Finding Jordie: Things aren't always what they seem. (The Love Lies Bleeding Series Book 1) (10 page)

“Yep,” I said as we climbed the stairs to the front door. I motioned for him to be quiet as we walked in. It was as if the click of the lock triggered something in him and his body pressed mine against the door. He groaned as his hand found its way to the back of my neck and twisted in my hair. He began to kiss me, hard and passionately. My body reacted to his in a way it never had before, responding to his every touch. My hands knotted up in his hair, my mouth was all his. Somehow we managed to make it upstairs without disturbing Emma. When we got to my bedroom, he stopped.

“You okay?” He was out of breath and I’m pretty sure he growled.

“What? Yes,” I said, just as winded, with a look of confusion.

“Just making sure.” He smiled that smile—
my
smile now—and leaned back down into my lips, picking up right where we left off. He pulled back again, and we stared at each other.

Oh, those eyes.
My insides turned to Jell-O. He grabbed my shirt by the hem and I lifted my arms as he pulled it over my head and dropped it on the floor. He reached around me and unhooked my bra, and his fingers skimmed my arms lightly as he slid it off, creating a trail of goose bumps. He took his shirt off and dropped it on the floor.

Oh, sweet baby Jesus, please give me the strength to make it through this.

His pants hung off him in
that way—
you know what I’m talking about, just so you could see the cut of his muscles along both sides of his treasure trail. Our hands were everywhere on each other as we made it to the bed. When I felt the back of my thighs hit the mattress, I pulled back.

Panting, I managed to speak. “Wait, wait, I need to know one thing before we do this.” I placed both my hands on the small, fuzzy patch of hair in the middle of his chest.

Nose to nose he pulled me closer to him. I could feel his chest move to his erratic breathing.
Oh shit...that is so hot.

“Anything.” His blue eyes burned through me.

“What’s your last name?”

I could tell by his smile he was amused. “Harper, Nathan Miles Harper.”

“Well, Nathan Miles Harper, you do crazy things to my insides,” I murmured.

“And I’m about to do the same to the rest of you.” His voice was all rough, and so hot, it sent tingles through my body.

God damn, this man is a sexy beast.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he grabbed my hips hard, lifting me onto the bed. His thumbs hooked on each side of my shorts, and I lifted up so he could slide them off, taking my panties down with them. He gave a sharp inhale as I ran my finger just above where his pants sat on his hips. I undid the button and unzipped his jeans, pulling them and his boxers down just enough to let them both drop to the floor. He stepped out of them as I climbed under the covers.

“I don’t think so.” He drew one knee up onto the bed, and taking the corner of the quilt, he tossed it to the side as he climbed in and hovered over me. “I want to take in all of you.” His eyes scanned my body. I was a cluster fuck of emotions and sensation as I felt the full weight of his body on top of me. I was his, he was mine, and we got lost for quite a while.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” I just about screamed, out of breath as we lay next to one another in our post–sexy time bliss.

“Shhhhh.” He placed his finger on my lips as he rolled onto his side, propping his head up with his elbow to look at me.

“Oh, now you want me to shhhh?” I questioned him teasingly.

“Seriously, we’re lucky your kid didn’t come up here thinking you were being murdered.” He ran his finger from my mouth down to my stomach.

My skin tingled when he touched me, stimulating... intoxicating.

“Even if she did get up, she wouldn’t come up here. First of all, the kid sleeps like me—a bomb could go off next to us and we wouldn’t wake up—and second, for whatever reason, she knows about needs.” I widened my eyes and let out a small laugh.

“She’s
nine
?” He chuckled.

“Yeah, apparently they’re educating them young these days.” I shrugged and hopped out of bed. I looked over at the clock. It was twelve thirty A.M. “I’m going to have a smoke and jump in the shower.” I grabbed a shirt off the floor and pulled it over my head. “You coming?” I asked him.

“For the smoke or the shower?” He grinned devilishly at me.

“Both, if you’d like,” I answered him, playfully shy, twirling my hair around my finger.
Who are you!?
I screamed inside, laughing at myself.
Whoever you are, I like this you.

We went out to the fire escape and sat on the steps, quietly listening to the faint bustle of the city. The back door to the bar flung open, the full weight of its metal slamming into the wall. I put my finger up to my lips to make sure he didn’t say anything. The last thing I needed at that point was those guys all up in my business.

He nodded. Rachel appeared. She was bringing out the trash and cursing up a shit storm, I could only assume because Carlos hadn’t brought it out yet. Nathan and I laughed silently at her.

She grabbed the handle to the door to close it and shouted, “Hi, Jordan, hello, Mister Sexaaaay,” not even glancing up at us as she slammed the door shut behind her. We both broke out in laughter.

“Great, it’s going to be fifty fucking questions for me tomorrow.” I rolled my eyes. “Although, reliving this won’t be so painful.”

I leaned over and gave him a quick smooch. I could see the corners of his eyes crinkle. He was smiling.

“Okay, I need a shower.” I stood up, pulling the back of my t-shirt down.

“That eager to wash me off of you?” He swatted my behind, trying to sound wounded as we climbed back inside the window.

“Nope, I’m that eager to get you all over me some more.” I grinned as he followed me into the bathroom. I turned on the water and adjusted the temperature.

“Arms up.” He grabbed my shirt at the bottom again and pulled it over my head. “You are so amazing,” he whispered as he ran his eyes up and down over my body while I squirmed.

