by Malone, Nana
It was only after they moved to the next series of shots that he was close enough to speak to her and break the no personal questions barrier. His gaze locked on hers. “So, the dweeb over there.” He nodded his head, indicating Simon who flashed a feral grin in their direction. “Is he your…”
He let his voice trail off forcing her to complete the sentence for him. She knew the verbal tactic, but chose to answer anyway. Maybe if she said boyfriend, he’d leave her alone. “Simon? Yeah, he’s my...” She could play the game. Let him believe what he wanted about Simon. She didn’t owe Jason explanations.
He nodded, and his brows drew in. “As long as he makes you happy.”
She snapped a photo, noted the change in shadow over his masculine features and switched angles. He’d gone from dark and handsome to brooding, dangerous. Clearing her throat, she put a safe distance between them before she responded. “Very.”
Seemingly unperturbed, he nodded. “That’s good.” He then smiled at her with a devilish gleam in his eyes. She almost dropped her camera.
The powers that be really should outlaw that smile. Or at least make him carry a permit to wield it. It went beyond dangerous. Women everywhere would drop their panties. But, his outlaw smile notwithstanding, she knew better than to turn away from the full onslaught of those sensuous lips. His smile had earned him heartthrob status first on the court, then around the world. The magazine would want to see it captured in its full brilliance. She almost lost her balance when she leaned in to get a closer photo. Strong and steady, he reached a hand out to help balance her.
The moment their hands came into contact, she held her breath, trying to ignore the zing she felt from the warm heat of his hand. God help her. She pulled her hand free from his, telling herself he didn’t affect her. “What about you? I read you and Cienna Whatshername are tying the knot.”
A guarded look instantly replaced the polished smile. “You should know better than to believe what you read in the rags.”
“So, she doesn’t make you happy?”
“There’s nothing there. It’s the media’s imagination. Besides, we were talking about your love life, not mine.”
“No, we are not talking about my love life. It’s not an available topic of discussion.”
He smirked. “Why not? You’re afraid it’ll be apparent you don’t love that pencil pushing douche bag?”
She whirled on him. “Who the hell are you to presume to tell me how I feel? He’s wonderful. Patient and dependable.” Why did it sound like she was describing a car?
“Dependable, huh? Tell me something, Izzy. When did you become so uptight?” He looked around and lowered his voice. “I can tell just by watching you two together. You can’t stand his touch. When did you decide to settle?”
She took her cue from him and also lowered her voice. No need to have the whole set gossiping about her personal life. “Not everyone can live their lives carefree with no consequences, switching out partners like they were underwear.” Her breath came in sharp and ragged. Why did she let him get to her?
He gave her a wry laugh. “Is that what you think?” The look he gave her was predatory. “There was a time when you would have gladly jumped on me. Or have you forgotten?”
She spun away from him briskly, praying that he couldn’t read the mortification in her eyes. She sucked in one long, deep breath and steadied herself. Turning back to him, she smiled without humor. “That was a long time ago. I’ve developed some taste since then.”
He stood, and she realized, not for the first time, how tall he was. Arms crossed over his chest, he asked, “What’s your real problem with me, Izzy?”
Besides you tormenting my dreams? She ignored the rapid pace of her heart or the red haze that crept into her vision and took a step forward. “I know who you are, Jason. Or at least your type. You dissect my life and show disdain for the choices I’ve made. All the while, you’ve gotten away with murder most of yours. Taking the easy route. You use your charm like a shield, protecting you from having to get too close. I see you in the magazines. For someone with your talent, you could be a role model, make a difference in someone’s life, but it’s far easier to be seen at all the clubs running around with the latest starlets. At best, you’re all charm with no substance. What happened to the kid who wanted to be the best in the world and that’s all that really mattered?”
An emotion passed over his face she could read. It could well have been pain. Before he could retort, she sighed and put up a hand. “Enough. We have a long shoot. It’ll get longer if we snipe at each other.”
