Page 42 of Dance for Me

A Safe Haven

Vanessa had to double take at the giant penthouse that Jack brought her to. She stood there in the doorway completely speechless.

Half of the walls weren’t even walls but windows. Assuming the view was of the beautiful city, but it was dark so she couldn’t tell. He had two sets of sofas that were a light beige color. The carpet in the sitting area was an off white and exceptionally clean and stain free. In the far corner, he had a Jacuzzi hot tub, which stood in front of one of the giant windows overlooking the city. A pool table, with a tan velvet felt top, stood in the other corner.

The kitchen was just as large as the sitting area, with black and white granite counter tops that shined like new. Right next to one of his kitchen counters were a set of spiral stairs. Which, she assumed led to his bedroom. One that she couldn’t help but be curious about. She wondered what it looked like, what his bed felt like, what his sheets smelled like.

“Vanessa,” he called her name, snapping her out of her trance, “come inside.”

“Sorry.” She stepped in and he closed the door after her. “Um. Your place is amazing. Like holy shit amazing.”

He smirked, “Thanks. It was a little much at first, but it grew on me. Come on, follow me, I’ll show you to the spare room.” She followed Jack to the bedroom that was basically the size of her studio apartment.

“This is my room?”

“Yup,” he said, as he flopped her suitcase onto the bed. “I’ll let you get settled.” He brushed past her, but she grabbed his arm and he stopped, looking at her hand.

“Jack, why are you doing this? I mean, why not just call the police and let them handle it?”

“Because I care about you and if it does have something to do with Hector and his crew, then the police won’t be able to do shit about it.” He gave her hand a squeeze and walked out.

She felt her heart jump and her cheeks warm. Okay, so he did care about her, that she knew.

She looked around at her new room and blew out a breath.

After she familiarized herself with everything and unpacked her clothes, placing them inside the drawers, she left her room and saw Jack. He was drinking a glass of whiskey while talking to someone on his phone.

“Thanks man. Yeah, I’ll let you know.” Jack hung up with whoever was on the other end.

“Was that one of your guys?” She asked.

He turned around, facing her now. “Yeah, they’re checking into it. Checking cameras at your place and even the footage from the club. If anybody is going to find this guy, they will.”

She nodded, “Thank you for doing this.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Well, I just wanted to tell you that I’m going to try and get some sleep since it’s late. Goodnight Jack.”

“Goodnight Vanessa.” She had to pry her feet off the ground and tear her gaze away from him. She closed her door and then snuggled inside the covers, which were extra soft, and tugged the bedspread close to her. “Holy shit, I’m sleeping in Jack’s place.” She threw her covers over her head and chuckled.

* * *

The next morning, she could smell something amazing outside her bedroom door. It reminded her of the place she missed with the delicious smelling breakfast every morning outside her old job. She quickly threw on some yoga pants and a T-shirt.

When she walked out, she stopped moving because she saw Jack. There he was, no shirt, standing in front of the stove with a spatula, flipping pancakes. Flipping god damn pancakes. It was the sexiest thing she had ever laid her eyes on. Literally.

Her mouth was salivating and not from the delicious breakfast that was being cooked. She traced her eyes from the loosely hung sweatpants that clung nicely to his hips. She continued up his back, that was very chiseled and broad. She could see the muscles move and flex with each flip of every pancake.

He shut the stove off, grabbed the pan in his hand, and spun around to shovel the cakes on the plate. She sucked in a breath because she was finally able to see his whole tattoo. It went all the way up his arm and wrapped around to the front side of his chest. Running her tongue along her bottom lip, she ran her gaze down to his rippled abs that ended in the middle of his V shape. He was pretty much clean shaven except for a little hair that led to his happy trail.

“Like what you see?” He finished plating the food and then looked up and smirked at her.

“Uh, no! I mean yes! I mean…” Fuck, whatever, she didn’t care anymore. “Oh c’mon, you know you’re hot.”

He froze with his spatula and swallowed. Clearing his throat, he said, “I hope you’re hungry. I wasn’t sure what exactly you liked, so I made a little bit of everything.”

Was she hungry? Oh boy, was she ever. She was hungry for some Jack and not a flap jack.

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