Patience (8 page)

Making up my mind, I plaster on a smile. "Yes! Yes, we can. Because you are completely right. I'll call and check on Quince, and then, we'll focus on us."
Because I love you
.

"Good. That's good." He smiles, breathing easier, because he expected me to say no. "I'll make sure you don't regret it." He reaches for my hand, his thumb brushing back and forth over my knuckles. It's reassuring. It's sweet. And it's exactly what I need.

But I have one more question. "Do you like Quincy? I mean, do you blame her for all of this?" I couldn't take it if my best friend and the man I love didn't like each other. I'd be just as torn as Eric is between his two brothers.

"You know what, Jenna? I used to blame her." That hurts, but I know it's just because he doesn't, couldn't possibly, understand her. "I used to blame Brody, too. But I don't anymore. I'm beginning to understand. I mean, not all of it, because I feel like she should have been more honest and Brody shouldn't have crossed the line with her. But I get it. Jenna, nobody could have kept me from you either. Not my friends, not another guy, not a brother. I would have found a way to have you, no matter who I had to go through. If he feels even half of what I feel for you..." His voice trails off as he links his fingers with mine and pulls my hand to his lips. "Yeah, I get it."

My heart melts into a pool at my feet. That's the closest we've ever gotten to talking about our feelings, and I'd love to tell him how I feel, except the emotion rising in the back of my throat blocks the words on my tongue. If I open my mouth, I'm going to cry. Like, ugly cry.

So I keep my mouth shut and bask in the moment.

He loves me.

He may not know it yet, but he does.

Chapter 18

Eric

Shit. I almost spilled my guts while driving down the road. I've got to get a grip or else I'll ruin the whole thing. For a terrifying moment, I thought she was going to ask to go home. By the way she's checking her phone every five minutes and  nervously tapping her foot, it's obvious she's worried about Quincy.

As soon as we drive into Asheville, though, Jenna's face transforms. She sits up in her seat and points at various things as we drive by.
Did you know that the Vanderbilts built the Biltmore in the 1880s? That there are over 250 rooms and a bowling alley? Did you know the McDonalds in Biltmore Village has marble floors and a baby grand piano?
She answers her own questions as she stares in awe at everything we pass.

I knew she would love it.

After parking, I reach over her to get the tickets out of the glove compartment. When my arm grazes her leg, my body goes into overdrive. Her exuberance affects me in a totally sexual way. Her face is flushed with excitement, and her eyes gleam with anticipation. She's looking at me likes it's Christmas day and she's just figured out I'm Santa.

I'm sure Seth could have a heyday with that one.

She puts her hand out, trapping my hand against her thigh. "Thank you for bringing me. You have no idea how much it means to me." I swear it takes everything I have in me to get out of the car.

"Come on, Sunshine. This is your day." I walk around the car and open her door. Taking her hand, I help her out. Truthfully, this is the last thing I'd be doing right now if it weren't for her, but now I know what guys mean when they say women make you do crazy things.

As we walk toward the mansion, across the beautiful greens, all kinds of images run through my mind. Jenna laying on the grass, her blonde hair a halo spread out around her face, kissing her by the fountains, pushing her up against the wall...

Somewhere along the way, I've gone from wanting to win the bet to wanting to lose the bet, and now... now, I just want her. As we walk from room to room, her chatter is endless. She takes my hand, dragging me along when she doesn't think I'm going fast enough, and the only thing I see, all I think about, is
her
.

Her smile lights up her whole face, and the light fragrance of her shampoo distracts me every time I get close to her. By the time we get to the end, I've seen about all of the Biltmore I'll ever want to see again. I can't wait for it to be over.

But Jenna has other ideas. "Oh, Eric! Did you see the grounds from upstairs? Weren't they beautiful? We have to go on the tour!"
Fuck
.

Again, we walk along with a group of people, and I begin wondering just how big this place could really be when we finally come to the greenhouses. It's hot. It's crowded. And I'm aching to get my hands on her.

"Hey, Jenna, come over here. I have something to show you." I reach out, taking her hand and guiding her to the back corner, near some beautiful orchids. "Didn't you say you like orchids?"

