Undeniable (Fated series Book 4) Read online

  ‘Number five.’ I gave him the final piece of information just as I managed once again to fall into step next to him. It was so difficult to keep up with him now. His long legs were doing one large step to three of my small ones.

  ‘Of course it is,’ he stated as we stopped suddenly outside the main door of the building.

  ‘Thank you, Jack, for walking with me. You don’t have to come any further.’

  ‘Sure, I do,’ he answered as he put a code into the outside door lock. ‘I live here too… flat five to be exact.’ He strode through the door that he had now pulled open, looked back at me, gave me a wink and then quickly turned away. He had pushed the door open wide until it started to bounce back on its spring-loaded mechanism, in an act that only came from having prior knowledge of the said door. He disappeared further into the building and out of sight, luckily it had a slow closure facility.

  ‘You coming in, flatmate?’ I heard him shout out, his voice echoing in the empty hallway.

  ‘Of course, you would live here too,’ I muttered under my breath. ‘Yes,’ I shouted back in answer as I rushed to get in the door before it shut.

  As I climbed the stairs behind the large frame of the guy I had only met less than an hour ago, I found myself staring at his well-fitting jeans, which moved with absolute precision over his bum cheeks as he strode up the stairs two at a time. It all fell into place, Katy had mentioned a Jack that she shared with. He was “a player” she had told me, women threw themselves at him. Although she enjoyed his company and his friendship, she was never going to “go there” as she put it. I was so nervous that I wanted to burst into laughter at the ridiculousness of it all. How stupid I had very nearly been, when he had stared at my lips and tucked the loose strand of hair behind my ears. I had very nearly been played by the biggest player at the university.

  Thank God, I had realised in time.

  I knew I was naïve, but I never would have thought myself gullible, too. I needed to wake up quickly to the strange new world that was now my home, before I did something stupid and something that would cost me my two precious years that I had fought so hard for.

  I looked ahead of me once again as I turned the corner onto another flight of stairs. Mr. Delectable-bum had disappeared in front of me and in his place stood the figure of my friend Katy, drying her hands on a tea-towel.

  ‘I see you met Jack?’ she questioned with a smile.

  I flew up the final few steps to reach her and grabbed hold of her hand as I did so. ‘Yes, I certainly did.’

  ‘How did it go today? How was your first lecture with Clarke? As good as you’d hoped?’ She placed her arm around my shoulders pulling me into the side of her body.

  It appeared everyone around here was taller than me.

  ‘He was as brilliant as I thought he would be. He even sorted out a mentor for me.’

  ‘Oh, that’s good. It will definitely help with your timescale that’s for sure.’

  ‘Yes, it will help… I think.’

  She squeezed my shoulder with her hand, in solidarity.

  ‘So where did you come across Jack?’ We reached the open door of our flat and went inside. She leant down close to me, ‘Lovely to look at, isn’t he?’ she whispered into my ear.

  I nodded my head at her comment as my eyes darted around the open space of the kitchen/living area. We had a small but serviceable kitchen area in the furthest corner of the room, with cheap white units, and a rectangular table and six chairs in the middle of the open space. Then in the opposite corner to the kitchen were two settees that formed an L shape facing a small TV and DVD player. Jack was nowhere to be seen.

  ‘But that’s a look and no touch, ok?’ she added as she made her way over to a saucepan that was wafting out glorious smells in the steam being sent up high into the room. Those same delicious smells began to call to my very hungry stomach.

  ‘Uh, huh.’ I spoke to her back. She was assuming I would even know how to touch. At my answer, she turned to face me once again, wielding a wooden spoon that dripped its goodness all over the freshly cleaned, tiled floor. She pointed it in my direction and narrowed her eyes.

  ‘What do you mean “Uh huh?”’ Her voice lowered as she got closer to me. ‘Tell me? You’ve only been here a few hours and I know that man works quick, but surely not that quick, especially on you?’

