Page 42 of Slow Burn (The Boston Beauties)

She laughed and squeezed my hand back. I knew what it meant, I’d never forgotten it.I got you.‘Hardly,’ she leaned into me, tilting her head up and kissing me. ‘You are stuck with me until you get on that plane in two days.’

‘I was heading to a friend’s place, Nigel, having dinner with him and his family then heading to a bar to meet up with a few others. Then I was going to crash at Nigel’s before meeting up with Breton for dinner tomorrow before leaving the day after, but now I’m thinking about quitting my job. I seem homesick all of a sudden, I think I need to be back in my hometown.’

She hit me playfully, ‘We both know you hated living in London.’

‘Right, but we both know just how much I love you.’ I kissed her again and then trailed my lips to her ear, kissing her sweet spot. ‘Now take me home and let me show you just how much I love you.’

She moaned with pleasure and longing, and I felt myself getting hard at the mere thought of being with her.

She pulled back pouting. ‘Time’s never been our friend…’ she cried. ‘I can take care of you, but it’s one-sided.’

That could only mean one thing: it was the time of the month and she was out of service. ‘That’s not fair.’

‘You’re telling me!’ She took my hand and led me off the platform to the underground. We got on the Victoria line heading west. ‘Where do you live?’

‘Near Hyde Park.’

I snorted, ‘Of course you do.’ Leave it to Jessa and Breton to live in a swanky part of downtown London.

She handed me a pass as we got to the underground. Clearly, she had been thinking ahead. ‘What are your plans for tonight?’ she asked me.

‘I don’t care as long as they involve you.’

‘Why don’t you drop your bags off at our place, shower and go to dinner with your friends and then I will meet you out?’

‘Or you could come with me,’ I pulled her close to me on the subway as people crowded in around us.

‘I don’t want to impose, they didn't know I was coming and may not have made enough food. It’s rude and I’m not comfortable. Besides, I want to get a gym session in.’

I ran my hand over her ass, giving it a tight squeeze. ‘Oh thank God,’ I leaned in and kissed her, delighted she still had a bit of ass left, even if most of her was missing. ‘I beg to differ on the gym excuse. Besides, I’ll give you a workout, period or not.’

‘Ewww, hard limit,’ she shook her head and scrunched up her face.

‘Fine, but you’re joining me after dinner,’ I told her, and it wasn’t a request.

We went to the condo she shared with Breton. It was nice, light and modern. From what I’d learned from her in picking out things for the house, she hadn’t likely picked out the decor in here, but she seemed happy with the place.

She refused to join me in the shower, even after I undressed in front of her. ‘You're not playing fair.’

‘I never said I would.’ I winked at her and walked into her bathroom for a much-needed shower.

‘Don’t jack off, I want to do that later for you,’ she called after me. There was a lot I’d do for her, but suffering through blue balls all night wasn’t one of them. I’d have no performance issues with her later, that was for damn sure.

CHAPTER 13

JESSA

I started taking online courses on health and wellness, life coaching, nutrition and culinary arts.

It was good to be doing something, and someday I hoped that I would be able to finish my final term at Harvard and graduate with my business degree. My time at the resort really helped me. Not only did I change physically, but the staff there really made me connect to myself in a deep holistic way that I’d never thought of doing before.

I had so much I had kept bottled inside, I needed to explore, from the emotions I was feeling over the people I loved, what I had done to them, and the lingering self doubt I still carried with me as a result of Matt nearly breaking my self confidence and self worth. Working with Kristy, my life coach, had been a game changer for me. She brought me really far and recommended some courses to take. I was still talking to her weekly, and while she was still my life coach, she was also a mentor of sorts, guiding me on my journey in the business as well.

Staying busy was making my time in London go faster. It was what I needed during the times when Breton was away and there wasn’t much to do regarding our investigation. I was helping Breton as much as I could. Some of the tasks were daunting, but at least I was able to do something.

I had to stay busy, or I would have gone out of my mind or swam all the way across the ocean to get home. The work grounded me, at least. I missed my parents and Drew so much. While I was much closer than I had been in Australia, I still wasn’t home. I often thought it was a good thing that I had an ocean separating us, otherwise, I’d have caved long before now. Breton really had been strategic with his planning.

Life was routine and I had very little to look forward to, but when Drew told me he was going to Manchester for his best friend's wedding, there was no way that I wasn’t going to see him. He had always been so happy whenever he spoke about Ali and his family; I knew he was like family to Drew, and I couldn't wait to actually meet the guy.

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