Picture Me Naked (Stoddard Art School Series)

by Lisa A. Olech

  “Good.” Zee smiled. “I’m done with rain.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Leaving the restaurant, Jagger followed her home. He’d been unbelievably kind and concerned.

  They’d met the owner of the parts store, Steve, who proudly showed them pictures of his new son. Jagger told him how helpful his niece had been the last time he’d been in the shop, and Steve gave them a nice deal on the part, too. Jagger refused to let her pay.

  Back at the school, he had the cable changed in no time.

  They’d had a great lunch at the Barking Beagle, eating juicy, fat burgers and a mountain of crisp french fries. Jagger’s easy laughter had chased all the Ed storm clouds away like a lovely breeze. He’d turned her day around, and she didn’t want it to end.

  “I never did give you back your shirt after everything that happened this morning.”

  “You have a way of distracting me.” Jagger held her door for her.

  “If you want to follow me back, I could run up and get it for you. Or, I could offer you a cup of coffee. It’s the least I can do. You’ve been amazing today.”

  He gave her a brilliant smile that had her smiling back. “It is rumored that your coffee is legendary.”

  “I’ve heard that rumor.”

  ****

  Zee kept glancing in the rearview mirror, thinking over the day. Thinking about everything Jagger had said and done. It would be so easy to fall for him. Her pulse did a little skid every time he flashed that crooked, devilish grin. Was he too good to be true? He was only asking for three months, and he promised to take things easy. Just three months. No strings?

  He’d been a complete gentleman. What was she afraid of? The man hadn’t even tried to kiss her yet. But he did say he’d been thinking about it.

  Zee flipped on the lights in her apartment. “I’ll put on the water. Unfortunately, my fabulous coffee is un-fabulous instant. I could offer you tea if you’d rather. Or, I have wine.”

  “Wine would be great.” Jagger’s back was to her. He was looking at some of her artwork hanging on the walls. He had such wide shoulders. Slim hips, and a back end that…well, she’d had dreams about that. Undressing him with her mind was totally involuntary. He shot her a glance over one of those wide shoulders and smiled. Wine. Wasn’t I getting wine?

  “I’ll be right back. Relax. Make yourself comfortable.” Zee tossed her jacket on the side chair and went through the swinging door into the kitchen. Why was she getting so worked up? How much trouble could she get in with one glass of wine?

  Zee twisted the black plastic spigot on the front of the box. She hoped one of Jagger’s many talents wasn’t a taste for fine wines. Maybe she should start keeping some decent Sauvignon Blanc in the fridge. She grabbed two squares of paper towel and carefully folded them both in half and in half again. She made a mental note to get napkins. Cloth ones might be nice. Navy blue. Wait a minute. Why was she making such a fuss over a glass of wine? She was being ridiculous. Zee crumpled up the paper towels and threw them on the counter.

  She snatched up the glasses and backed through the kitchen door. Zee swept into the other room and nearly dropped both drinks onto the carpet.

  OH. MY. GOD! “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  “You told me to get comfortable.”

  “I didn’t tell you to get naked!” Zee sputtered.

  He lay buck-assed and stretched out on her couch like an all-you-can-eat Australian buffet.

  “This is how I relax. It’s not a big deal.” He stood up. All six feet of naked Jagger. He held his hands away from his body. “You’ve seen me in my all-together before. Lots of times.”

  “It doesn’t count if I’m holding a paintbrush! It’s a different story in my living room!” Zee caught herself staring and turned her back to him.

  He chuckled behind her. “What difference does that make?”

  “I can’t talk to you when you’re naked.”

  He moved closer. His voice was low and seductive. “Might be easier if you got naked, too.”

  Zee jaw dropped and she shot him a look over her shoulder. “Is this your idea of taking things easy? You’re crazy. I’m not having sex with you!”

  “Did I say anything about having sex?” His hand ran over her shoulder and down one arm. “Although, I bet we’d be bloody great at it.” Zee felt his warm breath on her neck. “I told you I’d try to change your mind.”

