Forest Read online

  Red and blue flashes shined like strobes into my dark car and my car stopped at the side of the high way with flat tires. All of the sudden I could see Mauve trailing up in the background and he pulled up behind my car, and next to the police.

  The fucking police.

  That moronic kid set me up.

  Shit. This was bad.

  I pulled my registration out of the glove compartment and braced for the worst.

  The officer walked up to my car, stopping passed Mauve on the way.

  “Thanks for your help Mauve. Without you, we wouldn’t have been able to bust him. Good work.”

  “Oh, no problem at all Officer Bloom. It really was no trouble.”

  That fucking snake.

  The officer walked up to my window and knocked on it twice, her hand on her holster the whole time. I rolled the window down.

  “Forest Lock. I’m Officer Bloom. Do you happen to know how fast you were going down this highway?” She was a tall woman, hardened. Looked like she wouldn’t take any shit. Just my luck. No use trying to charm my way out of this one.

  “Actually, no officer, I don’t. Care to tell me?”

  “160 miles per hour. Ninety miles over the speed limit. Almost broke my detector back there.”

  Not a record speed, but I’ll take it.

  “Wow. That’s definitely a bit over the speed limit.”

  “A bit? Step out of the car sir, and put your hands where I can see them.” I did as she asked and stepped out of the car. She pushed me up against my car roughly and felt up my body.

  “You could ask you know. I’m kind of in high demand.”

  “Cut the shit Lock. I’m placing you under arrest. The judge is gonna give you a hefty bail. You can thank your friend Mauve for that.”

  She placed the cuffs on my hands nearly cutting my circulation of, and lead me to her cruiser.

  Looks like the joyride was over.

  All I could think about was Jamie. I thought about what I did to her. And I felt like shit.

  The drive back to the precinct was the worst twenty minutes of my natural life. When we arrived, I was booked and thrown into a jail cell.

  Guess there was a first for everything right?

  I laid there on that hard bed, wall hanging thing for hours.

  Finally, after all that time the let me use the phone.

  I didn’t know who else to call, so I called Jamie. I figured I owed her an apology anyway. And what better place to give it to her than inside of a jail?

  Her sweet voice on the other side of the line made me want to kick myself for hurting her.

  “Forest? I’m busy now…what do you want?” She sounded pissed. No, that wasn’t it. She sounded downright devastated. And it was all my fault.

  “Look bug eyes- I mean, Jamie. I’m sorry. I was an ass. I should’ve listened to you.”

  “You say that like you’re sitting in a jail cell right now.” What do you know? She had mind reading powers too.

  “I am.”

  “You’re what?!! Why are you in jail?!! Oh god Forest…don’t tell me you got caught while you were racing…”

  I could hear her trembling on the other side of the line and fuck. I had to make up for the crap I was putting her through.

  “It was a set-up. A trap. I fell right into it.”

  She was silent for a minute. “What do you mean?”

  “I’ll explain it later. The bail is fifty-grand. I can pay it but I need you to come get me. My fucking car is impounded.” She let out a hefty sigh.

  “Fine. I’ll be there. I’m so pissed at you Forest. Actually, pissed doesn’t even begin to explain how I’m feeling.” She hung up the phone without saying another word.

  I deserved it. She had a right to be fuming at me. I only hoped she would hear me out for a minute.

  I spent another hour mindlessly staring at the ceiling before the jail guard opened my cell.

  “Your ticket out is here. Don’t let me catch you in my jail again boy.”

  Yeah. Whatever.

  I walked past the guard and to Jamie. She sighed when she saw me and turned her head away as fast as she could. I reached for her arm but she swiped it away.

  “Do not touch me. Just come on already.” Following her orders, I followed behind her to her old Honda rust bucket.

  She drove back to our apartment without saying a word to me. Could you blame her? I was an ass. Didn’t listen to her, then wound up needing her help. I’d be pissed if I were her too.

  When we got up the stairs to our apartments, she waited for me to open the door to mine.

