"Okay, grumps." Jill headed that way. "Geez, stop being so grumpy all the time."
"Jill." Slade stopped her. "You need to get ahold of yourself. Sloan..."
"Needs to take a chill pill." Looking up at Slade, she smiled. "You are a hot-a.s.s man, you know that, Doctor Slade Buchanan. How about me and you forget about all this nonsense and"
"Now!" Damon shouted this time.
"Okay!" Jill shouted back with an irritated frown, turned and headed toward the office, but was stopped this time by Nicole and Pam who were trying not to laugh. Nicole poured more black coffee into her foam cup.
"Be careful, Jill. It"s hot," Nicole warned.
"I just want to tell you both that Damon and Duncan never once looked at one of those women. I mean they looked, but they fake looked. You two should be really nice..." she slyly gave them the most awkward wink, "to them tonight."
"Jill," Damon growled.
"Damon," Jill growled back and started walking again. "A little thanks goes a long way. I"m helping you out here, buddy."
Everyone became quiet as soon as Jill walked into the room, except for Sloan who was on the phone. Seeing Steve and Adam against the wall, she raised her cup of coffee to them with a goofy grin, then headed their way, squeezing herself between them. Raising the cup to her lips as if hiding what she was saying, she whispered, "What did I miss?"
"Are you drunk?" Adam frowned down at her.
Jill huffed. "No." She held up her cup. "Coffee."
"She"s s.h.i.tfaced," Steve laughed.
Sloan hung up the phone, his eyes going straight to Jill. Okay, that sobered her up a little and actually worked better than the nasty non-sugared coffee she was drinking. He continued to stare at her to the point where Steve started sliding away from her.
"Do you want to explain what the f.u.c.k that was all about?" Sloan didn"t yell; he didn"t growl; he just asked the question with a calm, cool demeanor that scared the s.h.i.t out of her.
Jill opened her mouth to answer, and then slammed it shut. Looking away, she tried to make the words she wanted to say form in her head so she could answer the question with her numb lips. Looking back, she opened her mouth again and everyone in the room watched in antic.i.p.ation of what she was going to say. "Ah, which part?" finally came out of her mouth.
"Which part?" Sloan sat back, his stare becoming more intense.
"Yeah, which part?" Jill took a step forward, but when the floor shifted suddenly, she retreated to the wall. She felt herself sliding toward the left, but Adam used his arm to slowly slide her back up. "Why do you always answer a question with a question?"
"What the f.u.c.k you doing?" Steve whispered, pushing away from the wall, bending his head to her as he looked at the ground. "Shut the f.u.c.k up, Jill."
Anger hit Jill right in the gut, swishing around with the nausea she was feeling, and it wasn"t a great combination. "No, I won"t shut the f.u.c.k up." This time when she pushed herself away from the wall, she walked slowly with concentration to the front of Sloan"s desk.
"Jill." Sid actually tried to stop her, but she jerked her arm away. "Sloan, can we do this when she"s sober."
"I"m not drunk. I"m just a little fuzzy." She grinned at the word again, but then turned serious. "I did what I felt was right. If it was one of your Warriors with a c.o.c.k"
Groans sounded throughout the room. "Here we go again," Sid sighed, but had the biggest grin on his face.
"We wouldn"t be having this conversation. Would we? No, I don"t believe we would. Believe it or not, Sloan, I can make snap decisions without a c.o.c.k. Amazing, I know, but I can." Jill saw George"s crumpled business card on Sloan"s desk and went to pick it up, but it flew out of her hand and landed at Duncan"s feet. He picked it up and handed it to her. She tried to straighten it out with one hand since her coffee was in the other. Giving up, she held it out, crumpled, toward Sloan. "This could possibly lead to information we need. I took a chance. I have a brain and I use it daily. I didn"t put anyone in immediate danger." She tossed the card on his desk when he didn"t take it.
"You broke protocol." Sloan eyed her, but a light of respect gleamed in his eyes.
Jill tilted her head, looking at Sloan "I"ve come to know all these guys." She threw her hand out with the coffee cup, moving it around to all the guys as Warriors jumped out of the way when the hot liquid flew everywhere. "And I bet...this...ah...this...cup of nasty-a.s.s coffee, they"ve all broken protocol. Sometimes it may work out and sometimes it may not, but again...I bet this nasty-a.s.s coffee that George Groper will come through for us."
"And what makes you so sure of that?" Sloan"s calm was making her a bit nervous.
"Because I saw his fear." Jill put the coffee down on his desk, then looked at her hand, which had started to hurt, small little blisters had formed. She looked away from it to Sloan, not looking drunk at all, but like someone who knew exactly what she was talking about. "I know that fear. I know that feeling of being stuck in something and there is no way out. You will do anything, and I mean anything, to feel safe again. I saw that in his eyes. I felt it in my gut."
No one said a word, nothing. Not even Sloan.
