by Lynn, Janice
Even if she had to write in a Get Fun for Colin email of her own.
“What’re you looking so lost in thought about?” J.P. sank beside her, eyeing her computer screen. “Belly-dancers? You should keep that one. I like it.”
“Colin won’t,” she insisted.
J.P. shrugged. “That’s the whole idea, isn’t it?”
Jessie rounded on him. “What do you mean?”
“The purpose of the Get Fun for Colin. He hates it all, so that’s why you suggested it, right?”
Was it?
Of course it was.
But not really. She wanted Colin to lighten up, enjoy life a little. Get Fun for Colin merely served as a means to an end. Sometime during the long hours of the night while she’d waited for the sounds of Tamara returning to the apartment, Jessie made the decision that she was tired of holding back where Colin was concerned.
She planned to give him anything he’d take from her and damn the consequences and damn his guilt over the past. She’d take away his guilt by showering him with…whatever it was that filled her every time she thought of him.
Not love, but something powerful and full of passion and totally illogical. Something that said she could fill that void in his life that refused to let him be happy.
Of course, she hadn’t made that decision when she’d teased Colin into a corner following her hypnosis. But she would make sure the Get Fun for Colin worked to his advantage.
“You might be surprised at why I suggested it.”
“Or maybe not.”
Something in J.P.’s tone gnawed at her insides. “Out with it,” she demanded.
He grinned. “Did you know Wolf’s parking garage levels are equipped with security cameras? It’s a safety measure to cut down on theft and attacks and such. With what happened with the electrical wiring and then with Colin’s office, security’s on high alert.”
Jessie eyed him, refusing to flinch despite knowing where this conversation was going.
“Seems one of the security guards noticed some improbable activity last night.”
“And felt the need to share that improbably activity with you?”
“Actually, he shared it with Maxwell.”
“Maxwell?” Why would a security guard bother the company’s CEO with something so frivolous?
JP nodded. “He called me into his office and wanted to know what the hell I was going to do about it.”
“Huh?”
“Maxwell doesn’t like the thought of you and Colin cozy.”
“Well, it should please him to know that last night won’t be happening again if Colin has anything to say about it.”
“Which doesn’t sit well with the great Jessie Davidson,” he teased.
No, it didn’t, but apparently not for the reasons J.P. thought. “Great? Me? Ha, you must have me confused with Jilly.”
J.P.’s face became serious. “Jill’s great, but so are you. You know that.”
Embarrassed by the conversation, Jessie nodded, hoping J.P. would take the hint and move along.
“You don’t, do you?” he asked, incredulousness in his voice. “You are gorgeous, sexy, smart, funny, and successful and yet you don’t see it.”
“I see it,” she quickly corrected, knowing it’s what he expected her to say.
“No, you don’t.” J.P. whistled. “All this time you’ve had me buying the same garbage you scam the rest of the world with. That Jessie Davidson is a confident woman without a care in the world. Instead, you’re so wrapped up in standing in Jill’s shadow that you can’t see the truth. That you are an amazing woman.”
Jessie closed her eyes. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I’m an expert on women. Six wives does that to a man.”
Jessie sighed. “Still working on finding number seven?”
J.P. scratched his white head. “Nah, I’m taking a break from my search, gotta make sure Causing a Commotion has a winning first season. What about you? Still looking for Steve’s replacement?”
Jessie didn’t answer.
“Or have you already found what you’re looking for?”
Deciding to ignore his question, Jessie hit the delete button, getting rid of the belly-dancer suggestion. Colin needed permanently knocked out of his iceberg, but if anyone was going to belly-dance for him, it would be her. In private.
J.P. laughed. A throw-his-head-back-with-laughter laugh.
Annoyingly, he saw too much for his own good.
* * *
Colin hadn’t seen Jessie since he’d forced her out of his car. Forced because her kisses demolished his control.
Something he couldn’t handle. Had promised himself he wouldn’t allow to happen again.
Which meant he needed to stay the hell away from her.
Which was impossible since he worked with her, hosted a rising-in-success television show with her five days a week.
He looked up from where he sat behind the Causing a Commotion desk and saw her enter the studio. She spoke with some of the audience before being ushered to the set by one of the crew.
She’d been avoiding him. Not wanting to have to fill those few minutes prior to going on air.
He should be happy. Glad she hadn’t stormed into the studio and announced to the audience that he’d kissed her, enjoyed kissing her, and then been the world’s greatest jerk and tossed her out of his car faster than he could say her name.
Instead, her ignoring him irked. She always managed to get beneath his skin.
“Morning,” she said, not meeting his eyes, when she slid into her seat.
Before Colin could even acknowledge her greeting, the crew began the countdown until recording started.
“Five. Four. Three. Two. You’re on.”
“Hello, I’m Colin Crandall.” He glanced at Jessie, cueing her, liking how the apple green pantsuit she wore made her eyes appear huge, luminous, guileless.
