“He was trying to find himself,” Savannah protested.
“Of course he was, and he was using your money to do it.” Jaclyn said dryly. “It’s no wonder sisters are turning to white guys these days. Speaking of which,” she turned to Jewel who was looking at them in amusement. “Have you seen him?” she demanded.
They all knew who she was referring to, and even though they were her best friends she hated discussing Jordan with them. “No, I haven’t,” she told her friend forcing herself to act calm.
“I saw his plastic looking mother driving past as I was about to go inside a house I was showing. She looked as if she owned the world.” Jaclyn said in distaste. “That woman has forgotten entirely where she came from.”
Her friends had been there for her when the whole thing had gone down and had held her while she cried her eyes out and booted her out of bed when she had thought her life was over so she owed them a lot. “That’s all in the past now so we don’t have to keep bringing it up.”
“Is it?” Savannah looked at her shrewdly. “I have my doubts about that.”
*****
“Honey are you sure you are okay?” Sylvia Blake, formerly Walsh asked her in concern. She had gone home a little tipsy from the wine and was lying down for a little bit when her phone rang.
“Mom, I am sure.” Jewel said stifling a sigh.
“I don’t know why he had to come back when you had been doing so well,” she fretted.
“This happens to be his home mom, and I am still doing well.” Jewel reminded her.
“If you want me to come back honey and spend some time with you, I will. George is forever playing golf anyway,” she could hear the pout in her mother’s voice.
“No mom, I am fine. I really don’t need you to hold my hand.”
“Honey, I am just being a mother. You don’t have to sound so abrupt.” Sylvia retorted.
“I know, and I am sorry, but I am getting tired of the subject of Jordan right now, I just want to forget he exists.”
“That’s going to be very difficult considering that he had been so much a part of your life and you both shared so much together.” Sylvia said wisely.
“I am still going to try.” She said firmly, turning the conversation to her mother’s husband. “How is he coping with hurting his back in the car accident.?”
“He is doing better than both of us and planning to go back into the office in the next two weeks.” Sylvia told her. George Blake owned a car lot that was doing very well; well enough that her mother could afford to stay home.
“Tell him hello for me. I will talk to you later.”
“Ok, honey. Remember, you can always call your mother if you need anything.”
*****
“Jordan, darling, I wish you would talk to me about what’s going on,” Caroline complained. They were sitting around the large dining table in the living room having dinner. They had to practically shout to be heard. He had suggested that they have dinner in the smaller dining room, but she had refused, saying that it was not appropriate and they needed to keep up appearances where the servants were concerned.
“If there was anything to tell, trust me mother, you would be the first to know.” He told her briefly, cutting into his beef wellington. He hated the place and thought it was too large and pretentious, especially for two people. He had a good mind to sell it. His mother would have a fit because she liked being lady of the manor too much. “Profits are up and the shipping line is doing very well. I have been trying to streamline the pharmaceutical part of it and seeing if there was some way to make the drugs more affordable for the locals.”
“Darling, you know how I hate to discuss business, especially when we are eating. I was talking about your social life.” She said looking at him calculatingly. “That sweet Penelope Barrington has been asking about you. She has landed a job in the big law firm in town, not the ideal career choice for a woman like her but very commendable.”
“I don’t need you to choose a companion for me mother. I am perfectly capable of doing so myself.” He lifted his wine glass and looked at her coolly, his green eyes inscrutable. He knew what she was doing and he had no intention of being a part of it.
“Of course not darling,” She protested, placing the napkin she had been dabbing her lips with, on the beautiful lace table cloth. “I just think it’s time you settled down, that’s all.”
“I am not ready yet,” he told her briefly. “If you’ll excuse me?” and without waiting for her to answer he left the table feeling as if he was going to suffocate.
He had his own suite of rooms and he quickly made his way there, going into his living room and pouring himself a glass of scotch. He hated the taste of it, but whenever he was with his mother he always felt like he needed a strong drink.
He stared into the glass broodingly, his brow furrowed. He had dated quite a bit when he had been in Europe trying to forget but it had not worked. He had gone to bed with a number of women, but he always ended up feeling the bitter taste of regret the next morning. He had finally given up and realized that it was no use, she was under his skin and there was no getting her out. With a bitter laugh he tossed the liquid down and grimaced at the after taste that he had never acquired. He had not seen her since he had been back but he knew exactly where she was; the bookstore her mother used to run. Why hadn’t she taken the money and put it to good use? What had she done with it? He wondered bitterly. Was she seeing someone else and if so, were they making love the way he had made love to her? Was he stroking her nipples the way she liked it when he had done it to her? He had been the first for her, and he remembered how he had captured her tears as he pushed past her barrier. He closed his eyes as he remembered how she had wrapped around him and fitted like a glove. and when he had started moving inside her, how she had clung to him and arched her body against his. Her hands were wrapped around his neck and her fingers buried in his hair. He had wiped her down gently with a napkin and she had cried out as he explored inside her with his fingers. He had made love to her again, kissing her over and over again!