"I trust my instincts. They"ve gotten me through a lot in my life." Jill blew on her hand. "And instead of yelling at me, which is fine when I really screw up and I will really screw up, just trust me on this one. I don"t need swats of congratulations on my a.s.s like you guys do"
"That"s football," Jared added with a horrified expression. "Warriors do not swat the a.s.ses of other Warriors."
"Whatever." Jill frowned at Jared for interrupting her. "If I"m wrong, you all can stand here and scream or whatever at me, but I know I"m not wrong on this."
G.o.d, she was going to puke, or at least thought she was. It was so back and forth like a friggin" war going on in her stomach. Wishing to h.e.l.l the room would stand still, she took another deep breath, but she had one more thing to say.
"And I swear I will never drink during a job again." Jill groaned when the room tilted. "But I was scared and it helped relax me."
"Jill, none of the Warriors would have let anything happen to you." Sloan sighed, "You need to trust that they have your back."
Jill tilted her head, but wished she hadn"t. "No, you"re wrong. I was afraid to let you guys down. I wasn"t afraid of what would happen to me because I knew none of you would let anything happen to me." Jill smiled with a shrug. "The last two tiny drinks, which I think are the ones that made me fuzzy, were because the girls wanted to celebrate my first night. I"ve never had that before, so I did, but it will never happened again because I really don"t like the feeling I"m having now."
A few chuckles filled the room. Sloan looked toward Slade. "Slade, take her to her room"
"No," Jill interrupted, picking up her coffee carefully. "I"m kind of upset at anyone with a c.o.c.k right now. I"d rather go on my own if you"re finished."
Sloan"s lip twitched. "I"m finished, for now."
Jill nodded as she turned, but the floor swayed. "Steve, you got a minute?"
Frowning, Steve glanced down at his lower body and pointed. "Really?" When Jill looked up at him with pleading eyes, he just threw up his hands. "Ah, f.u.c.k it." Rolling his eyes, he hurried to her, wrapping his arm around her waist. He made sure to glance at Slade who nodded his okay.
"Will you please take my coffee? I burnt myself already." She kept her head lowered, looking at the floor as he led her to the door. "And I"m sorry. I know you have a c.o.c.k, but"
"Jill don"t sweat it. Just please stop saying c.o.c.k or referring to mine. It makes me really uncomfortable and I don"t want Slade killing me." Steve helped her out the door, down the hall and to her room.
Once inside, Jill managed to make it to her bed falling face first into her pillow. "I"m such an idiot," she cried, and then sat up. "And I think I"m going to puke."
Steve sighed, "You"re not an idiot. I"m actually proud of you for standing up to Sloan."
"Did I even make sense?" Jill wiped a tear from her cheek.
"Surprisingly, you made perfect sense." Steve laughed, sitting down next to her. "A drunk Jill is a funny Jill with much insight."
"I know I give you s.h.i.t, but you know I love you, don"t you?" Jill leaned over, putting her head on his shoulder. "I really do, Steve, and I"m not just saying that because I"m drunk."
"We"re family, Jill. That"s what we do, and since you"re getting all sappy and s.h.i.t, guess I will too." Steve leaned his head against hers. "I love you, too, drunkie."
Jill laughed, which quickly turned into a groan. "I"m glad you feel that way because I think I"m going to be sick." Jill raised her head quickly. "And I hate to puke alone."
Steve helped her up and to the bathroom. "Well, I don"t know if I love you that much, Jill." When she heaved into the toilet, Steve gagged. "Then again, maybe I do. d.a.m.n, what the h.e.l.l did you eat?"
Slade watched Steve walk Jill out the door, wanting to follow, but decided it was better to give her a minute. He was so f.u.c.king proud of her drunk a.s.s. He knew at that moment he had found the one. She was definitely the one.
"So what are your thoughts about what happened tonight?" Sloan asked everyone and anyone in the room.
"h.e.l.l, Sloan, we"ve all broken protocol." Duncan was surprisingly the first to speak. "It"s not done out of disrespect to anyone in this room."
"Well, I"m d.a.m.n proud of her." Sid beamed with a satisfied smile of his own. "She"s got more guts than a lot of men I know, and she"s right. George Groper might be the break we need. She saw something and went for it. Every one of us, you included, Sloan, have done the same."
Sloan nodded. "I"ll talk to her more tomorrow and we will try to make contact with this George."
"Sounds like a plan," Jared nodded. "Now, can we go so I can see my woman?"
"Get the f.u.c.k out of here," Sloan growled. "You guys are so p.u.s.s.y-whipped it makes me sick."
"One of these days, Sloan, we are going to be saying the same about you," Sid warned with a laugh. "And I cannot wait for that f.u.c.king day."
"You"ll be waiting a long time, a.s.shole," Sloan sneered. "Now get your a.s.s out of my office."
"I"ve got forever," Sid laughed as he followed Jared out.
