by Imani King
“You’ve got the job!” Liana says, beaming. “I wouldn’t dream of giving it to anyone else!”
Liana pulls Anastasia in for a huge hug and kisses her cheek. “You’re doing such a good thing for your soul, and for the baby,” she whispers. “All babies deserve love, and I know you’ll be a good mother and an excellent representative for our cause.”
No.
This isn’t happening.
I’m not hearing this.
I look around at the crowd, suddenly feeling like a poor sod in a zombie film about to suffer a horrific fate. I can’t be in this room anymore. I have to get out.
I excuse myself and stumble away. I hear someone call my name--Anastasia?--but it doesn’t matter.
This is unforgivable. She used my niece to further her own career. Before, I thought I’d still have some fondness for Anastasia, but after tonight we are truly done.
22
Jackson
Anastasia’s heels clack on the pavement outside. “Jackson!” she calls out as loud as she dares. There are valets present and a people mingling on the balcony above. She doesn’t want to cause a scene.
I grit my jaw. She should be happy that I don’t want to cause a scene, either.
I hand my number to the Valet and he retrieves my keys and runs off to get my car as Anastasia stops beside me, breathless.
“Jackson, please. Talk to me.”
I smile grimly. “Oh, now you want to talk?”
“Look, I know I should have told you sooner, but I was afraid you’d say no.”
“Imagine that,” I mutter.
“And then one thing led to another, and soon everything got tangled up in this really big mess.” She waves her hands around to emphasize the size of the mess. “Please, Jackson. I didn’t know what else to do.”
“I know what you can do.”
She blinks up at me, feigning innocence. “What?”
“Untangle the mess.”
“How?”
“Do what you should have done in the first place: Tell them the truth.”
Anastasia’s eyes widen with horror. “Jackson, that’s cruel. How can you say something so mean to me?”
“Mean?” I take a step forward and lean down. The expression on my face must be as dark as I feel, because for a moment Anastasia looks genuinely terrified. “You lied to me and your future employer,” I whisper. “And you used Tamara.” For that I would never forgive her.
“Jackson,” Anastasia whispers, “what if it wasn’t a lie? What if all of this could just go away?”
“Anastasia, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but stop. Please.”
She doesn’t. “What if we really did get married?”
Am I hearing her correctly? She did not actually just say that to me, did she?
“That would be the easiest way to fix this mess,” she explains. “And it would secure my position as the lead model for the Corbett Collection charity event. Think of how much it will benefit our careers, Jackson.”
I shake my head. “You are unbelievable.”
“Don’t discount it so quickly! I know things haven’t been the same with us since she came--”
“Choose your next words carefully,” I interrupt softly. “Tamara is part of my life now.”
Anastasia’s bottom lip trembles. “I was here first.”
“It doesn’t work that way.”
“You’ve changed since...since she came into your life.”
“Tamara didn’t—”
“Not the baby! That nanny. You’re infatuated with her!” She pulls her lips back in a sneer. “I won’t share you. She has to go.”
“Tamara, you’re not sharing me with her because you’re not having any part of me, period.”
“Jackson, you don’t mean that.”
I see my car swing through the gates at the bottom of the estate. Just a few more minutes to freedom. “I do mean it. I can’t be with you in any capacity, Anastasia. Instead of showing my niece an ounce of love, you used her to further your own career. I can’t forgive you for that.”
“Jackson,” Anastasia pleads, “This is all that Shawna woman’s fault. Please, get rid of her so we can get back to our lives.”
“No, this is your fault. Maybe I would have forgiven you for lying about the engagement. I know how crazy women can get about commitment and marriage. However, if I had any intention of staying with you, I’d march you upstairs right now and make you apologize to Liana and Christian for lying to them. They are good people, and they do not deserve to have their hearts and wallets manipulated--especially when they are trying to do a good thing. However, I have no intention of staying with you. I’m not going to fix your mess, but if you want my advice, here it is: fess up now.”
The car stops in front of us. The valet throws me the keys.
I fish my wallet out of my slacks. “Here’s $500 for your ticket home.” There was no way I was flying her back. I’d be way too pissed to focus.
“Jackson,” Anastasia whines. “Don’t be like this!”
“If you want pity, curl up next to Sergio.” I hold the keys up in front of her. “Now, do you want to drive the car to his place, or are you going to call a cab?”
“You don’t understand!” Anastasia grabs my jacket lapels. “Christian Corbett wants a family woman for Cynthia’s new clothing line. He wants the whole pretty package. Sergio told me he plans to do photo shoots of an attractive family doing various activities while wearing clothes from the Corbett Collection. I need this assignment. It will give me enough to fund my agency.”
I push her away. “No. You’re not using Tamara. Now, do you want the keys or not?“
Anastasia’s fingernails curl like claws. Before I register what she’s doing, she rakes my cheek with her long acrylic nails. “Keep the keys, Jackson. By the time I’m done with you, you won’t be allowed back in this town.”