He seemed to let it go and went back to his supine position for several minutes while she set up the next shot. Attempting to fill the tense silence with what he probably thought a safer topic, he asked, “So, Nick calls you Mom, did you adopt him?”
She frowned. Something inside her shriveled. Another reminder of how the world viewed her. She didn’t want to discuss Nick with him. Jason was batting a thousand. “I wondered when you would ask.”
His brows drew together. “I’m curious. You’re too young for him to be yours.”
“Not to mention he’s too many shades of white to be mine?”
He looked sheepish and a little wary. His mind no doubt wondered if he’d stepped into another mine field. “Well, uhm, yes.”
She backed up, snapped several shots with her wide angle lens in place. She then moved in close enough to catch his scent, clean and earthy. “Jason, can you look down at me for a minute?”
He complied, and she depressed the shutter release. “Nick is my son in every way that matters.”
He gave a long sigh looking defeated. “I’m only curious, Izzy.” His eyes roved over her face. “I never pictured you as the soccer mom type.”
Izzy straightened her spine. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Last time I saw you, you were about to take over the world. No prisoners. I remember you saying you didn’t want a family.”
Had she said that? “That was before I took one look at Nick. Plans change. Other things become a priority in your life. For me, it was love at first sight with him.” She turned her attention from her camera to him. “But a superstar playboy wouldn’t know anything about the pull of family.”
The moment the words were out of her mouth, she wished she could bite them back. His wince said it all. Her verbal jab hit its mark and wormed its way to his soul.
Considering his history with his parents, she knew better. She should have anticipated his questions about why she was a mother. Their damaged parents were a few of the things they’d bonded over in school. They’d spent endless hours talking about how they wouldn’t want to screw up kids that way. She sighed and lowered the lens for a moment. “I’m sorry.” Hands spread in silent apology, she added, “I had no right. The Nick situation is a little sensitive.”
His eyes softened and bared a new vulnerability for the camera. He was silent for several moments as if weighing her apology. “I guess you get a lot of questions.” He smiled and added, “It seems like you’ve done a great job with him.”
Izzy wrapped up the shot for a break, and Nick materialized with two bottles of water, as if his ears burned. From the corner of her eye, Izzy saw Simon coming their way across the green, and she bit back a groan. She didn’t have the patience to deal with him right now. She cast a pleading look in Jessica’s direction. At the very least, she could distract Simon.
“Hey, Mom, since you and Mr. Cartwright are friends and all, I thought we could invite him for dinner next Sunday night.”
Izzy felt the wire mesh of a cage close in around her and prayed Jessica would hurry over as Simon’s steps drew closer. Jason stared at her, and her darling son helped to ensnare the trap. Her heart picked up its pace as she darted a look at Jason. “Oh, Nick, I’m sure Jason has plans already, we can’t really expect him to—”
Jason didn’t let her wiggle out of it. “I’d love to come to dinner. Thanks for the invitation, Nick.”
Simon and Jessica both drew up just in time to hear Jason’s acceptance of the dinner invitation.
In typical Simon fashion, his appearance seemed to suck all the air out of the room. “Did I hear someone say dinner? I can make us some reservations at Il Sole.”
Jessica snorted a response. “You don’t have to steal the kid’s thunder, Simon. It’s his invitation.”
Accustomed to playing pseudo peace keeper, Nick groaned. “No, nothing like that. I just invited Mr. Cartwright to dinner at our house since him and Mom are friends.”
Izzy carefully kept her gaze from Jason’s. What should have been a simple declined dinner invitation had quickly bloomed into a Shakespearean drama, with Jessica poised for battle, Simon intent on exerting his will, Nick pleadingly hopeful and Jason—amused. Damn him.
Simon plastered on a charming smile. “That sounds even better. Less formal, with old friends. We could make a whole night of it. I have a couple of ideas I’d like to run by you—”
Not liking the icy way Simon uttered the word friends, Izzy opened her mouth to interrupt, but Jessica beat her to it. “No, Simon. Nick’s too polite to tell you, but you’re not invited. He wants a night with his idol, not a business dinner.” Simon sputtered as Jessica rolled her eyes at him before turning a dazzling smile in Jason’s direction. “I’m sure Jason and Izzy want to catch up too.”
