Page 13 of Devoured By You
Wonder where she’s staying.
I reached for my phone. Picked it up. Put it down.
This was crazy.
I’d met an exceptional woman, enjoyed amazing sex, and said goodbye. That was how it should be. If I weren’t so on edge about this cruise, then I’d never consider a second hookup. Orgasms gave me momentary peace, but I could have one of those without the added complication of sending mixed signals to a woman only meant to be transitory in my life.
I unbuttoned my pants and gripped my dick. All I needed was my imagination.
Lucky for me, nature had blessed me with an overactive one of those.
Chapter 5
Jill
Time to forget Blay “No-Last-Name”
and party!
Don’t look back. Do not look back. Don’t you dare look—
I glanced over my shoulder. My stomach vaulted at the sight of Blay’s tall, imposing figure cutting through the throng of passengers all gathered to meet up with loved ones. He narrowly avoided getting hit in the face with a bunch of roses brandished by an overenthusiastic boyfriend who thrust them at his girlfriend before crushing the delicate flowers between his chest and hers. Blay didn’t even appear to notice. He disappeared through the sliding doors and out of my sight.
I sighed, deep and regretful. What did you expect, Jill? Sex with a guy I’d met on a plane hardly lent itself to something more. I didn’t even want more. I couldn’t afford entanglements of any kind until I’d fixed this disaster of a book.
Putting Blay “No-Last-Name” out of my mind, I rolled my two suitcases across the tiled floor, stopping every three seconds to reaffix the damn bag that kept slipping off my shoulders. An excited squeal drew me to a stop. I’d know that high-pitched screech anywhere. I turned on the spot.
“Jilly!” One of my best friends, Addison, enveloped me in a bear hug that almost broke at least two of my ribs, and my mouth ended up full of her out-of-control red curls. “Oh my God! I thought your plane would never get here.”
We’d landed on time. But that was Addison. She loved a bit of overexaggeration.
“Where are Raya and Kelsey?” I asked, referring to my other two besties who’d helped to support Addison in her “friendivention” when they’d realized I needed a break away before I broke.
“Kelsey’s parking the car, and Raya went to get coffees.” She linked her arm through mine. “Miami Airport is a disaster.”
“All airports are a disaster.”
“True story.”
Grabbing one of my suitcases, she tugged it, and me, away from the arrivals hall. I pulled the other one along, giving up on the stupid bag that refused to stay on my shoulder. It hung off my wrist, banging into the suitcase with every step.
“There’s Raya. Hey, babe!” Addison yelled across the line of people waiting to order their drinks, and an even longer line of customers hovering by the pickup point. A few people looked behind them in irritation. Addison couldn’t care less. She didn’t have the embarrassment gene. “Look who I found.”
Raya waved her arm in the air, then picked up a cardboard cup and pointed at it. I hadn’t a clue what that meant. Could be “I got you a coffee,” or it could be “Do you want a coffee?” I nodded, the gesture working under both scenarios.
Someone grabbed me from behind. “Boo!”
I jumped, whacking Kelsey on the arm. “You scared me, you daft cow.”
“Charming. What a way to greet your best friend.”
“Ahem. One of her best friends.” Addison stuck out her tongue at Kelsey, who returned the gesture.
My heart bloomed with love. These women were my ride-or-dies. I didn’t know what I’d do without them.
Kelsey was an editor who’d once worked for a large traditional publishing house and now freelanced. Not for me, I might add. We’d agreed long ago that it was better for me to work with an editor I wasn’t so close with to avoid any conflict.
Addison was an author I’d met after I’d written a short story for a charity anthology. She’d been one of the curators making sure the stories aligned with the anthology requirements. She’d slid into my DMs and pronounced us best friends forever. Most authors were introverts. Not Addison. She put the “E” in extrovert and forced my introvert out of my shell and into the real world. I adored her.