The Complete Memories Series (35 page)

I’m a bitch.

It
’s something I’ve been told plenty of times over the years, but I laughed it off ‘cause, really, who gives a shit what people think of you? I don’t. I am who I am – and that’s no-one’s issue but my own.

Besides, I wouldn
’t say I was a bitch. I’m just brutally honest, and there is a difference.

So i
t’s a thin line, but it’s there.

But Bing
’s eyes haunt me, and I know I am the biggest bitch today. He looked after me last night, brought me home, and even stayed the night to make sure I was okay today. What do I do? I throw his past back in him.

Yeah, woo! Give the stupid speak-before-you-think blonde a gold fucking medal for the mantel.

The worst thing is that I can’t even blame it on my hormones or my hangover. Nope, it’s because I’m jealous of all the girls who’ve been there, and that’s a whole lot of damn jealousy.

I don
’t even know why I’m jealous. He has that many notches on his bedpost that the bedpost probably doesn’t even exist anymore.

But I am not one of them, and when he walks in my bedroom with nothing on that f
ine ass chest of his I get mad. And waking up with a shirtless Bing is also starting to become a habit – one I could get too easily accustomed to.

My phone makes an annoying little pingy dingy fuck off sound next to me
, and I grab it, if only to shut it up. Lexy’s name appears on the screen.

Bing says you got drunk last night. Be safe crazy girl. Love you x

Always safe. Your brother slept over to look after me. He’s going soft. Love you too. x

He slept over? Are you taming the beast?

I would love to tame the beast.

No. Just passing out on him in a taxi.

Nice.

I huff out a short, sharp breath
, and make the decision to get up. I pad my way into the kitchen with a rumbling stomach, and there’s a DVD case on the side. I frown, picking it up.

It
’s my favourite movie, Stardust, and beside it is a note telling me to look in the freezer. I pull the freezer door open, and look inside a drawer. Two pizzas and garlic bread.

It dawns on me like I
’ve just been hit round the head with a skateboard, and I groan loudly, smacking my head on the freezer.

“
Fuck!” I curse and rub my forehead. “I’m a twat. Such a twat.”

I crawl across the front room floor
, knock my phone off the table, and dial his number.

“
She’s alive then,” his husky voice answers.

“
Alive and kicking. Not so much kicking. More head-butting and crawling. But yes. Alive,” I ramble out.

He chuckles.
“Any particular reason you’re calling me?”

“
Umm.” The open freezer door catches my eye. “Yeah. I just got out bed on a food mission, and noticed the DVD fairy stopped by along with the pizza fairy. I know I can eat like a horse but I’m pretty sure I can’t eat all the pizza and garlic bread by myself so...”

“
And?”

And you
’re so fucking difficult all the time.

“
Are you actually going to make me ask you to come over and eat the food you bought?”

“
Maybe.” The teasing lilt to his voice tickles me, and I’m momentarily distracted by what it’d feel like if he actually did tick-

“
Fine. Samuel, would you like to come over to my place for pizza and garlic bread you bought, and to watch a DVD you rented?”

“
I have to wash my hair,” he dead-pans.

“
Are you fucking kidding me?” I flinch at the volume of my voice. Oh, my head.

“
No. That messy ‘I just had sex’ style is hard to maintain.”

“
Well I’m sorry to break it to you, John Frieda, but it doesn’t look like you’ve just had sex. It looks like you’ve been pulled through a hedge, run over by a lawnmower, and shit on by a donkey.”

“
Oh, she flatters me so. Will you be nice to me if I come over?”

“
I don’t know. I might leave your sorry ass on the doorstep.”

“
My hot sorry ass,” he corrects.

“
Your hot sorry ass,” I say without thinking.

“
You think my ass is hot?”

“
What? No. Fuck off!”

He roars with laughter down the phone.
“I’ll see you later, gorgeous.”

“
Goodbye, Samuel.” I clench my teeth and put the phone back.

I take it back. I
’m not a bitch if it’s deserved. 

