by C. C. Snow
Before we could continue our discussion, Marcus bounded out of his room, his arms laden with gadgets and robotic parts. “These were the only ones I could find.”
Realizing Jake still held my hand, I pulled out of his grasp and hurried to the kitchen. As I reached into the cupboard for a glass, I realized my hands were shaking. I tightened my fingers into fists to stop their trembling. It felt surreal that Jake Weston III was in my living room, talking to my brother. And that minutes ago, I was discussing my concerns about my brother with him. It felt wonderful and strange to be able to talk to another adult about my problems.
Don’t get used to this, Cora! He’s your boss.
I closed my eyes to center myself. The noises behind me drew my attention. My heart melted at the sight of two heads bent together in concentration. Marcus looked happy to finally have someone who spoke his language and Jake looked like a little boy. He had taken off his suit jacket and his shirtsleeves were rolled up. He seemed just as excited as my brother to play with the toys.
Never in a million years would I have imagined seeing the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company like this.
I walked over and handed the water to Jake and a pack of frozen peas to Marcus.
“Put this on your eye,” I ordered and sat on the sofa to watch them.
Surprisingly he took it without too much fuss, even though he soon put it down to free his hands to use the remote control to move one of his robots. The little gadget glided over the floor and stopped at the foot of the sofa. It backed up and moved sideways until it had room to maneuver again.
“I programmed this one to go around obstacles. It can climb things and jump off surfaces. I built in springs in its joints so that it could move better.”
“That’s really impressive, Marcus. How did you learn how to do this?”
“One of my teachers at my old school showed me how to build a basic model and I added the other features on my own. This robot won first place at the International Junior Robotics Expo.” Marcus was matter-of-fact about his amazing ability.
Both of Jake’s thick brows rose in astonishment. A burst of pride filled me that my brother could impress this man.
Jake lifted his head and gazed at me, his eyes speculative. Without breaking eye contact, he said, “You know Marcus, I could really use someone like you to help me test out some products for Robotrex. Of course, you’re too young for me to employ officially, but maybe you could visit our testing center for a couple of hours when we are working on a new product. It’s only a few times a year, but I’d love your input. That is, if your sister is okay with it.”
I frowned, not sure I liked the idea of my brother getting entangled with the company, however minor the involvement.
Marcus practically sprang to his feet, putting his hands together in a prayer pose. “Please, Cora! May I? I promise I won’t ask for anything else ever again!”
Then Jake made a humming sound, as if he were reconsidering. “The only problem is…”
My brother spun around to look down at Jake in alarm, his skinny body tense. “What problem?”
Jake looked regretful. “Well, I am concerned about today’s incident. Robotics is a very team oriented industry and I need to make sure everyone works well with others, even those who aren’t officially employed. And you being in a fight…” He paused and added softly, “Unless there are extenuating circumstances.”
I stared, wide-eyed, at the master tactician sitting in my living room. I didn’t know if I should be appalled at his manipulation or if I should applaud him.
Marcus dropped his eyes and shifted his weight. His hand rose to touch his purpling flesh and I winced at how swollen it looked.
I could see his logical brain weighing the options.
Finally, he blurted, “Evan Jones was making fun of me. I ignored him when he called me an orphan and when he made fun of my clothes, but then he said something bad about my mom and I punched him in the mouth.”
He snuck a peek at me and I tried to keep my face blank even though I wanted to howl and weep in sorrow. It hurt me deeply that my brother was being bullied. It was my fault that I hadn’t bought him better-fitting clothes earlier. It didn’t surprise me that the teasing about his wardrobe hadn’t pushed him to violence, but a negative comment about our mother did. Marcus worshiped our mom and on the heels of losing her just this year, he would have fought to the death to defend her memory.
Jake’s tone was measured, but his face darkened. “I see. That certainly puts a different perspective on things. I could understand the impulse because if someone said something unflattering about my mother, I’d want to punch his lights out too.”
