She debated telling him a lie. Something about panic attacks or some other nonsense, but even as she was attempting to form the words, Jackson spotted the photograph still clutched in her hand.
He plucked the polaroid from her grasp before she could hide it.
Jackson studied the picture, then raised stormy eyes to Jenn.
“This was taken at the airport in Cusco,” he stated flatly.
She nodded.
“Who took it?”
She shrugged, then sighed.
“I have a stalker.” She admitted softly.
“One photograph hardly constitutes…” Jackson began, but Jenn quickly started shaking her head, so he allowed her to continue.
“It started about the time Remi took the job out here and left New York. At first it was just a scribbled note attached to the windshield wiper of my car. Then another note slipped into my mailbox at home. Then the photographs started coming. Some of them were pictures of me, like that one. Others were of him, or at least… um, parts of him. Really gross stuff.”
“Did you call the police?”
She shook her head again.
“Not right away. I was embarrassed, you know? I’ve had stalkers before, I thought he’d just fade away like the others. But it got worse.” Her gaze dropped to the floor, finding it difficult to admit the really nasty stuff. “Somehow, he got ahold of my phone number and started texting pictures to me. Then calling me, but never actually saying anything. It was just, you know, the sound of him... doing stuff, masturbating...”
She fell silent as she cautiously glanced up and saw the fury in his eyes.
“You should have called me,” his furious growl surprised her.
“Called you?” She repeated. “And said what? Jeez, Jackson, I haven’t even seen you in over six years.”
“What about tonight? Is he the one who sent you this polaroid?”
She hesitantly shrugged again.
“I don't know. Maybe. It was slid under the door, just a few seconds after I closed it behind me. I think he might be here on the resort, Jackson. I’m scared. Why would he follow me all the way down here?”
She really didn’t want an answer to that, and Jackson didn’t give her one. Instead he crumpled the photograph in one powerful fist, before tossing it into the garbage under the bed table.
With his jaw clenched, he turned and collected her suitcases.
“Come on,” he snapped. “You’re not staying here tonight.”
Jenn immediately scrambled out of the chair.
“My return ticket isn’t good for three weeks,” she protested. “I can’t afford to just throw that much money away.”
He whirled on her.
“Do you really think I’d send you back to New York? After what you’ve told me?”
“Uh, I guess not.” She hesitated, “So where am I going?”
He started moving again, forcing her to follow him or give up on her luggage. She couldn’t complain about the view, his perfectly toned ass and legs really filled out those trousers.
“I’m taking you to my place.” He stated simply, but his words had a profound effect on Jenn’s hormones. She’d spent most of her awkward teenage years imagining Jackson inviting her back to his house.
Hell, she would have given about anything to just have him talk to her, which made this whole situation feel even more surreal.
Jackson led her out of the bungalow and down the boardwalk to the edge of the water.
She thought he must be taking her down to the boat dock, so she was a little surprised when he abruptly veered off onto a narrow dirt trail that led up into the thick undergrowth.
Thankfully the moon chose that moment to peek out from behind the clouds, or she might have lost him among the shadows.
It was still dark enough to make her nervous, so she moved a little faster, walking so close she could smell the faint hint of his cologne. It was something warm and sexy that made her want to get even closer, which ended with her bumping her nose into his back as he abruptly stopped in front of her.
“Ouch!”
“Are you alright?” He asked, and Jenn was glad she couldn’t see his face.
“Yeah. Fine.”
She heard keys rattling and realized they were standing in front of another small palm-roofed bungalow.
Jackson opened the door and flipped on the light.
“Come on in,” he offered, his expression much softer than it had been earlier. “I realize it doesn’t look like much, but you’ll be safe here Jenn. I promise.”
The bungalow was larger than the small huts the resort reserved for tourists, but it was clearly the home of a man who didn’t worry much about the frilly stuff.
There weren’t any pillows on the tiny couch and no paintings on the walls.
In fact, the only decoration in sight, was a small picture of Remi and Jenn on the day they’d both graduated from high school. The photo was displayed in a simple gold frame on the narrow wooden desk that occupied the wall opposite the couch.
Jackson continued past the couch and through a door at the other end of the room.
“You can sleep in here,” he offered, setting her luggage down near the king-sized bed which filled the tiny bedroom. “The bathroom is just through there. I installed a substantially larger water heating system when I moved in here, so there’s no reason to abbreviate your showers.”
She stood to one side and watched him set her bags down next to the bed.
“There are clean towels in the bathroom cupboard,” he gestured behind her, but she had eyes only for him.
“Are you going back to the hotel?”
“No. Barring a major crisis, I’m off for the rest of the night.”
“So, if I need you?”
A muscle in his jaw twitched. “I’ll be sleeping on the couch.”
Her gaze flashed to the bed, then back to him.
“This is your bed.”
“Yes.”
That revelation made her feel very hot in a very inappropriate part of her body.