  ‘Of course not. But, although I’ve led the life of a nun up to now, his obvious charms weren’t wasted, even on me. The problem is I’m going to be spending a lot of time with him, as he’s been asked by the professor to be my mentor for economics.’ I pulled a grimace at her shocked face.

  I watched as she felt around for a chair so she could sit down. As soon as she found it she dragged it to her creating a scraping noise on the floor, turned it around and sat down quickly. ‘Well, it’s only day one and this already has the possibility of going tits up then, doesn’t it?’

  ‘It can’t, Katy!’ I shot out in panic. ‘I’ve been waiting to get here for so long.’ I rummaged around for another pro-point in what felt like a sea of hormones. ‘I have you to teach me… although I know I’m going to need to learn quickly.’ I sat down next to her taking in the concerned expression on her face. ‘Question is, are you up for helping me? I know I’m going to take a lot of work as I’m very behind with the times. I’m going to need all the assistance you can offer me, also I’m going to need you to come shopping with me as soon as possible, please.’ I let my eyes run down the length of my body to my shoes. My clothing didn’t bother me at home, but it had bothered me all day here, especially once I was in Jack’s company. Not that he had said anything. I just wanted to be and look like everyone else here.

  ‘Stop, that… right there, “behind with the times” is a saying that’s so old it’s almost Victorian. I know I have a lot to help you with and I’m going to start right now. Lesson one isn’t about the clothing you wear either, it wouldn’t matter if you were in a burlap sack, you’d still be gorgeous and you’d attract attention whatever you were wearing.’

  She stood up and tiptoed over to and looked into the corridor behind us. I watched as she silently peered down the hallway. She was my complete opposite, she was tall, willowy, had beautiful honey-blonde hair that at the moment had different streaks of red and green in it, and deep brown eyes that just drew you into the kindness beneath them. I had been a lucky girl the day we had first met. I knew it then and even more so now.

  Happy to see that what, or who, she had been looking for was nowhere to be found, she moved back over to me, sat back down and scooted her chair closer to mine. ‘That back there,’ she said, waving her right arm behind her, ‘is one of the most attractive guys here. On the plus side he has it all, intelligence, a good body, charm, manners, sense of humour etc… etc…’ I loved this about her, when she was in full flow of conversation she became extremely animated. I watched as she threw her arms about again. ‘Although on the negative, he has a bit of a temper and has been known to get into fights. Some nights he actively looks for trouble, and he has practically slept his way through the whole of the female cohort on campus, in one year. He also has an overprotective streak that runs amok every now and again. But, he is “friend zone” material, he makes a fantastic friend and I should know because he’s one of my best ones.’ She looked at my puzzled expression. ‘Let me explain it better, there are some guys on campus that you can fuck, if the need takes you, and then you can walk away, no strings.’ I watched her smirk at my flinch when she swore. ‘But guys like Jack are different. I’ve seen it in the last year, the women think they’ve found the “jack pot” with him, pun intended. Then he immediately gets rid of them as soon as their usefulness expires, which is generally within the first week of fucking them. I’ve watched the girls he leaves behind in his wake, they hanker after him, they look at him in complete awe every time he crosses their path, they wonder what might have been. You, my best friend, are not joining their bloody charabanc ride.’

  I
manged not to flinch again. I was going to have to get used to a lot more swearing than that. Just then, the saucepan that Katy had been previously tending began to boil over and she jumped up to attend to it.

  ‘Lily, do you understand?’ Once again, she was waving the tomato stained wooden spoon at me. I watched, slightly amused, as small drops flew everywhere, making the white kitchen look as though it had the measles.

  ‘Yes, fully understood. Jack has just been friend zoned.’ I offered her a double thumbs-up. Appeased, she smiled, turned around and began to stir the contents of the saucepan once again.

  ‘Right then, go and get your new friend please. Tell him that dinner will be ready in ten minutes, and not to be late if he wants any. His door is the last on the right, next to the bathroom.’

  I stood up. How difficult could this be? All I had to do was be friendly around Jack. Thinking on it, I was sure he wasn’t really interested in me in the first place. I glanced down at my clothes once again. I needed to talk to Katy about the shopping trip as soon as possible, as I was going to stand out like a sore thumb around here dressed like this.

