Burned

by Gabrielle Gibson

  Jessie sat down on the couch across from Jack, Kennedy in her lap. She smoothed her hair and kissed her cheek.

  Jack watched the scene unfold from his place on Chris’s couch, a knot of regret in his stomach. Kennedy had incessantly asked for Jessie the first week after they got back from Vegas and only slightly less each week since.

  “Miss Gwen’s been babysitting me almost every night. Daddy works late every day now,” Kennedy sniffled. “Miss Gwen is nice, but it’s better when you and Daddy are home.”

  Jessie didn’t know what to say. She knew Jack wasn’t working late. She knew what cases he was working on and she had seen him leave the office at his regular time every night. More likely he was going out, drinking and no doubt hooking up with random women. Back to his routine.

  He must be so glad to have his old life back.

  Zoey had found out from Chris that Jack had been on an impressive pussy binge since they got back from Vegas, nailing every hot girl he could get his hands on. Thinking about it made her stomach hurt and her face burn with humiliation.

  God, how boring that night he’d spent with her must have seemed to him.

  What the hell had she been thinking? No way could she compete with the kind of action he was accustomed to getting.

  “Well, maybe I can come over one day this week. We’ll see what Daddy says, okay?”

  She missed Kennedy, but she certainly had no intention of spending every night and weekend at Jack’s house like she’d been doing the past several months. It was time to move on with her life. Now that the disaster in Vegas had made it clear there was nothing between them.

  Kennedy nodded happily. Jessie looked up to find Jack watching them.

  “Hi,” Jessie smiled shyly.

  “Hi,” Jack smiled back, keeping his eyes on her face.

  He had noticed how amazing her ass looked in the tight jeans she was wearing when she walked in. His eyes had automatically swept over her, but he wouldn’t let her see him looking at her that way. He had promised her they would pretend like nothing had happened. The last thing he wanted to do was make her feel uncomfortable.

  “Daddy! Can Jessie come over this week to see us?” Kennedy ran over and climbed up in his lap.

  “Sure she can.” He smiled at his pretty little daughter and patted her back.

  His eyes rested on Jessie’s and he tried to ignore the way his heart rate jumped at the thought of spending time with her again.

  “I could babysit one night… you know, instead of Gwen?” Jessie suggested tentatively.

  “I’m planning to be home this week, so I won’t need a babysitter. Why don’t you just come over and have dinner with us? You know… like before.”

  “You just want me to cook.” Jessie stated, amusement lighting up her pretty blue eyes.

  “Well, I could pick something up. Or we could order in.” Jack smiled. “I mean, unless you felt like cooking. Gwen’s been leaving me a plate and she’s a decent cook. But not a great cook, like you.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Jessie laughed. “Flattery and all that.”

  “Jessie, Uncle Chris made me a fort in the backyard. Come see it!” Kennedy pulled at her hand and she followed.

  Jack watched her leave the room, his eyes all over the back of her. He flashed back to those legs wrapped around him as he pushed himself inside of her, remembered the feel of her silky skin under his lips and fingers, the way she had whispered his name as he kissed and touched and tasted every inch of her.

  He shook his head to clear the memory away.

  Chris was watching him.

  “Dude. What’s up?” Chris asked with a slightly reproachful tone.

  “With what?” Jack responded, glancing at the baseball game on the television.

  “You were just looking at Jessie like you’re starving and she’s your next fucking meal.”

  Jack laughed and shook his head. “Nah. You must be imagining shit. Trust me, I’ve learned my lesson where she’s concerned. I’ve got a strict hands-off policy.”

  “How are you planning to keep yourself in check?”

  “Redirecting, dude. Wearing myself out nailing as many other chicks as I can.”

  “How’s that working out for you?” Chris smirked.

  Jack shrugged. “Pretty good, I guess. I’m not going to fuck with her again, so get off my fucking back.”

  “Just don’t want to see her get hurt again,” Chris said. “You’re not known for your sensitivity. Just trying to help.”

  “You know I felt like shit when I hurt her, dude. I’m not going to do it to her again, alright? Just want things to go back to the way they were before I fucked everything to hell. Besides, Kennedy misses her like crazy.”

