Page 14 of Separate Lives

“I could’ve made up an excuse with Rob, and we could’ve left, avoiding this scene.”

“Or you could’ve been more straightforward with me,” Reece interjected. “When Tracy and I arrived, you both pretended nothing was the matter. Had I known Jess was here, I would’ve taken Tracy somewhere else.”

“Like Lee said, we didn’t want to be rude,” Johnny intervened.

“Well, next time, I’ll appreciate some more honesty from you two. Telling the truth doesn’t make you rude,” Jess rebuked.

LeeHanne straightened her spine. Obsidian eyes pierced them in turn. “I never thought I’d say this, but I’m extremely disappointed with you two. You are amongst our best friends. We love you both indiscriminately, but I’m fed up with your childish behavior and your stupid skirmishes.”

“Stupid skirmishes?” Jess exclaimed outraged. “We don’t have stupid skirmishes, we–”

LeeHanne cut her off. “Hear me out.” The black pearl skin of her face was rigid with outright indignation. Her tone of voice didn’t tolerate interruptions. “I don’t particularly care what you call it. All Johnny and I know is that we love you both, but we don’t want to be involved in your controversies. We don’t know what happened between you two, whatever made you react so strongly against one another when you once were inseparable. We believe that whatever it is, should be your business. We’re not asking for explanations. What we want and need instead, it is to be free to call our friend Jess, and our friend Reece, whenever we feel in the mood.”

“If you cannot stand the sight of each other, then get out of here and solve your problems. Fight, kick, yell for all you’re worth, we don’t care how you do it, but do it. I don’t know about Johnny, but I refuse to walk on eggshells in my own house when you two are around. Further, while you are under our roof, we expect you to behave like the two rational, civilized adults we believe you are.”

“We’re sorry this happened, but we can’t assure you it won’t happen again in the future, and you won’t make us feel guilty about any of this.”

Johnny proudly admired his wife’s strength of character. Opposite to them, Reece and Jess assessed the couple.

“I’m out of here,” Reece mumbled, turning on his heels, leaving the room. Jess followed him outside at a slower pace.

“Remind me never to get you mad at me,” Johnny commented, embracing his wife from behind, dropping a kiss on her temple.

LeeHanne leaned against him and sighed. “I won’t. It’s so energy consuming, I feel drained.”

ChapterSix

The mid-calf, dove-gray evening dress with a halter neck, and a low-cut back emphasized Jess’s braless breasts, the feminine curves of her hips and back, and her graceful silk-clad legs. Her feet were enclosed in the same thinly-strapped high-heel sandals she’d worn at the Jenkins’ party last Friday. Jess cringed, recalling how LeeHanne had rapped their knuckles when she and Reece had confronted her and Johnny, more annoyed to see the other in somebody else’s company, than upset by the fact that they’d run into each other at the same party. The next day, LeeHanne had phoned Jess at work to set an appointment to have her hair done the following week, and although the accident was never mentioned, and their friendship was as strong as ever, Jess occasionally still mused over LeeHanne’s inspired words. She’d been right, of course, but Jess found it hard to check her emotions where Reece was concerned.

Following the maître d’ through the maze at tables of the restaurant, Jess shrugged the disturbing episode off her mind with a slight shake of her head, unwittingly drawing people’s attention to her raven-black hair. She was wearing it up, collected on top of her head in a loose bun held together with golden pins. Showing off the extent of her hairdresser skills, Jess had also been careful to let a few shorter, cloud-soft tendrils float loosely down around her face to add a more dramatic effect. Carefully applied make-up, a single, thin gold bracelet with a tiny aquamarine pendant, and a faint, but tantalizing drop of ‘Allure’ hair spray, completed her look.

She was, at the same time, breathtakingly beautiful and sophisticated, and she knew it. But this level of beauty was expected when invited to dinner at The Signature Room –one of Chicago’s most exclusive restaurants.

Rob had gone to such great lengths to celebrate their first three months together. Jess secretly believed that wasn’t necessary, but, unwilling to hurt his feelings and undermine his efforts, she’d decided it more sensible to keep that thought to herself.

The maître d’ stopped in front of a table facing the panoramic window ninety-five floors above downtown Chicago. The restaurant at the moment was only half filled with patrons, three-quarters of whom were businessmen. Nonetheless, the general atmosphere was attuned to the low lights and the suffused music coming out from the strategically placed loudspeakers, so that each guest could sustain private conversations without disturbing their neighbors.

“It’s such a beautiful restaurant. I bet your colleague is eating his heart out for being forced to give up an evening here,” Jess commented after they were seated, and had ordered a pre-dinner cocktail. Two menus lay open in front of them.

“Working in a shipping and forwarding agency, allows me to attend lunch meetings in restaurants like this many times a year.”

Jess raised a brow, looking in his hazel eyes, interested by this new aspect of his job. In the short time they’d known each other they had naturally shared talks about their past and future aspirations, but had only scratched the surface. Jess liked to have new insights into his life, and listened with attention to what Rob said. “I’ve already been here twice, and so has he. But I think you’re right. My colleague is probably eating his heart out, because this time he was planning to come here to share an intimate dinner with his wife, before their son fell sick, forcing them both to remain at home.”

Jess smiled her sympathy to the unlucky couple.

“But let’s talk about something more interesting than my colleague and his family. After all, we’re here to celebrate the three wonderful months I’ve spent with the sexiest, most mysterious, amazing woman I’ve ever had the chance to meet.”

“You give me too much credit,” Jess gently chided, bravely smiling at him. Her heart felt heavier with each appreciative word Rob said to her. He was a dear man, and two evenings ago, he’d also become a capable lover, yet he’d not managed to conquer her heart like Reece had.

Calling herself every kind of name from hypocrite, to manipulative, deceiving bitch, try as she might, Jess couldn’t find in herself the compulsion to return his charming, but sincere words, without adding liar to her list of names. She was putting up a real effort to feel for Rob more than mere affection, and needed time, because her silly heart simply refused to do the sensible thing her mind was suggesting she do –forget Reece.

If there was a way to numb her feelings for him, she would gladly do it. So far, though, she’d found nothing that could work, and what had happened since he’d recently reappeared in her life, showed Jess how vain all her attempts to forget him had been. How could she ignore Reece, when his mere presence made her feel alive and vibrate with need? When the warmth of his body, his touch, the spicy scent of his perfume made her knees weak with longing? When his impossible character, his absurd, often unjustified jealousy and possessiveness, and his low opinion of her made her proud to be the one able to shatter his world, and deeply move this sexy, powerful man. She couldn’t. Like she couldn’t ignore the fact it would take more than resolve to build a solid, lasting, happy future with Rob. Dispirited, she looked at the menu.

A waiter approached their table, their food order was placed, and manipulating the conversation to a safer ground, Jess managed to spend the rest of the dinner in a relaxed, companionable spirit.

* * *

The bitch.She’d not even noticed him, too busy smiling foolishly at her beau. With that dove-gray dress, she looked as sexy as hell. Her pert nipples drew two dainty indentions in her front, teasing his mind. Each step she took, the clingy material of her dress attracted his eyes down to the soft delta between her thighs. Yards of delicate, feminine skin was on show for everybody to admire. Her bare back captivated his attention. The soft curves of her hips turned his thoughts indecent.

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