Surreptitious (London) (8 page)

I was still stood gawking at the poor guy who caused an accident. Yeah okay, he was dicking around, but I didn’t think he deserved that. The crowd that had gathered around the scene were glancing back and forth between me and the guy who was now holding his nose and shuffling away, so I tentatively walked towards Jax, hoping he could tell me what the
fuck
was going on in his
fucking brain!!!

When I reached his side, he held me around the waist, put his forehead to my shoulder and immediately muttered, “I’m sorry.”

Assuming he was sorry that he’d just gone postal on some random guy, I replied, “Jax, what he did was an accident, what you did was
not.
So you should be sorry.” He jerked his head off my shoulder and explained, “I wasn’t saying sorry for that. Motherfucker deserved it for what he did to you. I was saying sorry you got hurt!”

“JAX!!” I scolded.

“It was an
accident!!
I’ve got a hell of an egg on the back of my head, could possibly develop a concussion and I’ll definitely have a killer headache later, but I’m okay! I’m
really
okay! Stop blaming yourself! I’m glad we came, I’m glad we did this and I’d still do it again!!” He seemed to believe me because he relaxed against me before I continued, “Though maybe next time, we can do it with a little less grievous bodily harm ok?”

He just nodded and his frame relaxed even further...
Definitely dangerous.

Bring on tomorrow night.

Chapter thirteen

Taylor

I started getting ready for my ‘date’ later than I should have, however seeing as I had no idea what we were doing or where we were going, I just threw on some teal skinny jeans, a black camisole and grey suede boots that I
loved
because they were comfy-classy. There are probably about ten pairs of shoes that exist in the entire country that were comfy-classy. I say this because it’s a known fact for women that if you want to look classy, sexy,
hot
...shoes are
never
comfortable. They’re high, they give you blisters, they rub your feet and they ache like hell, but that’s the price we pay for classy, sexy,
hot.
However, with a comfort shoe, you may as well be wearing slippers, soft on the inside, flat, easy to wear...but
not
classy, sexy,
hot...
they’re just...
shoes.

I checked myself over in the mirror at 6:55 and was seriously impressed. I looked good, but not overly good like I felt I needed to make an impression. Exactly what I was looking for. I heard my doorbell ring so I buzzed down letting him know I’d meet him downstairs, locked the apartment and headed his way.

Get your game-face on Taylor.

Cinema. He took me to the freaking cinema?! I wasn’t entirely sure that I hadn’t gone back in time and I was suddenly fifteen again, being dropped off at my first date by my mum. I mean really, where’s the imagination? You can’t even speak to each other in the cinema...
Hmm actually maybe this is better?!

At one point in the evening he stretched his arms above his head and rested one on the back of my chair before edging it forward to rest on my shoulders. Smooth, really
smooth
.

It was official, I was on a date with a teenage boy.
Shit.

Jackson

I furrowed my brow and glanced at my phone for about the tenth time in the last few minutes. I’d texted her a few times with no response and she hadn’t answered my call. I need her to know she’s ‘IT’ for me.

I’ve never chased a woman before. Not. Ever. She’s different, it’s not how beautiful she is, even though that’s a
huge
plus point, it’s not her body, her attitude, the fact that she has her own money, her mouth. It’s not any of it...it’s
all
of it. She’s my perfect woman, I just don’t know what she’s scared of. So here’s the thing, I got sly about it. I’ve roped in Harper again, I called her and asked for her help and she agreed immediately because apparently she’s just as desperate as me to see us together now. So when my phone vibrated on the desk and Harper’s name showed up I answered immediately, but before I could speak she jumped in.

“You jackass, do you know where she is right now? ON A FUCKING
DATE
, a date with some fuck-wad jerk from university. She should
not
be on dates with fuck-wad jerks from university...so what the fuck, are you playing at?!”

“Whoa, what the hell? She’s on a fucking date?! How exactly am I supposed to stop her if she will
not
answer her fucking phone...huh? You’re supposed to warn me of these things
before
they fucking happen!! Where are they?”

“Cinema near her building.” She replied.

