The girl who he’d just experienced one of the most powerful moments in his life with, stiffened as she pulled out of his hold and cleared her throat. “Yes. I just… I had a splinter.”
“Oh we keep a first-aid kit down there for that very reason,” the shorter woman on the left yelled about ten times louder than she needed to.
“I found it. We took care of it,” Zach said, already missing the feeling of holding her in his arms.
“Oh good.” The taller, thinner of the pair clapped her hands together. “Well, when you two are done playing seven minutes in heaven, you kids want to come on up out of there?”
The brown-eyed girl beside him was headed up the stairs before he could blink. As he followed behind her, he tried his best not to focus on the world-class ass that was sashaying at eye level as uptown girl made her way up the wooden steps. He’d been at full salute when they’d been interrupted by the Golden Girls, so he needed the solider in his sweats to stand down.
Stepping up into the bright, cheery kitchen, Zach was more than a little relieved that, in the short walk up, his body had heeded his command and surrendered. He closed the door to the basement behind him and felt a tug in his chest as he heard it latch into place. He couldn’t explain what had just happened down in that darkened space, but somehow he knew that, as long as he lived, he’d never experience that again.
“See, Margie, I told you that there would be at least one couple interested in this place,” the taller of the two women said excitedly. “My sister was so worried after the parade of highfalutin’ young’uns that came through here today. I told her you can’t discriminate just because of someone being single. But Sentimental Sally over here wanted to rent this place to a young couple like she and Frank were when they bought this home. Trying to relive her glory days, I tell ya.”
“Oh hush, Mabel,” the other woman said, waving her hand in dismissal. “No one is discriminating. And I have no intention of reliving any days, no matter how glorious. But you two do remind me of me and my Frank, God rest his soul. We were as opposite as oil and water, but somehow it just worked.”
He felt the brown-eyed beauty beside him tense even more. At the same time, the two of them turned their heads and looked at each other. Zach had to admit that they did look like a textbook example of opposites attracting. She looked like she belonged on Wall Street and he looked like he belonged in an alleyway brawl.
“So are you kids interested in renting?” the shorter woman asked.
“Yes,” both he and the other “kid” answered in unison.
The two older women looked between both of them for a moment before the taller one spoke, “Well, I’m Mabel and this is my sister Margie. And you are?”
“Jessie Sloan,” he heard the girl beside him say in a tone so strong that he didn’t even recognize it as the same girl he’d taken the splinter out of just minutes before.
“And I’m Zach Courtland. Mabel, Margie, it’s nice to meet you ladies.” Zach smiled as he reached out and shook both of the women’s hands in turn.
The two women’s faces lit up like the Christmas tree in Times Square, smiling from ear to ear. Margie blushed as she said, “Oh my, you are quite the charmer.”
Before Zach could respond, Mabel shook her head at her sister and redirected the conversation back to the “kids.” “You kids are quite an unlikely looking pair. How did you two meet?”
Zach felt Jessie’s slender fingers wrap around his bicep and squeeze. He looked down at her and found her large doe-eyes gazing up at him adoringly. She gave him a quick wink before turning to Margie and Mabel.
“Well, I was downtown rushing to get to a meeting. It was raining and I was wearing new heels. I slipped on the sidewalk and flailed, trying to catch my balance. I tumbled backwards, but instead of crashing to the hard cement, I found myself wrapped in these arms.”
“Aww,” Margie said, clutching her chest as she tilted her head.
“How romantic,” Mabel gushed.
Zach honestly could not believe how quickly that story had just flown out of her mouth. But it seemed to work like a charm. Margie and Mabel were eating it up.
“I know.” Jessie rested her head against his shoulder.
Zach didn’t know whether to be terrified at how easily Jessie had slipped into the role of his girlfriend or impressed. His instinct was to be impressed, but his head was trying to point out that anyone who could lie that quickly should throw up some red flags.
An alarm beeped and Mabel looked down at her watch. “Time for our shows,” she said loudly to Margie.
“All right, here are the applications.” Margie thrust two papers towards him and Jessie as Mabel began shooing them out the door. “If everything checks out, then the place is yours. You can move in as soon as you want.”
“I can leave a deposit,” Jessie said quickly as they stepped out the door. “Just so you know how serious we are about this place.”
“Pshhh.” Margie shook her head. “No need. Unless one of you is a convicted felon, it’s pretty much yours. See you kids soon.”
The door shut in their faces as they both stood on the brightly colored M&M’s doormat. Ahh. Realization dawned on Zach as he put two and two together that ‘M’ and ‘M’ were probably Margie and Mabel. They seemed just kooky enough to love having a nickname.
Jessie turned and threaded her fingers through his as she started down the stoop. He figured she was still putting on a show in case the M&M’s were still watching, which he would not put past them.
He felt Jessie’s body shiver against his, and he realized that she wasn’t wearing a coat.
“Do you have a coat?” he asked as he already began unzipping his sweatshirt.
“No. I left it at my office,” Jessie said in a clipped tone that held none of the warmth it’d had down in the basement or up in the kitchen.
