Chapter Five

 

“Here.  Let me refill your wine glass.”

Jordan topped off Aubrey’s glass with the very fine vintage of Chardonnay he’d ordered to accompany their meal.  They had both chosen a seafood entree - Aubrey the sea bass and Jordan the paella - so a white wine had gone with their food nicely.

“Thanks.  It’s delicious, by the way,” offered Aubrey, taking a careful sip.  “Not that I know a lot about wines, of course, but even I can tell this is exceptional.”

“You’re correct.  This winery has won a lot of awards and wine competitions.  I’ve actually been to the winery a number of times for tastings and events.  It’s one of the most beautiful places in the Napa Valley.”

He tactfully changed the subject after that, sensing her unfamiliarity with fine wines, and in general with the sort of privileged lifestyle he’d come to take for granted.  Since their arrival at the luxurious Gregson resort, she’d been gazing around in wide-eyed wonder, and had looked positively dazzled when he’d escorted her inside the restaurant. He was more curious than ever now to learn more about her background, but he was willing to bet she’d had a modest upbringing, and that going to dinner at a place like the Seven Palms was a brand new experience for her.

Aubrey hadn’t been far off in her assessment of the beach shack she shared with two other young women.  Jordan had grimaced when he’d first pulled up outside the somewhat dilapidated structure in the Porsche 911 he’d arranged to rent through the hotel staff.  But he’d been relieved upon walking inside the little house to find that it was clean and tidy, and decorated in bright, tropical colors and patterns.  

Her two roommates had been hovering eagerly in the background, and while Aubrey had seemed annoyed by their presence, she had somewhat reluctantly introduced Jordan to them.  Melanie, the petite redhead, had giggled nervously, reminding him of a friend’s sixteen-year-old little sister, while Jenna, the svelte Asian brunette, had grinned knowingly as she glanced between him and Aubrey.

“Hey, be sure to show our girl here a good time, got it? Have fun, Aubrey, and we’ll see you in the morning.” Jenna had nudged Aubrey in the ribs. “Or maybe not. Be sure to order the white chocolate macadamia nut pancakes for breakfast if you decide to have a sleepover. I understand they’re out of this world.”

Aubrey had scowled at her less-than-subtle roommate, while Jordan had given her a conspiratorial grin. He’d been tempted to tell Aubrey to pack an overnight bag, but hadn’t wanted to scare her off or seem too presumptuous.

Odd that he wasn’t automatically assuming she would be spending the night in his bed, or that they would even be having sex this evening. He most definitely wanted to lock her in his suite for the next seventy-two hours straight, and make love to her in a dozen different ways. It was pretty much all he’d been thinking about since first meeting her earlier today. But the mere fact that he was thinking in terms of lovemaking as opposed to fucking when it came to Aubrey made it very clear in his mind that she was in a league of her own, someone very, very special who deserved to be cherished and treated with the utmost care and respect. He’d known almost immediately that she wasn’t one of the ditzy bimbos or aggressive maneaters who were his usual bed partners. And it wasn’t just her startling resemblance to Tessa that made her special. He had felt a connection with her, something that didn’t happen very often with the women he dated and took to bed, and he sensed that sex with her - correction, making love - was going to blow his mind to smithereens.

Jordan studied her leisurely across the dinner table, marveling silently at the almost eerie resemblance she had to Tessa. Earlier today at the beach, it hadn’t been quite as noticeable, given that Aubrey’s hair had been wet and slicked back from her face, the color still undiscernible. She’d been very casually dressed, first in that sexy green bikini and then, over lunch, a cotton T-shirt and shorts. She’d been makeup free, and during lunch had covered those dazzling blue eyes with a pair of oversized sunglasses. Her casual, almost careless appearance had made her look even younger than the twenty-five years he now knew her to be, a realization that made him more than a little uncomfortable. Jordan recalled now that at first he’d teased Ian about robbing the cradle in regards to Tessa, ribbing him good-naturedly about the fifteen year difference in their ages. And while there was “merely” a fourteen year difference between him and Aubrey, Jordan was somewhat shamefacedly aware that he was now in danger of turning into a hypocrite.

