Chapter 4 – Scott
I shouldn’t have told her that about my past. I don’t know what I was thinking, but she gave me this look of pity that I never wanted to see again. I know that she didn’t mean to, Jesse wasn’t condescending in that way, but that was how it felt. I never wanted her to feel sorry for me. I hated the sentiment from anyone, but from Jesse it was unbearable.
She didn’t bring it up again, instead talking about how much better she felt now that everything was paid for. It was good that her debt was all in one spot and the payment was going to be a lot lower. I didn’t want to talk about finances, but she was nervous, and I’d said enough about myself for one day. She now knew more about me than most people ever would.
“So what are you going to do now? Take some time off and close the place up on a regular basis?”
Jesse shrugged like she hadn’t even thought that far. “I don’t know, I guess. Melissa is going to want to start getting a day off every week or so. With the coffee sales going crazy, we are still looking to hire a couple more people. Sorry… I can’t stop thinking about work.”
“I know the feeling. Sometimes I don’t think I would have a life at all if it wasn’t for going to the office every day. That’s all I do now, and I can’t say that I know how to change that. I miss the days when I worked when I wanted. I still worked as much, but it was when I wanted to and not when someone told me to. There is a difference.”
“But I thought you were the CEO? Doesn’t that make you the boss?”
“Yeah, but there is a board that my father is on. All big decisions have to be approved by the board, so I’m really just a glorified figurehead.”
“Well, I’m sure that it isn’t so bad with what you get paid.”
I wondered how she knew how much I got paid. There was a magazine that had done a cover on me a few months back, but I didn’t know if she’d read it. I liked the idea of her checking me out, but there were other stories out there that were not so flattering to me. I hoped she hadn’t seen those.
“You can’t always believe everything that you read about me, Jesse. The media like to sensationalize everything. That’s why I stay far away from them now.”
By the look on her face, she had read something unsavory about me. I was glad that she wasn’t going to judge me for it. It was most likely true, but I didn’t like to think about what she would think of me if she knew the whole truth. Maybe it was good enough that she knew I had a dark past. She didn’t necessarily have to know how black it was at some points. No one needed to know, but Jesse was a person I never wanted to see me that way.
“Don’t worry. It wasn’t that bad, but it did make you out to be a playboy. That part of it I think I’m inclined to believe. You have a way about you that tells me that you haven’t heard the word ‘no’ that much.”
I chuckled. I felt like she knew more about me than I’d intended. Why did she look right through me?
“I guess you could say that I haven’t, although you’ve said it many times since I’ve met you. Why are you so hard on me, Jesse?”
She was plating the food and stopped to look at me. “I’m not hard on you. I don’t think I am. I just – well, the first time we met, I was not very happy with you.”
The smile on her face was contagious. I was enjoying myself too much. I shouldn’t be having this much fun with my clothes on. “No, you weren’t were you?”
“Well, it was the way you were walking around like you owned everything. I’ve known men like you before, and it never ends well.”
“Men like me?”
“Yeah, you know, rich, handsome and aggressive.”
“I haven’t been aggressive. I’ve been more patient than I’ve ever been in my whole life. I’ve waited for you for so long that I’m sure I’m going to explode soon.”
She giggled at me and told me to come to the table. The table was set beautifully, and the first thing I noticed was the wine. I needed something to drink, something to slow down the mind that was only thinking about her underneath me.
“I haven’t known you but a couple of weeks and we’re already going out on a date. To me, that’s pretty fast.”
“If you were any other woman, you would already be in my bed.”
I regretted saying it as soon as I saw her reaction. She blanched and looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. Maybe I had, but there was a bigger part of me that didn’t think I’d gone far enough. I wouldn’t have gone far enough until she was in my arms and in my bed.
“Yeah, I made that kind of mistake once before. But I learn from my mistakes. That’s why I almost didn’t agree to this date. Men like you are dangerous, Scott, and I don’t need any danger in my life.”
The smile had faded, and I was really hearing what she said. I had to wonder who it was who’d broken her heart and ruined my chances of being with her. Who was it that she thought was a man like me?
“I don’t think that you’ve ever met a man like me, Jesse. I don’t think that I’ve ever met a woman like you, Jesse, nowhere close. Maybe that’s a sign.”
“I wouldn’t go that far, but I do wonder why you’re still hanging around. You could have anyone, Scott. Why are you worried about me?”
“Because you’re different. You don’t dress to impress anyone, just yourself. You don’t spend all day in front of a mirror to make yourself something you’re not. I think you may be the realest women that I’ve ever met, and I don’t know why, but I’m drawn to you. How could I not be, Jesse?”
I moved towards her and pulled her to her feet. I wanted her to know what she meant to me. She meant more than I was willing to admit to myself. I cared for her more than I should have. I didn’t really understand it, but there was something between us. Something inside of me was never going to be fulfilled until I had her.
“Scott, this is just supposed to be a date.”
“I want to kiss you. That’s all. Just one kiss.”
I moved to touch my lips to hers before she could give me an answer I didn’t want to hear. I was too afraid that it was going to be no. I couldn’t take another one from her, not again. Not when I was so close to what I wanted.
She mewled when our lips finally met and made the sweetest sounds when I pulled her into my arms. It was where she was supposed to be, and the touch was the very last assurance that I needed. Pushing my tongue in between her lips, I tasted her sweetness and a surge of need ran through me. I pulled away from her before I wouldn’t be able to stop myself. I wouldn’t have her tonight. Tonight was just a date.
To be continued in Part 5…