by tani shane
He regarded her with uncertain eyes before letting out a small laugh. “Yea, babes, I know you love me.” He dropped a chaste kiss on her lips before pushing her back gently. “Now get back in bed before I change my mind.”
She laughed at his jest but all the same headed for her bed to draw the cool sheets over her. “Good night,” she whispered, “And thank you.”
He said nothing but left the apartment immediately. Jessica waited till the sound of his footsteps faded. Then she got out of bed and placed a safety lock on the front door. She felt a bit guilty doing it but she couldn’t help it.
She had known Adam Warring for almost six months now and she knew he was very passionate by nature. She also knew that his kind of passion terrified her but she loved him. They had met at a fashion show that was organized by the company Adam was working for. He was their publicity manager and when he showed a personal interest in her she wasn’t surprised. They had dated regularly ever since but Adam had not pushed her for physical intimacy. She had told him her apprehensions and apart from an intimate kiss now and then, he had kept his distance. Even after she had given him the key to her house, Adam had proven he was trustworthy.
That's why tonight he had scared her. She had never imagined he would lose his self-control and try to force her into lovemaking. An uneasy thought crept up her mind. Was it all her fault? Was she driving Adam a bit too far? She was aware most women she knew gave in easily to their sexual urges but she couldn’t do the same. Maybe she really was “a frigid lass out of the Puritan age” as one of her dates in Paris had accused her. If it were true then obviously Adam would be frustrated.
Jessica sat on her bed drawing her knees close to her chest. She couldn’t help the way she felt about physical intimacy. Almost eight years had passed since that unfortunate evening with Jake Wallace and the memory still sent shudders down her spine. There were several nights when she would wake up screaming because of nightmares of Jake raping her and then visions of Mark’s lovemaking would surface and soothe her back to sleep.
Strangely, it was almost as if it wasn’t Jake’s memory that trapped her but Mark’s. If she closed her eyes, she could still feel him around her. She could feel his lips on her skin, his strong arms enveloping her in a warm embrace, his heady, male fragrance all but drowning her. And she could feel him in her, loving her as a man really should. It was this lingering memory that she held on to and it was something she couldn’t part with. Or rather didn’t want to part with.
Her aversion to physical contact with men was a wall she wasn’t sure she could ever scale. She had not allowed any man to come near her after Mark and though she had several male friends over the years, no one had succeeded beyond a few kisses.
Adam had been different from the start. He was fun to be with and patient with her. He did manage to get a placid response from her for his kisses but the ice had still not thawed. She respected him for his understanding and that’s why when he had asked her to marry him, the decision had been easy.
A weary sigh escaped her lips and she lay down after switching off the lights. Adam was undeniably very good looking and attractive but somehow his kisses had never really excited her. Perhaps that’s why she had managed to keep her distance for so long. Soon, she would be his wife and she prayed desperately she could give him what he expected.
***
The shrill ring of the landline phone sounded right next to Jessica’s ear and had her groping for it in her sleep. “Yes?” she croaked, rubbing her eyes with one hand.
“Jessi, it’s Lynn. Your cell was switched off. I thought I’d find you home,” her friend’s agitated voice came over the line.
“Ly..Lynn, what’s up?” she yawned lazily.
“What’s up?” Lynn shrieked in her ear, “It’s past nine! You’re due at ‘Hart Inc.’ in fifty minutes!”
Jessica was out of bed even as a hysterical Lynn carried on frantically. “My alarm got jammed, Lynn. For heaven’s sake get off the line and call them. Tell them I’ll be a few minutes late.” She banged the receiver and headed for the bathroom.
Fifteen minutes later, she was speeding her car dangerously on the Santa Monica Freeway towards South Gate. When she reached the ‘Hart Inc.’ regional premises, a good forty-five minutes later thanks to the rush hour traffic, she was told Steven Hart had already left the premises to keep another appointment.