And then she hung up!
I can’t believe she’s on a fucking date. What the fuck?
I was wracking my brain trying to figure out what the hell she was thinking when it hit me. I stopped on the stairs, smiled and shook my head.
Of course she’s on a fucking date!!
She’s running from me, and what’s the best way to avoid me? Exactly.

Keep running baby girl, I’ll catch you.

Taylor

The date was shit. Josh was even duller than I expected him to be, he kept leaning closer to me and I just edged further away. Even though my attention was on the film, I could feel his eyes on me and it was making my skin itch. I was starting to really regret the plan, when the door to the screen we were in opened, I ignored it and carried on watching the film when the air around me changed. I felt the heat on the back of my neck and turned to see Jax
striding
towards us.

I tensed and opened my mouth but didn’t get to speak before he walked straight up to me, put his hands under my arms, lifted me out of my seat and hefted my over his shoulder. I didn’t care that we were in a cinema, I screeched and pounded on his back to let go of me. He strode out of the screen and carried me through the foyer. When he walked through the main door of the cinema he dropped me on my feet, got right in my face and shouted...

“What the
fuck?!
  I tell you that you’re my girl, we have a great day, you do something you’ve never done before, I drop you off home with a smile on your face and the next night I find you out on a
date
with another fucking guy? Tell me Taylor, what the
fuck
were you fucking THINKING”

My head was still spinning from the fact that he
hefted me over his shoulder and carried my out of the cinema where I was on a fucking date!!
But I managed to clear it enough to lean forward and hiss...

“Keep your fucking voice down. Just who the hell do you think you are? I’m not
your
girl, I’m not anyone’s except fucking MINE. Why won’t you give up?! I DO NOT WANT YOU.”

“LIAR...I’ve had over two weeks of this shit. I know you want me; I just don’t know what you’re so fucking scared of!! You spend your life fucking running and I can’t help unless you tell me what you’re running from!!”

“FUCK YOU!! I don’t have to tell you shit!! Why can’t you just back the fuck off!! I don’t need this!! You’re fucking dangerous!!”

His demeanour changed and the air around us became charged. He stepped forward in my face, put his fingers beneath my ear and ran his thumb across my cheek before he leant right in and whispered...

“Baby girl, your pulse is racing, your skin is flushed, your breathing’s erratic and I’m standing almost as close to you as one person can get to another and you haven’t moved a muscle. Stop denying it, it’s written all over your body how much you want me. Damn right I’m dangerous, but only because you can’t hide from me. What’s going on in that head of yours? Why are you so determined to push me away?” I turned my head away from him and averted my eyes before whispering...

“It doesn’t matter, I just want you to go.” He shook his head before resting his forehead against mine, sighing and speaking a soft-voice that I hadn’t heard yet, that shot straight through me.

“That’s not gonna happen, you’re my IT girl. It’s been just over two weeks but I know it...and you know it too. We fit. Keep putting your shield up babe, because it doesn’t scare me, your sharp tongue doesn’t scare me and you can be damn sure no skinny fuck-wad that takes you to the fucking
cinema
for a first date doesn’t scare me. You...are...
mine
.”

By the time he’d finished his words were barely a whisper and if I hadn’t had been so close to him I wouldn’t have heard him but before I could process them he pressed his mouth to mine in a way that made my body melt into his. I parted my lips and he didn’t waste any time before adding his tongue, he slanted his mouth and pulled me closer so our bodies were entwined. He dropped his hand to cup my ass before groaning into my mouth. It was like a dance, so damn sweet and strong, yet
hot
and seriously sexy. He stroked my tongue with his and a shiver shot through me at the feel of it. I don’t know how long we were kissing before I heard...

“Ahem...um...Taylor?” My body froze but I didn’t speak before Jax lifted his head to glance over my shoulder and growled...

“Dates over. Go...the fuck...
home.
” Josh looked at Jax and his pasty skin went ever paler before he turned on his heel and
ran
back in the opposite direction.
Fucking mamma’s boy.
It still wasn’t a nice thing to do though so I smacked Jax on the shoulder and frowned at him.