  “You’re, coming in?” I was surprised she wanted to be anywhere near me.

  “We need to talk. So yes. I’m coming in.” We walked in and I closed the door behind her.

  “Forest, how could you do this to me? Why would you put yourself in danger? How could you choose racing over me?!” She threw her purse to the floor and stomped over to me. She raised her arms and slapped them against my chest.

  I took it. I wanted her to let it all out.

  She almost plummeted to the floor in tears, but I rose her shoulders up and held her close to me. Resting her head on my shoulder, I could feel her tears soaking my jacket.

  “I’m sorry Jamie. You probably won’t forgive me. But I’m sorry.”

  “How can I trust you?! I can’t be with you if this is the lifestyle you’re going to choose! It just won’t work!” I clenched on to her tighter. She was mine. There was no way in hell I was letting her go. I would give up anything to make her smile. Even…racing.

  I held her cheeks and pushed her face up to me.

  God, she was beautiful. I was an ass for making her cry.

  “I’ll stop. I won’t do this anymore. I’ll stop racing if it means I can have you.” She sniffled like a juvenile and stared into my eyes. “I’m serious Jamie. It’s over. I’m not gonna risk losing you.”

  “Do you mean it?”

  This was the hardest thing I’ve done in a while. But this girl was worth it. I couldn’t ruin what I was starting to grow with her. I’d be a fool to.

  “I mean it Jamie. How can I prove that to you?”

  “Kiss me Forest.”

  She didn’t have to tell me twice.

  I grabbed her to me and kissed her soft lips. It wasn’t gentle, not by any means. If she wanted me to prove that I wanted her more than anything else, then I would.

  She bit my bottom lip softly and threw me off guard. Was this her way of saying that she wanted something more?

  I parted her lips with my tongue and tasted her intoxication. I felt droplets of her tears fall on to my cheeks and I broke the kiss.

  “Jamie, I mean it. Trust me. Let me prove it to you.”

  My jacket was immediately ripped from my shoulders and plummeted to the ground. She drove me fucking wild with an onslaught of kissed and licks across my neck.

  “Let me prove it to you…”

  Chapter 7

  Jamie

  I needed to feel him. I needed to believe in what he was saying.

  I dragged his shirt from over his head and slid my hands along his firm chest. So stolid…he was a drug to me. I knew I shouldn’t have him but I couldn’t stop. There was a longing in me to go all the way this time.

  We were going to go all the way.

  He breathed hard against the feeling of my palm on his chest, “My bed” he said with a heavy breath.

  He grabbed my hand and I followed him to his bed ridding myself of my jacket in the process.

  This time I would be in control.

  I was going to have my way with him, make him regret lashing out at me.

  I pinned him to the bed forcefully, and I caught his mouth slightly ajar and in shock. “What’s wrong? Don’t like not being in control?”

  Catching his lips before he could speak, I gave him my own version of the addictive kisses he gave me. With my legs wrapped around his waist, I brought my tongue along his throat and to his ches
t, nibbling the firm skin along the way.

  He let out a quiet moan that made me shiver. Up until that point, I don’t think I ever heard him make such a sound.

  My hand made its way down his jeans, just over his manhood.

  Rock solid already.

  I whispered in his ear gently, “It’s my turn now.”

  Unfastening the buckle on his belt, we awkwardly fumbled together to bring the jeans down his legs. When it was my turn to take off my clothing, he did it so fast I had to pin him back down.

  He was eager, but this was his punishment.

  I hoisted my body over his rod, rubbing myself against him. “Fuck Jamie, you’re not gonna do this to me, are you?” He winced and cheesed nervously.

  “You don’t get to decide what I’m doing today Forest. So shut up.” He gave me a toothy smile and laid back on the bed with his arms behind his head. It didn’t matter that he was getting a kick out of my attempt to be assertive.

  I was going to enjoy this either way.