He threw the glass into the fireplace, his body shaking! She was not going to do it to him again! He would not allow it.
Chapter 2
“Here you are, and thank you for coming,” Jewel said with a smile, as she handed the package to the elderly Mrs. Hodges. She was the last customer for the day and Jewel wanted to lock up and get going. She had a session at the gym and she needed to work out some issues. She had not slept well the night before and the disturbing thoughts kept inching inside her mind.
She had just gone over to lock the door behind the elderly woman when she saw him standing there. Her heart stood still and she was transported back to four years ago. He looked like a male model, only more muscular and toned. He had acquired a deep tan which looked excellent against his brown hair streaked liberally with blonde. His dark green eyes held hers and for a moment she felt weak; but only for a moment. “Jordan,” she forced a polite smile to her lips as she stood just inside the doorway, not giving him the impression that she wanted him inside. “What are you doing here?”
“Aren’t you going to let me in?” he asked in an amused drawl, shoving his hands into the pockets of his dark blue dress pants.
“I was just leaving,” she said standing her ground.
“This will only take a minute,” he stood his ground as well, his eyes locking with hers.
She hesitated a little bit and then, biting back a sigh, opened the door wider to let him in making sure to stay as far away from him as possible.
“You made some changes.” He said looking around the place and noticing the reading corner and the internet section.
“Yes,” she said briefly, wanting him to leave. “What do you want, Jordan?”
“Is that anyway to talk to your ex- man?” he asked lifting a thick brown brow.
“Emphasis on ex,” she told him in a wintry voice, not believing that he was being so callous. “You
are wasting both our times Jordan, and I have somewhere to be. I am sure being the big shot CEO you are right now you probably have some business meeting to attend.”
“You have become quite the bitch, haven’t you?” his voice was steely and he was coming closer to her. She had to get him to leave.
“Stop!” she cried holding up one hand and stopping him in his tracks. “I can’t bear to see you, be in the same room with you. I wished you had not come back, but I can’t stop that. What I can prevent however, is you coming near me. I want you to stay away from me Jordan, and I mean it.”
His eyes had turned a turbulent green and she knew from past experience that it was when he was most furious. She did not care; she just wanted him to leave. “You got it,” he told her coldly. Taking another look around the store he said something confusing. “I am surprised with all that money, that you have not done more.” With that he wrenched open the door and left the store. Jewel quickly locked the door and pulled down the shade, and only then did she allow her emotions to get the better of her. With a tortured sob she slid down on the floor and allowed the tears to fall.
*****
Aerobics session had just started when she got to the gym. Both Savannah and Jaclyn were already in line and they gave her a cross look as she hastily got behind them to start doing the knee lifts. It was a gym that was patronized by most of the women in the community. Jewel had once seen Jordan’s mother there with her personal trainer, but she had not been back.
After a hectic half an hour of jumping and jogging, the friends went to choose appropriate sized weights to tone their arms. “We thought you weren’t coming,” Jaclyn said mildly, lifting her arms and bringing them back down.
“Jordan stopped by,” she told them casually. She had washed her face in cold water and patted it dry and peered closely in the mirror to see if it was evident that she had had a crying jog before putting on her gym clothes and leaving.
“Are you kidding me?” Savannah who had been sitting on one of the benches and working her arms stopped to look at her friend. “I hope you told him where to go put his head.”
“What did he want?” Jaclyn asked looking at her friend curiously.
“I did not give him a chance to tell me. I told him to leave and he said something very strange to me. He said that he would have thought I would have done more with the money I got.” Jewel dabbed the perspiration from her brow with the towel she had around her neck. She had been puzzling about the remark ever since she had had time to think about what he said.
“What does that mean?” Savannah asked.
“Beats me.” Jewel said with a shrug.
“White people. Who knows what they mean when they say something cryptic,” Savannah said with a shake of her head. “That’s why I only date brothers; at least you know what the hell they are talking about.”
Both her friends stared at her as if they were just seeing her for the first time. “What?”
“I can’t believe you just said that. You are supposed to know better, being a teacher.” Jaclyn told her in disgust. “Men are men honey, no matter what color the package is. As long as they have penises, the thinking is the same.”
“But the length is different,” Savannah said with a leer. “Remember the saying: 'Once you go black you can never go back.' ”
“I beg to differ,” Jewel said quietly. “Jordan had a very decent length, and he is very white.”
Her friends stared at her in shock. She never usually indulged in that kind of conversation and certainly never about Jordan. “I am just saying.” She said with a nonchalant grin.
The two girls burst out laughing so loudly that the others in the room turned to stare at them. The tension of the previous discussion had been effectively dispelled.
