by Malone, Nana
Scooting up to the bar, she pulled out her laptop again. If she had to wait, she might as well prep a proper pitch. Not like she expected Adele to offer her a gig, but as exercises went, it would keep her mind off the jobless situation. It was what she loved, thrived on. She was meant to do a job like this.
She had to thank Alec for at least giving her the chance. He didn’t know her, but he already felt like a knight in shining armor. If she believed in such things. Rolling her shoulders, she told herself to relax. He would come. She would have something to eat, try to enjoy her meal, and forget about the interview. And maybe even try to not obsess that not one single person had called her back about a job yet.
She might have screwed up in front of Adele, but as far as the rest of the city was concerned, she was a darned good event planner and—
The smell of sandalwood and something else woodsy enveloped her.
“I’m sorry I’m late. Something came up.” Directly behind her, Alec’s smooth baritone cradled her like a blanket and she almost forgot how her morning went.
She swiveled on the bar stool to face him and choked out a strangled cry. “Oh my God, what happened to you?” As she stood to inspect one of his bruises, she upended her purse. “Damn it.” He helped her as she frantically tried to grab the pieces of her life from skittering away. Jaya breathed a sigh of relieve as her fingers fell on her Thirty list. Not exactly the kind of thing she wanted floating around. The list may not have her name on it, but the thought of anyone ever reading it made her nauseated. She was so relieved she got a hold of it before Alec could see it. Mortified wouldn’t even begin to cover it if he saw what was on there.
He frowned as he glanced down his ragged shirt and dirt-streaked jeans. “I suppose I look a little worse for wear.”
She grimaced. “Worse for wear? You look like you’ve been in an alley fight. And did you know you have a leaf stuck in your hair?”
He grasped for it. “What? Still? I thought I got the last one in the car. Guess not.”
All she could do was blink at him for several moments. Then laugh at the absurdity. “What did you do to yourself?
Sounding like he was trying to hold back a strangled laugh, he said, “You mean besides traipsing through the jungles of LA? Not too much. How did it go with Adele?”
“Erm, great.” she lied. No point in hashing out the tortured details right away. He’d find out soon enough. No need for him to know she blew it. “You know—I did a pitch, she heard me out. I guess we’ll see.” She shrugged, each word leaving a bitter tasting paste in her mouth.
He studied her, the smudge of dirt on his nose the only thing she could see. “Don’t take it too hard. Adele’s—tough. I’m sure you did all right.”
Yeah. Right. If all right meant she’d be eating Top Ramen for the rest of her life just to pay her mortgage. Or worse, have to move back home. She shook her head to clear it. “I’m not going to think about it now. I’ve got some other things in the hopper, so we’ll see.”
He nodded, a dark curl flopping on his brow. “Well, a deal’s a deal. You came up here, you made the pitch. So I’m your man for this wedding shindig. What do I need to know? I met the evil sister. You know you two could be twins, which, by the way, is very hot.” He flashed a grin. “Anyone else? When do I meet the evil ex-fiancé-slash-sister’s-new-fiancé?”
She stared at him, not sure what was funnier, that he’d used the word shindig or that he was covered in dirt and debris yet acting as if everything was completely normal. She let out a strangled giggle. “Look, I’m sorry, but you can’t just come in here like nothing’s off. You’re covered in dirt and look like you did the Bachata with a dumpster. Luckily, you don’t smell like it.” No, he smelled like sandalwood and heaven and she had to fight not to think about the previous night. No hanky-panky. That was her rule not his. Why did I make the stupid rule again?
“Bachata huh? You ever been to the birthplace of Bachata?” He smiled, and the corners of his eyes creased. “Man, they do know how to party in the Dominican.”
She shook her head. “No. Closest I’ve been is Haiti, to help with the relief efforts. It’s where my family originated from generations ago. Most of them eventually ended up in New Orleans.”
