‘I have ... flatmates?’
Oh, that’s why she’s getting all emotional.
‘Yes,’ I tell her. ‘Two. Kimberly, Kiki for short. She’s blonde. And Rachel, or Rach, is brunette. They’re both around your age.’
‘I think I’ve met Kiki,’ she says slowly. ‘She called me “Jadey lady”. I hated that.’
I let out a loud chortle before I can help it.
Jade’s mouth flattens, and she suddenly begins hitting my chest with her wet fists. It feels like a child beating me with a plastic hammer. ‘I hate you too for doing this to me. I don’t want flatmates. I’m a loner. What if they don’t like me?’
I capture her wrists against my chest, resisting the urge to press her up against the shower wall because it’s majorly turning me on. My cock is starting to rise up in the hot, steamy space between us like an interested third party.
‘Calm down, woman. They already like you,’ I growl softly. ‘As far as they know, you’ve been living together for a year, and you all get on like a house on fire. Kiki encouraged you to apply for the job atPopTrax, and they were both over the moon when you got it. You were hired out of twenty other girls because of your forward-thinking attitude, your excellent writing skills, and your love of new wave pop music.’
Jade doesn’t struggle to free herself. She licks her lips and stares at my mouth. ‘Oh. W-what do I have to do?’
‘Interview up-and-coming bands and write articles about them for the magazine.’ I let go of her wrists and chuck her under the chin. ‘It’ll be easy and fun. There’ll be free concerts and backstage passes. You got this. Seriously. Now I really have to go. I’m late for an appointment.’
Jade continues to look at me. ‘Will I ... will I see you again?’
I’m not sure what to say. I stare down into her upturned face with its wide eyes, cute button nose, and smattering of freckles. Her freshly washed and conditioned hair is plastered at the side of her cheeks. She looks adorable. Well, there’s nothing in therules about keeping a client on track if they’re having second thoughts.
‘It’s highly unusual, but I suppose I can make an exception,’ I say after a moment’s pause.And if she needs a special cuddle to calm her nerves, I’m sure I can fit that into my busy schedule.‘I’ll visit you tonight in your room to see how your first day went.’
Is it my imagination, or does Jade look a bit swoony to hear that? Or maybe I’m reading more into it than I should? I need to leave now and put some distance between us. I’m already agreeing to things that I shouldn’t be.
‘You should probably get dressed and go have breakfast. Rach is making your favourite,’ I say with an encouraging smile and stroke her cheek a little.
Jade nuzzles into my hand and peeks up at me, smiling back. She dutifully turns around to switch off the water, which is now decidedly lukewarm, and I snap my fingers and disappear before I can do or say anything else that will deepen the emotional attachment that I seem to be forming.
Lucifer’s tit, what the hellfire am I doing?
10
JADE
Wrappingafluffypurplebath towel around me, I stalk back to my room, grumbling. Fuck Sebastian. He’s trouble with a capitalT.
I can’t believe I asked if I’d see him again and then simpered when he touched my cheek. Cringe. And him turning up naked in my shower!
It’s bad enough that I have to deal with living in the past without developing a crush on a bloody horny devil. I need to stomp firmly on any lovey-dovey notions I’m forming. Tonight will definitely be the last time I see him. Maybe I’ll scratch him a little, piss him off, and he’ll go away. But seeing how he liked my roughhousing on his cock, he’d probably enjoy that.
When I’m dressed in my nod-to-the-’80s all-black outfit, I follow my nose to the kitchen, where I’m greeted with a pink-and-white tablecloth laid with plates and cutlery. A slim girl with a bouncy high ponytail is frying something in a pan on the stove.
She turns as I enter the kitchen, and a pair of gentle brown eyes peer at me from under a lightly teased fringe. ‘Morning,Jadey!’ she chirrups and leaves her station to give me a hug. She smells like sugar and flowers.
This must be Rach.
Fingering the ends of my wet hair, which I’ve hastily combed, she tuts. ‘Why didn’t you use the shower cap? You can’t go into work on your first day with wet hair. Never mind, I’ll dry it and crimp it for you after breakfast.’
‘Ah, thanks, Mum,’ I reply as she pushes me into the nearest seat.
Rach smiles and returns to the stove. ‘Breakfast is almost ready.’
A delicious savoury smell floats from the pan, making my mouth water. Perhaps I’m spacing out from the lack of food, but this all feels really surreal, like I’m in a waking dream. This girl seems like she’s from a different planet, so sweet and homely. She cooks! I wonder what she does for work. Or does she float around the house all day, adjusting cushions?
‘Where’s Kiki?’ I ask as Rach slides two perfectly cooked pieces of French toast onto a brown-and-white flowered stoneware plate and sets it down in front of me.