Jessie Slaymaker's Rules of Engagement (The Jessie Slaymaker Series Book 2)

by Iles, Jo

  ‘I know what you mean,’ Jack replied, grabbing her hand.

  ‘It’s beautiful here. And you’re beautiful here too, Jessie,’ Jack said, looking her squarely in the eye. She smiled back at him, those luscious lips of hers poised to say something. But she didn’t say anything. In fact, she seemed to think better of it, and simply squeezed his hand and returned her gaze to the incessant pounding of the waves that journeyed their way up the beach.

  Why couldn’t either of them say what had been hanging there midair between them? Those three little words.

  It was the perfect setting. The perfect timing. Jack couldn’t speak for Jessie, but he knew he wanted to tell her he loved her. Yet there was a nagging voice in the back of his mind, telling him not to. It’s too soon, the voice said. You’re not ready to say it, and she’s not ready to hear it, the annoying voice wittered on.

  When it was time to go home, they both looked sunnified and happy. It had been a glorious day. Full of fun, flirtation, loving kisses, and constant handholding. Jessie had described it as a honeymoon, and Jack couldn’t help thinking that if that’s what a honeymoon with Jessie felt like, then maybe he wanted to go on one for real.

  Chapter 13

  ‘What would you like to do today?’ Jack asked Jessie as she came out of the shower, a towel wrapped around her. They’d both been affected by jetlag and had woken early. Too early, considering they were supposed to be on holiday.

  ‘I wouldn’t mind another beach day. Unless of course you’d rather do something else?’ Jessie said, drying her hair with a smaller towel. ‘Yesterday was just so relaxing.’

  ‘No, I wouldn’t mind that at all. I don’t mean to sound like a pervert, but another day of watching you cavort around in next to no clothes would suit me just fine,’ he replied with an impish smile.

  ‘With comments like that, you have to admit you are a bit of a pervert,’ she said, throwing the towel at his head. ‘And I don’t “cavort around” anywhere,’ she added with mock offence, which she couldn’t keep from turning quickly into a smile.

  ‘I can think of a place where you definitely cavort around,’ Jack said, looking her up and down. He seemed to fixate on her towel, willing it to come loose and unravel around her.

  ‘Is it the kitchen?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘The living room?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘The bathroom.’

  ‘On occasion you have been known to cavort in the bathroom, but no, that wasn’t where I was thinking of specifically.’

  ‘The bedroom?’ she asked finally, edging slowly over to where he was still lying in bed.

  ‘Bingo. I think we can both safely say that you cavort around the bedroom,’ Jack said, licking his lips. He gently tugged at the hem of the towel that wrapped her torso and admired her as it finally did what he’d been willing it to do: fell to the floor.

  ‘I thought you wanted to go to the beach,’ Jessie protested.

  ‘Later,’ Jack growled as he pulled her into the bed with him and devoured Jessie’s smooth, freshly showered body.

  ***

  Jessie had enjoyed the past few days with Jack in Hong Kong immensely. The hike and beach day in Shek O had been exactly what she’d needed, and for the first time in a long time she’d felt truly relaxed and at ease. She’d felt so dreamy that she’d even described it as a honeymoon, a comment she’d regretted immediately after it left her lips. She didn’t want Jack to think that she was anxious to push things along between them in that direction. Because she wasn’t. She was perfectly content with how things were panning out. After a few initial wobbles, things seemed to be back on an even keel with Jack, and he was proving himself to be a perfect holiday partner.

  For their second day of beach fun, Jack had suggested they go to a different island altogether. He recommended they at least try and do something cultural by visiting the old fishing village of Tai O on Lantau Island before they soaked up some more sunshine at the beach. Jessie was more than happy to be led by him.

  After a forty-five minute winding bus ride from the train station, Jessie found herself transported back in time. She found herself face to face with ancient Hong Kongers cooking over wood fires and selling all manner of seafood out of little more than corrugated shacks. There were no cars here, just the hustle and bustle of a community going about its business in probably the same manner it had done for generations, including the occasional ring of a bicycle bell signalling for someone to get out of the way. The fishing village itself was built on elevated walkways, and the houses were on stilts to keep them dry from the changing tides.

