Heart Matters (17 page)

Why was Ida Devon there? What did she say to
upset u?

How did Mark know who Ida was? Sensing his
presence, she went up to her office window and saw him standing
across the street, his handsome face staring up at her. She smiled
and blew him a kiss. She then sent him a message.

Don’t worry. It’s just business.

She saw him nod his acceptance of her lie
and then he was gone.

Her tresses bounced lightly as she shook her
head timidly. No, she wouldn’t let anyone come between her and
Steven. Although she was apprehensive about her decision to marry a
man she did not love, the fact was that she
was
getting
married to Steven. She wanted him, she desired him and he was hers
for the asking.

And they would live happily ever after.
Hopefully.

***

Mark had seen all of Jake’s moves in
Jessica’s office. He had stood opposite her boutique and got a
clear view from the lamp post he leaned on. Part of him had wanted
to rush in and bash the hell out of the guy but the sensible part
told him to rein in his ‘Hulk’. He couldn’t afford to make a scene
in front of her staff and knowing Jake, that’s what he thrived
upon.

He almost lost his resolution when he saw
Jake twist Jessica’s arm but her sudden bravado had come as a
relief.
Yea, baby! That’s what I want from you! Don’t let him
scare you.
He could almost hear Wallace’s balls crunching when
her knee crashed into them and he actually did chuckle at the
sight. Mark felt he almost had Jake by the balls when he saw Ida
Devon all but barge into the boutique.

At her presence, Mark stiffened uncertainly.
What was she doing here? Was she Jessica’s client? He couldn’t
afford to be seen by her. Especially since he was one of the
security cover assigned to her husband, Senator David Devon.

He saw Ida storming into Jessica’s office
and his heart sank. This did not look good. He could gauge from
Jessica’s expression that Ida had nothing pleasant to say to her
but what he couldn’t understand is what the conversation was about.
His gut clenched on instinct when he saw Jake’s sly glance between
the two women.

Fuck!
This was not looking good
for Jessica!

Jake upped and left after Ida and Mark
watched him as he caught up with her a few metres away from
Jessica’s boutique. He seemed to say something extremely
interesting to her before Ida nodded slightly and they made off
together.

Mark glanced towards Jessica who seemed to
be holding herself. He sent her a message on her phone asking her
about Ida and when she mentioned it was just business, he relaxed a
little. He nodded at her before breaking into a sprint after Jake
and Ida. His gut told him a storm was coming for Jessica and he had
no idea how to stop it.

That evening when Jessica met Steven for a
private dinner at one of the finest restaurants, she sat across him
feeling nervous and inept. Ida’s challenge kept taunting her and
Jessica had no idea how she could possibly endure the insecure
feeling she had about Steven.

Steven watched Jessica with a bemused
expression. She looked exceptionally beautiful tonight. Her
chocolate hair fell in waves around her shoulders with a few chic
flicks randomly grazing her cheeks. Her dress was a deep amber,
figure hugging soft silk sensation that fell modestly just below
her knees. It had a jowl neck that sagged innocently to reveal the
slightest hint of cleavage and made him uncomfortable in all the
wrong places. Long, fragile golden earrings dangled from her ears
and a matching bracelet adorned her wrist. She looked the epitome
of societal fashion perfection but somehow didn’t realize it. The
lack of feigned arrogance was something he appreciated in Jessica
and found it extremely attractive.

However, tonight, she was just plain nervous
as if she had something she wanted to ask him but wasn’t sure how.
He covered her cold hand that had been clutching the table cloth
with his warm one.

“What’s the matter, Jessica?” He queried,
his navy eyes compelling her attention towards him. “You seem
strangely quiet today. Is something bothering you?”

She gazed at him uncertainly. “I..I guess
I’m just nervous. We’re getting married and..and..I’m suddenly not
sure you will actually go through with it.”

His brows rose in surprise while his lips
turned up cynically. “Now why would you think something like that?
Have I done something to indicate that I’d like to back out of our
wedding?”

