A Wicked Game(18)

“Details, girl, details.” Claire rubbed her hands.

Ariana laughed. “Give her some space, would you?” she said, looking at Claire.

“Why? There’s nothing to tell. Look at her. She’s been sleeping with Jack.” Scarlett took a drink from her sake.

Tori narrowed her eyes at her. “How do you know?”

“It’s in your face,” Vivienne replied.

“I don’t care. I still want to hear the details.” Claire gestured with her chopsticks.

Tori rolled her eyes, easing back on her chair. “He’s taking me for a ride on Saturday.” She bit down on her smile, wishing her friends couldn’t see her excitement.

Ariana leaned forward. “You mean you’re going on a date?”

“No. It’s not a date, just a ride,” she said. It was a ride—a simple ride. He’d said so himself. It wasn’t a date. Though, she wondered if he’d meant it. What difference does it make anyway? Things wouldn’t go any further because being together wasn’t in their future.

Claire laughed, throwing her head back. “A ride, my ass. It’s a date.”

“It’s not,” Tori said.

“It is too.” Scarlett downed the rest of her sake.

“Isn’t it too early for sake? It’s only lunchtime.” Tori pushed back her plate, getting ready to leave. She went through her mental list of things to do for the rest of the day. Good. She’d be busy. The busier she was, the better, because it meant there were fewer opportunities for her mind to wander with thoughts of Jack.

Scarlett shrugged. “So?”

“Call it whatever you want, a date is a date no matter how you put it.” Vivienne grabbed an edamame from the plate sitting in the middle of the table.

“Right. A date is a date is a date,” Ariana agreed.

Tori stood, grabbing her bag. “Thank you for treating me to lunch. You’re all such good friends.” She winked at them and walked to the door. Out on the street, she glanced at the sky, taking a deep breath. She donned her designer shades and headed for her office.

Getting through the rest of the week without seeing Jack would be the hardest thing she’d had to do in a long time. Gosh, she missed him already. A shiver ran through her as she remembered the events of last night. He’d held her, driving into her until his body shook against hers. Then, he’d asked her to stay and took her to his bed. He’d snuggled alongside her, keeping her in his arms all night long.

Wishing there could be more between them would be asking for a miracle. She’d take from him everything he’d give her. She’d have to keep reminding herself this was a fling. She couldn’t call it anything else.





Chapter Thirteen





She walked down the steps from her apartment building entrance. Her pulse quickened when she caught sight of Jack standing next to his satin-black bike. She slowed down her pace, appreciating the view. Seeing him in his aviator shades, jeans, a T-shirt, and a leather jacket made her want to run to him and drag him up to her place.

He smiled at her. “Hi.”

“H-hello,” she said.

“Are you ready?”

Her blood rushed through her veins in double time. Butterflies danced in her stomach, making her feel like a teenager all over again. Worst of all, she couldn’t manage to utter a word, so she nodded instead.

He helped her put on the helmet and secured it below her chin. “Hop on.” Jack straddled the bike and patted the seat behind him, then fastened his own helmet. She followed his instructions, straddling the bike. He reached for her hands and pulled her to him so the front of her body touched his back.

All nerves left her the moment the wind caressed her exposed skin as he put his bike in motion and merged into traffic. She had no idea where he’d take her. Truth be told, Tori didn’t care. What mattered was she was with him. As hard as it was to admit, she’d missed him. These past few days had been hell, wondering what he’d been up to and whether he thought of her at all or not. Who knew, perhaps today would be the last time she’d ever see him. The thought alone saddened her. Tori tightened her hold on his waist, squeezing her eyes closed.

Jack glided down the canyon, a mountain route bikers preferred, until he reached the Pacific Coast Highway. Then he rode north along the coast for another thirty minutes. Ah. She felt free. The ocean breeze combined with the late-afternoon sun kissed her skin. She hadn’t felt this liberated in God knew how long.

Jack turned left, guiding the bike into a sheltered path up a hill that opened to a secluded beach. He stopped right where the sand started and shut off the engine. He removed his helmet and hung it on one of the handles.