Jessica came out bristling with anger. She was ten minutes late. Ten minutes and he had already left! He had received Lynn’s message asking him to grant her some concession but his secretary had told her that Mr. Hart had a very busy schedule. He had granted the appointment slot to someone else, somewhere else. And, he wasn’t available the next day, or the day after and then he was flying out of town for a fortnight.
Arrogant, conceited pig! Jessica thought maliciously. Couldn’t he wait just a few minutes? So what if he wasn’t obliged to see her? Couldn’t he guess how important this was?
It was your fault, Jessica, she reminded herself sternly. And partially Adam’s. If he had not disturbed her in the middle of the night she could easily have got up in time. The justification made sense and she wriggled her shoulders to shake off the last bits of her anger.
The bright sunshine lent a warm glow to her pretty face making quite a few heads turn appreciatively. It also sobered her reasonably and she glanced at her watch. There was no point fretting and fuming over a situation that was out of her control. It was a pleasant day and she was not really needed at the boutique. She reached for her cell phone and switched it off with a satisfied smile on her face. She wanted to speak to no one today, not even Adam.
Today she would do what she had not done in a long time. Take a day off. If there was something she liked about L.A. it was the fact that it had a lot of places she could visit to relax her mind and ease her worries. She could easily lose herself in the crowd and shrug off the ‘heiress’ label that followed her around. Even the snoopiest of reporters wouldn’t imagine finding the Jessica Cantrell at the Museum of Jurassic Technology now would they? Not that any reporter ever followed her. Her life as an heiress was about as exciting as that of a librarian. With nothing to write about, the media usually simply ignored her. And she liked to have it that way.
She got into her car humming cheerfully. She had heard the museum was good and worth a visit. With Cheryl and the kids due to shift into the neighborhood, she could always check out the place and take the kids there some time. With that thought, she drove easily through the traffic, happy and content.
Chapter Three
That evening Jessica chose a simple but chic dress for her dinner with Adam. He had called her at home when she reached it after her day’s excursion and yelled his lungs out for her day’s whereabouts. She told him, smiling indulgently, aware that his concern was bordering on the edge of suspicion. But he had accepted her explanation rather well and asked her out to give her a surprise. The thought that Adam had probably bought her an engagement ring warmed her and she took care to dress up right.
She observed herself critically in the full-length mirror in her bedroom. At twenty-seven her figure was near perfect with all the curves in the right places but she was sure she could still lose a couple of inches here and there. She chose an off white figure hugging sensation with a slit that stopped just above her knee and a neckline that sagged into a deep boat shape revealing a teasing glimpse of her cleavage. A simple pearl string with matching earrings set off beautifully against her dark hair that she tied up in a fashionable knot. Her makeup was light with just a hint of blush on, eye shadow and an attractive shade of lipstick. Her shoes had three-inch high heels to lend height to her natural five foot six inches. She usually wore heels only around Jeff or Adam for they were both six footers. It made her feel ‘sizeable’ next to them and made it much easier to dance on a slow number.
Adam took her to their favorite restaurant, the Blue Diamond, well known for its large dance floor. The restaurant’s name complemented the
décor that was lit with a mysterious mix of blue and silver lights for a perfect romantic feel. They placed their orders before Adam called for a toast. He held his champagne filled glass against hers and smiled seductively over the rims. “To us.”
“To us,” she repeated, laughing softly over the tinkle of their glasses before taking a small sip. She placed the glass down and Adam’s large hand covered hers in an intimate squeeze. “What’s the occasion?”
He carried her hand to his lips, kissing her fingers leisurely. “We are. I thought we should be officially engaged, don’t you?”
She drew a delighted breath, her eyes dancing with excitement. “You’ve bought me a ring?”
His hand reached into his dinner jacket to bring out a small velvet case. When the cover popped back, it revealed three glittering diamonds set in a gold ring.
“Oh, Adam! It’s beautiful!”
“A beautiful woman needs a beautiful jewel. Give me your hand.” He slipped it on her finger and leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on her lips. “Come on, let’s dance.”
