Can't Get Enough of You (20 page)

“Everything is over the top. Scott has a gold mine on his hands,” Leah answered with a grin.

Realizing her mistake, Taylor laughed. “I can't believe I did that.”

“It happens all the time, especially in low light.” Jenna giggled.

Encircling his arm around Jenna's waist, Scott said, “The first time I saw them together, I couldn't believe my eyes.” He laughed. “Thought I was seeing double.”

Laura said candidly, “They look alike, but we all know our Jenna. She's the one trying to soothe everyone while keeping us on the straight and narrow. No messing up allowed. She doesn't suffer fools well.”

“Are you saying I'm bossy?”

“You said that, not me. But if the shoe fits, Professor Gaines . . .” Laura teased.

Everyone laughed at that retort.

“Laura is saying we love you.” Scott brushed his lips with hers.

Jenna's breath quickened, despite her best efforts not to take the innocent comment to heart.

Just then two very tall men approached their table. Scott grinned, offering his hand. “Everyone, this is Doug and Neal Dunn,” he said, making the introductions.

The two men were fraternal twins—similar, but not identical. They were two of the best NBA players and were making the league step back and take notice. While the men at the table were ready to discuss in detail the Pistons' chances of taking the Eastern Conference this season, the ladies weren't having it.

When the band came back from their break, the tables quickly emptied.

Out on the dance floor, Jenna said to Scott, “Thanks for dancing with my sister.” She rested her cheek against his chest as they moved in time to a slow ballad. “Did you see Leah's face when you introduced her to the Dunn twins? She was on top of the world with two handsome brothers competing for her attention.”

He chuckled, tightening his arm around her as he swayed from one foot to the other. “As long as you're happy, that's what I care about.” Pressing his lips to her temple, he said, “I'm glad to finally have you to myself. I missed you, babe.”

She shivered from the deep, husky timbre of his voice and his raw sexuality. He asked, “Have you given any more thought to spending the night with me?” When she didn't respond, he quizzed, “Jenna?”

Reluctantly, she revealed, “I can't. I told you why. Nothing has changed. It's too soon for me to leave Leah on her own. I'm sorry.”

“So am I.”

Just then the music changed to an upbeat song. Scott surprised her when he didn't keep dancing but cupped her elbow and started back to the table.

“You're angry,” she accused.

“A little disappointed, that's all.”

It wasn't all. Knowing she'd let him down upset Jenna. She hated disappointing him. As much as she wanted to be with him, she couldn't ignore her decision to make her sister a priority. She assured herself that he understood and there would be other nights.

As the evening drew to a close, Jenna was surprised when her sister said a hasty good-bye and left with the Dunn brothers. Everyone seemed surprised by it, although no one made a comment. The club was closing when Jenna and Scott said their good nights to the others.

“L
ooks like you're stuck with me,” Scott broke into the silence. He shifted against the expensive leather seat as their limousine sped through the quiet streets.

Jenna offered a weak smile. Her large hazel eyes were concealed by her thick lashes. “Hardly stuck.” Raising and dropping her hands in a gesture of dismay, she said, “I'm still in shock. I don't believe what happened.”

“You mean Leah leaving with the Dunn brothers?”

“Yeah!”

“Believe it,” Scott chuckled, moving his thumb over the back of her balled-up hands.

“It's not funny.”

“Babe, it's not the end of the world. Leah's a big girl. And she chose to spend what was left of the night with Neal Dunn.”

“It's just that . . .” Jenna paused. “I don't know why I'm so surprised.”

“Leah may be your twin, but she's not you,” he said in an attempt to soothe her.

“You're right. She did something I'd never even consider.” Then she looked pointedly at him. “What do you know about this Neal Dunn?”

“Enough. As I told you, I played ball with their older brother, Matt. The two of us were teammates with the Charlotte Hornets until he was traded.”

“That's it?”

“Jenna, Leah's only going out with him, not going down the aisle with the man.”

“She's sleeping with him. And she doesn't really know him. He could be a serial killer for all we know.”

“Not likely. Besides, we really don't know what they're doing. They may stay up all night talking.”

She poked him in the middle with her elbow. “Even I'm not that naïve. I might not have known my sister long, but I don't think she is sporting a halo.”

He placed a tender kiss on her lips, savoring their softness. Not liking the worry he saw in her pretty hazel eyes, he decided a change of topic was in order. “What did you think of Bradley's?”

“Very nice, elegant. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. It was good to see Taylor and Donald. Your mom doing the babysitting honors?”

“Yeah. She's crazy about her grandbabies.” He laughed. “This will be your first visit to my house. I'm in Bloomfield Hills.”

“Yes, I've wondered why you haven't invited me before.” She gazed pointedly at him.

Scott laughed, confessing, “My reason for not inviting you sooner had nothing to do with you. I'm embarrassed to say that until recently, the only person who came by was my sister. And she only stopped by to yell at me. The place was a mess. And so was I.”

“What do you mean?” She slipped her hand into his.

“When I moved back to the area I only brought my clothes, kitchen basics, and mementos. As for furniture, I had my bedroom set, leather sofa and recliner, a few lamps, not much. Throw in towels and sheets, and that was about it. The extent of my shopping for the new house was getting a television, DVD player, and my favorite sound system. In short, I used my bedroom, the kitchen, and den. The rest of the rooms remained empty.”

“But why?”

“When I sold the house in L.A., the buyer wanted everything.” He shrugged, taking a few moments before he reluctantly said, “I wanted to make a fresh start, only I fell into a slump. I did a lot of drinking and brooding, wondering if I'd made a big mistake in returning to Detroit. I was also missing you badly and not handling it well.”

