The three of us are waiting at our table for Jenna to come back from the powder room. “I don’t know guys. She really looked upset today.”
Trevor and Jake look up from their drinks.
“Well, first, she was stunned by the office ovation, then us being brothers.” Jake takes a sip of his vodka.
“Yeah. Poor girl got some shocks today.” Trevor nods his head. “I mean to think she didn’t know.”
“That’s my point.” I sigh and lean forward. “It was going to be a tough sell anyway. To…I mean for her to accept us three.” I look up at them. “But, I never considered that maybe because we are brothers that she would feel even more nervous about the idea.”
“Yeah, I too, got that vibe.” Jake sets his drink down. “But she will just have to get over it.”
I swing my gaze over at him. “What?”
He leans in close to us, and whispers, “I have to have her.”
We both stare at him.
He nods. “You were right. Now that I know her a little better, I want more.”
Trevor shakes his head.
“What?” Jake asks.
“You just want to fuck her.”
“Hell, yes I do and then again and maybe five more times. Then I want her to talk to me for hours. I want to know everything.”
My mouth falls open at this admittance.
Jake shrugs. “And I’m not going to wait long. Patience is not my virtue.” He takes another drink.
I sit forward. “And what is that supposed to mean?”
He stares at me. “I know we need to be careful. But—”
“Hey, guys.” Jenna walks up.
All three of us stand from our seats like military men at attention.
She tucks her head back. “Whoa.” She giggles a little.
Jake steps around to pull her chair out.
She blushes and sits. “Thank you, old man.”
He pauses and laughs as he sits down.
Trevor just takes her in. He looks like a lovesick puppy.
I too, look over at her.
We are all three staring.
Her cheeks flood with color as she looks down at the table.
I clear my throat.
My brothers look up at me.
I shake my head and point at my eyes shaking my head.
They both seem to click with my message and stop with the staring.
“So, Jenna what do you like to…eat?” Jake asks with a purr in his voice.
Her head pops up and she stares at him. She laughs outright.
We all smile and a laugh with her.
“Um, well, what do you all recommend?” She looks around. “I mean the Tops restaurant? Like on the 13th floor? I’ve never been here before.” She looks down at her outfit. “I’m not even dressed up enough for this place.”
Trevor grins. “You could wear a sack and be—”
I kick his leg under the table.
He glares at me.
Jenna looks back and forth between us.
“Never mind them. They are always acting up.” Jake grins at her.
I fume. He acts like we’re the kids and he’s the man. But I do not want to scare her off by arguing.
“Yes, we younger men like to have fun, be spontaneous. Fun.” Trevor snaps.
I roll my eyes. Leave it to him to act up.
Jake laughs it off.
Jenna smiles at us. “I see it now.”
We all look over at her.
“What?” I ask. “You see what?”
“What I should have before. Them calling you kid. Trevor teasing Jake about being the old man. You all challenging each other…” Her voice fades away like she feels that she said too much.
“Well, you really didn’t get the whole Maxwell experience until the gallery,” Jake adds.
I suck in air. The whole… he is full on steam ahead when he knows we have to take this slow!
Jenna laughs outright. “The whole Maxwell…” Her face flushes a hot pink.
Trevor nods. “It might be more than Jenna can take…” Now his voice fades away.
Oh, shit. This just disintegrated to a full blown innuendo fest. “So, have you seen the menu, Jenna?” I nod to the menu in front of her to help change the subject.
She looks down and picks it up. Opening it, her eyes widen as she gasps.
“What’s wrong?” Jake asks.
“T-there’s no prices on this menu.”
Trevor chuckles. “So? You aren’t paying anyway. Enjoy.”
Her head raises again. “Oh, no. I always pay for my meals.”
Jake shakes his head. “But we…” He motions to all three of us. “…Invited you here. That means it is our treat.”
Jenna shakes her head and looks around at us. “I know you are all trying to be nice, but I have a rule. I never let a man pay for my meal.”
Trevor was taking a drink from his whiskey when he chokes on the alcohol. He then swipes it from his lips and gapes at her.
“What?” Jake asks looking stunned.
I’m watching them. Yes, I figured this about her. It doesn’t surprise me. But I love seeing these two blown away and by a woman. It is such a rare treat.
“You heard me.” She nods. “Even though I have told you all that I don’t date much. When I do. That is my terms. I never want to owe any man.”
They both stare at her, their mouths hanging open.
