Just Jack (17 page)

A shiver passed along Leo’s spine as he sensed someone behind him.

“Evening.”

The voice sounded familiar, and Leo checked over his shoulder. “Jack,” he said, surprised. Turning around, he looked Jack up and down. Was he really here? Aware he was staring and had fallen silent, Leo cleared his throat. “Hi. What are you doing here?” He winced as his words came across more rudely than intended.

If Jack had thought him rude, he didn’t acknowledge it and instead smiled. “Working.”

“You work here?” Leo pointed toward the hotel.

Jack grinned. “No. I came with the bar.” Beyond the table stood a bar of ice, and on one end was what looked like a miniature version of one of the giant slides found at state fairs. “Luge and cocktails. As ordered by the big boss.”

“Oh, right.” Leo wished Nathan would hurry with that drink. He felt awkward with nothing in his hand, nothing to focus on other than Jack. His gaze drifted across the ice sculptures. “Are the sculptures from your club as well?”

“Yup.” Jack beamed.

There had been some fascinating and fun pieces in the ice bar. “Who makes them?”

Jack raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

“You?”

Jack laughed. “Don’t sound so surprised.”

“Sorry.” Leo admired the closest of the icy creations. “I hadn’t realized.”

“No reason you should.” He rested his hand on the small of Leo’s back. “So, how have you been? I hope you don’t think I’ve been ignoring you.”

“What? Oh, no.” They had exchanged a few text messages on Sunday, but otherwise they’d agreed to get in touch at the end of the week. Anything more and one of them would probably have come across as stalkerish, and most likely it would have been Leo.

He leaned back into Jack’s touch and smiled. “We said the end of the week.”

“True.” Jack stroked his hand over the back of Leo’s jacket. “Who are you here with?” His voice was smooth and seemed to flow through Leo like a seductive wave.

“Ruby.” He indicated where Ruby had retreated to the heaters. “And Nathan’s at the bar.”

Jack waved as he managed to catch Ruby’s eye. “She looks happy.”

A huge smile spread across Ruby’s face as she sat back in her seat and crossed her legs. She looked from Jack to Leo, tapping her nails on her forearm as she gave some strange wink-nod combination.

“Is she all right?” Jack sounded amused.

“Ignore her,” Leo told him. “She’s in a weird mood.”

Jack turned his back on Ruby and came to stand in front of Leo. “Sorry if I’ve made you uncomfortable. If I’d known you were here… But Abe was struggling to get cover.”

“What? No. Don’t be silly. It’s good to see you.” It really was. There were moments each day where he had found his thoughts wandering to Jack and what had happened over the weekend between them. Despite his better judgment, Leo had wondered what Jack was doing, if he was working, who he was with. He really liked Jack and enjoyed his company. If he hadn’t just gotten out of a relationship where he’d had his heart and head messed with, he could quite easily find himself falling in love with Jack. Hell, maybe he was a little anyway.

“Looks like the cavalry has arrived,” Jack said of Nathan as he returned from the hotel bar. He lowered his hand, and Leo was surprised how quickly he missed the contact.

There was a playful smile on Nathan’s lips as he joined them. “Hey. Jack. Didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Work,” Jack said at the same time as Leo.

Nathan laughed and held out one of the bottles of beer he was carrying for Leo to take. “Thought I’d ease you in gently.”

“Thanks.” Leo took the drink, and instantly, he was drawn to the feel of the label beneath his fingertips. Idly, he began to pick at the raised edge.

“Later.” Nathan raised the wine glass he held in his other hand, then went to join Ruby.

Jack briefly returned his hand to Leo’s back. “I should probably leave you to your party.”

“Oh, yeah.” Disappointment flooded through him. “You probably have things to do anyway.”

Jack smiled. “Come see me later. I’ll make you a cocktail.” He hesitated, as if trying to decide on his next move. Seeming to make up his mind, he leaned in and kissed Leo on his cheek. “Have fun.”

“Thanks.” Leo took a drink of his beer as Jack walked away. He stood for a moment, taking the time to study Jack from afar. What was it about Jack that had him so fascinated? He was just a man. He observed Jack for a few more moments, until loud laughter seemed to break the spell he had fallen under. Looking over his shoulder, he went cold as he spotted Mac with his two older brothers.

Great.
The last thing he needed was to be caught staring. Luckily, people were still arriving. Quick thinking led him to fall in with the newest arrivals, walking alongside them until he was safely on the other side of the patio and with his friends beside the heaters.

