don’t dwell over this
baby. Promise me you will just forget them because it’s about you
and me now. No one else.”
He was right. They were
his past and as far as I was concerned that’s exactly where they
should stay. Stretching across from my seat I kissed him on the
cheek. A boyish grin spread across his face and I was sure I saw
him blush a light shade of pink. “So, now you know my magic number,
what’s yours?”
Now
I
was blushing, but mine was
definitely more obvious as my cheeks flushed and I was sure they
were cherry red by now. Fiddling with my hair I stared at the
floor. Jared brushed his fingers over mine
reassuringly.
“
Two.
My high school boyfriend Josh and you.
That’s
my big number. Most girls my
age have been with more than two guys.” Nerves were buzzing inside
me while I sat worried what he thought of my revelation. Would he
think I was inexperienced? Would he treat me differently now? I
didn’t want our relationship or our sex life to change just because
I had spent two years screwing the same guy instead of
several.
“
And this Josh, did you
love him?” It wasn’t the reaction I was expecting and to be honest
I was relieved.
“
I thought I did. But
now, being with you, I know I probably didn’t. I was young and I
thought it had to be love. But it was probably just hormones mixed
with lust and urges. What I had with him doesn’t even come close to
how I feel about you.” His face was contorted into a
scowl.
“
And this high school
sweetheart is where?”
He was jealous, and
secretly
and
perhaps even wickedly, I was enjoying it. But I wouldn’t
torment him with it, knowing I would be livid if one of his exes
was suddenly a fixture in our lives. Putting his mind at ease I
explained how Josh had cheated on me before graduating high school
and moved away. “What a moron. He had a succulent juicy steak at
home and decided to man handle some sloppy joe. What a stupid move.
Well you have nothing to worry about baby. I’m a straight up
sirloin man.”
I stepped into the foyer I glanced back at Jared. Our time together
was going to be bittersweet. He was leaving in a few hours and I
would be alone for four days without the man I loved. The thought
brought a lump to my throat. I wondered briefly if he had sensed my
dejection as he swiftly cupped my face in his hands and kissed me
passionately, deeply and longingly. Gripping my hands to his back,
I noticed his shirt was still slightly damp. I tugged at it,
pulling it free from the waist of his pants. Never removing my lips
from his, I hastily unbuttoned it and slid my hands inside onto his
hot taut body. Grazing my fingers across his rock hard abs I felt
him tense slightly beneath my fingers. He let out a low groan as
his arousal began to press into my thigh. A loud ringing startled
me and I halted my hands. Opening my eyes I pulled away from his
kiss and looked around wondering where the sound was coming
from.
“
It’s
in my office. They know I don’t take business calls after hours,
ignore it.” Grabbing me around the waist with his strong arm he
pulled me to him and leaned in to resume our make out session. I
pressed my hands against his chest and held him back slightly. “It
might be about New York. You
have
to get it.” He tried to
interject but I cut him off with a simple sway of my head in a
silent no. He growled with frustration and turned his back to me
running his fingers through his silky watery locks.
Seizing his hand, I
pulled him towards me and stood on my tippy toes till our noses
were touching just at the tip. I could smell the rain in his hair
and the heady scent of sweat and soap. It was an aphrodisiac I was
becoming very accustomed to and I welcomed it eagerly whenever he
was near me. Gazing into my eyes, he ran his tongue over his bottom
lip. He growled again but this time it wasn’t frustration; it was
carnal, sexual hunger. My lips were so close to his and his hot
breath skimmed across the soft plump flesh. “Go answer your call
and then come find me. I’ll be waiting for you. Call it hide and
seek?”
“
More like hunter and
prey baby, because when I find you, I’m going to completely devour
you.” He bit down gently on my lip and I closed my mouth over his,
stealing another quick kiss before he reluctantly made his way to
the office.