She flustered uncomfortably, drawing her
hand away. It had been burning under his mere touch, making it
difficult for her to think straight. “No. Not really,” she breathed
out softly. “It’s just that. You haven’t done anything or I should
say you don’t want to do anything. You..you..um…you…” She broke off
uncertainly, feeling awkward and decidedly dumb.

Steven leaned forward in his seat, feeling
concerned. “What is it, Jessica? What haven’t I done?”

She took a deep breath of courage and stared
at him wide eyed. “You haven’t kissed me in a month!” She blurted
out like an idiot before she could rephrase her thoughts in a more
dignified manner.

Steven’s surprised look embarrassed her and
she blushed furiously hoping the floor would open up and swallow
her up. She was mortified.
What had made her say that!?

Once Steven recovered from her shocking
statement, his shoulders started shaking as he began laughing
softly. She blushed even more furiously and tried to look annoyed
with him. “It’s not funny!” she hissed but his laugh turned louder
and he had to rein it in to avoid attention from other diners.

Surprisingly, he didn’t say anything and
they finished their dinner in silence with Steven absently
chuckling once in a while. In his chauffer driven car, they once
again rode in silence although he casually held her hand in
his.

Outside her apartment, he waited patiently
as she opened the door. She stepped in and turned to say goodnight
to him even as she began closing the door. It was two inches from
closing when Steven suddenly placed his palm on it and held it
open. Her eyes widened in surprise as he gently pushed it further
and stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

“Wha..” she managed before he pulled her in
his arms to crush his lips on hers in a punishing kiss. The moment
their lips met, a small moan escaped Jessica and he groaned in
response, grabbing her hips and molding her intimately to him.

Jessica wound her arms about his neck,
opening her mouth to tangle her tongue with his as he sought to
kiss her to her very soul. His hands rose to her breasts and they
found their aching tips through the silky material of her evening
dress. She wasn’t wearing a bra and being off the shoulder, he
easily managed to slip it down freeing one breast. He growled in
his throat when he held it in his hand and followed it with his
hungry lips.

When his mouth closed on the center, Jessica
whimpered helplessly, her legs turning to jelly even as she felt
herself arching towards him. “Steven,” she managed hoarsely,
bracing her hands on his shoulders.

In response, he grabbed her by the waist and
almost hauled her into her living room, collapsing with her on the
couch. He kissed her again then left her mouth to nip her neck
gently. She winced with pleasure and arched feverishly towards him,
her hands sinking in his hair. She moaned again and he brought his
mouth back to her, ravaging her mouth like a starving man. His
hands went to the edge of her dress pushing it over her thighs and
that’s when he felt Jessica tense under him.

The change in her was very slight but he
sensed it immediately and stilled his actions. He finished the
kiss, staring down into her deep, hesitant eyes wondering if he
could possibly drown in them. He also wondered what had happened to
make her go from the glorious passionate creature that was bent on
taking pleasure from him to the sudden nervous ice maid who feared
he would hurt her.

She gazed at him uncertainly. “Steven?” She
wanted to ask why had he stopped but somehow she knew she was to
blame. Her natural defense mechanism had kicked him and he had
noticed. Would he ask her about it, she wondered and would she be
able to answer him truthfully, she doubted.

He gave her his drop dead gorgeous grin
before placing one last chaste kiss on her softened lips. “And
that’s why Ms.Cantrell, I don’t kiss you.” He chuckled at her
surprised look and pushed himself off her. He helped her to her
feet, putting her dress back in place. His hands circled her waist
lightly as he smiled into her confused eyes. “I have never felt so
out of control with anyone Jessica. I don’t know what you’ve done
to me, but it’s pretty good and I’m not complaining.” He kissed the
top of her head in a tender gesture before striding away to the
door. He opened it and turned back to look at her flushed face.
“Don’t ever ask me to kiss you again. At least not until after
we’re married.” With that he was gone, pulling the door shut behind
him.

Jessica stood in her living room, a variety
of emotions coursing through her high strung veins. That Steven
desired her was more than evident. That he had immense self control
was also evident.

