Chapter Three
Jordyn opened and closed her mouth several times. “I don’t know what to say, Tom.”
Tom brought her hand up to his mouth, and placed a gentle kiss. “You don’t have to say anything. You don’t even have to tell me yes or no right away. Just at least tell me that you won’t make a decision just yet. Give me the chance to show you that I can be the guy that you fell in love with, and if I fail then at least I will have tried.”
Jordyn looked up into his eyes, and saw nothing but hope, sincerity, and just a tiny flicker of fear. “Tom, I want to give you a second chance. I know that people make mistakes, and that second chances can be given, and things turn out the way they were supposed to, but we’re different people now. Three years can change a person. You and I are not the same people who fell in love all those years ago, and got married. We don’t even know if we’d like each other right now. I’m sure life has softened us in some ways, but made us harder in others.”
“Then let’s find out,” Tom said, softly.
Her eyebrows scrunched in confusion. “I don’t understand.”
“Let’s get to know each other all over again, see if we can have something good once again, and if we can’t, or if either of us feels uncomfortable then we can stop, no hard feelings. If however, it works—” He trailed off before he tilted her chin up and looked deeply into her eyes. “Well, then I can promise you, on everything that I hold dear, that I will try to deserve you this time.”
He tugged on her hand until he had his arms wrapped around her, and Jordyn melted into his embrace just like she used to. She sighed as she felt her body fit seamlessly into his, and closed her eyes as she allowed his unique smell—soap, mint, and a deep woodsy smell- to envelop her, and wrap her in a cocoon of warmth and familiarity.
Jordyn grabbed a fistful of his shirt, and pulled him closer as if that would somehow erase everything that had happened, and make them forget about the world outside.
“I wish we could stay here forever,” Jordyn murmured into his shirt as she inhaled his scent, and tried to commit it to memory.
“Why don’t we?” Tom said as he kissed the top of her head. “Let’s just lock the door to the conference room, and stay inside. I’m sure there’s some food stashed away in here somewhere, and there’s a bathroom with a bathtub and everything. We could order food if we ever run out.”
“That would require unlocking the door,” Jordyn commented, very dryly.
“We can work our way around that. Maybe we can fashion a basket out of something, and throw it out of that window, and they can send us food in the basket.”
Jordyn began to smother her laughter in his shirt. “I’m beginning to feel a bit like Rapunzel.”
“Well, you always did love Disney movies.”
She pinched his arm playfully. “I don’t love them so much that I want to be one. No, thanks. I happen to like modern inventions.”
Tom snorted. “Like what?”
“Bathrooms, Netflix, waxing.”
Tom choked out a laugh. “Waxing? Surely, they shaved in olden times.”
Jordyn peered up at him. “Maybe they did, but I doubt it was as easy and hygienic as it is right now.”
Tom pretended to think. “So wait, the women who couldn’t wax were basically hairy monkeys?”
Jordyn slapped his arm. “That’s not a very nice comment, Tom. You have no idea how painful waxing really is.”
“I think I’ve got a pretty good idea based on the screams that used to come out of the bedroom when you were going at it.”
Jordyn blushed. “You don’t know the half of it.”
One corner of his mouth tugged up. “Well, I didn’t think it was screams of pleasure, that’s for sure. I should know the difference after all.”
Jordyn buried her face in his chest. “Stop it. You’re making me feel very embarrassed right now.”
Jordyn could feel his chest vibrate with laughter. “Aw, come on, Jor. You aren’t really embarrassed, are you? We were married for years. What’s there to be embarrassed about?”
“Things are different now,” Jordyn mumbled.
“Well, yeah, of course. I’m human, and I know things are different, but you know what?”
“What?”
“You’re still the same strong, stubborn, beautiful, bad ass that I fell in love with in college.”
Jordyn laughed. “You couldn’t even talk to me that first month in college, remember? We took that humanities course together?”
Tom smiled ruefully. “I remember. It’s just because you made me nervous. You were so smart, and you always seemed so mature, and so serious, I thought you could never go for a guy like me.”
Jordyn shook her head. “Tom, all I did was pay attention in class, and I wasn’t that serious, come on.”
“You come on. The first time I saw you, you were reading a book, with your headphones plugged in, wearing your sexy librarian glasses, and you were like nothing I had ever seen before, so I was terrified.”
“Glasses, books, and music terrified you?” Amusement laced Jordyn’s tone.
“Oh, ha haha. What a comedian. No, you smartass. You terrified me. All those things were signs telling the world to back off, or else.”
Jordyn titled her head up, a smile etched into her features. “Seriously? They’re not meant to convey anything other than, I’m reading, and I’m in the zone, beware, and approach at your own risk.”
Tom snorted. “Exactly. Hence, back off or else.”
“It’s not or else. That’s very melodramatic. I just might’ve been very peeved and given them a dirty look.”
