Jack shrugged. "I figured as much. Before you let him in though, let me know and give me a minute to go upstairs."
"Oh. Okay. But if he doesn't believe me—"
"Don't worry. I'll be ready to step in if necessary."
"Sounds good. In the meantime, we need to go shopping. You need more than one set of clothes. And toiletries. And my fridge is nearly empty, so we should hit a grocery store too. That way you'll have food you like—"
"Kelly," Jack interrupted. "You saw how much money I have. I can't blow it on clothes."
"No need. I'll buy what you need and run a tab. As of this morning, you are on my payroll after all."
He made a face at her. "About that. You know I can't actually be on your official payroll."
She cocked her head at him. "Why not?"
"Because whether or not you believe my story, I am the Jack Templeton who disappeared in 1965. A paycheck with my real name and social security number would probably raise a bright red flag somewhere."
"Right. No problem though. For the moment, I'll pay you in cash, plus room and board, which was part of the deal we made, plus clothes and whatever else you need. Then later, if this arrangement works for both of us, I'll get in touch with the person I mentioned yesterday and we'll buy you a new identity."
"You said that would be really expensive."
"True. So I guess you're going to have to make sure you're worth the expense." She gave him a toothy smile and he laughed out loud.
The all-day shopping trip was productive and unexpectedly enjoyable. By the time they got back to her townhouse, Kelly realized she was slowly relaxing around Jack with the passing of each hour.
She had thought Jack was being considerate when he told her he would go upstairs when Will arrived but that wasn't even close to what he'd been thinking.
The second her ex-husband stepped into the living room, he asked, "So where is this new man in your life?"
"Upstairs. In my bedroom."
"C'mon, Kell, we both know what's going on here. There is no new man. You're just trying to prove a point. Well, point taken, you could have a lover if you really wanted one. But that's not your way. You’re the good girl, remember? You needed a ring on your finger before you'd even take your bra off for me. I know I made a mistake or two. I've already promised it will never happen again. I just don't get why you're fighting the inevitable. You and I belong to—"
"Hey babe, what's taking you so long?" Jack called as he came down the stairs... wearing nothing but a bath towel around his waist.
Kelly's breath caught in her throat at the sight of him. She struggled to connect her brain to her mouth but none of the thoughts triggered by Jack's near-naked, mouth-watering body formed words she could allow herself to say aloud.
Him, in a towel, coming down the stairs, pretending they were about to have sex. It was a clear flash of déjà vu except that it was for Bruce's sake, not Will's.
"Oh," Jack said quickly with a sheepish grin. "Sorry about my, uh, lack of attire. I didn't realize we had a guest." He held his hand out to Will. "Duke McCoy."
Duke McCoy? The name sounded familiar to Kelly. She wasn't surprised Jack would give a false name, but why that one?
Will's eyes were wide as he worked to look anywhere but at his competition's well-toned chest, but he managed to shake the hand offered to him. "I, um, I'm Will Kirkwood, Kelly's hus—, um, ex-husband. It's nice to meet you... Jack."
As soon as Will withdrew his hand, Jack stepped behind Kelly, wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close. She remembered him saying they might have to be affectionate with each other but she hadn't been prepared for having every inch of his body pressed against her back or having gooseflesh rise instantly along her arms wherever he stroked. She felt her cheeks get hot and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
"Um, well, I hadn't meant to interrupt," Will stammered. "Just wanted to stop by and see if, um, you needed anything..."
"Honey?" Jack said close to her ear, causing a tiny shiver. "Is there anything you need from Will?" He gave her a squeeze to encourage her to say something, anything.
"No," she uttered in a higher voice than normal. "Nothing I can think of at the moment."
"Then I, um, guess I'll let you two get back to, um, whatever..." His voice trailed off as he hurried out the door.
Instantly Jack stepped away from Kelly. "I hope that was okay. My recollection of him was that he wouldn't go away easily."
She blinked and ordered her heart to slow down. "Oh, don't worry. I understood what you were doing. Thank you. I think it worked."
"You're welcome," he said with a bow of his head. "It was my pleasure."
"But why that name? I've heard it, or read it somewhere. Maybe in one of my research files."
Jack's eyes lit up. "Really? You remember the name?"
His elation over something so trivial seemed out of place but his features quickly resettled into his usual pleasant expression and she shrugged. "It just sounded familiar, but I don't know why."
"Duke McCoy is an alias I've used before. It was the first name that popped into my head when I realized I couldn't give him my real name. I probably mentioned it somewhere in the story I told you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd better get dressed before I forget this was an act."
Kelly's gaze followed him up the stairs until his bare feet could no longer be seen. She was fairly sure he hadn't said the name Duke McCoy during his narrative, but she was completely sure it wasn't the first time she'd heard it. She pushed that thought aside for the more important one.
Her physical response to his holding her made no sense whatsoever. She couldn't remember ever feeling like that with Will, even when they were married and he was making an effort to arouse her. Jack was a stranger. And yet, for just a moment there, she had wished his performance wasn't an act.
Over the next week, those realizations occurred to her more and more often.