She’d never craved any man the way she’d yearned for Jackson. Now she was alone with him, in his home, being offered a night in his bed. But he had no intention of sharing it with her. She didn’t know if she should laugh or cry over her situation.
“Thank you,” she managed, as he started past her, back towards the tiny living room.
Then she did something that surprised them both. She reached out and caught his hand, preventing him from leaving.
He raised an eyebrow in question, but didn’t immediately pull his hand away.
“Don’t go?” She asked softly. “I don’t want to be alone.”
“I’ll be right in the next room.”
She forced herself to release him, but Jackson didn’t immediately leave. He stood only a few inches from her. Jenn held her breath as he reached up and brushed a few stray hairs away from her cheek.
One corner of his mouth curved up in the closest thing she’d ever seen to a smile, and her heart careened off her ribs.
“You’re safe here, Jenn.” His voice dropped to a deep rumble, which turned her knees to jello. Then his hand fell away and she watched him instantly morph back into the untouchable marine.
“Just relax and enjoy the rest of your vacation,” he commanded gruffly. “Let me worry about your stalker. I promise you, I’ll find out who this asshole is.”
It wasn’t the declaration that she wanted to hear him make, but she still managed to smile and nod before she turned her back on the man she so desperately wanted to be closer to.
CHAPTER 2
J ackson forced himself to walk away from the bedroom and not look back.
Jenn was his little sister’s best friend, that practically made her family. He couldn’t allow himself to feel anything more than a brotherly affection for her. But he’d be lying if he said he didn’t like the thought of her sleeping in his bed.
In fact, he’d like nothing more than to crawl u
nder the sheets next to her. To pull her close and feel that soft little body molded against his larger and stronger one. But he couldn’t let himself feel that way. Especially now, when Jenn was depending on him to protect her.
Any kind of distraction could put her at risk.
He’d never forgive himself if Jenn were hurt because of his carelessness, because he let himself imagine how things might have been.
He’d first really noticed Jenn after her father had died and Remi had begged for Jackson to take Jenn to the high school’s Spring Formal dance, because Jenn hadn't managed to find a date for herself.
At that time, Jackson was a freshman in college, surrounded by college girls. Yet he’d folded beneath the pressure of his younger sister and agreed to take her best friend to the dance.
For the first time, he’d seen the woman that Jenn was becoming. Brilliant but a bit shy. Beautiful yet incredibly sweet. The only thing that kept him from asking her on a real date, was his sister’s friendship with her.
There was nothing sexy about dating your little sister’s best friend, especially when there were so many college girls who begged for his attention. He’d been a snob, and he’d treated Jenn horribly that night.
After the incident, he’d immediately left the dance and taken every precaution to avoid ever being alone with her again.
Remi had been angry with him later, claiming that he’d hurt Jenn’s feelings, but Jackson had done it to save Jenn from an even greater agony. If he’d allowed himself to stay with her any longer - especially after that little stunt she’d pulled - she never would have left his side a virgin.
All night long she’d been gazing up at him with those big brown eyes, as if he were some kind of superhero. She’d blushed and smiled and nearly destroyed the fragile grip he had on his youthful libido. Then she’d gone and…
He shook his head, scrubbing a hand over his eyes as if he could erase the memory of how she’d looked when he’d rejected her. If she only knew how close he’d come to losing it that night.
Even now, so many years later, it shook him to the core whenever she smiled. But he would never let her know, because she deserved so much better than him. He just wanted her to trust him. To know that he was here for her. That was enough.
Pulling the satellite phone from his back pocket, he speed-dialed his sister. Remi answered on the first ring.
“Jackson? What’s up? You’re off duty tonight, aren’t you?”
“I was, but something came up. We need to talk about Jenn.”
Remi’s voice instantly grew serious.
“What’s wrong?”
“How much do you know about her stalker?”
“Her what? Jackson, what the hell are you talking about?”
“Jenn has a stalker and the asshole is here at the lodge, or close enough, he was able to slip a photograph under the door to her hut.”
“Is it Roger? If I catch that asshole anywhere near here, I’m going to castrate him! Maybe worse!”
“Who is Roger?”
“Her last boyfriend. He was an abusive prick. I told her to dump him months ago, but the guy was a master manipulator. They’d fight and she’d throw him out, then he’d apologize and she’d take him back again. It was horrible. If he’s sniffing around here, he better not cross paths with me. I swear to god, I’ll make that rat bastard wish he never met Jenn!”
Jackson’s forced himself to relax the death grip he now held on the phone.
“Mierda, Remi! Why didn’t you tell me about this before?”
“Because she dumped him before you got back from your last tour. Or at least, she told me she dumped him. What happened tonight? What did he do?”
Jackson gave his sister a brief rundown on the night’s events, including Jenn’s declaration that she didn’t know who the stalker was. Whether that was true or not, he made a mental note to look up Roger in the morning. Maybe he’d take a short trip back to New York to teach that puta a lesson in respect.
“Is Jenn okay?” Remi drew his attention back to the present.
