Alluring (17 page)

The first woman giggled.  "I do know what you mean.  And I wouldn't mind getting myself a piece of that action.  That man sure is nice to look at."

"Honey, you would not believe the things he can do with his hands and body.  I get shivers just thinking about it.  It was the best night of my life."

"Just one night?"

"Yes.  Unfortunately, he never goes back for seconds.  But maybe we can change that today.  Let's go see if we can find him."

"Okay, let me finish tying my suit."

Alexis leaned her head against the bathroom door as she listened to their voices fading away.  She knew Jack slept with a lot of women.  It was the main reason she didn't want to get involved with him in the first place.  But, it was one thing knowing about it and quite another, having to hear about it.  Her stomach felt sick and her hands were shaky. 

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.  God, why was this affecting her so strongly.  She sat on the closed lid of the toilet seat and put her head between her legs.  She rested her elbows on her knees and entwined her fingers behind her neck while breathing deeply, trying to stop the pain in her chest. 

She attempted to stop the sobs that wracked her body but it was no use, she was frightened.  Afraid the one thing she told herself she couldn't let happen with Jack, did. 

She always though that when she fell in love, she would feel joy but that wasn't the case.  Loving Jack caused nothing but terrorizing panic.  Panic at what would happen when this all ended.  How could she live without Jack?  He made her crave him.  Want him.  Need him.  He was like a drug and she couldn't walk away.  Didn't want to walk away. 

Her tears stopped.  Her heartbeat slowed.  Peacefulness settled over her body like a warm blanket.  She was in love with Jack.  She couldn't stop it.  She couldn't undo it.  Her heart knew what it wanted and it wanted Jack.

She stood and turned to the mirror.  She was surprised she didn't look any different.  She would have thought such a life altering realization should have changed her outside as much as it changed her inside. 

She turned on the tap and washed away her dried tears and in the process washed away her panic and her fear.  She was in love with Jack.  The damage was done.  She was going to enjoy the time she had with him and when the time came for them to part, she would deal with the heartache.  No sense worrying about something that was unavoidable.  Yeah, she would just keep telling herself that.  She looked in the mirror and tried to smile.  God, she was pathetic.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"Would you get in the pool already, Jack.  What the hell you waiting for?"  Mase asked, while treading water.

Jack watched a blond swim over, carefully keeping her face out of the water, and attach herself to Mase.  Jack sighed, grateful he didn't have a prima donna like that, attached to him.  He loved that Alexis didn't care what she looked like, and he always thought she looked beautiful.  "I'm waiting for Alexis."  Jack looked around, not spotting her.  "I'm gonna go look for her."

Mase laughed.  "You're whipped, man."

Jack looked over at Gage.  His back was against the pool, arms out supporting his weight, body hanging in the water.  "You think I'm whipped?"

"Yeah, but in a good way."  Gage gave him a slow smile.  "In the best way possible."

Jack smiled back and gave him a nod, "Yeah."  He stood from the lounger.  "I'll be back."

As Jack made his way through the crowd, he felt a tug on his arm and turned.  Standing before him were two women.  Both pretty.  Both young.  Both with great bodies in almost non-existent bikinis.  His dick didn't even twitch.

The one holding his arm spoke.  "Jack, it's so good to see you again." 

Jack gave her a thin smile.  "Nice to see you too.  Now, if you'll excuse me."  He turned to leave.

"Wait!"  She gripped his arm harder.  "Maybe we can get together later."

Jack didn't want to be rude, but he really wanted to get to Alexis.  "Look um ..."  Shit, he didn't remember her name.

The woman's smile faltered a bit.  "Janet."

"Janet."  Jack gave her a small smile.  "I'm looking for someone right now," he removed her hand from his arm, "but maybe we'll see you later."  He walked away quickly before she could respond.
             

He made his way into the house and took the stairs, two at a time, up to the master bedroom.  The bathroom door was closed.  He tried the knob, but it didn't turn.  The door was locked.  "Alexis," he called out. 

"I'll be right out."

He heard the knob click, and the door opened.  He was standing in the doorway, and he startled her.

She looked up at him and laughed.  "You scared me.  What are you doing, looming in the doorway?"

"Waiting for you, beautiful," he said, cupping her cheeks.  "What's wrong?"

"Nothing.  Why?"

"You've been crying."

"I just splashed water on my face."

"No, your eyes are red.  Tell me why you were crying.  And don't lie to me." 

Alexis sighed, "Can we talk about it later?"

Jack looked at her closely.  Her eyes were shiny with unshed tears, and there was a slight tremor to her lips.  She was clearly upset.  He couldn't let it go.  "Come on."  He took her hand.

"Where are we going?"

"Home." 

"Jack, no.  We're here so you can spend time with your friends.  We're not leaving."

Jack stopped by the bedroom door, pulled her close, and kissed the tip of her nose.  "You either tell me why your upset, here, now.  Or we go home, now and you'll tell me there."

"Please, can't we just go enjoy the rest of our day and talk about this later."

"Alexis, what you're not understanding is, I can't enjoy my day knowing you're upset about something."

God, this man, so sweet.  "I was upset Jack, but I'm not anymore.  I'm over it."

"Then baby, why do you still have tears in your eyes?"

He heard her sigh as she looked down at the floor.  He shut the bedroom door and locked it, walked her to the bed, and sat her down.  He got on his knees, wedged himself between her legs, and wrapped his arms around her hips.

He made sure they were eye to eye before he said, "Now tell me."

Alexis knew there was no fighting Jack when he wanted something, and right now, he wanted her to tell him what was wrong.  She also knew he wouldn't let it go until she told him. 

