“A canoe?” Jane shot her a look of sheer amazement. Just when Anna had thought she’d surprised her beyond further surprises already. “Let me get this straight. Did he buy you a canoe?”
“Yes. At first I thought he meant something else when he started talking about paddling but when I realized he just wanted to give me canoe lessons, I was so relieved that I agreed,” Anna answered. “Why?”
Jane looked at her for a long minute. “Anna, he’s an avid canoeist.”
“How do you know that?” Anna asked, although she couldn’t see what it had to do with anything if he was.
“I have my sources. When you nearly did him on your desk, I made it my business to find out everything about him. Listen, when a man buys you jewelry, it can be pretty vague. It could mean, I’m sorry. Or it could mean thanks and let’s do it again. Or even thanks, and good-bye. But when a man who loves to canoe buys you one, it only means one thing.” Sober knowledge wiped the smile from the face that only moments ago had been laughing.
It made Anna distinctly nervous.
“What?” she demanded with worried sharpness.
“It means that I should go buy a dress that will make me look fat and that I’ll never wear again,” Jane replied.
“Huh?” That made no sense at all, Anna thought.
“You know, it’s an old tradition that bridesmaid dresses are unattractive. Anna, the man bought you a canoe. He plans to make you a convert to all his favorite activities. He doesn’t just want to sleep with you. He wants to keep you. This is beyond serious. You might as well start shopping for your trousseau.”
Serious? That serious? Anna stared back at Jane in mixed surprise and dismay. Maybe she’d heard wrong. “Serious?”
Jane nodded soberly.
Well. She now knew where she could always shop anytime she needed to, she reflected in an attempt to find a bright side. And it was just the kind of place to find almost anything she might need to survive Jay being serious. They specialized in survival gear.
Anna raised stricken violet eyes to Jane’s. “I just wanted to have fun. Try new things. It was just canoeing.” She sounded as woebegone as a child who’d accidentally broken something she’d only meant to look at. “I didn’t know. Now what do I do? Should I give his canoe back?”
Jane patted her hand. “Don’t worry about it, boss. Let’s go blow something up instead. It’ll make you feel better.”
“But—”
“It’ll be all right,” Jane assured her soothingly. “He seems very nice and very fond of you. I’m sure the two of you will be very happy together.”
Anna let out a faint whimper.
Happy. Together. With an egomaniac, a compulsive talker, a disturbed midnight shopper who’d never let her sleep through the night again. He couldn’t even bring himself to call her by her real name. She’d be answering to a whole string of his stupid little endearments for the rest of her days. Their children would grow up thinking her real name was sweetie-pie or some godawful thing.
She slumped over her desk and decided something like this was too much to doctor with a little vitamin C.
She’d outdone herself this time. What exactly had she been thinking? That she could just learn the rules of social behavior and how to deal with the opposite sex in two days? Well, she hadn’t. Instead, she’d gotten herself involved with a man and his canoe and she still didn’t even understand what the canoe had to do with anything.
Maine was certainly different.
Well, Anna decided firmly, she couldn’t do anything about him or his canoe now. So she might as well get busy with the kind of chemistry she could control. Today, she would make the prototype Freedom Finale. Or, at least, stay sufficiently occupied in a sufficiently demanding task to be able to avoid thinking.
Jay was at least right about that much. Thinking had gotten her into trouble.
It was easier than she expected to throw herself into it and lose herself in the task. The morning flew by. In no time at all, her annoying, aggravating, sticking-his-canoe-in-where-it-damn-well-didn’t-belong nemesis was back, looking oh-so-innocent. As if he hadn’t just turned her entire orderly existence upside down as carelessly as he’d thrown her over his shoulder that morning.
Jay draped himself over her workbench and eyed her in a way that told her he was mentally undressing her and proceeding to do a whole lot more.
She glowered at him.
He smiled cheerily at her.
“Hey, luscious, come here and kiss me,” he invited, wiggling his brows in a way that she guessed was supposed to either make her laugh or sizzle with desire, she wasn’t sure which.
