by Emery Jacobs
“I leave in ten. Do you wanna take it or see if Nikki wants it?” Nikki is the bartender tonight, but she will wait the occasional table. I stand on my tiptoes looking over the row of tables toward the back of the restaurant. It’s so damn dark back there that it’s impossible to tell how many bodies are occupying the booth.
“Neither, you take it. He asked specifically for Jovie. And that would be you.”
What the hell ever. Naomi—queen of bullshit.
“Fine, whatever.” I make my way toward the back booth. I will myself to have a good attitude. But it’s difficult. Really difficult. All I can think about is going home, opening up my laptop, and writing the best damn research paper Dr. Mitchell has ever laid her eyes on. Yeah, right. I really just want to get out of here, go home, and climb in the bed.
“Hi, I’m Jovie. Are you dining alone or will someone else be joining you?” Man, I’m good. I could practically hear a smile in my voice.
The dark-haired guy looks up from his phone. Jack. He smiles and says, “Hey, Jovie. I actually won’t be dining at all. I’m just waiting for you to finish your shift.”
“Finish my shift? Why?”
“I need you to go somewhere with me. Are you up to it?”
“I don’t know. Where?”
“You’ll see when we get there. Think of it as a surprise,” he says.
“Not a big fan of surprises. I like to know where I’m going before I get there.”
This is weird, to say the least. He’s like a boomerang. I let go of him, and he always comes back. Sometimes, it’s only a few days. Other times, it’s a few weeks or a month.
For some reason, I do trust him. I don’t think he would do anything to deliberately hurt me. But I also know he can be an asshole. I’ve seen it firsthand. So why am I even considering this? Hmm… he’s pretty irresistible. I hope I won’t regret our time together, but for now… I’ll just roll with it.
“Just trust me,” he says.
I laugh. Not a girly giggle but a deep belly laugh.
“Trust you. Okay, Jack. Whatever you say. Even though, in the short period of time I’ve known you, you haven’t given me one reason to, you know, trust you.”
“You’re right. I haven’t given you a reason, but that’s why I’m here. I want to start over. Forget about the first night you met me. Forget about the night I was drunk and the night on the hood of your car—”
“Ahem, forget about…” I mumble
“Well, maybe there are parts about the hood of your car I want to remember, but I definitely want to forget the part where I walked away,” he says as his eyes move around the room. Aw, he’s acting kind of sweet. Damn him.
“Okay, I’ll go, but only because you mentioned the hood of my car.”
God, I’m going to pretend I didn’t say that out loud. He smiles my favorite lopsided grin.
“How much longer until you can head out?” he asks.
“I can leave now. Let me grab my stuff. Are we going in one vehicle or do you want me to follow you?”
“Do you mind driving us? It’s not too far.”
“No. I don’t mind. Be back in a few.” I turn toward the back of the restaurant and head for the break room.
I hurriedly grab everything from my locker and slam it shut. Wonder what he’s up to? Doesn’t matter. I have a great attitude tonight. Plus he’s being different from usual. In a good way.
“You’re not leaving with him, are you?” Naomi. Why does she care?
“Yeah, why? My shift is over unless you need me to do something else before I go.”
“No, it’s not that at all. You just need to be careful with that one.”
“That one? I don’t understand.”
I slide by her and move closer toward the door.
“Jack. You know who I’m talking about. He’s not somebody I think a girl like you needs to hang out with if you know what I mean.” She smiles and takes a few steps toward me before continuing. “He doesn’t date, ever. Never known him to have one girlfriend. I don’t know. You’re my friend, and… well, I just don’t want to see you get hurt. Especially when you have plenty of other opportunities out there.”
“First, I know exactly what I’m getting into with Jack. Nothing. It’s not like that.”
“Not yet, anyway,” she cuts me off.
