Chasing Jenna (9 page)

“No, it’s against the rules. You have to make a commitment to the house and that can only be done at age 18. The elders don’t want to teach any of the business secrets to someone who hasn’t committed. Can’t have anyone running off and starting their own business I guess.”

This was all so complicated I was almost sorry I asked, but at the same time, there was something so mysterious about it all.

“I don’t understand all the secrecy.”

“Come on, you’re making it way too complicated. It’s not like we are some warped group out to take over the school. It’s just a way we identify ourselves so we know what level everyone is on. It’s just like any other job, you learn as you go. First years, like I already told you, the runners. Second years learn the financial end of the house. They start learning how the house works, from paying wages to the cooks to making sure the lights stay on. Third years, like Cale, get to start learning the business from the ground up. They see how the structure works. Fourth years gets to run a mock business. The top fourth year student though, gets to run the business on a small scale through the house to see what level he will be placed in after graduation. Nolan Mcguire is the Marshall of the house, that’s what they’re called. He runs things like the faculty banquets that I told you about earlier. The school and the faculty get a lot of perks from the house, due to the Marshall’s trying to make an impression on the older generations.”

“Run the business through the house? Great, now I’m not only a charity case, I’m a business venture.”

“Jen, Stop. It’s not like that. I told you, I really don’t know that much about the business other than it provides international customer service. So I guess The Marshall runs a small scale of that here in town. Sometimes first years will have to wait tables at big parties or drive someone to the airport. But the sponsoring stuff is something totally separate from that. It isn’t part of the business, just something the house has always done because the business is big on giving back to our communities.”

“This is harder to understand than any class we’ve been to today. So you really don’t know that much about sponsoring?”

“Nope, sorry. Maybe you could fill me in after you talk with Cale,” he said with a wink.

He motioned to me, encouraging me to move my feet as he started to walk backwards, “Come on now, you don’t want to make Cale wait, do you?” he smiled as he turned his back to me.

“But wait, I have one more question.”

He stopped and looked up to the sky, taking an exaggerated deep breath – obviously done with my interrogation.

“How is it that you’re older than Marcus, but you’re both first years?”

His face dropped and he gave me a confused look.

“I can’t keep up with you, woman.” He walked back toward me. “My brother and I have always said we wanted to go through the house together. I waited for him. There’s a junior college near where we grew up. I took classes there while he finished his last year of high school.” He put his hand softly on my back, encouraging me to move.

“Now, let’s go. You really shouldn’t make Cale Davis wait.”

>CHAPTER TEN<

The library took up an entire block. The historic looking stone front was a stunning cover for the massive building behind it. Trees surrounded the building, and the grounds around it were perfectly maintained. A large grouping of steps lay out in a welcoming fan from the front doors to the side walk.

Even as impressed as I was with the beautiful library, I knew it was not that or the ungodly amount of steps that led up to it, which made my heart pound so heavily in my chest.

I was scared to death.

I forced myself to keep moving. There were multiple ways I could handle this situation. I could be serious and tell him that I would need some time to consider his proposal – or silly and act like either way, if he chose me or not, it was not a big deal. Insulted was another option – tell him I didn’t need his charity and walk away.

None of them seemed to be the right answer, so I just kept moving forward.

The inside of the library looked just as you imagined it would. There were staircases everywhere I looked, leading up to different floors of bookcases and study rooms.

What I hadn’t expected, was the back wall of the building, to be windows from floor to ceiling. It looked out onto the beautiful gardens the college was famous for. Even though the sun had started its early decent, once again reminding everyone of the changing season, students lounged outside on the benches placed along the winding paths.

I looked away from the windows and my eyes found him. I desperately drank in the sight of him – fearful, that after this talk, the hope of our relationship being more than friendly would be gone. My apprehension melted away and a small smile spread across my face. Even if he wasn’t interested in being in my life the way I wanted him to be, I knew there was no way I was ready to let him go. He could be part of my life in whatever capacity he wanted, as long as he didn’t leave.