“I don’t feel like it,” she muttered sulkily.
“Okay. I’ll come and kiss you.” Undeterred, the thick-skinned man suited actions to words and swept her up into a dramatic dip to give her a cinema-style kiss.
At least, Anna thought, there were some consolations to the affair. She drank in the heady pleasure kissing him provided. His lips were warm and sweet on hers and the scrape of his jaw excitingly hard and rough against her smooth skin.
The kiss ended and Jay restored her to an upright position. He frowned at her less-than-deliriously-happy expression. “Baby, that is not the face of a happy woman. What’s the matter, didn’t your binder or whatever work?”
Anna leaned into him and sniffed. “I don’t have a problem with chemistry in the lab.”
“You don’t have a problem with chemistry outside the lab, either, believe me,” he declared in earnest.
“That’s not funny.”
He patted her back and hugged her comfortingly. “Now I know something went wrong or you’d be laughing gaily at my stunning wit. Maybe you’re just hungry. Let’s get some lunch, you’ll feel better.”
Maybe he was right. Maybe, she thought, brightening a little, he’d play footsies with her under the table. Certainly he’d kiss her some more.
“Okay.” She leaned against his side and he wrapped an arm around her waist as they walked. “Or maybe we could go to a little hotel you know.”
She was now officially really, really bad, she thought in satisfaction. She’d suggested it. And she hoped he’d agree.
It took Jay by surprise, evidently. He nearly stumbled and then gave her a questioning look. “Is my amazing Amazon propositioning me? I might have to accept. It wouldn’t be polite to turn a lady down.”
“Yes, I’m definitely propositioning you,” Anna announced. If he could do it, she could, she defended internally. Besides, it was sounding better all the time. She had an awful lot of time to make up for, after all. Who knew? She certainly hadn’t. If she’d known what she was missing, she would have offered to buy him first.
“I am hungry, though,” she added as they walked. “Maybe we could do both. Aren’t there things we haven’t tried with food?”
Jay gave her a long, lust-filled look. “Oh, honey. There are all kinds of things we haven’t tried. But I think I’d better stick to feeding you for now.”
“Oh?” She felt disappointed. She’d heard about lunch hour rendezvous and she wanted to have one.
“Yes. You’ll need your strength tonight.” His black eyes promised unspeakable delights that would go on as long as she could stand. Then sit. Then lie.
She shivered in delightful anticipation. Well, he did have a point there. She brightened slightly, thinking about the coming evening. If they ate now, they could skip dinner and just get right to it.
Then she realized what she was thinking and turned worried amethyst eyes to his. “Jay, do you think I’m abnormal?”
He eyed her cautiously. “In what way, precious?”
“Stop with all the names. I mean, is it abnormal to want to have sex with you all the time?”
“No,” he assured her firmly. “It’s very normal. Really. Absolutely. Couldn’t be better.” He paused then added, “But I wish you’d stop saying that. It isn’t sex.”
She looked back at him questioningly.
&nb
sp; The heck with it, he decided. The sooner she faced up to it, the better. She had to get over her phobia about the “L” word. “It’s called making love, sweetheart. It’s not just an exercise. It’s what two people who want to be close to each other and share their innermost selves do. Sex is what strangers do in hotel rooms. Okay?”
She didn’t look like she’d gotten the point, he decided. She looked confused. In a way, he was glad. If he had his way, she’d never know anything but making love and she could call it anything she wanted to. She could call it Doing It, the horizontal mambo, mattress dancing or flat-out animalistic fucking. As long as she continued to enjoy it with him and nobody else.
“Never mind, honey.” Jay hugged her again as they reached his car. “Call it anything you want to. But it’s special,” he told her seriously as he smoothed back her hair. One fiery tendril had escaped the confines of her braid and it wound around his finger as if even her hair wanted to be closer to him. He liked that idea. He felt that way himself.
