Page 10 of Jack

"Mooning then," he muttered. "Thekid was giving you calf eyes."

"Nonsense." She could not helpbut feel pleased at the idea. "And if that's the case, I amflattered that a teenager finds me attractive."

"A dead man would find youattractive," he muttered as he rose. "Please be sensible.If he comes back, send him far away. We don't need thatcomplication."

"Noted. Now shoo, I need my beautysleep, and I am exhausted. Did you see the argument between Harry andClyde?"

"Over a goddamned missed shot."He shook his head. "I wanted to knock their heads together."

"Instead you sent them packing,"she remembered with a grin.

"They needed to cool off." Heeyed her for a minute. "You waded in without a second thought."His eyes twinkled in amusement. "And all the while wearing thatskyscraper. I was afraid you were going to fall flat on your ass."

"Practice." She gave him a smugsmile. "Years of it. Now go away."

"I love you."

Her vision blurred, and she had to swallowthe lump in her throat. "I love you too, as annoying as youare."

Flashing her his devastating smile, hesauntered out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Turning the lights out, she went into herbedroom and closed the door. A glance at the clock showed that it wasalready half past three in the morning.

Her brother had pegged her well. Draggingoff her clothes, she rummaged for an old t-shirt and slid it over herhead. The bar had been very busy tonight as it was on Fridays. Theend of winter and the promise of spring had brought people out indroves, especially the spring breakers who had stumbled in with theirraucous laughter, drunk on freedom and the restrictions placed onthem during the school term. She had fended off several eager younghands reaching for her and asking for a dance or a kiss.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, she let outa sigh of relief. Her feet were throbbing from the hours spent onthem and the unfortunate height of her heels. Collapsing onto thebed, she stared at the ceiling, images of the night's chaos flashingbefore her eyes.

The bar, a second home to her, had its ownrhythm. Tonight had been particularly lively, with a mix of oldregulars and new faces. Yet, amidst the noise, there had been JasonHadley, the unexpected element. She couldn't shake the image of hisforlorn expression as he sat in the corner, nursing his drink.

She rolled onto her side, contemplating herbrother's words. The warning lingered, but so did the memory ofJason's sad eyes. She wasn't looking for complications; she hadenough of those managing the bar and navigating her own emotions. Butthere was something about that kid...

Shaking her head, she switched the lamp offand laid there staring out the window. It was a full moon, shethought whimsically, pulling the sheets over her. A lovely perfectcircle in a velvety sky studded with stars. A frown touched her browas she recalled the unpleasant encounter with Sean. He had beenslightly drunk and with it, had been clingy and insisting on talkingto her.

She had tolerated him for a few minutes,listening to him moaning the same story of his unhappy marriage. Thebastard had the nerve to tell her that he was filing for a divorce.

"I thought you said your wife wasCatholic and would never give you one?"

He had lapsed into silence as if trying tofigure out an appropriate comeback. She had left him standing thereto go and attend to her patrons. Jerk, she thought angrily. Plumpingup her pillows, she turned them over and drifted into sleep.

*****

The water in the pool was still slightlychilly, but he did not mind it one bit. The minute the winter weatherwas over, the pool maintenance people had been summoned to do thecleaning. He probably should have waited for the weather to warm upsome, but he relished the bite of the cold air, and the water washeated from the natural rocks that had clear water running from itsjagged opening and straight into the pool.

Besides that, he was bored. His phone wastaken away from him, so he had no communications with the outsideworld. His friends were all off to some grand adventure with theirfamilies, and here he was stuck at home with a house full of servantsgetting in the way. His grandmother had lectured him this morning atbreakfast and had him promise to never put her in that positionagain.

"I had to lie to your father and thatwas not something I am comfortable with."

So, he had promised. And he was going totry and keep the promise. It was not like he had sworn on a stack ofBibles or anything like that or taken a blood oath.

He snickered and turned on his back tofloat lazily. It was a Saturday morning, and he had decided to getout of bed and stop moping. So, his old man was a royal jerk, but he,Jason, did not have to spend his time mooning over it. Last night hadbeen a lark. His eyes glimmered as he recalled how he snuckin—pretending he was with the couple and their two bratty andwhiny kids. They had not even noticed him. Shaking his head, hetrailed his fingers through clear blue waters.

The man had been busy lecturing his stupidwife about some lame business deal gone bad and the kids had beensniping at each other. It had been super easy to just enter the cluband take a seat. If it had not been for that woman. Zuri—hesmiled dreamily as he thought of her. She was hot. A flush found itsway up his throat and over his face and to his utter mortification,he felt himself responding physically to the memory of her face andbreasts.

Muttering to himself, he sank down andtried to get rid of the image of her. He had watched her struttingaround, smiling at the men, flirting and laughing—she had sucha big laugh, one that lit up her entire face.

With a low moan, he started swimmingenergetically for a few minutes, until his muscles begged him tostop. Hauling himself over the edge, he pulled the towel he hadcarried with him and wrapped himself with it to ward off the chill.The sounds of birds singing mingled with the buzz of the machine thegardeners were using to trim the hedges.

Hunching his shoulder, he stared broodinglyat a pair of robins flitting around the rose bush, before dartingaway.

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