Authors: Lori H. Leger,Kimberly Killion
Tags: #Fiction, #Contemporary Women
Giselle laughed. “Well, you should. It’d be a shame to have all of that wonderful DNA go to waste.”
“See, that’s what Mom says!” he said, in amazement. “Are you offering your assistance, by any chance?”
Jackson gave his friend an ominous growl. “Red...”
Giselle laughed at the dangerous look on Jackson’s face. “No, but I’ll be on the lookout for you.”
Red waved off her offer. “I don’t have time for that right now.” When the DJ started up an old country song, Red jumped up. “Come on, Giselle, this is one of my favorites to dance to.” He maneuvered her expertly around the floor for one dance, but met with disappointment when he tried to lead her into a second.
Jackson gave his friend a surly glare before he pulled Giselle out of Red’s arms and back into his own.
“Where’s the love?” Red asked, feigning hurt feelings.
“Go get your own date!” Jackson threw over his shoulder.
CHAPTER 18
A few minutes before it was time for the band to start, Red stood up from the table. “It’s time to introduce the band, but I’ll be right back.” Red walked out onto the bandstand and introduced himself as the owner of the club, along with several people in the VIP section who had so kindly invested in his dream. He welcomed everyone warmly then reminded his guests that anyone lighting up a cigarette of any kind would get a personal escort to the parking lot and refused re-entry into the building.
“You can smell like sweat from dancing all night when you leave this place, but you’ll never smell like a dirty ashtray,” he announced, to cheers and applause. He introduced the band, a local favorite who’d made it big, to more applause.
By the time he got back to the table, the band was already into the first beats of
Home
, in Giselle’s opinion, one of the best dance songs on the
Carencro
album.
Giselle grabbed both Jackson and Red’s hands and pulled them out to the floor. “Come on guys...let’s dance.”
Jackson watched in amazement, as Giselle, mother of two, shimmied, and ground her hips to the driving beat of the song. She put one arm up behind her head and turned seductively toward one, then the other of the two men on the dance floor with her. Jackson felt a surge of possessiveness when Red reached for Giselle’s waist. Luckily, before his friend could make contact, another woman pulled him away to dance with her. Jackson used the opportunity to pull Giselle closer. She raised her eyes to him and he could see that she was lost in the hard driving rhythm and grinding lyrics of the song. Everyone in the building clapped to the beat as Marc sang all about drowning in a sea of soul, long hot days, and losing control.
Jackson’s hands travelled slowly down to pull her hips towards him as she reached up to wind her arms around his neck. Several more beats passed and she pulled him by his tie until their noses nearly touched. He gazed into green eyes that were glazed over as if she were in a trance.
He battled the urge to kiss her as her breath brushed his face and lips. He wanted to in the worst way, but resisted, determined she would go to him of her own volition once she was free of Toby’s ghost and alcohol wasn’t a factor. He couldn’t afford to have anything screw this up for him. There was too damn much riding on it.
He moved behind her then grabbed both of her hands in his and raised them high above her head. She began to move in a slow, graceful shimmy, driving her hips against him. She lowered one of his hands on the flat of her belly, covered it with her own, and began to swivel her hips seductively.
Jackson linked his fingers tightly through hers. “Sweet Christ,” he groaned, certain his words got lost in the blaring music. He lowered his head to the crook of her neck, barely brushing his lips over her skin. He longed to taste her, to shock her with the touch of his tongue, but somehow he held on to his self control. There was no way in hell she couldn’t feel his arousal, but still she gyrated and swiveled her hips wantonly.
“God, give me strength,” he whispered into her neck.
Giselle couldn’t hear his words, but his breath on her neck brought a chill to her skin, despite the heat from his nearness. It also brought her an awareness of her surroundings. Here she was, a mother of two young daughters, bumping and grinding her way around the dance floor with...her
boss?
Suddenly she realized there was no way they could work in the same office after this. She also knew, without a doubt, that she was exactly where she wanted to be at this moment...In Jackson’s arms.
The song finally ended and the band picked up with her favorite on the album, a slow and sultry ballad. When she attempted to walk off the dance floor, Jackson grabbed her hand and pulled her quickly back into his arms.
“Don’t run off,” he said, huskily. “This is my favorite.”
She looked up into his eyes, thankful for the dim lights on the dance floor, because she could feel the heat infusing her.
His eyes reflected her own feelings...A need so strong that, for the life of her, she couldn’t see her way around it. In her heart, she felt it was too much, too soon, and the feeling terrified her. She gave her head a slow shake and finally managed to speak. “Jackson...”
They stood motionless, surrounded by other dancers as Giselle’s urge to resist vanished. The man oozed sexy from his pores and with one touch he could wipe the word ‘No’ from her vocabulary. This night had all the potential for hot, gritty sex followed by a morning of regrets and guilt. She could see Jackson weighing the odds, the pros and cons of an explicit night together and the conflict it could cause later.
An overwhelming sense of terror flooded over her, buckling her knees.
Jackson tightened his hold on her. “I’ve got you,” he murmured.
“You do,” she said. “But I’m afraid.”
He put a finger to her lips. “You don’t have to be, Giselle. We’re only dancing.”
“Is that all we’re doing?” she gasped.
He took a deep breath as though to fortify himself. “If that’s all you want this to be, that’s all it is, I swear.”
She nodded and let him cradle her head softly to his chest as they finished the slow dance. Thankfully, the next number was snappy enough for a good distraction as Jackson whirled her around the perimeter of the dance floor.
By the time the band took its first break, Giselle was out of breath but completely at ease and enjoying herself tremendously with Jackson and Red.
When the DJ kicked off a slow request,
She’s Got a Way With Me
, Giselle closed her eyes and groaned. “I love this song.”
