“Sure you are, Jack.” Ruthie snapped her gum and headed off for the kitchen.
The door at the top of the stairs banged open and Jack looked up to see Missy strutting down the stairs in a sexy black dress. Then he realized Eden was following her. Or at least, he thought it was Eden, but he wasn’t all that sure.
“Hi, Jack. Well, don’t you look spiffy!” Missy came to his side, and it was then that Jack got a good view of Eden wobbling down the stairs in a pair of high heels. Her heel caught on the bottom step and she stumbled forward. Jack caught her and kept her from hitting the ground.
“What in heaven’s name do you think you’re doing in those?” he asked. “Now go take them off before you break your damned neck.”
Eden looked up and pushed the hair back from her face. That was when Jack noticed the slinky white dress that clung to her every curve, and the plunging neckline that showed more cleavage than was morally decent. Snuggled between her breasts was the heart-shaped locket, now on a gold chain.
“Eden. You look – you look . . .” He didn’t know how to finish the sentence. She looked sexier than all hell. And if it was at all possible, it was getting him more aroused than seeing her naked. “You’re –”
“Beautiful!” Missy finished the sentence for him.
Jack stood there dumbfounded, just nodding his head.
Eden looked him over just like he was doing to her.
“You look as if you’re going somewhere,” answered Eden calmly.
“Are you coming with us to The Ruby?” asked Missy with hope tingeing her words.
Eden’s eyes widened. “Are you?”
“Well, I couldn’t let you go alone, could I?” said Jack. “After all, you don’t really know anybody. Not to mention, you’d probably break your damned neck in those heels if you didn’t have someone to hold on to.”
If he wasn’t mistaken, Eden looked relieved. He helped to steady her, and she slowly removed her hands from his arm.
“What’s that?” she asked, looking at Jack’s hand.
Jack couldn’t take his eyes off of her. She was breathtaking dressed like this. He never would have guessed under all that circus attire was such a beautiful woman. He held out the flower. “It’s for you,” he said. “I thought you might like it.”
Missy giggled and excused herself and headed over to flirt with Nathan by the register. Eden glanced down to Jack’s hand with a strange expression on her face. He still had his eyes glued to her, not able to look away.
“Thank you, I think. But what is it?” she asked.
“It’s a flower.” Jack looked down and realized that when he’d caught Eden from falling, he’d still had the flower in his hand. To his horror, its petals were broken and the baby’s breath lay at odd angles, sticking out in all directions.
“Oh, Eden. I’m sorry. It was supposed to be a corsage for you to wear.”
“I don’t mind that it’s broken. I’d still like to wear it, Jack. Will you pin it on me?”
He hesitated. There was no way he could pin it on her without his hands brushing up against her breasts, or putting his fingers down her cleavage. And that cleavage just kept calling to him like a siren luring him to his death.
“Let’s just forget about the flower and go on over to The Ruby.” Jack tossed the flower on the counter and it landed next to Nathan’s hand.
“Don’t stay out too late now, you two.” Nathan smiled at Jack and Eden, then looked over to Missy and winked.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” Missy asked Nathan.
“Naw.” Nathan looked over at Jack. “Someone’s got to hold down the fort.”
“Then come on, you two,” Missy said to Jack and Eden. “We’re going to have lots of fun.”
Jack held out his arm for Eden, and she slipped her fingers gently around it.
“Shall we?” he asked.
She licked her lips and took a deep breath. Both of her actions were alluring, although she probably had no idea what she was doing to him. Missy had said they’d have fun tonight, but Jack sincerely doubted it. Not at Noble’s place at least. Being at The Ruby with Eden dressed like this was going to be anything but fun.
Chapter 15
Eden clung to Jack’s arm as they crossed the street and made their way through the crowd and into the doors of The Ruby. The grand opening was such a huge success that they had a long line of people waiting outside, hoping to enter as soon as someone exited.
