Love Left Behind (17 page)

"Interesting
storage solution," I commented, indicating the cardboard box. "How
come you have so little furniture in here?"

Jackson shrugged.
"I just never got around to buying anything more after I got the
essentials. I always meant to buy a coffee table and all that other junk you're
supposed to have but I never got motivated enough." His face brightened as
he looked at me. "Maybe we can go furniture shopping together. I could use
some help. My taste tends to run to the utilitarian."

"Sure," I
answered with a nod, a thrill running through me at the thought of doing
something as domestic as picking out furniture together. I turned my attention
to the box of DVD's before I embarrassed myself with my giddiness.

Jackson had an eclectic
collection of movies, but I raised an eyebrow as I picked up one DVD.

"I'm surprised you
have
The Way We Were
," I said
with a skeptical look. "I never would have pegged you for a Barbra
Streisand fan."

"I'm a progressive
modern kind of man," Jackson said with an affronted look, but he ruined
the effect by grinning. "Actually, I've never watched it. My mom gave it
to me. She's always trying to give me old movies to watch. Says I don't
appreciate the classics."

"Your mom is
right," I said, handing him the DVD. "It's one of my favorite movies.
Let's watch it."

"I'm game."
Jackson got up to slide the DVD into the player.

We snuggled on the
couch, my legs draped over Jackson's lap and my head on his chest. It had been
a long time since I had watched
The Way
We Were,
but I was instantly engrossed in the story of Hubbell and Katie.
It was bittersweet watching them fall in love, because I knew what was coming
at the end.

I bit my lip at the
last scene, not wanting to cry, as Hubbell and Katie gazed at each other with
love and regret as they thought about the life they had shared together and the
future they would never get to explore.

When Katie reached up
to brush Hubbell's hair back from his forehead, the gesture full of wistfulness
and lost dreams, I was unable to hold back my tears. I sighed heavily as the
ending credits rolled on the screen and Jackson tipped my head back by my chin
so that he could see my face.

"Sweetheart,"
he said with a wry smile as he gently wiped the tears from my face with his
thumbs. "Are you okay?"

"It's just so sad
and unfair," I wailed. "They belong together, but all they did was
get in each other's way. Now they'll spend the rest of their life regretting
not being with one another."

Jackson chuckled as he
kissed me. "I guess it was a more realistic ending. Not everyone lives
happily ever after."

"Did you like
it?" I asked, wiping away the rest of my tears, feeling a little foolish
for getting so emotional over a movie.

"It was kind of
frustrating," Jackson admitted. "They loved each other, but they kept
creating problems between them. Yeah, they were drastically different but they
could have made it work if they really wanted to. They were more focused on
their own agenda than each other."

"Yeah, but
sometimes love isn't enough," I said, thinking of my relationship with
Sean. "And sometimes it isn't the right kind of love. People like to think
that just because they're in love, they'll get a happily ever after. But then
real life intrudes."

Jackson looked at me
with a thoughtful expression. "Are you speaking in generalizations or are
you thinking about a specific situation?"

I knew what he was
referring to, but I was reluctant to mention Sean. Since I had told Jackson
about Sean and our broken engagement, I had been loathe to bring it up again.
Jackson hadn't been happy hearing that I had been engaged to someone that I had
been with for ten years so I didn't want to stir the pot.

I shrugged, trying to
answer obliquely. "I don't know, I was just thinking out loud."

Jackson raised an
eyebrow, not seeming to accept my answer. "Did it have anything to do with
Sean?"

I bit my lip, not
knowing how to avoid the subject of Sean when Jackson mentioned him outright.

"I don't think
it's a good idea to talk about Sean. You weren't too happy when I talked about
him before. Besides, it's in the past. I'm happy being here with you now.
That's all that matters."

Jackson's eyes glowed at
my words, but he smiled ruefully. "I admit it didn't feel great finding
out about Sean and your engagement. But it was just because I hated knowing
that he got you for ten years. I found myself wishing that I had been the one
to meet you when you were fifteen."

"Well, you have me
now," I said with a gentle smile. "And that's what's important."
I paused, hesitating to broach a subject I had never mentioned before, although
I had been wildly curious. "What about you? Have you had many serious
relationships?"