  “Yeah, well it was all that time you two spent together before that led up to what happened in Vegas. I know Kennedy loves her, but what’s the point of letting her stay attached? Eventually Jessie’s going to move on. You know someone else is going to snatch her up, dude. Maybe you should just rip off the band aid now. It’ll hurt, but it’ll heal faster in the long run.”

  Jack paused before answering. “There’s no reason Jessie and I can’t be friends. One night of bad decisions doesn’t need to completely fuck that up. We can put it behind us.”

  Chris nodded weakly. “If you say so.”

  Chapter Twenty

  JESSIE TOOK A SMALL SIP of her champagne and watched the way the moonlight spilled over the water of the Bay, trying not to look around to see where Jack was.

  Zoey’s parents were giving her an engagement party at their waterfront estate. It was small, by her parents’ standards. There were only a hundred guests invited. Just their families and closest friends. Zoey had refused to turn her wedding into a circus show for all her father’s political contacts.

  She was so irritated with herself for still caring at all about Jack. What was wrong with her? The way that he had treated her in Vegas should have been enough to quiet that stupid thump in her heart every time she looked at him.

  “Hey, you.”

  A familiar voice behind her made her turn.

  He smiled at her, his handsome face strangely comforting.

  She smiled back and took a step toward him. He pulled her in for a tight hug.

  “Scott… it’s so good to see you.” Jessie pressed her face into his neck and inhaled the scent of his cologne. So comforting and soothing.

  He pulled away and held her out to look at her.

  “Wow, Jessie… you’re beautiful. I’ve missed you so much. I love that dress.”

  Scott was so sincere, so honest. It had been so easy to be with him. No real stress, no worries, no wondering constantly what he was thinking.

  “Thanks, Scott. You look good, too. How have you been?” Jessie asked as they walked back toward the area where everyone else was enjoying the party.

  “Great. Working for your dad is awesome. Just got promoted actually.” He pulled out a chair at a small table for her. They sat down and chatted for a few minutes, catching up.

  “Can I get you another glass of champagne?” Scott offered politely.

  Jessie nodded, “Yes, thanks, Scott. I’d appreciate that.”

  He came back with champagne and a little plate.

  “Stuffed mushrooms,” he said, putting the plate down in front of her. “I saw these up at the hors’ d’oeuvres table and remembered how much you like them.”

  “Thanks.” Jessie smiled.

  Scott was always so thoughtful. He always had been. Had she ever really appreciated that before?

  An hour later they were still talking and laughing. She told him stories about her investigation job, and he caught her up on how his family was and what he’d been up to. He was looking forward to getting his boat out as soon as the weather was warm enough.

  “Maybe you’d like to go out on the boat with me one day? I mean, just as friends.” Scott glanced down at the table.

  It occurred to Jessie that she had hurt Scott. Maybe as much as Jac
k had hurt her.

  She put her hand over his and squeezed.

  “I’d like that.”

  “Great.” Scott’s face brightened. He stood. “Well, I need to get going. I have an early flight tomorrow… going to my cousin Julie’s wedding in Florida.”

  “Julie’s getting married?” Jessie asked, delighted. “I’m so happy for her. Will you tell her I said hello? And congratulations, of course.”

  “Sure thing, Jessie.” He turned and took a few steps before turning back. He looked nervous. “You wouldn’t want to… I don’t know… grab lunch or something sometime next weekend, would you?” He blurted out the words.

  Jessie hesitated. Suddenly the thought of getting together with Scott seemed really good. She nodded.

  “Yes, Scott. I’d like that. Give me a call when you get back from Florida.”

  He leaned down and kissed her cheek briefly.

  “Hey,” Jack walked over to them. His eyes assessed Scott and he felt that uncomfortable possessive thing rip through him.

  “Jack, this is Scott Campbell,” Jessie introduced them. “Scott, Jack Turner. Jack and I work together at Drake & Associates. He’s also Chris’s best man.”

