by Nina Bruhns
“Yes I did. They’re amazing.”
Trey hung his head. Jesse thought she saw tears caught in his lashes. He swept a hand over his eyes and muttered, “I don’t know, Mom. I don’t know if I can do it. They are so much better than I am. I… I barely know any of the plays. Most of them I’ve never seen. I feel like an idiot.” When she started to protest, he shook his head. “No, Mom, I’m telling you. I really don’t know if I can do this.”
Jesse rubbed his shoulder. “Honey, I can understand. This is a much harder game than you’ve played. It’s a different level of ball. But don’t make a decision now. Wait and talk to the coach.”
She looked up and was relieved to see Dameon coming toward them.
“Hi, Jesse. I thought that was you flying around the park. I didn’t know you were a runner.” He pointed to her legs. “That must be where those come from.”
Jesse smiled. “I don’t know about that, but I’ve always run. Put it this way. I’ve done a lot of running in my life--mostly away from things.”
She stopped surprised feeling her cheeks heat. “I don’t know what made me say that….”
Dameon raised an eyebrow. “You’re full of surprises, aren’t you Jesse? You even surprise yourself.”
He turned to Trey. “What did you think, Trey?’
Trey flushed and looked down, not meeting Dameon’s eyes.
“It was good, Coach. They’re good.” He hesitated and took a deep breath. “But… I… I … don’t know if… I don’t know if I’m really up to it.”
Dameon held his gaze. “Why not?”
“I… I don’t know….” The rest of Trey’s sentence was lost in a helpless shrug.
Dameon nodded his understanding. “Well, Trey, you’re the one who’s going to make that decision, aren’t you? When you know you’re up to it, then you’re up to it. Right?”
Trey swallowed and looked up at Dameon.
Dameon raised a questioning brow. “How are you going to find out?”
Trey flushed a rosier red and gave him a sheepish grin. “By coming to practice every day and working as hard as I can?”
Dameon clapped him on the back and winked at him. “I knew you were a smart kid.
“How about something to eat? Are you two as famished as I am? I know a place where we can get the best pasta this side of Italy. How about it? They’re accustomed to sweaty athletes who’ve been playing hard for a couple of hours. And they’ll go nuts over that red hair of yours, Trey.”
Trey frowned. “I thought Italians liked dark hair.”
Dameon chuckled. “That’s why they like me. Wait until you meet the woman who runs the place and you’ll understand what I mean. The courageous Italian owner faced down his family and married a red-headed Irish woman. Pepe is a miracle in and of himself. Anyone who can cook the way he does and survive Kathleen deserves undying gratitude and respect.”
Jesse held back. “I... I can’t, Dameon. I’m really sweaty. I ran and I only have my sweat pants.”
“C’mon, Jesse. Do you think Trey and I have been making mud pies? You look great.”
He knelt down and unzipped his large gear bag. Whipping off his shirt, Dameon bared the most incredible chest she’d ever seen. And that didn’t begin to describe his shoulders and biceps. When Jesse gasped, he looked up at her and winked. She was sure her tongue was hanging out. He dragged out another T-shirt and pulled it over his head. Standing up, he tossed a shirt to Trey and said with a grin, “You and I can pretend to be clean.”
Reaching for Jesse’s arm, he smiled down at her. “As for you? You stay the way you are. You look and smell great.”
Red Rock Rises: Chapter Fifteen
A very buxom, very red-headed woman sprinkled with a thicket of freckles met them at the entrance to La Grotto. Jesse’s stomach clenched in anticipation, at the enticing aroma of roasted garlic, onion and spicy tomatoes. The heady tang of fresh-baked bread filled the crowded restaurant. Jesse’s mouth watered. She realized for the first time that she hadn’t eaten since breakfast.
The shapely freckled woman shouted over the sound of music and rowdy chatter. Gushing, she lunged toward them.
“Wolf, Wolf, Mo gra! A chuisle mo chroi, my treasure. Where have you been? I thought that you’d forgotten le gra mo chroi, the love of your life!”
Dameon laughed and hugged her. “Kathleen, there are some things in life that are truly unforgettable and you are one of them.”
