Stare Me Down (Stare Down) (16 page)

“Are you sure you’re all set with things? With your brother’s shindig, I mean. You’re usually on edge when his year-end approaches, but you’re calmer now than I’ve ever seen you over it. It’s the woman, isn’t it? Do I know her? Is she vanilla?”

“Shar.”

“I’m going. I’m going.” She took a step and then stopped. “I’m glad you’ve got this all worked out. I know that once Gabriel sees the personal changes you’ve made and what you want to do, he’ll agree. But on the off chance he doesn’t let you in? I’m here for you. Just remember that.”

Aries nodded and once she was gone he closed the door. Running a hand through his hair, he thought about the “what ifs”. He needed to see Gabe in order to pitch the complex. Did he chance showing up on the doorstep alone? Despite telling Shar they wouldn’t lock him out this time, he wasn’t so sure. Gabe was a stubborn hard-ass. Aries knew the only reason he continued to get the annual invites was because he owned stock in the business. That was one thing his brother had no control over.

He’d have to think about this. Inviting Jaxx might better his chances because Shar was right about one thing. Gabe was too much of a gentleman to embarrass a woman he deemed worthy. And Jaxx was worthy.
Yeah, too worthy to be dragged into this shit.

He stalked to his desk and sat down.

Right now all he could do is hope to Christ that Gabe was past the disappointment and anger enough to admit him. But then if they did let him in would Gabe be reasonable, or would he continue to shut him out of his life?

It seemed a lot of people wanted him out of their lives these days.

He plucked up a pencil and beat it against the chair arm as he thought about Carmichael. She most certainly didn’t want him around. And her words tonight? They’d cut him deep. But what did he expect? She’d be happy about Jaxx and him dating? She had a point too. Jaxx needed respectability and no matter which way he sliced or diced it, the owner of a sex club just didn’t cut it in that department. Fuck, the sooner he got his future plans in motion the better. Becoming a silent partner was the first step. He dropped the pencil and watched it roll back and forth before it stopped and he made his decision. Tomorrow he’d start the process.

*****

Jaxx had been awake for about five minutes or so, not quite ready to give up the comfort of warm sheets, when she heard the beep. Snatching her cell phone off the nightstand, she squinted to check the text.

Damn, it was a long one. Probably from Aries. That got her pulse rushing. She’d need her glasses for this. She cleaned the lenses with the sheet. “Better,” she said before she slipped them on. “Now…” She was smiling until she started reading. And reading and reading some more. Was he crazy?

Good morning, Jaxx. I trust you’re up. Sam Tremmal is coming by at one o’clock to change the locks. I hope you can accommodate him. I know you said you were free this morning, so I have something I’d like you to do. Go to Brockelman’s market and shop for these items. Only these items. If you need something else, go at another time. Ready? I want you to get a cart and go to aisle eleven.

“Aisle eleven?”

Pick up a three pack of white terry serving cloths. Make sure they’re white. They’re on the second to last shelf by the oven mitts. Put the stack on the top seat level of the cart then go to aisle six. There are two items in this aisle you will need. On the left toward the back of the store you’ll find KY jelly. Get the largest box and put it on the terry cloth vertically. That’s with the bottom of the carton facing you and the top facing the seat back. Then go to the right side of the aisle toward the front of the store. There you’ll find condoms.

“Condoms? He wants
me
to buy the condoms?”

Yes. I want you to purchase these.

She gasped. Then looked around.
Once she was satisfied he wasn’t remotely watching her somehow
she read on.

Get the Magnum XL. A thirty count, and place this vertically on the terry as well. Now this is the fun part. Head over to the produce section and park your cart right next to the cucumber wicket. I want you to take your time here, Jaxx, and find a good, long, thick and firm one. I mean it. Don’t just pick the first one you put your hands on. It has to be of a good size. Once you have one chosen, put it right between the two boxes. Don’t cover them up. I’ll know if you do.

She reread this last bit and felt the blush burn from her chest to her forehead. She couldn’t do this.

Then I want you to walk up and down each aisle from number one to twelve. No skipping. If you do, I’ll find out. So no cheating. Now when you’re done, go to checkout number four. I don’t care if there’s less of line-up at any of the other cashiers, you go to four, okay?

No, it wasn’t okay. She wasn’t going to do this. She scrolled down to see the end of this seemingly never-ending text.

When you get home put the KY, condoms and cloths on your nightstand. The cucumber can go in the fridge. Oh, and I’m buying dinner tonight. I’ll be at your place at five. It’s going to be a casual night, so no need to dress up. Make me proud today, Jaxx. And remember, Sam’s coming at one. I’ll see you at five.

A.

She blinked. Just like that.
You go mortify yourself in front of a pile of strangers, and I’ll see you at five?
She snorted.

Make me proud today, Jaxx.

She groaned.

Beep.

It was another text from Aries. No saga this time, just four to-the-point sentences.

Hate me all you want. I can handle it, but what I won’t handle is you dragging your feet. No disguises, either. Just go and get the task done and be home in time for Sam.

