For months after her dad left she'd cried herself to sleep. Once that phase passed she'd started to shield herself emotionally by making sure she didn't let anyone get too close; especially those of the opposite sex. She no longer thought about doing it. It just came naturally. Yet, despite years of emotionally distancing herself from people, somehow Charlie knew if she wasn't careful she could fall for this man. Under no circumstance could she let that happen. So although it went against her body's desires, she moved enough to the right so that she was no longer trapped between Jake's SUV and his muscular body.
“Come on. Mr. Quinn is waiting for you.” This time Charlie didn't wait for a response. She started toward the hospital entrance. She heard him fall into step next to her, but refused to look over at him as they entered the hospital's main lobby. She remained silent, keeping as much space between them as possible without seeming obvious, while they waited for the elevator.
When the elevator doors opened, he allowed her to enter before him and she realized for the first time what a gentleman he was. It hadn't struck her until then how rare it was that he always opened doors for her or allowed her to precede him into a room.
Hitting the button for the fifth floor, he turned to her. “Mr. Quinn will be happy you’re here. Yesterday he couldn't stop talking about you.”
Charlie breathed a sigh of relief at Jake's choice of conversation. While waiting for the elevator she feared he'd say something about their parking lot make out session. Something she didn't want to discuss now or ever. However, a conversation about Mr. Quinn she could handle.
“Jessica and I were friends in school. I spent a lot of time at their house growing up.”
Jake's eyebrows came together in confusion.
“What?” she asked.
At first he just shrugged as the elevator doors opened on the fifth floor. “After you.” He gestured toward the door.
Bothered by the look of confusion on his face, she couldn't let the matter go. “What was that look for?” she asked inhaling the familiar scent of the hospital. Most people found the smell unsettling but not her. It comforted her.
“She doesn't seem anything like you. I just don't see you two as friends.”
Not about to go into great detail, Charlie kept her answer short. “We're more alike than you think. We used to have a lot of the same interests when we were younger, and her parents divorced when she was young too.” She didn't give him a chance to question her any further. Instead she pushed open the door to room 506.
Jessica and Martha Quinn sat inside the hospital room with Mr. Quinn and when Charlie walked in all three of their faces lit up. Jake knew inviting her along had been a good idea. After a short conversation about the man’s health the three of them began catching up.
“Do you remember the Lindsey twins from high school -- the ones we went on that double date with?” Jessica asked, her voice not much louder than a whisper.
Jake thought it fit Jessica perfectly. It was a voice you could easily miss and overlook, much like Jessica herself. That had been one reason he found it odd that she and Charlie were friends. Charlie wasn't the type you could ever overlook.
“How could I forget them?” Charlie rolled her eyes and Jake guessed their double date had been less than ideal.
“Zack was in town last month. You'd never recognize him. He looks like the Pillsbury Dough Boy these days.” A deep contagious laugh escaped from Charlie and Jake instantly smiled at the sound. Content to just sit and listen as the two women reminisced about the double date they'd once shared, Jake leaned back in the stiff plastic chair and watched. Away from recovery work and surrounded by friends, Charlie underwent a total transformation. The commanding take-charge air that seemed an integral part of who she was dulled, and her very kissable lips were curved in a permanent smile.
Damn, her lips had felt perfect against his. And right now as he sat here, their kiss dominated his thoughts. When he woke up this morning making out with Charlie in the hospital parking lot had not been on his to-do list. Yet when she stepped down from his SUV, he hadn't been able to stop himself. Despite what the tabloids said about him, he wasn't really a playboy. Yeah, he dated and had been in several relationships but it wasn't like he slept with every other woman in America like the media made it seem. Yet when she touched his hand an invisible cord had pulled him towards her. Nothing could have stopped him from kissing her at that moment.
“How'd your meeting go?” Mr. Quinn asked, his surprisingly gruff voice interrupting Jake's thoughts. “Those engineers of yours making any progress?”
For the next several minutes, Jake explained the ongoing plans to rebuild the town. His surprise that the older man understood even the most technical terms must have shown on his face.
“I studied to be an engineer before the war broke out. Decided to drop out and join the Marines, and then got shipped off to Korea.”
He couldn't help but respect the guy. Mr. Quinn had put his country and fellow man ahead of himself. How much easier it would've been for him to stay in school and finish his degree.
“My parents were mighty disappointed too. They tried to talk me outta it but I wouldn't budge. I was a stubborn SOB back then. Some would say I still am.” Mr. Quinn looked over at his wife.
Jake could relate to that. His parents had done the same thing when he'd shared his plans to apply to the Naval Academy while still in prep school. Unlike Mr. Quinn though, he'd let their opinion influence his decision.
Thinking about how he'd failed to follow his dreams because of his parents’ wishes always put him in a foul mood. Today was no different. Deciding that a few minutes alone would be good, Jake stood. “I'm going to grab some coffee downstairs. Anyone want anything?” After jotting down how everyone wanted their coffee, Jake retreated from the room.
Neither Jake nor Charlie said a word on the ride back to the Victorian Rose a few hours later. Though his mood had improved, the sense of failure that always plagued him whenever he thought about his past weighed heavily on him. If he could only go back in time and redo things.