“Don’t do that! He was nice! And he did bring me here and pay for my ticket. You didn’t need to fucking scare him!” He just raised an eye-brow and said...

“He was trying to put moves on my
fucking
girl. I don’t give a shit if he’s
nice.
He needs to stay away from you.” He informed me.

My skin was still burning from his kiss but I wasn’t gonna let him win so I decided to play dirty. I pressed myself flush against him, ground my groin slightly into his which was rock hard against me, made my insides clench and he made a choking sound in the back of his throat but I lifted up on my toes and whispered in his ear.

“I’m not, nor will I ever be your girl. I don’t belong to anyone. I don’t trust you and I never will. So you just keep playing your games Jax, I’ll never let you win.”

And with that, I turned around, wiggled my fingers at him over my shoulder and strolled in the direction of home. At the end of the street I glanced over my shoulder to see Jax was frozen to the spot but his face held a fierce determination about it that made me wary. Still, I giggled and made sure I was out of sight before bolting the rest of the distance to my apartment.

Chapter
fourteen

Taylor

A few days later, I was dressed and ready for university by half nine and even though I didn’t need to be there until half ten, I left the apartment early, planning on taking a slow walk to class. My plan was ruined when I stepped outside and found my Mr Gorgeous, Jackson Brent, Jax, standing about twenty feet in front of me, leaning against the door of his car with one foot crossed over the other and his arms folded across his chest. I stepped forward and hissed.

“What the hell are you doing here?!” He looked me up and down and twisted his lips as if he was making an important decision before declaring...”I’m taking you to university...clearly.”

“Why would you do that? I always walk!” I queried.

“Because I have a car that I like to drive, a woman I like to see and I wanted to get out of the house. So here I am!”

I huffed out a breath but it was early and I knew there was no point arguing with him so I stomped over, jumped in the car and he slammed the door shut after me.

A few minutes later, I was staring out the window when I noticed he wasn’t going in the direction of my university so I tensed and informed him, even though I was sure he already knew...

“This is
not
the way to my university!” He didn’t answer me, he didn’t even look at me, just smiled towards the road.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked a couple of minutes later. He smirked but still ignored my question and just kept driving. 

“I’m supposed to have two classes today Jackson.” I explained.

...
Nothing, nada, zilch, zero, zip...
He didn’t say a single word.

I shifted restlessly on the leather and tried to fight the urge to scream in frustration. In three weeks, I’d effectively been kidnapped by this man three times, I couldn’t decide if I was praying it wouldn’t become a regular thing, or if it would happen more often! I was excited, nervous, petrified, exhilarated...ahh fuck...I didn’t have a clue what I was!

We’d been driving for about half an hour when he exited the motorway at the next junction and eventually, all I could see was miles and miles of grass, trees and the occasional flock of sheep. I had no idea whatsoever where we were, so I turned to him and suggested he at least he at least give me a hint as to where he was taking me. He bit his lip and his eye brows knit together with indecision.

“Um, we’re going somewhere so you can have a shit load of fun and...well...work off some of that pent up frustration you’re carrying!”

“I am not carrying any ‘pent up frustration’!” I snapped.

He pressed his lips together and his eyes bulged then his entire frame relaxed as he burst out laughing. I glowered at him and he pointed out that I was just proving his point so I twisted my neck and glowered out of the window instead.
HA! Screw you Jackson.

We turned again and started to bounce along a gravel path. I winced at the thought that the stones might chip the paint on the car, and then decided I didn’t give a shit because it wasn’t my car.

Still...I was lying...I cared.

We pulled up next to a forest and I was slightly worried that he might just ditch me there and drive off because...well...because I was a bitch...and more importantly he was dangerous! But he exited the car, came around to my side and opened the door. He held a hand out to help me up but I twisted my shoulder and avoided it, he didn’t care, he laughed and shook his head at me whilst muttering ‘frustrated’ under his breath.

I noticed a young guy approaching us and threw a questioning glace at Jax, which he ignored and strode away. He reached the guy and bumped fists with him. I assumed they were friends, so I edged towards them. As I neared, I briefly heard a discussion about safety and helmets but Jax shook his head and said we only wanted the overalls.