To her surprise, Jack made an excellent research assistant—probably due to a genuine background as a journalist—and, with his help, she had her new synopsis written in record time and had even begun on the actual manuscript.
He also proved to be a valuable addition to her household with regard to general maintenance. He even seemed to enjoy cooking for her. Another valuable extra was that neither Will nor Bruce had called or come by the entire time.
Beyond his "job", he was turning out to be a charming, entertaining companion. Whether they went shopping, out to dinner, or just stayed home, ordered pizza and watched a movie, they had a very nice, comfortable time together. In a weird way, she was sort of dating, without actually having to date.
Jack was a busy author's dream-come-true. Except for the two downsides.
The first was the peculiar déjà vu flashes that happened at the oddest times. One day she took him to lunch in Atlanta Underground. As they were eating, he told her a series of anecdotes from his reporting days. Each one was funnier than the last and she hadn't laughed so much in ages. But each one also sounded familiar, as though she'd heard them all before. Once, she even knew the punch line before he said it.
More disturbing however were the flashes that involved intimacy. Just that day, he had picked out a CD he wanted to hear while they were working. The music was soft and sensual, the perfect background for the romantic slow-dance scene she was writing. But suddenly, instead of imagining her characters in a steamy embrace, swaying to the music, she pictured herself and Jack. She'd glanced over at him before she thought to stop herself and he looked up from the book he was reading and winked at her. That felt familiar too.
She blamed the déjà vu and sense of familiarity on all his talk about another time as though it had really happened. His delusions were probably just rubbing off on her.
But it was the second downside to their arrangement that was really hard to explain away. Each night, when she slid between the sheets on her large, solitary bed, the dreams came. And, oh boy, they were some of the h
ottest, most realistic, kinkiest dreams she'd ever had! Despite the many sex scenes she'd written, she'd never done any of those things. Heck, she'd never even felt the desire to do them.
Until Jack moved in across the hall from her bedroom.
Wasn't that ironic! The famous romance author was having fantasies about her live-in help and didn't have the nerve to act on them. It didn't matter that her heroines had no trouble seducing reluctant heroes. She couldn't do any of those things herself. It would be different if Jack made the first move...
But she couldn't see that happening. He was too much of a gentleman. Or maybe he was afraid she would act on her threat to shoot him. As far as she knew, he really was completely dependent on her and couldn't afford to be fired for sexual harassment.
Yet, every so often, she caught him looking at her in a way that was so adoring it made her chest ache. At those moments, she felt nearly certain he was just waiting for a sign from her... a sign she couldn't bring herself to give without a guarantee she wouldn't be rejected.
Suddenly she remembered a scene in one of her previous books that could bring about a change without her actually making a move on him. It was at least worth a try and, if it failed, the worst result would be that their relationship would remain the same.
* * *
Jack was ready to tear his hair out. This was the eighth day of being with Kelly without being with her. Eight nights of sleeping twenty feet away from her. Eight days of waiting for her to show some sign that she wanted something more from him.
He had wanted to convince her that she was perfectly safe with him in the house. He had wanted her to feel comfortable with him. He had wanted to show her how much easier her life could be with him at her side. He had wanted her to like him. Unfortunately, he had succeeded so well, he was now afraid of doing anything that would upset that comfortable relationship.
He couldn't stand much more though. If she didn't make a change in their relationship soon, he was going to have to risk making a pass at her. He decided to give her one more week and that was it. After that, he'd go back to doing things his usual way.
As though she'd heard his thoughts, she looked up from her computer and asked, "Could you help me with something?"
He instantly set down the book he was reading and stood.
"I'm working on a scene and I need a partner to act it out with... to make sure it's possible. But I'll warn you, it is a, uh, rather intimate scenario."
He couldn't help but notice the flush on her cheekbones and he knew what that used to mean. The crotch of his jeans immediately needed adjusting. "Sure. Sounds like fun."
"Good. Follow me." She grabbed her keys and led him outside to her car. "You see, I have the couple all, uh, hot for each other and the only place immediately available is her sports car. No back seat."
He froze in his tracks. Had another scrap of memory come back to her? Or was she seriously asking him to help choreograph a sex scene? Or was this her way of giving him the sign he was hoping for? She opened the passenger door and he swallowed hard in anticipation regardless of her motive.
She thought he looked nervous, or was it anxious? The way he looked at her made her cheeks hot, but she continued. "If this is too much to ask—"
"Oh no. I'm cool. Anything to help." He got his feet to move a step closer. "How do you want me?"
She had to remind herself to breathe. "Um, I have the guy sitting in the passenger seat..."
He wasted no time getting into position and pushing the seat as far back as it would go. When she gave no further instruction, he took her hand and tugged. "Try coming in back side first and sitting on my lap."
She turned her back on him and cautiously followed his suggestion. It didn't take a lot of experience for her to realize he was aroused and that awareness gave her a tickle as strongly as though he were touching her. She shifted her hips so that she was turned more toward him. His eyes were narrowed and he was biting his lower lip. "Am I hurting you?"
He chuckled. "Only in the best way. What's next?"
"Well, I'm not sure. Any ideas?"