“You seemed to hit it off with Mr. Quinn.” Charlie broke the silence in the SUV as they pulled onto her street. It had been reduced to one lane as repair trucks worked to restore electricity, and he had to wait for his turn. “He doesn't usually take to outsiders.”
Jake navigated his way around a utility truck. “Must be my charming personality. I knew it worked well on the ladies, but it must work well on retired Marines as well.”
“Must be it,” she agreed laughing.
Despite his best effort Jake couldn't maintain his serious expression at the sound of her laughter.
“Maybe you should consider going into politics. With that charm of yours who knows how far you'd go. You could end up in the White House, too.”
He knew Charlie only meant to tease him, yet her words struck a sour chord in him. Politics held no interest for him despite his parents' best efforts. Although it was a big part of his family history, he had no intention of following that path.
The smile that had tugged at his mouth died. “I'll stick with what I'm doing.” Jake stopped the Escalade next to Charlie's Jeep in the parking lot. “Washington doesn't interest me. Too much BS.” Jake opened his door before she could respond hoping she'd take the hint. It didn't work though.
“Really?” Charlie stepped down after he pulled open her door. “I figured your family had a gene for politics.”
Her tone remained light and jovial but he knew she was only half joking. Everyone in America knew that the Sherbrookes had been involved in politics for years.
Jake crossed his arms across his chest. “That gene must have skipped me. Maybe my sister Sara got it.”
“Speaking of politics I thought every member of the President’s family got Secret Service protection. Where's yours?”
In the five months since he told the Secret Service to take a hike, no one had commented on their absence. Obviously, Charlie was more astute tha
n most. “I refused their protection about two weeks after my father took office. I couldn't stand having them around.”
“You can do that?” Charlie's voice echoed the surprise on her face.
Jake let his arms relax and hang by his sides. “Nobody has before, but yeah.” He didn't intend to say anything else on the matter.
***
The battery powered alarm clock on her nightstand read midnight but Charlie stared at the ceiling wide awake. Her body cried out for sleep but her brain hadn't gotten the message yet. It knew Jake slept one floor below, and snapshots of their kiss kept playing through her mind. The feel of his lips on hers and his hand on her skin were forever burned into her memory. Yet that alone wasn't what kept her awake. The pull she felt toward him was what kept her up. She didn't need or want a man in her life. Letting someone in like that only made you vulnerable. Just look what it had done to her mom. No matter what she wasn't going to end up like that, and she knew she'd find herself in the exact same spot if she wasn't careful around Jake. Granted some of her first impressions of him seemed wrong, but that didn't mean he wasn't a heart breaker, especially considering the different worlds they lived in. Though he seemed like a nice guy, he didn't know what it was like to work for what you wanted. He'd always had everything handed to him. She doubted there was single thing in his life he'd ever wanted to do that he had not been able to do.
How much longer will he be here anyway? A few days? Maybe a week tops? I can handle that. Fed up with tossing and turning in bed, Charlie tossed off the covers and headed downstairs for a snack. At this time of night everyone would be in bed so she didn't bother with a robe, besides it wasn't like her boxer shorts and tank top didn't cover everything.
A battery-powered lantern on the kitchen table provided the only light in the room. Though the generator gave the house power, they'd limited its use to the appliances to conserve gas. If they ran out of gas and the generators died, they'd lose her mom's cooking, something no one wanted to do without.
Charlie finished making a sandwich and was about to cover the peanut butter jar when she heard someone enter the kitchen.
“I'm not the only one up.” Jake's voice sent a tingle down her spine. Dressed in a white sleeveless t-shirt and sweatpants, he looked devilishly handsome.
At first she stood there staring at him, her mouth dry and her pulse quickening. Finally after what seemed like an eternity she pulled her eyes away from him. “Just making a snack. Want one?”
“I'll never turn down food.”
She could feel his eyes on her as she started making another sandwich. Though she didn't usually think much about her appearance and what men thought of her, she couldn't help wonder how Jake saw her. If his kiss was anything to go by, he liked what he saw. “Strawberry or grape jam?” she asked holding up the jars.
“Surprise me,” he answered dropping into a spindle-backed chair.
Charlie spread a thin layer of her mom's homemade strawberry jam on Jake's sandwich then added a handful of chips to both plates before carrying them over to the table. “Enjoy.” She placed one plate in front of Jake before sitting in the chair next to him.
For several minutes they ate in silence, but she sensed every move he made. Her body seemed to be on high alert just waiting for the moment when his arm would brush against hers or his knee would bump against her leg.
“Couldn't sleep?” Charlie asked, looking for a way to distract herself from the fact she wanted to pull the sandwich from his hands and kiss him.
Jake shook his head no. “Too much on my mind.”
Had he been lying in bed thinking about their kiss too? Did he want to repeat it as much as she did or had he already forgotten about it? Did recovery issues occupy his thoughts instead?
“Same here,” she said even though he hadn't asked why she was up.
