“Why is that stupid? You asked me to spend the night with you JT. I don’t sleep around. Sleeping with a guy means full-blown commitment to me. If you want the goods, then there’s no way in hell I’m sneaking around like we’re doing something wrong. It’s all or nothing. Are you in or out?”
He cursed under his breath and it was a full five seconds before I realized it wasn’t directed at me but at the telltale noise of the garage door opening.
“Thought you told him to beat it?”
JT groaned and rubbed his hand over his eyes. “I did—the little shit doesn’t listen to me.”
Derek inhaled deeply as he walked through the garage door and then let out a prolonged sigh. “Mmmmm. That’s smells delicious Jordan. What’re you cooking? And what do I need to do to get some?” He leaned over and pecked me on the cheek in a brotherly manner.
“Lasagna, garlic bread and a garden salad,” I said, resigned to the fact that the sleepover party just went from definitely to unlikely. “You’re going to have to fight your brother for it. This is his payback for enduring an entire evening with me planning my wedding.”
“Oh, right.” Derek rolled his eyes. “Like going out for an evening of free food with a hot chick, drinking and dancing the night away was a lot of work. Sounds to me like you drew the short end of the stick Jordan.”
JT scowled at Derek and reached for a tomato. “Just for that comment, I’m not going to share with you.”
“Stop it.” I scolded as I slapped JT’s hand away. “I’m supposed to be making dinner for you, remember? You earned it. I’m sure it was painful being stuck in public with me for several hours.”
“Very funny,” he said, glaring at me for a second as if to say knock-it-off. He turned to his brother. “Important decisions were on the line, man; like whether to wed in a chapel or gazebo and what color balloons we wanted. Not to mention posing with my lovely fiancée for our engagement pictures. That was my favorite part. Hey, did the photographer ever send those pictures over to you?”
I cleared my throat and bent my head further while violently chopping the carrots for our salad. My hair fell forward and shielded my face, effectively hiding the sudden blush that had swept over me at the memory. Bastard. I was mad at him right now.
“Mr. Rogers emailed me yesterday to let me know the photos should be ready tomorrow for pick up.”
“Take it from me,” Derek said, leaning up against the kitchen counter. “You can do a lot better than this guy. He likes to leave me a gift every morning in the bathroom and never puts the seat down.”
“If it’s yellow, let it mellow,” JT said, grinning broadly at me. “It saves water—and money.”
“Ugh.” I laughed while shaking my head. How was I ever going to stay mad at him if he made me laugh? “We’re about to eat. Seriously. T.M.I.”
An ear splitting grin covered Derek’s face. “See what you get for hanging out at a bachelor pad? You’re going to make JT share with me aren’t you Jordan?”
JT shook his head vigorously in the negative and began to wrestle his brother out of the kitchen towards his bedroom. “Don’t you need to go get ready for work or something? I thought I told you to beat it.”
“Nope,” Derek grunted and lowered his right shoulder to gain some leverage. “Now I understand why—didn’t want to share your lasagna did you? Don’t think I didn’t see the pie too. I’ve got all night to hang out with you two.”
I groaned inwardly at his words; sleepover went from unlikely to non-existent. There was no way we were going to finish our earlier discussion and make up by jumping in the sack. It was time to shift back to plan A. JT was going to be pissed but now, more than ever, I wanted to move our relationship forward and wide open to the public.
“Looks like it will be a bonding night for the boys,” I called out casually over their grunting and shuffling as they wrestled their way across the kitchen floor. “I have a date tonight after dinner so I won’t be able to hang out for very long.”
“But tonight’s Saturday.” JT came to a full stop and stared over at me with a slight frown turning down the corner of his mouth. “I thought you were hanging out here all night?”
“Duh,” Derek said, smiling over at me. “Saturday night is usually when young hot chicks go out on dates JT. Why don’t you get a life?”
