He smothered a savage curse. How was he going to sleep in the same bed with a woman so uninhibited that she thought nothing of flaunting her body? It can’t happen. It’s not going to work. The traitorous thoughts pelleted him like sharp needles. Jacob had told himself that he wouldn’t make love to Ana, and he’d reassured Diego that his cousin would be safe with him. He’d promised his friend that he would protect Ana from whoever wanted her dead, but who would protect her from her protector?
Resisting the urge to grab his crotch, Jacob managed to sit down, cross his legs, while praying his hard-on would go down before Ana noticed it. “Is this what I can look forward to everyday?”
Ana looked at him, but was unable to see his expression in the shadows because he’d partially closed the shutters. “What are you talking about?”
“Watching you model your underwear.”
She sucked her teeth. “Please, Jacob. I’m certain you see a lot more skin on the beach. It’s not as if I’m wearing a thong.”
“What did I tell you about having urges?”
Ana opened the armoire, reaching for a loose-fitting white linen sundress. She peered around the door. “If you have urges, then you should do something about it. And I shouldn’t have to tell you how to relieve your sexual frustration.”
Jacob leaned forward, glaring at her. “I don’t like to do that.”
Stepping in the dress, she adjusted the bodice. Bending slightly, she picked up a pair of black patent leather sandals, pushing her feet into them.
“Since we’re not going to have sex, I’m willing to help you with your dilemma.”
“How’s that?”
“I’ll help you do the deed. And I’ll close my eyes when I do it so as not to embarrass you.” Ana clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing aloud. She knew she’d shocked Jacob when she’d offered to masturbate him when she heard gurgling noises. It served him right for insulting her. “Come now, sweetheart. We’re both adults who’re definitely not new at this, so what you do say?”
Somewhere, somehow Jacob recovered his voice. “I’m not going to let you jerk me off.”
Ana closed the door, moved closer, seeing his pained expression and clenched fists. “It’s up to you. I’m just willing to help you out.”
“I don’t need your help,” he said between clenched teeth.
Fluffing up her damp hair, Ana walked over to where she’d left the wig, shaking it out. “I think it would be cooler if I didn’t wear the stocking cap.” She put on the wig, adjusting it. “I’m going downstairs.” Wiggling her fingers, she crooned, “See you later, sweetheart.”
It was much later after Ana left the bedroom that Jacob wanted to shout at the top of his lungs that she was a tease. A beautiful, uninhibited tease that had him close to ejaculating when he’d fantasied about her hand between his thighs.
She had the face of an angel, the body of a goddess and never in his wildest imagination would he have believed she was a sexy irritant that had him thinking about pleasuring himself. It was something he hadn’t done in a very long time.
Pushing off the chair, he crossed the room, closed the door and walked in the direction of the bathroom to hopefully exorcise the image of the woman whose very presence had become mental torment.
Jacob was back in control when he went downstairs and found his uncle in the backyard adding seasoned wood chips to the smoker. The two men exchanged strong hugs, with Ray kissing his nephew’s cheek. The resemblance between them was remarkable, and Jacob knew what he would look like in his sixties. Ray’s once dark hair was now salt-and-pepper, matching his cropped beard.
He thumped Jacob’s back. “You look good. It can’t be work, so it must be that little girl in the kitchen with Mattie.”
“It’s not like that, Uncle Ray.”
“What aren’t you telling me, son?”
Jacob gestured to the chairs positioned around a table under a copse of palm trees. “Please sit and I’ll tell you everything.”
“Something tells me I’m going to need something stronger than water. I’m going to get a beer. Do you want one?”
“Sure.”
