“So this is the good old boy that ran off with you today,” Benny said, narrowing his eyes, but offering his hand.
“You mean the man who came to the lady’s aid,” Jesse said, shaking Benny’s hand to take the man’s measure rather than from any need to be polite.
“Roger’s worried sick,” Benny said, moving closer to Alexi.
“Roger deserves worse.” Jesse slipped his hand behind Alexi’s back.
“Benny was Roger’s best man,” Alexi explained then narrowed her eyes at Benny. “Tell Roger to save his worry for his girlfriends.”
“What’s this?” Robert Jordan’s frown deepened.
“My good reason,” Alexi said.
“That’s just rumor, dear.” Alexi’s grandmother scoffed. “Violet swears Roger…”
“Pictures of group sex don’t lie.”
“Impossible!” Katherine Jordan fanned her paling face.
“Irrefutable,” Alexi countered.
“I’ll be right back,” Katherine Jordan said and left the room. Jesse hoped she was going to go faint in her bed.
“Pictures from whom?” Robert Jordan asked.
“I don’t know,” Alexi shook her head. “They were anonymously delivered to me this morning.”
“That’s unbelievable. There has to be a mistake.” Benny placed a comforting hand on Alexi’s shoulder. “What you must be going through.”
Jesse wanted to smack Benny for touching Alexi.
Alexi patted Benny’s hand. “I’m fine and there’s no mistake. Roger didn’t even bother to deny it.”
"What in the hell is going on?" Robert Jordan demanded.
Alexi moved to face her father, giving Benny no other choice but to let go of her. Good, Jesse thought, stepping closer to Alexi.
"Roger’s a philandering jerk and I’m—“
“It’s all a mistake.” Katherine Jordan sailed back into the room, her expression akin to what Queen Elizabeth’s must have been when facing the Spanish Armada. "This catastrophe you’ve caused is over nothing. Violet agrees with me. The pictures have to be fake like those in the tabloids in the grocer. Roger is on his way to clear this whole thing up."
Jesse thought the grandmother needed a brain transplant. Alexi tensed and the expression on her face was as pained as if she’d been slapped.
“Then I’m leaving. I don’t want to see him.” Alexi pushed passed her father and started up the stairs. “I'm changing and then I'm joining my luggage at the hotel. The loving bosom of my family is just too much to take. I think it’s time I move out."
"Alexandria Jordan. Don't you dare throw a temper fit," Katherine Jordan said.
"Mother," Robert Jordan said. "Shut up."
Jesse thought that was the smartest thing Robert Jordan had said since Alexi arrived. Jesse crossed his arms over his chest and planted his feet a little wider. It looked as if he'd be spending more time with Alexi sooner than he thought and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that. But he knew he damn well wasn’t going to leave her here if she wanted out.
"This is all your fault." Katherine Jordan pointed a finger at him. "You can leave."
"Sorry to disagree, ma'am, but I'm not going anywhere until I see Alexi safely settled to where she’s going."
Robert Jordan pushed his mother's hand down. "I'd say you and your crony Violet are at fault. You two had Roger and Alexi married from the day you met. And Roger is going to hear from me about how he's treated my daughter."
Maybe Robert Jordan wasn’t all that bad.
Katherine Jordan leveled an accusing gaze at her son. “And maybe if you’d had any interest in Alexandria all of these years, she wouldn’t be messing up her life with riff-raff.”
"Well, I think this calls for a drink," said Benny as if shooting to add levity.
Was the man amused over the Jordan’s family trouble? Jesse swung his gaze to Benny, who, it seemed to Jesse, had ability to fade into the woodwork. Like a roach, maybe. Before Jesse could read Benny’s expression, the man disappeared into a room on the right and the clink of ice hitting glass followed.
Everyone stood staring at each other until Alexi came rushing down the stairs. She carried a small suitcase in one hand and another bundle under her arm. When he met her gaze, upset didn’t come close to the hurt etched on her delicate features. She looked more wraith-like than ever before, even when she’d been lost and running in a dark alley at seventeen. She reached her father first. He took a step back, seemingly uncomfortable with the emotions filling the room and Jesse saw the hurt in Alexi’s eyes deepen. She handed her father the diamond ring she’d had on earlier. “Please see that Roger gets this back. It’s his grandmother’s, otherwise I’d flush it.”
