Chapter Six
“Hey, Jasper.”
“Hi.” His voice sounded distant through the phone. “What’s this about the calendar?”
“Oh, it’s okay. We sorted it out.”
“Sorry I wasn’t around. We were on a job and I just got back.”
“Was everything okay?”
“Yep—there’s just one less tyre factory in the world now.” He chuckled and she imagined him grinning on the other end. “So, tell me what happened.” She explained the call she’d received and what Alyssa had suggested to stamp the calendar with their own brand of personality. “That’s a great idea. Alyssa is smart. So, you still need the guys tomorrow?”
“We do. Cate has organised a third day of filming. She’ll be busy doing shoots outside her studio for the rest of the week, so she can leave the lighting and everything set up. We’ll have to do the last one on Saturday, though.”
“Who are you going to get from the community?”
“Alyssa talked her favourite post office worker into coming down and we have a local handyman, an Olympic swimmer, and a big, beefy security guy lined up. I’ve been asked to find out if you will convince your friend, Chris, to come.”
“You want to see Chris naked? You work fast, Mimi—I only just introduced you!” He laughed, but underneath the sound was a hint of something else.
“Jealous again, Jasper?” she mocked and imagined his face. She didn’t mean it for a second—the last person she wanted to make jealous was him.
“Not unless you give me a reason. Anyway, how about we catch up tonight? Second date time, I think. That should remove any thoughts of other naked guys from your imagination.” His cocky tone reassured her that he didn’t think he had any competition for her affections.
If only he knew how little competition he really has.
***
Jasper hadn’t told her where he planned to take her for dinner. It was a fairly warm night, so she chose a loose-fitting skirt, instead of jeans. She turned in front of the mirror, looking this way and that, trying to decide if it was too short. Was she sending the wrong message by wearing this? Maybe a longer dress would have been better. Before she could choose something else, there was a knock on the front door.
I guess I’m wearing this!
She pulled the door open to reveal Jasper and Tiger both staring at her. “Making friends with all the key people, I see?” She stepped back to let him in and he put the cat down just inside the door.
“It seems smart to be in good with the pets—it’s my best chance of avoiding claws wrapped around my ankles at some point in the future. You look nice.” He reached for her wrist and stepped in close. A hand slipped past her cheek and into her hair, and before she had a chance to react, Jasper’s mouth was on hers. “Mmm… hello.” He grinned and pushed his forehead against hers. It was such an intimate gesture—one that sent goose bumps sliding over her skin.
He kissed her again and the flip-flop inside her stomach urged her to get him out the door. Too much kissing and she was likely to take this too far.
“I’m going to have trouble keeping my hands off you, I can see. Maybe you should have worn jeans.” He grinned and opened the front door as she picked up her handbag and keys. “It’s a bit safer for you out here.”
Tiger sat a few feet away, observing them with interest. Mimi picked him up and put him back outside as Jasper pulled the door closed. “Sorry, dude. You can come in when we get home.”
The atmosphere between them was very different from their last date. Jasper held her hand every chance he got; she resisted staring at their intertwined fingers as he drove. All of his actions seemed intimate to her, but maybe this was just something he did with all his dates.
They pulled into an underground carpark twenty minutes later, and Jasper led the way through a series of laneways until they stood outside a sushi bar. He frowned before they entered. “You like sushi, right? I didn’t ask.”
“I love sushi. That’s a great idea.”
The conversation flowed easily between them. They talked about school friends, teachers they still saw, and who had married who. As they ate, perched on stools, Jasper made a valiant attempt to keep his eyes above her shoulders, focussing on her face, her mouth, and his meal. The cut of her skirt meant he had a perfect view of one toned thigh, and the sight of it wreaked havoc with him every time his eyes wandered down. He’d told her they were seeing a movie next, but all he wanted now was to take her home and find out if the inner face of her thigh was as perfect as the expanse of skin he could see.
The movie was an action thriller—one he’d imagined might lead to a certain amount of comforting required by his date. He couldn’t have been more wrong. Mimi chatted about the outcome all the way home, making him think he shouldn’t have ditched his plans to take her dancing. At least she’d have spent some time in his arms, laughing and twirling, instead of gripping his hand while he daydreamed about running his palms along her milky thighs.
All the way home, he thought of valid excuses to get her to invite him in. The cat? He could take care of himself. Seeing her safely to the door? Nope—she was more than capable of walking the few feet on her own. Flat tyre? Gas explosion?
Every idea he came up with was lame, so he finally settled for saying nothing at all. He parked the car a block from her house and slipped around to her side to help her out. Her hand slipped into his and they moved up the street to her home.
Just a few more steps and I’ll have to kiss her goodnight.
He wasn’t ready to let her go, yet, and kissing like last time would be his undoing. There was only so much control a man could cling to in the company of Mimi Fletcher.