Wait, what? That wasn’t how this was supposed to go. “Unfortunately, tomorrow night won’t be possible. I’m swamp—”
Jessica, Simon and Nick spoke at once, for the first time, all three on the same side, though, for different reasons.
“What woman wouldn’t want to spend the evening with someone as charming as Mr. Cartwright here.” Jessica gave her a smile that was all innocence before turning a more conniving version toward Simon. Damn it. Whose side was she on anyway?
“Mom, c’mon. You don’t have to work every night,” Nick wheedled.
“We’d all love to have dinner with you. I’d love to hear all about you and Izzy at school. It’ll be a good catch up time.” Simon beamed at Jason, as he ignored Jessica’s attempts to unsettle and uninvite him.
Trapped, she looked around at all four of them. Nick’s hopeful face, Simon’s plastered expression, Jessica’s ill-concealed jubilation and Jason’s smug grin. Fuck. “I’m sure Jason’s far too busy to join us on such short notice.”
“Like I already said to your future tennis prodigy here, I’m wide open and looking forward to it.” Nick looked happy, but she felt far less than happy as Jason added salt to the wound. “You gonna cook me something special, Izzy?”
Nick and Simon pulled faces, but Nick spoke the shared sentiment. “I don’t think you want her to do that, Mr. Cartwright. Maybe Maria could make—”
Was her cooking that bad? She smiled at the three men malevolently. “Nonsense, Nick. I’d be happy to make something nice for dinner.”
Before running off again, Nick gave Jason the no go signal.
Jason didn’t seem to heed Nick’s warning and gave her a look that told her he meant business, despite Simon’s presence. “I look forward to dinner, Izzy.”
As soon as Nick was out of earshot, she turned to Jason. “You don’t have to come.”
“Are you kidding? It’ll give us a chance to catch up.” He turned his superstar grin on Simon. “Like Simon said, old friends, together for a whole night. And I can learn about your life. Besides the fact you’re a photographer, and you have a son, I know nothing about you.”
Simon interjected, “Don’t forget the best girlfriend a guy could ask for.”
“How could I forget something like that?”
Izzy chewed her bottom lip even as she shot a look of reproof to Simon. “This isn’t something you can just say you’ll do and be flighty about, Jason. I won’t have Nick disappointed.”
Jason’s eyes darkened, and he worked his jaw. “I’ll be there.”
Chapter Nine
Several hours after Izzy shooed an overexcited Nick off to bed, the sound of music reverberated from Izzy’s purse. She didn’t want to talk to anyone. But it could be Sabrina. Her mother. Simon with a job.
Annoyed, she tossed off the jasmine scented quilt and padded over the cold hardwood floor to the dresser. The moment she opened her bag to rifle through it, sounds of 2 Live Crew’s, Me So Horny filled the air. Stunned, she didn’t know whether to laugh or throw her phone under the bed. She’d have to buckle down in the morning and read the damned manual to change it.
If she hadn’t been so annoyed, she’d see the humor in song choice given the indication on the LCD. Jason. Damn him. Couldn’t he just leave her in peace? She selected the message icon and held her breath in preparation for the message.
Did I mention you looked beautiful today?
Fairies beat wings of need deep in her belly. He had a way of reducing her to an awkward seventeen-year-old without much effort. Forget leagues, Jason Cartwright played games out of her conference.
Using both hands she tapped out a response. What’s the matter, Cienna not up for a cuddle?
His response was instant. I’d rather spend the night with Izzy Connors.
Wisely, she chose not to answer. She stumbled back to bed and sank into the comfort of her mattress. Flopping on her belly, she willed sleep to come. To her frustration, memories of Jason danced through her consciousness.