Warmth spread through my body when he looked up and acknowledged me with his eyes. He really was perfect.

He stood as I got closer to him, nervously looking back and forth, between the stack of books in front of him and me. He pushed his hands into his front pockets while he waited. It was the most attractive thing I had ever seen. I sighed to myself, wondering, what I could possibly be doing to have such an effect on him. I wanted to do it over and over.

Simply being near him made my heart pound wildly in my chest, and I was grateful, it was the only thing that reminded me I wasn’t floating.

“Hey,” he half whispered as he stepped around the table to take my book bag from me. Sitting it down on the table, he pulled out a chair for me to sit in.

“You made it,” he teased.

He sat in the chair next to me and laid his hands on the table. I reached over and placed one of mine on top of his. I’m not sure why. I guess I felt like he needed to be centered. I wanted to be that comfort for him. He turned his hand over so he could hold mine.

“Has anyone told you how beautiful you look today?” he whispered.

I tried to maintain some sort of composure, but it was nearly impossible. I was unable to speak. The twisting of emotions, every time he was near, was painful.

“I had planned a speech about all the details involved in sponsoring, but the moment I looked up and saw you coming toward me, my mind went blank. You really are stunning, Jenna.”

His words were like a kiss to my heart. I was hopeless for this boy. Whatever or whoever he needed me to be, I’d change it all for him.

“I can’t remember being this nervous talking to a girl.” He said with a small laugh.

I squeezed his hand softly, “I’m not some girl. I’m Jenna. Just talk.”

“I’m starting to understand that. It seems to make this harder.” he said as he picked up my hand and gently pressed his lips onto my palm.

Instant desire surged through my body. It mixed with the panic of understanding; this might be my last chance to tell him how I feel. I needed to explain that his presence in my life had changed me somehow in this short period of time. No one had ever made me feel as beautiful, or as wanted as he did, with just a simple touch.

“Cale,” I whispered.

He slowly lifted his eyes to mine, I wanted to look away but couldn’t. There was something there; a pleading, that I couldn’t fully understand, but didn’t need to. He had to continue; his choice was already made.

“Why don’t we start from the beginning?” I said softly. My heart broke into tiny pieces, understanding that with one sentence, I had given up any hope of making him mine.

“Okay,” he said as he carefully laid my hand back down.

As we talked about the possibility of Cale sponsoring me, I couldn’t help but get lost in the traditional values it was rooted in. He explained how it came from the desire to give back to the community. The founding brothers of the house felt deeply that this program would help ensure the future of the towns they lived in, and improve the lives of generations for many different families.

He took me step by step through the process. They would first need to get permission from my mom. There would be training and then an interview process with the elders of the house. This included Cale’s dad. The final decision would be made after that. If I was accepted, I would be eligible for financial help with items like computers, tuition reimbursement, and even living expenses.

“It’s not like you would be expected to wear a t-shirt around that says ‘I’m Cale’s sponsored girl’,” he said with a little sarcastic laugh.

I didn’t think that sounded like such a bad idea.

“Well, what do you think?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure I can accept those things from you. I mean, tuition reimbursement and computers, those are high dollar items and I’ve never really been good with handouts.”

“This is not a handout, it’s more like a helping hand. And it all comes from the foundation, not directly from me. Besides, if you don’t get it, someone else will, and I really want you to have it.”

My head spun. It sounded like an amazing opportunity. But I didn’t want him to look at me like a charity case. I knew exactly how I wanted him to look at me, but that idea was fading, smaller and smaller by the second. This might be the only way to keep Cale in my life.

“What are you thinking? Your silence is kind of making me crazy right now.”

I looked up from my deep thoughts.

“Well, I think it sounds like it’s very important to you.” I paused, hoping I wouldn’t regret this. “I would be honored to be Cale’s sponsored girl.”