Eden felt ridiculous in her new outfit, and now wished she had worn her native clothes. Then again, if she had, she’d have no reason to hang on to Jack’s arm. The heels gave her the excuse she needed to touch him, and she liked it.
“They’re with me,” Missy instructed the bouncer standing at the door. The man’s job was to keep too many people from entering at once and going against the fire code.
“Yes, Ms. Noble,” said the man. Missy giggled and explained to him that she wasn’t married to Martin.
Inside, the first thing Eden noticed was the grand piano and the man in a tux playing it. Music floated through the large restaurant, and waiters with their noses in the air hurried by carrying trays high above their heads.
“It sure is busy in here,” remarked Eden, watching in awe. She had never seen anything like this.
“Umph,” grumbled Jack.
“I’m going to go find Martin,” said Missy. “I’ve got a table by the window reserved for us. We’ll join you in a minute. Just follow Charles to the table.”
A host stepped forward and motioned them to follow.
“I didn’t know Noble would be joining us,” said Jack, looking very uncomfortable. “Hell, I don’t know why I even came.”
Eden knew why he’d come. It was because he didn’t want her going out by herself. If it weren’t for her, Jack would never have had to set foot in the place. In a way, she felt sorry she’d caused trouble for Jack once again. But still, she just had to make him see the good side of it all.
“Come on, Jack.” Eden pulled at his arm, but he refused to budge. “We can’t leave now or Missy would be hurt. She went to a lot of work to get me ready for tonight’s grand opening.”
Jack looked her over from head to toe. She felt a wash of heat course through her at his perusal. Part of her wanted to take her hair and cover her half-bare breasts from his gaze, but another part of her wanted him to look and have his fill. She was starting to have feelings for Jack after the kisses they’d shared. She didn’t quite understand it but, somehow, under all that gruff exterior, he made her feel different than any of the men had from back home. He looked at her like he wanted to eat her, when back home the men just looked at her because they wanted her to make them something to eat.
“Missy did a good job, Eden. You look beautiful,” Jack told her, sounding like he meant every word.
Her heart beat faster and she lowered her head, wishing for the security of her hat that she’d left in the room. Her legs became wobbly and, without even moving, her ankle turned and Jack had to grab her around the waist to keep her from falling.
She looked up into his eyes, and he looked down into hers. Their faces were so close that it would be easy for him to lean forward and kiss her. She wished he would. The tantalizing smell his spicy cologne added to her excitement. He looked so handsome, dressed to the hilt. He’d even had a haircut and his trimmed sideburns as well as his bushy brows looked perfect. His eyes were hypnotizing as they drank her in, making her want to run away before she ended up doing something she shouldn’t.
The host cleared his throat, reminding them that he was still standing there. Eden felt embarrassed all of a sudden, wondering if the man could read her thoughts.
“If you’ll follow me, please,” he said in a stiff but professional manner.
Jack turned her around and, together, they followed the host to what was probably the best table in the house. It was on the second floor of the restaurant and faced the street. Surrounding it were hanging plant
s, brass-trimmed railings, and gaudy art pieces on shelves as well as on the walls. Jack pulled out a chair and Eden sat down, letting him seat her. She felt awkward with the action, never having had anyone do this for her before.
“Eden,” said Jack as he seated himself next to her. “You seem like you’ve never had a man seat you before.”
“I haven’t. Things are different where I come from, Jack.”
“Why don’t you tell me about it? I’d really like to get to know you better.”
“I’d like that, too.”
The cocktail waitress came by with a tray of champagne. “Complimentary drinks tonight as well as the food, since you’re friends of Mr. Noble’s,” she said.
Eden saw Jack cringe at the mention of the word friend. When the waitress left, Eden continued.
“Where I come from, we don’t have a chair for the men to seat me. The women hunker down on the ground to eat, and the men usually sit on piles of earth.”
Jack had the glass to his mouth and stopped in mid-motion. “I had no idea. I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?” asked Eden. “There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s the Quechua way of life.”
“I’ve never been to Peru,” said Jack. “I didn’t think it was that much different from here.”