Tom looked down at her and pinched her nose playfully. “Have you ever seen the look you give when you’re peeved? I wouldn’t want that look turned on me, and that’s after I’ve gotten it a few times.”
“It’s not that bad,” Jordyn said, with a smile in her voice, as she tried to keep a straight voice.
“It’s not bad at all. In fact, it can be kind of sexy.”
One eyebrow shot up. “Sexy, huh? How so?”
Tom smiled at her. “Well, you know how they say someone looks great no matter what? Even when they’re mad?”
Jordyn scrunched her face in confusion. “I’ve heard that, yeah, but I always thought that was something guys say to butter us up, so we’re not mad anymore.”
“No, definitely not, although some guys might be saying it because of that. Doesn’t make it any less true though. Anyways, you’re definitely one of those people.”
“I bet you’re just saying that to get on my good side.”
Tom pretended to be offended. “You mean I left your good side?”
Jordyn rolled her eyes. “Now who’s being the smart ass?”
“Takes one to know one,” he answered.
“We should go. They’ll probably be wondering where we are,” Jordyn said regretfully, as she began pulling away.
Tom tightened his grip for a bit. “I can’t let you go just yet. I’m worried if I do, and we go back outside into the real world, our little bubble will cease to exist.”
Jordyn gave him a soft smile. “We can’t stay here forever, Tom. We have to go outside sooner or later.”
Tom pulled her closer and buried her face in his hair making her heart melt a little. “I choose later.”
Jordyn’s hand came up to stroke his hair. “I know you do, but come on.”
Tom pulled away. “Jordyn, before we walk out of here, I need to know one thing. I know I can’t expect an answer from you right now, and I don’t, but I do have one question.”
“Yes?”
“Will you have dinner with me?”
Jordyn looked startled for a second. “Dinner?”
“Yeah, you know, it’s an outing with two people, sometimes more, but in our case, just two, where you order food, and talk, and sometimes if the evening goes well, you kiss.”
Jordyn pretended to think about it. “You kiss, huh? I don’t think I know what that is.”
Tom pursed his lips to keep from laughing. “Oh, then we have to remedy that right away.”
Jordyn’s face lit up. “So, what you’re saying is you’ll be my teacher?”
“If I recall, you were the one who had all the moves, so I do believe, you’ll be the one teaching me.”
Jordyn blushed. “Oh, is that how it was? I don’t remember that.”
Tom laughed. “You seem to have forgotten an awful lot.”
“Maybe I need you to refresh my memory,” Jordyn said, coyly.
Tom cocked his head to the side. “Oh, is that so? Hmm, that could take a long time. I want to be sure that I’m giving you a proper demonstration after all.”
“Oh, yes, especially if there’s going to be a practical exam or something.”
Tom’s eyes darkened as he looked down at her. “Oh, there’s most definitely going to be a practical exam, and I’m going to be very meticulous, I warn you. I am not an easy person to please.”
Jordyn pretended to widen her eyes in surprise. “Oh, of course. I expect nothing less. Your reputation precedes you after all.”
“It does?” Tom coughed as he realized what he said before assuming an air of indifference. “I mean, of course it does. I am legendary after all.”
Jordyn snorted. “Okay, I just can’t take you seriously right now. Legendary? Really? Who do you think you are, Casanova?”
“You know that comment might actually hurt if I were one of those guys with fragile egos, but my ego is very much intact. I know my skills.”
Jordyn pinched his arm. “What skills?”
Tom pretended to rub the sore spot. “My Casanova like skills.”
Jordyn rolled her eyes, and began to laugh until Tom’s hands moved from around her, and they began tentatively exploring her body. The laughter died on her lips as she noticed him looking at her intently, waiting to see if she would allow it. When she gave a slight imperceptible nod of the head, Tom’s exploration began to grow bolder as his hands traced the planes and curves of her body.
“What—” Jordyn swallowed as her breath hitched in her throat. “What are you doing?”
“I’m refreshing your memory,” he responded huskily as his hands splayed themselves over her lower back, and began to massage it.
Jordyn’s eyes rolled in the back of her head as she tried to keep them open. “Tom.” Her voice came out sounding like a gasp as she clutched his shirt. “We shouldn’t.”
“Shouldn’t because of work, or because of our history?”
“Work,” she managed to choke out as he found one particularly sore spot and dug his fingers in. Jordyn yelped, and she scowled as she took in Tom’s smug grin.
“We’re at my work place. What if someone walks in on us?”
“They won’t.” Tom reassured her. “We locked the door, and we already told them we need to discuss some aspects of the video, so they’ll think we’ll be in here for a while. Just to be safe though.” He reached behind her and hit the play button on the laptop, so that the sound of her ad filled the conference room.