Special? Anna pondered that. She supposed he was right. Even she knew he’d been unusually sensitive and caring. She’d heard enough to know that as great as it had been with Jay, sex wasn’t always great. It could even be awful, although it was impossible to imagine feeling awful with Jay touching her. It was impossible to imagine feeling anything but good, better and ecstatic. That was certainly special.
“Stop,” Jay teased her, “I can see your brain spinning from here. We’re just two lovers going to have lunch. Quit thinking about it and get in so we can go do it.”
“Just lunch, right? No canoes involved anywhere?” Anna asked with a look of dark suspicion.
He wasn’t even going to ask, Jay decided. California must be one weird place.
“No canoes,” he promised. “Come on, love. Kiss me again and smile.”
She did.
Then she raced him, hopping in and slamming the door as they simultaneously leaped into their seats.
“I won,” she informed him, sure she’d made it a split second ahead.
He gave her a look of mocking wisdom. “It’s not whether you win or lose.”
“No?”
“No.” Jay shook his head to emphasize his point and leaned closer to brush kisses on her face. “It’s how you play.” His lips teased the corner of her mouth and his tongue flicked sweetly over hers. Then he drew away before she could fully kiss him back.
“Oh.” Anna pretended to think that over seriously. Then she gave him a hard, deep, longing kiss to prove her dedication to play. One of the things she loved about being his lover was the total freedom to take the lead, or follow his, as she chose. She didn’t know which was more fun—being the aggressor and tying him in knots of desire or being happily tied up herself.
It was all fun and she was going to take his advice and enjoy it. Anna trailed off the kiss and ended by blowing in his ear for the memories it would invoke.
He smiled at her. “I think you’re learning.”
“I think you’re right,” she agreed.
“But you forgot to tell me what you wanted,” he sighed in disappointment.
“You mean…” Anna leaned over his side, traced the outline of his earlobe with her tongue and murmured throatily, “What I want for lunch?”
Jay laughed. “Precious, you’re really learning. You made a joke.”
She curled against him with her head on his shoulder during the short ride, enjoying just being close to him for some inexplicable reason.
He fed her his french fries in between French kisses over their table and played footsies with her under it. He teased her and just generally made her feel good. Anna was thoroughly cheered up by the time he talked her into sharing a brownie sundae with him.
They took turns taking bites and feeding each other, sharing the same spoon, which Jay solemnly claimed made it taste better.
Anna paid him back by nodding and launching into a long and technical sounding explanation for the physics of flavor and how emotions color perception just to be contrary.
She verbally unmanned him and left him dazed. He didn’t know how to take her.
Ha. What was she worried about? She could handle him, canoe or no canoe. She just needed to spend more time thinking positively. Saying affirmations. All the recent changes were a strain on her newfound confidence, that was all, Anna decided firmly.
She silently recited a list of her positive credits to herself as she fed him the last bite of brownie in a sudden fit of generosity. That he’d managed to lighten her mood had nothing to do with it, she told herself.
It was simply selfishness. She wanted him in his best form for his coming demonstration of endurance. She wanted him doing his worst in his wickedest way for as long as possible. She smiled happily, just imagining the sensual marathon. No matter who collapsed first, she felt serenely confident that they’d both thoroughly enjoy themselves.
She was looking forward to it. And he wouldn’t be taking off in the middle of the night tonight, she decided. She’d wear him out and leave him too drained and exhausted to even think about canoes or whatever came next.
Jay returned her to her lab and opened the door with a bow, sweeping his arm to indicate her way. With a sexy wink, he murmured, “My fireball of passion, my flame of desire, I’ll see you at five.”
Anna frowned at the distinctly redhead references. “Go away,” she growled.
He gave her a pitying glance and shook his head sorrowfully. “Anna, Anna,” he sighed. “What will it take for you to admit you want me to stay?”
With that parting shot, he was gone.
But only in person.