Katherine Jordan fanned her face. This time looking as if she were truly about to faint. “Alexandria, have you gone mad? That diamond is worth—”
“My self-respect is worth more.”
“My God! You dare to speak to me about self-respect after you’ve been with him doing God knows what. He’s a liar and a thief.” Katherine pointed an accusing finger his way. “Robert, how can you let your child do this?”
“She’s an adult, mother. And like her mother before her can choose to leave.” Robert Jordan’s tone of voice sounded as if he could be talking about peanut butter sandwiches.
Alexi wavered on her feet and Jesse moved up to her, putting a steadying arm about her. The Jordan household seemed to be coming apart at the seams and he wondered if maybe he'd had a small hand in its undoing. Maybe he shouldn’t have said anything to Alexi about the past.
Jesse knew that Alexi’s mother had died a long time ago, but there was apparently a whole lot more to the story. A sixth sense he’d honed in the military started whispering to him. Hell, maybe it had been whispering to him all day, and he’d been too distracted with his sex sense to hear it. Like Robert Jordan had asked, Jesse wondered who had sent Alexi those pictures? Jesse was damn glad someone had, but who did? Things like that were done for a reason.
Jesse slipped out his wallet and handed Robert Jordan a business card. "If you’re interested in what I have to say about the pearls, call me."
Robert Jordan took the card without reply.
“So cordial,” Benny said then drained the drink in his hand and spoke to Alexi. “I’ll run you over to the hotel, Alexi.”
Alexi looked Benny’s way.
“I’ve got it.” Jesse didn’t wait for Alexi’s reply. Benny had polished off a good amount whiskey too quickly for Jesse’s peace of mind. Easing the suitcase from Alexi’s fingers, he spoke to Benny, “Wouldn’t want to interrupt your cocktail hour.”
Then Jesse motioned for the bundle Alexi still held. She shook her head no. He didn’t have to look twice at her white, drawn face to know that walking into this house and walking out of this house had cost her.
“You don’t have to do this,” Robert Jordan said, and Jesse thought he heard a note of emotion from Alexi’s father. “I’ll send Roger packing when he shows up.”
Alexi shook her head. “It’s more than just Roger. This is…I’ve got to go.” Tears pooled in her eyes.
Jesse opened the door and wrapped his free arm around Alexi, helping her down the steps and into the car.
He'd been trained in warfare and knew Alexi needed two things right then—to let loose and some down time.
Turning around in the drive, he remembered the reporters. “Why don’t you hide under my coat and maybe the paparazzi won't realize you're still with me." She did.
As he peeled out onto the street, he wondered what in the hell he was going to do next. Given the situation, he couldn’t just dump her at a hotel. But he couldn’t take her back to his place either. Anyone with half a brain could tell that she was emotionally wrung out. Sex was one thing, but after the scene she’d just gone through, she’d have too many emotions bubbling up for his comfort. Dealing with things like that tended to give a girl ideas that there was more in his arms than pleasure.
Only
two of the reporters tried to follow and he concentrated on losing them, ignoring the suppressed sniffles emitting from his hidden passenger. Losing the vultures was easier than handling tears. In fact he curved and wove around six more blocks with no one behind him, hoping Alexi’s emotions would settle down.
Hell. He jerked the car over to the side of the road, thinking that he’d already tread into the minefield without even knowing it. “We’re in the clear.”
“Okay,” she said, but stayed under his coat.
“Come here, Lexi.” He wrapped an arm around her back and pulled her toward him.
Alexi stiffened, resisting Jesse’s attempt to hold her. She didn't want him to see her cry. She was an adult, not a teenager, and she’d long ago stop expecting her family to be any different. So why was she crying?
“Are you all right?”
