He needed to clear his mind. The whole idea was for him to affect her, not the other way around. He glanced up at the ceiling again then got up and went into the kitchen. Cooking dinner would be his distraction.
Jo had gone directly to her bedroom. As soon as she walked in she felt the blast of chilly air. But right now she needed chilly after spending the afternoon with Andre. She crossed the room and sat on the bed sighing heavily. She was exhausted, but deliriously happy. The day had been close to perfect. Andre was a fun tour guide and she was sure he was beginning to open up and trust her. Satisfied, she kicked off her boots and looked around.
All of the sudden it was obvious that someone had been there. She’d made the bed earlier, but now saw that the sheets had been changed and the bed remade to four-star hotel perfection including mints in a dish on the nightstand beside the bottled water. She got up and continued looking around. There were fresh towels in the bathroom and her discarded clothes had been cleaned and left neatly folded on the stand by the wardrobe.
She put the clothes away, changed back into her red cashmere sweater and slacks from earlier then walked over to the office area and looked at the desk. Everything was exactly as she left it except that a new printer had been set up and placed on the side desk with available connections to her laptop at the ready. She sat amazed by the proficiency of the Buchanan household, then attached the printer and turned on her laptop.
Before actually writing again, she opened and reviewed the boxes she’d gone through that morning and the day before. She had divided the information into several piles. Today she intended to focus on the Buchanans’ early years, before Jacob. She turned to her laptop and reviewed the outline she’d begun earlier. The overall tone was good, but for some reason the piece still seemed stiff and rigid. It didn’t feel like the open and easy exchange of information with a man like Jacob.
She sat thinking for a few moments, toying with new directions. Her many phone interviews and conversations with Jacob showed him to be a gracious man who valued hard work and loved his family. Andre was a lot like that as well. She considered her day with Andre and realized that, age and position aside, he and Jacob were very much alike. They were intelligent, honest, forthright men who worked hard and were solely and completely dedicated to the family business. She started reworking the opening of the bio incorporating information from her many pages of notes, from conversations with Jacob and details from the boxes.
The result was far better than she expected. The direction was comfortable and easy while expressing the hardships of a century past. She attached the headphones to her computer and began replaying the recorded interviews and conversations she had had with Jacob the last few weeks.
Suddenly Jo had a rush of inspiration. She typed nonstop for the next few hours, narrowing and revising her manuscript while continuing her research. When she finally took a break she noticed that the room was not only dark but cold again. She drank a bottle of water then continued writing. An hour later she stopped, saving her file to the laptop hard drive and two flash drives.
She got up, stretched and walked to the window. Shivering, she realized just how cold the bedroom had gotten. It was completely dark outside. She’d worked through the entire evening. “Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned his great-grandfather,” she muttered, second-guessing herself about their conversation earlier that day. The thought popped into her head and seemed to come from nowhere. Maybe she was wrong about him, considering everything that happened that day. The morning ride up the mountain and the walking tour in town both revealed Andre as open and welcoming.
Ten minutes later Jo was still staring out the window when she smelled something incredible. Her stomach growled instantly. She realized she was hungry and whatever was cooking downstairs smelled delicious.
Following the heavenly aroma, she went into the kitchen just as a blast of smoke puffed up over the range. Andre stood at the grill basting salmon fillets with what looked like an herb butter mixture. Still attired in the jeans and shirt from earlier, he’d added a cook’s apron. She watched awhile, noting for the first time just how sexy it was to watch a man cooking. He was fully engaged in his task, moving with agility and aptness. “Hey,” she said from the doorway, after taking her time watching him.
Andre turned at the sound of her voice. She’d changed back into the outfit she had on earlier that morning. She looked just as sexy as if she’d worn a negligee. “Hey yourself,” he said smiling.
“I thought you mentioned something about eating dinner out this morning.”
“Call me selfish, I thought we’d spend the evening here.”
Jo bit at her lower lip not knowing how to reply to a remark like that. “Need some help?”
“Sure, grab the oven mitts and pull the potatoes out of the oven. They should be done.”
She did as he instructed. She opened the oven expecting to see two baked potatoes, but instead pulled out a tray of crispy glazed sweet potatoes. The aroma was mouthwatering. Her stomach growled again, tempting her to pop one into her mouth, but she didn’t. “Wow, these look incredible,” she said placing the tray on a trivet.
“Try one,” he said, grabbing a small slice and offering it to her. She touched his hand as he guided the hot potato to her mouth. She bit it in half. It was hot, but the taste was pure heavenly decadence.
“That’s delicious,” she said as he popped the rest of the potato into his mouth and then turned his focus back to the salmon. Grabbing his tongs, he turned the salmon to crosshatch the grill marks. “Here, you can put the potatoes on this plate. Careful, it’s warm.”
She grabbed the heated serving plate with the mitts and began piling the potatoes on top. “Done,” she said. He reached over, grabbed the plate and placed the salmon fillets alongside the potatoes. He sprinkled chopped parsley on top then put the plate on the counter already set with two place settings. She followed him to the counter. “Wow, this looks and smells amazing.”
“Have a seat,” he said, pulling the stool out for her.