Tonight, however, Aubrey looked completely different - sophisticated, elegant, womanly. Nearly all traces of the fresh-faced, down-to-earth surfer girl were gone, replaced by a gorgeous, sexy, and very tempting woman. He suspected that her roommates – or at least Jenna - had had a hand in Aubrey’s transformation, but whatever the reason for the change he was in complete and enthusiastic approval.

She wore a little black dress, made of some soft jersey fabric that clung lovingly to every lush curve of her tall, graceful figure. The dress didn’t look particularly expensive, but it didn’t matter in the least since Aubrey had the sort of figure that would look sensational in whatever she wore. He noted with masculine appreciation how the soft fabric emphasized the full, rounded curves of her breasts without being indecently tight or low-cut. Not, of course, that he didn’t enjoy a glimpse of bare flesh or impressive cleavage, but there was a definite time and place for that sort of thing - like the beach or a nightclub or a private party. But in a classy, Michelin-starred restaurant like the Seven Palms, it was expected that patrons dressed appropriately - jackets and ties were required for the men, while short skirts and plunging necklines were frowned upon for women. He had briefly thought about mentioning the dress code to Aubrey, somewhat concerned that the combination of her youth and laidback attitude meant she wouldn’t have thought there was anything wrong with wearing a sundress and sandals tonight.

He shouldn’t have given the matter a second thought, however, because she looked stunning, and fit perfectly into these elegant surroundings. Along with the simple but classy little black dress, she wore black sling-back pumps with a modest heel, her shapely, tanned legs bare. Now that her hair was dry, he was pleased to note that his instincts had been right about the color - it was a pure, natural blonde, a shade that was somewhere between wheat and honey. She’d left the shiny tresses loose and they fell in long, straight waves well past her shoulders. Jordan guessed that Jenna had done her makeup, but Aubrey’s roommate fortunately hadn’t gone overboard, applying just enough to emphasize those big blue eyes, sculpted cheekbones, and lush mouth, all in neutral, natural shades.

Aubrey’s only accessory was a pair of pearl drop earrings, and her neatly filed and buffed nails were covered in a clear gloss. The overall image she projected tonight was a combination of class and sensuality, and Jordan had scarcely been able to tear his eyes from her since the moment she’d opened her front door. The fact that she now looked even more like Tessa was one that he continued to ignore, and firmly pushed to the inner recesses of his brain.

She was also the most amusing and thoroughly entertaining woman he had ever met, with a rather wicked sense of humor to match his own. In that respect, she couldn’t be more different than Tessa, who was shy and reserved, and who had frequently blushed when he’d teased or flirted with her. Aubrey exuded confidence, and he sensed she could easily hold her own in most any situation, and not allow herself to be intimidated by anyone. He was more than curious to learn how she’d come by that sort of confident, self-assured nature.

Over their all-too-brief lunch earlier today, he’d learned that she had been born and raised in San Diego, and had attended college there as well. He knew that her job at the Westin Hotel here in Maui involved helping guests book various tours and excursions, but hadn’t learned a whole lot more than that - a circumstance that he was determined to change this evening.

He grinned when she took another slice of bread from the basket and then spread butter over it thickly before taking a bite. The little “mmm” of pleasure she made as she savored her food had an immediate and potent effect on his senses, at least if the sudden swelling of his cock was any indicator. And when she licked a stray crumb from her upper lip, Jordan had to restrain himself from reaching across the table and claiming that sexy mouth in a deep kiss.