“I had no idea.”

He said candidly, “It was a tough couple of weeks. I had poor Taylor worried. She gave me a jolt when she told me you were back. My getting back into college and the lab, and then seeing you, was the kick in the butt that I needed.” He grinned sheepishly. “When I saw your place, I decided to get it together. I hired a housekeeper and interior decorator. I finally felt as if I can invite you over.”

“Goodness. I assumed you were living in a showplace, something like Taylor and Donald's.” Jenna took him by surprise when she asked, “What was your place like in Charlotte and L.A.?”

They'd made a point of not questioning each other about the lost years. It seemed easier not to delve too deeply into each other's lives. He didn't want to hear about the men she'd dated, especially not the ones who'd tried to get close to her. He especially hadn't liked seeing her with Jackson Knight.

“I had a condo in Charlotte, and I bought a house in L.A. Both places were done by decorators.” He shrugged. “All I cared about was that I was comfortable.” For some reason his places had never felt like home, only a place to sleep and dump his stuff. As for the women in his life, he'd been careful not to let any one of them get too close.

Jenna laughed. “That tells me nothing about your personal sense of style.”

He chuckled. “I don't believe I have one.”

Giggling, she said, “Everyone has a personal style. You look very good tonight,” she said, smoothing his dove-gray dress shirt and charcoal-gray silk tie, which he'd teamed with a beautifully tailored black suit.

Pleased, he said, “I'm only a few miles from Taylor and my mother.” The limousine turned onto a long, curved drive paved with cream-colored brick. It eased to a stop beneath the portico of an impressive house.

While Scott settled with the driver, Jenna studied the old-world charm of the Venetian-inspired home. Mounted sconces lit the cream stucco exterior and framed the arched double doors.

“It's beautiful.” She smiled up at him as he put his key in the lock.

He grinned. “You may want to reserve judgment until you've seen the interior.” Pushing the door wide, he stepped back for her to proceed.

They stood in the wide marble foyer, furnished in a traditional fashion with a heavy oak chest flanked by two straight-back, wheat-colored padded chairs.

“This way.” With a hand at her spine, he urged her down the long hall and through the open doorway on the right. “This is the den, where I spend most of my time.”

Jenna took in the taupe walls and drapes, the deep-cushioned bronze leather sofa and armchair with matching ottoman, and the dark brown leather recliner that dominated the room. His laptop sat open on the mahogany desk with its comfortable, wheat-patterned chair. A huge flat-screen television was mounted above a console table that served as a bar. The rich teak hardwood floor was covered by a large bronze, taupe, caramel, and ivory patterned area rug.

“Well?” he prompted.

“It's strong, masculine, and comfortable. I like it. Show me more.”

Relieved, Scott took her across the hall to the large dining room. “I can't take credit for anything other than picking out the taupe for the walls and drapes.”

Jenna admired the rich, dark cherrywood traditional dining room set with high-back wheat-colored upholstered slipper chairs. “It's lovely.”

Scott showed her the spacious living room done in shades of cream. Twin taupe suede armchairs were separated by a round end table, and two cream velvet sofas faced each other. They were positioned on either side of the impressive marble fireplace. The large, wingback chair, covered in a striped silk cream and taupe, faced the fireplace, its matching padded bench positioned in front of an oversized glass-topped coffee table.

He explained that the double French doors on each side of the fireplace opened onto the covered veranda that wrapped around the back of the house. “Beyond the garden is an outdoor pool and tennis court. I've hired a contractor to add on an indoor pool, gym, and basketball court.” Smiling, he took her hand. “Come on. I want to show you the kitchen and family room.”

The kitchen was beautiful and spacious, with stainless steel appliances, taupe and bronze granite countertops, and a huge center island. Before she could comment, he took her next door to the empty family media room. He even showed her the five empty guest bedrooms with connecting baths.

“Still impressed?” He waited for her response. He had no idea why her approval was so important to him. It just was.

Jenna laughed. “Well, there's still a lot to do, but you've made remarkable progress. I can only imagine your sister's and mother's reactions.”

With an arm around her shoulders, he said, “They were pleased that I'd finally settled in.” He guided her past the kitchen and living room to the east wing, where he paused in front of a set of double doors. “This is the master suite,” he said as he pushed opened the doors.

He watched her closely as she took in the oversized bed that had been custom made to accommodate his height. The taupe suede, padded headboard stretched to the ceiling, while two beautifully crafted, granite topped nightstands held a pair of bronze table lamps. The bed was covered with a plush, dark-brown velvet comforter and pristine white sheets. It was piled high with white pillows. A long, bronze padded bench was positioned at the foot of the bed. A large flat-screen television was mounted on the wall across from the bed, while bronze leather armchairs faced each other and shared a matching ottoman. The door on the left opened into an enormous walk-in closet, and the door on the right led to the luxurious spa-like bathroom, also done in shades of bronze.

“Well?”

She slid her arms beneath his jacket and wrapped them around his waist. “Your home is a showplace . . . exceptional.”

He frowned. “Does that mean it feels like a home?”

“Absolutely.”

He grinned, pleased with her response. “You are exhausted,” he whispered, kissing her forehead. “My invitation is still open. You are welcome to spend the night.”

Snuggling against him, she sighed softly, then said, “Yes, I'll stay, but I doubt I'll have the energy to do more than sleep. Is that okay?”

“As long as I get to hold you, you won't hear any complaints out of me,” he confessed. He brushed her lips with his. “Need any help getting undressed?” he asked, confident that her being here with him tonight was enough as long as she continued to have room for him in her life.