Before he’d stopped talking the astonishing woman had turned on Trey.
Clasping his shoulders, she pulled him up in front of her gazing at him as if he were a mythical Irish warrior riding out of the mist.
“Look at you, alannah! Just look at you, child. You could be my brother Patrick’s son. Where did you get those eyes, milish?”
Dameon moved between them, rescuing a startled Trey. “Maybe it will help if I introduce you to his mother. Kathleen, this is Jesse O’Donnell and her son, Trey.”
The mammoth woman turned to Jesse, her eyes gleaming with excitement. She pounced on Jesse murmuring one Irish endearment after another. Jesse knew some of the terms. She was surprised that tears burned her eyes remembering her fierce Irish father’s loving names for her.
Kathleen studied her and then in her thick Irish brogue turned to Trey, “Gah! I bet whoever your dada is, he’s not too happy. You don’t have a drop of anyone in you but her.”
Jesse smiled. “We’ve heard that before.”
“O’Donnell? You married an Irishman?”
“No, I go by my maiden name.”
The force of nature’s bright hazel eyes widened. “You’re not married, mo daor?”
Seeing the woman cast a knowing glance at Dameon, Jesse flushed. “Uh, no.”
As Jesse’d anticipated, Kathleen’s eyes gleamed and she twitched her hips suggestively.
“Ahhhh, so you’re here with Wolf?”
Jesse stammered, embarrassed by the fact that she was embarrassed. “Uh, no, not really. I… Dameon is coaching my son.”
Kathleen pinned a narrow gaze on Trey and nodded in understanding.
“Dea. Good. You look like a nice kid, milish. If Wolf is helping you, you do what he says and you’ll make all of us Irish proud!”
She caught Dameon’s arm as he went by and asked in mock dismay, her eyes sparkling with mischief, “Mo gra, should I be worried? Do I have competition from the álainn bhean?”
Wolf laughed. “Kathleen, you occupy a special place in my heart and you always will.”
* * *
After perusing the mammoth menu, Jesse gratefully accepted Dameon’s offer to order for them. Antipasto, fresh bread, fragrant cheeses and a carafe of wine arrived within minutes.
Jesse protested as Dameon reached over and filled her glass.
“I need to drive. I really can’t have wine.”
Dameon swept his hand across the plates of food that were increasing in number before their eyes.
“Don’t worry, we’ll stick enough pasta in you, it’ll absorb one glass of wine. Besides, you’re tight with the Chief of Police, I understand.”
As if he’d commanded it, plates of pasta in a mélange of sauces began to arrive. When a platter of fish and roasted meats was added to the feast, Jesse put up her hands in dismay.
“Good God, Dameon! How can we possibly eat all of this?”
Dameon laughed and pointed to Trey.
“That’s why you have us, Jesse. Trey is a growing boy and sometimes I swear I am too. For some reason, I never lost my adolescent metabolism.”
Knowing that eight-pack abs, and innumerable lean muscles on a six-foot-four frame required more fuel than she could consume in a week, Jesse smiled in admiration. Whether it was the wine or the festive atmosphere of the bustling restaurant, she felt relaxed, at home. She wasn’t put off by the countless patrons who came by to greet Dameon. Some people called him Chief, others called him Wolf. It was clear he was a celebrity. Both loved and admired. Ordinarily Jesse would have
felt small in comparison to his magnetic presence, but he introduced her and Trey to every well-wisher making them part of the festivities.
After she couldn’t eat another bite and even Trey and Dameon had put down their forks, one of the Kathleen’s sons came over and invited Trey to the game room. Jesse flushed when she saw Dameon wink at Kathleen across the crowded room knowing that the irrepressible woman was making sure they had time alone.
Jesse was grateful for the opportunity to talk about Trey.
“What did you think about Trey—about how he was at the practice?” Jesse couldn’t mask her concern. “He seems uncertain, scared.”
Dameon shrugged. “He should be, he deserves to be. The young men on the team play way above him. They’re in a different league. Trey’s coach was right. He should have tried out for the high school team. He would have been a superstar. The kids I’m working with are four steps above high school.”