“It’s a diversion,” he explained as his eyes trailed over her body, leaving a trail of heat in his wake. Jordyn’s mouth felt dry, and her tongue darted out to lick her lips. Tom saw this, and he gave her a seductive grin as he bit his own lip.
“Now then, what were you saying?” His hands moved up to her shoulders, and he began to massage them.
Jordyn tried to think through the haze that suddenly clouded her better judgment. “About what?”
“My demonstration. Is it enough, or do you want more?”
“I think we should—” she squeaked as Tom’s hands squeezed her breast. “That’s not fair. You’re just cheating now.”
“All is fair in love and war,” he responded as he patted her behind. “Now this. This I miss. I remember being very fond of this.”
Jordyn laughed nervously. “Were you, now? It’s different though.”
“You’ve still got a fine piece of ass.” Tom winked at her as his head dipped low, and he began kissing her neck.
Jordyn felt the room begin to tilt, so she held onto his shoulders for support.
“Still think I’m not legendary?”
Jordyn choked back a laugh. “Seriously? You’re asking me this now?”
Jordyn felt his warm breath tickle her ears. “Why not? There’s no time like the present. After all, I don’t have that much time to convince you before we have to get back to work. That’s besides the convincing I’ll do when you hopefully say yes to dinner.”
“You seem like you’ve got it all figured out.”
She felt his lips hover over her pressure point. “Generally, I do try to be the man with the plan.”
“You’re forgetting one important thing,” Jordyn pointed out.
She felt Tom pause, his curiosity getting the better of him. “What’s that?”
“I’ve got a plan too.” Jordyn leaned over, and took his earlobe between her lips and gently tugged on it. When she felt Tom’s grip slacken, she brought her hands up over his shoulders and began to massage them gently.
Tom moaned quietly. “I did not see that coming.”
“That’s the beauty of it,” Jordyn responded cheekily.
Tom let his arms come up to grasp hers in a firm grip. “I didn’t say you can take over. I’m still teaching you, and I’m far from over.”
“Don’t be so technical.”
“Don’t be so bossy,” he retorted, pleasantly. “Though you know I enjoy it. For once, just let me do all the work, don’t over think, and just enjoy.”
“I know how to enjoy myself.” Jordyn blushed as Tom gave her a once over.
“I never said you didn’t, but let’s see if we can maximize that even more.”
He spun her around, his hand still gripping hers in a tight grip, as he brought her arms up over head, and placed them against the wall. He pressed himself against her body, and she heard him inhale deeply.
He began to breathe softly on her neck, and Jordyn’s muscles tightened in anticipation of his touch. Her stomach dipped as his hands slid across it before moving forward and back down again. He kicked her legs open just a bit before he brought his hands up and placed them over her center.
Jordyn began to breathe heavily as she tried to squirm, but he wouldn’t let her.
“I’m trying to give you a first-class demonstration here. Why are you struggling?” he murmured, desire lacing his tone.
“Because you’re taking your sweet time.” Frustration crept into her voice as she titled her head back and peered at him over her shoulder. He looked amused and extremely focused as he smiled at her pleasantly.
“So, you think I’m taking my sweet time, do you?”
“Aren’t you?” she responded, very dryly as she wriggled her hips a little. She smirked as she heard Tom groan at the contact.
“Now who’s cheating?”
“You’re the one who started playing dirty. If you’re going to play with fire then you’re going to get burned.”
His voice sounded amused. “So, are you the fire, or the burn in this case?”
Jordyn gave him a saucy grin over her shoulder. “Depends on your perspective.”
“Oh, it’s an excellent perspective if I may say so myself. The view does help quite a bit.”
“Men are such horn dogs.” She rolled her eyes as Tom buried his face in her hair. She felt him vibrate with laughter as he kissed the back of her neck. “I don’t recall you complaining when you were on the receiving end of this.”
Jordyn bit back a moan as he began to lick her neck. “You made a very convincing argument. What can I say?”
“Really? Convincing, is it? I feel like I’m not doing a good enough job convincing you. What do you think?”
“I think you’re doing an excellent job,” Jordyn commented, trying her best to sound blasé, and to hold back how much he was affecting her.
“Excellent, hmmm,” he mused as his hands began rubbing her breasts. He began to knead them through her very flimsy blouse. “Do you usually wear scrappy material like this?”
“It is not scrappy.” She tried to focus on what he was saying, but her mind just kept going to other places.
“It is very scrappy. I can practically feel you through this blouse, and I could definitely see a lot of you when you walked in with your top button undone.”
Jordyn flushed. “It was hot, out.”
“It’s hot in here, too.” Tom nuzzled her neck and began peppering it with light kisses, causing goose bumps to rise up and down her flesh. His fingers came up and began to undo the buttons on her shirt. He undid two of them, and splayed his hand over her chest, letting his cool touch glide over her warm skin, causing her to lean back into his touch and sigh.