He waited for his late father’s brother to open a cooler and take out two bottles of ice-cold beer. Jacob didn’t know why, but for the first time in his life he envied his uncle’s lifestyle. Raymond Jones had married a woman he claimed to have fallen in love with on sight. Ray had returned from his second tour of duty in Vietnam and had driven down to the Keys to blow off steam. Mattie, who’d worked in her father’s restaurant, apparently hadn’t been able to take her eyes off the young soldier in his uniform. He explained what each of the medals pinned on his shirt represented, and before he walked out he left Mattie a generous tip and his Purple Heart with a promise he would come back to pick it up once he received his official discharge papers. Six months later he was back, asking for his medal and her hand in marriage.
Ray enrolled in college, and after graduating he joined the DEA, working undercover for more than a decade until he finally was assigned a desk position. The day he celebrated twenty-five years with the agency, he filed for retirement. Mattie, who’d continued to run her father’s restaurant after he passed away, sold it and bought the large dilapidated house in Old Town. It took more than a year to renovate it, and to earn extra income they rented out rooms during the tourist season.
Jacob gave his uncle a half salute, then put the bottle to his mouth and took a long swallow. He studied the label. “This is really good.”
Ray nodded. “It’s a little more expensive than some of the more popular brands, but I always say you get what you pay for. Now what’s up with your girlfriend?”
Jacob stared at a tiny brown lizard sunning itself on a rock. “Did you hear about the sniper shooting in Boca Raton?” Ray nodded again. Pulling his chair closer, Jacob rested his elbows on the top of the table and told his uncle everything, while watching the gamut of emotions crossing the elder Jones’s face.
“She’s looks so different from the photographs of her they show on television.”
“That’s because she’s wearing a wig.”
Ray shook his head. “Damn! I just can’t believe someone would want to kill her for what amounts to her closing a deal. What the hell is wrong with these so-called music moguls? The artists they sign are no better. The list goes on and on with hip-hop artists who die much too young. There’s not only Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G, but Freaky Tah, Big L and Scott LaRock. I don’t believe any of them were thirty when they died.”
“I see you still keep up with everything and everyone in the music industry.”
Attractive lines fanned out around Ray’s dark eyes when he smiled. “What can I say. I’m still a frustrated wannabe musician. Not a day goes by when I don’t blow a few tunes on Sally. If it hadn’t been for Mattie and playing my sax I would’ve lost my mind a long time ago.” He took another swallow of his beer. “I would tell any special agent considering going undercover to really think about it.”
“That’s because you stayed under too long,” Jacob remarked, deadpan.
“That’s true,” Ray agreed. “Now, back to Ana. What’s going to happen if they don’t find the shooter before you go back to work?”
That was something Jacob didn’t want to think about. The longer it took to apprehend the shooter the more danger it posed to Ana. “Her father’s going to send her to Brazil.”
A frown creased Ray’s forehead. “Who or what’s in Brazil?”
“She has a cousin who lives there with her husband. Ana says they have a coffee plantation somewhere in the mountains.”
There came a pause as Ray stared at his nephew. “Do you know what I can’t understand is how someone knew she would be at that restaurant on that particular day.”
“It’s common knowledge that it’s her favorite restaurant and with vanity plates reading SERENITY she was an easy enough target.”
“All of that will have to change, Jake.”
He nodded in agreement. “A lot of things will change once this is over.”
“What’s your stake in this other than you’re doing a friend a favor?”
Jacob sat up straight. “I’m not following you.”
“The girl is living with you. And you bring her here and I have to assume you’ll both sleep in the same bed. What’s up with that?”
“It’s not like that.”
Leaning back against the chair, Ray affected a half smile. “Do you have ED?”
“Hell, no!”
Ray sobered. “Your daddy’s gone, so I’m going to talk to you as if you were my son. Be careful, Jacob. Promises and the best intentions are forgotten once a man’s sap starts rising. And, if you do get involved with Ana you have to remember who her people are. You hurt that girl and they will come after you and it’s going to be all she wrote.”
A muscle jerked in Jacob’s jaw when he clenched his teeth. “I’m not going to get involved with her.”
