Chosen by a Stranger (Craved Series #5) (8 page)

I closed my eyes, letting the cool water run over my face and down
my back.

And I could see her perfectly.

I could see the flush of pink in her cheeks and the blond streaks
that framed her face. I could see the way her eyes grew wide when I pushed
inside her and how they hung at half-mast when I was buried deep.

Why wasn't she here in the shower with me? My nakedness seemed
like such a waste without her around.

It had been days since I heard her voice, and I missed her smell
and the flash of white teeth that shone when she smiled.

Why hadn't she called? Or emailed?

I had checked so many times. And it was the twenty first fucking
century. It wasn't like her pigeon got lost or her letter went missing.

She could've reached me if she wanted to.

Did she not want to?

Was my love so misplaced as to be totally unrequited?

What if-

No. She was just taking the time she needed, the time she asked
for. That was all. It had to be.

Because I refused to believe in any alternative where we didn't
end up together.

I loved her too fucking much.

I knew because between my head and my balls, I didn’t know which
ached more with her being so far away.

Her sweetness was in my milkshakes. Her smile was in the sunshine.
Even the swaying of the palm trees reminded me of how her hips moved when she
walked.

What the hell was she doing right now?

I pictured her from behind- the way her curves tapered in at her
waist as she sat at her desk, exceeding client’s expectations. I pictured her head
cocked as she stood admiring the flowers I got her in their new vase. I
pictured her holding my watch in her delicate fingers and hoped it was still
warm from being worn, hoped she could still feel how badly I wanted her even
from so far away.

But the visions offered no relief.

None of them were as good as the real thing.

I turned off the shower and grabbed my undersized Thai towel off
the bar behind me.

"You're killing me, Audrey," I said when my eyes peeked
over the towel and into the mirror.

Suddenly, there was an enthusiastic knock on the door, a knock I
would recognize anywhere.

I rubbed the towel over my head brusquely and wrapped it around my
waist, walking the short distance to the other side of my apartment.

"Jin," I said, opening the door.

He gave me a big hug, acting as if he hadn't noticed I was still
dripping wet and only half decent.

"I missed you," he said, slapping my bare back.

"Come in," I said, stepping back and gesturing to my well-worn
futon.

"You look like shit," he said.

I shrugged. "That's what too many long distance flights do to
a man."

"And not shaving."

"You're probably right," I said, feeling my short
stubble.

A set of keys came at me in an underhanded toss, and I snatched
them from the air.

"Did you get a new bike?" I asked, looking at the key
ring.

"No," he said. "You did."

"What?"

"My parents wanted to get you something to thank you for
helping Lucky with her English… and whatever else you helped her with," he
said, choosing not to dwell on the fact that my classes often touched on more risqué
topics. "And I told them you needed a new bike."

"I can't accept this," I said, knowing full well that
his parents needed the money they had. "They have a wedding to pay
for."

Jin shrugged. "You've met my parents," he said. "I
wasn't going to argue with them."

"Maybe I'll just use it until I have a chance to replace my
old bike," I said, trying not to sound ungrateful. "Then you can look
after this one for me."

It was obvious that he loved that plan from how pathetic of a job
he did trying to pretend he didn't. "I know better than to argue with you
too," he said.

"Thanks, Jin. And thank your parents for me." I set the
keys down on the kitchen counter. "Or better yet, maybe I could take them
to dinner some night. You could help me choose a place they’d like."

"Sure," he said. "Sounds good."

"I don’t know what’s in the fridge," I said, going to
the bathroom to shave. "But help yourself to whatever."

Jin nodded once and walked to my short, turquoise fridge, opening
it as I ran a razor under the tap.

"Any movie scripts cross your path when you were away?"
he asked.

"No," I said. "But you know I'm always on the
lookout for you."

"I know," he said, letting the fizz out of a can of
Coke.

I lathered some shaving foam on my face and leaned close to the
mirror.

"So are you going to tell me what happened with Audrey or
what?"

I froze, the razor suspended over my face. "Or what."

A moment later, he was leaning in the doorway. As an only child, I
wasn't used to being crowded in the bathroom by people I wasn't sleeping with,
but I made an exception since the idea of personal space was a completely
foreign concept to Jin.

"Well?"

"She needs time," I said, straightening back up.

"Time for what?"

"Time to decide if she's going to marry me."

"You proposed?"

I nodded, leaning my chin back towards the mirror.

"I didn't know that was the plan."

"Neither did I," I said, shaking some shaving cream off
into the sink. "It just sort of happened."

"Congratulations?"