Jackson smiled, and stood up, pulling her along with him. They began to dance slowly, never taking their eyes off one another. He pulled her closer, wrapping one arm tightly around her waist as he tucked her hand close.
She raised her eyes to meet his. “Sing to me, Jackson.”
He pulled her head close to his cheek and began singing into her ear. She closed her eyes and melted at the dulcet tones of the melody, along with his sensual delivery of lyrics. As the last notes of the song drifted away, they stood still and gazed into each other’s eyes.
Giselle finally had the presence of mind to excuse herself for the ladies’ room. She walked in and leaned against the wall, letting her head fall back against the cool porcelain tile as she placed her hand on her chest. She inhaled deeply, releasing her breath through parted lips. She was still fanning herself when someone walked in.
The woman looked up at Giselle and smiled. “Honey, you’ve got yourself a
man
out there! I’ve got two questions...where’d you find him and does he have a brother?”
Giselle grabbed a tissue from the holder and began to inspect her make-up. “I used to work with him, and sorry, but he’s an only child.”
The woman’s face fell in disappointment. “The good ones are always taken. Is he as good inside as he looks on the outside?”
Giselle smiled and nodded. “He’s even better.”
The woman gave her a broad grin. “Good for you, honey.”
When she got back to the table,
The Fireman
, by George Strait was just starting up.
Red walked up to her with his hand out, ignoring Jackson’s glower. He took her hand and turned to his friend. “Take a break, buddy, it looks like you could use one.”
Giselle grinned at Jackson’s dour expression as she followed Red to the dance floor. Immediately after the dance, Red walked her back to the table to meet a grim faced Jackson.
“Seriously, Red,” Jackson snapped, “Next time we come here, you’d better have your own dance partner.”
“Jackson, be nice,” Giselle told him. “Red, you’re a wonderful dancer. Did you take dance lessons, too?”
“Of course not, I come by it naturally.” He winked at her, and laughed when Jackson rolled his eyes.
<><><>
It was one a.m. before the two of them readied to leave the club. Exhausted, Giselle turned to Red. “Congratulations, Red. It looks like the club is going to be a huge success.”
“I hope you come back soon.”
“I’ll definitely be back, if Jackson’s willing, that is,” she told him.
“Honey, you come by anytime, whether
he’s
willing or not. There will always be a spot for you at my table. He gave her a wink that earned him another glare from Jackson.
She excused herself to visit the ladies’ room before leaving the club.
“God you’re a letch,” Jackson growled at his friend.
“Give it a rest, bro. I’ve heard you pine for this woman for over three years, now. You seriously think I’d hit on the love of your life? I’m not Tanner Collins, you know.”
Jackson reached out and put a hand on Red’s shoulder. “I know that, it’s just that I look at her and see the possibilities.” He wiped a hand across his forehead. “I want this so damn bad.”
Red punched his friend playfully on the shoulder. “Hey, if you marry this one, will I actually get to attend the wedding?”
“If I marry this one, you’re the best man...No question.”
It was one fifteen by the time Jackson and Giselle pulled in front of the four star hotel. After checking in, Jackson carried their bags upstairs and opened the doors to their rooms. He walked in and unlocked his side of the adjoining door then went around to the inside of her room to unlock her door. After opening both doors he walked through to his room.
“If anything happens, you come get me. I’ll leave my side unlocked and you can lock yours.”
She gave him an exhausted smile. “I think I’m going to take a long, hot, shower, and try to work the kinks out ahead of time. I know I’m going to be sore tomorrow.” She placed her hand on the knob and gazed up at him.
“There’s a dining room downstairs. Call when you’re ready for breakfast and we’ll go down together,” he told her.
She nodded.
Jackson loosened his tie. “I generally wake up early.”
She nodded again but kept her silence.
He fiddled with his shirtsleeves. “Thanks again for coming with me tonight. I don’t remember the last time I had that much fun.”
Not trusting herself to speak, she nodded once more, so hungry for his touch, she could barely stand it.
“Good night, Giselle.”
After he closed his door, she stood staring at it for several moments. She reached up and knocked gently on the portal. He opened it and stood there, gazing down at her with his familiar blue eyes.
She noticed the top three buttons of his shirt were undone already and wished she could unbutton the rest for him. She walked up to him and reached both of her hands up to his face, pulled it down to her level and stared into his eyes. She kissed him lightly on the mouth...a chaste kiss that took him by surprise, judging from his sharp intake of breath. She kissed his cheek next, and then whispered close to his ear. “Thank you, Jackson.” She left him standing there, backed into her own room, and closed the door without locking it.
<><><>
Jackson woke early, a blessing really, since he’d tossed and turned all night. It had taken every bit of resolve he possessed to close his door after hers. Once he’d closed it, he knew he could resist her. But, wondering if and wishing she’d come to him in the middle of the night had kept him from sleeping. What little sleep he’d had was riddled with dreams of long, tan legs wrapped around him, green/gold eyes staring into his, and Giselle’s sweet lips on his own. He’d been tempted to go to the pool to get some relief, but didn’t want to be out of his room in case she needed him...for
any
reason.
It was eight a.m. before he got a phone call from her.
“Good morning, Jackson.”
“Good morning, did you sleep well?”
“Not really, I was kind of restless. How about you?”
“Very little,” he admitted.
“I’m exhausted and hungry. Are you ready?”
“Let’s go,” he said.
Jackson heard the door opening on her side of the room, and he went to open his. They stood gazing into each other’s exhausted faces. She walked up to him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and laid her face on his chest. He hugged her tightly. “Good morning, beautiful,” he said, placing a soft kiss on the top of her head.
“Good morning, handsome.” She squeezed his waist.