“Fine. I’m just resting a minute. Why don’t you go walk to a creek or something and come back in…in…”
"Hell, Lexi. Come here." Jesse snatched the coat away and pulled her into his arms. The very feel of his arms closing around her seemed to rip down her resolve and her tears fell in a flood. Her bundled doll ended up squashed between them as she buried her face against his shirt, drawing on the warmth he offered her. He shoved his seat back, giving her more room to fit in his lap with her legs sprawled over the console. She was embarrassed but he felt too good to deny herself his arms. He held her tightly until her tears had settled to embarrassing hiccups.
"Uh, there’s something sticking somewhere it shouldn’t be. Can you move up a little for a second?”
Alexi blinked and pulled back from Jesse. “What is it?”
He reached between them and pulled up her doll then sighed with relief. “She had her foot wedged between your leg and my crotch.”
“Ouch.” Her reluctant smile felt good.
“She’s a good looking blonde. Does she have a name?”
“Amanda Lee.” Alexi took the doll, smoothing the lacy dress. “My mother gave her to me. I couldn’t leave her behind.”
“You know, you never did tell me when your mother died.” Jesse’s arm tightened, pulling her more into his lap.
"I don’t like to talk about it. Even as a teenager I missed her so much that talking about her hurt. She died when I was six." Alexi placed Amanda carefully in the passenger’s seat. "She gave Amanda to me the very last time I saw her. Told me to hold her close and love her just like she loved me. I still miss her." Alexi told Jesse about her mother and how her father had opposed a singing career and how her mother had pursued it any way. “I think in some way he either blames me, or every time he looks at me all he sees is her.”
“I can see that between you.” Jesse exhaled, and she wondered if her emotions had made him uncomfortable. Emotions were not something her father dealt with very well. Come to think of it, Roger leaned the same way. Whenever she’d had a sad moment around him he’d jump up and pull her out to the tennis court or take her to a movie.
"I don't suppose that's a missing that will ever go away. For either you or your father,” Jesse said, surprising her. He didn’t ignore her feelings, but acknowledged them. “I know for my brothers and I, there'd be a big hole in our lives if it wasn't for our mother. It’d probably do the same to my Dad, though I’d like to think he’d handle it differently. I'm sorry things are this way for you."
Alexi drew a deep breath and forced a smile to her face, thankful for his response. "Me, too. I'm sorry for flooding your shirt. Do you have a tissue?"
He leaned up, pulling a clean handkerchief from his back pocket.
She laughed as she took it from him. "I thought only gentlemen carried these."
He shrugged. "Wrong side of the tracks Weldon’s carry them, too. They match our socks and are good for wiping off axle grease."
She laughed again, feeling even better.
"Listen, Lexi, about going to a hotel…I don’t think it’s a good idea. Is there somewhere else you could go?”
Alexi eased a little back from Jesse’s arms. Walking up the steps to her house, all she’d wanted was to go back to Jesse’s and pick up where they’d left off. But now all she wanted was a hot bath and a soft pillow and…warm arms?
Wake up! You’re not in Oz anymore. Where’s your spine?
“We could go back to my pl—”
“My friend Nan’s,” Alexi said before Jesse could finish, and the temptation he offered became too hard to resist. She moved back to her own seat, setting Amanda Lee in the back with her bag. Her other luggage was in the honeymoon suite at the hotel. And Jesse plus hotel equaled temptation. “I think, I’ll wait until tomorrow to get my luggage from the hotel. I’m tired. It’s been a long day.”
“Good idea.” Jesse’s voice rang with relief. Relieved she had a place to go? That they weren’t stopping by the honeymoon suite? Or relieved she wasn’t going to his place?
Before she could think more about it, he handed her a cell phone. “Call Nan and check with her and then the hotel to put your luggage in storage for pick up tomorrow."
After making the calls, she tapped the tiny screen on the odd-looking cell phone. “What’s this for?”
"Live feed via a satellite link. The phone’s a prototype my R&D whizzes put together. If you call someone with the right equipment on the other end, you'll be able to see their face in the monitor and they'll be able to see yours.
"Wow," Alexi handed the phone back. "That's amazing."
"With security jobs, something like this could save a life when things go sour. When we get the bugs worked out and this hits the market, then it will be amazing. We’re hoping the profits will double our net worth."
"I thought your company only provided security."