“Are you blushing?” he teased.

“I guess. I don’t know. I’m not good with compliments,” I admitted.

“Another thing you’ll have to get used to, Ms.—” He stopped. “Wait, what is your last name?” He laughed.

“Spagnato, Jordan Marie Spagnato.” I remembered how he’d told me his full name, so I did the same.

“Jordan. I wondered if Jordie was short for something or if that was your actual name.”

“It seems I have a lot to get used to,” I said as he guided me into the shower. The glass was fogged up and steam was filling the bathroom as we stepped in.

“Yes, I’m afraid so.” His eyebrows furrowed as he looked past me at the wall.

“What is it? Look at me, please.” I squinted through the water running down my face.

His eyes met mine. “It’s nothing.” He smiled, not my smile, but a smile.

I grabbed the soap and lathered my hands. “Time to get clean.” I smirked, attempting to change the subject. It was obviously a mood changer for him.

He pulled me closer to him and I could feel him against my hip.

I peered up flirtatiously. “Really?” My tone screamed, “ready and willing.”

“I don’t think we’re dirty enough.” He smiled and backed me up against the glass shower wall and leaned in harder as his lips met mine. We were lost once again.

EMMA’S ALARM BUZZING MADE
me jump up to look at the clock. “Fuck!”

Nathan was asleep next to me.
Shit, we fell asleep talking.
I threw on a shirt from the floor and grabbed the note Nathan left me off the dresser. I flipped it over.

“Pen, pen, pen, pen,” I muttered as I searched for one.
Crap. Okay, marker.

Nathan Miles Harper
, I wrote.
If you wake up before I get back from taking Emma to school, don’t leave; I’ll be back shortly. Coffee is made. Jordie.

I pulled a pair of jeans out of my closet and put on my black Uggs. I quietly went in the bathroom, yanked the brush through my hair—it screamed, “just fucked”—and brushed my teeth really quickly. I checked out the scab on my lip and I stopped and stared at myself in the mirror.

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” I reassured my reflection in the mirror before turning off the light. I checked my black sweater jacket to make sure my cigs and lighter were still in the pocket, removed it from the back of the chair, and headed downstairs with it.

Emma was already in the dining area eating cereal. “Good morning.” She was overly enthusiastic. In fact, any more enthusiasm and it would’ve been in song.

“You’re chipper this morning,” I said.

“I’m just happy.” She had a shit-eating grin on her face.

Lord, what is this child up to?
“Are you now?” I couldn’t help but smile at her expression. “So... care to share what it is exactly you’re so happy about?” I reached for the pot of coffee as it rumbled and coughed the last of its timed brewing.

“I’m happy for you, Mom.” She didn’t take her eyes off the cereal box. A childish grin grew across her face as she chewed like a cow with her mouth open.

“For me?” I walked back into the dining area with a cup of coffee.

“And for him, too.” She waved her hand at me with a snort.

“Him who?” My face immediately flushed. I tried to hide my smile with a sip of coffee.

Emma’s eyes were still on the cereal box when she said, “I guess Nathan? That
is
whose shirt you’re wearing, isn’t it?” She turned her head slowly to meet my stare, her lips all puckered up in a sarcastic “you are so busted” look.

Shit. You just got busted by a nine-year-old.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said flatly and turned my back to her. I shifted my eyes to the ceiling
and gave a small chuckle.
Oh my god, this kid.
I watched her from the corner of my eye.

She gulped down the rest of her milk straight from the bowl and got up to put the bowl in the sink. “I’m going to get ready.” She swatted my hair as she skipped past me to her room.

While she dressed, I attempted to plot out what I’d say to her as we walked to the bus, but I was going to have to think about it for more than the few minutes we had. We could talk about it when she got home.

“Let’s go, Emma. We have five minutes until the bus gets here,” I shouted, grabbing my keys off the table.

“Ready.” She bounced out of her bedroom with that shit-eating grin still on her face.

I closed the door to my apartment and locked it as Emma headed down before me. Just as I hit the last three steps, she opened the building door.

“Um, Mom?” She turned to me with a strange look on her face.

I walked past her onto the porch and we stood there, frozen. At least a dozen people with cameras were shouting at us from every direction. It was so disorientating, and Emma just stared at me, baffled.

“Get back inside.” I gave her a light push, guiding her back inside so I could assess the situation.

“Mom, what’s happening?” She popped right back out the door to stand next to me, looking confused.

“I don’t know!” I snapped at the poor kid. I could feel my blood pressure rising as the voices became increasingly loud. The mob had made its way to the bottom of the steps. It was a mass of shouting and flashes. I drew Emma close to my side. I could only make out bits and pieces of the questions they were asking. I couldn’t focus.

“Is he still inside?” one voice shouted at me.

“How long have you known him?” another asked.

Over all the commotion a familiar voice rose above the rest. “Get the
fuck
out of my way, you vile piece of shit. Move out of my way. Let me through, asshole.” It was Rachel.

“Stop! Move, let her through.” I waved my arm to the mass of people. I was overwhelmed and aggravated, still clutching Emma close to me.

My neighbors, Ted and Lizette, had come out with their son in the middle of the sidewalk circus that was taking place. Lizette put their son in the truck and Ted ran over to me. He had to push his way through the crowd just as Rachel did.