“That’s what I said when I came back here to pick up my medal from Mattie. I dated her every day for a week and it took seven days for me to realize my life wouldn’t be complete without her. It was the same with your father and mother. One glance and he knew she was the one.”
“Where is all of this coming from?”
“Mattie told me how you look at Ana. It was the same way I look at her and the way Stephen used to look at Gloria. It appears as if the Jones men haven’t quite learned not to be so transparent. The only other thing I’m going to say, then I’ll shut up—she’s quite a catch. Excuse me, but I have to check on my meat.”
Jacob sat there, staring at his uncle when he opened the door to the smoker. The sweet scent of apple-infused wood chips and the succulent aroma of smoked meat floated in the air. What had Mattie seen that he wasn’t aware of? He’d admit he was physically attracted to Ana, and that was it. Or was it more?
He went through a mental list of all the things he liked about her. What shocked him most was there wasn’t anything he didn’t like about her. She made him laugh—something he didn’t do enough. And she’d shocked him when she’d offered to take care of his urges, something no other woman had ever offered to do. She didn’t bore him and definitely wasn’t needy. If the police or the investigators her family hired to find the shooter didn’t come up with something concrete within another week Jacob wasn’t certain how long he would be able to pretend he was unaffected by the woman he went to bed thinking about and woke up looking for.
There was no doubt he was in denial when it came to Ana Cole.
Chapter 8
Ana lay in bed waiting for Jacob. They’d sat on the porch swing watching fireflies, while listening to the cacophony of sounds from night creatures, and the radio on a nearby table was tuned to a station playing smooth jazz. She’d felt content, safe sitting with him in the darkness. Sharing dinner with their hosts in the backyard reminded her of the outings with her family whenever it cooled down enough to cook and eat outdoors.
She knew Jacob had told his uncle about her plight when Ray reassured her she was in good hands, that it wasn’t the first time Jacob been entrusted to protect a witness. What she wanted to tell Ray was that not only was she a witness but also the target, but she’d promised herself that she wouldn’t permit herself to dwell on what was but what would be. The shooter would be caught, prosecuted and imprisoned for a long time.
Dinner had become a festive affair with melt-in-the-mouth brisket and fall-off-the-bone ribs, savory potato salad, coleslaw and fluffy biscuits. Mattie had made a pitcher of white sangria with white peaches, grapes, pears and apples that complimented the delicious meat and side dishes.
Mattie told her the houseguests used a separate side entrance that locked automatically at ten each night; they had to use a special magnetic card key to gain entry after that time. Ray had given Jacob a set of keys to keep, so whenever he felt like coming to Key West the house would be available to him.
Ana knew she’d eaten too much, but after the first few forkfuls she couldn’t stop, requesting a second helping of everything. She was certain she was going to gain weight with the inactivity. That didn’t bother her only because she needed to weigh more than she did. Working out at her building’s health club was only to relieve the stress she no longer had to concern herself with. Her eyes closed, her breathing deepened and within minutes she was sound asleep.
It was after midnight when Jacob climbed the staircase and walked into the bedroom at the end of the hallway. He’d waited as long as he could without falling asleep on the porch and become bait for the tiny insects waiting to feast on his skin.
He closed the door, locking it behind him. Ana had turned off the lamp, but had left the bathroom light on. Slipping out of his shoes, he left them on a mat near the door and tiptoed into the bathroom.
Standing in front of the mirror over the vanity, he stared at his reflection. The stubble made him look scruffy, sinister. He never shaved on his days off, but had done so because of Ana; when she hadn’t commented on his emerging beard he decided to let it grow.
Jacob brushed his teeth and took a quick shower, and then returned to the bedroom and pulled on a pair of pajama pants. The pajamas were in deference to Ana, because he usually slept nude. He normally would’ve chosen the side of the bed closer to the door, but Ana had claimed it. Then he remembered he’d concealed his handgun in the drawer of the bedside table next to where she lay. Not wanting to wake her, he decided to let it stay where it was.