"Not really. My
longest relationship was for about a year, but it ended when we realized we
were better off being friends."

"Are you still
friends with her?" I asked, unexpected jealousy coursing through me. I
wasn't normally a jealous person, and the unfamiliar feeling was unwelcome.

Jackson shook his head.
"Our friendship fizzled out, just like our relationship."

"Didn't you and
Claire date for a little bit?" I had wondered about this for a while.
Claire seemed perfectly happy for Jackson and I, but there were fleeting
moments when I wondered if she was bothered by our blooming relationship.

"We went out on a
total of three dates when we first met. There was no chemistry between us, so
it was natural to transition to just being friends."

"Did you guys ever...you
know...get a little friendlier?" I couldn't help but wonder if Jackson and
Claire had ever slept together, especially since I knew how Jackson was in the
bedroom. With his good looks and skills, how could any woman resist him? But I
felt uncomfortable asking Jackson about it.

Jackson smiled, kissing
my forehead gently. "If you're asking if Claire and I ever slept together,
the answer is no. There was never anything more besides a goodnight kiss here
and there."

I was relieved by his
answer. Even though the thought of Claire and Jackson kissing didn't make me
ecstatic, I was comforted by the fact that nothing else had happened between
them. Besides, that had been a long time ago.

Jackson gazed me at,
his eyes questioning. "Does that bother you?"

I shook my head.
"No, I know you're just friends now. Claire's told me herself that you
guys just went on a few dates and nothing came of it."

"Are you okay with
us kissing during the play?"

"I have to admit
that if it were up to me, you guys would just shake hands instead of kissing
passionately." I smiled at him ruefully. "But I know it's just part
of the play. Besides, you're so good in your role that I see Matthew kissing
Annie, not you kissing Claire."

"Good,"
Jackson said as he cuddled me close, my head nestled in the crook of his neck.
"That's just acting. I've never felt the way I do about you with anyone
else, especially this quickly."

I breathed in Jackson's
warm scent, feeling happy and secure. "Me too."

We snuggled on the
couch and watched mindless television until it was time to get ready for
Nathan's art show.

"What are you
wearing?" I asked Jackson as I wrapped a towel around me and stepped out
of the shower. Jackson was shaving at the sink and I marveled at how at ease we
were with each other already.

"It's pretty
casual, so just jeans. It's in a little gallery that's really low key."

I saw Jackson watching
me in the mirror as I brushed the tangles out of my wet hair.

"What?" I
asked as I paused midway of a brush stroke.

Jackson turned around
and pulled me close. I could feel the heat of his body through my towel and I
shivered.

"I'm just
happy," Jackson answered simply. "You make me happy."

"You make me happy
too," I said, reaching up on my toes to kiss him. Jackson immediately
increased the pressure of the kiss, slanting his warm mouth over mine and
slipping his tongue into my mouth.

We broke apart
breathless and Jackson got a mischievous look on his face. "Let me help
you with that towel," he said as he reached to unwrap it from me.

"Jackson!" I admonished
with a laugh, pulling away and clutching the towel closer to me. "We're
going to be late. There's plenty of time for that later."

Jackson sighed but he
acquiesced with a small smile. "It's your fault for being so irresistible.
I guess I'll just have to ravish you tonight."

"Speaking of
tonight, I think I should stay at my place."

Jackson furrowed his
brow, opening his mouth to protest, but I continued before he could speak.

"It's not that I
don't want to spend the night, but I have to work tomorrow and it'll be easier
for me if I stay at my place. Besides, I feel kind of bad spending so much time
here. Claire and I are still getting to know each other and I don't want her to
feel like I'm always gone."

"I'm sure she's
fine with you staying here," Jackson contested with a frown. "And I
promise not to make you late for work tomorrow."

I raised an eyebrow.
"I've heard that promise before. Besides, I'm worried about making myself
late. It feels too good being in bed with you. The last thing I want to do when
I wake up in the morning with you next to me is leave."

Jackson sighed but he
nodded his head. "Okay, but when are you going to stay over again?"