  The two men shook hands. Jack stood about two inches taller than Scott, and with his demeanor he definitely established himself as the alpha.

  Jack recognized the name Scott immediately and wondered if this was Jessie’s ex-boyfriend. The only other guy in the world besides him who had enjoyed her body.

  Why did he feel pissed off that Scott had been there first? It was ridiculous.

  Scott’s hand was soft. Like a woman. It was a sharp contrast to Jack’s own rough skin.

  Scott looked like every other spoiled rich guy at this party. Well-groomed, perfectly dressed in expensive, preppy clothes, hair combed neatly. But he seemed friendly enough. And by all accounts he had never treated Jessie badly, so Jack supposed he had no reason to feel animosity toward the guy.

  Funny that he would want to beat the fuck out of any guy who treated Jessie badly, and yet he was the only guy so far to actually hurt her. He figured he’d be pissed off at himself for that for a long time. Maybe forever.

  Scott left them and they stood in silence together for a few awkward moments.

  Jack looked into Jessie’s sparkly blue eyes, and he felt that annoying thumping thing his heart had been doing every time he looked at her.

  Fuck, she looked good. She wore a dress, cut higher in the front right above the knee while the back was longer. The dress tied around the neck and was in shades of the sea that brought out the color of her eyes.

  “So,” Jessie said, twirling a strand of her long blonde hair around her finger. “It’s a nice party, don’t you think?”

  Jack nodded. Her skin looked shiny and glittery. Probably one of those chick lotions she was always rubbing into that soft, perfect skin… goddammit now he was getting hard, images of their night together flashing unbidden through his mind. He tried to clear his head, taking a sip of his gin and tonic.

  “So that was Scott, huh? Ex-boyfriend Scott?” Jack asked, keeping his voice light.

  Jessie nodded. “That was him. He and Zoey have been friends since college, too. She made sure I was okay with him being invited.”

  Jack was quiet for a moment. “What are you doing tomorrow? I thought I’d take Kennedy to see that new Disney movie. Want to come with us?”

  Jessie hesitated. She wanted to limit her visits with Jack and Kennedy to no more than once a week, and she had already promised Kennedy she would come over after her dance class and have dinner with them. She didn’t want to fall back into her old routine of spending all of her free time at Jack’s house. It wasn’t healthy. In fact, it was kind of pathetic.

  She shook her head. “I can’t. Sorry. Already have plans. Thanks for the invite, though.” She kept her voice as casual as she could.

  He nodded. “Okay. No problem.”

  He felt frustrated. She had said she accepted his apology and that they could be friends again, but she would hardly be around him. She was still acting distant toward him. He missed spending time with her. He supposed he couldn’t expect things to go back to normal right away. Maybe she just needed more time.

  “Alright, well I’m heading out. Told Sarah I’d be home early and keep Beth for her tonight. Said she has something to do early tomorrow.”

  “Okay, well… take care. See you at work on Monday.” Jessie smiled.

  “Yeah, see you then.” Jack sighed as he walked away.

  JACK SAT IN A CHAIR on the sprawling deck, nursing a beer.

  Irritation jabbed at him as he tried not to look at Jessie across Chris’s big backyard. She was sitting close to Scott, holding his hand, occasionally leaning over to kiss his cheek, or run her hand over the back of his shoulder.

  Lavishing him with affection and sweetness.

  Were they back together? It sure looked like it.

  That was just perfect. Just what he wanted for her, right? A nice guy. Someone who could commit to her the way he couldn’t.

  Despite his determination not to, he couldn’t help but glance over again. Kennedy had climbed into Jessie’s lap and was animatedly telling a story that was clearly entertaining them, judging by their big smiles and frequent laughter.

  Jack got up and headed inside. Time for something stronger than a beer.

  At Chris’s bar, Jack poured himself a tumbler of whiskey and then returned to his seat outside on the deck.

  Sipping the drink, he let his eyes settle on Jessie, his mind reliving memories he should be trying to forget.

  “How are you, Jack?” A voice interrupted his thoughts and Jack turned his head to find Jessie’s father, Bill Sparks, taking a seat in the chair across from him.