He was the last person on earth she’d ever thought she’d see again. But now he was back. And she couldn’t stop the flood of emotion that came with his reappearance. The swell of anger that tightened her chest when she thought of how he left. Her heart beat a snare drum of excitement when she saw him now or heard his name on the news. The raw lust that coursed through her veins and threatened to liquefy each cell when she caught his gaze on her. She hadn’t been prepared for any of it.
For fifteen years, she’d tried to not think of him. As if it was that simple. She’d done what she could to tune out any gossip or rumors about him. Of course, that had been increasingly difficult since any number of magazines splashed him on their covers every other week.
She didn’t need the flirtation. She didn’t need to be the focus of anyone’s attention. She was perfectly happy, she lied to herself as heavy lids drooped shut.
Izzy trembled as Jason’s hands gripped at her waist. She wanted him. Only him. “Jason…”
A low moan sounded in his throat, and he wrenched his lips away from hers. “Izzy, wait, we…”
“I don’t want to wait.”
He groaned when she pulled his head back to hers. Firm lips molded to hers. When she parted her lips to allow him deeper entry, he took full advantage. His tongue thrust and teased as it mated against hers.
Izzy couldn’t believe this was about to happen She’d dreamed about this since she’d first laid eyes on him. She ran her hands over his broad shoulders. Heat radiated off of his body and scorched her fingertips as they roamed. Emboldened, she let her hands roam lower.
“Izzy, oh m…” He didn’t finish the thought when she unsnapped the button of his jeans.
She’d never been so bold in her life. But tonight, she could do anything, say anything. Including caress the hard length of him. She drew in a sharp breath, and her gaze flew to his. There was no way they would fit together.
He must have seen the alarm on her face because he bit off a colorful curse and stepped away from her. “Izzy, we can’t do this. I—I can’t do this.”
“Why not?” She told herself she wouldn’t cry. That didn’t stop the pinpricks of tears from stinging her lids.
He leveled his eyes with hers. “This isn’t right. It shouldn’t be like this.”
He didn’t want her? This time, she couldn’t keep the tremble from her lips. She’d gotten it wrong. He trapped her face in his strong hands, despite her attempts to wrench away. Wasn’t she humiliated enough?
“Izzy, sweetheart. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone in my life.” He looked down and smiled r
uefully. “You feel how much I want you.”
She blinked tears out of her eyes. “Then why are you stopping me?”
He took her hand and sat her down on the bed. “For once in my life, I’m trying to be the good guy. You deserve the good guy.”
“But you are—”
“Izzy, if I were the good guy, I never would have kissed you. You’re sweet and perfect, and I want you so bad I can’t think straight most of the time, but this isn’t right.”
She tilted her chin up and crossed her arms. Every bit the petulant seventeen year old. “Jason, I know what I want.”
He shook his head and indicated the bottle of wine on the peeling Formica counter of the shabby kitchenette. “Really? Then why did you need the influx of liquid courage?” He sighed before adding, “You’re seventeen.”
She glared at him. “I’ll be eighteen in a couple of months. If you don’t want me, all you have to do is say so.” She sobbed as she continued. “I can’t believe I listened to Sabrina.”
He kneeled in front of her. “I don’t know what Sabrina has to do with this, but she doesn’t matter. I care about you enough to want to wait till you’re fully sober and fully aware of what you’re doing. I can barely breathe, I want you so bad. But for you, I can be a good guy.”
She hated to admit it, but her head was swimming. She’d had way too much wine. But it was the only way she’d have ever had the courage to go after what she wanted.
Bleary eyed, she asked. “Can you hold me for a minute? You don’t have to stay long, just for a little while.”
He smiled at her. “That I can do.”
He pulled her into his arms on the bed and held her tight, kissing her temple as he caressed her back. After several moments, his phone rang. They ignored the insistent ringing at first, but the caller wouldn’t give up.
The moment he picked up the phone, his body language changed. Shoulders tensed and voice tight, he turned to her. “I have to go take care of something. I’ll be back in an hour, I promise.”
