Chapter Nine:

I can't move.

First, the soreness I feel after our activities last night is pretty severe. I'm not sure it would be a good idea to get up even if I could. But the real reason I can't stand up is that Tommy's heavy arm is slung across my waist, as I lay with my back pressed to his chest. Even in sleep his grip is strong, holding me tightly against him. Which feels completely amazing, by the way.

I have no idea what time it is but judging by the soft light pouring in the window, it's still early. And I'm wide awake trying to lie as quietly as I can so I don't wake Tommy up.

It's not that I don't want him to wake up but I'm scared what he'll say when he does. What exactly does all of this mean for us? I can actually feel my head spinning think of all the possible scenarios that could come about. What if he's not happy? What if he regrets what we've done? What if it didn't mean anything?

Before I can fret any longer, I feel Tommy start to move beside me. I tense, praying that he'll go back to sleep.

I can hear him yawning. I don't think he's going back to sleep. And the waiting is killing me. Good or bad, I need to know what he's thinking.

I turn in his arms to face him. I need to look in his beautiful blue eyes.

He's smiling. Okay, that's a good sign, right?

"Hi," I say quietly, nervously, averting my eyes from him. Why am I so nervous? Last night this man saw literally all I have to offer. Why is his simple gaze driving me this crazy?

I glance back at him to see his head lying comfortably on the pillow. He's still dozing a little and I can't help but notice how cute he looks all dishevelled first thing in the morning. I mean I've seen him in the morning in the apartment, but not when he's just woken up.

There's so much I want to say, so much I want to ask him. But instead I just continue lying there silently, staring at him.

He looks at me curiously, like he can tell something's not right. "Are you alright, Harrison?"

"Fine… I just…"

"You just what?" he asks when I pause.

"It's just I'm lying her thinking all these things. And before I go completely crazy I just need to ask you. I need to know...you know...if you regret it," I spit out before I completely lose my nerve to ask. Unable to bear his gaze, I look away.

Instead of replying, he leans down and places a few kisses on my shoulder. "Regret it? No way, girl. Never." he whispers in my ear. I shiver at the sensation of his breath on my skin. A thought seems to hit him and he pulls back. "Do you?"

"No, not for a second." He exhales deeply as I say this. "It's just I've never—I don't know what happens now and my mind keeps making up all these scenarios that could happen."

He smirks, kissing my neck. "You need to stop over thinking things. I think we need to just let this thing develop on its own. Since your birthday last year when I kissed you in the rain we've been dancing around each other. I kept thinking you were too young which, by the way, legally you still are. And judging by your words the other night, you were thinking I was screwing every bimbo that entered the room. Which, just to clarify, I haven't been. What I'm trying to say is that this is new territory for both of us. And I don't want to ruin it by thinking too much. Let's enjoy it, enjoy each other."

I hesitate slightly. "That sounds great. Except, as you just pointed out, I'm not even legal yet. Doesn't that mean—"

"That I could be in trouble? Yes, you could definitely say that. So until you're eighteen, we have two choices. We either keep this thing a secret or we don't sleep together again until you're of age."

I look at him shocked. "You don't want to see me again, like this, until I'm eighteen?"

He laughs loudly, running his hand slowly up my arm. I can feel my skin tingling under his touch. "No. That's not what I said. That was option B. Which is not the one that I would choose."

I'm not liking option B either.

I give him my most seductive smile. "You don't think option B would be a little difficult?"

He coughs uncomfortably and I stifle a laugh. "More difficult than you could possibly imagine. But I don't want to pressure you into anything you're not ready for. And a sexual relationship is a lot at seventeen."

"You're not pressuring me, trust me. Besides, after last night I can't imagine living with you and not thinking about sex almost every minute." I slap my hand to my mouth and shut my eyes tightly. Tell me I didn't just say that to him. I feel Tommy's hand on mine as he pulls it away from my mouth. I open my eyes and he's trying not to smirk but I can see one forming at the corner of his mouth.

"Jude, since you've moved in, I've thought about little else."

I blush and feel myself grinning shyly. "So, we're in this thing, then?"