She smiles as she walks toward me. "No, Eric. I said daisies. Big difference." I stand behind her as she bends over to smell them, granting me a nice view of her ass, the one I can't stop thinking about. "Wow! They smell wonderful. Come smell."

I stand behind her, my hands on her waist, as I bend forward to smell the damn flower. This is not what I came back here for. Having her body pressed against me fits right into my plan, and I've got her right where I want her.

Glancing over my shoulder, I see that we are as alone as we're going to get. So I grind my hips into her from behind and pull her into me. "It smells good, but you smell better." My voice is husky as I whisper into her ear. She straightens in my arms, and my hands slide around her waist, her back pressed against my chest.

"We're missing the tour." She raises an arm over her shoulder, pulling my face to hers. I lower my head, nipping at her bottom lip with my teeth, teasing her with light kisses. She tries to deepen the kiss, but I pull away just as her tongue grazes my lip. Her breathing hitches in her throat, and her body melts against me.

"I thought you wanted to go?" I'm teasing her, like I know she's been doing to me over the last few days. My hands glide over her smooth stomach, across her hips, to the juncture between her legs. Her heat warms my fingers as I work them up the leg of her shorts. A soft moan escapes her lips.

I become aware of footsteps behind me, and I drop my hand, stepping back. "Hey, guys! We're moving on. We wouldn't want you to get lost, now, would we?" The tour guide's perky voice breaks the heated silence.

"Um, sorry." Jenna speaks first, and a trace of pink streaks across her cheekbones. As we turn to follow the tour guide, she takes my hand again, smiling mischievously.

I wait for the guide to get ahead of us before I whisper, "Sunshine, I'm beginning to think you like dogging. If I'd known that, I could have shown them a thing or two."

Slapping me on the arm, she gasps. "You big perv!"

We burst through the door, laughing and holding hands, to join the rest of the group.

The thing is... I wasn't joking.

Chapter 19

Jenna

I don't know if there's a word for it, but there's something going on inside of me, between us, that I can't explain. It's more than sexual chemistry. It's a soul connection, something deep inside that just won't be satisfied until he's been there, until he's touched all there is of me.

The day couldn't have been more perfect. The mansion, the gardens, the horses. I felt a little bit like a princess, and my prince was making me feel very special. He's being so sweet and charming, so damn sexy, that he's screwing with my plans.

I still plan on making tonight very enjoyable, but also very difficult, for him. And then, tomorrow, he'll get his guitar, and I'll jump his bones.

He'll never even know what hit him.

Easy.

As we drive further into the mountains, I get caught up in the scenery. This city is so beautiful, and he's certainly taken care of all the details, making me love him a little more with each new thing. It's just that he's so damn
stupid
.

Yes, stupid. Who else would've made that bet?

Idiot.

Asshole.

Fucker.

And holy shit! We're at the Grove Park Inn! I sit up in my seat, plastering my face to the window as we drive into the resort. It's beautiful. It's romantic.

He's totally forgiven.

"Oh my god, Eric!" I throw myself at him, causing him to run over the curb. We get jostled, and I fall across the console, our heads smashing into each other. "Ow!" He grabs his cheek, and I grab my head. That hurt.

When he bursts out laughing, I let out the breath I've been holding. He could have gotten mad, could've said anything, but instead, he laughed. And my heart skips a beat, basking in the moment. It's so cool to be with someone who actually 'gets' me.

"Are you trying to kill us or something?" In that moment, his laugh, his beautiful face, it's just perfect. And then, he drops his hand from his eye. I gasp, and he arches a brow in question. "What?"

"Um, nothing." Looking around, I gesture to the buildings around us. "It's just so beautiful. Yeah?"

"Yeah, I kind of got that right before you tried to knock me out." He gestures to his eye, and I really wish he'd stop doing that.

Opening his door, he steps out and walks around to open mine. He may be a fucker sometimes, but Eric is always a true Southern gentleman. I still can't believe this day. That we're here. Together. In Asheville.

Hand in hand, we walk inside to the registration desk. "James. We have a reservation."

