by Lacey Legend
As he felt himself getting ready to release, he rammed Jenna up the table and climbed on top of her (and the table) for the last few jerks of his hips. One hand stroked her face as he balanced his weight on the other. In seconds, his teeth were gritted and his eyes shut tight as he took himself over the brink.
He lay on Jenna for a few minutes. His hot breath on her face was strangely comforting.
“How come whenever I’m with you I end up naked while you’re still fully clothed?” she asked.
“Because you’re too polite to tear off my clothes,” he answered glibly. “But you’ll learn soon enough that buttons can be sewn back on shirts and fingernail scratches on my back will heal.”
She shook her head unsure of whether he was joking or not. “I hope dinner’s not spoilt. I’m famished,” moaned Jenna.
Spencer watched in amusement as she collected her clothes and dressed herself. She flung the ripped briefs at him. “Can’t see me being able to stitch those up.”
Spencer examined the handy work of his teeth. “True. Sometimes in the spirit of passion, one inadvertently sacrifices the odd item of clothes that can’t be repaired. These being one of them.”
“Keep them as a souvenir,” she laughed.
“Why, was that the last time?” he grinned.
Jenna immediately thought of Leon. She hated that a picture of him came so easily to her mind.
“No! Of course not. I was being silly.”
Jenna’s voice was shrill. Spencer gave her a strange look.
“I was only joking,” he said softly.
*
“I feel like we never do anything the normal way,” remarked Spencer over their main course.
He was a reasonable cook. Admittedly, the antipasto bruschetta wasn’t a challenge for the fledging chef, but the slow-roast pork belly with celeriac and pear mash had required his best efforts and a degree of skill in the kitchen.
“In what way?”
“We started with dessert and then went onto our entrees and main course,” said Spencer by way of an example.
“There’s nothing wrong with having a taste of what’s to come early on. Speaking for myself, it sweetened the ambiance of the evening for me.”
“It stirred something in me, but it certainly wasn’t something sweet,” smirked Spencer, with the devil flashing in his brown eyes.
Jenna pursed her lips in mock disapproval.
“I pay for your services to accompany me on a night out before I even realize myself I want to date you properly. Tonight we’ve started blending our families when we haven’t even been going out for a month.”
“Not every relationship is typical or traditional. I guess if it works for us then that’s all that matters.”
“I suppose so,” agreed Spencer absently.
Jenna was happy to see he didn’t flinch when she used the word relationship. Now seemed as good as time as any to bring up his antics in the nightclub last Friday night.
“Are you aware of a magazine called ‘Faces and Places’?” enquired Jenna.
“No. Should I be?”
Jenna retrieved the magazine from her handbag and slid it across the table to Spencer.
“It’s a gossip rag. Why on earth would I be familiar with it?”
“There’s a section in it called ‘Who’s About Town’”
Jenna flipped the magazine open to the pictures from last Friday night. Spencer pored over the pages for a second or two before a look of dawning realization came on his face. She could see his cheeks blushing.
“It’s not what it looks like,” he mumbled.
“How clichéd.”
A horrible silence filled the room. Everything had been going so perfectly and now Jenna had opted to ruin it. Was it really that important? The date felt ugly and the sex felt cheap and tacky. How had something passionate and romantic distorted into something disappointing and accusatory.
“Jenna, this is new to me.”
“What? Sleeping with one woman?”
“No. I’ve always been a monogamist. I haven’t ever been keen on relationships. Dating you is a first for me.”
“Okay, let me put this to you Spencer, for future reference. When you date someone, you don’t ditch them when you’re bored to go out and play at being a legendary lothario with some blonde-haired bimbos.”
“Only one of them is blonde,” pointed out Spencer.
Jenna glowered at him.
“Sorry. I was trying to make the atmosphere a little lighter.”
“Maybe we didn’t say we were exclusive, but why put all that effort in with me to get my schedule into some semblance of normality so we could date if what you actually want to be doing is playing the field? Can you imagine how I felt when someone else brought these pictures to my attention?”
“I wasn’t trying to get away from you. I felt I’d been in chains all week because of your working hours and finding a resolution to it. I had an evening free, I knew you were babysitting and packing but I felt I needed to release some stress. I didn’t purposefully go out with the intention of being photographed with those women.”
Jenna was slightly relieved to discover that Spencer didn’t know their names.
“You must’ve known you’d draw that kind of attention by going to that swanky club.”
“I’m not going to lie to you. Yes, I did know I’d draw attention. I always do in nightclubs, parties, premiers and whatever else is a social setting of interest to housewives and teenagers, but I’m not going to allow that to stand in the way of me going out and having a good time.”
“I get that. I guess I just wish your idea of going out and having a good time included me.”
“It does,” emphasized Spencer. “I went out because I was going stir crazy in the apartment. I never spend time in there by myself at night. It’s lonely. The point is I went out to enjoy myself and I realized that without you, there wasn’t anything to enjoy. It was far lonelier being around women I had no interest in, than being in the apartment knowing you were only a phone call away.”
