Page 17 of Served
I felt flush at the idea of him seeing me in full view even after just being practically glued skin to skin. But something came over me and I stood, dropping the blanket. He stared at me like a lion watching a zebra. I stared back as I pulled off the bra around my waist and unzipped the skirt that had managed to stay on and let it fall to the floor as he pulled his boxer-briefs back on.
“My God. What are you doing to me?” He asked but came to me and softly ran his hands over my body. He finally had both hands behind me and firmly grabbed both sides of my ass, but as he looked down at me, he let out a huge sigh.
I pushed my hands up around his neck. “What, bite off more than you can chew mister, ‘I’ll serve you properly’?”
He moved his hands up my back, then one gently pushed at my neck. “Does that hurt?”
I put my hand over his. It was tender for sure. I turned slowly and trotted to the bathroom; fully aware he could see my whole naked backside.
I stood in front of the mirror in horror. The handprint had turned from pink and purple to a deep and ugly shade of brown, but still a perfect hand shape across my neck. The scratches on my face were fading quickly but still noticeable. My hands had scratches all over them and I noticed what looked like three finger-shaped bruises on the outside of my hip. Jason walked up behind me holding the robe I always left laying over my chair and wrapped it around me.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have,” his voice shaky. The look on his face was more than I could bare so I turned to reassure him.
“Don’t be sorry, I’m not. Not even a little.” I reached out to him, and he took me in his arms gently. “You can hold me tighter,” I whispered, “you won’t break me.”
He pulled away to look at me and let out a huge sigh before saying, “I gotta handle some things. Can you take off work today? I still say you need to be checked out, that bruise is nasty.”
I shook my head. “No doctors. And I only work a few hours today. I just want things to go back to normal.”
“Normal?” He asked, his look confused.
I replied hopefully as I shrugged my shoulders, “Normal, with a newboyfriend?” He pulled me close and nuzzled his face into the good side of my neck.
“Lucy, I’m sorry I didn’t come out there sooner. I did as soon as I heard you, but-“
I put my hand over his mouth and looked into his softened dark eyes. “You stop saying sorry. And we don’t have to keep rehashing it. I just want to forget that part of yesterday ever happened. Now, it’ll be known as the night you swept me off my feet.” I leaned up and pressed my lips firmly against his and he returned the gesture. “Finally,” I said, and he grinned but rolled his eyes at me.
“So, just put that behind us? Got it,” he said as he began to pull away. “I’m gonna head home and take care of a few things and change. But I’ll text you in a bit and maybe I’ll get Jaz to cover for me later. Mondays aren’t that busy anyway.”
Suddenly my heart was pounding. When he mentioned Jaz it hit me. That asshole was in the band Ijuststarted singing with and Tuesday I was supposed to be back with them. He saw the change on my face and tilted my chin up to him.
“What just happened? I can stay until you go to work if it’s that important to you,” he said confused about my sudden change.
“The band. He-he’s in the band.”
“Yeah, like I said, I have some things to handle so don’t worry about that right now.” He gently ran his thumb down my face with a reassuring look. “I’ll get with you about that later after I check with some people. But for today, you don’t need to worry.” I wasn’t sure how he could handle anything, but I trusted what he was saying. He pulled me to him, leaning in for a kiss as his arms wrapped around my back. His warm lips softly melted away the anxiety that was bubbling up. I felt him begin to pull away, so I tugged at his neck gently for another few seconds before finally releasing him.
I wasn’t sure he had my cell number, so I found a pen and wrote it down on an envelope sitting on the nightstand and handed it to him. Then, I grabbed his hand and I walked him out. A tightness formed in my chest as he let go of my hand and I watched him walk away.
I went to the kitchen and poured some coffee. I could feel the stare from Amy cutting into my soul from behind. I pulled my robe up and tightened the belt to try to cover my neck under its fluffiness.
“Damn, did you break a bottle over the bar after I left or something,” she asked abruptly when I turned to go sit on the sofa.
“Something like that. How was your night? Any good action at The Lounge?”
She floated quickly into the living room and plopped on the sofa with me.
“Oh, hell no, you aren’t bypassing this conversation. Jason? That was for real Jason that just left. And without saying a word to me by the way,” she said with a hair toss. “Seriously, y’all are so rude.”
I just shrugged my shoulders and sipped my coffee. She was staring me down so I knew I had to give her something or she wouldn’t leave me alone.
“Eric was a jerk, and Jason sort of saved me from him and I dunno. He walked me home and we went to bed.”
“Ha! Bed, yeah right. I heard you this morning. Probably a replay of last night.” Her sarcastic tone quickly switched to school-girl excited, “So, finally! Jason! Was he grumpy in bed, too?” Amy lived for gossip and her face was completely lit up with big bright eyes. “You owe me the dirt! I’d still be sleeping if it weren’t for you two animals.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, but he was sort of like an animal. And I loved every bit of it. Thinking about it made me blush and a weird knot was forming in my stomach.
“Amy, have you ever been in love?” Amy looked at me like a grew three heads.
