Spying a duffel bag poking out from under the bed, she got down on her knees and pulled it out. It contained Jack’s belongings, what he’d taken from the room she occupied. That is, what little he needed while living here. She unzipped the bag and looked inside. In Jack’s orderly fashion, several changes of clothes were folded neatly and stacked atop each other.
He had extra underwear, socks, a disposable razor, and a small bottle of the cologne he wore that drove her crazy. Fahrenheit, it was called. And she knew why. Whenever she smelled it on him, her temperature rose. Tucked beside the cologne was a ribbon, bundled up and secured with a rubber band. She recognized the bright green ribbon as the one she’d had in her hair the day she met Jack at her father’s funeral. He must have found it, and kept it.
She smiled, thinking Jack had wanted a remembrance of her, and that made her happy. Maybe he really did care about her after all. And maybe, he liked her more than he was letting on.
Dropping the ribbon back into the bag, she dug to the bottom, looking for the Bible. She was up to her elbow in his things when the door swung upon and Jack appeared in the doorway silhouetted against a very threatening, stormy sky. A flash of lightning split the sky behind him and thunder rumbled through the air.
Eden jumped to her feet, feeling her heart beating a mile a minute. She leaned casually against the bedpost hoping Jack hadn’t seen what she was doing.
“I’d ask you if you were digging for treasure,” said Jack, “but I know there’s nothing of value in my belongings.”
“Jack. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Obviously not.” He sounded so disappointed in her. His voice held so much hurt that she had gone behind his back, that it made her heart ache. “Going through my things?” he asked. “Why? If there’s something you need, you know all you have to do is ask. What is it you want? Money?”
“No.” She put her head down, wishing she could hide under the rim of her own big hat. Embarrassment and shame filled her. How could Jack ever trust her again? “It’s not what you think,” she told him. “I wasn’t trying to steal anything of yours. I was looking for something of mine.”
Jack closed the door and came toward her in the near darkness. He looked down at her, but she couldn’t meet his eyes. He then stooped down, picked up something, and took her hand and placed the object in it, closing her fingers around it.
“Here’s what you want, Eden. I had no right in keeping it. I don’t know why I did.”
She opened her hand to see her green hair ribbon. Not knowing what to say, she remained silent. Jack went to the other side of the room and threw some logs on the fire. By giving this back to her, it meant to her that he was releasing her. That was the last thing she wanted. She had to tell Jack the truth, but didn’t want him to know about that ticket.
She walked up behind him as he stooped down and fanned the logs. The glow of the fire lit up the room. He didn’t turn to look at her, and she could feel his hurt. Hunkering down next to him, she put her hand out, offering him the ribbon. “This isn’t what I was looking for.”
“Then what?” he asked, making no move to retrieve it. “What was it you wanted so badly that you couldn’t ask me for it? What was it that made you sneak up to my room and go through my personal belongings to steal it from me?”
“I’d never steal from you, Jack, and you know it.” She dropped the ribbon on the ground between them. “I only wanted –” She thought about keeping silent, but knew she couldn’t. Not if she ever wanted Jack to trust her again. “I only wanted my father’s Bible,” she blurted out before she could stop herself.
“The Bible?” he asked in confusion. “That’s why you sneaked into my room?”
She nodded as a flash of lightning split the sky outside the partially open draperies, and a crack of thunder shook the rafters.
“Looks like we’ll have to postpone our little walk on the beach.” He got to his feet, dropping the subject of the Bible altogether.
“I suppose so.” She didn’t know how to bring up the Bible again without seeming too anxious to get it back. She stood up and made her way over to the guitar in the corner. Picking it up, she plucked a few notes of her Andean folk music.
Jack whirled around in surprise. “You know how to play the guitar?”
“No, not really.” She set it back down. “I’ve learned a few songs on the churrango from my stepfather, but I don’t really know how to play any instrument properly.”
“Is a churrango like a guitar?” asked Jack.
“It’s more like a mandolin made out of an armadillo’s shell. But I’ve always liked playing the panpipe better.”
“I had no idea.” Jack sat down on the bed and kicked off his boots. “Maybe we should have some Peruvian music in the bistro as well.”
“That’s a great idea,” agreed Eden. “I think the customers would really like it.”
There was silence for a moment as they just stared at each other. The firelight flickered, illuminating his face, making him look sexy in his denim shirt and tight jeans. He was staring at her again like he wanted to eat her. That Big Bad Wolf was back, and she welcomed him.
“Come closer,” he said in low voice. “I want to look at you better.”
She took a step forward and he reached out and held her hands.
“You know, I asked Tisha’s kids about that fairy tale you were talking about,” she said.
“What fairy tale?” His eyes were locked on her lips.
“The one with the Big Bad Wolf in it,” she said, her eyes falling to his mouth as she spoke.
“Oh. That one.” He cocked a half-smile. “Well, I guess I should call in the woodsman to kill him.”
“Don’t do that,” she said, her voice sounding huskier than she’d intended. “I rather like that Big Bad Wolf.”
“Really.” She looked up to see him raising a brow in amusement. “Are you telling me you’d like to visit him again?”