“Please, Naomi. I know you’re my friend and you mean well, but just let me make my own mistakes. I never had that chance growing up. My parents didn’t let me do anything. So I never made the wrong decisions or the right ones for that matter. If anything changes, which it won’t, I’ll be sure to let you know. But for now, just let me hang out with Jack or Ryker or whoever, without making me feel bad or worrying about whether or not I’m doing the right thing.”
“Okay, fine. Go have fun. And I promise I won’t say I told you so.” She laughs as she turns toward her locker.
“See you tomorrow night.”
As I turn the corner making my way back into the dining room, Jack’s standing at the bar with that grin. My fucking smile, but he’s giving it to someone else. Lena to be exact. She’s the big-chested brunette who works here part time but seems to hang out at the bar all of the time. I. Don’t. Care.
I approach the two of them. He turns his head and looks at me, still smiling.
“You ready?” he asks.
“Yeah.”
He nods toward the front of the restaurant, and we fall into step together. We exit the building through the front door. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his keys.
“I’m parked on the other side of the building.” He motions in the direction of his vehicle.
Once we reach his Jeep, he unlocks the passenger side door before he joins me on the other side. He slides the key in, unlocks my door, and tosses me the keys. What a freaking gentleman.
* * * * *
“It’s not too much farther. Just around the corner and to the right.”
We have been driving for about twenty minutes outside of town—an area I’m not familiar with. A two lane highway with trees on both sides of the road for miles.
“Slow down. Take a right—here.” He points to the road he wants me to take, so I slow down and make the turn. Dirt road. Beginning to feel a little uncomfortable.
“Jack.”
“Yeah, we’re almost there.”
“Will you promise me something?” I quickly glance from the road to Jack and back to the road again.
“No.”
I slam on the brakes—the back tires slide from right to left before coming to a complete stop.
“Shit, Jovie. What the hell?”
“I wanna go back. I’m gonna turn around and go back to the restaurant—to my car.”
“Wait. Why?”
His lopsided grin is nowhere to be found. Instead, it’s replaced with firm lips and raised eyebrows.
“Because, when I asked you if you would promise me something, you said no. Who says no to that question? I’ve gotten a maybe before, but never a no. Plus the promise I need is a very important one. So, now you know the why.” I place my hand on the gearshift to throw it in reverse and get the hell off the creepy dirt road.
“Wait a minute.” He puts his hand over mine before continuing. “I don’t make promises to anyone. No matter how important the promise is to you. I can’t do it. Sorry. That’s just the way I am. No promises—ever.” He releases my hand.
He’s not stopping me from turning around. I haven’t known Jack for very long, but he seems to be able to shut down quickly.
“Okay, fine. You win. This dirt road with arching trees is probably beautiful during the day but in the dark, it’s freaking creepy. I only wanted you to promise me that you weren’t gonna get me out here and chop me into little pieces to feed to the fish. There that’s it. Please. Don’t. Kill. Me.”
He laughs as if it’s the funniest thing he’s ever heard anyone say. I personally don’t think it’s funny.
He finally stops laughing and loo
ks at me before saying, “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. Put the Jeep back in drive and keep going about another mile, then veer to the left.”
So I do exactly what he says. I take it slow as I notice the water just ahead. Yeah, fish food. It’s so ridiculous, my ass.
“Stop right here and put it in park.” I do as he says. Then he hops out and walks around to the driver’s side door.
After pulling the door open, he unhooks my seat belt, grabs my hand, and helps me out. Hmm… quite the gentleman… again.
After I’m out, he climbs in behind the steering wheel. Oh, shit. Surely he’s not about to leave me. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and release it. I do this three more times. When I open my eyes, Jack is standing in front of me.
“What?” I ask.
“Tell me you aren’t having one of those episodes.”
“Panic attack, Jack. Not an episode. My God, you sound like a—a—ah, well, I don’t know, but calling anxiety or panic an episode just sounds uncool.”
“That’s me. The most uncool person you will ever know. But, hey, being uncool works for me.”
“What’s that mean?”