She sighed and fell on the couch, pulling a
pillow to bury her flaming face in it. Now she was confident Ida
was out of the picture but scared of her own reaction to him. She
wanted him with all her heart and soul but her mind was still
holding her back from trusting him completely. Did she need
counseling? Would that help overcome the injustice Jake had done
her all those years ago? What if it wasn’t Jake but Ty’s memories
holding her back? Ty, sweet, Ty. She still loved him but not as she
once did. Now she desired Steven and only Steven, almost to the
point of madness. But did she love him? Was that what was happening
to her? Was she simply confused between love and lust as Steven had
once pointed out to her?

A resigned sigh escaped her while her eyes
fluttered close, unwilling to reply. That was a question for
another day. Right now she just wanted to sleep right here where
Steven’s presence was still evident in the bumps in the couch. She
wanted him desperately. She wanted to be with him, in his arms, in
his mind, in his soul, in his heart. The unbidden confession didn’t
startle her completely but she allowed sleep to engulf her senses
before she could ask the next question: Why?

***

Next morning when Steven called Jessica
announcing that he was leaving for an urgent trip abroad, she sent
a grateful prayer to the Lord. It assured her that Ida couldn’t get
in touch with him immediately and brought relief. Although he had
given ample evidence that he wanted Jessica enough to go through
with the wedding; she wasn’t confident that if he encountered Ida
again he wouldn’t change his mind. Good thing was that he was
scheduled to return on the day before the wedding and the chances
of Ida approaching him were very slim.

The days flew by swiftly and the morning of
the wedding was cool, clouded and chaotic. Neither Jessica nor
Steven had wanted an elaborate wedding so they both opted to have a
low-key affair that would be celebrated with a reception party in
the evening with the closest of family and friends.

Jessica wore a simple, white silk dress with
sleeves that fell off the shoulders and just about covered her
upper arms. The full length gown hugged her closely up to her knees
and then flared to fall gracefully below her ankles. Strings of
Swarovski crystals decorated it randomly and the overall effect was
very elegant and becoming. She wore a veil of sheer net held by a
string of matching crystals over her hair that had been tied up in
a chignon and allowed Lynn to put light makeup for her.

“You look gorgeous!” Niki announced when she
was finally ready, “I think every man’s going to eat his heart out
for you.”

Jessica’s smile was strained. “I’m
overdressed. This is good enough for a grand wedding.”

“Oh, hogwash!” Lynn scoffed, looking about
for last minute alterations, “Stop criticizing. I’ve spent almost a
month on this creation.”

That was true. When Jessica had announced
her wedding plans Lynn had jumped to design a dress for her.
Although Jessica herself had designed the previous dress, when she
was to marry Adam, she was in no mood to design one all over again.
So when Lynn offered to design it for her with the help of a couple
of her assistants she had let them, not so much as bothering to
even give a trial.

Over the period of the month, Lynn had
guessed there was more to the marriage than their obvious
attraction to each other and Jessica had finally confided in her.
Lynn had been horrified. In vain, she had tried her to dissuade
Jessica. Finally, she had accepted defeat but offered her full
support to her friend. No one other than Lynn knew the truth. Even
Niki was convinced the couple was madly in love with each
other.

***

Mark’s fist connected with Jake’s nose to
send him flying across his hotel room. He strode to where Jake lay
moaning and bleeding and bent to grab him by the collar of his
shirt.

“You shithead! Did you think I wouldn’t find
you?” he growled at the broken man, shaking him ruthlessly.

Jake spat out a tooth and chuckled
sardonically. “There’s nothing you can do to save her, you
ass!”

Mark kicked him in the gut and the other man
rolled over hugging himself. He still kept chuckling and drove Mark
almost insane with rage. He gave him two more kicks for measure and
when he leaned to bash Jake’s head in, Jake held up one hand up in
submission. “Ok, ok. I give up!”

Struggling to control his rage, Mark watched
the pathetic man groaning at his feet. He knew he should kill the
bastard to buy peace for Jessica but he wasn’t a murderer. “If you
go anywhere near Jessica, I will blow a hole in your face, you get
that?”