~

I open the door resembling something somewhat human opposed to total zombie apocalypse.

“
Have you passed the head-butting stage yet?” Bing leans against the door frame looking sinfully sexy in a white polo top and dark wash jeans. Mamma Mia on horseback.

“
The head-butting thing was an accident.” I smile sweetly. “But it can always be arranged.”

“
So it’s safe for me to come in?” He smirks, his eyebrows raised slightly.

“
Depends on your definition of safe,” I mumble and step aside. He glances at me out the corner of his eye as he walks past.

“
Something to say, Jennifer?”

I want to wipe that shit eating grin off his face with my frying pan.

“Not to you.” I flutter my eyelashes, and shut the door.

Jennifer Mason should not flutter her eyelashes unless she wants this movie night to end x-rated. There’s something about the way they frame her blue eyes, their length making me wonder what it would be like to have them flutter against my skin as we…

“
Funny girl,” I retort and throw myself on the sofa to stop myself grabbing her. She has a boyfriend.
That isn’t me.

“
Please, make yourself at home.” The sarcastic lilt to her voice is so familiar.

“
I will, thanks.”

She grabs two pizzas from the oven
and brings them over, the DVD case between her teeth. She really doesn’t know how fucking sexy she is.

Jesus Christ. I
’m a walking hard-on around this chick.

I settle a cushion on my lap and take the plate she offers. She puts the DVD on
then sits next to me, her legs tucked under her.

“
A cushion?” Her lips curl upwards in an ‘I’ve got you sussed’ smile.

“
The plates hot,” I offer, staring at the television.

“
Sure it is.” She smothers her laugh, and I sneak a glance at her. Her blonde hair is piled on top of her head in a messy twist. She’s wearing a tight top, and
holy fuck those yoga pants.

Can I get a break around here? Anyone?

I exhale deeply and try to pay attention to the movie. Nope. It’s too hard – and it isn’t the only thing. Fuck. I readjust my sitting position, and I strain against my jeans. I clench my teeth. This is not how I planned this night.

She
’s fucking torturing me and she doesn’t even realise it. She’s driving me to the brink of insanity with my crazy need for her in every way - but mostly in my bed. Or her bed. Or against a tree. Really, I don’t give a shit where I make love to this girl.

Make love?

I think those two words are testament to how fucking crazy she drives me.

I can
’t focus on this film for a second. It’s all fairies and magic and kisses and stars and bullshit. Bullshit.

I sigh sharply and pick at the topping of my last piece of pizza.

“Why are you sighing?” Jen turns her beautiful face towards me. “Are you turning into a pussy and getting the romance in this movie?”

“
Yeah, right.” I snort. “I’m not even watching.”

“
I know, I was being sarcastic.” Her pink lips curl up on one side slightly. “I hate to break it to you, Samuel, but I’m no Hollywood movie.”

That
’s because Hollywood has nothing on your beauty.

“
It’s the yoga pants,” I admit. “They’re kind of tight, and distracting.”

“
They’re supposed to be tight.” She laughs. “It’s the point of them.”

“
Yeah, well.” I swallow.

“
You’re an ass kinda guy, aren’t you?”

I
’m a Jen kinda guy.

“
If I can grab it, then it’s my kinda thing.” I shrug it off.

“
Then grab it,” she challenges, standing up.

“
I’m sorry?” I blink. Did I just hear her right?

“
I’ll admit, I’m intrigued. Is my ass your kinda thing? Find out.” She shrugs and glances down at me over her shoulder. “Are you scared, Samuel? It’s just my pretty little derrière – nothing to worry about. It won’t swallow you whole or anything.”

Her ass is practically in my face. There
’s a strip of creamy skin between where her top doesn’t quite meet the waistband of the yoga pants and it’s begging me to run my finger along it. I clench my fists.

“
It’s probably best I don’t,” I grind out.

“
No, no, I want you to.” She wiggles it slightly, flashing a playful grin over her shoulder.

That does it.