Marcus’s posture visibly changed. He stood straighter and raised his head. “Really?”
“Really, but I would have kept my control and found a better way to exact revenge.”
Alarmed at the direction of the conversation, I piped up, “What Jake meant is that it’s better to maintain your dignity and walk away.”
I swore I felt both males roll their eyes at my Pollyanna statement, even though only Marcus did.
“No, what I meant was, there are better ways to get back at your enemies than to physically hurt them.”
“Like what?” Marcus plopped down on the floor and looked at Jake with rapt attention.
“Well, when someone in my life does something reprehensible, I crush them where it really hurts. Generally that’s their wallet.”
Marcus pondered this ruthless advice and I stood up abruptly. “Nobody is crushing anybody! Now what do you want to eat tonight?”
My brother looked up at me. “Can we have stir-fry?”
“Absolutely.” I smiled and bent down to pick up the bag of thawing peas.
Marcus turned to Jake. “Can you stay for dinner? Cora makes the best stir-fry!”
Shock held me immobile, my back bowed and my eyes level with my boss’s startled face. My mouth opened and closed wordlessly and I made a vague sound of distress in the back of my throat.
My dismay seemed to amuse Jake and his eyes were practically twinkling when he said, “If it’s not too much of an intrusion, I’d love to stay for your sister’s famous stir-fry.”
Marcus swung his gaze back to me. “He can stay, can’t he?”
Put on the spot, there was nothing to say except, “Of course.” My back straightened with a snap and I walked into the kitchen in a haze of confusion.
Why the hell did Jake say yes to dinner? He could easily have said he had dinner plans.
Chapter 7
As I cooked brown rice and chicken stir-fry, I found myself being unusually mindful about working with the ingredients. I told myself I wanted to cook a good meal for Marcus, but I knew I wanted to impress Jake. It was a laughable endeavor since this man probably had his own personal chef and dined frequently at Michelin star restaurants. His sophisticated palate was accustomed to steak tartar and foie gras and not to a simple dish made with whatever convenient ingredients I had on hand.
I looked over to the living room every now and then, but Jake and Marcus were intently involved in discussing the pros and cons of certain robotic features.
I shook my head, acknowledging that Jake was right about males and their toys. Not for one second did Jake look bored or impatient with Marcus. I never thought he would be so good with a teenager.
“Marcus, it’s almost time to eat. Could you please show Jake where to wash up?”
I heard him get up to fulfill my request and I turned off the stove. The smell of soy sauce and sesame seed oil permeated the air. I scooped up a few pieces with the spatula for a final taste and nodded with satisfaction at my effort. The chicken was tender and the broccoli was still fresh and crispy. I took out my mom’s china and plated the food.
Without being told, Marcus had already set out silverware and napkins and poured out drinks for everyone. Juice for him and water for me. Jake got a refill on his water. I patted his shoulder in thanks.
Jake an
d Marcus sat shoulder to shoulder on the other side of the counter. My boss should have looked out of place in our small rundown kitchen, but he looked surprisingly content.
Jake took a deep inhalation and smiled at me. I felt my knees weaken as that dimple winked at me.
Damn, he was gorgeous.
“It smells and looks scrumptious.”
Glad my blush could be attributed to the heat in the kitchen, I murmured my thanks and set a plate of fluffy rice smothered with broccoli and chicken in front of him.
I dragged one of the stools to the opposite side of the counter. “Um…we normally eat here or on the sofa. I hope this is okay.”
“This is nice…it’s cozy. I only get a home-cooked meal on the weekends when I see my mom, so thank you for letting me share dinner with you.” He took a bite of the stir-fry and closed his eyes.
I held my breath, wondering if he would find my cooking wanting.
Blue-green orbs looked at me in wonder. “Oh God! This is so good.” To my gratification, he ate another heaping forkful and made a noise of appreciation.
“See, told you,” said Marcus as he started shoveling food in his mouth.
