Cheaters Anonymous (20 page)

“Don’t move.” Scar’s voice was soft. He went to the bathroom and turned on a faucet. I heard the water running, but couldn’t budge. When he returned, he crouched in front of me and took off my sneakers and socks, one at a time. He then grasped my right foot in his hands and pressed his fingers into my sole. I let my head fall back against the chair.

“That feels so good.”

I hadn’t had a foot massage in ages – no, actually, no one had ever touched my feet that way. He kneaded each toe and manipulated the tiniest muscles there, pressing gently in the more ticklish spots and harder on my heels. The pressure was perfect. After a while, his hands slid higher, rubbing the back of my calf. My legs felt like they’d just visited heaven all on their own.

“I’m gonna undress you, Jules.”

Whoa!

My eyes flew open.

“You need help, and I’d rather do this than think about someone else’s hands on you. Let’s get you to the bathroom.”

Without waiting for my argument as to why this was not a good idea, Scar helped me off the chair. Under his guiding arm, I shuffled my feet over the hardwood floor and onto the marble tiles. There was no way I could have managed this on my own. I unbuckled my shorts and slid them off my hips. The bottom wasn’t a problem, but I tried to take my arms out of my shirt and couldn’t. Pain tore through my ribcage with each movement.

“Ouch.”

“Hold on. Let me help.”

A shiny object in his hand caught my eye. “What are you doing?”

“Just don’t move. I’m not gonna watch you cry in pain the way you did when you changed at the hospital.”

And the next thing I knew, he’d taken a pair of scissors and was cutting my t-shirt from the bottom hem right up to my neck and through my sleeves. Pieces of fabric fell to the floor, and I was left in my bra and panties.

“Wait, you can’t cut my bra.”

“Why not? I’ll buy you a new one.”

“Just unclip it. I can slide it off.” I paused. “Right after you leave.”

“Oh, come on. I own a strip club. Do you know how many naked women I’ve seen?”

“This is different,” I whispered, drawing his eyes from the scissors to mine. I didn’t want this to be the first time he saw me naked. I could already see the hardened excitement underneath his pants. Even in the cave, when we fooled around six years ago and he brought me to climax, it had been dark, or at least darker than now.

He noticed where I was looking and shifted his crotch, pointing out, “Come on, I’m still a man. I can’t turn this off.”

“Exactly.”

He let out a breath and handed me the scissors. “You’re right. It is different. I’ll unclip the bra and turn around. You can cut your panties. Let me know when you’re ready to get in the tub.”

I nodded.

Scar’s fingers seared against my skin as he unfastened my bra. I let go of my breath after he turned, and cut both sides of my panties. They swished to the floor, baring me. While normally I’d give anything to see Scar without any clothes on and next to me, the pain under my ribcage and on my hip took the sexy thoughts away. All I wanted was to bathe and sleep.

“I’m ready,” I said.

Scar reached for an oversized towel and stretched his hands out in front, covering me.

“Hold onto this.” Standing on the other side, he handed me the ends. “Don’t worry if it gets wet.”

I grasped the corners as Scar slid his hands underneath my arms and held most of my weight as I stepped into the bathtub.

“Ouch, ouch, ouch...,” I said under my breath.

Scar’s face contorted and his jaw sharpened. “If I ever see this bastard, I swear I will kill him, Jules.”

“And then you’ll end up in jail.” I sank into the tub, submerging beneath the suds. The warm water around me felt like a magic potion that was instantly healing me. I noticed the Epsom salts and lavender bottle of bath mix on the side of the tub.

“There are ways of getting rid of people without getting caught.”

“I don’t think I want to know. This smells so good.”

“It looks good too.”

I chuckled. Yeah, Scar definitely didn’t know how to turn his charms off. “No peeking,” I said. I swished the bubbles around me, covering myself. My arms ached even with the slightest of moves.

“I wouldn’t dare.” He gave me a crooked look that flipped my stomach and reached for a shampoo bottle.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m gonna wash your hair. You can’t and shouldn’t lift your arms.”

Oh.

“Lean your head back.”