I washed my hands in the sink and then reached for a towel. My heart fluttered lightly in my chest. JT looked pissed at my news. Not that I could blame him after what passed between us in the last hour…up until the part where he wanted to keep our relationship on the down low. Screw that. I was tired of hearing his crap about responsibilities with his brother—unable to support a woman—can’t mess up school—maybe we’re not right for each other. Yada, yada, yada. He was happy to mess around with me in secret but I wanted more. Much more.
It sounded like a load of bullshit anyway. Derek was entering college and could take care of himself now. And what generation did JT belong to anyway? Should I pull out a lace trimmed apron and wait for him with dinner on the table after he returned home from work each evening? Not happening. Besides, there was no way in hell he was going to mess up school. Who was he trying to kid? JT had single handedly raised his brother while working part-time and completing five years of college. He was the master of multi-tasking.
No. Those were all poor excuses for the real issue at hand. He was being a stubborn jackass who wanted to do things his way. So I had no choice but to try and call his bluff. If he loved me and wanted a future with me, then he was going to have to fight for me. Starting tonight.
“So who’s the lucky guy?” Derek prodded. JT watched me silently with arched brow, seconding the question.
“Steve Nichols.” I leaned my back against the counter and lightly crossed my arms. Keep calm. You can do this. “You met him last week at the restaurant, JT. Said he was a cousin of one of your friends. Good guy.”
Of course JT already knew this but I said it anyway for the benefit of Derek. A flash of surprise registered in JT’s eyes and I caught a glimpse of his wounded expression before he turned away to retrieve a beer from the refrigerator. I wanted desperately to reach out and wrap him up in my arms. Instead I pulled the lasagna out of the oven.
Tomato sauce bubbled and hissed under the thick layer of golden brown mozzarella cheese. I set the pan down on top of the stove to let it set for five minutes and busied myself with putting the apple pie in the oven to bake while we ate.
“I told you he’d call,” JT said and handed me a Corona. “Where’s the big date tonight?”
“Fifth Avenue.”
Derek hooted with laughter. “Oh man. He’s going to love your tight pair of jeans, Jordan. All that bending over the pool table. You’re making wishes come true tonight.”
“Shut it,” JT scolded irritably and added a light punch for good measure. “You’re embarrassing her.”
A deep, red hot flush had indeed flooded my face as I stared down at my skinny jeans. I hadn’t thought of my date with Steve when I dressed for JT tonight. Derek was a guy and probably right. Fifth Avenue had been Steve’s suggestion and while I wasn’t much of a pool player, I didn’t have anything against learning and playing for fun. Well, if my goal was to make JT jealous, then it looked like I shot the puck in the net.
“So have you heard back from your job interview?”
I glanced at JT as I served up large portions of the gooey lasagna onto our plates. “Not yet, but I think it went well. They said I should hear back in a few weeks.”
“Where did you interview?” Derek asked before shoveling what seemed like a quarter of his meal down his throat.
I watched him with a mixture of awe and horror. If he wasn’t careful he would burn his throat. “Oak Ridge Elementary right here in Royal Oak. Not too far away. I’d be able to live at home a while longer. Save some money.”
“Cool. Any other opportunities?”
I bit my lip a moment, trying to decide if I wanted to play my car
d so soon or if I should wait to see how JT reacted to my date tonight. Grannie had told me I needed to find a way to get JT to come with me up north. Oh what the heck. I may as well go for the full court press.
“Yeah, actually. I have two interviews next week in the area and another one in two weeks on Mackinac Island.”
JT paused with his fork poised in front of his mouth and furrowed his brows at me. “That’s a four hour drive. Kind of faraway don’t you think? Especially with Grannie being sick and all?”
“It’s not ideal,” I said, meeting his steady gaze. “But if my options are slim I might have to consider it just to get my foot in the door somewhere. I need work experience.”
JT ran his hand through his hair in apparent frustration. “I don’t like it.”
“Well you don’t have a say in the matter,” I pointed out before filling my mouth with salad and chewing furiously. Typical male. He didn’t want to commit to a relationship with me but thought he still had a right to voice his opinion on my decision. If he wanted a voice then he needed to have some skin in the game.
