The Unidentified Redhead (Redhead #1)(70)
Author: Alice Clayton

This all took place in less than a minute, but the intimacy he showed me was al -encompassing. The sweet way he manipulated my body, the way he claimed me so publicly and so privately at the same time was endearing. I clutched his hands tighter into my tummy, hugging him to me as we stood, one behind the other.

Our relationship had blossomed so quickly, and mainly just between us, so I saw a few curious glances in our direction. Mostly, though, they were amused and kind faces smiling back at us.

Jack stayed with me as I greeted all my impromptu guests, and he was delighted to meet my friends and acquaintances. Some were new since I had moved back to L.A., and some dated back to when I was here the first time.

Nick delighted in telling the story of the first night Jack and I were together, regaling the crowd with what he had seen, as well as what he heard as he and Holly ate popcorn on the staircase like two Peeping Toms.

The night was perfect. The people I loved most surrounded me.

Everyone was so complimentary of my new home, and I showed it off like a proud mama. All the furniture had finally been delivered, and while there was still a lot to be done, it was finished enough that it had a sense of self—it felt like me. Jack was telling Nick about the closet he wanted to knock out to make room for the steam shower, and Nick pretended to look interested while he was really just staring at the pretty.

I talked to everyone, thanked them all for their well wishes for New York, and promised countless times that I would, in fact, be back.

Jack stayed with me some of the night, and some of the night he mingled.

I watched him from across the room, talking to Rebecca and Lane, and several times, he caught me staring. He would always wave, or wink, or show me his middle finger, a rather rude habit he seemed to have picked up from me.

God, I loved him.

Later in the night, Holly and I found ourselves outside as the party was beginning to wind down. They had strung up Christmas lights throughout the trees and hung Japanese lanterns so that the entire backyard was glowing. And by they, I mean the party planner Jack and Holly had hired.

We sat in the Adirondack chairs on the patio, drinking dirty martinis and toasting our own success.

“Can you believe the last party we were at, we were celebrating your new management company?” I asked, tipping my glass to her.

“Yeah, and that was the night you got asked to have a little tryst.” She smirked, draining her glass and letting out a loud burp.

“That’s true. Tryst accomplished. That was sickass, by the way.” I arched my eyebrow at her.

She let out one more burp, a smaller more dainty one this time, and then said, “Fuck off.”

I laughed loudly.

“Holly, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, really. I—”

“Save it for your Tony Awards acceptance speech, OK? I can’t handle anything like that tonight,” she snapped, her eyes shining suddenly.

I looked at my best friend, the one that would lay down in front of a bus for me, and smiled. I thought about everything we had been through and everything we would continue to share with each other.

“Olive juice, Holly,” I said, smiling at her through my own tears beginning to burn.

“Olive juice, too, ya little fruitcake.” She smiled back, grabbing the rest of my martini and polishing it off as well. She pushed out of her chair and started in for the house, then paused, shaking her ass once before heading inside.

I sat for a minute, smiling up at the stars, and then went in to say goodnight to the last few guests. Jack was waiting for me and swept me into a close hug.

“How soon do you think we can kick these stragglers out without seeming rude?” he whispered, biting down on his lower lip as I ran my hands through his thick curls.

“You want them gone, you just say the word,” I said, feeling slightly sassy from the two martinis and the champagne I had consumed. I would pay for this when I was stuck on a plane for over five hours tomorrow.

“I realize that I invited them, but I want them gone, Grace,” he stated firmly, his hands sneaking down and cupping my backside, amusement-park-style. Fuck, I loved it when he took charge.

“Done,” I answered, crashing my lips to his for a quick, but very passionate kiss.

I pulled away and began a herding motion toward the front door. The last few people there, including Holly and Nick looked at me as if I was crazy.

“Let’s go people, move it out. Have you seen this tall drink of water here?

Well, Mr. Hamilton and I are going to be going at it in about seven minutes, and unless you want to see some serious goodbye f**kin’, you’d best get to steppin’,” I instructed the group, continuing to herd them toward the front door. My friends knew better than to stay, and they laughed as they hugged and kissed me goodbye.

Nick made a point of remaining on the couch, looking pointedly at Jack as though he was going to ask to stay for a front row seat, but Jack just looked on with an amused expression at my brazen room-clearing methods.

I walked Rebecca and Lane to the door after they said goodbye to Jack.

Lane gave me a monster hug. “Thanks for having us at your little Bon Voyage party, Grace. Nice digs by the way. We’ll break this house in proper when you get back,” he said, ruffling up my hair with his giant hands.

“That’s a promise. I’m so glad you were here tonight.” I laughed, kissing him on the cheek. He blushed, and I heard him saying, “Aw man … ” as he walked out to his car. Rebecca and I watched him walk away, and then she turned to me.

“I have to tell you, even though I know Jack is going to miss the shit out of you, I think it’s awesome what you’re doing. I know you’ll do well. If I make it out to New York this fall, can I come see you?” she asked.

“Hell yes, you can! I expect a call anytime you are anywhere near the Big Apple,” I said, giving her a hug. “And Rebecca?” I continued, frowning a little.

“I’ll watch out for him. Keep the skanks away.” She laughed, reading my expression.

“Thank you. Keep them far away. I may be three-thousand miles away, but I can still kick some ass if I need to,” I stated firmly.

“I totally believe you. Good luck in Manhattan, girl,” she said, hugging me back and walking through the door.

Finally, the room was clear. I said goodbye to Nick, thanked Holly with a kiss on the cheek and a smack on the ass and a promise to keep it quiet when we got home later that night. She just smirked as she said her good nights and said that she would see me in the morning.