The young girl at the desk begins typing, looks up at us, her eyes lingering on him, then resumes typing. "Sir, what name did you say the reservations are under?" I have to give her props. She doesn't bat an eye.

"James. Eric James." I almost feel sorry for him. He doesn't have a clue his eye is blackening and swelling as we speak.

A few more minutes pass. Her eyes nervously scan over the screen as her fingers fly over the keyboard. "Mr. James, sir, I'm sorry, but the hotel has been overbooked. There are no suites available tonight." She pauses when he curses under his breath. "Sir, the Grove Park Inn would love to pay for your accommodations at another hotel. And issue a credit for a future stay with us."

"But I made reservations." His grip tightens on my hand as he shifts foot to foot. "You don't have anything?"

"Sir, the hotel has overbooked, and we take full responsibility. I can get my manager if you'd like to speak to him." Again, her eyes linger on his face.

It's time for me to intervene before she asks about the lump on his face. "You know what? That's fine. Let's just take their offer, and we'll find something else. We're here, we're together, and we'll get a free stay the next time we come." His disappointment is obvious, but I know he won't make a huge deal out of it.

"Yeah, sure." He exhales sharply, running his hand through his hair in agitation. I hate to say it, but he's totally sexy with his black eye, Metallica t-shirt, and disheveled hair. She prints a voucher for the other hotel and hands it to me.

We walk back to the car, and even though I'm a little bit disappointed, my excitement overshadows it. I'm in Asheville with the guy of my dreams, and nothing is going to mess that up. With a bounce in my step, I smile in his direction. "Oh, come on, let's make the best of it."

This has been a wonderful day.

Nothing can go wrong,

Chapter 20

Eric

Well, this totally sucks. While I drive to the other hotel, Jenna chatters and giggles the whole way. She acts as if nothing is wrong, and it makes me really want to believe that.

It's just that I wanted this night to be special. And staying at the Grove Park Inn was part of the magic of the trip. If she's happy, though, I'm happy.

When I pull into the lot for the other hotel, I'm pleasantly surprised. It looks like an average budget hotel, but at least it's not rundown. Other than the creepy clerk who kept staring at me, everything seems clean and tidy.

I can breathe easier now, knowing that the night may not be lost at all. Romance, after all, is not about the place but the person. The feelings. Jenna.

After we register and get our room keys, we return to the car and get our luggage. When Jenna begins pulling out bag after bag, I'm astounded. "We're only staying one night, Jenna." Although I do like it when she bends over to hand me her suitcase; it gives me another enticing view of her legs and ass.

I brought one bag. She brought three.

"I know, but I had to be prepared. You didn't exactly tell me your plans." I really don't care how much she brought with her. The only thing she's going to need is what she wears to dinner tonight.

"I did tell you that you wouldn't need clothes, though, right?" When she grins at me over her shoulder, I instantly get hard. She doesn't know it, but her little game is almost over.

She enters the room first, and I hear an audible gasp. I'm almost afraid to ask, and when I walk in behind her, the foul odor is the first thing I notice. It reeks of something that smells suspiciously like dog shit.

"What the fuck?" Her words, not mine.

What looked decent on the outside was nothing but a sham, hiding the very old, very outdated inside. And questionable cleanliness. The bed looks about as comfortable as the floor, and the carpet has multiple stains throughout. For several speechless minutes, we stand without moving and observe our new room.

"Hell, no. We are not staying here. No way." My voices shakes in anger. This is not going to happen.

I grab my phone, calling the Grove Park to ask if there's been a mistake, only to be told that this hotel is the only one with vacancies due to an art show that's in town. I call the front desk, and they inform me that this is the only room available. They're booked up for the art show. What I'd like to know is how they found that many desperate people who were willing to
pay
to stay here.

As Jenna walks around, snooping in the closet and bathroom, I feel all of my well-laid plans being sucked down the drain. No way I'm gonna be able to romance Jenna in this dump.

No fuckin' way.

I follow her into the bathroom and look around in disgust. The stained shower mocks me. There will be no romantic jet tub scenes, no bubble baths... "That's it. We're going home." I can't let her stay in a place like this, and there's no way I'd make love to her in that bed.