"How about
Wednesday? I'll come to the gym for a workout and then stay the night."

"I'll just have to
look forward to Wednesday then," Jackson said with a suggestive smile. He
reached down and slipped his hand under my towel, gently stroking my sensitive
bud between my legs. "I'll have to warn you that I'll be all pent up from
not burying myself in this sweetness for two whole days. I'm likely to ravage
you at the gym on the floor of my office."

My lower body instantly
clenched as I felt wetness pool at my core from his light touch. I held my
breath as Jackson slipped two fingers inside of me. I watched transfixed as he
brought them, glistening with my wetness, to his lips, licking them as his eyes
pierced through me.

"Now you're trying
to kill
me,
" I croaked, echoing
his words from yesterday.

Jackson grinned,
smacking me lightly on my bare bottom. "Now I'm not the only one in a
state of frustration."

I wrinkled my nose and
flounced out of the bathroom, but I couldn't suppress my laughter. Jackson
Reynard had me tied up in knots and I loved it.

I dressed in tight dark
jeans that were like a second skin and a black form-fitting top with a deep
vee, my cleavage in full display. It was provocative, but didn't cross the line
to slutty. I wanted Jackson to want me tonight as much as I wanted him,
especially after the trick he had pulled in the bathroom.

I completed the look
with fire engine red heels just as Jackson was coming out of the bathroom. His
eyes gleamed when he caught sight of me, his gaze trailing down my body and
then up again.

"You're trying to
play dirty," he said with a glint in his eye, striding closer to me. He
pulled me forward by the belt loops of my jeans, pressing me against him so
that I could clearly feel his erection. "I may have to just corner you in
the bathroom of the gallery and bend you over a sink so I can fuck your brains
out."

My lower body convulsed
at his words but I just smiled innocently. "Whatever do you mean?"

Jackson narrowed his
eyes. "You're trying to drive me crazy with that outfit." He then
grinned self-deprecatingly. "It's working."

"Good," I
said with a wicked smile and pulled away, going to the bathroom to dry my hair
and put on makeup.

When we were done
getting ready, we grabbed a cab to my apartment since it was raining and I had
my overnight bag with me. When I unlocked the door to my apartment, Claire was
sitting on the couch watching television. She jumped up when she saw us
entering.

"Is it as gross
out there as it looks?" she asked as Jackson shook the umbrella in the
hallway to get some of the water off.

"Worse," I
replied with a grimace. "I'm just hoping that we're able to get a cab to
the gallery. The cab we took over here wouldn't wait for us."

"Hi, Claire,"
Jackson said. He turned to me as he picked up my overnight bag. "I'll just
put this in your room. Which door is your bedroom?"

I pointed to my bedroom
door, not being able to deny that I was relieved that Jackson hadn't spent
enough time in the apartment to know which was Claire's bedroom. I decided to
lay any doubts I had to rest. Both Claire and Jackson had reassured me that
nothing had happened between them all those years ago and there was no need for
me to be jealous.

"You look
great," I told Claire. She was wearing jeans that made her legs seem a
million miles long and an emerald green, sleeveless top that showed off her
toned arms.

"Thanks, you
too," she replied with an appreciative glance at my outfit. She gave me a
meaningful look at my open bedroom door where Jackson was. "I told you
curvy was in."

I just laughed and went
into my bedroom to see what was taking Jackson so long. He was leaning over my
dresser, studying the pictures I had placed on top of it. He turned around and
smiled when he heard me enter.

"I was just
looking at your pictures. I'm assuming these are your parents."

I walked over next to
him and he wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me close. I rested my head
against his shoulder and nodded. I had three pictures on display. One was of my
parents before they had me, looking young and carefree. My father was laughing
into the camera and my mother was looking up at him adoringly. Another picture
was of the three of us, me as a toddler in my father's arms as my mother leaned
up against him, looking content and happy. The third picture was of just my
father and me. I must have been in about first grade and I was on my father's
shoulders with a huge smile stretched across my face. I remembered that picture
being taken. I had been so proud that I had such a strong father who could
carry me so effortlessly. I had been convinced that my father was the strongest
person in the world.