“She’s fine. She’s here, at my place. Sleeping.”
“Is she going to stay? I mean, here at the resort? I really wouldn’t blame her for wanting to bug out,” Remi admitted, before cursing under her breath. “How did he get here, Jackson? He would need a boat, but my guys only run paying tourists.”
“Boats are a dime a dozen upriver, and a pilot is just as cheap,” Jackson pointed out. “I’ll check with the locals to see if there’s a gringo staying in any of the nearby villages. He’d want to be close to her.”
“As soon as I get a chance, I’ll check the register here at the lodge for anyone else traveling from New York.”
“I doubt he’s stupid enough to stay at the same resort, but it’s worth a try. In the meantime, I’ll need you to clear my schedule for the next couple of weeks.”
“That’s not easy to do, Jackson. You’re chief of security. We can’t really afford to pay for a second guy right now.”
“Then I quit,” he growled. “This is Jenn we’re talking about, not just a stupid tourist who stumbled into trouble. She’s family, Remi.”
It was more than that. This wasn’t just another job to him. He was emotionally involved. He cared for Jenn, and Remi knew it.
“Alright, down boy,” his sister sighed. “You’re not off the hook as far as resort security goes, but I’ll try to free up as much time as I can for you, okay? What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to catch whoever her stalker is,” Jackson growled. “You just need to keep her preoccupied. Show her a good time, but bring her back to my place at night. She’s not safe in the camp huts, there are too many ways for someone to get in and out, unseen. I wish you’d let me install those security cameras I keep asking for.”
“I’m still trying to get that expense passed by our investors. I may run this resort, but I don’t own it. I can’t do anything without permission from the higher ups.”
He growled a few choice words under his breath.
“You only have one bedroom,” Remi mused.
“Yeah. So?”
“Maybe you’ve got ulterior motives for keeping Jenn so close?”
“I’m not going to let anything get in the way of protecting her.”
“Wouldn’t you be a lot happier if you just owned up to the way you feel about her?”
“That would only make her life more complicated. She doesn’t need any extra stress.”
“Maybe it’s exactly what she needs right now,” Remi argued. “She doesn’t talk to me the way she used to, but I remember a time when Jenn would have given anything just to hear a kind word from you.”
“Any feelings she harbored, died long ago.” He didn’t need to specify when, Remi knew.
“Maybe,” she concluded. “Maybe not. Jenn has a lot of secrets. I didn’t even know about this stalker, although I sensed she was holding something back. Talk to her, Jackson. Maybe she’ll surprise you.”
“A lot has changed since we were kids. She’s had over a dozen men pass through her life…”
“And you’ve had dozens of women pass through yours,” Remi interrupted. “But you still have feelings for her. Maybe the reason all those men only passed through her life, is because she still has feelings for you.”
“Not likely.”
“You’ll never know unless you try.”
“Then I guess I’ll never know.”
“Fine,” Remi exclaimed in surrender. “Be an asshole. Just keep her safe.”
“I will.”
“Good night, jerk.”
“Good night, brat.”
Jackson hung up the phone and stared at the picture on his desk. That photo had been taken during one of the most important events in his sister’s life. And Jenn’s too. High school graduation. But he hadn’t been there.
He’d been deployed to Syria earlier that year, so he’d missed out on their milestone. His parents had mailed the picture to him a few w
eeks after it was taken. He’d carried it with him for the remainder of his tour, and then again through a second tour. It was more than just a photo to him, it was a reminder of everything he’d been fighting for during those years.
With a heavy sigh, he pushed himself up off the couch and headed to the bathroom for a shower.
As he was walking back to the couch, he peeked into the dark bedroom and caught Jenn watching him.
“Sorry, did I wake you up?”
“No. I couldn’t sleep.”
“I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.”
“I know.”
“I let Remi know you’d be sleeping here.”
“I heard.”
Jackson felt his gut clench as he tried to remember everything he’d told his sister. Had he said anything that might be misconstrued? He wasn’t sure. Worse, he wasn’t sure if he really cared.
He’d argued the point with Remi, because she’d expected it. As her big brother, he didn’t want her prying into his love life. Or lack thereof. But he did care for Jenn. Seeing her in his bed created a deep, burning ache in his chest and an uncomfortable swelling in his groin.
She looked sleepy and vulnerable, which triggered an unfamiliar turmoil inside him. He wanted to comfort and protect, but also to caress and seduce. He didn’t think he could do both. He was afraid he might be fighting a losing battle.
“Try to get some sleep,” he murmured. “Remi will be here early in the morning.”
He intentionally closed the door behind him as he left. He felt better knowing there was a barrier between them, however thin.
CHAPTER 3
J enn was awakened by the smell of coffee brewing. Although she hadn’t slept well, her stomach growled and she knew there was no point staying in bed.
She dressed quickly, pulling on a sundress made from a thin material that didn’t wrinkle after being shoved heartlessly into an overstuffed suitcase. Then she headed towards the amazing smells coming from the other room.
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