“Parts of it, like Lima, aren’t that much different,” explained Eden. “But I come from the outskirts of Cuzco. It is a rural area with mountains. The people there are much poorer than those who live in the city. My people live in one room adobe houses with thatched roofs.”
“No kidding? Wow, no wonder you seem so uncomfortable here. This is all foreign to you.”
Eden raised her glass and took a sip of the bubbly liquid. It tickled her nose and she sneezed.
“I suppose you’re not used to champagne either,” said Jack.
“We drink chicha, a beer made from fermented corn or trago, which is a cane liquor,” she told him. “It’s not quite like this.”
“I bet not.” Jack laughed, and Eden relaxed. It was good to see him smile. She loved hearing the deep timbre of his laugh. He’d seemed so preoccupied with his problems lately that she had wondered if he could ever be happy.
“I like to see you smile,” she said.
“It’s something I haven’t done in a long time,” admitted Jack. “When I’m with you, Eden – you make me happy.”
Her heartbeat sped up, hearing him say this. “You mean when I’m not making you angry,” she reminded him, and they both laughed.
“I’m sorry I didn’t take the time to get to know you right away.” Jack finished his champagne and put the glass down. He reached across the table and rested his hand atop hers. She felt the warmth and the comfort in his touch as well as the sincerity in his words. “It’s just that I was very angry with your father.”
“He’s gone now, Jack. So let it go,” she said in a soft voice.
Jack gave her hand a squeeze and looked deeply into her eyes.
“It’s not all that easy,” he explained. “I lent your father money. Lots of it, when it wasn’t mine to lend. I used your father as an opportunity to make The Golden Talon flourish. And when I found out your father had gambled away all the money, I was furious. He had no right to do that, Eden.”
Eden felt uneasy, since she didn’t like anyone speaking ill of her father. She loved him with all her heart, but she knew Jack was right. She slipped her hand out from under Jack’s and placed it on her lap. “My father would never do anything to hurt anyone. Not intentionally, anyway.”
“Oh, yeah?” asked Jack. “Then how come he never married your mother?”
Eden’s hand flew to her locket to reassure herself it was still there. That he was still there. Her father’s photo was in the locket along with one side that was blank. She wanted the comfort of her father at that moment, and her heart ached that he was gone.
“You don’t understand, Jack.”
“No, I don’t, but maybe you can explain it to me.”
Before she could say anything more, Martin Noble walked up with Missy on his arm. “Well, Talon, I see you couldn’t stay away after all. Have you come to check out the competition?”
“You’re no competition for me, Noble. I only came because Eden wanted to.”
“Eden?” Noble looked at Eden in surprise, as if he didn’t know her. “Is this that Indian girl you had visiting, Jack?”
Eden fumed at Noble’s use of the word Indian. It was an insult to her people to be referred to in that manner. Even if Noble didn’t know that, she couldn’t expect anything different of the rude man.
“She’s Quechua,” Jack corrected Noble. “A descendent of the Inca tribe. Right, Eden?”
Eden just smiled.
“Well, then I guess you’ve never seen restaurants and nightclubs before,” said Noble. “Maybe I can show you around Chicago while you’re here.”
Jack looked up sharply at that comment. “I’m going to do that, Noble, so don’t bother yourself with it. I’ve already made plans to show Eden everything she needs to see.”
“You are?” asked Eden, this being the first she’d heard of Jack’s plans. It was obvious he didn’t want Noble anywhere near her, and she liked that form of possessiveness. It surprised her to hear that Jack was going to take her anywhere. Maybe this tinge of jealousy would work to her advantage after all.
Noble seated Missy beside Jack and put himself right next to Eden.
“While I’m from a more rural part of the country,” Eden explained, “Peru does have restaurants and nightclubs, Mr. Noble. They’re called peñas. Berranco, a suburb of Lima, is known for its peñas.”
Missy giggled at the word, and covered her mouth. “Oh, Eden you are too funny.”
