"Harm . . .” I began, feeling uneasy. My birthday was a week ago. I don't even know how she knew about it. I sure as hell didn't tell her and none of the guys knew, besides Alex, and I couldn't imagine him going out of his way to tell her anything.
Most of my uneasiness came from the fact that we weren't in that kind of relationship. I'd made that clear from the start, so there would be no crossed signals. If she was starting to see us as something more, then we had a big problem.
"Oh relax," she chided, shaking her head. "It's nothing big, just a little something I think we will both enjoy." Her mouth curved upward in a grin. I relaxed, now more intrigued than scared by what she had planned.
"Sure. Come over later." I pulled away from her, glancing around the place apologetically. "I gotta get back to work," I said. She nodded, leaning in for another kiss. "I'll see you later," she said, smiling at me over her shoulder as she headed toward the door.
#
I did a very quick tidy up of my apartment, which basically meant throwing the dirty dishes in the dishwasher and everything else in the spare bedroom including my cat, Mr. Jefferies. He growled, letting me know that he didn't like being shoved aside for a chick, because I'm sure he knew that's what was happening and I didn't doubt that he'd find s
ome way to pay me back later.
"You're complaining? I treat you better than some people treat their children," I chuckled, placing a mountain of minced eye fillet steak in front of him. He sniffed it and glanced up at me, as if to say “You're forgiven, but only this time.”
The truth was—and this is going to sound awful—I didn't want to put Mr Jefferies through the pain of knowing Harmony. God that made me sound like an asshole but seriously, even I knew this girl was a bitch. She was the type of girl who I wouldn't put past getting revenge, should what we had ever end on less than mutual terms. The less she knew about me the better, and that included my cat. What does that say about me, being with a girl I think is capable of something like that?
I shut the door and brushed the cat hair off my pants. Glancing around the room, I was finally satisfied enough to sit down and relax. It wasn't spotless, but I was a guy in my twenties who lived on my own. If the place got any cleaner, it would be creepy.
Living above the bar was practical and cheap. Money had never been an issue in the past, but when I left England and my father I also left my trust fund, my cars, and anything else that belonged to him. I didn't want to owe him anything.
Everything I had here I'd earned myself and that felt fucking amazing. There was nobody breathing down my neck or telling me what I could and couldn't do. No pressure on me, apart from the pressure I put on myself, and no fucking pretending. For the first time in my life, what I had felt real.
Well, most of it, anyway. Sure, I still had some issues I needed to work out, but who doesn't? If you don't have things in your life you need to work on, then you're not living it right.
I know, I know—when did Jack Falcon become so philosophical?
Chapter Two
Jack
The doorbell rang just as I was getting into an old episode of MacGyver. The shit that guy could do with a Chux and a pipe cleaner. Clearing my throat, I stood up. Walking to the door, I ran a hand through my hair as I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.
At twenty-eight I looked pretty good for my age. Fuck it. There was no point being modest in front of myself. I was hot, and I knew it. My unruly hair went in all directions, and the shirt I wore clung to my sculpted chest. I avoided exercise at all costs, but you’d never know it, looking at my body. The fact that I was lazy and shaved maybe once a week showed in the shadow of stubble that highlighted my jaw.
Harmony was always going on about my sexy dark eyes, but all I saw in them was pain and regret. Maybe pain was sexy?
I opened the door, letting Harmony in. She pushed the door closed behind her, not locking it. Fuck, she looked hot. The tight navy blue dress hugged her curves, the very short hem showing off her long legs. The halter neckline plunged low, revealing an almost obscene amount of cleavage. Not that I was complaining. Her wavy blonde hair hung loosely around her shoulders.
"Hey sexy," she said, her blue eyes lighting up. She wrapped her arms around my waist, tilting her head up for a kiss. My fingers brushed around her neck, gripping her soft skin tightly as my mouth pressed roughly against hers. She moaned softly, her hand brushing past my erection. She bit her lip and looked into my eyes as if the effect she had on me was uniquely her. She was a female with big tits and a vagina, it wasn’t exactly hard to get me hard.
"Want your present?" she asked coyly.
"Only if it involves you," I murmured, my fingers trailing down between her breasts.
“Oh, it does.” She smiled, biting the edge of her lip.
My arousal increased. I was just about ready to say “Fuck the present” when she pushed me back into the living room.
"Sit down." She pointed to the sofa. I pushed the cushions aside and slumped against the firm leather backing of the two-seater. She smiled again and walked back to the door, opening it an inch, just enough to peek out. I craned my neck to try and see what was going on. I spotted a bag, Harmony quickly jumping into my line of sight before I could see any more. She glanced back at me. "Close your eyes," she ordered.
I sighed and shut my eyes, racking my brain and trying to think what the hell she may have gotten me. God help me if it was another vibrator. Never again is all I had to say about that. I don’t think my ass could handle it; I don’t care how any bunnies were on this one. Long story—and one I didn’t want to relive anytime soon.
I listened to the sound of the door shutting and then Harmony's heels clicking against the tiled floor. "Keep your eyes shut," she said, her voice wavering, then muffled. What the fuck was she doing?
"Okay. Open your eyes."
My eyes flew open, and I blinked. Several times.