Page 9 of Unzoned

"Well then, we should get to it. Send over everything you have." Jamison stood, buttoning his jacket as he did so. With a nod in the broker's direction he took his leave, and Garrick followed directly after.

"Man, that place is a steal." Garrick grinned when they were safely stowed in the elevator.

"Yeah, but that has me worried. Those rental units, that might be the key. If 130 units are registered as rentals, you can bet at least another 10% are being rented without being registered."

"I suppose." Garrick shrugged his coat on, gearing up for the brisk Chicago afternoon.

"You going to see your girl again?"

"You mean Jade?" Garrick finished buttoning up as the elevator doors slid open. "Yeah. Going over there tonight."

"First time since the party?"

Garrick gave him a look he hoped portrayed how thin the ice beneath him was getting. "Since I've seen her, yeah? Talked with her, no. We talked several times since." A few short conversations that amounted to not much. The progression from friends to whatever the hell they were at the moment was moving slower than he found comfortable, but he wouldn’t push. Jade wouldn't allow it anyway. Too hard of a shove, and she’d run for the hills.

"I've never seen a woman crash like she did."

Leave it to Jamison to bring up the subject he didn't want to talk about. Jade had crashed, and hard after her orgasm. He shouldn't have brought her to orgasm in public, not right there in the lounge. It should have been a private affair- thier first time. Hell, her first time in the club. He knew better.

"And what about your little girl? Carissa?"

Jamison's arrogant grin disappeared. "I'm having lunch with my father; you can join if you'd like." Right arm in the air, he hailed a cab.

"No need to be hostile. I was only asking about your girl." Garrick's lips tugged into a smile. It was his turn to tread dangerously close to the edge.

"Talk to you later. We have to go over those reports soon, don't want this one getting away."

"Yeah, of course." Garrick nodded and stuffed his hands into his pockets. December in Chicago could be chilled, or frigid as all hell. There was no middle ground, and it looked like old man winter decided to take up residency.

"Now, on to Jade," he muttered as he headed for the blue line. A few stops down, and he'd be at her door. Not having seen her over Christmas felt wrong, they'd always gotten together for at least dinner, but her father was in town and stole her full attention.

He hadn't seen her since taking her home the night of the party. He'd settled her in bed and waited until she fell asleep before falling asleep himself on the love seat in her room. The sore back he'd woken up with was worth it when he opened his eyes to find her smiling at him from the bed. Of course, as soon as she realized he was awake, she clamped her eyes shut and rolled over.

They needed to have a conversation, and she'd been avoiding it for several days. But Christmas was over, her father was busy with work again, and Garrick had all day to get her to talk. And knew several extremely effective ways.

Chapter 7

"Idon't believe you! You've had a huge crush on him for fucking years, and you're going to blow it now because you’re embarrassed?" Carissa sipped her latte and leaned back on the kitchen stool to keep glaring at Jade as she made her way around the island. Garrick would be over soon, and she wanted to wipe away all evidence of the girl's night she'd hosted the night before.

"I'm not embarrassed." She rolled her eyes and turned away. Carissa would know, just like Garrick would know if he looked at her while she lied.

"Like hell you're not. You think you're the first girl to scream out an orgasm in the club? Shit, I heard at least five other girls in the room I was in, and it was a crowded night."

"I'm not other girls, and it's not that." Jade swiped a wet cloth across the cabinets. How did they manage to get wine on the cabinet doors?

"Is it because you kind of freaked after?" Carissa didn’t beat around the bush, a trait Jade usually loved about her.

Jade stopped wiping the counter and looked over her shoulder at her. "I didn't kind of freak, I totally flipped. I was crying, no sobbing really. He had to wipe my nose. It was worse than when he held my hair back so I could puke." He'd been a complete gentleman, cleaning up her face, giving her his jacket once they were outside, and taking care of her back at her apartment. He hadn't even snuck into her bed while she slept; he had stayed on the love seat.

Carissa hopped off the stool, dropping her cup into the garbage can. "Look, sweet pea, that man has loved you for years. I know you didn't see it, and he didn't see your feelings either, but god damn, I saw it all. And it was fucking nauseating, so at least try to make this work, okay?"

"He's like my best friend." Jade could hear the whine in her own voice and shook her head. She needed to get it together, he'd be there any minute.

"Yeah? So? I don't see the problem. He knows you better than anyone. He's held your hair for you while you puked. Do you think you could trust any other dominant as much as you trust him?" Carissa grabbed her by the shoulders when she turned away and forced her to look her in the eyes. "Just give it a try. Do your best, follow his lead. The worst that happens is you have awesome sex, decide it’s not for you, and you end it."

"And lose my friend."

"Honey. That ship has sailed already. Once you came all over his fingers, he had you." Carissa patted her shoulder and walked around her. "Now. I have to get going." She scooped up her coat from the counter she'd tossed it on, and stuffed her arms in, buttoning and zipping until she was as well bundled as a newborn baby. "I have the early shift tomorrow, you on late?"

---