They were moving quickly down the street, making the task of removing his hoodie more than a little difficult. As they turned the corner, she dropped his hand just as he got his other arm out of his sleeve. Once he had both hands free, he was able to take it off easily.
When he slipped it around her shoulders, she practically jumped away from him.
“They can’t see us anymore,” she snapped.
Zach wasn’t sure what had happened to the girl he’d first met, but this chick had serious issues. Still holding the hoodie out, he explained, “I’m not giving you my jacket to put on a show. It’s freezing outside, and I wasn’t raised to let a lady freeze while I’m wearing layers.”
He saw the internal battle that was waging behind her milk-chocolate eyes. “Fine,” she huffed as she stepped next to him and handed him the applications in order to slip her arms into the sleeves. “Thank you,” she said, seeming unsure of her appreciation.
“So, roomie. Do you want to go grab a cup of coffee and talk about our new living situation?” he asked, holding up the paperwork she’d just given him. He was still trying to wrap his brain around what had just happened back there, and a conversation was definitely in order. Not to mention the fact that the last thing he wanted to do was walk away from this girl.
Red flags or not.
Chapter Three
Coffee. That was a perfectly reasonable request. They needed to talk about what had just transpired.
So why was she shaking like a leaf at the very thought of spending more time with Zach. Jessie could tell herself that it was the cold, but that wasn’t the case. She’d barely noticed the drop in temperature when they’d practically been pushed out onto the porch by Mabel and Margie. And now that she was cocooned in the warmth of Zach’s hoodie, she didn’t even register the freezing temps.
Adrenaline raced through her. Her mind was swimming. The brownstone was hers. Hers and Zach’s.
Zach, who, since the moment he’d opened the basement door, had made her feel like she was walking through one of those funhouses at the carnival where the floor moved beneath her, causing her to be completely off-
balance.
Zach, who oozed sex appeal from every pore of his being, making it difficult for Jessie to think, much less speak.
Zach, who Jessie had been seconds away from tonguing down without even knowing his name when they had been interrupted by the M sisters.
Zach, whose green eyes were looking down at her right now, causing more feelings and emotions to well up inside of her than she’d ever felt even during her most serious relationship, which had lasted almost two years.
“Jessie?” His gravelly voice was filled with concern as he stared at her like he thought she might be a few seconds away from passing out.
“Coffee.” Jessie nodded in agreement. “Yes. That’s a good idea.”
Turning quickly to try to put some space between her and super-sexy guy, a.k.a. Zach, so she could process everything, she slipped on the icy sidewalk, and before she knew it, her feet were flying out from beneath her. In the split second that she tried to brace herself for hitting the cold, hard sidewalk, she felt strong arms wrap around her.
It took a moment for her brain to catch up with the fact that she wasn’t flat on her ass on the ground. When it did, the first thing that registered in her consciousness was the feel of Zach’s solid, muscular chest against her back. Looking down, she saw the large forearms that held her tight. Beneath the dark-gray thermal Zach was wearing, Jessie could see the outline of his rippling muscles, causing her heartbeat to pick up speed.
“Are you okay?” he asked against her ear, his warm breath traveling down the sensitive skin on her neck, as he rubbed his thumb up and down her ribs.
She nodded, knowing that she needed to extricate herself from this situation. It wasn’t just that it felt way too good to be in Zach’s arms. When she combined that with the sound of his deep voice and the fact that the soft caress of his large thumb was sending zipping and zinging tingles straight to her core, Jessie knew that she was in Houston-we-have-a-problem territory.
“Are you sure?” Zach asked. “You’re shaking.”
No kidding.
“I’m fine.” Jessie nodded, and she was happy to note that her voice was much stronger than she felt inwardly.
He released his arms, and she did a mental finger-cross that her legs would hold her. Luckily, they did. They were pretty shaky though, and Jessie would feel a lot better once she was safely seated with a hot cup of coffee in front of her.
“Thanks…again,” Jessie said as she began walking to the corner where she thought she’d seen a café. She assumed that Zach was following her but didn’t look back to make sure.
On the short walk, Jessie was beginning to compartmentalize the past hour. She needed to neatly file each event into its proper place so that she could mentally and emotionally sort through each thing at a time of her choosing. That was how Jessie operated. Things did not come in and run her life. She was proactive, not reactive.
When they reached the door to the Rise and Grind Coffee Shop, Zach suddenly appeared beside her and pushed it open, holding it while she walked through. It was a small gesture, but as she stepped through the doorway, she had to admit that she liked the feeling of safety Zach had once again inspired in her.
The quaint café was much more crowded than she’d anticipated. The line to the counter looked to be about six deep. There were several wrought-iron tables and chairs filling the tiny space. Jessie scanned the seating area and spotted the only empty table with two chairs on opposite sides of it.
Just as she was going to suggest that he go and grab the seat while she place the orders, he gently cupped her elbow. Jumping at his casual touch, she sliced her eyes up to his to see if he’d noticed.
A small grin was pulling at his lips as he smoothly said, “Why don’t you go sit down while I get our drinks.”