He jumped up and lifted me out of my chair so he could hug me. I squeaked out a laugh. “Thank you, Jenna. Thank you for trusting me.”

“You’re welcome.” I whispered in his ear as I realized that we were cheek to cheek. He pulled back from me just enough so he could see my face. For just a few seconds he stared right into my eyes. I was so captivated by the way he made me feel. I don’t think I’d ever felt as connected to another human being as I did with him in this moment. He took a deep breath and slowly put a hand lightly on the side of my cheek.

“This really means a lot to me. I promise I will take very good care of you.”

Although, startled by the intimacy of the gesture, I quickly settled into it. I may not be girlfriend material where Cale Davis was concerned, but I was going to take every opportunity I could to feel the way I was feeling right now. “I’m sure you will.”

~~~

Cale pulled his car up to the curb in front of the Towers. I reached toward the door handle until I noticed he had put the car in park. I turned toward him, waiting for him to speak, but he didn’t.

I sat back in my seat, looking out the front window. The burst of color that barely stretched above the tree tops was the only light the sun could manage at this hour, and that would soon be gone. A light breeze picked up, blowing the fallen leaves back and forth, but not really committed enough to move anything far.

“So you’ll let me know when all of the sponsoring events start happening? I don’t want to miss anything.” I said trying to fill the silence. He spoke quickly, nearly cutting me off.

“I’ve barely been able to let you out of my sight since the moment I saw you. You can be sure I’ll get you where you need to be.” He had a smile on his face but there was a flash of something else, maybe frustration.

I sat quietly in my confusion, wondering if I should take that as a compliment or apologize for something. I reached for the door handle again, “Well, I should get going. I have a ton of homework and …”

“Jenna,” this time he cut me off in mid-sentence.

The tone of his voice charged the air inside the closed-in car with heavy emotion. I glanced at my hand, still hovering over the handle, and noticed the slight tremor in my fingers. I struggled to keep my thoughts contained as I turned toward him. He sat motionless, staring straight ahead with his hands on the steering wheel.

“I want to do something so badly,” he continued, “something I shouldn’t do.”

My heart began to race, fear – mixed with excitement – took over. I didn’t move, and couldn’t have, even if I wanted to. I was so enthralled with the curve of his lips, his flawless skin, and the thick, corded muscles that traced down his neck and disappeared under his shirt.

His chest began to rise and fall with quick breaths and I found myself matching his pace.

“What is it that you want to do?” I asked.

He drummed his thumbs on the steering wheel before letting his head fall back onto the headrest. Pausing briefly, he ran his hands down his face and rolled his head toward me, his eyes wandering down my face until they stopped on my lips. My heart skipped a beat, demanding my body to react to the look in his eyes. I fought the urge to pull him to me.

My mouth suddenly dry, I parted my lips and my tongue slid out between them.

“Oh my God, don’t do that,” he whispered. “You’re so tempting, I can’t …” He closed his eyes and tilted his head, contemplating something. He spoke almost under his breath. “I bet you would be delicious.”

I stared at him, unsure how he wanted me to respond.

“Are you?” He paused, opened his eyes and shifted toward me. “Are you delicious, Jenna?”

He reached out and ran his thumb lightly over the wetness on my bottom lip, inhaling sharply like the contact stung. I shivered from his touch and closed my eyes, not so I couldn’t see him, but so I could concentrate on the amazing feeling of his skin on mine.

“These lips,” he whispered then paused, “No, Jenna, open your eyes.”

I obeyed.

His hand slipped to the base of my neck, gently pulling me in close to him. “I want you to see what you are doing to me. I need you to understand the power you have.”

Our breaths tangled between us and an urgency flooded into my body like I’d never known. Our closeness was painful, it teased me with desire that my heart demanded; but my soul knew would change who I was. I didn’t care. I wanted him, even if it was just for tonight, or the next ten minutes, or for as long as we were in this car.