Untethered

Note: There's some build-up before the sex and while the Unbidden series is not necessarily required pre-reading for this, I hope you check it out as well. I'd always appreciate any feedback regarding my writing, so please feel free to send me some, or put them in the comments. Thank you and I hope you enjoy reading this one!

**********

"What, did you wrestle with a cat or something?" Lucy asked, coming up to me as I rejoined her brother's engagement party. She immediately scanned me with her eyes and hands, making sure that I was still in one piece. "You've got scratches on your back and arms, did you know that?"

I couldn't help but smile at the reminder and Lucy gasped when she saw the stupid grin on my face, her hand instantly going to her chest as her blue eyes widened.

"You've had se—!"

I quickly moved to cover her mouth with my hand, putting an arm over her shoulders as I led her away from our group of friends.

"How about we don't announce that to everyone and you just help me fix myself up instead, yeah?" I told her quietly, still unable to stop grinning and only removing my hand when Lucy nodded.

"Alright, Shaie, now spill." She told me as soon as we were safely inside the bathroom. She leaned against the sink counter and folded her arms, a wisp of blond hair falling across her face as she cocked her head at me. "Who did you just have sex with?"

"Guess." I smiled at her before turning around so she could make sure my teal, off-shoulder dress was properly zipped up while I tried to smooth out the wrinkles.

"That blonde who works with Tony!" She hastily answered, turning me around to face her once she was done. I ignored her, facing the mirror above the sink instead, and instantly understood why Lucy reacted the way she did upon seeing me earlier.

My short, dark curls were in disarray, some sticking out in different directions. My full lips were a bit swollen, all traces of lipstick gone, and my cheeks were flushed like I had just engaged in some rigorous physical activity—which, of course, I had.

"No, wait. It's that waitress that was flirting with you earlier!" Lucy went on when I did not reply. She peered at my face closely, watching for any sign that she had guessed right. "No, no, it's Marnie's cousin—!"

I looked at her sideways, laughing when she began excitedly snapping her fingers while she tried to remember the woman's name.

"Okay, enough! I'll tell you!" I said, stopping her hand with mine. "It was Jamie."

I held my hand out, pretending not to see the surprised look on her face before her brows furrowed.

"Jamie? How?" She asked as she rummaged through her purse and handed me a lipstick. "Why would she even be here?"

"I don't know," I shrugged, pausing as I applied the soft rose tint on my lips. "But she was. I saw her going upstairs and followed her so we could talk—"

A dubious look crossed Lucy's pretty face.

"Obviously, we ended up doing other things instead." I grinned.

"And then what?" Lucy asked. "I mean, you're back here and she isn't. Don't tell me she snuck out on you again."

I couldn't even be bothered by the teasing smile on her lips as she reminded me of the other times I had been with Jamie only to find myself alone after.

"She tried." I admitted. And then, with another shrug, "I caught up with her this time."

"And?" Lucy prompted when I didn't say anything else.

"We talked." I replied, amused as my friend rolled her eyes at me and impatiently tapped her feet.

"And?!"

"And we're going on a date tomorrow." I told her, the shit-eating grin back on my face as I looked at her.

I had known Lucy since we were thirteen and her dad had married my aunt. They had ended up divorcing after a few years, but Lucy and I had stayed and grown as friends up until now, so I knew whenever her mood shifted even if she kept her smile in place.

"What?" I asked, slightly raising my eyebrow at her in the mirror.

"Nothing! Nothing!" Lucy grinned, holding both hands up in mock surrender. And then she shrugged and mumbled, "It's just, are you sure you're ready to date

her

?"

I turned my head towards her direction in disbelief.

"Were you," I began slowly. "Or were you not the one who—only a few days ago—

told

me to ask her out?"

Lucy stared back at me with a guilty grin and nodded. "I know, but—!"

"'Stop acting like a brat and just ask her out already!'" I mimicked good-naturedly. "Weren't those your exact words?"

"Well, I didn't think she was going to say yes!"

This time, the incredulous expression on my face was without any hint of amusement. Lucy saw it and quickly tried to explain.

"I just figured a little rejection might do you some good." She confessed. When I just continued to stare at her, she added, "The way you told it, it didn't seem like Jamie wanted anything more than sex. I thought she was immune to you."