As he poured warm water over my hair, I closed my eyes. He spread the shampoo through and massaged my scalp. I could sit like this forever. My brain felt like it was given a shot of new life. This was even better than the foot rub earlier. I was pretty sure I moaned.

“You know, I could get used to this,” I said.

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

After rinsing, he held out a fluffy scrub with soap. “I will wash your back, and would help with the rest of the body, Jules, but I’m not sure I can control myself if I touch you” – his gaze lowered to my cleavage – “in other places.”

My imagination drifted to him reaching between my legs, and I stilled. “I think I can manage the rest. Thank you. For everything.”

After Scar washed my back, I finished bathing on my own. He’d left a robe on the chair beside the tub. It took all my strength to get out and put it on, but once I did I felt like a newborn – or at least as close to normal as I could.

“Are you hungry?” he asked. “We skipped dinner.”

“I’m pretty sure I lost my appetite for a few days.” If I had to move to do anything, even eat, I’d fall over. “I think I just need to lie down.”

It was already dark outside. After Brad banged me over the head and I’d ended up at the hospital, I lost track of time.

“Okay, come on.” I followed him into my bedroom. He pulled the covers aside and, still wearing the robe, I slid into the bed, sinking into the fresh sheets.

“Will you lock the door when you go back to your suite?” I asked.

“I’m not going back, Jules. I’m staying here with you. I already moved my stuff into the other bedroom.”

“Really?”

“Really. You’re safe here. I promise. There’s an extra guard by the gate as well. Believe me, this house is now more secure than the White House.”

How I wished his conviction was enough to take my fear away.

“Scar? Can you hold me?”

“Of course.”

He snuggled in behind me, the same way we had in the cave, spooning me. Except this time, Scar put a pillow between my ass and his crotch. Thinking about Scar holding me against his body was my last memory as I drifted off to sleep.

C
HAPTER
18

I spent the next four days under the blanket on the couch. The sun shone through the windows, and the sky was pure blue – what one could call a perfect summer day. There were no clouds in sight, and the storm we’d be getting in a few days was still hundreds of miles away.

Each day, however, the forecast became more dire, and it wouldn’t be long before the city was cold and gray. The hurricane-force winds were supposed to hit the coast with a surge, although no one could predict just how high the waves would get. My ribcage was better, and the gash on my hand was healing well.

Despite my physical progress, mentally I felt like one big mess. I just wanted to be locked up and to stay in one spot, away from the entire world. I feared leaving the Wagner property. I’d never been so afraid in my life, and I didn’t want to be. But how could I not be, when there was a psycho on the loose? A bodyguard stood by the door twenty-four hours a day, which honestly freaked me out even more. Scar had been staying at the guest house apartment with me, cleaning, cooking, and tending to my every need (well… almost).

When I got up to put away the clean dishes into the cupboards, he nearly had a heart attack.

“What do you think you’re doing?” He jumped up from his laptop from where he’d been monitoring his club online. I felt guilty that he’d stayed away from work, especially since I knew he had planned so many changes to the venue. I overheard him on the phone once talking about running into a road block and some legal issues, but if there was anyone who could find their way around the law, it was Scar.

“Helping.”

“You can’t. You’re sick.”

“Sure, I can. I’m better, and no, I’m not sick. I have torn muscles, which are healing quite nicely.’

“You need to sit down.”

“Scar, I’m not immobile. And it’s good for me to move around.”

“Well, you have to be.”

“What?”

“Look, if you can move, it means you can do other things. And once my brain begins to process the fact that I can hold you, squeeze you, and touch you, I will not be able to stay at this apartment any longer. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Holy crap! Had he been thinking about us together the entire time he’d been here? Scar had stayed in my bed since the day we returned from the hospital; it was the only way I could fall asleep. He spooned me four nights in a row, and I was sure he added a spare pillow between us each evening. While the night before had been the first one when I was tempted to remove the extra barrier, Scar must have been holding back ever since we returned from the hospital.

“Yes, I get it.”

Feeling a sudden tingle rush through me, I definitely got it.

