Chapter Six
As the train pulled into Waterloo, Jess stayed in her seat. Worry warred with her glee at being back in her city after so long away. The Island and London were opposite sides of the same coin for her, both making up the whole.
She calmed her breathing, waiting for the crowds to disembark. She made sure she was always a straggler. It was safer to let the river of energy flow around her.
All their thoughts, fears and joy mixed together, was easier to work with than a direct hit of random positive or negative.
Thea had been so afraid when Jess had first said that she wanted to study in London.
Jess knew how much Thea had struggled with the London crowds. But even before Thea had become the strong, self-protected woman she was now, that hadn’t stopped her traveling up, and checking in on her little sister.
As she watched a sleepy commuter double-wrap his scarf against the icy wind, she slowly came to her feet, following him from the train, smiling at thoughts of her family.
The people before her became a colorful flow of energetic life; a mishmash of emotion that rippled across her, like the snare drum on a jazz track.
She fed her ticket into the reader on the turnstile, and the arm rotated to let her off of the platform and into Waterloo Station.
The large Victorian clock monitored time, silently.
The dozens of display boards updated train times. Pigeons idled across the white stone floor, muddling around feet and luggage.
The beeps and rings of text alerts, emails and phone calls echoed off of the brick and metal, lifting into the steel girders and bouncing from the glass ceiling.
She drifted left, following the mass, joining the thrum, heading for the ever downward spiral of the underground.
The warm, damp air rushed up at her.
Jess pulled her Jackie Ohhs from her coat pocket, shielding her eyes, as even contact lenses wouldn’t be able to cover her reaction. The escalator ran flat as she stepped on it. She loved the moment it tipped over the edge, easing down.
People, like statues, stood before her, as the giant mechanical beast rolled endlessly.
Colorful line maps and a maze of corridors led her to the tube.
She grasped the yellow handrail, and swayed with the motion of the carriage.
There was a certain point when the air changed and the silence crackled, that filled Jess with excitement.
The glittering sensations travelled through her body and settled in the pit of her stomach, radiating waves of anticipation. The fine hairs on the back of her neck shivered and licked at her nerve endings, and the urge to giggle lodged in her throat as she looked at the glum faces of the people surrounding her.
They were crowded in every available space, bumping and jostling each other as the underground train lurched towards Embankment.
Feeling the train shudder to a halt, she allowed herself to be taken along with them; off the train, through the tunnels and passageways, that would lead her up to the dark streets of London.
Her blood screamed around her system, pouring through her body, morphing to a roar in her ears. She felt her patience slipping beyond her control.
As she came to the dark street she wrenched her sunglasses off, pulled left away from the crowd as they surged up and out.
The wonderful smell of rain and the chill night air slid through her, as she came to a brief standstill.
As the hordes around her disappeared off into the night, she savored this moment, heading towards the Thames, feeling its very essence in her blood. Her breath was coming in fast pants as she came closer to the water.
It was well after 1am, and although the city was never truly silent, the bitterly cold, wet Thursday in October was driving the final few loners from the streets, and for just a small portion of time, this stretch of the city was hers.
The dark, fog-filled night became a comforting blanket that wrapped around her, protecting her from prying eyes.
Darting in and out of side streets her feet barely touched the ground, until finally she came upon the river.
The light from the London Eye was glinting at her from across the water, the heavy damp was lying thick on the trees, and the age old scent of time laced the air.
Her feet became rooted to the spot as the vibrations from around her sent images and sounds flashing through her mind; all the people and all the noise. The cars, buses and boats that had travelled throughout the day crawled into her system.
Jess remained completely still, as did the night around her.
Her body began to fill with latent energies, her long dark hair rippled, coming up and away from her back.
She knew the deep brown of her eyes had already begun to fade, as the unearthly lavender eclipsed them.
Pulling in a heaving breath, her exaggerated sensory perception registered every sound, every movement around her. And safe in the knowledge that she was completely alone she let her arms hang down at her sides, and splayed her fingers in a sharp motion that lifted her from the ground.
Offering a quick whisper to the stars to protect her from prying eyes, she released a surge of power and hurtled at breakneck speed along the water’s edge—reveling in the scents and sounds of her beloved city.
The long dark tresses of her hair fanned out, and the vibrations from her palms eased her higher. The excitement ripped and jerked through her system as she cleared the tops of the trees along the embankment.