He nods in response, leaning in and pressing his lips firmly onto mine. His tongue begs for entrance and I willingly open my mouth for it. Before we get involved too heavily, he pulls back. "As much as I really want to continue this, do you think we could do it at home, in the comfort of an actual bed?"

I have to admit, my back is hurting a little from sleeping on the floor, regardless of how many blankets Tommy put down. "Sounds great."

We both stand up to gather our clothes and I feel instantly self-conscious. I'm standing naked in the middle of a room with Tommy Quincy staring at my body.

"You're stunning," he says, apparently reading the discomfort on my face. He leans in and kisses me quickly before turning to find and pull on his clothes. We clean up hurriedly, anxious to get back to the apartment. I grab my things and we rush out to the Viper.

Tommy drives faster than I've ever seen on the way back to our apartment. It feels weird calling it our apartment. You know what sounds weirder? I'm in a sexual relationship with Tommy Quincy.

I almost giggle at the thought. And I'm not really the giggly type. But this turn of events is just insane. It's amazing, but still completely unbelievable. Keeping it from people is going to be the hardest part. As it is, I have no explanation ready if people ask me where I'm living. I've been so wrapped up with all the drama the past few days that I haven't even given it a second thought.

Tommy drives into his parking spot and as soon as we get out of the car, he grabs my hand and pulls me into the building and quickly into the elevator.

It's vacant. As soon as the doors close he seizes the moment, grabbing me close to him and assailing my lips with kisses. We break apart as the elevator dings, a warning that the doors are about to open. It's not our floor and we have to tolerate a bunch of people loading on the elevator and standing in front of us.

As we ride the rest of the way up, I feel Tommy place a hand on the skin between my jeans and my shirt and slowly slip it underneath my shirt. I can't react because of the people surrounding me so I close my eyes, enjoying the sensation, and bite my lip to curb my moans.

Finally everyone unloads and we soon reach the penthouse floor. We rush down the hall and I grab Quincy's key out of his hand so I can unlock the door quickly.

I enter the apartment, shocked to see Chantal sitting comfortably on the couch.

I stop in mid-stride and Tommy runs into me, almost knocking me over.

He follows my eyes and sees Chantal. As I glance at him I notice he looks both completely shocked and puzzled. "What are you doing here?" he asks, a harsh edge to his tone.

"One of the employees let me in. Surprised?" She's giving him a come-hither look and I feel outraged at her overtly forward behaviour. And she's spoken enough words that I notice her accent is French. Great. An experienced, foreign model. Basically throwing herself at Tommy.

"Yeah, more than a little," he says, raising his eyebrows. "Look, you can't just sneak into someone's apartment. You need to leave," he said, motioning towards the still open door.

She stands up, looking more than a little embarrassed. "But Tommy, you said yesterday that we'd get together today."

"Well plans have changed. I'll call you tomorrow," he says, still holding his hand directed towards the door.

I look at Tommy shocked. I feel my joy plummeting to the ground. He's going to call her. What the fuck?

She seems pleased by this and finally walks out of the apartment, not giving me a second glance. She's confident, clearly, but she's got the looks and the attitude to back it up. How can I compete with someone like that?

Tommy shuts the door behind her as I walk into the living room and sit on the couch. I need to try and process what just happened right in front of me.

As Tommy enters the room I look up at him, shooting him a look of pure disbelief.

"Jude, it's not what you think. She's going to be in the music video for one of the bands I'm producing. That's all." He approaches and sits beside me, taking one of my hands in his.

I feel relieved I do. But what about the last couple of days? And sneaking into our apartment? That woman is not just interested in being in a video. "Has anyone told her that? Because I'm pretty sure she thinks that you're part of her paycheque."

"I will admit to dating her at one time," he says and I roll my eyes. Of course. Another notch on his bedpost. "Hey, that was a long time ago. Besides, since I met you no one's been… right. I could never be interested in her, not now."

I look at him, puzzled. "Why not?"

He looks at me and I can almost feel the desire pulsing from his eyes. And even though I'm sitting I feel myself grow weak.

"She's not…you."