“I want to believe you.”
“Then do! I had no idea how quickly you’d change my life, but I’m on a steep learning curve and can see the impact you’ve made on me. That’s why we’re here tonight and you’re not babysitting in Brooklyn and I’m not out by myself in Manhattan trying to get laid.”
Jenna turned away. It had been right to approach Spencer calmly and listen to his explanation, but the photos in the magazine hurt every time she looked at them.
“I know I should see this as a good thing. I know you’re going out of your way to be open and honest with me, but something feels wrong.”
Spencer pushed his plate aside and clasped her hands in his.
“Jenna, nothing feels wrong between you and me and you know that. You are not the kind of girl to jump into bed – or on a table – with just any man. Seeing that magazine is horrible, but nothing happened. Some girls wanted their photo taken and walked out with me when I exited to ensure they were published in this glossy.
We’ve gained something from this incident. I appreciate that I derive more pleasure from sharing an experience with you, Jenna King, than by myself. You learn not to jump conclusions and have a greater insight into the public interest my personal life attracts. It’s unpleasant, but it doesn’t mean something is wrong between you and me.”
Jenna’s cell phone buzzed in her handbag. “One second. It’s probably Liana wondering where Zada and I are.”
Spencer watched closely as she checked her phone. It was a text. Her face was a mask he couldn’t read.
“Make time for me soon please. I could really do with a friend right now. Leon.”
Jenna reread the text from Leon. His timing was impeccable in clashing with pivotal moments between her and Spencer.
“Liana alright?” asked Spencer.
“Yeah, fine.”
“She’s not bothered you bought Zada here?”
Jenna shook
her head.
“Has she given you permission to stay the night?”
Jenna didn’t have an answer to that. She hadn’t even considered the possibility herself.
“I didn’t ask.” It was an honest answer.
“Call and ask her,” pressed Spencer.
“I’ve got to clean early tomorrow morning and I’ve classes all day. I’m not sure spending the night with you would be a good idea. I can’t afford to miss work and I need to be alert in lectures.”
“Stay and take a car early tomorrow morning. It’ll be faster and more comfortable with private transport. You’ll get a good night’s sleep and be on time for work.”
“I don’t know. I still have to get Zada home in the morning and how long do we have to wait for your parents and brother to arrive back here before we go to your apartment.”
“We won’t be going to my place. We’ll stay in the spare room here so as not to disturb Zada’s sleep. I can send Zada in the car and lend you Nanny Merton if you don’t have time to go home directly. If you give Nanny Merton your stamp of approval, surely Liana won’t object to that will she?”
Jenna’s head felt like it might explode from the pressure. Spencer was killing her with kindness. She felt torn between her heart, which longed to stay with Spencer and her sense of duty which obliged her to return home to offer support to Leon.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Go ahead,” offered Spencer.
“Promise you’ll give me an honest answer.”
“You have my word.”
“If you had a choice between doing the right thing for someone else or doing something for yourself that might result in hurting another person what would you do?”
“That’s not a black or white question Jenna. There’s a time to put yourself first and a time to put other’s ahead of yourself.”
“But how do you know which is which?”
“I don’t think there’s a textbook answer. I guess my advice would be to choose a decision that’ll ensure you can sleep at night with a clear conscience.”
Jenna nodded her head knowing what she had to do.
“I have to go. I can’t stay tonight. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine,” pacified Spencer, sensing her distress. “You know Jenna, it may sound trite, but a problem shared is a problem halved. You should know by now, I’m not a playboy billionaire without compassion or humanity. I might be able to help if you’d let me know what’s going on.”
“I don’t know what’s going on.”
“Let me come with you. That way I can make sure you’re okay and give a hand if you need it.”
Her fingers went to Spencer’s cheek and she stroked it gently. Looking helplessly in his eyes, Jenna wanted nothing more than to curl up in his arms and have a night away from her responsibilities but she shook her head instead.
“You can’t come Spencer. It wouldn’t be right.”
His jaw tightened as though he was steeling himself to deal with the rejection. “Guess I’ll stay here and wait for you.”
“How long will you wait?” asked Jenna.
“However long it takes,” promised Spencer.
Chapter 12
Whizzing through the streets of New York toward Brooklyn, Jenna’s mind was buzzing. Her British billionaire boyfriend, Spencer Lawson, had lent the private car, complete with chauffeur, to her. If he knew Jenna was rushing back home to see her ex-boyfriend, he may not have been so forthcoming with his generous gesture.
Jenna bent sideways to check on her niece in the baby seat. She seemed content and appeared to be dozing off, thanks to the smooth ride of the chauffeur.
“I’ll have to get her indoors before I visit Leon,” she thought.
Staring out the windows, she tried to make sense of what was going on. Jenna had grown up with Leon – they’d been childhood sweethearts. With that kind of history, it was difficult to let go. But their youth had been misspent. Jenna possessed the good sense to get her life on track and attend NYU after high school, but Leon had chosen to become involved with a gang and ended up in jail for petty crime and drug dealing. As young lovers, they’d vowed to let one another go and turn their lives around.