“Wimp.” Ruby covered the word with a faux cough. She’d obviously spotted his reason for joining them so hastily.

With a sigh, Leo pulled up a seat at the table she had laid claim to. He rested his head in his hand as he looked from Mac over to where Jack was laughing with the young barman who had accompanied him. A twinge of jealousy rose in his chest as he watched them together, how Jack’s hand brushed the other man’s as they exchanged a bottle of vodka.

“You’ve got it bad,” Ruby teased.

Leo shot her a look, then looked back at Jack. He swallowed uncomfortably as a warmth rolled in his stomach. Just seeing Jack made him feel brighter, happier.

He turned away.
Well, damn.

Chapter 17

“So, that’s him.” Misha folded his arms across his chest and tilted his head as he stared across the patio. He played with his lip stud, poking it with his tongue and wiggling it.

“Him, who?” Jack said, despite knowing exactly who Misha was looking at. He focused on filling the row of shot glasses with apple-flavored vodka.

“I always imagined you with someone… tiny.”

Jack stopped and raised an eyebrow at Misha’s musing. “Tiny?” He shook his head, ignoring Misha for a moment as he placed the shots on a tray and handed it over to the man who had ordered them.

“Yeah. Some petite model-type with devastating cheekbones and a pout to die for.” Misha sucked in his cheeks and took three steps before spinning around and returning to where he started.

Jack laughed. “Is there something you want to tell me?” he teased. “Or rather your
girlfriend
.”

“As if.” Misha picked up one of the cocktail shakers and turned it over in his hands. “You just come across as this tough, no-nonsense guy. I figured if you did, you’d get together with someone you could go all alpha on and play protector to.” He shrugged. “Maybe it’s the beard.”

“Have you been at the vodka?”

Misha shook his head. “I know I’ve only been at the club for a couple of months, but I’ve seen how you are with Abe and his family. It’s weird. If it wasn’t that you were younger than him, you’d think you were his dad or big, bad older brother or something.”

Straightening up, Jack gave a dismissive laugh. “Shut up.”

“He seems nice.” Misha continued to play with the shaker. He nodded over to where Leo was standing with his work colleagues. “He’s certainly put a smile on your face, anyway.”

“What do you mean?”

“Like I said, you act like a tough guy most of the time. Hard on the outside, soft and cuddly on the inside. I don’t think I’ve seen you smile as much during my trial at the club as I have these last few days.”

Jack looked over at Leo. He had never been drawn to anyone in all his years as a Frost. Of any of the men he had been with in that time, Leo was the first to make Jack stop and dare to dream of what-ifs. Since their first meeting there had been this inexplicable connection between them. He figured Misha was right in a way. He wanted nothing more than to protect Leo. Jack didn’t want Leo to give up on love like he had, to become this cold shell of who he used to be. He wanted to protect Leo from that and from anyone who might ever want to hurt him or break his heart in the future. Leo was sweet and kind and deserved better, better than Mac, better than him. He swallowed uncomfortably. Was it himself he should be protecting Leo from?

The familiar tightening of his chest made Jack look away, though he knew he was too late and Leo had caught him watching. He pressed his hand to his chest and rubbed at the space above his heart. He wanted to be better for Leo. He wanted to be the one who showed Leo he shouldn’t give up on love. Not as easily as Jack had. Could he be better? Could he really give Leo what he needed? Could he ever love him, really
love
him and be able to feel it?

“Are you all right?” Misha asked. He wore a concerned expression when Jack turned to him. “I didn’t mean to offend you or anything. I mean, you make a good couple.” He looked earnestly at Jack.

Jack shook his head. “No. No, you haven’t offended me.” He glanced back at Leo. Their eyes met, and Leo smiled at him. Returning Leo’s smile, he turned back to Misha, who grinned.

“I’ve changed my mind,” Misha said. “You’re just as soft on the outside.” Putting down the shaker, he patted Jack on the shoulder, then turned his attention to the woman waiting beside the bar. “What can I get you?”

Pressing his fingers to his shoulder, Jack massaged the echo of Misha’s hand. He watched Leo laugh and chat with his work friends. Leo looked happy. A smile teased the corner of Jack’s mouth. He wished he could pluck the moment from the air and file it away forever. Leo looked so comfortable in the world, and Jack wanted to be part of that. He wanted to be the one to make Leo laugh and smile. If nothing else from his years as a Frost and from all the wonders he had seen in the world, he knew one thing was true: anything was possible.