She arched towards the water darting between the trees, and flicked her delicate hands, hurling herself through the frigid air, her hair whipping out behind her.
Jess stared at the ceiling as she waited for the 6am alarm to sound. It was still dark. The sound of the wind had her stifling a shiver as she yawned and crawled from her toasty bed.
She grabbed a hairlip from the dresser and, twisting her hair as high up as she could, she pinned it into submission.
Staring at herself in the mirror, she smoothed her hands across her cheeks, wishing she’d caught even a glimmer of the summer sunshine to ease her pale complexion through the first of the winter weeks. Her dark eyes, brows and hair left her skin looking a bit ghostly, and a sleepless night hadn’t helped.
The text-vibration of her phone announced that Jason was going to collect breakfast for the three of them, and forcing down her weird nerves, she texted him back.
Pinching her cheeks, she headed for the shower, mentally rummaging through her wardrobe as she went.
The hot water hit her back, making her groan and stretch at the same time. She leaned forward as she washed, trying as much as possible to save her hair from a dowsing. She was in no mood to deal with a blow-dry this morning.
Shutting off the shower, she grabbed a towel, catching her hair as it slid from its precarious position, heading for her bedroom.
Make-up helped to cover the worst of the shadows beneath her eyes, and the loose plait that hung over her shoulder softened her face.
Stopping at the bedroom window she cast an eye out at the dreary rain. The short walk to the Museum was going to be a damp one.
Zipping up her worn-in brown long boots over her skinny jeans, she pulled a blazer from the wardrobe just to smarten it up. She was doubtlessly going to be in a dusty archive or crawling around the storage department today, but still, she didn’t want to look messy.
Ignoring the snort of her little voice, she tossed a few things in her shoulder bag and headed out.
The October rain hadn’t taken on the full chill of winter yet, but it was in the air. The traffic was already in full London mode as she turned onto Cromwell Street.
As she passed the entrance to the Rembrandt she glanced down the side alley, wondering if Jason could hunt out a trace of whatever it was that she’d sent hurtling down there a few weeks back. Even just a faint idea would give them something to go on.
Pressing the light on the crossing junction, she sighed. She really should have thought of that sooner. The pouring rain of the last few weeks had surely wiped it out by now.
Dashing across the road she headed to the front entrance of the Museum, offering smiles and good mornings as she went.
The energy around here felt different, and she wondered who Jason had called in to beef up their metaphysical security.
Knowing that taking the elevator would be quicker, she chose the stairs, trying to decide what on earth she was going to say to Seb.
Pushing through the door into their little HQ, she didn’t get a chance to decide as she all but mowed Jason down.
Barely able to save his coffee, he grinned at her, the relief in his blue eyes palpable. “Jess. Nearly floored ya. You okay, babe? How’s Adam?”
Stifling a surprised laugh she loosed the death grip she had on her shoulder bag, hanging it on the coat rack. “Hey. He’s okay, daft bugger that he is.”
Turning in search of the breakfast, she found Seb’s dark gaze locked on her. He sat at one of the desks, coffee in hand. She was saddened to see his lack of a suit today—not that he should be wearing one, but when you wear something that well…
She sighed at the thought. Still, he was looking fine in a navy sweater, and what looked like a soft shirt underneath and dark jeans. Just fine indeed.
Filching a pastry from the box, she poured herself a coffee and offered him a smile. “Sebastian.”
His slight smile in response only lifted one corner of his lips, as dipped his head in acknowledgment. “Jessica.” He said her name slowly, just the sound of his voice had excitement tingling through her. “Everything okay now?”
There was a wealth of unsaid words in the few he spoke. Jess pulled up a chair to sit opposite him, killing time faffing about.
“Yeah. All good. Just crazy family stuff.”
She could feel Jason’s eyes boring into her as he watched them. If she got even a whiff of his hand matchmaking in this she’d be fine-tuning her transmutation abilities, and he’d find himself learning how to live life as a little Chihuahua or Lhasa Apso.
As if reading her mind, she arched her brow at him, Jason stifled a grin and motivated himself.
“Okay then.” His overly cheerful tone wasn’t lost on her as he grabbed his laptop and pulled up a chair with them. “Lots to do. The Gods and Worship gallery opens tomorrow night, and we’ve just about got everything in place, all it needs now is unpacking, fine touching and the like.”