Jesse frowned in dismay.
“So you think it’ll be too much for him?”
“No, actually I don’t. Not eventually. He’s a talented kid. And he’s smart. He understands the game, has a real sense of the court. Right now, his biggest issue is lack of confidence and learning new plays. Plus, he’s scared. He doesn’t think he’s good enough to play with these guys. Humility is good, but Trey needs a dash more confidence to balance it out.” Catching her worried glance, he amplified. “It all depends, Jesse. If he applies himself and works like crazy, he’ll be a sensation.” Dameon’s eyes crinkled. “And from what I hear, he’s got a good coach.”
Jesse smiled a tentative smile. “So I heard. The parents all told me that you walk on water.”
The creases on Dameon’s brow deepened.
“You need to understand, Jesse. Most of the kids on the team would be in jail now. Not because they belong there, but because that was where they were headed until this team gave them a chance to be who they really are, accomplished athletes. That’s something both you and your ex need to know. What’s his name? The asshole? Garrett? Or, on second thought, maybe he doesn’t need to know.”
Jesse agreed.
“I just hope Trey can muster enough confidence to stand up to his father when Garrett says he doesn’t want him to do it.”
Dameon’s lips twitched. “I think I may have helped with that issue. Marsha Vargas, Trey’s probation counselor, is creating a rigorous program for him. It includes the benchmarks he’ll need to achieve in the next year. Fifty percent of them deal with schoolwork, his grades. Thirty percent involve behavior, essentially his attitude, and the remaining twenty are about commitment. He needs to stick to what he says he will do. I had Marsha make that benchmark that he will stay through one season of basketball with me.”
Jesse was touched. “You’re smart, aren’t you?”
Dameon smiled. “Yes, I am. But Trey is a good kid, and a nice kid. He’s worth it.” He added, “So are you, Jesse.”
He moved closer. “You look beautiful.”
“Right!” Jesse snorted tugging at her ponytail, knowing that any makeup she may have had on earlier was long gone.
“No, Jesse. You are a beautiful, enticing woman.”
Dameon angled his chair next to her and reached for her hand.
She pulled back. “No. Don’t, Dameon…. ”
He frowned. “Uh uh, Jesse. Don’t move away. And yes, I am going to talk about what happened the other night.”
Jesse looked down to avoid his intense expression. She couldn’t believe the shivers coursing through her.
Dameon’s voice was firm, unyielding.
“Don’t pull away. I’m not going to let you do that, Jesse. I’m not going to let you dismiss what happened between us. It was real.”
She peeked up at him and saw that while he had a slight smile, his expression was serious, intense. He took hold of her hand and placed his other hand on her knee, capturing her in his powerful space. Jesse couldn’t believe the tremors that streaked across her sensitized nerve endings. She prayed he couldn’t feel the fevered reaction his actions caused.
“Jesse, I told you the other night and I’m going to tell you again. I’ve never been so hot for a woman in my life. And honey, I don’t know if that is how you usually respond but--”
She interrupted, embarrassed, remembering how frantic she’d been, how needy. “I… I was upset….”
Dameon lifted an eyebrow and his lips twitched. “Hmm, if that’s what it was, tiger, I’m going to have to upset you a lot more often.”
She was flustered. “No. I didn’t mean that. And, no. That’s not how I usually am. God no. I… I’ve never felt like that, ever. I can’t explain it.” She hesitated. “It scared me. You scare me.”
Dameon nodded. “Good. I’m glad to hear that. Because you’ve freaked me out of my ever-loving mind.
“Listen, Jesse, I’ll give you time as much time as you need… maybe… or I’ll push things if I have to. Honestly, I don’t have a plan or a path in mind. But I will tell you this now. When I do take you? Make love to you? Honey, you’re going to know what ecstasy is.”
Jesse did her best to contain the rush of sensations that flooded her at his erotic threat. Her heart was racing. It was hard to take a deep breath but she managed to assert, “I do know. Kind of… I’m not innocent… I do, okay? I know how to please myself--”
Dameon reared back, not covering his surprise. “Are you talking about by yourself?”