“I’ll have to go to the other apartment or the main house, and I’d rather be here to make sure you feel safe. But if you can move... God help me, Jules. I won’t be able to keep my hands to myself, and the last thing I want is to screw it up between us.”

I hadn’t realized Scar was holding back so much. But then again, most of my concentration was on my healing wounds and the fear I was trying to control – unsuccessfully. Sometimes, I wondered whether due to our lack of inexperience with relationships we tried to create awkward rules. While we hadn’t technically gone out on a date yet, it felt like I’d already spent a lifetime dating Scar.

“I like having you here as well,” I said, as my imagination got the better of me. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was in Scar’s arms, and he was nibbling on my ear and my neck. I flushed with heat, and a quick pant escaped my mouth.

“What exactly would you do?” I whispered and got a frustrated grunt in response. He looked at me from below his thick lashes as if contemplating whether he should speak. I was playing with fire, and if it lit, it’d be impossible to put out. He took a step toward me, the heat of him slamming into my front. That look in his eyes was enough to make me combust on the spot. And when he touched my hips, I swore in my mind. His fingers were as hot as burning matches, but instead of smelling sulphur, I smelled lust.

“The old me who fucked women for pleasure would have torn that shirt off you before you woke up. I would grab you like this.” His arms were around my waist. I was completely attached to him. Thank God my ribs no longer hurt. Scar was still gentle, though. And even if they did, at this point I wouldn’t have cared. His lips neared my ear, setting me on fire with his next words: “There wouldn’t be enough time for me to take your panties off. I’d shove them to the side, lift you up against the wall, and fuck you till you couldn’t stand.”

I swallowed. Part of me wanted the old Scar. My back was pressed against the wall. How was it that each time I found myself in his arms, I was always against a damn wall? With the dress on, I’d only need to lift my leg – that was all. And Scar would be inside me. My entire body was trembling. But there was more; Scar was holding back. I took in a quick breath as lascivious danger flashed in his eyes. The air was thick with lust and anticipation.

“What about the new you?” I took the bait.

The corner of his mouth lifted, and that spark in his eyes was enough for me to regret my question. This was it. There was no way out of his enchantment now. My throat tightened, my palms sweated, and my legs shook as if I’d just gone through a sex marathon. He leaned into me, feeding seductive whispers into my ear.

“The new me would want to feel your body quiver underneath my touch. I’d want to catch every drip of you on my fingers as I stretched you, tasted your raspberry nipples in my mouth, and held your shaking body as you begged me to take you.”

His lips traced the cartilage of my ear, driving my senses wild. I wished for more air, and instead breathed in his intoxicating scent.

“I’d kiss you until that wasn’t enough. I’d lick you until every inch of your skin had been covered with my tongue, and then I’d start it all over again to soothe your trembling body.”

I gasped as his hand slid up my inner thigh and his fingers brushed over my drenched panties.

“You’re so wet, Jules.”

“Aha.”

“So, which one do you want? A quick fuck, or would you rather I tortured you before you came?”

I was dreaming, wasn’t I? It would only take one stroke for me to rupture. I was ready to yield to anything and everything he suggested.

“What about our date?” I asked.

“I don’t think I can wait.”

Me neither.

“Would this put us a step back?”

“We can’t take a step back if we’re not moving forward, Jules.”

Why am I even questioning this?

I pressed my lips to his searing mouth. His tongue broke through, searching for mine, forcing me to open wider. Entangled in each other’s limbs, breathing heavily, I felt starved for his kiss and touch. At this point any rules I thought we should follow disappeared and honestly, I couldn’t have cared less.

Unfortunately the doorbell rang, tearing us apart.

“Fuck,” he cursed underneath his breath.

“Tell them to go away.” I grasped his arms, bringing him back to me.

“I wish I could, but I don’t think your mom would like that.”

“My mom?”

And that woke me from my dream state.

“If I knew you were well enough to...” He just shook his head. “Oh, Jules. I shouldn’t have agreed to their visit today, but she’s been calling and hounding me. So has Zoey.”

“Calling who? How come I didn’t know?”