He swiped at the sweat on his nose then frowned as the dirt came on his finger. “Damn. I’m a mess. I promise I don’t take women out looking like this. If Adele saw me, she’d freak.” He stood and held out a hand. “Come on. Let me show you around.”
She darted a glance around. “Aren’t you going to get cleaned up?”
The rakish grin was back complete with dazzling teeth. “That’s where we’re going.” Before she could remind him of their arrangement, he held up his hands in a gesture of peace. “Relax, Jai, I remember the deal. No funny business.” He made a cross over his heart. “Scout’s honor.”
“Were you ever a Boy Scout?”
He chuckled. “Something like that.”
She placed her palm in his, noticing the knuckles were raw and pink. Tugging on his hand, she looked up at him. “Please tell me what happened today. Adele Westhorpe doesn’t have you doing anything dangerous, does she? Like with teamsters or anything?” She’d seen that in a movie once.
He blinked at her, once, twice, then again. The bellowing laughter that spilled out from him filled her with a rush of instant warmth.
“Adele. Teamsters.” Laying a hand on his flat stomach, he guffawed again. “That’s awesome. I really must tell her one day.”
Jaya frowned. “Maybe not before she has a chance to decide about the job, okay?”
Still chuckling, he shook his head. “No. No teamsters. But the guy I was supposed to bring back to the office had other plans and ran down an alley. I went after him to try and, um, talk to him, but he threw a fist or two, then tossed a dumpster in my path.” Wiggling the fingers on his left hand, he gave her a wry smile. “Hence the pink knuckles. I’m fine, really. When are you going to tell me about your wedding?”
“You really did do the Bachata with a dumpster.”
He leaned in so close she could smell the mint on his breath. “If you like, I can show you how it’s done sometime.”
The hint of teasing and familiarity sent a sizzle to her core. She cleared her throat. “Maybe it’s something I’ll add to my Thirty list.”
He pulled her through the lobby toward the elevator. As they went, several hotel guest and staff stared, but no one questioned or made attempts to stop them. “What the heck is a Thirty list?”
She followed him into the elevator, a hot flush spread over her skin and she prayed he didn’t notice. “Just a list of all the things I want to do before I hit thirty.”
He grinned. “Like a Bucket List. I’m glad to hear I made it.”
She rolled her eyes. He was just so cocky. “Not you. Sad to say, ‘make love to hot stranger in a random hotel’ did not make my list. But learning Bachata will. As will dancing on top of the Eiffel tower in an evening gown.”
“You think I’m hot?”
She smacked him on the arm as the elevator dinged on the pool level. “You really can’t help yourself, can you?”
“Nope.” His grin clearly stated his unabashed delight in himself. “So, can I see it?”
“Oh, hell no.” No one saw her list. Not even Micha and Ricca. They were her private goals. She was the only one how saw if and when she crossed things off.
“Wait, you’ll tell me what’s on it, but you won’t let me see it?”
“I only told you two things. It’s private. Like, really private. I don’t show it to anyone.” Lest they judge her by her failures. Like the time she’d tried to ride the New York City subway all night, just to get a vibe of the city. Big mistake. She’d been mugged. He didn’t need to know that. Her whole life, she had two mottos. Never let them see you sweat, and never let them see you fail.
“Let me guess. It’s one of your rules.”
She crossed her arms. “I like my rules.” But her con
viction didn’t sound as solid as it would have two days ago. After all, sleeping with a stranger was a no-no in her book. Was Micha right? Was she too uptight with too many restrictions? The tiny voice in her head argued. But if you didn’t have your rules, how would you live? Everything would be in chaos. And she hated disorder. No, you don't. It’s your father who hates chaos. You want to be free. She shook her head and ignored the voice. She needed her list of dos and don’ts. But as she watched Alec out of the corner of her eye, she wondered if she could relax some of her rules.
The muscles in his forearms quivered as he pushed up his sleeves. “Cat got your tongue”
“No.” She flushed and looked down at her hands. “I've been meaning to say, thank you. This job, if it pans out, is something I needed. I'm not sure what I did right. But thank you.”