“What does your mother think about this?” A slight smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “Or Grannie?”
“They think I should pursue all opportunities. Keep my options open.” I shifted my gaze down towards my plate to hide the mirth dancing in my eyes at his annoyed expression.
“Mackinac Island is pretty cool,” Derek said. “I’d go for it too Jordan. Do you need some company on the ride up? I haven’t been there since I was a kid.”
“Thanks,” I said, smiling at him. “It’s on a Monday. I thought I’d head up on Friday and spend the weekend on the island to explore. Are you busy then?”
JT shook his head. “You have football training starting that week Derek.”
“Oh, that’s too bad.” I sat back in my chair and shrugged my shoulders. “It would’ve been fun to have someone to hang out with all weekend. Jared will have just finished his semester and is starting work. Grannie said she didn’t think she’d be up to the long drive and my mom has to work. Maybe I can ask Steve to go?”
“What?” JT nearly spat out the lasagna he’d just shoveled into his mouth. It took him a moment to chew it up and swallow. “He can’t go with you. You barely know the guy.”
“Why not,” I challenged with my eyes wide and innocent. “You said yourself that he’s a good guy and I highly value your opinion.”
“Yeah,” Derek said, arching his brow at JT. He sat back in his chair and gave his big brother a curious stare. “Why not? Jordan’s an adult now. She can make her own decisions.”
“Thank you.” I replied, nodding my head in agreement with Derek.
“You shut up!” JT glowered at his brother. “This is none of your damn business.”
“How is this any of your damn business?” Derek shot back, his eyebrows furrowed in anger.
JT set his fork down with a controlled effort and then pushed himself out of his chair to stride purposefully out of the room, through the door wall and onto the back patio. I pursed my lips and glanced at Derek. This was not going very well. Maybe I was pushing JT’s buttons too hard. I needed to make this right and got up to follow him outside.
“JT,” I started as I walked up behind him and reached out to grab hold of his arm.
He turned and glared down at me. “You are not taking that son-of-a-bitch with you.”
His entire body tensed up as if ready to snap. My lips parted in surprise at the depth of his anger. Shit. He must love me if the thought of me going away for a weekend with another man elicited such an intense reaction. Why couldn’t the idiot just admit his feelings for me out in the open and we could move forward?
“Do you hear me?” He said it at a near shout and then paused to inhale deeply with his eyes closed, as if trying to rid his mind of some horrible vision. When he opened them again and gazed at me, his deep blue eyes were warm and clear. He stepped tentatively towards me, reaching out his hand to cup my face. “If you want someone to keep you company, then I’ll go with you to Mackinac Island, Jordan.”
I enclosed his hand in mine and gently rubbed my cheek against his warm palm, reveling in the feel of his skin on mine. “Can you afford to take that much time off work?”
“More than I can afford to allow you to go up north with another man,” he said with a hint of a smile lifting the corner of his mouth.
I pursed my lips to hide the smile fighting to appear. I was glad he hadn’t lost his sense of humor. “You’re a very stubborn man, JT. Do you know that?”
“And you’re a very frustrating woman, Jordan. Do you know that?”
“But still you love me,” I said, breaking out into a full smile before turning to leave. If he wouldn’t say it, then I was going to say it for him. “I’ll see you later, babe. I have to leave or I’ll be late for my date.”
JT grabbed me by the hand to pull me back squarely against his chest. Storm clouds gathered in his dark blue eyes as he stared intently into mine. And then thunder and lightning struck as his mouth crushed down on my lips in a fury of passion, knocking the breath out of me and sending bolts of sheer desire through my body. I reached up to lace my hands through his hair, pulling his mouth harder against mine and unleashing my pent up yearning, lashing my tongue against his over and again until we were both forced to come up for air. JT breathed in quick and shallow breaths as he leaned his forehead against mine.