  I walked as confidently as I could down the corridor and knocked hard on the last door on the right.

  ‘Jack… Katy says that dinner will be ready in ten minutes, don’t be late…’ I went to turn to walk away, but heard the catch release and the door swung open to reveal a half-dressed Jack. While me and Katy had been chatting in the kitchen, it appeared he had showered and pulled on a clean pair of worn blue jeans but nothing else. His torso was on show and it glistened in places with the odd droplet of water. He was lean and muscular but not overly big, showing just how young he must be. I let my eyes wander as he placed his hands on each side of the open doorframe and leant forward towards me, saying nothing. Every muscle was nicely developed and his chest was devoid of hair. My gaze lowered. His blue jeans had a button fly that he hadn’t quite managed to do all the way up and where they peeled away from the bottom of his abs, it revealed the start of his very well-kept pubic hair. Also obvious was a prominent bulge that was somehow just managing to be contained inside his jeans. My eyes were doing their own thing now and I wasn’t at liberty to stop them, it was as if I had no control over them whatsoever. I followed his long legs down to the floor and then burst out laughing at what I found. Jack “the player” was wearing huge, oversized, Iron Man slippers. My eyes flew up to his.

  ‘And now she laughs at me.’ He presented me with a huge grin showing off his perfect white teeth with a prominent gap in the middle where I could just see the pink of his tongue. ‘You didn’t believe I was a Marvel fan, then?’

  ‘Not really… anyway, I’m just here to let you know that Katy said dinner was ready if you wanted some.’

  ‘Shame, I thought you’d come to see me…But, thanks… I’ll be along in a minute.’ I watched captivated as he moved his stance and leant one shoulder against the doorframe and crossed his arms over his chest. But at no time did it seem he even thought about buttoning up the rest of his fly. ‘So, tell me… if I just so happened to come along to your room when you were freshly showered, would I find Tinkerbell?’ He winked as he asked me the question.

  ‘Yes, on my thick winceyette pyjamas.’ I mentally high fived myself. ‘Don’t be long. Katy said not to be late if you want some.’

  I made myself turn away from the beautiful body that I had just devoured with my eyes and walked back to the living area, feeling more flushed than usual, and for the first time in my life I wondered exactly what was hiding beneath the three fastened buttons on those jeans.

  Stop it, Lily!

  I’m sure he wasn’t really flirting with me, I mean who in their right mind would? He must be just teasing me. He could tease me all he liked, I couldn’t and wouldn’t allow him to have any effect on me at all. After my chat with Katy, I realised that giving in to the feelings he churned up inside me, would destroy any chance I had of freedom.

  ‘Oh, I want some alright,’ he called after me, his deep voice alight with laughter.

  I dragged in a breath of surprise at his words, and moved a bit quicker out of his sight. I was unsure if he was talking about dinner or me.

  I had an idea!

  I would just have to tell him that I’m engaged. If that didn’t put him off then I wasn’t sure what would.

  The really tasty chilli that Katy had made to feed at least eight people, had been consumed by the five of us in the flat. It seemed they had a rota of jobs which I would be added onto. They had long since sussed out that Katy was the best at cooking and she said it suited her to not be the one who picked other people’s pubes off the toilet each week.

  That would probably be my job.

  I had been left in a food coma and was laid out on one of the very old but comfortable settees, with my head resting by Katy’s lap as she caught up on her social media, and my legs hung over the arm of the chair. Jack was now washing up as he danced and sung around the kitchen with his earbuds in his ears. He had finally put on a light grey T-shirt and had at last buttoned up the fly on his jeans. I fought so hard not to watch him, but while Katy was so absorbed in what she was doing I followed my new “friend” as he moved around in time to the music. He seemed to have dancing down to a T, just another thing he seemed to be good at. I watched his hips thrust a couple of times towards the sink and turned my head quickly away.

  I thought back to our meal.