I raise my hand to my cheek. When I pull it away, I’m surprised to see blood. Time to end this. I turn from her and walk around the trunk of the car to the driver’s seat. Anastasia lets out a squeal and darts in front of me.
“Move,” I tell her.
Instead, she goes to rake me again. This time, however, grab her wrist before she can make contact. She wiggles her wrist and arm and starts screaming as if I’d struck her.
I drop her immediately. She cradles her hand as if nursing a wound. “I don’t need you. By the time I’m finished, the world will feel sorry for me and hate you.”
“Whatever,” I mumble as I get in the car. I lock the doors immediately, and it’s a good thing too because a moment later she’s ripping the diamond ring from her finger and drawing back her arm. I hear the diamond ping against the glass. Luckily, it doesn’t leave a mark. She rushes towards the car but I take off before she can grab it.
I don’t look at what she’s doing in the rearview mirror. I keep my eyes straight ahead of me all the way to the airport.
It was time to get out of LA.
23
Jackson
When I arrive home early the next morning, I find a courier package on my desk. I rip it open, and the contract my attorney had prepared falls in my lap. I flip over the envelope and see a note from the company saying Mr. Reeves didn’t reside at that address.
I sigh as I drop the contract into a desk drawer. On top of everything else, I have to track down Brad so he can get the custody papers signed. I can’t let my brother weasel his way out of this commitment.
I look up at a noise in the doorway. Shawna stands there in the short robe. She holds a bottle of formula in her hand. Her hair is disheveled, and she isn’t wearing a stitch of makeup.
God she’s beautiful. How could I have ever found Anastasia’s fake plastic beauty alluring? Despite everything I’d been through the last few days, I can’t help but smile.
“What are you doing up so early?” I ask.
Shawna holds up the bottle. “Tami is awake. I thought you would be back later in the day.
“I didn’t stay the night.”
She comes into the study and perches in the chair across from my desk. “What happened?” She points to the cut on my cheek that has begun to crust over.
“Anastasia and I broke up,” I tell her without embellishment.
Shawna’s eyes fill with compassion. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m okay.” I was more than okay. I can’t even remember the last time I felt this good. “It was my idea, anyway.”
Her mouth drops open. “But, why? She’s everything you could ever want.”
I belly laugh at that one.
This concerns Shawna even more. “Are you sure you’re okay? I know I may not be your first choice of confidante, but I’m here if you want to talk.”
“No, that’s not it,” I tell her once I’ve calmed down a bit. “It’s just that Anastasia wasn’t what I wanted.” Not even close.
“But she’s beautiful,” Shawna says.
“Maybe, but she’s not nearly as beautiful as the new girl in my life,” I tell her.
Shawna frowns. “Who are you talking about?”
I grin. “You should know who I’m talking about, Shawna. The first time I set eyes on this girl, my heart turned to mush. I knew I’d do anything to protect her, even go up against my own brother. Now, she doesn’t say much yet, but I think that will change in a few months. I can’t wait to hear what her first words are.”
Shawna’s frown disappears. She starts grinning. “Tamara!”
“Yep. Normally jealousy is just plain ugly, but jealousy directed at a baby is wicked-witch level hideous. It just wasn’t going to work out.”
Shawna’s smile is so damn beautiful I want to kiss her. Actually, why am I not kissing her?
We were going to have to correct this...but I was also going to have to take it slow. I have a feeling that Shawna wasn’t going to like me coming on so strong and so suddenly. I’d have to be patient. And while it was hard to be patient around a woman like Shawna, I was in it for the long haul so I was willing to wait as long as it took.
She looks at me out of the side of her eye. Is she checking me out? I smile back at her and stretch my long, muscular arms over my head, giving her a better view.
Shawna looks down. Awww. So. Damn. Cute.
She coughs. “So, what do you want in a, um, girlfriend?”
I grin. “Well, she’s got to be beautiful.”
Shawna rolls her eyes. “Of course.”
“Hey, I’m not done yet,” I say, rising from my seat.
“Maybe not, but I’m not sure if I should listen to what you say next when you list beauty as your first requirement.”
“It’s not my first requirement,” I respond, sitting down at the edge of my desk in front of her. “But it mutual sexual attraction is very important.”
She suddenly finds the floor rather interesting. “Uh huh,” she tries to play it off, but I catch the huskiness in her tone.
I place two fingers beneath her chin and raise it. “She should be beautiful inside and out.”
Shawna gulps.
“She should love my niece,” I continue.
Shawna’s eyes start to glisten.
“She should be interesting to talk to and easy to spend time with.” I lower my voice. “She should make every nerve ending in my body come alive just by being in the same room.”
She tries to look down, but I keep her chin still with my fingers. “Do you know anyone like that?” I ask.
She shakes her head.
“Well I do.” Then, I lean forward and press my lips to hers.
Her lips are full. Lush. Perfect.
And so it should really be no surprise that they melt against mine immediately. She sighs as I trace her lower lip with my tongue.