Pushing back her chair, she was about to ask him if he wanted anything to drink when he reached for her hand. The slight touch sent her heart racing and she swallowed down the nervous laugh she felt rising in her throat.
“About this afternoon,” Jake said interlacing their fingers.
The simple action had Charlie's insides quivering. Please don't apologize. She'd be mortified if he did that.
Jake didn't say anything else however. Instead his gaze traveled over her face and searched her eyes for a few heartbeats before leaning toward her and picking up right where they'd left off at the hospital.
The feel of his lips against hers was even better than the memory and at his gentle prodding she parted her lips to give him entry. As their tongues met, she wrapped her arms around his neck letting herself get swept away by the unfamiliar emotions his simple kiss awakened.
Gently she felt him work her hair free of its bun and his hands dug themselves into her hair anchoring her to him as he teased her tongue with his. Then without warning she felt his hands drop to her waist and she willingly went when he tugged her onto his lap.
Charlie allowed herself to fall under the spell of his kiss for a few seconds before pulling back. The minute her lips left Jake's she regretted her decision though. Yet she didn't try to kiss him again. Instead she analyzed and waited. The smoldering flame she saw in his eyes told her Jake was affected just as much by their kiss as she was. Briefly, she wondered if she mirrored his look.
“What are your plans for tomorrow?” Jake traced a finger up and down her arm leaving a trail of goose bumps on her bare skin.
“Not sure. I thought I'd see who needed help in the morning.”
As he let his hand roam over her shoulder, he seemed to focus on the pulse in her neck and Charlie wondered if he could see how rapid it beat.
“I'm driving to Boston to meet with the Governor for lunch. Come with me. Afterward we can get dinner.”
Was he asking her on a date? It sounded like it. She hadn't been on a date in months and it would provide a nice break from the work she'd been doing since the storm.
“Won't Governor Wentworth mind? If he wants to meet with you, it must be important.”
Jake shrugged and she couldn't help but notice how broad his shoulders were under her hands.
“He said he wanted to thank me for all the aid the foundation has provided. Honestly I think he's hoping a little ass kissing will help his cause. He wants my father's support in the upcoming election,” he explained with a bored tone. “So I really don't care if he minds or not.”
“When?” she asked stalling to give herself more time. Normally she didn't have a problem making decisions. It was a trait that came in handy as a doctor. Yet sitting on his lap in the darkened kitchen with his hands on her bare skin, she wavered back and forth.
“I'm meeting him around noon.”
It's a couple of meals, no big deal. Charlie tried to ignore his gentle caress up and down her arm. “OK.”
A slow sensual smile spread across Jake's face causing red hot desire to shoot through her body. Right then she wanted nothing more than to invite him back up to her room to see what Prince Charming looked like without his clothes on. She had an excellent imagination, but there was no substitute for the real thing.
Bad idea, Charlie. Very bad idea. Though it took every ounce of will power she possessed, Charlie slid off Jake's lap and cleared the empty plates off the table. She needed something to do otherwise she risked jumping back into his arms.
She put the paper dishes in the trash and turned back toward him. “I think I'll head back up now. I'm finally tired.”
What looked to be disappointment swept across Jake's face but he didn't try to stop her as she headed towards the swinging kitchen door. “See you in the morning, Charlie.”
Chapter 4
Jake rubbed the back of his neck and wished he had a couple Motrin on hand as he exited the Governor's mansion the following afternoon. As he'd expected Governor Wentworth had asked him to meet more because he wanted his father's support than because he appreciated the foundation's aid. The Governor would be running for a second ter
m in the next election and figured the backing of a popular President would help his cause. The entire two hours had been miserable. In fact it would've been unbearable if not for Charlie's company. She kept rather quiet during the conversation. Actually, he got the impression that politics wasn't her thing either, but the little she did contribute was insightful. And just her presence there lifted his spirits because he knew once they left he had her all to himself for the rest of the day.
Opening the passenger door for Charlie, he briefly wondered if they should head back to town. Plenty of recovery work still needed to be done. Was it fair of them to skip town for the afternoon? Part of him said no. The more people working, the faster the town would return to normal. The devil in him said the town would survive without them for a few hours. It wasn't like they were skipping town for a week. Besides who knew how much longer he'd be in North Salem. He might not get another chance like this one.
By the time Jake walked around to the driver's door and climbed in his SUV, his mind was made up. Despite whatever misgivings he had, he just couldn't pass up spending time with this woman. Somehow he knew if they went back to work now, he would be kicking himself later.
Neither of them said a word as he drove towards the heart of Boston. Other than making dinner plans, he hadn't mapped out an itinerary for them.
“Any favorite spots you'd like to visit? Faneuil Hall, the North End, Newbury Street? We have some time before dinner.” Jake figured anyone could treat her to dinner at a restaurant; he wanted her to remember their time together. So instead of making a reservation at one of Boston's top notch restaurants, he'd arranged for a private dinner aboard a friend's yacht in the harbor. By sheer dumb luck the yacht had been in dry dock until two days earlier so it hadn't sustained any damage during the hurricane. Not that Boston Harbor had been damaged much anyway.
The Billionaire Playboy Page 5