Since his release, it appeared as though Leon had followed Jenna’s lead and had just landed his first legitimate job as a mechanic. However, the vow to keep their distance from each other was proving hard – especially as they lived in the same block of apartments. Jenna was doing her best to keep Leon at arm’s length but could see his loneliness and the struggle he was having readjusting to life outside prison.
Midway through her dinner with Spencer, Leon texted Jenna to let her know he needed to talk. Jenna sensed the urgency in his text and was relieved Spencer gave his blessing to abandon their date so she could address her problems at home.
To avoid risking a fallout with Spencer, Jenna had chosen to be vague about the details of her getaway. With Leon hounding her, Jenna didn’t think she could face Spencer’s wrath on top of that. Jenna was well intentioned; Leon had no friends since leaving behind his criminal past. By the sounds of things, Leon was a friend in need. Jenna was the only available and suitable person for him to turn to in his hour of need.
As a social worker in training, she felt it her duty to assist those in trouble. Deep down, Jenna knew by dropping everything to attend to Leon, she was encouraging and increasing their contact and potentially jeopardizing the foundation of her potential relationship with Spencer. With the interference of the paparazzi, a conflict with her job for the cleaning firm she worked for and Leon’s early release from jail, the couple was constantly struggling to get their relationship off the ground.
They hadn’t even been dating a couple of weeks but Jenna knew her reasons for dating Spencer were far deeper than physical attraction, despite his catwalk good looks. On the surface, he was dashing and charming, and came across as materialistic and something of a playboy. Having witnessed the other side of Spencer, Jenna learnt he was a philanthropist with his wealth and a devoted son, brother and uncle – especially to his niece who suffered from Rett Syndrome.
He wasn’t emotionally available or particularly open, but the glimpses of his sensitivities warmed Jenna’s heart. And her heart was currently thumping in her chest in an attempt to draw her attention to the fact that she may have made an error of judgment in rushing away from dinner to check in on Leon.
Why didn’t I just finish the date and contact Leon later or, better yet, why didn’t I tell Leon I’d visit him as soon as I was available? She asked herself quietly.
As the car pulled up at the grim and intimidating apartment block where Jenna lived, she sighed heavily. It was a far cry from the huge townhouse on Fifth Avenue where she’d been dining earlier that evening.
“May I carry the pram upstairs for you or help with the child?” inquired the driver politely, as he opened the car door for Jenna.
There was a time for independence and pride and a time to accept help. Spencer had obviously briefed the driver that the lift to her building was out of service. Struggling with the pram and baby Zada was a hassle. The driver had a friendly face.
I suppose it’s what he’s paid for, she thought guiltily.
“I’d appreciate that.”
Taking the pram, the driver followed Jenna’s direction and walked her to the front door of her residence.
“I don’t mean to be ignorant, but should I tip you?” asked Jenna, embarrassed she wasn’t familiar with protocol.
“Not at all, Ms. King. Mr. Lawson will be pleased to know you’re home safe and sound.”
Jenna smiled, but felt awful inside. She suspected Spencer had insisted the driver use the broken lift as an excuse to ensure Jenna was accompanied to her door. He was thinking of her well-being, while she’d prioritized her ex-boyfriend’s problems.
Using her keys to let herself in, she was unsurprised to see her younger sister, Liana, lounging on the sofa studying from a textbook. Her sister
, however, was stunned to see Jenna home early.
“What’s going on? I thought you and the billionaire would be having a sleepover.”
I should be so lucky, thought Jenna.
“It didn’t pan out that way,” said Jenna cagily.
“Zada hated the nanny, didn’t she? I told you my baby was only happy being cared for by family.”
“Actually, Zada was very taken with Nanny Merton. She was playing with Spencer’s niece and I didn’t hear a peep from her the whole night. She was sound asleep when I left.”
“Oh.”
Liana went to her child. At only twenty, the burden of being a young single mother was eased by her sister’s assistance with babysitting as she attended evening classes, and her mother’s unwavering support by ensuring they were housed, fed and clothed.
“I suppose Spencer Lawson can afford the best care for his precious niece.”
“He can,” affirmed Jenna sharply, “and he has to. Rosie is not a well child. It’s awful to see a little girl in a wheelchair and knowing her quality of life may not improve. Be thankful Zada is healthy and we don’t have that constant pressure.”
Liana looked ashamed of herself. She’d been harsh on Spencer, assuming he was using her sister as a bit of fun. In truth, he’d been perfectly polite and friendly to her – he’d even offered Liana help so that she could devote more time to her studies. In truth, what Liana didn’t want to admit was that she was jealous of her sister.
She was stuck with a child and part-time education at the age of twenty, while her sister was nearly a qualified social worker with a hot, new, rich British boyfriend. Liana adored her older sister and knew she deserved the best. If Spencer made Jenna happy, then she shouldn’t interfere or put up obstacles because she wasn’t thrilled by her own circumstances and distinct lack of a boyfriend.