  I had been briefly introduced to Colin and Gemma, the only other people who shared our flat. They had the only other twin room, and the remaining single was now empty. A good friend of Jack’s often stayed over and I had learnt that he’d occasionally slept in it, before the housing department had locked the door, and now he slept on Jack’s floor when he was in no fit state to drive home. Colin and Gemma had long since retreated to their room. Apparently, they spent the majority of their time there, or out of the flat entirely. Both Katy and Jack assured me that I wouldn’t be seeing them around much.

  While they had been nice, it had been almost impossible to keep a conversation going. We had been too captivated watching, as they had sucked, licked and stroked more of each other’s skin than I was sure ought to have been exposed at all, let alone at the dinner table. I had never seen anything pornographic before, but what I had just witnessed had made me blush and parts of me that I never even knew existed before, had sprung to life.

  God! I was trying so hard not to be a prude.

  I had tried so hard not to show how uncomfortable their overt displays of affection were making me feel, but I had struggled to eat. I didn’t want to dwell too long on why it made me feel so embarrassed. Was it my closeted upbringing, or the fact I wanted to try all those things out with the very attractive, blond-haired guy who had made it his afternoon’s entertainment to tease and, I was now convinced, flirt with me?

  Eventually, after many glances my way, Jack took pity on me.

  ‘For fucks sake, Col, have some decency not to bring that appetite to the table. Lily’s new here and you’re putting her off her food… amongst other things.’

  Everyone seated at the table had quickly looked at me and laughed. Gemma reached her hand across the table and held my forearm briefly. I had looked towards her in response.

  ‘Sorry, Lily… I forget how we are sometimes. But you know what it’s like when you’re in the “can’t keep your hands off each other” stage, don’t you?’ Gemma smiled her apology over to me.

  ‘Oh… yes, sure.’ I had answered quickly, knowing both Jack’s and Katy’s eyes were on me. Everyone got on with their meal, but Jack’s eyes didn’t leave my face. It was like I was being silently questioned. I wasn’t quite sure what answer he was looking for. I just met his look with one of my own.

  It seemed that now was my ideal moment.

  ‘Of course, I know… I’m engaged… due to be married just as soon as I get my degree.’ I smiled as I said the words, although I was sure the smile didn’t quite make its way all the way up to my e
yes. Hopefully Jack would take in the information and act accordingly.

  Katy dropping her fork and spoon didn’t help my statement. It wasn’t a lie, but I hadn’t told her as I didn’t want to mix my newly found freedom with the chains that bound me back at home. ‘You never said… when did that happen?’

  ‘Just before I came here, I’ll tell you all the details later.’ She gave me a look, but the offer of being given further information later, seemed to be enough for now to make her get on with eating her dinner. Jack, however, placed his cutlery down gently onto his plate and he pushed it forward on the table.

  ‘That’s not like you, Jack.’ Katy looked at his unfinished meal. ‘You don’t normally give up until the end.’

  ‘Oh, I ain’t given up… in fact far from it. I’m just regrouping.’ He had answered Katy, but had never taken his eyes away from mine. He pushed his chair away making the legs of the chair scream out in protest on the tiled floor. ‘I’ve just remembered there’s something I need to do… Thanks for the dinner, Katy. I’ll be back to wash up.’ He had stood and then left, taking the oppression that had so quickly filled the room with him. I had let out a sigh and continued to push the chilli around my plate.

  But now he was back in body and back once again in the forefront of my mind. How I was going to work with him a couple of times a week and share a living space with him, was completely beyond me.

  I yawned and patted down the quilt cover over my inert form. I was tired and beginning to feel cold, and as I only had on a simple vest top and shorts set to sleep in, I needed the warmth from the quilt to flood into my system. I took a quick look around the room I shared with Katy, feeling more at home in it than I thought possible. She had been so kind already. My side of the room had been decorated in a soft cream colour before I’d even arrived, even with only a couple of days’ notice, and she had hung fairy lights on the shelves over my bed. A couple of frames hung on the wall to the side of my bed, which contained quotes. One was about learning to dance in the rain and the other I had read over and over again.