I waited till I heard the
door slam behind him before making my way up the stairs. Quickly
undressing, I left my discarded clothes trailing behind me straight
to the bedroom. I didn’t want to make him look too hard for me;
after all I was perfectly happy to be found. Pushing open the large
double doors to his room I sighed. The beauty of it still took my
breath away. It was elegant and tasteful. The vintage couches and
gold detail made the room feel like a five star hotel. I decided to
take this time to have a better look around. Opposite the bathroom
was another large door, I poked my head around the corner to check
that Jared was still busy with his call before opening it. What I
found was beyond amazing. Hundreds of crisp shirts hung neatly
lined in rows. Pants below them and shoes on a rack perfectly
polished and paired on the floor. The walk in closet was more like
a dressing room with two full length mirrors and a couch against
the far wall. Two enormous dressers sat on either side of the
mirrors. I walked along the clothes rack, thumbing the shirts
gently so as not to crease or mark them when I came to one that I
instantly recognized.
Hanging alone at the end
of the rail was a coffee stained, white Armani shirt. Pulling it
down, I inspected it closely. It was definitely the same shirt. The
coffee stain was over the right side of the chest and tiny speckles
of blood were dotted around the collar. Without a second thought I
brought it to my face and breathed in deeply. It smelled of Jared.
He certainly hadn’t had it dry cleaned as he claimed. And he’d had
the nerve to try and give me a dry cleaning bill! I did feel a
little better though, now that he had told me the truth about what
happened that day.
Grinning like a school
girl I hatched a plan. Returning the ruined shirt to its hanger, I
searched the closet for what I needed then headed to the bathroom
to primp myself. Rummaging through the cabinets for any form of
moisturizer I stumbled upon something I realized I probably
shouldn’t have. I was standing in front of a cabinet full of
lubricants, oils, condoms and gels.
Oh
my
. Jared’s sex cabinet. Holding my hand
to my mouth in shock I should have closed it immediately but
something was stopping me. I was…curious. Taking a small red bottle
from the shelf I read the worn out label. “Essential Oils. Cinnamon
and orange.” Taking off the lid I instantly smelled the sweet
aromas. My plan was now taking a new direction.
The sound of yelling
caught my attention and I quickly returned everything but the red
bottle to the cabinet and headed for the stairs. Approaching the
office, I could hear how enraged he was by the tone of Jared’s
voice and it both frightened and thrilled me. I really did love it
when he was mad. The door was slightly ajar so I stood, hovering,
listening to the one sided conversation. He was standing stiffly
with his back to the door and I could see he was tense by the way
his shoulders hunched to his neck. “I don’t care how much it costs
just
do
it! I
made a promise and I’m going to keep it. It’s totally fucking
unacceptable and I’m holding you responsible. If anything happens
to her I’ll…” Her? Who was her? The floor boards creaked below my
foot and the sound halted his conversation as he turned around and
glared at the door. I winced and turned on my heels running back up
the stairs. I’d been caught eavesdropping and I could hear him
yelling after me but I was not going back there while he was pissed
at me. “Oh you can run, but that just makes me want to catch you.”
His tone was harsh yet full of passionate, lustful
promise.
I could hear his feet
pounding against the floor as he sprinted after me. Adrenaline
surged through my veins as I ran for the bedroom closing the door
behind me to stall him. My heart hammered inside my chest and I
could hear the low thuds in my ears. I stared at the door waiting
for him. Bursting into the room he stopped dead and his jaw hit the
floor as he took in my attire. His eyes scanned every inch of me,
from my toes all the way up my body till he met my gaze. I bit my
lip seductively. I stood perfectly still in the middle of the room
as he began to circle me, admiring the view that he was clearly
enjoying. Taking the thin white fabric between his fingers, he gave
me a wicked smile. “Miss Jennings, is that one of my Armani
shirts?” Pursing my lips together I remained silent. “I have to
say, it looks a thousand times better hanging off your voluptuous
curves than on me. I wonder...”
his body as he moved around to the driver’s door and a shiver ran
down my spine. My feet were freezing but my blood was still running
scalding hot. And he was
mine
. The thought was almost too
good to be true, but it
was
true. Jared Garrett, millionaire, businessman,
playboy and philanthropist was in love with me. Layla Jennings, a
simple girl from
Pasadena
with divorced parents and a high school diploma.