"What am I, a disease?" I scowled darkly at her, still offended to find out that my best friend had apparently been rooting against me.

Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Oh, you know what I mean!" She said with a casual wave of her hand. And yes, I did know what she meant.

All my life, I had no lack of people telling me that I was beautiful and smart—then later on adding 'successful' to my list of adjectives—and, more often than not, I agreed with them.

I had light brown eyes, prominent cheek bones, and a year-round tan, thanks to my well-to-do parents' Hispanic genes. I was tall at 5'8" and kept my curves in great shape with regular yoga and exercise. I also graduated business school with honors and, after quickly making my way up the corporate ladder, I had just started a pretty profitable small fitness company at the age of 32.

In other words, I was fully aware that I had been blessed with certain privileges that helped make my life easier than most. I rarely ever felt the need to work hard for anything—including dating.

"So, what," I told Lucy. "Now that she's said yes, you think Jamie might not be good for me anymore?"

An embarrassed flush slowly spread on Lucy's cheeks and my level of disbelief climbed when I didn't think it could go any higher.

"You think

I

would be bad for her. Wow." I breathed, the cause for Lucy's hesitation suddenly becoming very clear to me.

"It's just, if it's this hard for

you

to get a date with the girl even after you've already had sex," she said, her blush deepening. "Then I'm thinking she may have some deep-rooted reasons. I just want you to be sure you know exactly what you're getting into because, well, you know how you are."

"Geez, thanks, Luce!" I said sarcastically, once again rolling my eyes at her. "With friends like you, who needs enemies, huh?"

Lucy laughed as I stuck my tongue out at her, and then she held my face between her hands.

"Shaie," she said, drawing my face to her and planting a quick kiss on my cheek. "I love you to death and I'm glad Jamie said yes, but—face it—you're the queen of casual dating. Sometimes, you're just too oblivious to know when you're already breaking hearts."

With that, she released my face and exited the bathroom, leaving me staring after her and shaking my head. First, Jamie and now, Lucy. Why was everyone but me so against this? It was

one

date. Surely, we shouldn't be getting ahead of ourselves, right?

"Right." I affirmed myself in the mirror. "No hearts getting broken here."

***

Jamie was punctual.

It wasn't something I had previously considered when it came to dating, but not having to wait for her to come out of her apartment building when I picked her up was a refreshing change from other dates I had had in the past.

She wore a short, thin-strapped, red dress which slightly deepened the glow of her golden tan and showed off her legs. Her ample breasts filled out the deep V bodice in such a way that made me recall how good they had felt in my hands and mouth. A pair of black heels completed her outfit, and she topped off her look with some light makeup and her long, brown curls pulled in a sexy, slightly tousled up-do.

I couldn't help but grin appreciatively as she approached my car, and I watched as the shy little smile on Jamie's cherry-tinted lips gained a little bit more certainty.

"Hi," she greeted warmly as she got into the passenger side.

"Hey, how's your day been?" I replied, giving her one of my most charming smiles as I leaned in for a quick kiss. Except Jamie's attention was already on securing her seatbelt and my move went unnoticed.

"Fine," she answered as I started to drive. And then belatedly, "How was yours?"

I told her a little anecdote from when I went to the farmer's market earlier that afternoon, and Jamie laughed softly. For a moment, she looked as if she wanted to add something to the conversation but all she said was, "That's nice."

We fell into a silence that only grew more and more uncomfortable during the next fifteen minutes. By the time we arrived at the restaurant, I wasn't so sure this date was a good idea anymore. I mean, Jamie was hot and Lord knows I still wanted to take her to bed, but maybe she was right: we just didn't have much in common besides the sex.

Grazie was one of the classier restaurants in the city with great food, which was why I had worn a dress myself—a tight-fitting, printed little number that I knew I looked good in. The maître d' showed us to a cozy little corner, and the dim lighting gave the place a romantic vibe. Jamie and I sat across each other as a waiter announced the specials and handed us each a menu.

I nodded politely at Jamie so she would go first, and she returned it with yet another shy smile on her face before she began telling the waiter her order. She did it easily and confidently enough, glancing back towards me once she was done to signal my turn.