He was enjoying the fact that Aubrey had a healthy appetite, unlike far too many of the women he’d dated over the years who would order the smallest, lowest calorie entrée on the menu, and then only eat a few small bites before declaring they were full. He had always stressed to his patients - especially the expectant mothers - how important it was to eat sensibly but also to make sure they were getting enough calories each day. He had never liked the ultra-thin look, preferring his lovers to have real curves, and was delighted that Aubrey seemed to be enjoying her meal to the fullest.

She glanced up at him wide-eyed, as he slowly and deliberately trailed the tips of his fingers along her bare arm. An uncertain little smile played about her lips as she murmured, “What is it?”

Jordan’s grin deepened as he noted the way she’d almost jumped in reaction to his touch. “I didn’t mean to startle you,” he apologized. “But it just occurred to me that I haven’t told you yet how beautiful you look this evening. Not,” he added hastily, “that you didn’t look equally as gorgeous on the beach earlier today. This is just - different.”

She smirked at him knowingly. “I’ll bet you were worried about how I’d dress tonight, weren’t you? That I’d show up in booty shorts and flip flops. Or worse - a micro mini dress and stilettos.”

“I wasn’t worried,” he protested. “Not, of course, that I’d ever object to seeing you in either of those outfits you just described.” He glanced around the elegant, discreetly lit restaurant uncertainly. “Um, but probably not in a place like this.”

Aubrey laughed heartily. “Well, sorry to disappoint you, but the only one of those four items I just mentioned that I actually own would be the flip flops. And according to Jenna, I apparently own far too many of them.”

“Spoilsport,” he replied teasingly. “And just when I was switching those two outfits around and picturing you in the booty shorts and stilettos. But in all seriousness, darlin’, you do look stunning tonight. The most beautiful woman in the place hands down.”

She beamed at him, visibly pleased at his compliment. “Jenna also said that I clean up pretty nicely when I set my mind to it. Over here in the islands there isn’t much need to dress up very often. When Jenna dragged this dress from the depths of my closet, I didn’t even remember that I owned something like this.”

“It’s perfect,” Jordan assured her. “You’re perfect, Aubrey. So perfect that I haven’t been able to keep from staring at you all evening.”

Her blue eyes darkened noticeably at his words. “You clean up pretty nice yourself,” she said softly, indicating the dark gray suit, crisp white dress shirt, and perfectly knotted burgundy tie he’d worn this evening. “Though I’m guessing you’re used to dressing up this way. At least a lot more often than I am.”

He shrugged. “When I’m seeing patients in my office or making morning rounds I’m usually in a suit. But I actually prefer wearing scrubs as often as possible. Much more comfortable.”

Aubrey rested her elbows on the table and leaned in closer to him. “I’ll bet all of your patients have huge crushes on you. The nurses, too. You must be the most popular OB/GYN in San Francisco.”

Jordan shook his head, taking one of her hands in his. “Not for the reason you might be thinking. I have a strict hands-off policy when it comes to both patients and co-workers. I’ve never once dated a patient, or anyone who works at the hospital or in my office. Way too complicated, not to mention too high a risk of being accused of sexual harassment, especially nowadays. That doesn’t mean the nurses don’t think I’m pretty cute, though,” he added with a grin. “Years ago, in fact, when I first started working at the hospital, a group of the nurses nicknamed me Doctor Dreamboat.”

She burst out laughing, even as she gave a little eye roll. “Kind of corny, and not very original, but definitely appropriate. I guess if I ever decide to move to San Francisco and need an OB/GYN, you’d have to refer me to another doctor, huh?”

“Absolutely,” he confirmed. “A female one at that. Because the only man I’d ever want to give you a, uh, pelvic exam would be yours truly.”

“Hmm.” Aubrey took a small sip of her wine. “Well, the chances of my moving to San Francisco are probably slim to none, so I doubt I’ll be needing that referral.”