It was mind boggling and a little frightening. Everything had moved
so fast between us. I didn’t believe in instant love or love at
first sight but what I felt for him was deeper than anything I’d
ever felt before. I had always thought Josh had been my first love,
but what we had shared didn’t even scratch the surface of what I
was feeling for Jared. Had he ever been in love before? Had anyone
ever even come close? Surely he’d had a high school girlfriend and
at college there must have been dozens of young preppy girls just
itching to get into the shorts of the young Garrett heir. I
instantly found myself wondering about the others. How many women
had there been for Jared? He certainly wasn’t short of admirers and
from what I’d heard, he’d not just sown his wild oats, there were
entire plantations of them!
I watched him, deep in my
own self torturing thoughts and bit my lip. The questions were
poised on the tip of my tongue. How many women? Did he love them?
Are they still around? I didn’t want to be
that
girl; the jealous, clingy and
needy type. But surely it wasn’t completely irrational to want to
know a little about the relationship history of the man I love? I
mean they do say that you’re not just sleeping with them; you’re
sleeping with everyone they ever slept with. I just needed a rough
idea of what I was up against. Josh had been the only man I’d ever
been with till Jared. Well, except for Gary Colbert; but a fumble
in the back seat of his car followed by a premature ejaculation
really didn’t count in my book.
Catching me staring at
him, Jared raised an eyebrow and glanced at me quizzically. “What
is it? You have that
‘I’ve got something
to say
’ look on your face. Come on,
honesty remember, out with it.”
I remained silent
weighing up the pros and cons of asking my intrusive questions. But
he was right. We needed to build trust and honesty in our
relationship. Taking a deep breath, I exhaled slowly. “Ok, here
goes. I was just wondering, how many women you’ve been with. I know
I have no right to ask and you have no obligation to tell me, but I
just wanted to know. So there you go. Do with it what you will.”
Slumping back into my seat with relief I waited with bated breath
for a reply, any reply, but mostly, I hoped it would be one I could
both swallow and accept.
Smiling, he licked his
lips while his eyes stared straight ahead at the road. “You want to
know how many women I’ve slept with. That right?” I nodded weakly.
“Well considering I don’t keep count I’m going to have to give you
a ball park figure.”
Oh god, oh god, a
ball park figure? He couldn’t even count them on one hand, or even
two!?
My mind began to conjure scenes of
lust filled orgies and hundreds of women flitting in and out of his
beautiful white bed. He must have seen my anxiety because he
immediately shut me down. “Stop it. Right now. Why torture yourself
Layla? It’s not as many as you think. If I
had
to give you a number, which by
the way I find a little unsettling, it would be…sixty,
approximately. I started having sex when I was sixteen Layla. So
when you think about it, that’s ten women per year. Not that many
is it? And that’s including you. But none of them even matter
because I’m with you. You’re the only woman I want in my bed,
shower, tub, dining table, counter top, sofa and anywhere else I
can throw you over. You, Layla Jennings are the only woman I will
sleep with from now till the day I die. And I bet I know the next
question and the answer is no. I didn’t love them. I never knew
what love was. I cared about them sure and I wanted to make them
happy but I didn’t love them. I love you. I’ve never met anyone
that affects me the way you do. I feel like I could conquer the
world, bench press a bus and run a marathon when I’m with you. You
make me feel alive and so happy I can’t even think
straight.”
Sixty women! Sixty
perfect strangers that the man I love had pleasured his bed. I felt
sick to my stomach as the images began to flash through my mind
like a bad movie. Taking my hand, he held it tightly while steering
with the other. “Hey, don’t do this to yourself Layla. I mean it.