And just like that, she found herself nodding in agreement. She began weaving her way through the tables and chairs when she heard him call her name. Looking over her shoulder, she was struck with just how incredibly good-looking Zach was. Up close, he was almost too much to take in, all of his features just kind of melting into a fuzzy blur of hotness. But with even just a few feet between them, she was able to appreciate his lips, his eyes, his shoulders, his neck, the V of his waist, his—
“What do you want to drink?” Zach asked, his voice interrupting her visual scan of appreciation.
“Venti, iced chai tea latte with soy milk and sugar-free vanilla syrup,” Jessie rattled off. It was her usual order. Then she realized that she’d never had anyone actually get it right, except her assistant Martin, and that had taken months. So she lifted her hand and shook her head as she said, “Never mind. Just a water is fine.”
A strange expression crossed Zach’s perfectly chiseled face before he nodded and took his place in line.
Pulling out the chair, Jessie tried to ground herself in the moment. When things started feeling like they were spinning out of control, it was her go-to move to regain a sense of balance. She sat still, absorbing the ambiance in the café, listening to the hum of conversation that buzzed from the tables. Taking a deep, calming breath, she inhaled the smell of coffee and freshly baked breads that filled the air and took in the Mediterranean décor.
The walls were painted a muted shade of maroon, large tan tiles covered the floor, and there were several mosaic murals as well as ornate iron fixtures hanging from the walls. Two walls were windows from floor to ceiling, and green, leafy plants were scattered throughout, giving the area a summery, outdoor feel in the middle of a cold winter.
Okay, now that Jessie had centered herself using her surroundings as a grounding force, she could move on to forming a plan of what her next move should be. Setting her hands flat on the cold surface of the smooth tabletop, she sorted through all of the issues that, after this last hour, she was now faced with.
First up: Margie thought she and Zach were a couple and therefore was more than happy to rent it to them. Normally, Jessie did not start or perpetuate relationships, especially business relationships, based on lies. Obviously, today had not been a “normally” kind of day if one were basing the definition on her reaction to Zach.
So she had fibbed to her future landlord. It wasn’t the worst thing in the world.
In advertising, everything was about putting the right spin on a situation. Marketing was knowing your audience and catering to them. That was really all she had done in this situation. Margie wanted to rent to a couple, so Jessie had built on the assumption that both of the M sisters had made independently and without having any of the true facts.
Also, she couldn’t speak for Zach, but she knew that she would be an excellent tenant. She would pay her rent on time. She would hardly be there, so it wasn’t like she would put a lot of wear and tear on the place. And unlike the college-aged kids who had “paraded” through, Jessie never entertained. So in fact, by feeding into the delusion that she and Zach were a couple, she was really helping Margie by making sure that she had responsible tenants.
Decision made. No guilt over the tiny white lie. Jessie quickly filed that back in her mind under ‘resolved.’
Second issue: She had a roommate.
This one was not too big of a deal. Jessie had shared a room with her younger sister Becca from the time she was one year old until she’d left for college. Then in college, she had had several roommates. After graduation, she’d spent a year living on her own. Then she moved back to Harper’s Crossing with two of her three sisters. The brownstone was plenty big enough for two. It had two bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms, not to mention ample living space. And again, she worked long hours and planned on spending every other weekend going to see her family, so she wouldn’t be there that much.
Decision made. Having a roommate was not a problem. Jessie mentally filed that under ‘resolved.’
Third issue: Her unbelievably strong, totally uncharacteristic reaction to aforementioned roommate.
Jessie tried desperately to reason that one away. She hadn’t had sex in almo
st a year—maybe she was just horny. That didn’t fly though because she met men every day and never had she felt like that. Maybe it was a pheromone thing. If that was the case, with each interaction, her response should weaken as her body built up an immunity to the visceral reaction, to the potent hormone chemical Zach was putting off.
That had to be it. Nothing else made sense. Yes, he was incredibly good-looking, but she hadn’t even seen his face and her body had been exploding with fireworks like it was the Fourth of July. Okay, so if it was pheromones, they would lose their potency with time, and she could ignore them until then.
Decision made. She could totally handle her body’s reaction to Zach Courtland. Filed under ‘resolved.’
“Here you go.” Zach set down both a water and a clear cup filled with caramel-covered liquid and ice.
“What’s this?” Jessie asked as Zach sat across from her.
“Venti, iced chai tea latte with soy milk and sugar-free vanilla syrup,” Zach stated as he opened up his own bottle of water.
No. Way. He’d remembered her drink order? Jessie felt a flash of heat spread through her from head to toe as the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood up at attention.
Maybe she had shut the file on her body’s reaction to Zach prematurely.
* * *
Zach watched as Jessie’s eyes widened and her lips parted in shock.
Had she seriously thought he couldn’t handle getting one drink order right? Oh well. He was used to surprising people. He’d been athletic all of his life, so most people had categorized him as a dumb jock. He wasn’t. He’d scored 2040 on the SAT.
Deciding to ignore her reaction, Zach took a drink of water and asked, “So are you psychic or something?”
“What?” Jessie’s brow furrowed as if she had no idea what he was talking about.
“Your slip on the sidewalk.” Zach tilted his head towards the front door. “That didn’t remind you of the story you told the ladies of how we met?”
Actually Love - Jessie & Zach (The Crossroads Series) Page 3