“And I’m Jessie Davidson and you’re watching Causing A Commotion because life’s all about making waves.”
Colin launched into his lead story, which wasn’t much of a lead story since he hadn’t gotten to report on any real news in what seemed like weeks. Still, he hadn’t been reduced to a rendition of People’s magazine yet either.
“And in other news,” Jessie set down her coffee cup and picked up the commentary the moment he finished his segment. “Last year’s Sexiest Man Alive recipient may be going off the bachelor market. Rumor has it that Jonathan Baines proposed to his current co-star for his latest film last weekend.”
Jessie went on to tell about the supposed proposal. Supposed? Since when had a news show been about rumors and gossip? Colin sighed, realizing too late that the camera would pick up the tell-tale motion.
Jessie stopped her story, straightened the papers in front of her, took another sip of her coffee, then faced him. “Am I boring you, Colin?”
Oh hell. He’d messed up and like always she was calling him on it, despite the fact they were on air.
“I’m sure it’s no surprise to our audience that hearing about the ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ doesn’t do it for me.”
Jessie’s brows rose, and he didn’t like the gleam in her eyes. “Perhaps you’d like to share with the audience what does do it for you? That way they’d have a better idea of what type of Fun for Colin ideas to send.”
Several cheers whooped from the audience.
“No, I wouldn’t.” He shot her a warning glance.
One she opted to ignore.
“Now, Colin, the world,” Jessie grinned into camera number two, “well, our audience, anyway, is waiting for you to explain your preferences.”
“My preferences?”
She took another sip of her coffee, finishing it off. Which surprised him. She usually barely touched the stuff and the show just started. She’d drained it and was eyeing his cup.
“Your preferences,” she repeated in a husky whisper.
Colin forgot about her coffee.
“Since the ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ doesn’t do it for you, tell us who does.” She waggled her brows suggestively and licked her lips. “I, for one, would really like to know.”
This wasn’t a path he wanted to travel. Not on air. Not off air.
“I’d think of all women you’d know my preferences best.”
Her eyes widened, but only by a breadth of a millimeter. Enough to know he’d shocked her. Good, maybe she’d take a hint and move on to a different topic. One that didn’t involve him. One that was on the show’s schedule.
“Why would you think that I’d know?”
She dared him to say more, to reveal more. He could see it in her eyes, in the way she held her body. She wanted him to admit, on camera no less, that he preferred her.
If he did, he’d be letting her manipulate him. Letting her have control of his life. The hell with that.
“Since you work with me every day, it seems logical you’d have a pretty good handle on what I like and what I don’t.” He smiled and the audience oohed.
It had been a long time since he’d elicited any kind of response out of an audience. Too bad it was teasing Jessie that triggered it. Didn’t anyone care about world news anymore? Probably not. Too much bad stuff happening. No wonder the world would rather tune in to the sassy sounds of Jessie’s current events. Like erotic poetry and Sex Tips of the Day.
Hell, with Jessie looking at him the way she was, he didn’t care about world news either. Could barely even think, much less form a coherent thought. Except about erotic poetry readings and sex tips he’d like to try out. With Jessie.
“Are you saying you spend more time with me than any other woman, Colin?” She kept her tone light, teasing, suggestive.
“I’m a working man, single, my mother’s passed on, so, sure. It’s an easy conclusion that I spend more time with you than any other woman.”
“Don’t you have a girlfriend? Someone to warm your bed at night?”
She was going to be the death of him yet.
The audience practically sat on the edge of their seats waiting for his answer.
“No.”
Not meeting his gaze, Jessie turned back toward the main camera and flashed the smile that was making her famous, making this show the talk of the town.
“Ladies, can you believe that? A good-looking man like Colin doesn’t have a girlfriend to keep him warm beneath the sheets?” She lifted her hand to her mouth in mock surprise, as if a thought had just occurred, before she turned back to him. “You don’t have a boyfriend, do you?”
“I don’t swing that way.”
“Phew. Women around the country just gave a collective sigh. You batting for the other side would be a real loss to the female gender. Although perhaps gay men who’ve wondered for years about your sexuality just had their parade rained on.”
She babbled on and Colin stared at her. What was she doing? Although she loved needling him, she was babbling today. Her pitch was a little higher. Her eyes too bright.
“You know what I think?” she asked the camera.
He was afraid to ask.
“I think that if Colin had been in the running for Sexiest Man Alive last year, Jonathan Baines wouldn’t have the title.”
Colin jerked his gaze to her, went to speak, but nothing came out. He tried again. “What are you doing?”
“I mean, look at him,” she said, ignoring his question. “Gorgeous, sexy, and those deep blue eyes that make a woman just want to dive right in.” Jessie winked at the camera. “I know he keeps hidden behind this desk, but,” she glanced down at his lap, “he has a great set of buns. Colin, you should stand up and let the audience take a look.”