  “Put your pants on!”

  Jagger raised his hands in surrender. “What if I just want to kiss you? No sex. Just one kiss.”

  “I don’t kiss naked men in my living room.” Even as the words left her mouth, she knew she sounded nuts.

  “Never?”

  “No, I mean…” She took a steadying breath. “Fine. If you put your pants back on, you can kiss me.” This was insane! “Then you have to leave.”

  “Deal.”

  Zee heard him moving and peeked over her shoulder. His back was to her again. This time she didn’t have to undress him in her mind. He was already there. He slipped worn, ragged jeans over the luscious firmness of his bare behind. When he turned around, she saw he hadn’t buttoned his top button. Her breath caught. How was it possible he looked sexier in his pants?

  “Better?”

  No. “Yes. Much better.” Zee faced him again.

  “The things I’ll do for a kiss.” His gaze dropped. “You have the best mouth.” He ran a fingertip over his own lip.

  Zee sucked in a breath. One kiss. Just one kiss and she could get him out of her apartment and this could be over. Her heart tried to pound its way out of her chest. He was probably one of those “pin you against the wall and shove his tongue down your throat while you drown in spit” kissers.

  “I’ve wanted to kiss you since I first met you.” He moved close. He hadn’t put his shirt on. She could feel the heat coming off his skin. “Is that my wine?”

  “Oh.” She looked down at her hands suddenly aware she still held the two glasses. “Yes.” She handed one to him. He took a large swallow then placed his glass on the side table.

  “So, I have my pants back on. Is it safe now?” He didn’t wait for her to answer but closed the distance between them. Her stomach did another quick jump. She’d tried to deny her attraction to him, but it was no use. She was in the deep end of the pool with no flotation device. He was outrageous, inappropriate, and…and kind, generous, funny…beautiful. All rational thought ended. Zee’s breath raced. He had this way of looking at her that made her want to reach out and slide her arms around his neck and press against the strength of his chest.

  Zee gave herself a mental shove. This was crazy. Let him drown her in an awkward, sloppy kiss so she could be done with this.

  Jagger didn’t try to pin her to the wall. He didn’t even reach out to her at first, but looked down at her mouth and smiled. He brushed her cheek with the back of one finger. Running his fingertip along the line of her jaw, he stopped to tip her chin up. His eyes locked with hers before he lowered his gaze back to her mouth. His lips parted and Zee smelled the sweetness of the wine upon his breath as he lowered his mouth to hers.

  Zee stopped breathing as his lips swept over hers. A single, featherlight caress. A small, tender kiss. His lips sipped upon hers. She sighed against the whispering touch. Their breath waltzed as he slanted his head and moved the softness of his lips to hers once more. The very tip of his tongue traced the edge of her lip before he teased her mouth again. She whimpered.

  The thin space between their bodies sparked with white heat. Zee’s blood pounded through her body. She wanted to pin him against the wall and shove her tongue down his throat.

  Then the kiss ended and he took a step back. No. Don’t stop. Her lips hungered for more and tried to follow. She realized half a second too late that the kiss was over. She opened her eyes and found him grinning at her.

  “Just imagine what I can do with my pants off,” he said in less than a whisper. Jagger picked up and drained his
glass. He gathered the rest of his things. “Have a good night, Zee. Thanks for the wine.”

  Zee watched him leave. She stood there stunned, trying to still her heart and the mad rush of her thoughts. She could still feel his lips on hers.

  Looking down, she held her glass of wine. Her initial instinct was to unzip her sweatshirt, pour it down the front of her and watch it sizzle and steam. Instead, Zee took a huge gulp. “Mercy.”

  She blew out a long breath. “I still have his shirt.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  The wood popped in the small woodstove in Jagger’s cabin. It felt as warm as a summer day inside. Jagger sat at his kitchen table. A towel was tied about his waist. His hair still wet from the shower. A cold shower. His second since last night. He couldn’t stop thinking about Zee. How soft her lips were. How sweet she tasted. How it took everything he had in him to stop at one kiss. One gentle, earth-shaking kiss.