"Maybe not just yet," I said. "But I'll let you
know when I hear from her."

"So you're waiting for her answer?"

"Yeah."

Jin laughed.

"What's so funny?" I asked, sliding the razor down my
neck.

"I never saw a girl play you like this."

"What do you mean?"

"You know, keep you guessing," he said. "Maybe you
finally met your match."

I smiled. "I hope so, Jin."

"Maybe you should get busy hoping she thinks so
instead."

I raised my eyebrows. "No shit."

"You teaching today?"

I nodded. "Yeah, at nine."

"I'll let you get ready then."

"Thanks for stopping by," I said. "And for the
wheels. That's really too kind of you."

"Mai pen rai," he said. “No worries.”

I bent over and splashed water over my face, rinsing my stubble down
the drain.

"Better," he said when I righted myself again.

"Agreed."

"You want to come by the club for drinks later? Let me know
how the new bike's treating you?"

"Maybe.”

“It would be better than staring at the phone and hoping it
rings.”

I shook my head. “You watch too many American movies."

“Still.”

“We’ll see,” I said. "Depends on whether my jet lag catches
up to me."

But
the truth was I felt like the club would remind me too much of Audrey and the
antics we got up to on the roof. Then again, I was starting to feel like there
was nowhere on Earth that wouldn't make me think of her. Certainly Thailand
made the memories of her come flooding back. And being in the States hadn't
been any better.

In fact, I was starting to feel like I'd never belong anywhere she
wasn't, like she was the closest thing to home I would ever know.

And I still didn't even know if she loved me back.

The little moped Jin gave me got me to the club in record time. It
was cheap and cheerful, but the gesture was so grand I was beside myself, and
the salty sea air blowing in my face seemed to lift my mood almost immediately.

When I pulled up, Sammy and Mai were already waiting outside,
drinking Thai coffee and eating seaweed chips.

"Sawasdee khap," I said, slipping the keys from the
ignition.

They greeted me and stepped away from the doors.

"You guys are early today," I said, opening the metal gate
across the club's entrance.

"Mai has big news for you, Jack," Sammy said, speaking
out of turn as usual.

"Oh?" I turned to Mai's small frame. "What might
that be?"

"Remember when I told you about the handsome man who was
buying the coffees from me?"

"Of course."

Unable to control herself, Sammy grabbed Mai's hand and shoved it
in my direction.

My eyes settled on the modest ring immediately.

"You're getting married?" I asked, looking into Mai's
brown eyes.

"I'm getting married."

"Congratulations," I said, wrapping my arms around her.
"That's wonderful news."

"It never would've happened without your excellent
advice," Sammy said. "That's what Mai told me anyway."

Mai nodded. "It's true."

"Well, I hope I can meet the lucky guy sometime," I
said. "I can only imagine how happy he must be."

It was easy to find out where he would be. Everyone I asked seemed
to know him or someone who did.

But as I followed the trail of coffee vendors, banana pancake
sellers, and shop keepers, I became increasingly nervous.

I tried to take deep breaths, reminding myself what I was doing as
I did it.

I was going to find him.

I was going to tell him I loved him.

And then what?

Hopefully my mouth would be so full of his tongue I wouldn't have
to say anything more.

That was the plan.

Of course, if he needed an answer, I had one for him. After all, chances
were he'd been thinking about that last morning in my apartment as much as I
had.

And I knew I shouldn't be as nervous as I was, especially since I
already knew how he felt. But it was still nerve-wracking.

I mean, I don't think the bucket of coffee I drank on the twenty hour
flight was helping to calm my nerves, but it wasn't just that. It was the fact
that I was totally out of my comfort zone.

My whole life I'd let men dictate the events of my relationships.
I'd been a victim of how things played out, never a catalyst.

But for once the future of my love life was up to me, and I was
taking it into my own hands. I just hoped I didn’t blow it. Or say the wrong
thing. Or misread Jack and the situation.

For all I knew I'd already fucked it up by forgetting to tell him
I loved him because I was so obsessed with catching my own breath.

But it didn't matter how badly my fingers were shaking or how
scared I was to make my voice heard. Because the truth was, I was far more
scared of losing him than I'd ever been of anything before.

Besides, there was no going back. I wasn't on a holiday here. I
was on a mission, and if I had to go home with my tail between my legs, it was
going to be with the knowledge that- at least for once- I tried to reach out for
a worthwhile relationship with both hands when I had the chance.  

And what's the worst that could happen?

Suddenly, my mind shot off in a thousand different directions,
flashing with the idea of everything from Jack being with another woman to not
being here to-

I shook my head like a wet dog, refocusing all my energy on the
specific instructions I had for how to find him. And when I located the
building between the two shops selling inflatable ocean toys, I was confident I
had the right spot.