  I rocked my hips against his body, grinding myself against him. He lifted his pelvis in motion with me and I stopped when he did.

  “What?” He asked curiously.

  “Don’t move.” His face turned flushed and I continued rocking against him.

  If he was a railroad spike earlier, he was a piece of titanium now, and I wanted to taste it.

  I slid down from his hips and postured myself over his arousal. Keeping my eyes fixating on him, I removed his boxers. With a firm grip over his sheath, I took him in my mouth as far as he could go.

  And believe me, there was no way I was getting the full length if I tried.

  “Fuck, Jamie…” He closed his eyes firmly, and I could feel myself getting wet just looking at his body tensing.

  I bobbed my head and stroked him at the same time, feeling him growing restless.

  If he was gonna get satisfaction, so was I.

  I pulled his rod from my mouth and hoisted myself back on to him. Hovering myself over the length of him, I slowly pressed him inside of me.

  Everything went blurry.

  I had control over the situation until he entered me.

  He plunged himself upwards before I even had a chance to move.

  I gave up. It felt so damn good, I wanted him to have his way with me.

  “Forest, make me say your name,” the words barely made their way out of my mouth.

  “Oh, I will.” He said sure as he could be, grabbing on to my waist and impaling me forcefully. There was no controlling the feeling of our hips against each other.

  All night, he brought me to the edge over and over again. I was seeing stars every time I finished.

  And somehow, he just kept going.

  He felt every inch of me, for the first time.

  I was mad for him. I wanted him and all his danger. And I got it.

  When both of us were finally too tired to continue, I laid myself on him slick with sweat against his skin. He planted soft kisses on my forehead and caught his breath slowly.

  “I guess I should piss you off more often huh?”

  “If you’re ready to wear yourself out, big guy.” He laughed and my head rattled against his chest.

  “I’m done, Jamie. I meant it. I’m giving up racing. I want to give myself to you. I’m putting that life behind me.”

  I couldn’t believe he could sound so sincere. Up until this point I’d gotten used to him calling me “bug eyes” and being a general dick, but now, he was actually being somewhat endearing.

  Shocker.

  “I can’t afford for anything to happen to you Forest. Let’s grow the shop and get some kind of normalcy in our lives.”

  “Does this mean you’re going back to making Frappes?”

  Real funny Forest.

  “No, it doesn’t not. Goodness, you’re a trip! It means let’s not do outrageously dangerous, crazy illegal stuff? Understood?”

  “Yeah, yeah. I was just playing with you. You have my word. No more racing.”

  We shook on it and I gave him a kiss...

  I hoped he was telling the truth. I really did want him to stop. There was no way our relationship could continue if he kept racing.

  “Got an idea I wanna run by you bug eyes.” He changed the subject abruptly.

  “Shoot.”

  “Why don’t you take me to that museum where they’re gonna hang your work. Don’t think I ever actually saw the pieces.”

  Wait a minute…he actually cared about my artwork?? No way. Was I dreaming? Did the prison guard hit him in the head really hard?

  “You wanna see my paintings??” I tried to conceal my shock and failed miserably.

  “Why’s that so shocking? You’re my girl. Course I wanna see what you up to.”

  His girl. So it was finally official.

  “Well if that’s the case, we can go tomorrow. And I don’t want to hear you whining about being bored when we get there.” He laughed wrinkling his sexy face and nodded his head as much as he could while laying down horizontally.

  “You’ll enjoy it, I promise.”

  “Anything with your name on it will be enjoyable for me.”

  We stared at each other for a little while before we quickly pulled the bedsheets over our heads and went at it again.

  At this rate, neither of us were getting any sleep.

  ***

  Of course, I picked a dreadfully crowded day to take Forest to the Vox Museum. We took nearly twenty minutes alone to find a parking spot!

  “Damn, you would think some celebrity was making an appearance here. People are that much of art nuts?” I glared at him and he folded his lips. “Sorry.”

  “Bad boy” Forest was learning quickly.