* * * * *

“Who’s the blonde in accounts?” Nathan leaned in as he kept his voice low. “You know, the one with the…” He held his hands out in front of himself.

“Great personality?” Leo raised an eyebrow.

Nathan ignored him and expanded on his description. “She wears those clingy silk blouses and sandals all year round.”

“Oh yeah.” Leo closed his eyes until the name came to him. “Diane.”

“Diane. Thank you.”

Leo waited, expecting Nathan to share some tidbit of information. “What about her?”

“Nothing. I was at the bar with her, and she kept calling me by my name. I couldn’t for the life of me remember hers.”

“Idiot.” Leo glanced around the patio, noting the congregation of managers near the hotel doors. “Guess it’s nearly time for the speeches and to pat ourselves on the back for another good year.” He looked away when Mac turned his head in their direction.

“They should do awards or something. Hand out certificates.” Nathan mused.

“What, like employee of the year?”

Nathan shrugged. “Sure, if the title came with a bonus.” He laughed. “I was thinking more along the lines of alcoholic of the year, office lothario, worst haircut, person most likely to be
let go
this coming year.”

“My name’s probably in the running for that one.” Mac might want him on the team now, but he could imagine Mac showing himself to be a petty asshole if Leo continued to pull away.

“It won’t come to that.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Nathan rested his hand on Leo’s shoulder. “It won’t. Mac is a lot of things, but I don’t believe he’s
that
guy.”

Deep down, Leo knew Nathan was right. Mac was forever the professional. He was about appearances and keeping them. He wouldn’t want anything or anyone to cast doubt on the man of integrity he claimed to be—and was, in the workplace at least. Shame he couldn’t have been as loyal outside the job.

“Hey. Here we go.” Nathan nudged him in the ribs.

There was a call for quiet as Rebecca Donovan and her son, Mac’s father, stepped up onto a small raised platform. Even at eighty years old, she had this amazing presence about her. When she talked, you listened.

With her son’s hand supportively on her arm, Rebecca gave the first of the family’s speeches. “Good evening. It’s that time of year again here at Harding’s Toys where we look back at our successes, as well as to what the future holds for you and us.”

Leo sipped at his cocktail as he listened to the various family members as they took their turn. First Rebecca, then her son, and finally, her three grandsons. When Mac took the stage, Leo averted his eyes. He felt antsy. With a sigh, he searched for Jack. A sense of calm washed over him when he spotted Jack away from the crowd. He seemed to be inspecting one of the ice sculptures. Leo watched as Jack ran his hand over the surface of the largest of the teddy bears. Jack was focused as he glided his hand fondly over his work.

“Where are you, Leo?”

Leo blinked as he heard his name. His heart leapt in his chest as Nathan wrapped an arm around his shoulder and shouted up at the stage, confirming his whereabouts.

“Come up here, Leo. Let’s give him a hand.” Mac started clapping.

“What the hell?” Leo whispered urgently when Nathan pushed him forward.

Nathan shrugged and looked as clueless as Leo felt. “Don’t ask me,” he said and joined the others in clapping.

Leo thrust his drink at Nathan and straightened his tie, heading through the crowd to the front. He stepped up onto the small stage. With wide eyes, he looked at Mac, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. He was surprised when Mac pulled him into a hug.

Look happy
. Leo resisted the urge to pull away as Mac pressed a kiss to his cheek. “What are you doing?” he mouthed, faking a smile as Mac turned him to face the front and hugged his shoulder. This hadn’t been part of the speech he had helped Mac prepare earlier. He kept smiling, listening to Mac outline the exciting steps the team led by Mac and Leo—
What the hell?
—were taking into the market of online gaming and downloadable apps. They were moving Harding’s into the twenty-first century, and Mac had grand plans for the future.

Hurry it up
. Mac kept talking, and Leo fought the urge to run off stage. The situation was beyond uncomfortable, and he just wanted to get back to Nathan and down his cocktail. Mac held him close, and as Leo took a deep breath, he could smell the scent of Mac’s aftershave mixed with the smell of one of his occasional sneaked cigarettes and bourbon on his breath. He glanced up at Mac and hoped his smile didn’t slip. He let his gaze drift across the crowd in search of a friendly face. He stopped when he found Nathan. There had to be a way to make this end. Nathan just stared hopelessly back at him. Hell, he looked as embarrassed for Leo as Leo felt. This had to be nearly over, right?