Ride With Me (2 page)

3.

              Jake stared into the gas fireplace. His brothers wanted to talk so he was there in the study, waiting for them to get on with it. It was marginally easier to pay attention without Eleanor to look at. But barely.

              He couldn't get her out of his head.

              "Jake, are you listening?"

              He swirled his glass, making the ice clink against the crystal.

              "Uh huh."

              "I told you he'd be difficult."

              Daniel was bitching about him to Jackson. Nothing new there. The two of them were thick as thieves. Jake was the one on the outside. Always.

              Nothing had changed.

              Well, except that mom was gone. And their father was ill. No one would tell him how ill though. But since the old man had actually looked glad to see him when he'd showed up out of the blue, Jake could guess that it was pretty bad.

              "Spit it out."

              Jackson laughed and stood up to pour himself a drink. Then he turned and stared.

              "It's about dad's will."

              "Will? He's alive isn't he? That seems a bit premature."

              Jackson ran his hands through his hair.

              "He's dying Jake. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you."

              Jake had known that on some level. The old man's skin had a slightly yellow tint to it. He shouldn't be surprised.

              So why did he feel like there was a rock sitting in his gut?

              Jackson looked sincere though. He
did
look sorry. For once. Jake finished his drink.

              "Okay."

              "He wants us to run Delancey Estates. Together."

              Jake's eyebrows shot up. Now, that was a surprise. Jackson and Daniel had been running things under his dad's supervision for years. As far as Jake was concerned, that's the way it should be. The golden boys should do what they were born and bred to do.

              "So run it. What's it got to do with me?"

              Daniel spoke up then, looking earnest.

              "It has to be all three of us. It's one of the codicils. It's all three of us, or none."

              "What? If I don't stay, nobody gets to?"

              He stared at his brothers but they didn't blink. The wily old man had really put him up against a wall now. Hell, he'd put them all up against the wall.

              "We need you Jake- besides no one can work the difficult horses like you can."

              Jake stood up and crossed to the bar. He poured a generous helping into his glass and drank.

              "That was a lifetime ago."

              Jackson grabbed his arm.

              "This is here and now- why can't you let go of the past? No one meant to hurt you. Least of all mom. And she sure as shit didn't deserve to die without seeing her son."

              Jake knocked Jackson's hand away.

              "You know I couldn't come back. And you know why."

              He glanced at Daniel.

              "Goodnight Daniel. I'm sorry about your- problem- but I can't do a damn thing about it."

              He turned and left the room without a backward glance.

**********

              Elle leaned into the microphone, singing with everything she had. The band had a gig in a couple of weeks. Their first. And the club owner Tom was there to watch rehearsal.

              Elle had a sneaking suspicion he was there to watch her too.

              That was part of the gig though. She knew it. So she let loose when she performed, letting all the pent up sexual energy ride out and over the audience.

              Normally she was utterly focused on the music. But tonight she was distracted. Restless. In fact, she'd been like that all week. Ever since Jake Delancey had cornered her in the alleyway.

              He'd been about to kiss her. She knew it. And Damn if she hadn't wanted him to.

              What the hell had gotten into her???

              She closed her eyes and sang her heart out. But all she could see were his bright blue eyes.

             
Damn it all to hell and back again!

              She finished the song and stalked off stage without a word. She needed to take a break. She had to focus on the task at hand. She was here to sing dammit! And to be dreaming about Jake Delancey of all people was foolish in the extreme.

              Oh yeah, she'd heard all about him. He was born rich but a rebel, choosing to eschew all his family wealth and trappings. Shirl had told her that he was persona non grata at the Country Club and everywhere polite company met. People put up with him for his father Harrison's sake. But he was bad news. Everyone said so.

              And that didn't even begin to cover what she'd heard about the women he'd dated.

              Apparently, Jake Delancey went through women like tissue paper. Rich, poor, it didn't matter. The only thing they had in common were their good looks. That and the fact that they all ended up falling in love with him.

              Damn if it wasn't easy to see why.

              Jake was exceptionally handsome. His symmetrical face, the straight nose and strong jaw, the wavy sandy brown hair that curled just so over his forehead.

              Never mind those bright blue eyes. The damn things looked radioactive. But in a good way.

              And that wasn't even talking about his body. He was tall but not too tall. Built but not too built. Slim but not too slim.

              In short, Jake Delancey was perfect.

              Cruelly and impossibly perfect.

              Which was bad news for Elle because he seemed to have taken a shine to her. More than a shine. She knew she hadn't seen the last of him. The way he'd looked at her had sent shivers down her spine… and elsewhere.

              "There you are."

              She turned to see Tom watching her smoke and pace.

              "Hey."

              "Are you going to do another song? Because I thought we could get a drink or a bite to eat after."

              She shook her head and tossed her cig to the ground.

              "Thanks Tom. Another time. I have to be at work at 6. I'm working a double."

              He smiled, but it didn't quite meet his eyes. Tom was attractive in an over groomed way she supposed. His eyes were dark and piercing, his suit well cut, his teeth bright white. It was obvious that he worked out. He had to, to achieve that slightly stupid, overgrown muscle head look. But he just didn't do it for her. It was a shame too, since she knew he could basically make or break her career in the Nashville scene. But she wasn't cheap and she wasn't for sale.

              Hopefully he would understand that she wasn't going to sleep with him just to get ahead.