“Well, look around.” He walks around me slowly until he’s made a complete circle. Then he continues, “I’m here at my most favorite, peaceful place in the entire world with the most beautiful chick I’ve ever had the pleasure to be alone with.”
Shit. Damn. Fuck. Why is he being so unlike himself? He’s convincing. Very convincing. But I know the truth. It’s not really me. It’s her. The other blue-eyed girl.
He gently touches the tips of his fingers to mine. No electrical jolt, flash or spark. But it’s okay because his touch is so much more than that. Three words—calm—safe—need. Not what I’d expect. Not at all. The tips of his fingers find their way into my hands and he interlocks them with mine. Now he takes my breath away. Without trying. And that is sexy.
“I’ve backed the Jeep up toward the pond. Come sit with me. I want you to see why this is my favorite place.”
He releases my right hand but keeps a tight grip on my left. When we reach the Jeep, he opens the passenger side door and we climb inside. Then he steps over the back seat onto a large built-in box of some kind. I follow closely behind him almost falling before I finally sit down. He opens up the back window so we can get a better view. Even though it’s November, the weather is still warm. I sit beside him crossing my legs. The scene in front of me is breathtaking. The moon is full sitting just above a huge tree that somehow has grown in the center of the pond. It’s as though the tree was there first and the water flowed in around it. The sounds of nighttime, along with the moon giving off more glow than most inside lights, make this place calming.
“What do you think?” he asks.
“It’s great. So peaceful.”
“I don’t have your anxiety attacks.” He holds up both hands and bends his fingers making air quotes.
“Wait a minute… my anxiety attacks? Just so you know anybody can have them, so there not only mine.”
He smiles and says, “I know this, but let me finish. Life can sometimes be overwhelming for me even though I’m aware you find that hard to believe. But when it is, this is the place I come to gather my crazy thoughts and put them back where they belong.”
“And where is it that your crazy thoughts belong?” I ask.
“Locked away in my mind so tightly that I don’t have to worry about them anymore or at least, not for a long time.”
“You not driving, I mean—do any of those crazy thoughts have anything to do with the reason you don’t drive with someone else in the car?”
“We’re not discussing me tonight. Or the reasons I’m the way I am. Just know that I’m me, and I’ll be this way until I take my last breath. There is no need for an explanation because it won’t change anything, and if I don’t talk about it, then it stays locked away in my mind. Now see how simple my mind works?” He laughs and leans into my shoulder giving me a slight nudge.
“Simple—I’m thinking more like complicated. So how did you find this place?”
“It belongs to Stone, you know the guy who owns Southern Stain. I mean the land and the pond both belong to him, but the moon, the stars, and the radiating peaceful vibes all belong to me. I love this place.”
“Thank you for bringing me here to your peaceful place in the woods.” I look over at his beautiful face. He’s looking out toward the tree or the moon or both. The guy here with me tonight isn’t the same one I met a few months ago in the locked bathroom. And he’s definitely not the same one who walked away from me that night leaving me sitting on the hood of my car.
“I felt like you needed this place. Not sure why, but some people need peace in their life. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I think you might be one of those people.” He places his hand on my bare leg and squeezes gently. I rest my hand on the top of his. My eyes survey the scenery in front of me once again. This time, I notice the dock that extends out almost to the center. It’s just feet away from the tree.
“Can we go there, out on the dock?” I point in the direction of the pond as I glance over toward Jack.
“Yeah, sure.”
He hops to his feet and jumps from the built-in box to the ground. The combination of his ass in those jeans with boots and a fitted long sleeve t-shirt are what any girl wants to see standing directly in front of her.
“Jovie?” He’s standing in front of me, but I am still lost in thoughts of, well… his ass in those jeans.
“Yeah, sorry.” I place my hands in his and move toward the edge. I leap from the back of the Jeep while squeezing his hands tightly. My feet hit the ground with perfect execution.
“You’re not cold, are you? I know you didn’t know we were going to be outside. And I didn’t give you time to change.” He’s rambling. It’s cute. Real damn cute.
