Desire: Love and Passion (8 page)

             
“Somewhat,” he said. “I dread having to explain that bit of my past to my children, especially if I have a daughter.”

             
“Two words,” Willow said. “Young and stupid.”

      "That is true" He skewered a shrimp. "But, that
’
s history.  Let us talk about something more interesting.”

"Like what?"

             
"You."

             
Willow almost choked on her clam.

             
"I thought we agreed not to -."

             
"We agreed not to talk about Sunday. At least parts of it," James said. "That doesn
’
t mean we can't talk about you."

             
"Okay, what do you want to know?"

             
"Are you seeing anyone, even occasionally?"

             
"No."

             
"Why not?"

             
"Is the answer important?" 

             
"Sure, I don't want to make his mistake."

             
"What makes you think he made a mistake?" Willow asked. "If it was even a man."

             
"You're a beautiful young woman with great fashion taste. You are intelligent. These are u
ndeniably
desirable qualities. So, what did he or she do?"

             
"We were the wrong fit."

             
"So
is it
he or she?" James asked. 

She gave him a playful look. 

             
“It was a man.”

             
“How long ago?”

             
“Seven months or so."

             
“And you haven’t been seeing anyone since.”

             
“I haven’t had the time,” she admitted. “But, enough about me. How about you? Are you seeing anyone?”

             
“This is our third date so I would say yes.”

             
“Not a date,” she said. “We
’
re neighbors having dinner. Any news on my car."

             
"I
’
m working on it. You know, I can always arrange to have Giles or another employee take you wherever you need to go."

             
"Thank you, but I sort of love driving. Besides, I might get used being chauffeured then what would happen after?"

             
"I
’
m certain we can come to some
sort of
arrangement."

             
"I don't want to intimidate my dates."

             
"I wouldn
’
t feel intimidated. I
’
m used to it."

             
“Okay, it
’
s apparent you
’
re going to dance around Sunday, so let’s get it out in the open,” she placed her utensils down and turned to look at him. “I find you extremely attractive. You have broad shoulders and an excellent physique. I could see that from your clothes. Beyond your scar, your face is symmetrical as is the rest of your body. I am attracted to you simply because you represent a fine specimen for procreation. And I am certain you know this from your litany of lovers.”

             
“Wow,” he said. “Why do I find you attractive?”

             
They were now looking at each other, the dinner forgotten.

             
“You just said you wanted kids
and
, I
’
m of perfect child bearing age. I have the appropriate ratio that tells you I could bear your children. Obviously you also find my external features appealing enough to engorge your boneless organ. It
’
s all anthropology.”

He gave a long hearty laugh. 

             
“I thought you were a photographer, not an anthropologist.”

             
“I am a woman of many talents,” she said.

             
“When you say something like that, I
’
m not thinking childbearing,” he said. “What I
am
thinking may lead to childbearing, but childbearing is nowhere in my mind."

             
“Let’s not complicate being neighbors,” she said.

             
“I think you have me all wrong,” James said.

             
“What do you mean?”

             
“You
’
re thinking I just want to have sex with you and that
’
s it.  It
’
s more than that. I like talking to you. And you
’
ve been, so far, quite candid and modern in your views on sexuality. I think taking the subtle approach would be rather i
nsulting.
And yes, you have, since we
’
ve met engorged my boneless organ."

It was her t
urn to laugh.
The words falling
from
his lips were comical.

             
“So no wining, dining and romancing then?” 

             
“The dining we have down,” he said. “Forget about the wine, I would hate to think whatever happen between us was due to a Chardonnay rather than good old fashion chemistry.  As for the romancing, there will be plenty of that.”

             
“So this is how the magic of James Monroe happens?”

             
“The invitation is usually the other way round,” he said.  

             
“I see.”

             
“I
’
m thirty seven years old,” he said. “I haven’t felt this comfortable or this attracted to anyone in a long time. Four days is a drop in the bucket, but it does
n’
t feel like we only met four days ago. So let’s get to know each other exclusive of other people and see what happens. And if Sunday evening was any indication of your feelings, then we should give it a shot.”

             
“I think dating you will be complicated,” Willow said. “I don’t like complications
, remember?
”

             
“Why complicated?”

             
“Come on,” she said. “You’
re in the paper every other day.
I’
m
a very private person and you’
re a public figure. That’s like oil and water.”

             
“We can be private,” he said.

             
“Let me think about it,” she said.

             
“Okay,” he said simply.

             
They went back to their meal, some of the skewered portions now severely overcooked.

             
“Why did you decide to become a photographer?”
h
e
asked
chang
ing
the subject.

             
“It was my passion.”

             
“I think you could have done quite well on the other side of the camera. I noticed that when
I
was checking out your childbearing potential."

She laughed again. He loved the sound of her voice.

             
“Modeling for me is the same as being the monarch for you. It was never my destiny."

"So
you
tried modeling?"

"No
, not really.
Being on the other side of the camera made it quite clear where I belonged."

             
They finish
ed dinner a few minutes later.
This time James piled everything into the sink without a second thought of going beyond that.

             
"Let me show you around," he said.

             
The house was huge.
The structures she had seen the first day and thought were apa
rtments were indeed just that.
His immediate and personal staff resided in the apartments to the left of what
she styled as the main house.
Between the apartments and the main
house were recreational rooms.
One recreational room housed a
n Olympic sized swimming pool.
Another was setup as a pub, complete with
a pool table and dart boards.
The third one and the one closest to the main house was a small movie theatre.

             
The doors to the right as she had entered the house led to his home office, a basement
,
and to guest quarters.  The guest quarters were similar to the employee ap
artments in amount and design.
They added symmetry to the house. Upstairs w
as the bulk of the main house.
It had an elaborate master’s bedroom and bathroom complete with two
mammoth
walk-in closets. One of the closets was
completely
empty. There were five additional bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs
,
as well.

             
“You must get lonely in here,” she said as they ventured back downstairs.

             
“There’s always someone around. Besides, I get out here to get away from everything else.” 

             
“I didn
’
t say alone,” she turned to look at him as they stopped at the top o
f the stairs.  “I said lonely.
You know when all the employees are off to their beds and you
’
re alone in all of this.”

             
“That doesn
’
t happen often. This is
a
sanctuary. As I told on you on Sunday, you are the first outsider
who’s
ever been here.”

             
“You didn
’
t have to invite me.”

             
“I know.
I really wanted to, though.
”

             
She turned to walk away, he
gently
caught her hand. He turned her so she was looking at him.

             
James watched
as
her eyes move
d
over his, then down his face
where they
settled on his
lips.
She licked her own lips involuntarily and he chuckled.

             
"What?"

             
"I may need to beg your forgiveness again," he said before his lips touched hers.

             
Her lips parted. The hand holding hers let go and move to her waist, the other hand reached up behind her head. Though they were almost the same height, he took pleasure in tilting her head back. It gave him greater access to explore her sensuous mouth. Her hands were on his waist. She wasn't pushing him away.

             
A moan escaped her lips as he tilted her head back even further and trailed a path down her neck. Her scent was familiar and teased images that he couldn
’
t quite place.

             
He broke the kiss and looked at her. She was looking at him, her eyes heavy with emotions. There was no scorn. His scar was not veiled behind make up. The damaged piece of flesh that had
caused
so many other
s to
turn away did not seem to bother her.

             
“I want you,” he said.

             
She did not respond immediately.

             
His lips brushed against hers lightly.

             
“I could break all the rules for you,” he whispered.

             
"Let's not do that," she said

             
"Somehow I don't think you
’
d protest much if I did
,
"
he said wryly.

             
"Are you implying that I don't have my rules?"