I slip from the desk and onto my knees before her chair. I wrap my arms around her back and press myself to her. She whimpers when I shift and pull my lips away.
Don’t worry, I think. I won’t keep you hanging for long.
I push my lips back to hers. I slide my tongue into the moist recesses of her mouth, gently stroking mine across hers.
We’re barely touching, and yet my heart is racing. Have I ever felt like this before? Did I even know something so innocent and sweet as kissing could be like this?
I grab her waist.
I need more. Her soft, dark, warm skin beneath my hands. I want to watch goosebumps flare across her body and feel her tremble beneath my touch.
I reach for the sash to push open the lapels.
Shawna pulls away from me. “No!”
“W--”
She pushes me away before I can protest. My shoulder hits the edge fo the desk, irritating my old football injury.
“Shawna?” I ask.
She looks near tears as she scrambles from the chair. She kneels to retrieve the bottle from where it had fallen before she runs from the room.
“Shawna?” I call out, but Tamara is crying upstairs.
“Darn!” I walk back to my chair and drop into it. I rub my temples. Think, Jackson. Think!
Her eyes had been filled with fear right before she fled. Was it something I did, or was this part of some old trauma? Dark anger fills me as I think of someone hurting Shawna. I have to remind myself to breathe evenly, to be patient, even though all I want to do is run upstairs and demand answers.
So I do nothing. Eventually, Tamara’s crying dies down. Shawna has taken care of the baby...but who is there to take care of her?
24
Shawna
My heart is racing and my knees are trembling when I rush into the nursery. I close the door more forcefully than I intend and lean against it for a moment, trying to regain control. Tamara’s protesting squawk draws me away from the door’s support. I lift her from the crib and slump into the rocker.
What was I thinking, letting him kiss me like that? It was complete insanity, as I had told myself time after time. Any sort of emotional entanglement with Jackson would only lead to heartache and the loss of my child.
My reaction had frightened me. When his hands were on me, I hadn’t thought about anything but being with him. Not even the memories of my last encounter with Brad had intruded on her passionate haze. For just a moment, only Jackson and I had existed. That scares me. After living with Brad for four months, I had sworn never to get involved with another man again. To be attracted to his brother is the height of folly. I can’t allow myself to give in to these emotions.
25
Jackson
I finally track down Brad at the construction site. I have to yell to be heard over the heavy equipment and horrible connection to Portugal. “Where are you?”
“At work,” Brad yells back.
“No, I mean where are you living now? I tried to send you papers, but they were returned.” I lift a pen when Brad shouts out his new address and copy it carefully. “I’ll send these out again.”
Brad sounds disinterested. “Yeah, I’ll get to them.”
“I’d appreciate you making the custody papers a priority.”
Brad says something that the line’s static steals.
“What? Can you repeat that?”
“I have to go, Jackson. I’ll sign them when they come.”
“Hey, hold on.”
Now Brad sounds irritated. “What?”
“Don’t you want to know how she is?”
He pauses for a long moment and says, “Sure.” It sounds as if he’s placating me rather really wants to know about his daughter.
“She’s gotten so big. We found a nanny she finally approves of—”
“Look, that’s great, but I really have to go.” A crash sounds in the background. “Ugh.” He pauses to yell something to someone on the site. “I’ll catch you later.”
I am left with the sound of the dial tone in my ear. When I hang up the phone, I see Shawna walking down the hall, carrying Tamara. “Shawna, can you come in here?”
She freezes before turning with the air of a martyr. She looks hesitant when she steps inside. She closes the door without having been asked to.
“I’m sorry,” Jackson says. “I shouldn’t have rushed you.”
She shakes her head. “You shouldn’t have kissed me at all.”
I frown. “I didn’t imagine your reaction.”
She hesitates, seemingly at war with herself. “I won’t deny I liked it, but it can’t happen again.”
“Why not?” Even as I ask, I mentally list a hundred reasons why a relationship with her won’t work. Most reasons come full-circle back to the baby she holds in her arms.
Shawna inclines her head in Tamara’s direction. “When our relationship ends, what happens to her?”
“Who said it will end?”
She gives me a long look. “I have to feed her lunch.”
I come closer, putting a hand on her arm. “Tell me why it has to end.”
Her eyes slide away from mine. “It wouldn’t work. We’re too different.”
“That’s no excuse.”
“Sexual attraction never lasts.”
I push long strands of hair out of her eyes. “I feel a lot more for you than just sexual attraction.”
She snorts. “You don’t know me, Jackson. You only think you do.” She looks upset by her outburst. “Just let me do my job as Tami’s mother—substitute mother.” Tears fall from her eyes, and she whirls away from me. “Don’t touch me again. I can’t...” She trails off and rushes from the study, all the while carefully supporting Tamara.
I sigh and sit down on the couch nearby. For the second time in one day, I feel helpless and without a clue. At least this time she didn’t appear frightened of me.
26
Shawna
“You seem rattled, Shawna.”
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