“Marcus, slow down and chew your food,” I admonished, but there was a smile in my voice. It was not very feminist of me, but it gratified something in me that they enjoyed my cooking.
After Jake swallowed his bite, he said, “I don’t blame him. This is the best stir-fry I’ve eaten outside of Hong Kong. Where did you learn to cook like this?”
I reddened with pleasure at the compliment. “Thanks. I just like to experiment with ingredients.”
When I left for college, I only knew how to make scrambled eggs and toast. After I returned home, my mom was too wiped out from the chemo treatments to do much. That was when I took an interest in cooking. The hobby kept my mind distracted from my problems and it was a personal challenge for me to make something good enough to tempt her waning appetite.
Now that Marcus and I were on our own, I had to be creative with our limited food budget and the only way to make sure we ate healthy was to hunt down the best recipes.
“Cora makes the best lasagna too! It’s better than any I’ve eaten at restaurants. You should come over next time.”
“Marcus!” I almost choked on a piece of broccoli and took a big gulp of my water. Once I recovered, I said sternly, “Jake is really busy and he was nice enough to hang out with us today. We can’t impose on his time.”
Looking suitably chastened but sulky, Marcus muttered, “Sorry.”
“Actually, you tell me when Cora’s making her delicious lasagna and I’ll be here.”
This time I did choke and I had to muffle my coughing with my napkin. Jake reached over the counter and thumped gently on my back. He held out my water and I took a few sips to wet my throat. His hand stroked up and down my spine, sending tendrils of heat through my body. “Sorry. Thanks. I’m okay now.”
Even when he sat back down, I kept my eyes fixed on my plate, too embarrassed to look directly at him. After Jake left, I needed to have a serious talk with my brother about his manners around guests. He had basically cornered Jake into accepting the invitation.
“So Jake, if I promise not to get into any more fights, would you still let me test robots at Robotrex?”
I felt Jake’s gaze on me. “That’s up to your sister.”
“Please, Cora? May I? Please?” Marcus’s voice was borderline whining.
My eyes darted to Jake to gauge whether his offer was serious and he inclined his head.
I looked at my little brother’s narrow face with his puppy eyes and sighed. Nobody had the willpower to resist that expression, but I had learned some sneaky tricks from my boss today. “Well…I will allow it on one condition.”
He was nodding his head before I finished speaking. “What? Clean my room? Take out the garbage? Do the laundry? I’ll do it all!”
I almost ruined my strategy by bursting into laughter. And the knowing gleam in Jake’s eyes didn’t help. “No. I’ll allow you to go if you agree to tell Ms. Woodsen what happened today.”
He sat still for a few seconds. The lure of the robots was too irresistible and he finally nodded in agreement. “Alright.”
I brought up my napkin to wipe off my victorious smile. “That’s good. We’ll call her tomorrow.” I felt the muscles in my shoulders loosen. He might still remain suspended, but at least I knew he wouldn’t get into another fight.
The rest of dinner was filled with Marcus’s excited chatter about his plans for visiting Robotrex. My brother was not normally the most communicative person and it was a new experience to see him talking a mile a minute.
After dinner, Jake insisted he and Marcus would do the dishes and I goggled at him. Did CEOs know how to wash dishes?
I unwittingly spoke my thoughts out loud because Jake reared back in mock offense. “My mom would consider it a personal affront if her sons did not know how to do dishes! Troy and I even know how to sew buttons.”
A giggle escaped me and he seemed inordinately pleased at the sound. He rolled up his sleeves further. “Go sit down and relax. Marcus and I will have these done in no time.”
Although he was never one to volunteer for housework, Marcus nodded enthusiastically.
“Fine, I’ll go read.” I sat on the sofa and picked up the suspense novel I borrowed from the library, but I couldn’t concentrate. My eyes kept returning to the two figures at the sink. Their voices were too low for me to hear, but I could tell Marcus enjoyed spending time with Jake.