  ‘What a contrast!’ Jessie exclaimed, gulping back the urge to gag on the ever-present and at times overpowering smell of shrimp paste. It was something of a local delicacy, according to Jack.

  ‘That’s Hong Kong for you,’ Jack explained. ‘There’s the bright lights, glitz and money of the city, and then there’s this bygone era of people living very cheaply, some through choice, but most because they have no choice.’

  ‘I had no idea,’ Jessie said as she smiled kindly at a man who looked to be over a hundred years old, judging by his weather-beaten face and lack of any visible teeth.

  ‘The income disparity is getting ever wider. The rich are getting richer, pushing up prices for everyone, and the net result is that the poor are worse off.’

  ‘That could be said about a lot of countries, but it’s so visible here. I guess because the territory is compact and you can see all walks of life in such a short space of time.’

  ‘Enough doom and gloom. How about some lunch?’ Jack said more brightly. ‘I know a great place at one of the beaches down the road.’

  ‘That sounds nice. But I think we should have something here,’ Jessie said. She warily eyed a fish tank outside a restaurant that had lunch swimming about in it. Although the fishing village had become a tourist hotspot, Jessie felt compelled to put some of her own money into the community, after what Jack had told her.

  ‘Alright. There’s a good oyster place around here somewhere,’ Jack suggested.

  ‘Sounds good to me,’ Jessie replied, feeling slightly relieved she wouldn’t have to select and kill a fish for her lunch. Oysters she could definitely do.

  After a lunch of some of the freshest seafood and shellfish Jessie had ever tasted, they got back on a bus and spent the afternoon at another glorious white sandy beach—this one was practically empty—not far from the fishing village of Tai O. As she lay sunbathing, soothed by the rhythm of the waves, Jessie felt humbled. She had so much, and complicated her life with needless worries that the people in Tai O would probably have laughed at. She suddenly felt guilty and ashamed for having felt downbeat about the size of her serviced apartment and the fact it didn’t have a view. She knew that in the grand scheme of things that she was extraordinarily lucky, but she hadn’t really thought about just how extremely lucky she was to be in the position she was in. She had a good education, a good job, savings, and a few investments to fall back on. Really, she had no right to complain at her lot in life. Especially not about the square footage of her living space or the fact that she couldn’t see the sea from her window.

  ‘You’re quiet,’ Jack observed as they lay side by side under a shady tree. The sun was beginning to set behind a nearby mountain and the light was gradually growing dimmer. ‘Everything alright?’

  ‘Oh yes,’ Jessie said as she stretched out like a sleepy cat. ‘I’m just counting my blessings and thinking how lucky I am to come from where I do, and have money and a job. And you,’ she added, smiling at him. ‘I know I’m lucky to have you.’

  ‘Yes you are.’ Jack beamed.

  ‘You’re so modest,’ Jessie retorted sarcastically. ‘This is the bit where you’re supposed to say something nice to me, you know.’

  ‘Oh in that case, then I suppose I’m a lucky guy too,’ he replied with a sigh.

  ‘Just so long as you realise it, then we’ll have no problems,’ she said go
od-naturedly.

  There it was again. Another perfect moment when they could have just been open and honest and told each other how they really felt. But neither of them had felt brave enough to step up to the plate. It was ridiculous, Jessie thought to herself. They weren’t kids. They were grown adults in their thirties who should be emotionally mature enough to express themselves properly.

  ‘I do,’ Jack said as he shuffled closer and nuzzled her neck, whilst simultaneously playing with the string on her bikini bottoms.

  ‘Oh no you don’t,’ Jessie said, laying a hand on Jack’s bare chest. ‘We are not having sex on a public beach,’ she added more forcefully as she sat up and shook sand out of her hair.

  ‘But it’s getting dark,’ Jack protested childishly.

  ‘No way,’ Jessie snapped. ‘I do not want to end up in some British tabloid for getting arrested for gross indecency, thank you very much.’

  ‘Spoilsport,’ he said, smiling as he pulled her back towards him for a hug.