She returned her attention to her meal after that, and he smiled a little to notice the way she tended to mix her food together - combining a bite each of fish, rice, and vegetables before forking all of it up at once. She fascinated him, he realized, and not just because she was drop dead gorgeous and sexy as hell. No, the real reason she captivated him was because of her charm and wit, her easygoing, laidback attitude, and the way she seemed to take such pleasure from something as simple as a slice of bread. She was neither a silly, airheaded bimbo, nor a pretentious, attention seeking snob. She was simply Aubrey, and he couldn’t remember a single occasion in recent years when he’d enjoyed himself more than he was doing right now.

She agreed easily to dessert when their waiter brought over menus, and asked for tea rather than coffee. She twirled a lock of long, blonde hair around her finger as she perused the menu thoughtfully, a harmless little movement that nonetheless caused Jordan to frown slightly - because he’d witnessed Tessa Gregson doing the exact same thing on more than one occasion.

He’d managed not to think of the other woman for most of the evening, even though the resemblance between her and Aubrey was more evident than it had been at the beach this afternoon. And Aubrey was so different in mannerisms from Tessa, the differences in personality between the two women so marked, that Jordan had nearly convinced himself that there couldn’t possibly be any sort of connection between them.

But now, when Aubrey rather coincidentally - or not - was wrapping a strand of hair around her fingers in concentration in much the same way he’d seen Tessa do, he had to wonder anew if the two women could possibly be related to each other in some fashion.

“I think the Nutella cheesecake sounds like the most decadent dessert I could ever imagine,” stated Aubrey, setting her menu down on the table. “What are you going to have, Jordan?”

‘You, I hope,’ he thought to himself. Aloud, however, he merely replied, “The banana cream pie, I think.”

He placed their orders with the waiter, then took her hand in his as though it was the most natural thing in the world to do.

“So you never did answer my question earlier. How did a California girl wind up living in Hawaii?” he inquired. “It couldn’t be because you had a longing to live near the ocean, given that San Diego already fits that bill.”

Aubrey finished brewing her tea and stirring in a single packet of sugar. “I never had any intention to live in Hawaii,” she acknowledged. “Or Alaska. Or Mexico, for that matter. And yet, since I finished college almost three years ago I’ve lived in all three places, and worked for the same tour operator.”

“Is that the career path you’d decided on during college?”

She snorted. “Hardly. I don’t think a degree in business administration would have been required to do the sorts of jobs I’ve had the last few years. Frankly, while I was going to college, I had absolutely zero idea of what I wanted to do with my life. I changed majors three times during my freshman and sophomore years, and finally settled on business because it seemed like the safe thing to do. The sensible thing, you know?”

Jordan nodded. “I get it. And it’s certainly not a bad idea. Much more practical, for example, than a degree in anthropology or art history. But I take it you didn’t much care for being practical or sensible, at least when it came to a career path.

“Yeah.” Aubrey took a sip of her tea and sighed. “The thought of working in some stuffy office, sitting behind a desk and computer for nine or ten hours a day, having to dress up in suits and heels or whatever “business casual” means, made me feel claustrophobic. Trapped. And I knew a job like that just wasn’t for me.”

“So how did you wind up working for a tour operator?” he prodded. “When you told me you worked at the Westin, I just assumed you were employed directly by the hotel.”

“Not exactly. I’m officially employed by the tour company, but several major hotel chains - including the Westin - contract them to work out of the hotels. I also worked at a Westin in Acapulco, and for a cruise line up in Alaska. As for how I got started in the business, that goes back to my junior year of college. I was working part-time at a big resort hotel in San Diego in guest services, and found that I really liked the work. I got to interact with hotel guests, recommend places for them to visit, restaurants, that sort of thing. But I also wanted to travel, so signing on with the tour operator was a way to accomplish that.”

“So you get to move around when you like, work in different places when you want a change?” he asked.

“Something like that,” she agreed. “Though it’s all done by contract, and they have different lengths to them depending on where you work. In Alaska, for example, the tourist season is only about four months long, from May to September, so that’s one of the shorter assignments. I signed an eighteen month contract when I came to Maui, and it’s up in about six more weeks.”