Sloan looked at Slade. "What?"
"She made a good decision," Slade replied, turned and walked out the door.
"Hey, let us know if she needs anything," Sid called out, grabbing Lana who waited for him to come out of Sloan"s office.
"Thanks." Slade hurried up the steps and down the hall to Jill"s room. Opening the door, he walked in and heard Jill and Steve talking from the bathroom.
"G.o.d, I hate to puke, but it feels good afterwards." Jill"s groan was miserable.
"Well, Jill, I have to honestly say I hate when you puke, too." Steve made a gagging noise. "You are a dramatic puker."
"What the h.e.l.l is a dramatic puker?" Jill snorted. "You just puke."
Slade leaned against the wall outside the bathroom door, listening to their conversation, a small grin playing against his lips.
"No, there"s different pukers. You got your heavers, your spitters, your gaggers and then there"s you, the dramatic puker; all three put together." Steve sounded proud of his observation.
"You know when I said I loved you?" Jill moaned.
"Yeah." Steve"s voice held a hint of pride.
"I lied," Jill stated as they both laughed, but then Jill groaned with a heave.
"Oh, G.o.d, not again," Steve cried out. "How much did you drink?"
The sound of Jill vomiting made Slade move. Opening the bathroom door, he saw Steve holding Jill"s forehead as she vomited in the toilet.
"Thank G.o.d." Steve sighed in relief seeing Slade. He stepped out of the way, but still held Jill"s forehead.
"Thanks, Steve." Slade took his place. "I"ve got it."
"No problem." Steve reached down, squeezing Jill"s shoulder. "I"ll check on you later."
Jill nodded, then heaved again. Slade grabbed a washcloth with his free hand and wet it with cold water. Laying it across the back of her neck, he rubbed her back as she continued to dry heave. Jill reached for the washcloth bringing it around to her face as she sat back on the floor.
"Better?" Slade knelt in front of her. The bathroom was so small; he had to wedge himself between the toilet and wall.
"No." Jill wiped her face, and then rubbed the washcloth across her teeth. Turning on her knees, she curled up and lay on the floor, placing her cheek against the cold tile. "I know this is gross, but it feels so good."
Spotting the small red blisters on her hand, he picked it up to take a closer look.
"I burnt myself with the coffee." Her voice cracked, "I"m sorry, Slade. I didn"t mean to embarra.s.s you. I will never ever drink again. This seriously sucks."
Slade kissed her hand and ran his tongue over the blisters to hurry the healing. "You could never embarra.s.s me, Jill." He reached up and turned the shower on. "p.i.s.s me off maybe, but never embarra.s.s me."
"Really?" Jill squinted up at him from the floor.
"Yeah, really." He helped her sit up. "You think you can stand?"
"I feel a lot better." She replied, keeping her eyes closed. "I want to brush my teeth." She frowned, letting him help her stand. He moved her in front of the sink and stood behind her as she brushed. He took off his shirt, then his black combat pants.
Jill"s bloodshot eyes watched him in the mirror.
Slade laughed at the question in her gaze. "I"m going to help you shower, nothing else." Slade turned her, pulled her shirt off and frowned at the stripper outfit she still wore. Even though she looked f.u.c.king hot, he couldn"t shake the thought of her lap dancing for another man. It was enough to make him crazy with rage, but he forced himself to remain calm. She didn"t need that; plus, he knew why she had done it.
"Wait a minute," Jill hissed when he tried to remove the skimpy top. "They had to tape it cause I kept falling out of it."
Slade found the tape and gently removed each strip, not wanting to hurt her. While he was doing that, she had already toed her pants off, leaving only her white boy shorts. He hooked his thumbs in and pulled them down where she could kick them off herself. Wrapping his arm around her, he tested the water before helping Jill in. He steadied her as she leaned her head back, letting the water wash over her face.
Her moans of pleasure made him hard; there was no hiding it. He knew it was a healthy reaction, but he didn"t want Jill to think he was a pervert trying to take advantage while she was sick, so he moved his lower half away from her. Handing her the soap, he figured it was best she cleaned herself. The thought of his hands sliding over her slick body was too much to ask of him and his control.
He kept one hand on her waist. The other gripped the wall to keep it off her body as his eyes watched her soapy hands run over her body. His eyes lifted to hers. She was watching him watch her. His hiss echoed in the room when she reached out with her slick hand, grasping him.
"No," he hissed again when she squeezed. "You"re"
"Fine now." Jill"s eyes pleaded. "I need you, Slade. My emotions are all over the place, but I know I need you like I never have before."
Slade reached out, cupping her face. "Not as much as I need you, Jillian." He leaned in and their mouths touched with a tenderness Slade had never experienced with a woman. He had never actually made love to a woman; f.u.c.k women, yes, but as he picked Jill up, he knew he would be making love for the first time in his life to a woman who held his soul in the palm of her hand.
Chapter 20.