He remained silent. She brought her eyes up to meet his. And he smiled. “You don't have to thank me. Believe me you're doing me a favor.”
“And the wedding? Is that doing you a favor too?”
“Oh yes.” He winked.
“How exactly?” “
“I get to spend the next two weeks with a beautiful, sexy woman.”
She flushed. “You shouldn’t flirt with me like that.”
“What if I like flirting with you? What if I like making you flush pink under that pretty brown skin?”
She didn't exactly know what to say to that. So she played with the hem of her shirt and changed the subject to something safer. “I sent out a ton of query letters to event planning companies around town, looking for a bite or referral. They all know my work. They were competitors and pseudo friends. All of a sudden, my email is either being ignored or they're not getting back to me. One actually replied that he knew my father well and if I'd left, it must be for a reason.” She sniffed in an effort to keep the waterworks at bay.
A frown line marred his otherwise smooth forehead. “Word got around quick, huh?”
She gnawed on her lower lip. “Well, seeing how it's a Saturday and I left on Tuesday, the only way for word to have gotten out is if someone spread it. Which is possible. Or it's something else.”
“Something else like…?”
“Like Dad is deliberately blocking my chances to get another job.”
“But why would he do that? What's your story with him anyway? Why would he stand in your way?”
“My father and I—our relationship is tense. I'm the least like him, so I try harder to please him. He’s austere and doesn't show his emotion unless it's with Tamara. He actually smiles at her. With me, all he sees is ‘not good enough.’ Even if I pull off a flawless event, he's always riding me hard with things I could improve on.” She shrugged. “It’s just his way.”
“You spend a lot of time trying to make him happy?”
She barked out a harsh laugh. “Oh, only my whole life. Dancing was uncivilized, so I stopped the lessons. Everything has to be just so. Color is vulgar, so I stopped wearing bright colors.”
“Tell me something.”
She looked up from her drink. “Yeah?”
“If you can't make him happy, and you're making yourself miserable, why not do what you want to do?”
He had a point. But she wouldn’t tell him that. Instead, she followed him out to the pool area and noticed the signs that said no swimming unless there was a lifeguard on duty. “What are we doing up here?”
He stripped off his shirt, nearly causing her to swallow her tongue. She might have already seen all he had to offer, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t nice to look at. “If I’m lucky, helping you cross off something else on your thirty list.”
How in the world did he—
He smirked. “A woman as controlled as you are would have on her Thirty list things she sees at challenges. Probably working her way up to the most challenging. The most basic ones would have to include public nudity. So what do you say, Jai? You up for a little skinny dipping?”
Chapter Eleven
There was a God. At least, Alec hoped there was one who would give Jaya the nudge to go skinny-dipping. He tossed his shirt onto one of the lounge chairs. Watching Jaya carefully, he prayed she’d join him. Not because he wanted her to break her rules, though that was a part of it, but because he wanted her to loosen up. Yesterday she’d been fun and vibrant and flirtatious. Today she was like a whole different person. This person was cute and he enjoyed teasing her, especially when she jotted something on that ‘to do’ list of hers. But if she were more carefree he could absolve himself of any guilt about getting too close to her. It was the guilt that always killed him. That always reminded him he was just like his father.
“Can I take some guesses as to what’s on this Thirty list of yours?” He winked at her and she rewarded him with another flush. “I’ve already guessed one thing. Skinny dipping.” God, he prayed he was right about that one. He’d only caught a quick glimpse when it fell out of her purse. Getting to see that expanse of pretty brown skin would be heaven sent.
She shook her head, her thick dark hair falling over the shoulder. “No. Don’t bother. You’ll never get it right. You don’t know me well enough.”
Man, he loved a challenge. “Oh, don’t I? I know what makes you smile when you’re not thinking so hard about being serious. I know your father makes you crazy and I know that even though your sister hurt you, you’re willing to try to be there for her. And—” He exhaled. “—I know what makes you come.”