She rose readily, melting into the blissful warmth of his arms as soon as they reached the dance floor. He nuzzled at her neck laying small kisses that made her shiver.
“Oh, Jessi, you drive me wild!” he whispered hoarsely and molded her more closely to make her feel his desire. She sagged towards him, lifting her face to accept his kiss. It didn’t matter who was looking, all that mattered was their love.
A sudden, delighted squeal startled them both and she felt a hand fall on her shoulder. “Ooh, Jessi! You devil!”
Jessica turned in surprise, nearly groaning out aloud at the sight of Nicola, alias Niki Stanford. Her cousin on her mother’s side, Jessica was usually glad to see Niki, but tonight was different. It was a special occasion for her and she had wanted no interruptions. But here was Niki and that was that.
“Niki, what a surprise!” she managed cheerily, offering her cheek for a kiss.
“I’ll bet it was,” Niki giggled, grabbing her arm. “You and Adam are really something you know that! Come on let’s go to your table, we can’t talk here.” Before the couple could protest she had dragged Jessica off with Adam following in resignation.
When they were seated, she turned upon them with the zeal of an interrogator. “So what’s the occasion?”
Jessica threw a questioning look at Adam and he nodded slightly. Jessica raised her hand under Niki’s nose to display the brightly gleaming ring. “We just got engaged.”
Niki gasped, grabbing her hand to examine the ring. “Oh, wow! It’s beautiful! I’m so happy for you both. Congratulations!” She turned to Adam. “Adam, you are so lucky you know that? So when is the wedding?”
“We haven’t fixed a date yet,” Adam informed her as he took Jessica’s hand in his.
“I expect to be the first to know,” Niki rambled on unperturbed. “I haven’t seen you for months, Jessi! I know you’re busy and all that but the least you can do is call. We’re cousins after all but no, Jessi has no time. Adam you must see to it that she gets away from work once in a while. Look at her. She’s gone so thin…”
Jessica listened to her cousin absently, throwing an apologetic smile at Adam. Once Niki started there was no stopping her. She pitied Niki’s poor date and wondered who was accompanying her. The thought made her look around to identify a familiar face. She didn’t notice any one she knew but she did notice the man who was seated a couple of tables away staring directly at her.
Unnerved the smile left her face but her eyes froze on him as though compelled by his mesmeric gaze. He tilted his head ever so slightly giving her a better view of his face that earlier been caught in shadows.
Her breath hitched. Her heart slammed hard into her ribs then started a fanciful tempo that had her blood pounding in her head. It should be a crime to be so devastatingly handsome! Not to mention earth-shatteringly sexy and hot! So damn hot! Jessica felt a wave of heat rush to her face at her wicked thoughts. She wanted to look away but she found herself staring back like a rabbit hypnotized by a snake. Breathe. Breathe. Her voice of reason told her as she felt a slow electric charge of high voltage pass from him to her, heating her very soul. Wicked!
Her lips suddenly felt very dry and she licked them on impulse while still staring at him. His sensual lips cracked into a mocking smile at her, making her color visibly. Good grief! Did he think she was licking her lips for him? Yes, you idiot! Jessica almost groaned out aloud. This was so embarrassing! Her eyes dropped away briefly before his magnetic pull brought them back to his face to continue their unabashed observation.
He had a devilish quality about him that had her shivering unconsciously. The restaurant lights bounced off his handsome face, lighting the angles that were chiseled to perfection with taut bronze skin stretched across it. His jaw line was firm and his chin held the deceptive impression of a very slight but attractive cleft abruptly lending softness to the otherwise harsh disposition of his features. It gave him the look of a fallen angel from a Renaissance painting. His physique was so over powering that even though he was seated and dressed in a dinner jacket, she knew he was very tall and built to perfection.
Then there was the matter of his lips. Sensuous, full, hard. Kissable. So totally kissable! She wondered what it would feel to have him kissing her. The unbidden thought brought a deep blush over her cheeks and she felt her breath catch. Jessica Cantrell, the frigid queen wanting to kiss a stranger! How was that even possible?