  We finally found a spot and made our way inside the museum.

  “Alright, I don’t know anything about heart. So you’re gonna have to help me understand how some of this shit in here counts as it.” He was so damn hot but so uncultured.

  Le sigh.

  “How about we start from my collection? Delvin said it’ll be in the third corridor on the ground level.”

  “English please?”

  “Oh brother…just follow me baby.”

  “Forest Lock. Long time no see brother.” We turned around to meet the deep voice that called Forest’s name.

  “Fate Hatton? Holy Shit! What the hell are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in New York with Valor?” They gave each other a fist bump and Fate shook my hand.

  When I saw him back at the shop, I thought he was an ass. Grade A.

  But he sure seemed nice enough now.

  “Actually, we’re here checking out some art for our collection.” He gave Forest a scruffy wink and I just stood there lost. But if he had an art collection, he had to have known something about art…right?

  “Find any pieces here that you like?” I decided I would test him for fun.

  “Yeah. There’s this little collection of blue paintings in the third corridor down there. I think I like those. Done by Judy Jordie, or something like that.”

  Was he talking about me?

  He was definitely talking about me.

  “Umm, Mr. Hatton, do you mean Jamie Jordan? That would be me.” He jerked his body back in surprise, and gave a husky laugh.

  “This your girl Forest? Those paintings are hers?”

  “Yeah. She is pretty good eh? Her work is in pretty high demand nowadays.”

  A pleasant lie that. But I didn’t see any reason to correct him. If Forest’s friend was gonna cough up the money to pay for one of my paintings, great!

  “Hmm, well I think I’ll have to tell Valor about this. Hey Jamie, I’ll be in touch. Here’s my number.” He handed me a small paper with his number scribbled on it. I felt like I’d finally made it to the big leagues. All so suddenly…

  Fate dispersed into the crowd of people in the museum and I dragged Forest to the corridor where my three paintings were.

  “Babe look! There’s a to
n of people over here looking at my stuff!” I clenched on to his arm and fought my legs from kicking up and down. This was so unreal.

  Forest walked to each painting and took a good look at them. He tilted his head to the side back and forth, studying the work. I knew he really didn’t know what to look for, but it was amusing watching him try to pretend.

  “Hey Jamie, what made you want to paint this stuff. It’s blue. It seems…sad? I don’t know.” He placed his hand on his firm jawline and rubbed them together.

  “Sad? Oh, don’t read into it too much Forest!” I ran my hand across his back trying to brush off his observation.

  But the truth was, I was sad when I painted those.

  Empty.

  No meaning in life.

  I was stuck in a dead-end job and missing out on the opportunity to live my dreams. The brush strokes on the canvas were the only way to get my voice out. So maybe- maybe that is why they’re all blue.

  I figured that now, I wouldn’t need to cry in my artwork anymore.

  I had Forest.

  “Whatever you say Jamie. They sure as hell look sad to me. But then again, I know fuck all about art.”

  Grabbing my waist, he held me close to him as we watched the hoard of people who came to admire my work.

  “I’m proud of you. Keep it up bug eyes.” He planted a soft kiss on my forehead and rubbed my shoulder.

  ***

  “It’ll be a busy day at the shop tomorrow Jamie, make sure you get enough sleep.” We made it back to Forest’s apartment after the long day out. I was beyond worn out, and working at the shop was the last thing I wanted to talk about at the moment.

  “Can I take a day off babe? I’m beat!” I plopped my tired body on the couch and draped my arm over my eyes.

  “Nope. No can do. You work for me now. And that means work every day.” He sat down on the couch next to me. “Don’t worry, I’ll let you finish redecorating the shop. That sound good?”

  “That sounds amazing.”

  I started to doze off as the weight of my eyes became too much to support.

  “You’re not gonna change me. I am who I am.”

  “Are you seriously choosing this life over me? Did you ever even really love me?” He walked up to his car without sparing a word to me. “Don’t do it Forest! You said you wouldn’t!”