Taking notes as Jason ran through what would be an unspeakably hectic two days, she glanced at Seb who did the same.
Jason was clearly handing babysitting duties over to her, as she’d been assigned every task with him in tow. She wondered if he’d noticed yet that he wasn’t getting five minutes to himself.
“And I’ve got investor meetings today, but I’ll be on hand tomorrow, if that works for you both?”
“Sure thing.” Jess nodded as she stood, heading for her office.
“Oh Jess, this exhibition has been stepped up, and tomorrow night is black tie.”
Pushing open her office door, she threw a ‘Sure, sure,’ over her shoulder, stopping dead in her tracks at the piles of mail on her desk.
“Oh, that’s a nice welcome back.” Seb’s voice tickled her nerves as he stood close behind her, his heat sinking into her back.
Taking her time moving away from the lovely warmth of him, she latched the office door open, turning. “Yup. How have you found the last few weeks?” The polite conversation was so at odds with all the things she wanted to ask him.
Leaning back against the sash window in her office, he crossed his arms over his chest, “Truth? Jason’s kept me too busy to notice.” Waiting a beat, he flashed her a grin. “But I’m glad you’re back, if that’s what you’re asking.”
Arching a brow at him, she gave him a solemn nod. “I’ll bet. Need help with the workload, do ya?” Her slight smirk ruined the effect.
“Yeah sure, of course that’s why I’m glad your back.”
Rifling through the mail on her desk, she let the remark slide as she made a pile of junk mail for the shredder. She’d hoped he’d be pleased to see her. She’d also hoped that maybe he’d thought better of this thing between them, and would save her from her having to call it to a halt. Which was a pain in the ass in itself, as she was fairly sure that her willpower was not going to be her strong point when it came to a tall, brown-eyed historian who reminded her of the sea and tasted like fine whisky.
Maybe if she got it out of the way, quick… But as she looked up, he’d already started to head for the door.
“If you’re going to be busy for half hour, I’ll clear my emails before we head down to the exhibition.”
Closing her mouth, she tightened her fingers around the letters in her hand. She’d almost done it then, she’d been, like, so close. Of course you were. “Okay, I’ll give you a knock when I’m done.”
Stopping at the door, he held her gaze, making her stomach do flips as she waited.
“Jess,” he cleared his throat, “it really is good to see you.”
Dropping the mail to her desk, she slid her hands in her pockets, raising her shoulders. “You too. Although I don’t think—”
Holding his hands up, he backed away with a wink. “Your being glad to see me is enough. For now.”
He murmured the final words like a promise as he turned away, and, sitting down at her desk, Jess knew that she was already in hot water. A few weeks away had only intensified the chemistry between them.
***
As he altered the angle of a marble bust of Medusa, he watched her chat with one of the staff, pointing out changes she’d like made and checking if it could be done.
The soft blue denim fit her like a second skin, curving beautifully across her thigh and up, over her perfect derriere. She’d left her blazer up in the office, and the black top brushed her hips. The plait hanging over her shoulder gave her the look of a student, and it was hard to believe that she was the 26 years that Jason had confirmed.
He was biding his time until he could get her alone, taste her lips and prove to himself they couldn’t possibly be as soft as he remembered. She’d lived in his thoughts the whole time she’d been gone.
He found it disturbing that she’d been able to slip into his mind and stay there after one night. Whether they worked together or not, he had to find out what this thing was between them.
Moving on to the next display, he mentally acknowledged that getting the time and privacy at the moment would be a problem. Jason had kept his work and social calendar constantly full since he’d gotten back from Ireland. There’d been dinners and fundraisers, late nights with the exhibition; he’d even temporarily moved into Jason’s spare room as he just hadn’t had time to look for a flat, and living out of a hotel room had lost its shine—fast.
Drawn out of his thoughts at the sound of her laughter, he watched her assuring her helper that she could manage as he had ‘enough to do.’ As she turned away consulting her iPad, she reassured her assistant that she was perfectly capable of going to the archive herself.
Casting his eyes at all the bodies currently working on this exhibition, he figured the archive was most likely to be empty…
Giving her a few minutes head start, he strolled slowly after her.
Letting the door close softly behind him, he breathed in the comforting smells of musty paper and ancient text, as she bent over the table, the bright spotlight shining down on the page.