His grin let her know he had plenty of those and she got a little more excited. His fingertips grazed up and down her arm and she felt her breasts tighten. A different sort of grin let her know he'd noticed.
"This is a pretty tight space but maybe if you got your feet over to the driver's seat." He helped tuck her legs in and swivel her butt until she was more conveniently situated on his lap. "Now—"
Abruptly she stiffened and her gaze darted around the car. "We've done this before. Not maybe. Definitely.You and I. In this car." She looked directly into his eyes. "Tell me."
"Yes. We've done this before."
She let that sink in. "Did we have sex?"
"Not in the car. We were in a public parking area. Too many people."
She closed her eyes and a montage of the sexy dreams she'd been having flashed in her mind. Her back pressed up against the front door as he thrust into her body, hand play in her tub, posing for him on her bed like a centerfold model... A shiver of pleasure ran through her. "Why didn't you tell me about... us?"
"I didn't want you to feel cornered."
"Smart man. But now that I've figured it out, do you suppose you could give me a refresher course?"
His hand slid up her back and cupped her neck. With the slightest pressure he brought her lips to his. The kiss was soft, unhurried, perfect. And she remembered having him kiss her just like this before. His other hand moved to her breast and he brushed his thumb over the tip. She remembered that also. "Let's go back inside," she murmured against his mouth.
Once they managed to extract themselves from the car, he held her hand all the way to the upstairs bedroom. Despite the conviction that they'd done this before, she still felt too shy to jump right into bed.
Knowingly, he tipped her chin up and kissed her mouth. "You don't have to do a thing."
She remained still as he slowly removed her t-shirt and shorts then his own shirt and jeans. His fingers combed through her hair then roamed lightly over her figure from shoulders to thighs without spending any quality time anywhere along the way, as he placed gentle kisses on her face, neck and shoulders. He gave her more time than she needed to be comfortable before he removed the rest of their clothes.
With his hands and eyes, he relearned the body he had clearly missed. His touch was more sensual than sexual but he was arousing her nonetheless.
She felt worshiped and adored and that was lovely but she soon wanted more. Not knowing how to ask, she drew him onto the bed.
He pressed his mouth to hers and stroked her tongue with his. It took her only a moment to give as well as she was receiving. When his hand captured her breast and kneaded it, she slid her hand over his chest and down past his stomach.
Clasping her hand, he moved it back up to his chest. "You have no idea how much I missed this but I just realized I don't want any half-measures. I'd rather wait another day... until we're prepared—" He was cut off by the press of her finger on his mouth.
Kelly opened her nightstand drawer and took out a box of condoms. Giving him a soft smile, she said, "I was being practical."
"For once I can appreciate that trait of yours, because I really didn't want to wait another day." Seconds later, without the need for more preparation, Jack smoothly joined their bodies. "This feels like coming home," he murmured into her ear.
Their loving began slowly but, as always, their need for completion pushed the pace faster and faster until there were no thoughts beyond reaching the climax of their reunion.
Several minutes passed before either felt the need to move or speak.
Eventually it was Jack who eased away from Kelly. "I have something for you. Stay where you are."
Kelly watched him leave her room and quickly return. Without explanation, he handed her a folded square of paper then sat down next to her while she opened it.
"This is my writing," she said with some confusion. "But I don't
remember writing it. And it's dated nearly two months from now. How can that be?"
"Just read what you wrote."
To her greater bewilderment, the letter was to Jack and herself. Very briefly, it told her the story Jack had when he first arrived, along with her own expectation of possibly forgetting everything about their time together if he changed history.
It also informed her in explicit terms what their relationship had been like.
Suddenly, everything made sense. All the dreams and déjà vu flashes, her feelings of trust from the beginning, the way he looked at her, why he would be willing to wait as long as it took for her to fall in love with him all over again. "Why didn't you give this to me right away?"
He kissed her forehead. "I felt it was necessary for both of us to know we ended up here because it was what you truly wanted and not just because of a letter you wrote to yourself.
She smiled and gave him a sensual kiss. "One thing I don't understand, though. The P.S. on the note told me to ask if you'd like me to give you another haircut. Do you know what that means?"
His mouth curved into a sexy grin. "Yep." He leaned over and gave her a kiss on her nose. "But it's one of those things that requires showing rather than telling."
"Ooh, I can hardly wait," she whispered and held his face for a deep kiss that let him know she might not want to wait long.
"There's something else I neglected to tell you."
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Am I going to like it?"
"I hope so."
"Okay then. You can tell me."
He gave himself a chance to reconsider but he'd postponed this moment too long already. Putting all his thoughts and feelings into three little words, he said, "I love you."
* * *
And in the echo of Jack's declaration, a double rainbow arched across the heavens over Atlanta.
"Was that really necessary?" Jezebel snarled.
Gabriel allowed himself to laugh at her discomfort. "As necessary as you find it to stir up a tornado when you're the victor."
"Hmmph. But in this case, I would think their nauseating glow of happiness would have been enough for you. Just look at them—all absorbed in their own little world, as though nothing else on Earth mattered."
Out of Time (Lovers in Time Series, Book 1): Time Travel Romance Page 30