I shove the cushion off and stand behind her. I put my hands on her hips and slowly run them round, cupping her ass cheeks. They sit perfectly in my hands, and I get even harder imagining what it would feel like to hold her with nothing between our skin.

“
I think,” I whisper in a hoarse voice, putting my mouth near her ear. “That your ass is most definitely my kinda ass.”

I creep my thumbs up and run them along the bare strip of skin, trying my hardest not to hook them inside the yoga pants and peel them away.
Her body jolts a little at the contact, and I hear her breathing pick up speed.

No matter how she fights it, this attraction is more than fucking mutual.

My heart is going crazy
, and I’m wondering what the fuck has come over me. Am I still drunk? Asking the guy I’ve been drooling over for months and months to touch my ass is crazy shit, even for me.

His thumbs touch my bare skin
, and I swear to god, I stop breathing. Prepare the coffin, I’m going six foot under.

My sk
in is on fire where he’s touching it. Sparks are igniting like its firework night and they’re all exploding in a mass of pheromones. I remember to breathe, and it leaves me suddenly, my chest heaving.

“
I should go.” Bing steps back, and I want to scream. I want to grab him, rip off that t-shirt, and scream at him to stay.

Stay. Don
’t go. Stay here and show me if I’m your kind of girl.

I nod and close my eyes for a second. I hear the door open
, and I turn.

“
Bing?” I ask tentatively, my voice low and sensual in a way I’ve never heard.

“
Jen?” He turns with a swallow.

I run across the room and hug him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He holds me back, his arms embracing me tightly and holding me against him. Need crackles between us and I step back.

“Thank you. For last night. You didn’t need to do that.” I say without looking at him.

“
Any time,” he answers, walking backwards slowly. “Any time you need me, call, and I’ll be there.”

I look up, and he
’s gone.

The snow is still thick on the ground and I watch with a grumpy face as even more flakes fall. This is England. Where’s the damn rain?

My leg shakes and I shake my head in the same timing. I am not going out in that alone.
Food shopping be damned. I have... Er... Three pieces of bread, a tin of beans, six packets of crisps, a chocolate biscuit, and a bit of mouldy cheese.

Maybe the food shopping won
’t be damned today.

I need to buy a car. Like, really. This is where it
’s inconvenient Lexy isn’t around – she usually takes me on a Saturday after work and we have our usual girl’s night in. It’s Tuesday, so I’m running a little thin on the ground.

Unlike the stupid fricking snow.

Call, and I’ll be there.

Bing
’s voice rings in my mind and I trap my tongue between my teeth. Can I really call him - again? Other than a few text exchanges, we haven’t spoken since the whole ‘here, touch my ass, it doesn’t bite’ thing two days ago.

I snap my teeth together. I guess I don
’t have much of a choice.

I cross the room, grab the phone and call his house.

“Edwards’ residence, Emily speaking.”

“
Hey, Emily! It’s Jen.”

“
Hey, honey. How are you?”

“
I’m fine, you?” I smile.

“
I’m all good, sweetheart. What’s up?”

“
Um, is Bing there?”

I just know by the one second silen
ce that her eyebrows are raised and she’s grinning like a madwoman.

“
Yeah, he’s in the shower. I’ll grab him for you.”

“
Oh no, really. Just get-”

Beep. She
’s put me on hold. I screw up my face and stomp my foot. Great. I don’t need the image of him soaking wet with a towel round his waist image in my head while I talk to him.

“
This is not good,” I say to myself.

“
What’s not good?” The line clicks, and Bing’s voice sends tremors through me. Or is that the image I don’t need? Oh, and the ‘hi, I’d like to dry you off with my tongue’ thoughts running through my head right now?

“
I have no food. Can you drop me at Tesco?” I blurt it out before my traitorous brain gives my real thoughts away. “Uh, please.”

“
Of course,” he answers. “I told you if you needed anything you could call. Give me half an hour and I’ll be over.”

“
Thank you.” I hang up, and drop my head back against the wall. Jesus.