Oh, my god! I want to laugh. I don’t but I am biting my lip to keep it at bay.
Jenna stands up. “I thank you for the time you spent and all, but…I probably can’t afford this place. I really don’t mean to be rude. You guys are wonderful. Truly. But…” She shrugs. “Thank you so much. I-I…well, I will see you at work tomorrow, okay?”
Now, my mouth pops open. She’s leaving? I sit forward and watch her walk away. “Guys! She’s leaving!”
They shut their mouths and look over at me wide eyed.
Now, I do laugh. They look like fish out of water. They look so astonished. I shrug and keep chuckling. “Well, we should have known when she refused to take the limo with us and brought her own car. No man will strand her anywhere either.”
They both stay quiet.
Trevor looks over at Jake. “What the hell just happened?”
Jake slowly shakes his head. “The woman walked out on us. That’s what he fuck happened.”
I am now laughing openly. I know THAT has never happened to either of them probably. I get up.
They look up at me, still stunned.
“And where the hell are you going?” Jake asks.
“After her. You dumbasses!” I rush out through the restaurant, hoping I can catch her.
I see her getting into the elevator and the door closes. Dammit! I look to the stairs. Thirteen floors? I open the door and take two stairs at a time. I am literally flying down the stairs. I plan to catch her and take her somewhere affordable. I mean my brothers usually hang out in all the best places. Not me. Yes, sometimes when they invite me, but I like regular hangouts.
Breathing heavily, I finally make it to the lobby.
I see her going through the revolving door. I rush over, go through it in a whirl. Desperate not to miss her, I look back and forth down the sidewalks. Where did she park? I spot her.
I take off in a run, finally catching up to her as she sits in her car. I tap on the window.
She jumps in her seat, looks up at me, and rolls her window down. “Micah?”
I nod but I’m so out of breath I can’t speak for a moment. I’m huffing away. I’m in shape but damn—that was a mini marathon.
Looking concerned, she asks, “Are you okay?” Her hazel eyes widen. “Is everything all right?”
I nod and try to huff out the words, “D-Den…” I gasp and hold my side.
She looks upset and opens her door, getting out of the car. She grabs my arm. “Micah!”
I stare at her.
Her face is just so lovely, so animated, no hiding what she feels or thinks. It’s why I knew she had the ideals she does. Like paying for herself. I watch her when she talks at work.
Her eyes are large as she is still confused by my behavior and they reflect the light from everywhere.
I grab her up and pull her to me. Lowering my lips, I finally kiss her.
Her body stiffens.
I hang in there, keeping my mouth over hers and I don’t push my tongue in.
She seems to relax and I wrap my arms around her.
She pushes her tongue into my mouth.
SCORE!
I feel so elated, but I kiss her gently. I so want this to work with her. I don’t want her to get away. Be scared away. I ease up and pull my mouth from those heavenly lips. The flavor of her is so delicious. It could be addictive.
She is gazing into my eyes.
“I-I wanted to know if you like Dennys?”
Staring at me, she looks a bit dazed. “W-what?”
“Dennys to have lunch?” I repeat.
Slowly, she smiles and laughs. “O-kay. On tenth and Williams?”
“Yeah, that’s a good one.”
She tilts her head at me. “You ran all the way down the stairs to catch me?”
Feeling embarrassed now, I give her a nod. Overeager much?
“You are just so wonderful.” She smiles at me.
I feel like just got an award or something majorly important. “So, let’s go?”
She nods.
“Um, there’s just one thing,” I add.
Jenna raises a perfect brow at me. “You aren’t going to insist on paying, are you?”
Laughing, I shake my head. “No. I, well, I need a ride there.”
Jenna looks surprised then she realizes that I rode in the limo to get here. “Yes, sure get in.” She smiles at me.
I run around the car and open the door.
She gets in, belts up and pulls away from the curb.
As she is watching for traffic, I spot my two brothers on the walk looking back and forth. I give them a wave and she doesn’t see it or them.
They both stare at us as we go by.
Trevor breaks out laughing.
Jake looks thunderous. Like he does right before he gives me that fucking wedgy.
I look forward again. They both have to learn the one thing I already knew. For a woman like Jenna… You gotta be willing to go the extra, try to earn her respect. And if she leaves, you run for your life to catch her. I am grinning like mad. Poor saps. Maybe when they get it. They might just get her. But in the meantime, I feel happy.