“Hey.” His low whisper had her looking up, heat touching her high cheekbones. “I wondered when I was going to be able to steal five minutes with you.”
Her brown eyes widened as he approached her, as she clearly searched for the right way to put him off. Her tongue dabbed her top lip as she readied herself to speak, but she was already too late.
Catching her hips, he stepped against her, her breath leaving her in a rush as he pulled her to him, firmly.
Her eyes darted up to his, and her hot breath rushed across his lips, as her hands fisted on his chest.
“Seb, I…”
Leaning down to the soft skin between her shoulder and her neck he breathed her in. Never had he enjoyed the smell of a woman so much. “You…?” Careful not to mark her, he scraped his jaw up the skin of her neck, loving the feel of the shiver moving through her as his whiskers rubbed her.
The faintest sound left her lips as she tilted her head, exposing more of her alabaster skin.
Heartened by her response, he slid his hands further, grasping the round cheeks of her ass, lifting her snugly to him, pressing his hard length against the soft, warm heat of her.
Kneading the soft cheeks, he captured her moan with his lips, as he took her mouth, his hunger overwhelming. Blood pounded to his shaft, as she moved softly in his grasp. His reaction to her floored him.
Sweeping through the recess of her lush mouth, the taste of her was bliss, her tongue matching his own need.
Lifting her onto the desk, he pushed between her thighs, jerking her back where he needed her.
Grasping her hips to keep her close, he ground into her. Her soft gasp matching his low groan.
He feasted on her lips, her whispered moans urging him closer, making him lose track of time and place, as he stood between her spread legs.
The faint sound of voices in the corridor had him cupping her jaw, taking one last sweet sip from her, before pulling his lips away.
She rested her brow against his chest, her thighs still gripping his hips, as she breathed slowly, and the footsteps continued on by.
Taking a few calming breaths himself, he looked down at the top of her head, her glossy hair reflecting under the light, as he rubbed his palms up and down her thighs. “Jess. I…uh, I didn’t mean for it to get so…to go so…you know?”
Her muffled laughter reached him, as she took a final deep breath, raising her gaze to his. “I know. And I’m supposed to be explaining to you why this isn’t a good idea.”
Her self-depreciating smile erased his tinge of guilt for pushing her. “And you’re doing a fine job of it… Now tell me again why what isn’t a good idea?”
“Sebastian.” Pushing at his hips she wriggled from his embrace, hopping off the table. “You know why. We work together. Jason is a mutual friend. We work together, blah blah.” Pacing away from him, she waved her hand as she spoke, before stopping to glare pointedly at him with her hands on her hips. “You can’t tell me you think this,” she gestured between the two of them, “is a sensible idea?”
Crossing his arms over his chest, he shook his head, fingers of anger teasing at him. “Oh, screw sensible, Jess.” Pacing towards her, he scraped his hand through his hair. “Life is too short for sensible. You make me hot. And I mean hot.” Pulling her back against him so she could feel how aroused he was, he brought his face a dash away from hers. “You make me laugh, and I can’t seem to get you out of my mind. Why would I ignore that just to be sensible?”
He flung the words at her, but his hands were gentle as they rubbed over her lower back, softly coaxing her. “Now I admit, here may not be the best place to have this discussion.”
“You can say that again.” Her inelegant snort chased the flash of anger away.
And his voice softened as he spoke. “But you can’t ignore it, Jess.”
As she released her pent up breath, he brushed his lips over hers.
Groaning, she pushed him away. “This is where we got into trouble in the first place!” Holding her palm up as if to keep him at bay, she pointed at him with her other hand. “Maybe there is something going on between us, but it can’t be here—”
“Agreed.” Butting in before she could offer any other delaying tactics, he opened his palms at her as she looked suspiciously at him. “I do—I agree. Not here. So have dinner with me?”
As she rolled her eyes, he could feel her reserve breaking. “We’ve got the exhibition launch tomorrow night, and it’s going to be mental after that. So tonight?”
He could see it in her eyes, she wanted to say yes, but she was clinging to that last little niggle of ‘sensible and logical.’
“We could go straight from work—it’s not like we’re going to get out of here early anyway—we don’t even have to call it a date if that helps you to kid yourself.” He winked at her as he said it, watching the humor race across her face, before she threw her hands in the air.