  ‘I really love it here,’ Jessie sighed in his arms, putting extra emphasis on the word love.

  ‘Me too,’ he said simply, clearly not catching her drift.

  Chapter 14

  Jessie’s free time disappeared within the blink of an eye. They tried to do something each day, whether it had been visiting markets, temples, or museums or trying out different beaches. Jessie had especially liked the beaches. She felt so relaxed out of the constant buzz and activity of the city. Plus, it was always a pleasure to see Jack strutting around in nothing but his swim shorts for most of the day.

  Although she didn’t want to think of it that way, they had reached Jessie’s final weekend of freedom. She had to work on Monday and be all properly behaved and intelligent again. The thought scared her after her relaxed fortnight of bliss with Jack, when she’d barely even read the front page of a newspaper, never mind reached the financial news. She felt totally out of the loop, and that was a daunting feeling as she mentally tried to prepare herself to get out of holiday mode and into work mode.

  Her growing anxiety wasn’t aided by the fact that they’d both drunk more wine than they should have at dinner. Jessie and headaches were not a match made in heaven. She’d woken up early on the Saturday morning, and feeling mildly panicked, had booted up her laptop and had set up camp on the sofa to try and do some last-minute cramming for Monday.

  ‘Come back to bed,’ came Jack’s voice from the doorway between the bedroom and the living room. Jessie looked up to see him holding a hand out towards her, wearing his irresistible trademarked scruffy hair and a sexy crooked smile. But that was about all that was usual about Jack’s appearance. ‘What are you doing anyway at this time of the morning?’ he added, nodding in the direction of her laptop.

  ‘Jesus,’ Jessie exclaimed as she looked at him with wide eyes. She couldn’t quite believe what she was looking at. She shot up off the sofa, then stopped, unable to get any closer. He still looked like sexy Jack, other than the fact that his naked torso was covered in huge, unsightly red spots.

  ‘What?’ Jack asked, seeing the alarm on Jessie’s face.

  ‘How long have you had those?’ Jessie asked, pointing at his arm, which was sporting the same spotty pattern as his chest. She didn’t dare step any closer, let alone touch him.

  ‘Holy fuck!’ Jack exclaimed as he looked down to where Jessie was pointing. He was momentarily stunned, frozen to the spot, before a horrified look settled on his face and he stumbled off to the bathroom to see the full extent of his malformity.

  ‘I told you I was sick,’ Jack said as he studied the rash on his chest closely. Jessie watched him from the doorway, still not that keen on getting too close.

  ‘When?’ Jessie asked blankly.

  ‘The other day,’ Jack replied as he studied his arm.

  ‘That was a hangover,’ Jessie pointed out, folding her arms across her chest. ‘And that was ages ago.’

  ‘Fuck. It’s everywhere,’ Jack said, twisting his torso to inspect his back in the mirror.

  ‘It looks like…’ Jessie began, then squinted at his back and looked more carefully. ‘But no, that’s not possible… surely,’ she added, taking a step closer.

  ‘What? What do you think it is? Is it meningitis? I need to find a glass,’ Jack rolled off in a single breath, an edge of panic in his voice, now the initial shock had subsided.

  ‘Well, to be honest, it looks a lot like chickenpox,’ she said with hesitation. ‘But you can’t have it twice. We’ll get a doctor round. Perhaps it’s shingles instead.’

  ‘Um… but what if I haven’t had it?’ Jack asked plainly.

  ‘Shingles?’ Jessie called as she went back to her laptop to look for health care providers.

  ‘No. Chickenpox,’ Jack said with little patience as he came back into the living room.

  ‘What do you mean?’ Jessie semi-laughed. ‘Everyone’s had chickenpox.’

  ‘I think I should call Mum.’

  In less than a minute, Jack had his own laptop open and had connected with his mother on Skype. Cicely Davenport was most unlike Jessie’s mother in that she was something of a technophile and knew how to work her phone and her computer as well as any self-respecting teenager. Jessie’s mum, by contrast, only carried a mobile phone on the premise that it was for an emergency, should she have one, and on that basis she never had the damn thing switched on. The thought that someone might want to talk her when she wasn’t in the middle of an emergency had never crossed her mind.