“No, I’m good. It’s the south, remember. I usually wear shorts to Thanksgiving dinner.” I giggle. Giggle? Since when do I giggle? Well… never.
He reaches into the back seat grabbing a small blanket and tucks it under his arm.
“Just in case,” he whispers.
We walk down the hill to the dock in silence. He places his left hand on the small of my back to direct me toward the step leading onto the ramp. Once we get to the end, I press my body against the railing and look up at the moon as it glows just over the tree. How in the hell did all of this beauty end up here? In the middle of nowhere? Jack places his hands on either side of me and leans into my back. Holy freaking crap. To hell with the blanket. I shiver slightly before letting the heat from his body consume me. Closing my eyes, I tilt my head back until it’s resting on his shoulder, my cheek against his. And there is that smell again. His smell. I wish I could bottle it for later when all of this goes to shit, and I’m alone in my room crying over something I shouldn’t have done.
Jack moves his nose to the bend of my neck before he takes in a deep breath and says, “You smell so fucking good.”
“You must like greasy beer with a touch of sweat because that’s what I smell like after a five-hour shift.” I smile as I relax into his touch. His body immediately responds, or at least the lower half of it does. Do I want to do this again? Risk him walking away like last time. Only, this time, he can’t walk away because I’m here in the middle of nowhere with no way out.
He chuckles. The sound of his laughter vibrates softly into my neck. I inhale deeply as he moves his hands from the railing to my bare stomach. A chill races over me. He senses it because he pulls me in closer.
“Grease, beer, and sweat are my favorite combination,” he whispers.
I move my hands from the railing and wrap them around his wrists. He loosens his grip just enough for me to turn my body until I’m facing him. He lifts his head from my neck. As he stares into my eyes—which concerns me, but I’m gonna let it go—I experience the same thing I did the first night. Calmness. It’s not this place. It’s him. He h
as the ability to make me nervous, excited and not to mention, horny. All while giving me freedom from my anxiety.
Jack slides his hands around my waist. The sensation of his fingertips against my bare skin is making me crazy. I move closer to his body until we are touching. My hands go immediately around his neck, and I pull his lips into mine. A soft graze is all I give him. I want more. But I want to be sure he wants more. Nothing more embarrassing than—well, I’ve been there with him.
“What do you want from me, Jovie,” he mumbles, our lips still connected.
I can’t answer that question because, honestly, at this moment, I don’t want to think or talk. I only want to do. So I slide my hands down his back until I’m able to lift his t-shirt. I tug on it, and within a couple of seconds, it’s over his head and lying on the dock. His lips are still so very close to mine. Hovering. Waiting. So I give in to him. To my own want. I press my lips to his. He moans so deeply, the sound is almost more than I can stand. I. Want. Him.
The kiss is slow, soft, and full of desire. He lifts me, and I wrap my legs around his waist. Never losing his balance, he lowers us to the blanket that he somehow had managed to spread out perfectly across the dock. I grind my hips against his erection. The right amount of pressure combined with the friction our bodies create is almost more than I can stand. I have to feel more skin. My skin against his. I quickly unbutton my shirt as our lips separate—reconnect and separate again. I pull my right arm out of the sleeve of my shirt and then shift to remove my left when he pulls his lips from mine and grabs my arm, stopping me from taking off my shirt. What the hell? Here we go again. He wants me. He doesn’t want me.
He’s fucking Ivy and that Halle girl. What’s wrong with me? My eyes fill with tears. I’m hurt and embarrassed because I kissed him. I took his shirt off. Me. I started this, only to be shot down—again.
I lower my head because I don’t want him to see the emotions that are swimming through my eyes right now. He releases my arm and his hand travels to my face. No. Please. No. As he slowly lifts my chin, tilting my head back, a tear runs down my cheek.
“I want this, Jovie. I’m not stopping it from happening. But there’s something I have to tell you before it does.”