Alluring (10 page)

Jack stopped and turned to her.  "Why the hell not?"

"People will know you."

He grinned.  "I know.  We'll get better service."

"I meant, I don't want people to know we're together."

"Sweetheart, I'm gonna be so stuck to you, there is no way people cannot know we're together."

Alexis sighed, giving up, in the face of needing coffee, STAT.

She felt all eyes on them as they entered the coffee shop.  She knew not everyone knew who Jack was (as the diners were probably patrons of the hotel), but Jack, just being Jack, in all his masculine glory could make people stare.

Jack walked up the hostess, wrapped his arm around Alexis's waist and pulled her close.  "We want a booth."

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Cole, but none are available at the moment."  And she did sound sorry.

"We don't mind waiting, but we need coffee, one black and one with cream and sugar."  Jack led Alexis to two empty seats in the waiting area. 

The hostess returned with two steaming mugs of coffee, and Jack handed Alexis the one with cream and sugar. 

Alexis took a grateful sip.  "How did you know how I take my coffee?"

"Lucky guess," he said, taking a sip of his own coffee.

"No really, I want to know."

"Honestly, it was a guess.  I figured you're so sweet, you drink sweet coffee."

Alexis laughed, "That's your corniest line yet."

"Sweetheart, that wasn't a line."

"Whatever," Alexis said, giggling into her coffee.

They were shown to a booth, Alexis slid in with Jack sliding in right after her.  She kept scooting and he kept following.

Finally, she stopped, giving him a glare.  "Did you ask for a booth so you could plaster yourself to my side?" she asked.

"Yes."  He opened a menu and handed it to her. 

After a few minutes debate, she put the menu down and reached for her coffee.

"Decide what you want?"  he asked.

"Eggs Benedict with extra hollandaise sauce."  He was smiling at her again.  "What?"

"I like that you're not afraid to eat real food."  He leaned over and whispered in her ear.  "It gives you those fantastic curves."

"Are you saying I'm fat?"  She asked, teasingly.

Jack just growled in her ear, making her giggle.

Jack had a hold of her hand again as they walked out of the coffee shop.  She realized, he liked touching her, and honestly, she liked being touched by him.  He obviously didn't need to pay a bill, but he did leave a large tip on their table, which she thought was nice. 

He guided her through the lobby, out a set of doors that led to the area where he parked his car, and stopped when they got alongside his SUV.  "So what do you want to do next?"

"I have to go home.  Sunday is the day I do my errands.  I don't have time during the week, to get anything done."

Jack nodded his head, opened her door and told her to climb in.  They were under way, when Jack asked, "What errands do you need to run?"

Without thinking, Alexis said, "I need to get groceries and my dry cleaning, then clean my apartment, and do some laundry."  She didn't say anything else until they were pulling up to a supermarket by her place.  "What are you doing?"

"
We're
grocery shopping."

"What?  No.  Take me home, Jack.  This is a total waste of your time."

He pulled into a parking spot before turning to her.  "Any time spent with you, is never a waste of my time.  Now, we're going to the market then picking up your dry cleaning.  Then I'm taking you home, you will not be cleaning your apartment, and I might let you do your laundry, so long as you don't have to lug that shit anywhere.  If you do, I'll call a service, and they'll come pick it up on Monday."

"I have stackables."

"Stackables?"

"It's a washer and dryer stacked on top of each other.  They're inside my apartment."

"Fine you can do your laundry.  And while you're doing it, we'll watch a movie, so let's not forget to buy popcorn."

He was out of the truck and opening her door before she had a chance to finish processing this latest development.  "You're really bossy, you know that," she said, taking his hand and jumping out of the SUV.

He gave her his devastating grin, kissed the back of her hand, then walked her into the store all without saying a word.

* * * * *

A few hours later, the credits scrolled down the TV screen, as the movie they finally decided on (she wanted to watch a romantic comedy, he wanted to watch an action movie, they settled on a romantic adventure), came to an end.  An empty popcorn bowl sat on the coffee table.  Jack was stretched out on the couch, and Alexis laid mostly on Jack.  He breathed in the sweet fragrance of her hair while drawing light circles on her back with the tip of his finger.  He noticed the goose bumps that erupted on her arm and smiled to himself.

He heard her sigh.  "Are you tired?"

"I'm always tried," she mumbled against his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her firmly, preparing, before he said, "I want you to quit your night job."  He felt her body grow tight, but she wasn't struggling, yet.

"Why would you want that?"

"I don't like that you work so much.  I don't like that you're always tired.  And, if I'm being completely honest, which I will always be with you, I don't like that you have so little time for me."

"I can't pay the bills if I quit my job, Jack."

He tightened his hold on her, before saying, "I can help."  And there it was.  The struggling started.  She pushed up from his chest, but he had a good hold on her waist and he wasn't letting go.

"Are you insane?"  She asked, her voice raised to just under a yell.  "We've know each other for about a minute.  I'm not giving up my job, become dependent on you for money.  What happens when you're done with this?  Become bored and move on.  Where does that leave me?  I'll tell you.  Without a job and no way to pay my bills."

He had a long way to go still before she would trust him.   For the first time in his life, he rued his reputation.  He wished that she could read his thoughts and know that she was
it
for him.  From that first moment he held her in his arms and felt the need to protect and cherish.  The jolt, he had felt in his chest, as he gazed upon her beauty was so strong it felt like a physical blow.  And even now, even with her anger, he felt blessed having her in his arms. 