  The worn satchel sat open before him, as did his ledger. A sale flyer from the auto parts shop lay on the table. Zee needed a good car alarm, and he wanted to buy her one. The shop had one with all the features she should have at a decent price. Even with Steve’s “friend” discount, it meant almost a week’s pay.

  Jagger flipped through the calendar, added some figures, then tapped his pencil on the flyer. A square of lined paper sat amongst the other items in the suitcase. He unfolded it. How many times over the last three years had he looked at this list scratched on a page of notebook paper? His father’s list:

  The Grand Canyon

  Eiffel Tower

  Big Ben

  Machu Picchu

  Great Pyramids

  Kilowaa Volcano

  Red Square

  Great Wall

  Taj Mahal

  Parthenon

  The list went on. Thin pencil lines crossed out several of those things listed. Been there. Done. There was still a lot of list left. A lot of amazing sights left to see. Jagger ran a finger over the neat print of his father’s handwriting. He remembered the night his da had written this. How he talked about all these places, the longing in his eyes. Jagger refolded the page, and picked up the flyer again.

  “I need to help her out, Da. You wouldn’t mind holding off another week, would you?” He patted the inlaid box and returned all but the necessary money to buy Zee some protection.

  As he slipped the case back beneath his bed, last night’s insanity haunted him again. What had he been thinking? He’d been thinking he could charm himself into Zee’s bed. He’d been thinking with his johnson! Idiot!

  Jagger slipped on his jeans and buttoned them up. Did he honestly believe one kiss would sweep her off her feet? Wrong. One kiss and he was the one on shaky ground. Sure he had made a smooth exit, but two flights down his heart still pounded in his chest, and the state of his cock made it difficult to walk. He fought against his burning desire to turn around, race back upstairs and kick the door down. Like Zee needed a caveman? Hell no. She didn’t need another man bullying himself into her life.

  The warmth of her mouth flashed in his memory. When she kissed him back, a rush flooded him with a need he hadn’t expected. What he would never forget was the way she had looked when the kiss ended. Eyes closed, lips waiting, wanting more.

  More. That was something he couldn’t give her. That’s what stopped him last night on the stairs. She deserved more. What could he give her? A few measly months of fun and games. Then what? She wasn’t one of those women who could say “good bye, thanks for the laughs.” No. She was the kind of woman that made you think about your future. His future was one endless destination. Permanently temporary. She was smart to keep her distance.

  Jagger pushed his fingers through his hair. “Bugga!” After last night’s kiss, he couldn’t stop seeing her. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. The sale flyer lay on the table. She needed that alarm. At least he could give her that.

  Jagger finished dressing and snatched his keys and the money off the table. He could do this. He could keep it light. Be her friend. “And fer Christ’s sake, man, keep yer damn pants on!” He cursed again. One thing for sure, there’d be no “keeping it easy” if he kissed her again.

  ****

  Jagger stood at Zee’s door with one hand on the doorframe and the other holding a blue bag from Steve’s. He looked over his shoulder at the stairs. Killer. Thankfully the odd duckie that lived on the first floor let him in. She was a sight in purple and lime green spandex. He didn’t know spandex could droop like that.

  Recovered from the climb, he straightened, knocked, and prepared to dodge in case Zee decided to throw something at his head.

  Zee opened the door. She had a phone to her ear. “Um, Mom, I need to hang up now.” She gave Jagger a little shrug of her shoulder. “Mom. Mom. Jagger’s here. I really have to go.” He heard a little squeal come from the phone receiver. “Right. Yeah. Okay… Bye.”

  She clicked the phone’s button, and smiled. “My hero.”

  “Well, this is a more enthusiastic welcome than I expected. After last night, I was prepared to duck.”

  “I’m more of a door slammer.” She gave him a quick grin and set the phone aside. “My mother tends to ramble. You saved me from another hour of questions.”