She pushed his hands away, annoyed.
“Never mind.”
Dameon laughed and shook his head. His eyes were sparkling.
“I’m not… I’m not just talking about ‘pleasing you’ Jesse.” His voice dropped a level. “I’m talking about driving you out of your mind. Taking you places you’ve never been before.”
His sexy claim and the lust in his eyes sent a torrent of sensation straight to her groin.
His gaze intensified. “Uh uh, honey. What you do by yourself is going to seem like riding a tricycle. I’m going to give you orgasms that will rocket you to the moon. Orgasms you’ve never dreamed were possible. So many that you will lose count.”
She grabbed a protective breath and sniffed. “I can give myself a better orgasm than any man can.”
Dameon sat back in his chair studying her. He reached in his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He laid a hundred dollar bill on the table.
His eyes were sparkling with a mix of laughter and fierceness.
“Would you like to put money on that, tiger?”
At that moment Trey and his new buddies came around the corner. Dameon scooted his chair back and stood up. He leaned down to help pull her chair back and whispered in her ear.
“Game on, tiger. But accept it. You’ve lost before you start. Count on it.”
When he walked them to the car, Jesse waited until Trey was inside.
“Dameon, I… I can’t--”
He shook his head. “Jesse. You can and you will. But honey, we’re gonna go slow. Get to know each other. This is too important to rush. It deserves time. Okay?”
She chewed on her bottom lip, then looked up at him shyly and nodded. “Okay.”
Red Rock Rises: Chapter Sixteen
The next morning Dameon sat at his desk trying to focus on the presentation he was giving to the City Council at noon. As usual his mind was on Jesse. If he allowed himself, he could almost smell her, that bewitching complex of spiciness and musk. At the thought, his cock came to life. He groaned. His unruly prick seemed to think that "aroused" was now its steady state.
At the knock on the door, he looked up to see Marsha Vargas, Trey’s primary counselor, in the doorway.
With a raised eyebrow and slight grin she said, “Incoming. Down the hallway at your 11 o’clock. Guard your six, Chief.”
From the outer office, Dameon heard Garrett Chambers’ angry voice.
“No, I don’t have a goddamned appointment, but I’m confident he’ll see me!”
Dameon leaned back in hi
s chair preparing for the onslaught. When Garrett Chambers burst in, brushing past Marsha Vargas, Dameon shook his head and faced the angry man before him.
He dismissed Marsha with a quick wink and pointed to the chair in front of his desk.
“I see you’re still using that temper to demand your way into places, huh, doc? I heard they released you the other night. I gotta tell you, if it was my call you’d be on the psych ward.”
Garrett’s face flushed a dark crimson. “You… you arrogant son of a bitch. I swear to God, I’m going to have your job.”
Dameon gave a loud sigh.
“Okay, doc. Let’s get real. Forego the name calling and threats or get the hell out. At least be smart enough to know where you are. FYI, doc. This is my house, my turf. I run it. I own it. I call the shots. You have a choice. If you want to stay in my house, sit down.”
Dameon glanced at his watch. “I have ten minutes.”
Garrett was visibly trembling. He stood for a minute then jerked back the chair and sat in it. Bright splotches marked his cheeks. Spittle resided in the corners of his mouth. Dameon thought again that the guy was borderline deranged for sure, maybe paranoid compulsive.
Not bothering with an introduction, the doctor spit out. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you? Insisted that my son be part of a ghetto team of juvenile delinquents, just to rub it in my face!”
Dameon regarded him for a long moment, making an effort to tamp down his disdain for the self-righteous prick.
“You might be surprised to know, doc, that the probation plan the juvenile counselors developed is for Trey, not for you. It is intended to help him. To give your son a fighting chance to pull his life back from the edge of the cliff that he was going over.”
Chambers continued his rampage, ignoring Dameon’s description of the serious issues Trey was facing.
“You wanted to prove a point, didn’t you? Assert your supposed power. Lord it over me. Because you don’t like people like me, do you? You want to try to take us down.”