***
“Fine. Dinner.” Rolling her eyes, she breezed past him, switching off the spotlight that still glared down at the document as she went.
Dammit. She’d let him work her over, she’d let herself be led along. Because despite all the reasons that this was a bad idea, there was something about him and her together.
Falling into step beside her, he dropped his arm across her shoulders.
She suppressed the urge to grin, knowing he was deliberately trying to bait her.
Shrugging off his arm, she gave him what she hoped was her best pointed stare. “And you can cut that out too. What’s gotten into you?”
Shaking his head, he rolled his shoulders. “Beats me. You must bring it out in me.”
Opening her mouth to inform him he was responsible for his own moods, she snapped it shut when he said, “What do you fancy for dinner?”
It felt like such a mundane question, a couple’s kind of question. Nerves, that had nothing to do with his proximity, tripped through her system. She liked him—she liked the way he looked, sure, there was nothing not to like. But she liked him, the way he made her feel; the way she felt like she’d known him forever. Being with him was so easy.
But she wasn’t ready for mundane. For discussing dinner and setting alarms, doing the same thing. Everyday. Over and over again. Long forgotten nerves dropped through her.
“Dinner.” Stopping dead in her tracks, she touched her forehead. “I totally forgot, I’m already out.” Turning away, she headed towards the stairs that would take her to her office. “I’ve just got to get some papers, I’ll be back down in a bit.”
Striding away, she raced up the stairs, glad to find the offices empty.
She shut her door and leaned back against it, taking a calming breath.
Jess knew she was overreacting. She’d probably confused the hell out of him, bearing in mind she’d just been wrapped round him like a trailing vine.
Embarrassment flooded her as heat filled her cheeks. Talk about sending mixed signals. Grabbing the pile of junk mail, she went into the main office, flipping the switch on the shredder.
Staring out of the window, she idly pushed each letter through the grinding teeth, enjoying the noise as it stripped each piece.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to settle down, eventually, one day. Maybe.
It just wasn’t on her agenda right now. She liked her own space, calling her own shots. And what about who she was? Did she really expect him to just take her magic in his stride?
A little flirting was one thing, but she’d spent one day with him, and she’d missed him every day since.
The heavy ball of nerves took up residence low in her stomach.
She was no good to anybody hiding up here in the office, and even though he was safe for the moment, surrounded by the busy bustle of the museum, that wouldn’t protect him tonight.
Jason was relying on her to keep him at work late, until he could get back, and now she’d just bloody said she had plans. Bugger it. Because she’d been afraid, and her first response had been to run.
After watching the last envelope get drawn to its doom, she turned the shredder off, and rolled her shoulders. Straightening her stance, she replaced the lipstick that he’d kissed away and headed back down the exhibition. It was time to woman-up.
As she reached the bottom of the steps the precise strains of Chopin drifted from the open doors.
Sebastian was moving between each artifact, dimming and lifting the lighting. Shadows lay across the highly polished floor, cast by light on marble and pewter, glass and gold.
The serenely calming energy that was supposed to fill a museum was coming to life around her. Despite there still be packing crates and empty pedestals here and there, a sense of time and stillness was slowly breathing to life.
Leaning against the doorframe, she watched as he stood before each piece, waiting. He was taking in each position, moving between the displays. Every so often he’d stop, leaving a note on an empty stand—doubtlessly, he’d decided what should go there.
He’d taken his jumper off, and rolled up the sleeves of the soft white and blue checked shirt. His jeans fit perfectly, the cotton pulled across his shoulder blades, his thick hair just brushing his collar.
His easy grace was like a dance, his eye for detail was as good as her own, and with a sigh Jess approached him.
She’d never been a coward, and now wasn’t a time to start.
“Hey.” Her voice was hushed—the room demanded it. “Chopin?”
Turning to her, there was no ready smile, just a curious expression as he studied her. “Yes. Music helps an exhibition; it stops the silence.”
“It’s looking outstanding.” Sliding her hands into the pockets of her jeans, she held his gaze. “You have a wonderful eye.”
“Thank you.” He tilted his head as he looked her. “What’s the matter, Jess?”
“I cancelled my plans tonight. There’s still a lot to do here,” she gestured towards the back of the room, “but we could get Chinese delivered if you wanted to?”