"Breathe," I said to myself as I leaned against the wall
beside the front door, flattening my palms against the siding and wondering
what I would find when I went inside.

Jack with his scuba gear?

Jack working out with a bunch of guys?

Jack alone and naked waiting for me?

I smiled. Unfortunately, it probably wouldn't be that last one.

And then I heard his voice.

It was almost inaudible, but I was sure I hadn't imagined it
because my whole body swelled up in goose bumps.

He was here. I found him.

I knew I couldn't linger too long as I risked losing my nerve,
or worse, losing the element of surprise. And I'd gone considerably out of my
way to make sure I had it.

So without wasting a moment, I turned the corner and took several
steps down a dark hallway towards Jack's voice.

"I know it sounds stupid to you guys, but Westerners don't
expect fish bones in their fish, and they definitely don't want the knuckley
bits of chicken in their curries," he said.

But to whom I couldn't see.

"What is knuckley bits?" a soft voice asked.

It was followed by what I can only assume was an explanation in
Thai by someone else, a woman with a very strong voice.

"Thanks, Sammy," I heard Jack say.

"What are we supposed to do?" the soft voice asked
again. "Waste good chicken? Not cook fish?"

"Of course not," Jack said. "All I'm saying is that
if you’re trying to impress a guy in the beginning of a relationship, he'll be
more impressed by a curry with the white meat he's used to eating in it than he
will be with your ability to use every part of the bird."

At that point, I was so curious to figure out what the hell was
going on, I couldn't stay in the dark another minute.

"I'm trying to impress a Western guy," I said, peeking
my head out of the shadows and stepping into the room.

Jack was leaning against a pool table with his arms crossed in
front of a group of women seated at small tables with open notebooks. As soon
as his eyes met mine, his arms fell with his jaw as he braced himself on the
table’s edge.

"Do you have room for one more?" I asked, clasping my
hands in front of me to keep them from shaking as I tried to ignore the fact
that everyone’s eyes were on me.

He blinked like he wasn't sure I was really there. "Of
course," he said. "There's absolutely nothing I wouldn't do to
accommodate you."

I smiled, my desire to run towards him with open arms growing
stronger every second.

"Unfortunately," he continued. "Class is over for
today."

"But it's only-" a lady boy in the front row began to
protest.

"I'm treating you all to breakfast at Fah's Place instead.
Right now. Get your stuff and follow Sammy." He turned towards the lady
boy. "Sammy, tell Fah I'll be by to pay her for anything you guys order
before the end of the day."

"Is this your girlfriend?" a quiet voice from the side
of the room asked.

Jack looked at me. "No," he said. "This woman is a
lot more than my girlfriend."

"Your wife?" she asked again like she was going to guess
until she got it right.

He shook his head. "Not yet," he said. "But maybe
if you all get the heck out of here right now, I'll have good news like Mai's
for our next class."

Suddenly, they all jumped into action and scurried out like
skittish crabs, each looking me up and down as they left like they weren’t
entirely pleased I'd stolen Jack away from them.

As soon as the last woman disappeared into the hallway, I started
walking towards him.

He met me halfway, putting his hands around my face first before running
them down over my shoulders and arms until he was holding my hands in his.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I'm surprising you."

He smiled. "Yes you are," he said. "More and more every
day."

"I'm sorry. I clearly interrupted you there."

"Don't apologize," he said, tucking a strand of frizzy
hair behind my ear. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

And then his lips were on mine with a hunger that let me know his
feelings for me hadn't been damaged by the days apart.

Immediately, I felt my stomach stir up a warmth inside me that I knew
only he could release, and I realized that every fiber of my being was leaning
into him, craving him.

And between his freshly shaven face and his tacky Bermuda shirt,
he was completely irresistible.

"What exactly did I walk in on by the way?" I asked.

He shrugged. "It's nothing. Just a class I teach to give
myself something to do-"

"Why is it all women?"

"Cause the subject we tend to discuss most is how to charm Western
men."

"What?"

"You know… how to dress, what to feed him, how to let him
know you’re interested, how to give a great blowjobs-"

"No!"

"Scout's honor," he said, raising a hand. "Though I
think you should probably be teaching that last subject."

I
covered my mouth with my hand.

"Seeing as how you're the expert."

I pushed his chest playfully, but he didn't even budge. "You
haven't seen anything yet," I said.

"Neither have you."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Definitely," he said. "I’ve been dying to show you
the view from my place."