  ‘Jack, darling. Put some clothes on,’ came Cicely’s opening greeting as she clapped eyes on her nearly naked son, sat on the sofa wearing only his boxers. ‘I know I’m your mother and I’ve seen it all before, but honestly,’ she tutted.

  ‘Mum, this is important,’ Jack said, ignoring her request for decorum. ‘I’ve had chickenpox before, haven’t I?’

  ‘Hmm. Well, your brother caught it the first month he started at big school but no, you never got it for some reason. Heaven knows I tried to expose you to it, but it just never seemed to take to you. It must be down to your quirky immune system. You get that sort of thing from your father’s side, of course. Why? Have you got it?’

  ‘I think so,’ Jack said glumly.

  ‘Let me see,’ Cicely said, as Jack held his arm in front of the camera for her inspection. ‘Oh, you’d better see a doctor,’ she said at length.

  ‘Well thanks, Mum,’ Jack said. ‘I could have figured that much out for myself.’

  ‘Less of the attitude, if you please. You called me, remember?’

  ‘I’ll speak to you soon,’ Jack said more softly.

  ‘You take care, my darling,’ Cicely said, her tone gentle now after delivering her slight reprimand. ‘And do give my love to Jessie. Wish her luck for Monday, won’t you?’ she added.

  ‘She’ll be fine, I’m sure. She’s getting really excited about her first day, researching online all morning. I’m sure she’ll be running the place in no time at all. I’d better go and see that doctor, Mum. Love you.’ Jack ended the call.

  Throughout the entirety of Jack’s conversation with his mother, Jessie had been hovering around in the background awkwardly, not really knowing if she was invited in, nor if it was really appropriate for her to intrude on mother and son. Although she hadn’t participated, she had been listening. How would you know how I’m feeling? Jessie wanted to shout at Jack. It wasn’t like they’d done much talking about what she was anticipating on her impending first day of work in a more senior role in a new country. Their time together, as wonderful as it had been, had been focused on sightseeing and in the pursuit of pleasure.

  And with Jack making wildly exaggerated comments like she'll could be running the place, Jessie began to question if he even had any idea what it was she did for a living. She was a research economist within the bloody research department, for heck’s sake. There was absolutely no power whatsoever in that.

  Chapter 15

  Jack was feeling sorry
for himself. He’d been to the doctor’s, who had confirmed that Jessie and his mum had been right: he did have chickenpox. He’d also been told off by the doctor, as he was deemed highly contagious and should really have stayed at home. And now he was to be quarantined for the next few days, until the awful pox had worked its way through his system. He wasn’t a good patient at the best of times, but being told he shouldn’t leave the apartment made him feel like a prisoner. Again. Pretty much like the last time he’d been in Hong Kong, stuck with Sonia Shum. It did not bring back happy memories. This—coupled with an exquisitely annoying itch that he knew he shouldn’t be touching, let alone scratching—was driving him insane.

  For her part, Jessie was doing her best, but he knew he was being a grump, despite the wonderful time they’d been having until he’d been struck down with his lurgy. Jessie had spent the weekend coming and going, stocking the place up with groceries so he wouldn’t starve once she started work, and generally waiting on him hand and foot. Thankfully Jessie had already had chickenpox when she was young, so she could stay with him without risk of contagion. He didn’t know what he would have done without her.

  It was Sunday evening, and Jessie, after a day of running errands and non-stop activity on her part, had finally sat down to relax with him on the sofa and watch some television.

  ‘If we ever have children, they’re getting exposed to chickenpox as soon as it starts the rounds at school,’ Jessie said, putting her feet up. ‘As soon as there’s a whiff of the pox going round, I’ll be there with little Jack junior, begging for contamination,’ she laughed.

  ‘If we ever have children eh? I didn’t know you were planning that far ahead already,’ Jack teased, smiling at her. He was feeling a bit better that evening.

  ‘Steady on there, Davenport, it was only a figure of speech,’ Jessie said, her cheeks colouring slightly.

  ‘We’ve never really talked about children,’ Jack said, thinking aloud.