Overalls?! What the fuck do we need overalls for?!
 

Ten minutes later I was leaning against the women’s changing
HUT
, wearing fucking
overalls,
with my arms folded across my chest wondering how the hell Jax had managed to talk me into what I was about to do.

I heard footsteps nearing but I kept my eyes ahead and ignored him, until he hip-checked me from the side and I stumbled sideways. I was caught round the waist before I hit the deck,
just
, but I still growled in annoyance and Jax threw his head back and roared with laughter.
Dickhead.
I started to stalk towards the direction we originally came from when he yelled...

“Hey baby girl, the fun’s this way!!” I flipped him off over my shoulder and shouted back.

“Fuck you asshole, I’m going home!”

I heard his laughter getting closer so I knew he’d come after me but I wanted to throw a strop anyway. Dickhead always bested me with everything and I wasn’t used to it at all! I made it about four more steps before he crashed into me from behind and nearly toppled me. I whirled on him and exclaimed...

“What the fuck?! I could’a lost half my fuckin’ face if I’d have landed on that...” I pointed towards the gravel path but kept my glare fixed firmly on his face.

He tilted his head and sent me a sceptical look but leant forward and whispered...”I’d have protected you.”

I had a feeling he wasn’t just talking about protecting me from the gravel path so I rolled my eyes, transferred my weight to one leg, planted a hand on my hip and declared...”Are we doing this or what?”

“There’s my girl!” He cheered.
Crazy man!!

He claimed my hand and because I couldn’t be bothered to fight anymore, I let him hold it. So
it wasn’t because it sent tingles all up your arm, or you just wanted to feel him...no of course it wasn’t...was it Taylor?!

We walked for about five minutes through trees, fallen branches, mud, mess...and more general nature shit when we arrived at the first obstacle. Yes, he’d taken me to a fucking obstacle course. Dirt, muddy water, sweat and more fucking dirt...it was
not
my idea of fun.

I told him he could kiss my arse if he thought I was taking part in an obstacle course with him but he threw down the gauntlet and knew he’d won when he said...

“Alright then, we’ll drive back and you can explain to everyone how you didn’t have the balls to climb a few nets and do a bit of running. Yeah...that’s fine, I’d have gotten a better time than you anyway.” Well fuck that...smug bastard thought he could beat me? Ahh no.

So we stood at the start of the course and he asked...

“You wanna go first, then me? Or you wanna go at the same time?” I looked to sky, thinking about the best way to ensure I beat him and decided...

“we’ll go at the same time.” He smirked and counted down...

’3...2...1...GO’.

We both bolted across the logs laying along the floor for the first obstacle and seeing as I ran most days, I was gaining ground on him straight away. I flicked a glance over my shoulder to check where he was and kept sprinting towards the next obstruction. I reached the bottom of a net and reached up as high as I could the grasp the rope, heaved myself up and started climbed as fast as my body would let me.

Jackson

I had planned, since I came up with the idea to take Taylor to the course that was built on the land that once held the house I lived in, to let her win. I wanted her to celebrate, get excited...whatever ...just...anything to take her out of her comfort zone for a while.

When I shouted ‘GO!’ and she flew across the logs,
seriously
fast, I rapidly understood that she was no one to scoff at on the course so I decided to give as good as I got and make her fight for it. She climbed up the net but I could have laughed at her mistake when she began climbing back down the other side! I hit the wooden pole at the top, rolled over and jumped down the other side, leaving me back level with her and she shouted... “what the
fuck?!
” before I pushed myself to go even faster.

I reached the suspended log first and I held my arms out at the side to keep my balance as I crossed it, I felt the log shift and knew she was right behind me so as I jumped off the end, I knocked the whole thing with my heel so it wobbled...I was praying it would knock her off!

I didn’t stick around or look back to see if it worked, I just dashed across the next set of log hurdles and when I hit the next exercise I cursed under my breath because we were gonna freeze! I vaulted over the wall and landed knee deep in ice-cold water on the other side.
Shit me...that was COLD!