Almost as though he could read her wild thoughts, his smile widened ever so slightly and cynically that the blush spread to the tip of her nose. She knew she had to look away from him but her gawking eyes just couldn’t leave the object of their appraisal. Or should that be desire? They took in his hair that was the color of deep golden honey and cut in a contemporary style. And somehow she was sure it would be soft and not crisp like Adam’s. The color of his eyes was something she couldn’t establish from the distance and she found herself desperate to find out.
“Jessi, hey, you aren’t listening.” Niki’s voice brought her back to reality and she turned her eyes but not before her cousin had caught the direction of her gaze. “Oh, ho! Admiring my company are you? Who wouldn’t? Gorgeous, isn’t he? Come I’ll introduce you people. Poor dear, I almost forgot him.”
Forgot him? Jessica wondered, as she willingly rose to follow Niki. Who in the world could forget him? She felt Adam’s hand at her elbow and lifted her eyes to give him an absent smile. When her eyes left his face, she wondered why his tan appeared so pale. One look at Niki’s date answered the question. The bronze of the skin was much darker than Adam’s.
He stood up as they approached and she saw that he was at least two inches taller than Adam. His eyes had not left her face and when she was close enough she felt a strange weakness in the pit of her stomach. His eyes; they were a deep, navy blue and they were baring her soul.
“Jessi,” Niki said, tucking her arm in his, “I’d like you to meet Steven Hart. And Steve, this is my cousin Jessica Cantrell and her fiancé Adam Warring.”
Jessica drew in a sharp breath of surprise. Steven Hart? This man was the Steven Hart?
“Well,” the deep baritone of his voice parted his sensuous lips and she noticed the fathomless blue of his eyes burning into her face. “If it isn’t Jeff Cantrell’s baby sister in person.” His lips parted in a mind blowing smile that transformed the sardonic look on his face and made her go weak in the knees. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Jessica.”
Jessica stood before him so completely awed by his overwhelming presence that she didn’t take offence to being called Jeff Cantrell’s baby sister. It was only when she felt Adam’s sharp nudge on her elbow that she realized she was staring impolitely. “Er..Mr. Hart, it’s ..nice to meet you too,” she spluttered, offering her hand.
“Indeed,” his voice boomed covering her soft hand in his large one. The sharp jolt that she received was so unexpected that she backed away slight
ly, bumping into Adam. He released her hand to shake hands with Adam but kept her eyes captive with his. “It’s a pity we couldn’t meet this morning. And please call me Steven.”
“Y..yes, I was.. caught up in traffic.” She glanced at Adam remembering their encounter the previous night and flushed uncomfortably.
“Ah!” was all Steven Hart uttered but it had the sheer force to have her eyes flying back at him. His face once again held a cynical look and it somehow irritated her. “Would you two care to join us for dinner?”
“Of course they would!” Niki chipped in, having remained quiet for longer than she was capable. “I don’t expect your brother’s showing up anyway so we don’t have to wait for him. And Jessi tells me they just got engaged.”
Jessica noticed the strange look that passed fleetingly across Steven’s features but it left so abruptly that she couldn’t discern it. Instead she could feel his intense gaze once again piercing through her soul. “Well, I guess congratulations are in order,” he said simply but Jessica sensed a restrained note in his voice.
She pulled herself together and scolded herself silently for behaving like a star-struck teenager. What was the matter with her? Why had she let this man have such an earth shattering effect on her? For heaven’s sake, Steven Hart was just a man. He’s also the hottest man you have ever met, a sly little voice told her and she felt her cheeks flush. Stop it! she told herself sternly and deliberately turned to smile affectionately at Adam.
His arm came possessively around her waist in response and when they seated themselves, he took her hand and placed it on his thigh. The intimate gesture embarrassed Jessica making her wonder if their companions had noticed it. One look at Steven’s mocking smile told her he had noticed it all right and she unconsciously lifted her defiant chin. The blatant amusement in his eyes made her bristle with irritation.