"I'll have the same," I told the waiter, suddenly envious of the young man for being able to squeeze four straight sentences out of Jamie when I had been lucky to get even just one at a time. I turned to my date as he left, hopeful that she was in a much more talkative mood now.

"That's one of my favorite things to order here," I told her. "I've been trying to get their chef to give me his recipe for

years

without success."

Again, Jamie looked interested while I spoke. Again, she looked like she was about to tell me something interesting, too. But again, there was a flash of hesitation before she ended up deciding that "Oh, okay" was her best response.

Jesus! Even my first date when I was twelve with Harold Gardner went smoother than this—and the two of us had just sat across each other for an hour while we silently ate our sundaes.

"This is sooo awkward," I couldn't help but grumble under my breath as my musings got the better of me. Jamie had been about to take a sip of her water and ended up snorting when she heard me.

She quickly covered her mouth to contain a wayward giggle before she put on a poker face and slightly shook her head.

"In what way?" She asked curiously, amusement glinting in her eyes as she pretended she had no clue what I was talking about. And then she laughed softly, looking a bit chagrined as she said, "I'm sorry. It just takes me a while to warm up, I guess. I'm not really used to this."

"Talking?" I asked, deadpan even as I grinned.

She paused for a fraction of a second before nodding. Jamie always seemed careful when she spoke, almost as if she was deliberating first whether it was worth speaking or not.

"That, too." She smiled. "But I meant dating."

"What," I teased as our orders came, wanting to keep her smiling. "The hundreds of women lining up for you not enough training ground?"

"Oh, I've pretty much closed shop for the last couple of years," she grinned, brushing my remark aside with a small flick of her hand. She leaned closer, and I tried my best not to stare at her cleavage as she said, "You're probably mistaking your own line for mine. Must be hard for you to keep track."

"I don't have a problem keeping my eye on you now, do I?" I countered, enjoying the way Jamie blushed as I gave her a quick, subtle wink.

Less than an hour later, I could not believe that I had ever felt awkward at the beginning of this date. Jamie was so much fun to talk to when she wasn't constantly on her toes.

She laughed easily as we kept a light banter, and I was delighted to find that Jamie had a wry sense of humor which she applied to most things. She also wasn't afraid to be self-deprecating at times, nor was she too reserved to tease me when warranted.

It was like talking to a friend you've known all your life—if that friend was a sexy brunette that also makes you want to grab her whenever she smiled at you a certain way.

A third of the way through dinner, there was a sudden break in Jamie's relaxed demeanor. Maybe we were so attuned by this point or maybe I was just staring at her too much that I couldn't possibly miss it but, for a brief second, Jamie saw something over my right shoulder that seemed to throw her off.

I watched recognition flash in her eyes before she averted her gaze and stared down at the table, looking like she had just seen a ghost. Then she seemed to remember that I was still there and she tried to act normal, smiling at me as if her breathing had not suddenly changed.

I glanced behind me and scanned the room until my eyes fell on the striking, dark-haired woman seated a few tables away. She was dining with someone but, at the moment, she was definitely looking at Jamie and seemed very pleased to see her.

"A friend of yours?" I asked Jamie, who quickly shook her head.

"No," she replied before she took another bite of her food and looked away as she chewed.

"Oh, an ex then?" I quipped, smiling to let her know that it was no big deal if that woman was, in fact, an ex. But Jamie just smiled humorlessly as she tried to change the subject, and I let her.

I was sure that there was something more to this story but Jamie clearly didn't want to talk about it and, frankly, neither did I.

***

We took a walk in the park across the street after dinner. We continued to talk about little things—like the funny graffiti we saw on one of the benches or how I had wanted to be an astronaut when I was a kid—and we seemed to be in silent agreement to steer clear off the subject of Jamie's ex tonight.

There were a couple of times, though, when she would get this distant, rattled look on her face, telling me that her mind was somewhere else and most likely with the lovely stranger back at the restaurant. Those moments were brief, however, and she seemed to shrug them off easily enough that I had no time to dwell on them.

It was when we were headed back to my car that it happened.