They were meaningless, one night stands, trysts and fleeting
romances. They can’t even hold a candle to you. You’re the only
girl for me. It’s like every other woman in the world ceased to
exist the moment I laid eyes on you. Please don’t dwell over this
baby. Promise me you will just forget them because it’s about you
and me now. No one else.”
He was right. They were
his past and as far as I was concerned that’s exactly where they
should stay. Stretching across from my seat I kissed him on the
cheek. A boyish grin spread across his face and I was sure I saw
him blush a light shade of pink. “So, now you know my magic number,
what’s yours?”
Now
I
was blushing, but mine was
definitely more obvious as my cheeks flushed and I was sure they
were cherry red by now. Fiddling with my hair I stared at the
floor. Jared brushed his fingers over mine
reassuringly.
“
Two.
My high school boyfriend Josh and you.
That’s
my big number. Most girls my
age have been with more than two guys.” Nerves were buzzing inside
me while I sat worried what he thought of my revelation. Would he
think I was inexperienced? Would he treat me differently now? I
didn’t want our relationship or our sex life to change just because
I had spent two years screwing the same guy instead of
several.
“
And this Josh, did you
love him?” It wasn’t the reaction I was expecting and to be honest
I was relieved.
“
I thought I did. But
now, being with you, I know I probably didn’t. I was young and I
thought it had to be love. But it was probably just hormones mixed
with lust and urges. What I had with him doesn’t even come close to
how I feel about you.” His face was contorted into a
scowl.
“
And this high school
sweetheart is where?”
He was jealous, and
secretly
and
perhaps even wickedly, I was enjoying it. But I wouldn’t
torment him with it, knowing I would be livid if one of his exes
was suddenly a fixture in our lives. Putting his mind at ease I
explained how Josh had cheated on me before graduating high school
and moved away. “What a moron. He had a succulent juicy steak at
home and decided to man handle some sloppy joe. What a stupid move.
Well you have nothing to worry about baby. I’m a straight up
sirloin man.”
Chapter
25
Tying Me In
Knots
I stepped into the foyer I glanced back at Jared. Our time together
was going to be bittersweet. He was leaving in a few hours and I
would be alone for four days without the man I loved. The thought
brought a lump to my throat. I wondered briefly if he had sensed my
dejection as he swiftly cupped my face in his hands and kissed me
passionately, deeply and longingly. Gripping my hands to his back,
I noticed his shirt was still slightly damp. I tugged at it,
pulling it free from the waist of his pants. Never removing my lips
from his, I hastily unbuttoned it and slid my hands inside onto his
hot taut body. Grazing my fingers across his rock hard abs I felt
him tense slightly beneath my fingers. He let out a low groan as
his arousal began to press into my thigh. A loud ringing startled
me and I halted my hands. Opening my eyes I pulled away from his
kiss and looked around wondering where the sound was coming
from.
“
It’s
in my office. They know I don’t take business calls after hours,
ignore it.” Grabbing me around the waist with his strong arm he
pulled me to him and leaned in to resume our make out session. I
pressed my hands against his chest and held him back slightly. “It
might be about New York. You
have
to get it.” He tried to
interject but I cut him off with a simple sway of my head in a
silent no. He growled with frustration and turned his back to me
running his fingers through his silky watery locks.
Seizing his hand, I
pulled him towards me and stood on my tippy toes till our noses
were touching just at the tip. I could smell the rain in his hair
and the heady scent of sweat and soap. It was an aphrodisiac I was
becoming very accustomed to and I welcomed it eagerly whenever he
was near me. Gazing into my eyes, he ran his tongue over his bottom
lip. He growled again but this time it wasn’t frustration; it was
carnal, sexual hunger. My lips were so close to his and his hot
breath skimmed across the soft plump flesh. “Go answer your call
and then come find me. I’ll be waiting for you. Call it hide and
seek?”
“
More like hunter and
prey baby, because when I find you, I’m going to completely devour
you.” He bit down gently on my lip and I closed my mouth over his,
stealing another quick kiss before he reluctantly made his way to
the office.