Instead of curling into a ball and shivering like a girl, I powered through it and was about to crawl under the cargo net when I heard a splash and cry of ‘HOLY FUCK THAT’S COLD’ from just a few feet behind me.
Shit she’s close.
I dove under the net and shuffled forward on my elbows until I felt a tug on my ankle and twisted around to see that Taylor was crawling under the net with me, but instead of concentrating on her own time, she’d wound part of the net around my ankle twice and then she cackled as she crawled past me.

Uh uh, I was NOT letting that happen!

When her hips were level with my face I wrapped my arm around her knees and held on tight. She squirmed in my hold but I didn’t let go. I kicked my foot out a few times to try and loosen the net from around my ankle but it wasn’t budging. After a minute or so of listening to Taylor howl with laughter and me getting nowhere with dislodging the net I reached down with my arm that wasn’t wrapped around her to free myself. As I did, Tay took the opportunity to raise her foot and kick me square in the stomach. I grunted and let her go, so she scrambled through the rest of the net and started running off at the other end!!

Taylor

I knew it was harsh, but since it was the only part of my body I could reach him with, I
had
to kick him so he would let me go! I realised that even though I’d trapped him in the net, it wouldn’t take him long to catch up, so even though I was freezing, caked in mud and getting majorly worn out, I pushed myself even harder over the next set of log hurdles.

I glanced ahead and noted that there was only one more wall with water behind it, another climbing net, some sort of little stumps that you had to run across and then a rope swing left to complete before the finish line. So I squared my shoulders and launched myself over the wall first. The water didn’t feel any less biting the second time around and my skin felt abused but I fought my way through the waves created by my landing and hefted myself out at the other end. As I pushed myself up on my feet, I heard Jax’s splash behind me and I shrieked before tearing off towards the net.

I was just leaning down the other side when I saw Jax dart past me and dive down the other side.
FUCK
. I couldn’t let him win because I knew even though he was generally fitter than me, he’d never let me live it down if I lost.

So I decided to play dirty.

Jackson

My pulse was racing as I neared the finishing line and I started to feel a twinge of guilt that I hadn’t stuck to my plan to let Taylor win but seeing as I was already planning my celebration in my mind, I didn’t have time for guilt!

I was heading to the raised stumps when an ear-piercing scream filled the air and I stopped dead. I spun around to see that Taylor was lying on her side with her knees pulled up to her chest at the bottom of the climbing net. I rushed back to her and knelt down beside her speaking in a panicked voice.

“Oh my god, baby girl are you okay? Where are you hurt?”

She reached out a hand to grip the front of my shirt before shoving me backwards so I landed with a thud on my ass and she sprang upwards, pointed at me and shouted “Sucker!” and ran straight across the stumps.

Mother fucker!! She played me!!

Taylor

I knew I had a huge grin on my face but I figured that I’d never win without playing dirty.

Did I feel guilty for playing him? Not even a little bit!!

I climbed the notches that lead to the platform for the rope swing and pulled myself over the top, untied the rope from around the tree holding it and prepared to swing. Just as I lifted my feet, a body collided with mine from behind on the rope and I screamed at the top of my lungs.

I held on for dear life as Jax was gripping the rope above my hands and manoeuvred his body so it fully covered mine. I had no time to even attempt to comprehend what the fuck had happened before we reached the other platform and Jackson jumped, pulling my body with him. We crashed onto the platform with a thud but I landed on top of Jax who grunted, but I wasn’t hurt...
much!

“Oh my god...” I muttered.

He grinned up at me as I was lying flat out on top of him, we were both filthy, sweaty and breathless but instantly, the air surrounding us seemed to crackle with intensity. I stared down into his eyes and lowered my head to his. It wasn’t a seductive kiss, it wasn’t a sexual kiss, we were both too damn out of breath, but it was a sweet kiss, a kiss that cast goose-bumps across my skin and took my breath away. I pulled back, then rested my forehead against the side of neck and pressed my face against his skin and whispered...”
Thank you.”