Heat infused his face. “What are you doing?” he repeated.
Jessie took another sip of her coffee, or would have if the cup wasn’t empty. She stared into the WOLF mug then grinned at him. Not long, but enough for him to get a good look at her. Enough for him to realize her pupils dilated.
“I think he’s the sexiest man alive last year and this year, too.”
Was Jessie on something? Something a lot stronger than coffee?
“The sexiest man ever.” She giggled, set the cup down, and launched into a repertoire of why he should have been declared the sexiest man alive. Had it not been for the circumstances, he might have been flattered. She said some flattering things. About his eyes. His butt. His chest. His mouth.
Colin caught J.P.’s eyes and shot a silent message to the bewildered producer. “Cut.”
The moment the cameras were off, Colin turned to Jessie. Ever aware of the live audience still watching their every move he removed his microphone.
“What are you doing?”
Jessie giggled. “You get my vote for Sexiest Man Alive.”
Unfortunately Jessie hadn’t taken off her microphone and her announcement played for the audience.
Colin kept his face blank, calculating how to handle this without causing any unnecessary attention to Jessie’s condition.
“Jess, you okay?” J.P. asked, removing her microphone before she broadcast her answer to the entire studio again.
“I feel great,” she said. “Better than I have in years, but not as good as I felt when Colin kissed me.”
Colin cringed and was thankful the microphone had been gotten off in time.
She went to stand, swooned, and sank back into her seat. “Whoa.” She put her hand out and stared at it. “What was that? An earthquake?”
“Damn it,” Colin cursed. “She’s on something, and we need to get her out of here before she does something irreparable.”
Jessie and J.P. both looked at him.
“Jessie doesn’t do drugs.”
“I don’t do drugs.” But she did move her hand in front of her and stare at it as if it were a foreign object. When she dropped it to her lap in a free fall, Colin wanted to grab her and shake her for her stupidity.
“She’s higher than a kite.”
J.P. stared at Jessie, then shook his head. “Damn it. Let’s get her out of here with as little hubbub as possible.” He turned. “Beverly, get over here.”
Beverly’s shock registered in Colin’s mind. If he’d thought about it, he’d have realized the look was really more regret than shock, but Jessie chose that moment to put her hand to her temples and sway forward.
“I don’t feel so good. I thought I did, but I don’t. I feel funny. Light and heavy at the same time.” Her pitch got higher with each word, panic lacing her tone. “Colin, help me.”
She glanced his way, then closed her eyes and slumped forward completely.
Chapter Eleven
Jessie rubbed her temple and wished doctors would quit shining lights into her eyes.
She also wished they’d quit leaving her alone in this exam room. Didn’t they know she hated to be alone? That walls closed in on her and she couldn’t breathe when alone?
“Where’s Colin?”
“The man who drove you here?”
Colin drove her here? She didn’t remember. Couldn’t remember anything from the moment she’d sat down at the Causing A Commotion studio desk.
Which seemed odd. But no odder than being at the hospital.
Why was she at the hospital?
“What happened to me?” Her tongue felt thick and seemed to stick to the roof of her mouth.
The doctor hit her knees with a reflex hammer. “Don’t you know?”
“I don’t remember.”
“No, I suppose you don’t.” The doctor sounded judgmental, disapproving. “We’re going to keep you overnight for observation and then I recommend you sign in for a rehab program. There’s several local ones to choose from or more private ones out of state if you prefer.”
Even in her hazy-minded condition, the word rehab registered. “Rehab for what?”
The doctor gave her a knowing look. “We did a drug screen on you shortly after you arrived.” He picked up an electronic chart, touched the screen with a st
ylus, then handed it to her. “See for yourself.”
Blinking to clear her vision, Jessie stared at the screen. Then blinked again. “I don’t use drugs.”
The doctor frowned, sighed with disapproval. “If you had any idea how often I hear that. I’ve given you something to help with the withdrawal symptoms.”
“I really don’t.”
“Yeah right.”
Jessie wasn’t sure if he was being sarcastic or just humoring her. Either way, he obviously didn’t believe her.
“Two men brought you here and were in the waiting room earlier. I’ll have the nurse let them know you’ll live,” he said, walking out of the exam room.
Jessie closed her eyes, wishing the throbbing in her head would ease. Her entire body trembled and she felt cold. Icy cold. A positive drug screen? How was that possible?
Although she’d experimented during her more wild days following her parents’ death, she hadn’t touched anything in years. She didn’t do drugs.
Someone had made a mistake.
Or she’d taken the hallucinogenic without realizing it.
She thought back to what she was doing before her memory blanked out.
* * *
The moment the doctor left Jessie’s room, Colin slipped in unseen. He hated hospitals. Hated the cold sterility. Hated the memories associated with the smells and sounds. Hated that Jessie’s blond hair lay sprawled across the hospital pillow and an I.V. tube ran into her left arm.
