Between how ready I am for him, the vibe on my clit, and Jack fucking me like he wants to ensure I never forget his dick, I come fast. He does too. It’s hot as hell, and I decide that sex in a public bathroom maybe isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Maybe. I’m still not sure how I’ll feel about these germs later.
He pulls out and zips himself back up. I shoo him out of the toilet so I can pee. When I exit the stall, a woman looks at me in the mirror while she washes her hands. She has to be at least eighty.
“He’s a looker, lovey,” she says.
I smile and move to the sink next to her. This bathroom isn’t too bad now that I look at it. It’s old, but at least it’s clean. Flicking on the tap, I nod. “Yeah, he is.”
“His face is so familiar, but I can’t place where I’ve met him before.”
I suppress my laugh. “Jack gets around.”
“Hmmm,” she says, her face thoughtful like she’s thinking hard about where she knows Jack from. “It’ll come to me.”
I finish washing my hands and dry them. “I’ll tell him you said hi.”
“Tell him he has a fine ass too. I always was a sucker for a good ass.”
“I’ll be sure to tell him,” I say as I open the door to leave. “Jack is your people. He’s all about the ass too.”
Jack’s waiting outside for me, along with the noise. I couldn’t spend hours in this pub; it’s far too rowdy for me. I like some Cold Chisel in my life, but not when I can’t hear myself think. Axe and his guy aren’t far away. I don’t even feel dirty knowing that they know what we just did.
“What’s got you smiling like that?” Jack says when I draw close.
“That woman in there?” At his nod, I continue, “She likes your ass. She also thinks she knows you from somewhere around here. Oh, and she thinks you’re a looker. Do not let any of this go to your head. God knows you’re already cocky enough.”
He grins and claims a kiss before putting his arm around me. “It’s all going to my head, sweetheart. I’ve gotta take what I can get. Fuck knows, my woman isn’t forthcoming on the compliments.”
We settle into an easy back and forth on how he thinks I should be more generous with those compliments, and how I think he doesn’t need the encouragement.
We find Bob and get him into Jack’s LandCruiser.
And we go home where Jack proceeds to deliver two more orgasms that are bound to add to the mess in my mind over him.
A mess I am more than okay with.
30
Jack
It’s dark when my phone wakes me.
Not even five in the morning.
I’m in such a deep sleep that the ringing phone struggles to rouse me. In the end, it’s Jessica who stirs me. “Jack.” She shakes me awake. “It’s Rodney.”
My agent.
I roll onto my back and put the phone to my ear while trying to get my eyes to open. “It’s fucking early here, Rodney.”
“And this is going to wake you right the hell up.”
“What?”
“It looks like there’s an issue with Jagged Point.”
I sit up, my eyes wide open now. Jagged Point is the sequel to Broken Point, one of my biggest blockbusters that released a year ago. Filming is set to begin in six months, and while I might still be figuring out my shit where my career’s concerned, I have no intention of walking away from this film.
“What kind of issue?” I watch Jessica as she leaves the bed and walks into the en suite.
“The kind where your services may no longer be required.”
“Fuck.” I shove my fingers through my hair. “What’s happened?”
“The shit that’s just hit the media is what’s happened. Dave isn’t convinced you’ll be ready in time. He thinks your headspace is too fucked.”
Dave is the director. One I thought I had a solid relationship with. “What shit are you talking about?” He’s not making any sense.
“The shit where you got yourself into a fight over some woman you’re screwing. Dave has been on the phone to me today, and let’s just say he’s one step away from finding your replacement.”
“I have no fucking idea what you’re going on about.”
“Get online. And after you do, get on to your publicist. You need to do some fucking damage control on this one. I’ll be in touch when I know more.”
He disconnects and I pull up the internet on my phone so I can search for the shit he’s referenced. I fucking hate searching for this kind of stuff and am only doing it because this movie means something to me.
“Fucking hell,” I mutter as I scroll the reports.
“What’s wrong?” Jessica asks, slipping back into bed.
“People took photos of us last night at the pub.” I look at her. “And photos of me and that guy who was all over you. They’ve twisted the story, saying I got into a fight with him.” I pause before telling her the rest. I don’t want to tell her the rest, but she’s going to find out sooner or later. I’d rather it be from me. “Some of the stories are focusing on you, and on our past. I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
She takes my phone and switches it off, placing it on the bed before moving next to me. “This was always going to happen. Well, not the bullshit about a fake fight, but the stuff about our past was always going to come up. I’m ready for it, Jack.”
“Are you? It’s going to be brutal having to relive it.”
She reaches for me, placing her hand on my arm. Her touch is so fucking gentle and loving that my chest squeezes. “Yeah, maybe, but fuck them. We know the truth of us, and that’s all that matters. I’m not even going to read these stories. Not this time.” She pauses. “Why is Rodney stressed over this?”
“The director of my next film is looking at dropping me from it.”
“You still want to do this film?”
I nod. “Yeah. It’s the sequel to Broken Point. That film was huge, and the sequel will be massive.”
“Okay, so what do you need to do to make this happen? Call the director?”
I place my hand over hers. “I fucking love how your brain works.”
“Well?” She’s looking at me as if to say ‘get the fuck onto this, Jack’. And she’s right; I need to get the fuck onto it.
I kiss her quickly before moving off the bed. “I need to call Rose first. And then I’ll call Dave.”
As I exit the room, I think about how Jessica’s default move is to support me. Whatever I need, she always gives me. And I know for damn sure that if I ever need her to step in and slay my dragons for me, she will. She’d slay every last one of those fuckers.
“I don’t know what to tell you, Jack,” Dave says two hours later when I finally get him on the phone. For a guy who used to take my calls without hesitation, he took his sweet time answering this one. “Things don’t look good from where I’m sitting. We’re not sure we can take the risk on you.”
“Those stories are bullshit. I’ve been sober since the day I ended up in that hospital. I’m taking my medication. I get my sleep and exercise in. I spend my days reading for fuck’s sake. I’m a fucking angel.”