He’d left something behind. The most outrageous, enormous bouquet of flowers she’d ever seen. In fact, it looked like an arrangement for somebody’s funeral. Hers, she couldn’t help thinking.
She looked questioningly at Jane.
“They came right after you left for lunch,” Jane answered with a distinct smirk. “It looks like your man wants to say it with flowers.”
Great. What was he saying? Nothing in her communication research mentioned interpreting flowers. Body language, tone of voice, yes. Flowers, no.
Maybe he was threatening to bury her in flower petals.
Then it occurred to Anna that Jane was still there. “You haven’t been here this whole time, have you?” she asked in sudden concern.
She hoped she hadn’t taught her bad habits to Jane. If she had, she’d just have to reform her. There would be no more workaholics in her lab. New policy.
Jane answered that with a very wide grin. The Cheshire type. “Nooo,” she drawled wickedly. “I had lunch with Eldon.”
“Eldon?” Anna gave her an inquiring look.
“Eldon,” Jane confirmed. “Hey, I think he’s kind of cute. Those wire-rimmed glasses, the pocket protector…” Jane let her voice trail off suggestively.
Anna was amazed. Jane and Eldon? “You think an accountant is sexy?”
“I think he’s sweet. Kind of shy. Very intelligent.”
Hmm. Maybe Jane needed a new mother hen project now that Anna was flying the coop. Who would have guessed she’d pick Eldon? The more Anna thought about it, though, the more she thought the two just might be a good match after all. Jane would keep conversation going, keep things lively and get Eldon into the swing of things. And Eldon would settle Jane down. She thought her assistant just might be in for a surprise or two, there. Eldon might be shy but he was anything but a pushover.
Shaking her head in wonder at the newest development, Anna stepped around the ominous, looming floral arrangement from a decorator’s nightmare and poked through the abundant foliage for a card.
She found it.
“Passion flower: tulips are red, irises are blue, you’re going to scream before I’m through.”
A little heart accompanied the verse. He was one bad poet. The rhyme matched the flowers for taste.
Then Anna took a closer look at the loud bouquet and realized that it included th
e tulips and irises mentioned in the poem, as well as daisies. Red, white and blue. Understanding dawned. He’d actually been listening that morning. He was wishing her good luck on her test. Amazing.
In his oh-so-unsubtle way he was trying to encourage her efforts.
She also thought he was trying to bring his playful attitude into her work. She shook her head faintly, a rueful smile curving her mouth.
Just when she thought he was truly too aggravating to believe, he turned around and proved himself genuinely endearing.
Jay bounded into his office full of expansive good feelings for life and all his fellow creatures. Anna had kissed him. Anna had laughed and teased and blown in his ear again. He thought he was making progress.
He did a little soft-shoe step as he rounded the desk and made a sweeping bow to a startled Eldon, who’d evidently been waiting for him.
“Eldon, my good man! What can I do for you?”
The mild accountant eyed him seriously. “Jane said you and Anna are seeing each other. She said it’s serious.”
Jane had said that? How gratifying. Jay smiled. He’d thought she was on his side but he hadn’t been absolutely sure. Another unexpected bonus in his favor. With Jane reminding his reluctant love of his good points, she’d be harassed continually.
Wonderful.
“I told you she likes me,” Jay informed the doubter smugly. “Miss Firecracker is lighting up my nights and coloring my world. I knew she was meant to be Ginger to my Fred.” He danced over to his chair and sat, feet propped on his desk, hands steepled together below a satisfied smile.
Eldon still looked doubtful, Jay noticed. Some people took more convincing than others. Which reminded him. He dug through his desk then jumped up again to rummage in a file cabinet.
“What are you looking for?”
“My favorite redhead’s records,” Jay answered smoothly. “I have all the personnel files here somewhere. I pulled them while I was putting together Frontier’s big picture for the new marketing plan. Obviously I didn’t look closely enough at hers. I think I should take a closer look now. There’s bound to be all sorts of useful information in there.”
When Sparks Fly: Love and Rockets Page 12
