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Chapter 26
Klaus
Funny how they called it nursing a beer, but it fitted. The thing had gone flat long ago and I only hung onto it for something to do. The outdoor beer garden of the Yellow Cockatoo Hotel was crowded enough that I could sit by myself and not be noticed in all the noisiness. The night air was crisp and filled with the scent of tropical flowers hanging off the trellises, barbecued meat from the kitchens, the sound of mingled voices, and now and then the distant roll of waves on the shore. I was peaceful yet alone, yet also empty.
Give it another year maybe, I’d be over it.
Jodie was here somewhere. I’d seen her inside with some of her girlfriends, including the craziest one, Adrianna. Though on a crazy scale the other two were up there in the nine out of ten range too. The island’s smallness meant seeing each other was unavoidable. So I hadn’t bothered doing anything more than move out here under the stars where the lights were dimmer.
“Hello, Klaus.”
Shit. I almost jumped. I eyed Jodie. She was breathtaking, as always. The short blue dress suited her – showing off her long legs and gorgeous feminine muscles. Again, there came that tightness as I imagined what I could do to her…if I had her.
I swallowed some beer, checked her out again, decided to meet her head on. We were adults. We could figure this out. Even if having my guts pulled out inch by inch would hurt me less. Just holding her for a moment would heal my world. Do. Not. Touch.
“Hello, Jodie. Not Sir anymore?”
Such a bold look in her eyes. “Not until you say so…Klaus.”
She flicked back her hair from her shoulders then slid into the chair opposite me. Her curls bounced in glossy waves. I remembered the cool feel of her hair sliding through my fingers.
There was no glass in her hands, her voice was unslurred, her movements were simply those of a young, beautiful woman. “Not drinking tonight?”
I guess I’d half-expected her to fall back into her old ways where she almost seemed to deliberately attempt to gain my sympathy by getting drunk.
“No. I’m being good.”
“Oh? Glad to hear that.”
“Yes. I can help you better when I’m sober.” She’d said that so matter-of-factly that it took me a second to digest it.
What the hell?
I put my glass down on the coaster. “Can you now?” I suppressed a smile.
While I watched curiously, she took out her phone, dialed it and held it to her ear a moment. “Here.” She held it out to me. “It’s for you.”
“Who? What are you trying to do?”
“It’s Moghul. You convinced me I couldn’t change your mind, so here. You need to talk to another man who can tell you the truth about yourself.” She jiggled the phone at me. “Afraid, Mr. Big Bad Dom?”
“This is not a game,” I growled.
“I know that.” Carefully she placed the phone on the table beside my drink. “I do. This is important to me. I…care for you, a lot, and I am not giving up without a fight. Talk to him or I promise you, I will never leave you alone.” Then she sat back in the chair, folded her arms beneath her breasts and glared at me.
I lifted one eyebrow. If looks could kill she’d just had a SWAT team take out her ass with extreme prejudice.
I picked it up, and squashed it to my ear so I could hear above the noise. “Hi.”
“Hi yourself. Where are you?”
“Hotel. Jodie just gave me her phone and said to talk.”
“Yeah, well, go find somewhere quieter. I’ll wait. You do need to know some things.”
I moved outside and sat on a brick fence. Jodie had followed and sat a few yards away but I ignored her for the moment. This was so intrusive, and yet I sensed the importance she placed on this. And I did value Moghul’s opinion.
It wouldn’t change me but maybe I could help set things up for her.
