The Fire Walker (22 page)

When Zoe had come to see me at Couch, about a week ago now, I'd been terrified of her. The way she cared for Dee was like nothing I'd ever seen in a friendship before. At least, not one that I'd ever had. "Did you ever go out?"

He shook his head. "I've never had romantic feelings for her, it was never like that."

"Two lost souls swimmin' in a fish bowl," I murmured. I got it.

"You like Pink Floyd, too?" he asked, an eyebrow quirking.

"I like a lot of things, but I like you more.” I let my fingers brush against the cut over his eye.

"Keep going," he laughed, digging his fingers into my ass.

"Oh, I could go all day and night, Romeo, but I do have to get up and go into work."

"Your sense of professionalism is really annoying right now."

"Just because you're on holiday," I laughed, untangling myself from his grasp.

"I said I'd pay your bills."

"And I said, I can pay them myself." I leaned over and kissed him on the lips.

He went to grab me again, but I slid out of his reach and walked across the apartment into the bathroom. When I came back, showered with a towel wrapped around me, Dee still hadn't moved from the bed.

"Are you getting up anytime soon?" I asked.

"Like you said," he winked, "I'm on holidays."

With a groan I began to get dressed, conscious of his eyes on me as I slid into a pair of lacy panties and matching bra. He let out a groan when I pulled on a pair of black jeans and a shirt.

"Can I come meet your friends?" he asked as I put on a pair of boots.

"Sure."

"Awesome."

"Well, Couch is just around the corner and down two blocks, so if you want to meet me there, I'll be hanging out for a little while."

"Sure," he smiled as I pulled on my favorite black leather biker jacket.

"What?" I asked when he didn't stop smiling.

"You looking fucking sexy in that jacket."

Flipping my hair out from the back of it, I made a kissy face. "Good."

"I'll see you soon."

"I'll be waiting." Giving him another kiss, I scooped up my cell and pushed through the front door. Nothing could dampen my spirits today, not when I just left a hot naked Australian musician in my bed.

I stopped in the stairwell and turned on my cell. I'd shut it off the day that someone at Galaxy had tried to call me on a blocked number. I didn't want to deal with that when I was with Dee. I'd quit, so whatever crisis Georgie had, they could just deal with it themselves.

My cell sprung to life and instantly a barrage of messages lit up the screen.

When I read the first few, my heart sputtered and almost died, my skin instantly prickling.

I've missed you, J. Won't be long until we'll have all the time in the world together.

I've never forgotten that night. I dream about it every time I close my eyes.

I can't wait until you're mine again and I’ll finally get what I’ve always wanted.

Fumbling with my cell, I jammed it into my pocket, refusing to read anymore. I knew exactly what they'd say.

All those things I'd done in desperation were coming back to haunt me. I'd believed they'd finally gone away. I mean, it had been five years. Five years… today?
Was
it today? I began to break out in a cold sweat.

I couldn't call the cops. Everything would fall apart if I did and he fucking knew it. I rested a hand against the banister to stop myself from falling down the stairs. Throwing up seemed like a normal response in these kinds of situations, but I drew in a few sharp breaths to calm myself down. Should I delete the messages? Maybe I should keep them as evidence just in case something happened.

I looked back up the stairs to my apartment door and considered going back in and telling Dee. Nate wouldn't dare try anything, would he? He got off with a warning and a restraining order. His family had those big shot lawyers bury it and he still had his life with Ivy League Colleges and CEO jobs. What did he have to gain by harassing me?

The word revenge flashed through my mind and I dismissed it as soon as it appeared.

I took a deep breath and walked down the rest of the stairs to the tiny lobby. I couldn't be frightened of him. He had more to lose that I did. I'd been at rock bottom before and if it happened again, I knew I'd bounce back. This time I had Dee by my side. Dee would protect me. Nate had everything to lose.

When I walked into Couch five minutes later, Ed was at the counter and yelled out as the door closed behind me with a thud.

"So?" he asked, leaning over the bench top.

"So what?" I asked with a grin, the tension bleeding from my limbs.

"Did you get him, bella?"

Grinning, I winked.

"That's my girl," he beamed, grabbing my hands. "I never doubted it."

"You're a sick romantic," I laughed.

"Till the day I die. So, where is he?"

"Naked in my bed."

Ed stood to his full height and fanned himself. "Jessie, you can't say things like that to a gay man."

Laughing at his reaction, I walked around the counter and gave him a hug. "Thank you for everything."

"My pleasure. You work yourself ragged, the least I could do was give you a couple of days to chase after the love of your life. So romantic." He pulled back, his familiar brown eyes searching mine. "
Do
you love him?"

Biting my lower lip, I nodded. "I think so."

If I wasn't already in love with Dee, I was well and truly on my way.

The door closed behind Jessie and I fell back into her bed with a sigh. I was obliterated in a good way. The sheets smelled like her, my skin reeked of sex and vanilla perfume. I could stay here for the rest of my life and be completely happy.

Letting my thoughts wander I realized it had been a couple of days since I'd called Zoe. I knew she was probably dying for an update and since I'd turned off my phone again, I could imagine the messages that waited for me. Rolling over, I pulled it out of the pocket of my jeans and switched it on. As the screen came to life, so did the alert tone.

So?

Any progress?

Love you, Dee Dee. Call me ASAP.

Have you turned your phone off again or are you ignoring me deliberately?

You suck balls, Dylan.

Shaking my head with a chuckle, I dialed her number.

"Dylan Cosgrove," she shrieked when she picked up.

"Calm down, Hot Legs," I laughed.

"Do you realize this has been the longest we've gone without speaking in our entire lives?"

"Three days?"