“Really?” Jordan regarded her curiously. “So where do you go from here?”

Aubrey shrugged. “To be honest, I’m not entirely sure. If I decided to stay in Hawaii, whether here in Maui or on another island, it would have to be for another eighteen months, that’s the shortest contract they offer over here. I’ll most likely go back to stay with my parents for a month or so before deciding where to go next. Unless, of course, I decide it’s finally time to grow up and get a real job.”

“What makes you think that what you do isn’t a real job?” he asked gently.

She glanced down at her tea cup, clearly ill at ease with this topic of conversation. “It’s not especially challenging or difficult, for one thing. The pay sucks, especially living someplace as expensive as Hawaii. And the schedule is anything but ideal. I always get stuck working weekends. And while I do enjoy working with people, some guests can be - well, let’s call them hard to please.”

“I see.”

Jordan sensed her desire to change the subject, so he asked her about her family. “Will your parents be happy to have you back home again? At least for a little while?”

Aubrey smiled, her blue eyes twinkling with pleasure. “They’ll be over the moon to have me back home, especially my mom. Neither parent will ever admit it, of course, because they know how independent I am, because they raised me to be that way, but I know they worry when I’m living so far from home. And I miss them something fierce. I haven’t seen my parents since they came to visit for a week last summer. There’s no way I can get time off at the holidays, and it’s difficult for them to take vacation during the school year.”

“They’re teachers?”

“Professors,” she corrected. “My father is the Dean of the Music Department at San Diego State, and my mother heads up the Latin American Studies Department at the University of San Diego. So the question of my not attending college and getting a degree was never really up for debate in my house. It was always understood growing up that my brothers and I would attend college.”

“How many brothers do you have?” he asked, pleased that she felt comfortable enough to share this information about her family with him.

“Just two. Josiah is thirty years old, and works as an immigration rights attorney in the San Diego area, while Mateo’s twenty-eight and finishing up his residency at Cedars Sinai in L.A. Then he plans to volunteer for Doctors Without Borders for about a year before getting a permanent position at an inner city clinic somewhere. So, my parents have a lawyer, a doctor, and a tour guide in the family. What more could you possibly ask for?” she joked, though it was pretty obvious to Jordan that those particular circumstances bothered Aubrey more than she was willing to admit.

Tactfully, he didn’t comment on her choice of profession, honing in instead on something else he’d picked up on.

“Josiah, Mateo, and Aubrey,” he mused. “Why is it that I can’t find a pattern among those three names?”

She smiled. “You wouldn’t be the first person to wonder at the connection, or lack thereof. But if you actually saw the three of us together, it would be pretty obvious. We’re all adopted. Josiah is originally from Somalia, and Mateo from El Salvador. My parents were never able to have children of their own, but they’ve been the absolute best mother and father any child could ever dream of. Enough so that I’ve never once had the slightest desire to find out who my birth parents are, even though Mom and Dad have always encouraged me to do so if I ever change my mind.”

“Adopted.”

Jordan practically whispered the word, and an odd little sensation of unease made him shiver a bit in reaction. But, no, he told himself firmly. He wasn’t going to permit himself to start pondering that revelation, and how it might or might not explain Aubrey’s startling resemblance to Tessa Gregson. He could really let his imagination run wild if he allowed it to, so he put a firm halt to his thoughts right then and there.

The arrival of the waiter with their dessert provided a welcome distraction from the admittedly far-fetched notions that had briefly crossed his mind, especially when Aubrey literally moaned in pleasure at the first taste of her Nutella cheesecake.

“This is hands down the most delicious, decadent thing I have ever tasted! Oh, God, I think I might be having an orgasm!” she sighed, licking her fork in pure bliss.