I waited till I heard the
door slam behind him before making my way up the stairs. Quickly
undressing, I left my discarded clothes trailing behind me straight
to the bedroom. I didn’t want to make him look too hard for me;
after all I was perfectly happy to be found. Pushing open the large
double doors to his room I sighed. The beauty of it still took my
breath away. It was elegant and tasteful. The vintage couches and
gold detail made the room feel like a five star hotel. I decided to
take this time to have a better look around. Opposite the bathroom
was another large door, I poked my head around the corner to check
that Jared was still busy with his call before opening it. What I
found was beyond amazing. Hundreds of crisp shirts hung neatly
lined in rows. Pants below them and shoes on a rack perfectly
polished and paired on the floor. The walk in closet was more like
a dressing room with two full length mirrors and a couch against
the far wall. Two enormous dressers sat on either side of the
mirrors. I walked along the clothes rack, thumbing the shirts
gently so as not to crease or mark them when I came to one that I
instantly recognized.
Hanging alone at the end
of the rail was a coffee stained, white Armani shirt. Pulling it
down, I inspected it closely. It was definitely the same shirt. The
coffee stain was over the right side of the chest and tiny speckles
of blood were dotted around the collar. Without a second thought I
brought it to my face and breathed in deeply. It smelled of Jared.
He certainly hadn’t had it dry cleaned as he claimed. And he’d had
the nerve to try and give me a dry cleaning bill! I did feel a
little better though, now that he had told me the truth about what
happened that day.
Grinning like a school
girl I hatched a plan. Returning the ruined shirt to its hanger, I
searched the closet for what I needed then headed to the bathroom
to primp myself. Rummaging through the cabinets for any form of
moisturizer I stumbled upon something I realized I probably
shouldn’t have. I was standing in front of a cabinet full of
lubricants, oils, condoms and gels.
Oh
my
. Jared’s sex cabinet. Holding my hand
to my mouth in shock I should have closed it immediately but
something was stopping me. I was…curious. Taking a small red bottle
from the shelf I read the worn out label. “Essential Oils. Cinnamon
and orange.” Taking off the lid I instantly smelled the sweet
aromas. My plan was now taking a new direction.
The sound of yelling
caught my attention and I quickly returned everything but the red
bottle to the cabinet and headed for the stairs. Approaching the
office, I could hear how enraged he was by the tone of Jared’s
voice and it both frightened and thrilled me. I really did love it
when he was mad. The door was slightly ajar so I stood, hovering,
listening to the one sided conversation. He was standing stiffly
with his back to the door and I could see he was tense by the way
his shoulders hunched to his neck. “I don’t care how much it costs
just
do
it! I
made a promise and I’m going to keep it. It’s totally fucking
unacceptable and I’m holding you responsible. If anything happens
to her I’ll…” Her? Who was her? The floor boards creaked below my
foot and the sound halted his conversation as he turned around and
glared at the door. I winced and turned on my heels running back up
the stairs. I’d been caught eavesdropping and I could hear him
yelling after me but I was not going back there while he was pissed
at me. “Oh you can run, but that just makes me want to catch you.”
His tone was harsh yet full of passionate, lustful
promise.
I could hear his feet
pounding against the floor as he sprinted after me. Adrenaline
surged through my veins as I ran for the bedroom closing the door
behind me to stall him. My heart hammered inside my chest and I
could hear the low thuds in my ears. I stared at the door waiting
for him. Bursting into the room he stopped dead and his jaw hit the
floor as he took in my attire. His eyes scanned every inch of me,
from my toes all the way up my body till he met my gaze. I bit my
lip seductively. I stood perfectly still in the middle of the room
as he began to circle me, admiring the view that he was clearly
enjoying. Taking the thin white fabric between his fingers, he gave
me a wicked smile. “Miss Jennings, is that one of my Armani
shirts?” Pursing my lips together I remained silent. “I have to
say, it looks a thousand times better hanging off your voluptuous
curves than on me. I wonder...”
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