"I thought you were dead." I could hear the amusement in her voice.

"Alive and kicking."

"So, I take it all is well?"

"I'm naked right now."

"
Dee
," she cried.

"Can't lie to you, Zo. I'm starkers."

"Gag me now," she groaned.

"What's that?" I heard Will in the background.

"Dee's naked and the picture ain't pretty," I heard her answer. Then to me, "Now you've made Will sick, mofo."

"Then my work here is done."

"Seriously, is everything okay? You sound okay."

"We worked it out," I said. "There's still some things we need to talk about, but things are better."

"Fucking A," Zoe declared. "I knew it. Where you at?"

"New York. I'm at Jessie's place."

"You staying a while?"

"For now," I replied. "I don't know what's going to happen next, but we'll work it out."

"Good for you, Dee Dee. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Zo." I looked across the room towards the front door and I already missed Jessie. "Look, Zo, I gotta go."

"Hot date?" she asked suggestively.

"Yeah. She's gone into the cafe to see her boss. I said I'd meet her there."

"Then what the fuck are you talking to me for? Go. And put some clothes on for fuck's sake."

"Love you, Zo," I laughed.

"Love you more, doofus."

Hanging up, I sunk back against the wall and sighed. God, Zoe pissed me off sometimes, but the day she decided to meddle in my shit, was the day I loved her more.

Having a quick shower, I pulled my clothes back on from the day before, making a mental note to go down and get my bag from the car. As I went to walk out to go down to the cafe, I noticed her mail piled on the table by the front door. Scooping up the bills, I debated whether or not I should just go pay the bloody things. When I said I didn't care about the money, I really didn't care. As long as I could pay my own bills and feed myself, then I didn't need the rest. I'd paid my parents bills when they weren't looking, I'd do the same with Jessie's. What was the point of being well off if you couldn't use it to help the people you cared about? None in my book.

I read the back of the electricity bill and saw that I could pay with a credit card at a post office, so I got on her laptop and looked up the closest one. A block back the other way. I'd go there first. Feeling rather pleased with myself, I jammed the bills into my back pocket and locked the front door behind me, thumping down the stairs and out onto the street.

Looking at the rental car, I decided to sort that out tomorrow. It was still in one piece, the parking permit sitting on the dash. It had only been an hour and I was aching to see Jessie. That thing I'd felt back in LA was back with a vengeance, sinking its claws into my heart and I was happy to let it. All that time I'd spent fighting it and hurting, was useless. Some things you're just powerless to stop. Falling in love with Jessie Ware was inevitable.

Following her directions, it wasn't long before I was pushing through the front door of Couch, the cafe where she worked. I had no idea what the place looked like, because the moment I walked in, my eyes found hers and never left.

"Dee," she called, her voice hitting me like a ton of bricks.

Pulling her into my arms, I pressed my lips to hers. "Missed you."

"Already?" she asked, her eyes sparkling.

"The moment you left."

"You never said he was a soppy romantic, J," a male voice said.

Looking up, I realized we had an audience. By the look of him, I figured this was her boss, Ed. Thick rimmed glasses, shaved head, impeccably dressed.

"I'm the boss," he said. "Ed."

"Hey mate, Dee," I replied.

"Oh, J and his accent is delicious."

Running a hand through my hair, I laughed.

"I forgot to tell you he's a massive flirt," Jessie winked up at me.

She introduced me around to the other staff members, all of them seemed friendly and genuinely interested.

"I'm sticking around for a few hours, if that's cool," Jessie said, turning to face me. "They're a bit short today, so I said I'd help."

"That's okay," I replied. Maybe it was a good thing to spend a little time apart this arvo. Otherwise I'd just take her back to her place and… well, you know.

Smiling, she slid her hands over my hips and into the back pockets of my jeans. Her hands instantly came into contact with the letters I'd shoved in there and I shrugged. Pulling them out, she glared at me when she saw they were her bills. "I told you not to," she scolded, looking at the receipt stapled to the front.

"Never tell me what I can't do, because I'll just go out and do it." My lip quirked when she slapped me in the chest.

"Where can I get one?" her boss called out over the counter, making everyone laugh.

Cupping her cheek, I leaned in for a kiss, sucking her bottom lip into my mouth. I wasn't usually one for public displays of affection, but Jessie had this thing about her that I couldn't keep my hands off.

Letting out a contented sigh, she placed a hand on my chest and pushed me back. "You're way too tempting," she whispered so only I could hear.

Grinning, I asked, "What time you off?"

"Four."

"Four hours to kill? Without you?" I exclaimed.

"I'm sure you'll live."

"Jessie."

"I never said it'd be easy." She smiled up at me and it was just so easy between us, the awkwardness of the last week beginning to dissolve into nothing but a painful memory.

"I'm sure I'll find something to entertain myself with," I said. "I'll be back at four."

"It's a date."

Extracting myself from her arms, I walked back out onto the street and waved at her through the front windows. Fuck, I already had trouble leaving her. I had to just walk out like that, like I was ripping of a band aid, or else I would sit in there all arvo watching her work. I didn't want to be the stalker boyfriend. Boyfriend. The notion kind of hit me all of a sudden. She was mine and I was hers.

Walking down the footpath, I looked in shop fronts, browsed through a couple of second hand places, stopped for coffee. I just walked, checking out the neighborhood Jessie called home. It was rather hipster with it's vintage boutiques, coffee houses and record stores, but it was my kinda place.

When I came across a tattoo parlor, I stopped, looking at my watch. I still had like two and a half hours or so until I had to be back to pick up Jessie. Peering in the window, I debated the idea of getting tattooed. I had the time and it had been ages since I'd gotten something new.