              With the way he was looking at her, it wasn't likely.

              She smiled but there was a cold feeling in the pit of her belly.

              Elle always listened to her gut and right now it was practically screaming at her.

              Look out.

4.

              Jake climbed onto his bike. He was avoiding his brothers. Every damn day either Daniel or Jackson had cornered him, trying to talk him into staying on.

              Permanently.

              It's not like there wasn't room for all of them in the house. It was almost a hundred and fifty years old and enormous. It was built to impress and intimidate and it did. There were fifteen bedrooms, sitting rooms, ten baths, a kitchen, galley, bar room, study, library, billiard room, conservatory, dining room, living room and drawing room.

              Not to mention the stables, which encompassed two large buildings, including a training facility. Then there was the garage with the servant’s quarters above it, a greenhouse and several storage sheds. The largest shed was bigger than most people's houses.

              They sure as shit weren't going to get into each other’s hair.

              But he couldn't think with them breathing down his neck all the time. He'd dutifully gone to see his father each day before drinking himself into oblivion. Today was his first sober day in a week.

              He needed to clear his head. A good ride would do that.

              Or a good fuck.

              Immediately that hot little waitress from the club sprang to mind. He felt his groin tighten. All week he'd been wound up tightly, just thinking about her.

              He started the bike and pulled out into the road, not intending to ride anywhere in particular. It was late afternoon as the sky was starting to get dark when he pulled into the back entrance of the Country Club.

              Jake almost laughed. He'd been riding aimlessly for an hour. Somehow he'd ended up here.

              He knew why.

              He was looking for her of course.

              He just couldn't seem to stay away.

              Jake parked his bike and waited outside the service entrance far from the overhead lights. Sooner or later she'd sneak out for a smoke.

              Twenty minutes later his prayers were answered.

              He watched from the shadows as she looked around nervously, then headed for a copse of trees on the far side of the lot. Right near where he was parked.

**********

              "You really are a bad girl aren't you?"

              Elle nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of the husky voice. It was Jake Delancey naturally. He was leaning against a motorcycle at the ass end of the parking lot. Sneaky bastard.

              "What are you doing here then? Trying to scare people to death?"

              "Waiting for you."

              She stopped short. She suspected as much but hadn't really thought he'd come out and say it. Her stomach did a flip flop as butterflies seem to dive around inside her.

              She glanced around to make sure no one was watching and lit her smoke. That's what she'd come out here to do anyway, wasn't it? She walked behind the bushes, doing her best to ignore him.

              He trailed behind her, leaning against a tree trunk. He grinned at her insolently. He was incorrigible! A bad boy through and through.

              But dear God, did he have to look like James Dean?

              It really wasn't fair. He was far too tempting. He was making puppy dog eyes at her so she sighed and held out a smoke.

              "I don't smoke."

              She narrowed her eyes at him.

              "So what do you want then?"

              His grin got even wider and he raised his eyebrows, leaving her with no doubt about what he was after.

              "You're out of your mind you are. If you think I would-"

              "Would what?"

              He was laughing at her now. She stomped her foot in annoyance. She wasn't going to say it. He knew she wouldn't. That's why he was laughing so damn hard.

              "You nearly cost me my job!"

              He sobered immediately.

              "Would that really be so bad?"

              "Yes! It would! Not all of us are born with a silver spoon in our mouth, you know."

              He pushed back from the tree, looking annoyed. No- he looked angry. And determined.

              "I think you could do a little better than this place. Serving a bunch of rich assholes."

              She raised her chin, instantly defensive.

              "That's pretty funny coming from you. Besides, I'm only working here until my papers come in!"

              "Well, have they?"

              Tears stung her eyes. Why should she care what he thought?"

              "No. There was a mix up and-"

              "Oh, so you botched something as important as your work visa? Jesus, what can you do?"

              "I can do lots of things! I can-"

              He grabbed her arm and stared hard into her eyes.

              "I'm just teasing you Elle. I was never good with paperwork either."

              She blinked up at him as he slowly lowered his head towards hers. He was going to kiss her. Oh dear Jesus. She had to put a stop to this. But she felt strangely reluctant to do it… his lips found hers then, firm and supple.

             
A man shouldn't have lips that soft.

              She shook herself mentally and pushed against his chest.

              "What are you doing? Let go of me!"

              "I'm kissing you. But if you insist-"

              She fell backwards against the shrubs. And kept falling.

              "Oh!"

              He caught her just before she hit the ground. Unfortunately, the momentum was too much and they both tumbled into the bushes. He landed on top of her, his body pressing into hers intimately.

              Very intimately.

             
Oh Jesus.

              Jake Delancey was hard.

              Jake Delancey was hard down there.

              He grinned down at her unrepentantly, not the least bit concerned about his massive erection. And it was massive. Abnormally so.

              He was going to kiss her again. She wanted him to. But she shouldn't let him… his lips met hers and she melted despite her misgivings. All thoughts of annoyance gone as he slanted his lips over hers, gently urging her lips to part. The moment they did his tongue dipped inside playfully, teasingly stroking hers until she was tingling all over.

              His hand shifted upward, to circle her breast and-

              "Miss Gavin! You will leave the premises at once! Your employment is immediately terminated!"

              Oh no.

             
OH NO.

              Mr. Peabody was standing three feet away from them.