We were walking down a pathway when Jamie fell just half a step behind me and my hand instinctively reached out for hers, catching me by surprise. Not because I had never held someone else's hand before. I was simply unprepared by how starkly I had felt that little physical distance and how quickly I had sought to bridge it.

I looked at Jamie as my pulse began to race. I had no idea how she was feeling as our fingers locked, but I caught the secret smile on the corner of her lips before she turned her face away.

You are the queen of casual dating

, Lucy's words came to mind. This didn't feel so casual all of a sudden, and I wasn't sure if I liked that or not.

***

Jamie seemed to have fully warmed up to me by the time I drove her home. We had driven mostly in silence, but it was a comfortable silence while she continued to hold my hand in the car. She began to draw lines into my palm with her finger as she looked out the window, absently stirring up a wanting in me that turned into a craving so bad, I squirmed in my seat a couple of times.

From the way her breathing had become increasingly less even, I knew Jamie felt it, too.

I parked so I could walk her up to her apartment and she turned to me when we reached her door. Her eyes were dark with desire as they met mine and I thought for sure she was going to kiss me.

"Well, goodnight," she told me instead with a half smile, immediately looking as if she already regretted not going for it.

"Good night." I grinned at her, curious to see how she planned to play this out. I leaned against the wall and watched as Jamie inserted her key into the lock and paused. Then she closed her eyes for a brief second and took a deep breath, clearly gathering courage before she turned back to me.

"Would you like to—?"

I didn't let her finish. I felt like I had already contained myself for too long while waiting for her to make a move, and that attempt at an invitation was more than good enough for me.

"Yes!" I quickly agreed before my lips claimed hers in a deeply passionate kiss. Jamie welcomed it, parting her lips as her tongue met mine.

My hand immediately sought one of her breasts, something that I had been tempted to do many times over the course of this evening. I answered her moan with a slight flick of my wrist, pushing her back against her door as I gave the supple orb a hard little squeeze. Jamie moaned again and, this time, I responded with a low growl of my own.

My other hand found its way under her dress, my index finger deftly slipping into the crotch of her panties to discover her slick wetness. As soon as Jamie figured out that I couldn't care less where we were at the moment, her hand reached for the doorknob behind her and we both fell into her apartment just as my finger entered her wet warmth.

"Fuuuuck!" Jamie breathed against my lips. Her response only served to urge me on and I pressed her back up against the door as it closed.

I leaned back as I began to stir inside her, my arm going up against her chest to keep her there. Our eyes met while I added another finger, and I heard Jamie's palm slam against the door as I slowly sank into her.

She bit her lip in an effort to contain her moans as my thrusts grew harder and faster. Her breaths turned shallow and I felt her pussy muscles tighten as her juices began to trickle down my fingers but still, Jamie held my gaze defiantly, almost as if to say, "Is that all you've got?"

I pulled out.

"Oh, fuck you, no!" Jamie gasped in protest as she glared at me. I grinned in response, satisfied to see her control finally slip a little.

She lunged at me at the same time that I pulled her in for another kiss, both of us springing into action as we tore at each other's clothes. Jamie started walking as her dress fell to the floor and, by the time we had made our way into her softly-lit bedroom, we were both down to our panties.

My blood hummed every time my nipples would graze against her bare skin, hurrying my movements as I guided Jamie down her bed. I tugged at the black-laced panties she had on, hastily removing my own before eagerly joining her on the soft cotton sheets.

I kissed her languidly this time, reveling in the fact that I had all the time in the world to enjoy her body. Tonight, I had Jamie all to myself.

Jamie's reaction to the lovely brunette in the restaurant suddenly crossed my mind in that instant and I felt a surge of annoyance so visceral, it had me biting her lower lip. Hard.

I heard Jamie's reactionary gasp of pain as I instantly drew back, surprised to find that I was actually more bothered by the woman's visible effect on Jamie than I cared to admit.

I looked at Jamie, glad to see I hadn't drawn out blood. But that daring pride was back in her eyes, doubling as a challenge for me to come at her with no holds barred. It made me feel untethered, like there was nothing stopping me from doing anything that I wanted to her.

And right now, I really wanted to get back at her for even

thinking

about another woman while she was with me.