Everything in the darkened room seemed magnified: the sound of her soft breathing, his own heartbeat echoing in his ears, the hypnotic scent of her perfume and the warmth of her body. During dinner he’d watched her, delighted she was so comfortable with his aunt and uncle. She’d confirmed what he already knew. She was a wonderful conversationalist, chatty enough to be charming and an intent listener whenever someone else rendered their opinion. She and Ray appeared to be kindred spirits when they discussed music; he promising to play his saxophone but only if she accompanied him on the piano.
Mattie had whispered that she was a pleasure to have around. This coming from Mattie was odd because those familiar with her knew she didn’t like anyone in her kitchen whenever she cooked. Jacob smiled in the darkness. It appeared as if his charge had passed the test. She’d easily won over his relatives just by being Ana.
He closed his eyes and soon drifted off to sleep.
* * *
Ana managed to get out of bed without waking Jacob. She hadn’t believed she would’ve been able to get a restful night’s sleep with him beside her, yet she had. In fact, she felt more rested than she had in days.
Jacob had complained about her modeling her underwear and she’d taken steps to counter that when she selected the outfit she planned to wear for the day, leaving it in on a table behind the decorative screen in the dressing room. Ana was more than aware of the dangerous game she was playing with Jacob by living and sleeping together, and felt the need not to exacerbate the situation by teasing him.
There was nothing to keep her and Jacob from having a physical liaison. After all, they weren’t in love with each other, which meant they could walk away unscathed. Yes, she liked him, but not enough to give him her heart although he claimed most of the attributes she liked and wanted in a man with whom she could have an ongoing relationship.
If they were to have a physical encounter, then she doubted whether it would continue after their current situation ended. If not, then they would remain friends. She brushed her teeth, washed her face with a special solution she’d purchased from her dermatologist to combat oiliness, then sliding back the shower door, stepped into the stall.
She glanced up through the skylight. A bright blue cloudless sky and warm temperatures set the stage for a day of touring and shopping. Turning on the faucet, Ana adjusted the temperature, luxuriating in the flow of warm water. Then she did something she hadn’t done since before her luncheon date with Tyler—she sang. Singing in the
shower was something Ana had done since she was a child. She had a good, but not great, singing voice. Gabriel had been gifted with an incredible set of vocal chords, as well as the gift to compose music. He’d earned a Grammy and an Oscar for a movie soundtrack.
For her it wasn’t about writing music, playing an instrument, but training her ear to recognize something unique in someone’s voice. It wasn’t even about a vocalist’s ability to carry a tune. It was about style. She’d grown up listening to her parents’ music, marveling that singer/songwriters like Barry White and Isaac Hayes didn’t have the most melodious voices, but it was their overt sexual tonality, blending with incredible background music that made them musical geniuses.
Broadway show tunes were her favorites. Her parents had always taken her to New York to see a Broadway show to celebrate her birthday. They’d check into a hotel several days before going to the theatre to go sightseeing and shop at boutiques and department stores. The show was always followed by dinner at one of her favorite restaurants. The tradition began when she’d celebrated her sixth birthday, continuing until she turned twelve. At thirteen she felt it wasn’t that cool to hang out with her parents when compared to being with her friends.
Turning thirteen had changed Ana. She was a teenager, hosted sleepovers, was permitted to go to the local mall with her girlfriends, and it was the year she realized a boy who’d teased her relentlessly told his friends that he liked her. She may have reciprocated his feelings if he hadn’t been so obnoxious. They were reunited for their tenth high school reunion and he’d apologized profusely, saying he had been too intimidated to approach her because of Jason. His disclosure shocked Ana because Jason, unlike Gabriel, never got involved with the boys or men his sisters dated.
Picking up a bottle of shampoo, Ana squeezed a glob onto her palm as she launched into “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina.” This was followed by a medley from one of her favorites: Les Misérables. She gasped, her breath catching in her throat and the words dying on her lips when the shower door opened and Jacob joined her.
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