The rest of the evening went slowly, making Eden wish she could go back to Jack’s apartment. The Golden Talon was visible from where they sat, being right across the street. Eden saw Jack glancing out the window every couple of minutes. She knew what he was looking for. No one had entered Jack’s restaurant the entire time they’d been at The Ruby. Martin Noble was pulling the business away from Jack’s place. Customers were standing in line for The Ruby, but The Golden Talon was empty.
The dinner was too rich for Eden, and she couldn’t even recognize most of the foods. She tried to keep small talk going with Missy, interrupting every time Noble seemed to say something to belittle Jack.
Eden felt uncomfortable in her new attire, especially since Martin Noble kept his eyes down her cleavage most of the night. She’d taken her hair and covered up her bare skin, but Missy kept giving her dirty looks and telling her behind the menu that she should show off her womanly attributes. Jack was acting very bothered by all of this. He was much too quiet ever since Noble came to the table, and that made Eden even more nervous.
Right after dessert, Eden stifled a fake yawn and tried to excuse them, saying she was tired.
“I’ll hear none of that,” said Noble. “I want a dance with you, little lady, before you go.”
He got up and grabbed Eden’s arm. He pulled her to her feet and headed her out to the dance floor, which wasn’t far from their table. The orchestra had just finished warming up, and the violins hummed a slow tune. Martin pulled her close to his chest, holding her tightly against his body. She could smell his heavy cologne, and also the alcohol on his breath.
She looked over to Jack with a silent plea to save her. He seemed to want to come to her rescue, but Missy stopped him, taking him to the dance floor instead.
“So, isn’t The Ruby something else?” Noble chuckled.
“Something else,” repeated Eden.
“I’m going to put Talon out of business within the next month. Wait until his father comes home and sees what Jack’s done to his place. It’ll totally ruin the man. I can’t wait to see his face.”
“You mean you have nothing against Jack? Just his father?” asked Eden.
“Alastair Talon stole my bride,” said Noble. “Jack’s mother should have been
my wife, but he took her away from me. But Alastair will be sorry he ever married her and had Jack, right after he finds out his only son has ruined the family name.”
“Excuse me, Mr. Noble, but I have to be leaving now.” Eden pushed away from him, but he only held her closer.
“Not yet, Sweetie. I’m not done.”
“Yes, you are,” said Jack, stepping in. “Let Eden go, or you’ll be sorry.”
“You’re bluffing, Talon,” said Noble. “We both know you wouldn’t do anything to attract attention to yourself in such a classy place like this. Even you can’t really be that stupid.” Noble nuzzled his face against Eden’s neck, and she could feel his breath between her breasts.
Before Eden knew what was happening, Jack smashed his fist into Noble’s face and she was thrown from his arms. Noble stumbled backward into the orchestra. Missy screamed and ran over to him.
“Come on, Eden, we’re going home.” Jack pulled her along with him. Eden stumbled down the stairs in her heels and, losing his patience, Jack picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.
“I knew it was a bad idea to come here,” he growled as he pushed his way through the crowd at the entrance and made his way across the street.
“Put me down, Jack.” In this position, Eden felt like the whole neighborhood could see up her skirt and down her cleavage.
“I’m not putting you down as long as you’re wearing those damned shoes. You are going to break your neck. I don’t know what you thought you were proving by dressing this way. It’s not you, and we both know it.”
Eden noticed a flashing light from somewhere in the crowd, but didn’t think much of it. She was too busy trying to get the hair out of her face to see where Jack was taking her. He pushed his way through the door of his own restaurant and turned the sign to closed.
“Jack,” came Nathan’s voice from somewhere inside that Eden couldn’t see.
“Close up the restaurant and send everyone home,” ordered Jack.
“But it’s still early,” Nathan told him.
“Are there any customers in here?” asked Jack, making his way up the stairs with Eden still over his shoulder.
Bistro Bachelor: Working Man Series - Book 2 Page 11