He would get her there, even if it took a lifetime.  He would prove it to her, every damn day, until she was so filled up there would be no room for doubt.

"Okay, sweetheart, It's just something I want you to think about.  It would mean a lot to me, and when the day comes that I mean a lot to you, I'm hoping you'll give this to me."

* * * * * 

God.  The things he said, could bring a girl to her knees.  How could someone be so bossy, yet so sweet at the same time?  He made it impossible to stay mad at him.  He also made it impossible for her to ever quit her job.  For if she did, that would be admitting that he meant something to her.  And she didn't know if she would ever be ready to admit that.

Best to just keep things light.  They would enjoy each other's company and have some fun.  Then in a few weeks or a month when he walked away, he wouldn't be taking her heart with him.  It sounded like a solid plan.  Now if she could just get her heart, to go along with it.

CHAPTER NINE

"Is a blindfold really necessary?"  Alexis asked, as Jack secured one of his ties around her head after stepping out of the elevator and into his foyer.  Jack had asked her to dinner, the following night, at his place, and she'd said yes, knowing that they wouldn't see each other for the rest of the week.

"Yes.  You'll need to walk by the kitchen to get to the dining room, and I don't want you to see the mess I've made until after you've eaten.  I don't want you to lose your appetite."

Alexis giggled as he led her to a chair, sat her down, and removed the blindfold.  She blinked as beautifully set table came into focus.  A large bouquet of wildflowers was displayed in a clear, crystal vase at one end of the table along with two place settings across from each other. 

Jack picked up a bottle of wine and filled their glasses before disappearing then reappearing, a moment later, with two salads.

"When you invited me over for dinner, I didn't realize you'd be cooking the meal yourself."  She took a bite of her salad, baby spinach with feta cheese and hot bacon dressing, delicious.

"Mom insisted I learn to cook growing up.  I don't do it often, hence the mess in the kitchen, but I do know how."

Alexis's ears perked up.  He'd never mentioned his parents before.  "Did you grow up here?"

"For the most part.  I went away for college, though.  Texas State."

"Ah, that explains the Cowboys jersey."

Jack eyed her across the table.  "You remember that?"

She shrugged in an act of nonchalance.

He gave her a slow, knowing smile.

She decided to change the subject.  "So where are your parents now?"

"Last I heard they were in the South of France."

"Must be nice, being able to travel like that."

She was busy hunting around in her salad for more feta cheese so didn't see the look on his face when he replied, "I'd take you anywhere you wanted to go."  If she had seen it, he would have been one step closer to filling her up.

She lifted her head and smiled at him.  "I've never been out of Nevada.  My sister goes to UC San Diego, but I've never visited her."  She took a sip of her wine feeling melancholy.  "I haven't seen her in two years."

"We'll have to rectify that."

Alexis didn't argue with him.  The thought of seeing her sister was too tempting.

Jack left and came back again with the main course.  "The plate's hot from warming in the oven.  Be careful,"  he said, setting the plate in front of her.

"Baked halibut, long grain rice, green beans with extra butter, and a side of tarter sauce, because I know how much you like your condiments and sauces."  He gave her a wink then started eating.

Alexis took a bite of her fish.  The meat was moist and flaky.  She sampled the rest of the meal, rice well seasoned, green beans dripping in butter, all of it delicious.  Jack could cook. 

"So tell me more about growing up as Jackson Cole.  Did you always live in a hotel?"

Jack chuckled.  "No.  My parents have a house a few miles from here.  I grew up there.  I had a pretty normal childhood, went to school, played with friends, boys when I was younger, girls as I got older."  He gave her an eyebrow wiggle, and Alexis smiled back at him.  "Like I said, went away for college, came back here, and took over, running the hotel so dad could retire and enjoy the money he made.  And, that's basically it besides a few indiscretions along the way, that I won't be telling you about but know, they didn't land me in jail."  He picked up his wineglass before leaning back in his chair while giving her a wicked smile and a wink.

Alexis studied him.  He was elegant and dignified yet straightforward and modest.  Commanding, forceful, and aggressive but at the same time thoughtful, generous and kind.  Strikingly handsome but not arrogant.  His very presence filled a room.  He was irresistible, and she, even with all her doubts, was unable to resist.  Was discovering, she didn't want to resist.  At least not for now.

The kitchen wasn't as bad as she envisioned, but it wasn't something she would want to clean up either.  After refilling their wineglasses, Jack picked them up and carried them into the living room.  He set them on the coffee table then sat himself on the couch.

"Come here,"  he said, his voice gruff.

Alexis went to sit beside him.

"No.  Straddle my lap."

He had his feet up on the coffee table.  She put her hands on his shoulders and her knees on either side of his hips before sitting on his lap. 

He brought his hands to her ass, holding her in place.  "I've been thinking about this moment all day.  The thought of kissing you drives me wild."

God, his voice was sexy when he talked in that
tone
.  She felt her breathing pickup.  "It does?"  she whispered.

"Yes," he said on a sigh.  "Do you trust me?"  He shook his head when she started to speak.  "Not, with your heart, with your body.  Do you trust that I would never do anything to hurt you?  That I would never force you to do something that you weren't ready to do?"

"Yes," she said, with conviction.

"Okay.  I'm going to kiss you and touch you.  But, I also want to see you.  All of you.  I will not be taking your virginity tonight.  Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"If, at any time, you want me to slow down or stop, all you have to do is tell me, and I will listen.  Okay?"