I frowned and my gut clenched with apprehension. I didn’t want Marcus to get too attached to Jake. He was being polite today, but chances were, Marcus would never see him again except in passing.
You better not get too attached yourself, Cora.
My mind wandered aimlessly. This day had been full of revelations about my boss and my head was spinning. I had a hard time reconciling the merciless business juggernaut with the man in my kitchen washing dishes with a twelve-year-old. Over the last several weeks, Jake had earned my respect manifold on the professional level, but I was completely thrown by his willingness to get involved in my messy life.
My earlier conversation with Troy crept to the forefront of my mind. Did Jake see me someone who needed saving? Like Sophia?
The thought was utterly repellent to me.
Jake’s voice pulled me out of my trance. “I’m afraid I have to head out. It was really nice to meet you Marcus. I’ll get your email from Cora and have the head engineer at Robotrex contact you in a few days to set up a tour.”
“Cool! Thanks for everything, Jake.”
Thank God for Mom’s etiquette lessons.
I stood and handed Jake his jacket. My fingers brushed against his warm skin and I jerked my hand back. “I’ll walk you out.” A foolish part of me was sad to have the evening come to an end. The day had been horrible, but dinner had been…nice.
I opened the door and frowned at the dark stairwell. “Watch your step. The lights are broken.” I was already dreading the phone call to the super tomorrow.
I thought I heard Jake made a snarling sound under his breath, but I couldn’t see his face clearly. We cautiously walked down the stairs.
At the bottom, I reached for the latch on the door and then pulled my hand back. I glanced up at him and said fervently, “Thanks for everything today, Jake. For giving me a ride, for helping me with Marcus, for…” I gestured aimlessly, “well…for everything.”
“There’s no need to thank me. It was my pleasure.” The dim street lighting cast his upper face in deep shadows and I couldn’t make out his expression. He lifted his hand and touched his fingers to my left cheek and I felt branded by his heat. He stroked my cheekbone lightly and trailed his fingers to my sensitive ear.
I couldn’t contain my shiver and a small smile lifted his mouth.
He lowered his head until we were sharing our breaths. My blood roared in my ears as his eyes dropped to my mouth.
What the hell are you doing, Cora? Pull away!
But I couldn’t move. My limbs felt heavy and lethargic and I had to lean against the wall. His cheeks and chin were darkened by stubble. Instead of looking disreputable, he looked sexily scruffy. My eyes locked on his hard mouth. Only it didn’t look hard right now. It looked soft and inviting.
I didn’t know who closed the gap, but the moment our lips touched, I felt an electric shock run through me. White-hot desire flared, destroying very drop of common sense. Rationale wiped out. Sanity obliterated.
His lips were soft and unyielding at the same time. My eyes fluttered closed and I opened my mouth to taste him. Our tongues tangled and I moaned softly as my taste buds shuddered in delight. No man could be this delicious. I sucked on him as he invaded my mouth and I realized this one man– Jake Weston– could and did taste like ambrosia.
His fingers clasped the back of my neck to angle my head for deeper contact and I wrapped my arms around his broad back. His muscles bunched under my palms as he pressed his body against me. My shoulder blades jammed painfully against the wall, but I pulled him even closer, reveling in the contrast of our bodies. My softness against his unforgiving hardness. His masculinity against my femininity.
Involuntarily, my thighs opened and he pushed his pelvis into the space, letting me feel his thick arousal. Unbearably turned on, I rubbed my soft belly against his hard-on and keened when he bent his knees and thrust against me, hitting me right where I needed him most. My cry was smothered by his mouth. My sex pulsed in need, feeling empty and achy. And only Jake could assuage that ache.
My lungs were starved for air, but breathing didn’t seem as important as licking the space behind his even teeth. Or as important as his tongue seeking the deep recesses of my mouth. Our raspy breathing and muffled moans heated the air around us.