She laughed. “Well, I’m not here hoping to visit my grandmother.”
Jack reached up and removed the cap from her head. He tossed it on the bed, and then pulled her closer, positioning her in between his legs. He reached up and took the tie from her hair next, letting her long locks fall loose around her shoulders.
“I like your hair loose, Eden. It’s so long and beautiful.”
She liked it that way, too, only because it made her feel sexy.
He pulled her atop his lap, and she wrapped her hands around his neck. Thunder boomed outside, and rain pelted against the window.
“I’ve got the night free,” he told her. “I took it off to go to the beach with you, but now it doesn’t look like we’re going to make it.”
“I guess we’ll just have to find something else to do,” she suggested.
“Like what?” he asked, gently placing a kiss on her collarbone. The touch of his lips on her skin made her tingle. It felt so good to have him kiss her again. She reveled in the warmth and vibrancy of his touch.
“Oh, I don’t know,” she said playfully. “Maybe you could tell me some more fairy tales.”
He unbuttoned her shirt one button at a time. She had changed out of her Mickey Mouse t-shirt earlier, and now was glad she did. She liked what Jack was doing.
“Fairy tales,” he repeated, running his hands inside her shirt and around her waist. “Let me see. There’s only one I can think of at the moment that I’d be qualified to tell.” He removed his hands from her shirt, a disappointing gesture to Eden.
“Which fairy tale is that?” she asked curiously.
He took her hand in his and kissed her fingers one by one. “The one I’m thinking of is Jack and the Beanstalk.”
“Really? I don’t know that one, but we’ve already got the Jack part, now we just need the beanstalk.”
“We’ve got the beanstalk, too, Honey, I assure you. Let me show you.” He lay back on the bed, pulling her along with him. Rolling onto his side, he placed her hand against his male hardness to
prove his point.
“I guess we do,” she answered with a nervous giggle. She quickly released the snap on his jeans and slowly undid his zipper. Jack seemed to grow beneath her touch. “Can I climb that beanstalk?” she asked, feeling naughty, but loving it.
“I don’t know,” he told her. “It’s dangerous climbing beanstalks. You never know what you’ll find at the top.”
“I’m willing to take the risk,” she said, rubbing her hand over his length.
Jack took a sharp intake of breath and rolled on top of her. “Are you sure? I still feel bad about the last time.”
“Why?” she asked. “I don’t. And, yes, I’m surer than I’ve ever been. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this ever since the last time, Jack. I want you, and I can only hope you want me, too.”
“I do, Eden. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted any woman.” He got off the bed and took off his shirt and then his jeans. He caught her watching him as he removed his briefs, and she looked away quickly.
“It’s all right, Eden. You have the right to look. That’s what it’s all about.”
“Well, you have the right to look, too, Jack.” She got off the bed and undressed herself, watching out of the corners of her eyes as he lounged on his side, drinking in every one of her moves. She stood before him in her leopard-skin bra and panties, feeling sexy . . . and lusty. “Thank you for the bra and panties,” she said. “I like them.”
“So do I,” he answered. “I was hoping I’d get to see you in them.”
“Not for long,” she answered and slipped out of them and stood in front of him naked.
Jack pulled back the covers in invitation. She snuggled into his arms, loving the feel of his lips on her breasts.
“I’m relaxed this time,” she told him. “I’m not a scared virgin anymore. This time, I’m going to enjoy it.”
“This time, I’m going to make sure you do,” he answered, pulling her down on the bed, and straddling himself over her, trailing kisses down her neck, around her breasts, and all the way to her navel.
His hot tongue was so tantalizing that he was driving her mad. She kissed his shoulder and playfully nipped at his arm. He buried his head between her breasts, rolling to one side with her and then back again. They kissed and caressed each other, their actions causing a stirring in her core, making her want more. Eden was alive, vibrating, and very much aware of her sexuality. She wrapped one leg around Jack’s thigh and he gripped it, pulling it up higher to rest around his hip.
“I just need to ready you a little better this time,” he explained. He reached down between them and ran his fingers through her curly hair. She opened for him willingly this time, and his fingers found a new place to explore. She moaned and stirred and brought both knees up around him. He slipped in and out easily, helped along by her liquid passion. Eden tried to catch her breath as she felt herself climbing higher with every one of Jack’s strokes. She was experiencing something special and she hoped it would never end.
“Are you ready to climb that beanstalk yet?” he whispered into her ear.
She couldn’t catch her breath enough to even answer. The room felt so hot that she was sure if he kissed her again her skin would sizzle. He lay down next to her and pulled her atop him as he reached over the bed and pulled out something from his jeans on the floor.
“What are you doing?” she asked desperately. She had to have him. Her body was pulsating and she needed to feel him in her now.
“I forgot something.”
“What?” she asked, curiously.
“It’s a form of protection,” he explained, and Eden knew exactly what he was doing.
When he was sheathed, she pushed him down on the bed, straddling him with her legs. She rubbed herself against his strong desire and felt him responding beneath her.
