Page 10 of Untethered Heart
Dammit.“He didn’t stay.”
Her eyes widen, highlighting their interesting mix of hazel and gold. “You didn’t sleep together?”
“No, we did,” I assure her, and she furrows her brows, waiting on me to elaborate.
I sigh as I collect two mugs from the overhead cupboard and place them under the coffee machine to receive a shot. I grab my glass tumbler off the dish rack and fill it with ice and oat milk while I wait. When the coffee machine shrieks and whirs with finality, I take one mug and pour it into the iced milk, leaving the other mug as I hit the button for a second shot for Claire.
“He came back here, and we did stuff, but he must have taken off while I was sleeping.” I stir a metal straw through mine before reaching back for Claire’s finished double shot.
“Honey, that’s okay. Just because you sleep together doesn’t necessarily mean he’s sleeping over. Most guys will hightail it before they’ve even finished buttoning back up.”
“And when they’re like your gentleman caller?” I probe. “In dire need of reinforcements to extract himself from your neck long enough, he can actually get a foot out the door?” There’s no malice in my words, but I’m filled with envy as pink coats Claire’s cheeks from her obvious delight.
She hums in agreement. “He was a rare exception.” She takes a tentative sip of coffee, bracing herself for the scalding heat.One eye twitches, probably because she burnt her lips. It’s not in Claire’s nature to overthink things. She just blazes ahead, in all her confident glory.
“That Viking beast was made of all my dreams. I had to take full advantage of the goods while they were on offer.” She shimmies her shoulders in self-satisfied victory.
“Will you see him again, then?”
Claire doesn’t do boyfriends, but she’s had a few friends with benefits. According to her, when she finds someone who doesn’t need direction in the bedroom, she keeps them around solely for orgasmic purposes. She calls, they come running, and she just comes.
“I said I might see him around at The Wayside.” She shrugs. “That way, he knows where to find me if he wants another round, but I haven’t outright committed to anything more than a good roll in the sheets.”
I’ve never found myself to be ruled by my sexual desires. Maybe if my life hadn’t been turned upside down as a child, I would be more carefree with my affections. But as it stands, my life was shaken. Turned upside down and then pulled from my grasp. It has made me reserved with affection but headstrong with my career. This weekend was the first hurrah after studying diligently for the last four years and the last hurrah before I start my full-time job. I’ve worked as a bartender at Hallucinogens, a cool club within the High Rollers Casino, since I started my business degree. The manager, Gen, put my name forward as the new assistant manager when the position opened up, and she interviewed me with her brother, James, who owns the casino itself. She said it was just a formality, and the job was mine, but I was still a Nervous Nellie meeting with the enigma that is James Huxley.
“You could always see your beau again if you came back to The Wayside with me,” Claire says with a surety I’m not sure how she’s gained.
“What do you mean?”
“His brother’s the owner.”
I’m sure my face looks like a deer caught in headlights. “How do you know that?”
“I noticed you three chatting at the bar. They seemed familiar with each other, so I asked him if your dude was kosher.” She shrugs. “He told me it was his brother and that you would be looked after.” Leaning forward, Claire braces her elbows on the kitchen bench, setting her chin in her folded palms. “You’ve yet to confirm those details, by the way.” With rapt attention, she waits for my play-by-play.
A smile invades my face without permission as I recall every little detail of our night, before my mind latches onto the other point Claire made. His brother knew I would be looked after. Caleb clearly goes home with a lot of women he meets in his brother’s bar, and he’s not shy or secretive about it. Claire’s right, some men will have a one-night stand and dash before the sheets have cooled. Caleb is the rule. Not the exception.
Chapter six
My stomach is in knots as I feel the plane groaning to life beneath me, coasting along the tarmac, getting ready for takeoff. I’m not a nervous flyer, but I spent the night with the most dangerously alluring woman I’ve ever met. For the first time ever, I didn’t want to leave a woman’s bed. Fuck. I wanted to wrap her in my arms and hold her hostage.
I don’t like this feeling. It’s like I’ve forgotten to do something, and I’m quite sure it’s entirely to do with Lex. The way she was soft and sweet, my mind wanted to do so many things to her. See how I could make her light up, but also be soft with her. An utterly confusing state of mind.
When we were still at The Wayside, I noticed the tail of a mermaid tattoo peeking out from the hem of her leather skirt, and it was then I realised what she was. A siren. She was made to disarm unsuspecting men like me. Looking timid and sexy all at once. And that bright red hair. I wrapped a lock around my finger, and then just wanted to wrap it around my fist while I pounded into her from behind.
When we finally made it back to her house, I got distracted by every other little thing about her. The touch of her hands on my back. The multiple silver rings stacked on her fingers. The trident tattoo on her shoulder. Every detail I wanted to slow down and appreciate.
I’ve never found myself in a situation where my mind is completely consumed with a woman, and I’m desperately trying to command reason for my wayward thoughts and unfamiliar emotions, but my sister hasn’t stopped talking since we got to the airport.
She’s not a morning person. I expected when Gage picked her up this morning that she’d be half dead to the world, insisting no one speak to her and just walk her through the terminal with her eyes shut the whole time so that she could just make it to her seat and go straight back to sleep. Turns out she was already two coffees deep when Gage picked her up, and I saw her inhale another espresso while we were waiting in the passenger lounge.
“Have you booked us into meetings the whole time we’re in Royal Harbour, or will I have time to shop? I haven’t been in so long, and there’s this great boutique shopping mall I’d love to get to before we leave.” My eyes close, and I take steadying breaths as Beth continues, now shouting over the aisle.
“Hey, Izzy! Shopping trip after the meeting today?” I don’t hear a response from Isabelle, so I assume she must nod, since my sister does a flurry of little claps.
“How long will the meeting go for, do you think? Will I have time to have a decent meal beforehand? What time are we meant to land again?”
“Jesus, Beth!” My shout is rough and raw. My baby sister’s green eyes go wide with surprise before they narrow with menace.