  “I can’t complain. You?” Jack stood briefly and greeted Jessie’s dad with a handshake.

  “Oh, doing just fine.” Bill took a sip from the glass of wine he held. “I hear you had quite the adventure in Las Vegas not long ago.”

  Caught a bit off guard, Jack coughed into his hand. What had Jessie told her father about Vegas?

  Jack wondered if Jessie had told her parents what had happened between them. No way. Her dad wouldn’t be so friendly if he knew what had gone down. He must be referring to the case itself. Jack was pretty sure that Jessie would have left out the part about her going undercover as a topless dancer.

  “Yeah, it was… intense.” Jack coughed again, his eyes seeking out Jessie.

  “I don’t know where she gets her sense of adventure,” Bill laughed, as he gestured to his daughter, still sitting with Kennedy in her lap. Scott still occupied the chair on one side of her and now Jessie’s mother was sitting in the chair on the other side.

  Jack nodded. “She doesn’t get intimidated, that’s for sure.”

  “Yeah, but I worry about her, you know. She’s still my baby girl. My angel. Guess she always will be.”

  Jack nodded uncomfortably. He was pretty sure that Bill Sparks would have his head on a spike if he knew the things he’d done to his angel, especially if he knew how badly he had hurt her feelings afterward.

  “You’ll understand one day. That’s a pretty little girl you’ve got there.” Bill smiled as he glanced at Kennedy, who was laughing, twirling in circles, blonde hair flowing as she held out a bubble wand stick and soap bubbles erupted all around her.

  Jack nodded. “Thanks.”

  “All of the sudden one day you’ll look at her and realize she’s not a baby anymore. At least not to the rest of the world. She’ll always be a baby to you, though.”

  Jack met his eyes and felt the truth of the words he spoke.

  “Ah, well. It’s good to see her spending time with Scott. I always liked him. Never understood why she broke things off with him in the first place. I hope they give it another try. He’ll be good to her. Treat her with respect and kindness. He’s the kind of guy a dad hopes his little girl will end up with someday.”

  He g
ave Jack a look that so obviously held a message in it that he couldn’t miss it. What Bill Sparks was really saying was the Jack wasn’t good enough for her.

  Jack nodded silently, staring moodily at Jessie and Scott playing with his little girl, looking like a perfect family. When Scott picked Kennedy up and swung her around the way Jack always did, he picked up his shot glass and gulped the rest down.

  He wanted nothing more than to grab Jessie by the hand and drag her into a room, lock the door, and make her his again. Pound himself into her until she forgot who Scott even was. Make her cry out his name like she had in that Vegas hotel room.

  But that was ridiculous. Because Bill Sparks was right. Scott was the kind of non-threatening guy every dad hoped their daughter would end up with. Jack was every dad’s worst nightmare.

  He stood abruptly. He’d had enough of watching Jessie cozy up to Scott, not to mention her father reminding him that he wasn’t good enough for a girl like Jessie.

  “Kennedy,” he called out to his daughter. “Time to go home. Say bye to everyone.”

  He looked at Jessie’s dad. “Nice to see you again, Bill. Take care.”

  JACK GROUNDED HIS FEET AND grunted as he hit the bag, throwing combos of three or four punches each. The deep thud sound made by each punch was very satisfying. He moved around the bag, taking only short rests in between combos.

  He’d been at it for almost thirty minutes and sweat dripped off his body. He’d needed to blow off some steam since seeing Jessie with Scott at Chris and Zoey’s cookout yesterday.

  What the fuck? Was she back together with him? Hadn’t she told Jack herself that she didn’t click with that guy? Why the fuck would she start going out with him again? If Jack didn’t know better, he’d swear she was doing it just to piss him off.

  But he did know better. Hadn’t he been so careful around her? Making sure she never saw him looking at her, never mentioning their night together, pretending like it had never happened? That’s what she had asked. To pretend like it never happened.

  He’d been screwing his way through all of his usual hookups, along with adding a number of new ones… extremely fuckable little hotties who were eager to share their sexy little bodies and impressive sexual skills with him.