Damaged: An Erotic Romance Story Read Online Free PDF Page A

Heart thudding with fear, Jess wondered if that visitor had been Nathan. Mike’s parents had lived on the same street for decades and Nathan had said they’d grown up together as children. He would know where they lived. What if Nathan had said something to Jackie? Panic rose in her, she had to know, so she dialled Jackie’s number.
    “Hey Jackie.” She forced a light tone. “I went to the grave, everything’s fine. How was your day?” Jess hoped she sounded casual enough.
    “Oh, it was really lovely dear, but upsetting too. One of Mike’s old childhood friends came over. He missed the funeral and was devastated, poor thing. I told him where Mike is buried, thought I’d let him go on his own. Such a nice chap. Thanks for going earlier. Do you want to come with me again after dinner tonight?”
    Jess looked to the ceiling. She had forgotten about dinner with Jackie and Joe this evening. She couldn’t do it – couldn’t face them. Her stomach was full of lead after hearing about Jackie’s visitor; she just wanted to avoid everyone until Nathan had left the town so she could relax again.
    “Jackie I’m sorry. Something’s come up; I’m not going to be able to make dinner. That was why I called. Rain check?”
    “That’s such a shame Jess, but never mind.” Jess dug her nails into her palms at the disappointment in Jackie’s voice. Another serving of guilt layered onto the growing pile. “I’ll call you to arrange something next week then.”
    “Yes. You do that. Lots of love to you and Joe.” Jessica realised she had hardly taken a breath for the duration of the conversation and hung up puffed out, as though she had just run a sprint.
    She screened Sophie’s call later on that night, preferring to curl up in bed and think of nothing. She knew she was being selfish; Sophie probably wanted to tell her about her date, but Jessica knew she would ask about Nathan and she didn’t want to talk about it just yet. Still wide awake at 3am, the sliver of joy she had experienced yesterday seemed long gone.
    The apartment buzzer filtered into her dream at first, but the urgency of it roused her from sleep. Bleary eyed, Jess blinked at the clock on her nightstand. Ugh, 9:30. Padding to the receiver still half-asleep, she grunted a hello.
    “Jess, I’ve been out here for ages!” Sophie’s voice, tinny through the handset. “Buzz me up!” Knowing the persistency of her best friend meant she could not avoid her forever; Jess pressed the button to unlock the door downstairs and set her front door ajar, scuffling to the kitchen to flick on the kettle.
    “Ooops!” Sophie giggled. “Did I wake you? Sorry, but you didn’t answer the phone last night and I was dying to tell you about James. We...” She stopped suddenly, sensing the atmosphere surrounding her friend. “What’s wrong?”
    Jess batted away her question with a flick of her hand. “I’ll tell you later.” She said, wanting to put it off for as long as possible. “I want to hear about your night first.”
    Sophie leaned against the counter as Jessica busied herself making coffee for them both. She was positively beaming as she spoke of how well her date had gone.
    “We just had so much to talk about.” She gushed. “He’s really funny and comfortable to be around, I could be totally myself. He doesn’t seem to be a game player, either. He’s asked to see me again tomorrow and he is an AMAZING kisser. It’s early days yet I know, but I’ve got a real good feeling about him.”
    Jess smiled at her flushed cheeks and shining eyes. “It’s nice to see you so excited.” She commented.
    “Enough about me.” Sophie blew on her hot drink.”What’s going on with you? Yesterday you seemed...a little more like your old self , and today...” She trailed off, unsure of the right phrase.
    Blowing her cheeks out to exhale aloud burst of air, Jess recounted her day.
    “Nathan is an old friend of Mike’s. He went over to Jackie’s yesterday and