She sat down and waited as he grabbed a bottle of wine, opened it and filled both their glasses. “You really are full of surprises,” she said.
“Is that good?” he asked, holding his glass up to her.
She picked up her glass and gently touched it to his. “Yes, it’s very good.” They each took a sip of wine, and then she looked at the meal in front of her. Everything looked sensational. Andre served both plates then sipped his wine waiting for her to try the food. She tasted the salmon and baby vegetables then sliced a portion of sweet potato. The taste exploded in her mouth in an array of flavors and textures. It was sweet, savory and crisp. “This is fantastic. Who taught you how to cook?” she asked, dabbing at her mouth.
“Confession time—I can only cook four different meals.”
“What are the other three?” she asked.
“I think I’ll wait and surprise you,” he teased. They continued eating while chatting about the day spent in Juneau. When they finished, they sat sipping wine and eased into various topics of conversation. “So tell me, what was your number one favorite part about our tour today?” he asked.
“All of it.”
“Uh-uh, that’s a cop-out. You have to name one thing.”
“Okay, one thing,” she pondered a moment. “All right, I have it. I’d say my number one favorite part of today was seeing the view from the top of the mountain this morning. I still can’t believe how amazing it was. The idea that it’s yours and you can go up there anytime you want is awesome.”
“It’s a very special place. I have a lot of great memories there. I’m glad you liked being there. Perhaps we can go up there again before you leave,” he said, as he gathered the dishes and placed them in the dishwasher.
“I’d like that,” she said, smiling while helping him load dishes. She chuckled softly as she handed him the silverware.
He looked over and noticed her expression. “What?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
“No, for real, what is it?”
“I was just thinking that I might have been wrong about you before.”
“Oh really, what exactly did you think about me before?”
“Basically that you were a spoiled, arrogant, self-serving, playboy millionaire snob,” she rattled off instantly. Andre laughed out loud and continued laughing. “That wasn’t exactly a compliment you know,” she added.
“I know, but I still love it. Believe it or not it’s not the first time I’ve heard myself described like that, although the self-serving part is a nice added touch. So tell me, what do you think of me now?”
“Did I forget to mention conceited?” she joked.
“Conceited? No. Interested in your opinion, definitely.”
“Okay, I guess charming would be a good description.”
“Charming,” he repeated while nodding approvingly, “I like that. I can do charming.” He started the dishwasher and walked toward the doorway where she stood.
“Will you answer a personal question?” she began.
“If you have a drink with me first,” he said. “Come on, I have something special I think you’ll enjoy trying.”
She followed him to the library and stood as he placed a pitcher of ice water and two crystal glasses on the bar then placed a slotted spoon over each glass. He dropped one sugar cube onto each spoon then poured green liquid from a stylized black bottle with green eyes. She watched intently, impressed by the extreme production. The aroma of licorice filled the air. “What are you doing, what is all this?”
“You’ll see,” he said, continuing to mix the concoction. He took a lighter and set the sugar cube on fire. Instantly a blue blaze appeared and burned through the sugar.
Jo picked up the black bottle with its eerie green eyes and read the name. “Absinthe Superieure,” she looked up at him. “Isn’t absinthe illegal in the United States?”
“No, not anymore,” he said, as the fire died down and he added ice water from the pitcher. The drink turned a milky white color. He removed the spoons and handed her a glass. “For you,” he said. “Careful, it’s strong, but trust me, no little green fairies or other hallucinations, I promise.”
She took the glass and held it up, looking at it closely. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.” She took a small sip. The taste was a mixture of anise and sweet peppermint. She was just savoring it on her palate when her throat began to burn. She gasped from the 124 proof backdraft. When she finally caught her breath she smiled. “Actually that’s not too bad.”
He smiled, impressed by her adventurous spirit. “Good, I’m glad you tried it. So what’s the question?”
She took another small sip. “You were married such a short time, who broke it off?”
“I did,” he said plainly. “It lasted two weeks.”
“Two weeks,” she repeated.
“Do you want to know why?” he asked.
“Do you want to tell me why?” she asked, hoping he would.
“I will, later. But right now, this is for you,” he said, as he placed a box on the bar in front of her.
“For me?” she questioned, looking at the box oddly. “I told you, I don’t take bribes,” she joked.
“Good, because I don’t give bribes. Here take it. It won’t bite, I promise,” he said smiling.
Jo took the box, removed the lid and pulled out a tissue-covered snow globe. She smiled. “Oh, it’s beautiful.” She turned it upside down, shook it gently and then watched the delicate crystals gently fall back in place. She laughed softly. “Thank you, this was very sweet of you.”
“I’m glad you like it,” he said as he came from behind the bar and stood in front of her. He reached up and touched her lips softly. “I find that I enjoy pleasing you.”
She held her breath and nearly melted on the spot. If this was a dream she never wanted to wake up. But she knew it wasn’t and she knew she couldn’t go down that road with him. “Andre, why are you doing this?”
“Because I like you,” he said softly, then leaned in and kissed her cheek and nuzzled her neck seductively. “I’m beginning to like you way too much,” he whispered in her ear.