Alexis closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  "I overheard a conversation while I was in the bathroom.  What was said ... I wish I never  heard.  But, I did.  So I had to process it, come to terms with it, and move on from it.  I thought I did, but I guess I'm still working on it.  But, I'll get there, so no worries."

Jack gave her a slight squeeze.  "Tell me."

She pushed against his chest, and he leaned back, giving her some space.  She stood from the bed and paced the floor.  He watched her with careful eyes, tracking her movements.

She stopped at the window and looked out.  "All this is new to me, Jack.  I've never even dated before you.  And, all of the emotions that go along with this are new to me, as well.  Rationally, I understand you're a thirty-year-old man, who in that time, has had his fair share of women.  Rationally, I understand that they did not mean that much to you, because where are they now?"  She flung out an arm, "Not here."  Irrationally, the thought of them touching you.  You touching
them
.  Doing the things we do.  Things that I thought were so
special
," she paused, bringing her hand to the window, fingers splayed.  She rested her forehead against the pane then continued, in the saddest fucking voice Jack had ever heard.  "
Hearing
that hurt so deep, it felt like a knife in my gut, twisting."  She turned away from the window and slowly looked up.  Tears streaked down her cheeks. 

Jack was crushed by the sight of her tears.  He couldn't stand it a second longer, he had to touch her. 

* * * * *

She watched as he slowly made his way to her. He took her about the waist, walked her to the bed, and carefully laid her back.  He covered her with his body, putting most of his weight on his arms, boxing her in.

"You're right, I have had my fair share of women."  She closed her eyes against the pain.  She knew he'd spoken those same words once before, but the impact of them cut deep this time.  "Look at me, baby."  She opened her eyes.  "But you're wrong, too.  What we have is special.  Those other women, they were just a fuck.  Just a body.  Just a release.   That is
not
what you are.

"I do not fuck you.  I make love to you.  You are not just a body.  I worship your body.   And, when I come inside you, it is not just a release, I feel it here," he picked up her hand and brought it to his heart, "every damn time."

"Jack
—
"

"No Alexis.  No more bullshit.  I don't want to scare you, but I'm done waiting for you to figure this shit out.  I'm laying it out for you, right here, right now."  With his weight on his elbows, he grabbed the sides of her head, pinning it so she couldn't look away.  "You belong to me.  We are not in a temporary relationship or whatever fucked up nonsense you want to call it.  We are
real
, and you are
mine
.  You became mine the first time I held you in my arms, and I swore to myself, I would protect you always."  She wanted to look away, but he held her head firm.  "And, I became yours when you gave me your virginity.

"You are it for me, Alexis.  Do you understand what I'm saying?  There is only you.  There will only ever be you.  I
love
you."

Alexis gasped, "You love me?"

Jack leaned his head down and nuzzled his nose alongside hers.  "Yeah, baby, I do. An insurmountable amount."

Alexis wrapped her arms and legs around him and squeezed tight.  "I love you, too, Jack."

"Thank God."  He spoke softly against her lips before taking her mouth in a deep kiss.

* * * * *            

"Please tell me you didn't have sex on my bed."

Those were the first words out of Mase's mouth when Alexis and Jack made it back to the pool.  The blond was still draped across his body, but Gage was no longer around.

Jack ignored Mase and turned to Alexis.  "You want to get in the pool?"

"Sure."  Alexis stripped off her clothes and threw them on the lounger. 

He swore under his breath at the sight that was revealed.

"What?"  Alexis asked.   

"Wish you would've picked a suit that has more material."

Alexis laughed, "Your mom picked this out for me."

Jack growled, "I'll kill her."

Still laughing, Alexis said, "Come on if we get in the water no one will see me."

"So true," Jack said, lunging.  He scooped her up and jumped into the deep end.

Alexis shrieked before hitting the water.  She came up sputtering.  "You're gonna pay for that,"  she said, wiping the water from her face.

Jack reached into the water, grabbed her ankle, and pulled her to him.  "You think I'm scared of you, little girl?"

Alexis wrapped her arms around his neck.  "I don't know.  Are you?" she purred an inch away from his lips.

"Terrified."  Jack closed the distance, taking her mouth in a long, deep, wet kiss.

* * * * *

An hour later, they were out of the pool.  Jack had taken Mase out to his car to give him his birthday present (some kind of electronic device that Jack thought was "the shit", and after a detailed explanation, Alexis still didn't understand what it did).  Alexis laid on a lounger, trying to catch the last rays of the sun.  The blond with Mase
—
her name was Peggy
—
laid on the lounger beside her.  She was nice although a bit stuck up, but they seemed to get along well enough for pleasant conversation.

"I'm gonna get a margarita.  Do you want one?"  Peggy asked, sitting up.

Alexis looked over at her, her hand shielding her eyes.  "Sure, thank you.  Do you need help?"

Peggy waved her hand.  "No, I've got it.  Be back in a sec."

Alexis closed her eyes and laid her head back down.  She was thinking about flipping over, to dry the back of her suit, when a shadow fell across her face.  Alexis smiled and opened her eyes, expecting it to be Jack.  She was surprised to find a tall, curvy blond in a barely-there, white, string bikini hovering over her.

"Is this lounger taken?"  she asked, indicating the one Peggy was using.

"Alexis sat up.  "Yes, but that one is free," she said, pointing to the lounger on her other side.

"Great!  Thanks."  The blond sat and got herself situated.  She held out her hand.  "I'm Janet, by the way."

Alexis took her hand and smiled.  "Alexis, nice to meet you."