“Just in case you’d forgotten what it was like to kiss your Prince Charming. Have a nice date.” He walked back into the house, leaving me there in a puddle of unfulfilled desire.
Chapter Twelve
A Night of Pool
J.T.
I sat brooding on the couch as I riffled through the channels without even bothering to try and see what was playing. Jordan had been gone thirty minutes. She was probably at Fifth Avenue already gracing Steve with her beautiful smile. What was my problem anyway? If I hadn’t been such a jackass, we might already be back in my bedroom beginning our journey to forever.
The sound of the garage door slamming shut caught my attention but I didn’t bother to see who had entered. There weren’t many people who felt comfortable enough to stroll into my house so I had a pretty good idea who it would be. I forced a smile when Jared appeared around the corner. Well that would’ve been inconvenient if he had shown up tonight while I was occupied in my bedroom.
“What up?” Jared said, plopping down on the couch next to me.
“Not much, man,” I returned, keeping my attention focused on the never ending flipping of channels.
“Dude.” He yanked the clicker out of my hand. “Enough with the random clicking. Let’s get out of here. It’s my one night off from the intensity of medical school and I want to get out and see the town. We haven’t shot pool in a long time. Come on. Let’s see what kind of action there is going on.”
A ball of angst rolled in my gut at the mention of playing pool. Shit. Fifth Avenue was our regular hang out. I was damned if I did and damned if I didn’t. Jared would be suspicious if I suggested some other joint but I would be tortured watching Jordan playing pool with another man. Derek had been right. It was the oldest trick in the book to check out the goods. God help me. I didn’t know if I had the strength to be witness to that kind of a date.
“Grab Derek,” Jared said. “I want to check out his new car.”
We hopped into the Camaro for the short ride to downtown Royal Oak. The town was crowded. Not surprising for a Saturday night. The three of us entered Fifth Avenue and I waited in line to reserve a table. The place was packed so we hung out at the bar. Jared went ahead to order our drinks—two beers and a soda. Derek would be pissed at me for not letting him drink a beer.
Most establishments didn’t bother carding Derek. With his build and heavy stubble, he easily could pass for my age. But right was right. I couldn’t stop Derek from doing what he wanted while he was out on his own, but I’d be damned if I would condone breaking the law with m
y little brother. Never mind what I’d done on my own at the same age. Just like my dad always said: ‘Do as I say, not as I do.’ Although in my father’s case, the point was rather moot because he had always done the right thing.
Leaning up against the bar, I nursed my beer while I allowed my gaze to casually roam the place. She was in here somewhere. A moment later I found her. Or more, her ass. I watched Jordan lean over the pool table while concentrating on her next shot. She was oblivious to how hot she looked in those skinny jeans. The tiny little crocheted halter top thingy she wore wasn’t any better with the way it clung to her body. When she finally stood again, my eyes were glued to the tantalizing tangerine color which started right where the cream color left off, at the center of her chest where her nipples must be hiding under the delicate cloth. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the oval shape cut out of the bodice completely exposed the cleft between her full breasts.
I glared at Steve taking in all of her hotness. And here I had thought Jordan dressed for me tonight. Why did she have to shove it all back in my face so thoroughly? I regretted my challenge that she be sure I was The One by dating other men. What a complete ass I had been. Of course I was The One, if the way her body reacted to my touch was any indication. If that scum so much as touched her anywhere except on the lips, I was going to deck him.
“What’s your problem JT?” Jared elbowed me in the side. “We’re never going to attract any babes tonight if you keep scowling that way.”
“Oh, he’s just,” Derek started but then immediately thought better of it when I shot him a dangerous stare, “got heartburn from the lasagna Jordan made us tonight.”
“Asshole,” Jared said. “Why didn’t you invite me over? Lasagna is one of my favorites. She finally paid you back for forcing you to go to that reception hall with her, huh? Dude, I’m sorry she roped you into that one. If I had known she was going to ask, I would’ve stopped her.”
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