"We started out that way. Unreliable and dismal equipment hindered us from being the best, so we started making our own."
"I know who to call if I need help."
"That reminds me." He handed her a card.
Alexi took the card, feeling that what they’d shared that day had been reduced to an exchange of paper. His tone sounded almost final.
“Thanks,” she said softly. She tucked the card into her hand, keeping it close to her skin. Putting it into her pocket or purse would make him feel too distant. She gave Jesse directions to Nan’s then. They didn’t say much as he drove along the streets, only occasionally pointing out something that had changed over the years. Like the old movie theater that had become a feel good church after an eighteen-theater cinema complex opened up on the other side of town. His high school had been torn down for a shopping mall. But those changes had taken years, whereas for her, in the space of time most people spent at work, she'd managed to turn her whole life upside down. All too soon they pulled up to Nan’s apartment.
Jesse didn’t linger; he got out of the car, and grabbed her suitcase from the back seat. Alexi settled her purse on her shoulder and gathered Amanda Lee. They met at the front of the car and Jesse stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder, urging her to face him. “Alexi, about today—”
Nan opened the door and called out, “I’ve been so worried, Alexi.” A gray cat bounded out the door. “Shakespeare, come back here! No Romeoing tonight!” Nan came running toward Alexi and Jesse as she chased the cat.
“No what tonight?” Jesse turned his head.
Alexi laughed and snatched up the gray ball of fur that had shot past Nan and was tearing down the sidewalk. “No Romeoing tonight for the cat, my godpet.”
“Your what?”
“I’m Shakespeare’s Godparent.” Alexi handed Nan her cat. “Take Loverboy inside.”
“Only after you introduce me to him first,” Nan said, keeping her eyes glued on Jesse as she accepted the cat. “You’ve been holding out on me, girlfriend.”
Jesse laughed.
Alexi shook her head. “Nan, meet Jesse Weldon. Jesse, meet Nancy Miller.” Juggling the cat, Nan shook Jesse’s hand.
As soon as they were done, Alexi pushed Nan on the shou
lder. “You were about to take Shakespeare inside right?”
“I was?” Nan said, blinking, taking her gaze off Jesse.
“You are,” Alexi said firmly. “Take Amanda Lee, too.” Alexi handed Nan the doll.
“Oh,” said Nan. “Third wheel stuff.” She grinned at Jesse. “See ya. Soon, I hope.” Then bundling up Shakespeare and Amanda Lee, she went back inside.
Alexi turned to Jesse. “You were saying?”
Jesse shook his head as if to clear away a fog. “Yeah, uh...” He set her suitcase down. Then, shrugging his shoulders, he leaned down to kiss her.
She shut her eyes; briefly, tasting him even before his lips touched hers. In that single second, she breathed in his essence and felt desire curl around her whole body like an enveloping flame. Then his lips met hers, lightly at first and his tongue brushed teasingly over her bottom lip, sending minions of pleasure through her that urged her closer to him. She opened her mouth expectantly, wanting him to sweep her back to Oz for just a moment, back to that hot, sensual state where nothing mattered except need. But he didn’t deepen the kiss, and he didn’t back away either. The look in his eyes seemed to be asking her to take the next step.
“More,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him.
He didn’t wait for a second invitation. He swept her into a kiss that claimed, demanded, and evoked. A kiss that brought her to the edge and ended long before she wanted it to.
“More?” he said softly as he stepped away. “You’ve got my card.” Then he turned back to his car and left.
* * *
Nan refilled Alexi’s glass of Chardonnay and handed it back, then settled on the other side of the sofa with her glass. "All right, so the run down is that your grandmother is bent on seeing you married to Roger and your father is still as distant as Mount Everest. I’m sorry.”
Alexi sighed. “I didn’t expect anything different, but there’s some part of me inside that is always disappointed. Maybe I’m just a glutton for punishment.”
“Nope. You’re an incurable romantic who loves happy endings. There’s nothing wrong with that. Now tell me the good part. Where did you find that masked man who dropped you off? He has to be masked, God doesn't make men that good looking."
Wild Irish (Book 1 of the Weldon Brothers Series) Page 8