Her stomach lurched and chills shot through her, making her shudder. The absinthe effect was nothing compared to this man. “You don’t even know me.”
He stopped and leaned back looking into her eyes. “You don’t trust me do you?” he asked.
“I don’t know who to trust, the man who vowed to get rid of me or the man who made me dinner tonight.”
“There’s another choice,” he offered. She looked up at him with questioning eyes. “The man who wants to make love to you.” She opened her mouth to reply and he kissed her. His tongue slipped easily into her mouth and she savored the feel of being connected to him again. Absinthe to absinthe, the fire between them ignited all over again. Suddenly there was no thought or reason, no discussion or debate. There was only a man and a woman wanting to be in each other’s arms.
Jo melted against his body, feeling desire drain her logic away. He encircled her waist, drawing her close. She felt the hardness of his desire press into her. She closed her eyes as her heart pounded like a jackhammer. When the kiss ended she held her hand out and stepped away, shaking her head. “I don’t think this is a good idea. It has disaster written all over it. I can’t do this,” she said breathlessly.
“I was hoping we’d do something different,” he tempted.
She closed her eyes trying to find strength. “Andre.”
“Sh,” he whispered, “I just want you to know that I really like you. I really like you way too much and that wasn’t part of the plan,” he said, more truthful than he expected.
“Andre,” Jo sighed.
“Sit, relax, finish your drink. Tomorrow we’ll see Juneau’s more touristy sights. It’ll probably take up most of the morning and afternoon. We’ll hit the gold mine, the glaciers, the museums, and the cemetery and then grab the Mount Roberts tramway to the top. The view is spectacular. I suggest we leave early, it’ll be a full day, so until then, pleasant dreams.” He backed up and walked away.
Jo stood staring after him, not sure what had just happened. But whatever it was she definitely needed a cold shower to get her through the night. She wasn’t sure if it was the absinthe or the fire Andre set burning all through her body, but she definitely needed to chill. She waited a few minutes then went upstairs to her room.
Chapter 10
What had been chilly and cold was now freezing.
She turned and knocked on Andre’s bedroom door. He answered almost instantly. She almost forgot what she was going to ask him. “Is it always supposed to be so cold in my bedroom? I was working earlier and suddenly realized that it was freezing. It’s even colder now. My teeth are beginning to chatter.”
“Each room has a separate thermostat. Housekeeping usually sets the level. I can…” he began, and then looked behind her into the room “…turn your heat up, if you like.”
“Oh yes, that would be great. I appreciate it,” Jo said, then stepped aside and followed him across the hall back into her bedroom. She watched as he walked over to the office area and adjusted a small thermostat on the wall that she hadn’t even noticed before. “There you go, that should do it,” he said, then turned to her. His eyes hit two distinct points beneath her sweater. Her nipples were hard. His body instantly reacted.
“Thanks, it’s so cold,” she said, knowing exactly what drew his attention. She turned away and walked back to the open door.
“You get used to it after awhile,” he said as he followed.
“Um, about what happened downstairs between us, I think it might be best if we avoid situations like that from now on. It would complicate my job here.”
“Complicate your job, you’re kidding right?” he joked.
She smiled and chuckled. “I stand corrected, it complicates both our jobs. So maybe we can…”
“…call a truce?” he off
ered, with his hand extended.
She looked at his hand, doubting his sincerity. “Do you even know what a truce is?”
“Ouch, that almost hurt,” he said. “Come on, a truce?”
“Fine,” she nodded and shook his hand. “Agreed,” she said softly. He didn’t release her hand. She looked up into his eyes. “Don’t,” she said.
“Don’t what?” he asked innocently.
“You know what, look at me like that.”
“Like what?” he asked innocently.
“Now look who’s playing games.”
“You’re right,” he said smiling, releasing her hand. “Cards on the table?” he asked. She nodded. “What happened at the airport, and today in Juneau, I enjoyed it.”
“I did too, Cannon,” she said then chuckled, “Oh, I get it, Cannon as in Buchanan, right?”
“That’s one meaning,” he said, smiling with that same gleam in his eyes.
She understood his implication instantly. “You’re doing it again.”
“I can’t help it,” he said as his broad smile suddenly faded into seriousness. “I’m attracted to you. You already know that. You’re attracted to me as well…” She opened her mouth to protest, but found she had nothing to say when he cut her off, “…that is if we’re being honest with ourselves.”
“Honest or not, some attractions can be dangerous. They can get people in trouble and they can get people hurt,” she said.
“And you know this how?” he asked, curious about her experiences.
“My foster parents were attracted to each other. But they were toxic, their so-called attraction hurt everybody around them. I never want to be like that. I remember they’d have affairs all the time and to reconcile with each other they’d fabricate something and blame it on the foster kids, like their drama was our fault. It was a vicious cycle. They’d argue and fight, then attack and blame us.”
“That was wrong, they were wrong, but you can’t live based on one bad experience. Attractions are a natural human reaction to physical, emotional or other carnal appetites. They manifest in sensual desires. It’s false expectations that get people in trouble. State parameters up front and don’t go beyond that point.”
When It Feels So Right Page 10