Jordan’s own fork clattered to his plate, his dessert forgotten as he stared at her in mesmerized disbelief. Her eyes were closed as she ran her tongue over her lips, and all he could think about was ramming his painfully hard cock between those same plush lips and watching as she sucked him off.

“If a single bite of cheesecake makes you feel like you’re having an orgasm, I can’t wait to see your reaction when you experience the real thing,” he murmured huskily, reaching across the table to brush a stray morsel from the side of her mouth. “Anytime you say the word, in fact. And since I’m something of an expert at orgasms, I can guarantee that the one I’m going to give you tonight - correction, ones - will give you a hell of a lot more pleasure than a few forkfuls of cream cheese and Nutella.”

At her gasp, he continued to run a finger over her lips, coaxing them to part and allow him entry. Then it was his turn to gasp as she unexpectedly sucked his finger inside her warm, wet mouth, her tongue swirling around it provocatively.

He practically jerked his hand away, so completely turned on at this moment that he was afraid he’d embarrass himself in front of the entire restaurant if this little seduction game continued.

“If you want to finish that cheesecake, darlin’,” he cautioned, “better do it fast. Otherwise, I’m going to kiss you in front of this entire restaurant, and I’ve got a feeling they’ll ask us to leave afterwards.”

Aubrey nodded, her cheeks flushed a vivid pink, and practically shoveled the rest of her dessert into her mouth rapidly. Jordan toyed with his own dessert, his appetite for food having been quickly overtaken by his hunger for her. He took a few deep, calming breaths, reaching for his water glass instead of his coffee cup, and wishing for a tumbler of whisky to magically appear. Aubrey, too, seemed on edge, her tea cup rattling in its saucer when she set it down.

“Hey, it’s okay,” he soothed, placing a hand over hers. “I didn’t mean to intimidate you, or pressure you. You’ve already noticed that I like to flirt, and sometimes I admittedly come on a little strong. And while we haven’t talked about how this date might or might not end tonight, I want you to know that I would never try to coerce you into having sex. If you’re not comfortable with the idea - if you’re not comfortable with me - then all you have to do is say no, and I’ll respect your decision. Okay?”

“Okay,” she whispered, her blue eyes gazing back at him steadily. “And I - I don’t know what I want, if I’m being completely honest. I like you, Jordan. I like you a lot. But this is all happening a little faster than I’m used to, you know? I mean, it’s not like I’m a virgin or inexperienced or anything, but I’m also not someone who does one-night stands, either.”

“I figured that out pretty quickly,” he told her, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Believe me, I’ve hung out in enough singles bars and clubs and crazy parties over the years, and I can figure out immediately what women are going to be easy pick-ups. You’re nothing like any of those women, Aubrey. Not even a little bit. And while you don’t give off any virginal vibes, you also don’t seem like an experienced woman of the world, either. Am I right?”

Her cheeks flushed an even deeper pink as she gave a little shrug. “More or less,” she replied huskily. “The few guys I’ve been with were all longer-terms things, except for the last one I dated a few months ago. But even that was for a month, not just a night. So this - you - well, it’s a completely new experience for me and I’m just not sure it’s the right thing for me to do.”

“I don’t blame you in the least for being cautious,” stated Jordan. “Or for not wanting to indulge in a one-night stand. You’re a very special woman, Aubrey, and you deserve a whole lot more than a quick fuck and maybe breakfast the next morning. But I’ll tell you this, darlin’ - I haven’t even kissed you yet, and I already know that I’m going to want a whole lot more than a single night with you. In fact, I wanted to ask if you were free for the next two weeks since I want to see you as much as possible during my stay. What do you say?”

Her response caught him completely off guard, and instantly set his pulse to racing double time. Aubrey gave him a very deliberate, very seductive little smile before reaching across the table to cup his cheek in her hand, then leaned in to place a quick kiss on his lips.

“Well, now we’ve officially had our first kiss,” she replied impishly. “And I’m happy to confirm that I’m free every night for the next two weeks. So what comes next?”