“I’m ready to climb that beanstalk now.” Lowering herself over him, she climbed to the top of the world. Not even being atop Machu Picchu had made her feel this high. She found a part of her womanhood she’d never known existed. This time, in making love with Jack, she’d found true pleasure with a man she loved. Jack moved in rhythm with her, calling out her name in ecstasy when he climaxed. That told Eden that her euphoric ascent wasn’t solo.
Chapter 19
Eden awoke in Jack’s arms to the sound of thunder. Or at least she thought it was thunder until she realized someone was banging on the door. Lifting her head, her long hair entwined the two of them. They’d slept in each other’s arms, made love several times and, each time, Jack had used protection. Protection wasn’t used much by her people, and she felt uncomfortable that Jack wanted to use it, but she hadn’t stopped him.
The banging continued and, this time, Eden could hear Alfredo’s voice on the other side of the door.
“Señor Jack. Come quick! Señor Jack, are you in there?”
Jack grumbled with his eyes still closed and rolled from his back to his side, wrapping his arms around Eden.
“Aren’t you going to answer the door?” Eden whispered in his ear, letting her tongue tease his lobe.
“You keep that up and we’ll never get out of this bed today.”
Eden liked the sound of that but hearing the urgency in Alfredo’s voice, she knew they couldn’t ignore him.
“Señor Jack! Señor Jack!” Alfredo continued his pounding.
“Do something,” Eden said, half-sitting in the bed. Jack still had his eyes closed as if it didn’t bother him.
“Go away!” Jack shouted to Alfredo. “I’m sleeping!”
“That wasn’t nice,” Eden scolded him.
“Well, he’s not nice either the way he woke me up from such a wonderful dream.” Jack leaned over and kissed Eden.
“It’s an emergency!” Alfredo shouted. “We need you in the kitchen at once.”
“Can’t it wait?” asked Jack. “I wasn’t planning on showing my face at least until noon.”
“It’s Tisha!” cried Alfredo. “I think she’s having her baby.”
“Tisha? Baby! What the hell –” Jack sprang from the bed and pulled on his pants. Eden pushed back the blankets and climbed out of bed, bending over to pick up her bra and panties.
“Egads, woman!” Jack spoke in a low voice. “Don’t bend over like that in front of me because it’s only going to distract me.”
Eden smiled. “We better hurry, Jack,” she said, pulling on her clothes.
Alfredo pounded and started to shout again.
“I’ll go down first,” said Jack. “You come later.”
Eden was hurt that he didn’t want anyone to know they’d spent the night together, but she didn’t waste time arguing. “Hurry, then.” She pushed him to the door. “Tisha might need me.”
With his hand on the doorknob, Jack hesitated only for a second to look back at her with eyes that said so much, yet he didn’t speak a word. In the next instant, he was gone.
* * *
When Eden got to the kitchen a few minutes later, Jack had his arm around Tisha, helping her out the door. Tisha breathed heavily and held her hand on her belly. Her kids ran around them in circles, playing tag. Jack accidentally stepped on the cat’s tail, sending it running for cover.
“I’m taking her to the hospital,” Jack told Eden and headed with Tisha for the garage. Ruthie ran out ahead of them, trying to get the kids out of the way. Alfredo was talking anxiously in Spanish to Jack, although Eden knew Jack couldn’t understand much of what he said.
“Stop your babbling,” he told Alfredo. “Help me get her to the car.”
“He says she’s in labor because she had to carry all her belongings from the bus stop,” Eden translated for him.
“She did what?” Jack looked over at Tisha with a perplexed expression on his face. “Why in heaven’s name would you do a thing like that?”
“I had to,” said Tisha, gritting her teeth when she had another contraction.
“Will someone tell me what the hell is going on around here?” asked
Jack.
“Watch that language around the kids,” Ruthie warned him as she tried to stop Randal from hitting Patsy over the head with a loaf of bread. The baby sat in the middle of the flower bed crying.
“I’m trying to tell you,” said Alfredo, and then finished the rest of his sentence in Spanish.
“I can’t believe this,” Jack mumbled to Eden. “All I wanted to do today was to stay in bed.”
Eden smiled when she heard him say that, then looked at Tisha, feeling her pain. “Did they really throw you and the kids out of your apartment?” she asked Tisha.
“Yes. First thing this morning,” Tisha said as Jack opened the garage door and helped her inside.
“How did you know that’s what happened?” Jack asked Eden.
“Alfredo just told us,” Eden answered. “You should have been listening.”
“I was,” grumbled Jack. “A lot of good it did.”
“Where are you going to stay now?” Eden helped Tisha into the front seat of the convertible and Jack ran around to the driver’s side door.
“We can small talk later,” complained Jack. “I’ve got to get her to the hospital before she births this baby in my car.”
Eden hurriedly got into the back seat.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Jack looked at her using the rearview mirror.
“I’m coming to the hospital with you.”
“Who’s going to watch the kids?”
Eden saw Ruthie struggling across the yard with the youngsters as Jack pulled out. “You go on,” Ruthie yelled. “I’ll take care of them.”
“Put them in front of the television,” Jack called as they drove away in a cloud of dust. “That always works.”
Bistro Bachelor: Working Man Series - Book 2 Page 16