  Zee tugged at the hem of a very tiny tank top. It was black with splashes and splotches of bright neon colors all over. It looked as if someone had thrown paint on her. When she tugged at the hem, the low scoop of the neckline left very little to the imagination. Add to that a pair of snug black pants that rode low on her hips. And he thought climbing five flights was hell.

  “I was cleaning, and…” Zee stood back and let him in. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Did I know you were coming?”

  “No. I would have called but I don’t have your number. Needed the exercise, thought I’d climb a mountain.” Jagger’s gaze moved to the shadowy path between her breasts. With her arms crossed, the dip of her tank displayed the satiny swell of soft skin. Three. Three cold showers in one day would set a record for him. “I wanted to see you. Apologize for last night.” He held out the plastic bag. “I brought you a present.”

  “A present?” She rubbed at her arms.

  “A peace offering.”

  “You didn’t need to bring me a present or a peace offering.” Zee crossed the room and pulled on a large black sweatshirt. She zipped it up tight. “I’m not upset about the kiss, Jagger.”

  “I got naked.”

  “I remember.” Zee gathered up a dust cloth and a can of lemon polish. “You surprised me is all. You were right, it’s not like I haven’t seen you without your clothes before.” She tucked a roll of paper towels under an arm. “I mean, I should be thanking you really.”

  “Thanking me?”

  She flitted through the room like a bird picking up things, rearranging pillows. It was like talking to a moving target. “Yes.” She picked up the phone again. “My mother was full of questions about you. She saw Ed yesterday, and he filled her in on the new man in my life.”

  “Me.”

  “Yes.” Zee stopped and looked at him. “Trust me, I won’t be asking you to be my pretend fiancé at a cousin’s wedding or anything. It’s just that Ed thinks, and now my mother thinks—”

  “That we’re a couple.”

  “Something like that.” She nibbled on her lip. “It’s easier to let them believe what they think is true.”

  “And they think we’re lovers.”

  “Yes.” Her gaze held his. She gave a small shake of her head. “Never mind. I’ll set them straight.”

  “Don’t.” He smiled at her wide-eyed expression. “If it keeps Ed away from you, I’m all for it. And as long as your mother isn’t going to be hunting me down.”

  “No, are you kidding? She’s thrilled.”

  “Then what’s the harm?” He tipped one shoulder.

  “None, I guess.”

  He wished she’d stop worrying her lip. It was driving him crazy. He wanted to worry t
hat lip.

  “It doesn’t have to go any further than that. I mean, no one in class needs to think anything’s different between us.”

  “We did kiss.”

  “Yes.” She lowered her gaze. “And it was an amazing kiss.”

  “Glad you thought so, too.”

  Zee’s eyes lifted and locked with his. Her lips parted as she dipped her gaze to his mouth.

  He watched her throat work.

  She pulled in a shaky breath. “So, there’s really no need for your peace offering.”

  “It’s actually a toy for George.” He lifted the bag.

  Zee smiled. “A toy? You’re going to spoil him.”

  “It’s an alarm system.”

  “What? No, Jagger, that’s too much. I can’t accept that.”

  “It’s not for you. It’s for George.” He joked then looked at her seriously. “I don’t trust that Ed will stop bothering you even if I am in the picture. You’re up here on the top of the world. He could take George apart and you wouldn’t know it until you went down to nothing but hubcaps.” He held the bag out again. “This has a remote alarm. Not only will the siren sound at the car, the monitor will sound up here as well. Your neighbors won’t get bonkers listening to an alarm you don’t hear. It’s portable, too, so you can keep it in your bag at school.” He flashed a smile. “George is helpless out there by himself. I’m worried about the poor bloke.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t need you to worry about George, or me.”

  Jagger held her gaze. “Doesn’t seem I have a choice in the matter.” He was close enough to reach out and tug on one of her curls. “Take it, Zee. No, better yet, just give me your keys, and George and I can play without you. I’ll have it installed before you can say Bob’s yer uncle.”