Her pretty lips parted as if she were going to say something, then she pressed them together again tightly.
“Fine. I’ll go on. I know you’ve got a steel strength that people probably under estimate. I know that it jazzes you up to make a list. You’re hyper-organized but you love super-heroes. I know that even when your world is going to shit, you suck it up and get on with it. I might have only met you earlier this week, but I know a whole lot about you, Jaya Trudeaux. I’ve been paying attention.”
She blew out a breath as she nibbled her lip. “Fine. Skinny-dipping is on the list.” She rushed to add, “But just because we’re up here at a pool and you’ve taken off your shirt, which is very distracting by the way, I am not jumping in the pool with you.”
“Why not? It’s not like I haven’t already seen you naked.”
She rolled her eyes as she looked around. “You’re not seriously going to go in, are you? I don’t think we’re supposed to be up here.” Sniffing, she added, “I’d have to build up a lot of nerve for it, and the point is to sort of have no one around.”
“C’mon now. Half the fun is the thought that you’ll get caught.” He stalked towards her, stopping short of brushing her body with his, his whole body jerking with need. “How about this—I show you how it’s done, and then you join me.” He eased away from her before he could do anything stupid. Shit. Everything from her hair to her eyes to her light jasmine scent made him ache. “I have an idea. Why don’t you add skinny-dipping to your list of ‘to do’s’ for the day.” As he walked away, he wondered how in the hell he was going to get his pants off without her noticing how massively hard he was.
She shrugged. “I know my lists probably seem stupid to you, but I never get anything done if I don’t write it down. Make it a goal. I don't know—it's like I'm paralyzed until I write it down.”
“You can do things without writing them down, you know.”
She shook her head. “Nope. I can’t even get to the grocery store unless I put it on a to-do list for the day. And of course I shop by grocery list.”
Alec barked out a laugh. “You mean to tell me you've never been to the grocery store without a list? I’d hate to see that list. No rocky road. No booze.”
Her brows drew in. “Not rocky road. Cookies and cream. That always makes my list,” she sniffed.
He grinned. “Well you can’t be too uptight if cookies and cream make the list.”
“I'm not uptight. I'm just organized and have a plan for life.”
Alec grinned. He'd feel like his
head was in a noose if he had to live like that. Kind of like now. He had too much of his father in him. Needed to be free. I just want to be free. Max's words came to him in a rush. Well, didn't the need for freedom run in the family? But he wasn’t like his brother. He kept his commitments. He just knew better than to make too many. Alec knew Westhorpe blood ran in his veins.
He wasn’t capable of long-term commitment. Then why do you expect it from your brother? He also thought about Adele's words, “You are your actions and not your legacy. You can make the choices.”
Jaya was more than her to-do lists. Maybe—No. He shook his head. He was about the fun. He wasn’t the stick-around guy. He’d proved that time and again. It didn’t matter if Jaya made him want to stick around for it. He knew the pattern. He’d eventually get bored and leave.
“Earth to Alec.” Jaya waved a hand in front of her face. “You there?”
“Um, yeah,” He smiled. “I’m here. So how about I help you with your list. Even if you won’t tell me everything that’s on it. How about you tell me one thing, and I’ll get you to cross it off. You don’t even have to tell me how long the list is.”
She inched closer to the pool. “Why would you think you’re the person to help me?”
“Because, if something made it on there, it’s probably a little rash, dangerous, or exciting. I'm the master of excitement.”
She laughed, and Alec’s heart jumped. He loved the way she laughed. It made her sound young and un-jaded. Her almond-shaped eyes vanished into creases. He couldn’t help but smile back at her.
“The master of excitement huh? Not all of my goals are exciting. Some have to do with me standing up for myself.”
“Like telling Derrick he was terrible in bed?
Her eyes widened. “How the hell did you—”
He shook his head and tapped his temple. “Photographic memory. I saw part of your list when you dropped it downstairs.”
She covered her eyes. “You're shitting me.”