*****
Jordan paced. He had not gone to his mother’s side of the house but had entered from his part, hoping that she had not seen when he had driven in. He did not know what had possessed him to go to the bookstore, but he had felt as if something was pulling him there. It had been the same when he had tried to stay away from her when he had first discovered how he felt about her. It had been so strong that even when he was at home he would feel the pull of his body towards hers. It was not just physical, it was mental as well. Even in spite of what he had been told that she had done, he still wanted to see her. It had been a huge mistake, he thought, his hands clenched at his sides. She was even more beautiful than ever; and her hair! She had cut it and instead of detracting from her beauty, it had somehow managed to enhance it. He closed his eyes and remembered how she looked in her green pants and black silk shirt. She was still petite, and he remembered how he had always teased her about barely reaching to his shoulders. Her breasts had filled out and he had seen the generous curves against the material. He had wanted to touch her, to feel her against him and to drink from her lips. His body shuddered as he felt the powerful arousal invading his body. He rested his head against the coolness of the wall and with a deep groan realized that it was starting all over again... if it had ever stopped!
*****
Jewel looked up as the doorbell tinkled, the smile that had been curving her lips disappearing as she realized who it was. Caroline McIntyre; the woman who had made her life a living hell because she had deigned to love her son.
It was a few minutes after four and the crowd had somewhat dwindled down . Jewel was glad she had chosen to wear her new outfit, a rose red pants suit and gold accessories glinting at her ears and her wrists. Not that she had anything to prove to her.
“Such a quaint little place,” the woman said sweetly, pulling off her expensive suede gloves. She had a fur wrap which she pulled off, and for a minute Jewel thought she was about to hand it to her to hang up. “I see you have fixed it up a bit.” Her green eyes so much like his, met hers.
“How may I help you?” she asked the woman politely, trying not to grit her teeth.
“Help me?” her laughter tinkled out and she came further inside the room. Jewel wondered what she had done to be getting visits from the McIntyre’s; Jordan last week and now his mother. “I doubt you can my dear. I am just here to make sure you stay away from my son.”
Jewel’s dark brown eyes flashed. She had been so afraid of this woman before, but now she knew better. “Oh, you don’t have to tell me that. Why don’t you tell your son to stay away from me?” She saw the expression on the woman’s face and almost smiled in triumph. “He did not tell you he came around here last week almost barging his way inside the store? I had to tell him to leave in no uncertain terms.”
The red spots on her cheeks made her look unattractive. Score one for me! Jewel thought grimly. How dared she think she could run her life like she did before!
Without a word she turned on her expensive stiletto heels and headed for the door. “Nice to see you. Do come back again,” she called out as the woman pulled the door open. She hesitated and turned her coiffed blonde head to look at the younger woman and Jewel held her gaze steadily, Caroline was the first to turn away before the door closed behind her.
With a sigh and a smile Jewel realized that her hands were not trembling and her heart was not racing. She was no longer intimidated by the powerful McIntyre family.
*****
Caroline was furious! That little chit! Who did she think she was? Nobody talked to her like that! She had gone back home and was sitting in the green house breathing in the pungent aromas of the many variety of flowers planted there. She prided herself on her green thumb and even though she had employed the very best to take care of her plants, she herself pottered around in the soil as much as the gardener did. She had come home and changed out of her clothes and put on faded denim overalls and told the maids not to disturb her. Jordan had been to see her, but he never said anything to her. He had changed so much since he had returned, more taciturn than usual and very secretive. He also seemed very grown up and hard, like he was ailing from something or someone, and no amount of throwing diff
erent eligible women at him was working, she thought grimly. She had kept a small intimate dinner party and had invited Karen Schneider, the daughter of a judge and a debutante who looked like she could have been a model. Jordan had called from the office to tell her that he would not be home for dinner.
She had broken them up four years ago and offered money to get rid of her. The girl had torn up the check in front of her and had left, saying she did not need anything from them. She had shown her son the check stub with the girl’s name on it and had convinced him not to call her. It was after he left that she discovered that the girl had been pregnant and had lost the child as she tumbled down the stairs to the library where she had been doing some studying. She had kept all of that from her son and with a spark of fear she knew that she could never let him know what she had done or she would lose him forever!
*****
Jewel went into the bathroom to renew her make-up and re-polish her lips with the nude color lip gloss. Her friends had dragged her out to this new and trendy club, saying it was a Saturday night and girls were going to have fun. So far the fun had not started for her, and it was almost ten o’clock. Both Savannah and Jaclyn were chatting up two brothers who claimed they owned their own businesses, but Jewel had stayed at the bar, toying with her fruit cocktail. She had gone home from the store, showered, and dressed in tight black jeans and a figure hugging black sweater with a plunging neckline, and high heeled black boots. She glanced over to where her friends were drinking and laughing with the two men and wished she could just let go of everything and enjoy herself.
“You are way too beautiful to be by yourself,” a male voice said beside her.
Jewel closed her eyes and turned towards him. He was tall and bald headed with dark skin and a white smile. “Does that line really work on anyone?” she asked him with a cool look.
Hold Me Close: BWWM Romance (Brothers From Money Book 6) Page 16