Jaxx bit her lip, staring at her phone. The thought of doing this scavenger hunt was ludicrous. But now that she thought about it? She should be less worried about purchasing the items in question and more concerned over what he intended to do with them.

Don’t just pick the first one you put your hands on. It has to be of a good size.

Her pulse picked up pace and her heart followed suit. That sexual hum was back full-force, making the spot between her legs tingly and wet.

A completely normal feminine reaction to a very abnormal request. She closed her eyes and savored the thrill. A minute later, she came back down to earth and tossed her phone onto the nightstand with a sigh.

“Brockelman’s it is.”

Chapter Ten

Aries waited for Jaxx to open the door. “Hi.”

“Hey, I’m ready.” She went to step by him, but he blocked her way.

When she looked up at him, he smiled. “For what?”

“Dinner. You said you’re buying.”

“Yes, and I did.” He held up the grocery bags. “I’m cooking for you tonight, so we’re not going anywhere.”

“Here? At my place?”

He nodded.

She didn’t budge, and he could only image what thoughts were dancing in her head. But when she peered up at him, he knew for sure she was worried about the stuff she’d purchased today. Christ, she was fun to play with. “Problem?”

“No. I just expected to be going out. Are you sure you don’t want to? I mean, it’s a tough job cooking, and the mess—”

“I love to cook, and we can both pitch in for the clean-up.” She still didn’t move, so he added, “Besides, I want to have a look at the items you picked up at the store. I’m most interested in the cucumber.”

“Why?”

“You’ll see, but first I want you to tell me all about your shopping trip. I bet it was a blast.”

“Are you a tortured soul, by chance?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Hm.” She stepped aside and indicated for him to enter. “Normally it’s the tortured who turn the tables on the unsuspecting and become the torturers. Tortured or not, you’ve got talent in this area. No wonder you’re a Dom.”

He went into the reception area and then waited for her to unlock her front door. “You mention this because…?”

“You’re good at games. The first—” she shut the door after he stepped inside the house, “—was your Ro-shick test. I’ve never been so humiliated in my life until today.”

He chuckled and put the groceries on the counter. “It wasn’t that bad, was it? Your hair looks, great by the way. I love it down.”

“Thanks. I‌—‌you see? There you go again. You make it hard for me to call you a jackass when you preempt my insult with a compliment.”

He grinned. “I know.” Delving into the bags, he began unpacking.

“Can I lend a hand?”

“Thanks, but I got this. Sit right there—” he nodded to one of the barstools at the counter, “—and you can tell me all about your store adventure while I prepare dinner.”

She launched into a whole huge production with the telling. Describing people’s faces, the stares, glares and leers, depending on their gender. He actually laughed at one point. Almost to tears when she told him about Janet. Brockleman’s worst cashier, who always worked the four spot. Just imagining Jaxx standing there with the poor older woman who’d never mastered the use of the scanner, calling over the microphone for a price check on condoms. Then KY. She said it wasn’t until Janet got to the cucumber that Jaxx had stopped her by putting her hand over the mic.

“So how’d she get the price?”

“I asked the bagger to go check on it.”

“Poor kid.”

“He was sixty-five at least and he insisted on helping me out to the car with my bags.”

Aries couldn’t stop grinning as he gathered the ingredients for dinner. “Well, that was nice of him.”

“Oh yeah, it sure was. Considering I could have fit everything in my purse.”

“Hey, where are the pots?”

“Oh, over there.” She pointed. “Second cupboard to your left.”

He grabbed her outstretched hand from across the counter and turned it over to kiss her palm. “I’m glad you did it.”

Her gaze didn’t falter. Nor did she pull back when she whispered, “Why?”

“You’ll figure it out. You’ve got Keebler elves in your corner.”

She withdrew her hand and frowned. “Keebler elves? Did you buy cookies?”

He found himself smiling ear to ear. She perked up so quickly, he almost wished he had bought some Oreos. “No, sorry, I got that from something Maggie said. I just meant you’re a smart cookie. You’ll figure it out.”

Jaxx thought she already had. The humiliating exercise had one profound side effect. It built a resistance. Actually, she had started off on her little trip a nervous mouse and by the time she was done, she was like a roaring lion. She went from thinking, “Oh God, I’m sorry. This is so bad” in the housewares aisle to “look out, move out of my way. There’s nothing to see here, people. It’s my business, pay attention to your own carts” in the checkout.

“That smells good already.”

“I’m making beef stroganoff over basmati rice. I thought we’d have a side salad too.”

He could have said he was serving black-death soup and curdled capers and she would have smiled and nodded anyway. He looked so good, standing in her kitchen. All tall and muscly. His dark wavy hair and steel-blue eyes took her breath away. Half the time she wanted to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

He leaned with elbows on the counter right in front of her, and she couldn’t stop herself from staring at his biceps. They were huge. Thoughts of his arms around her last night in the shower came to mind, and she let out a heavy breath. Blinking, she tried to calm her heart rate. It was increasing as if she were going to take the stage and talk in front of a thousand people. But this wasn’t stage fright gripping her. This was lust. Raw and real. It made her ache between the legs and caused her nipples to become more sensitive than they were a few minutes ago.

“Jaxx?”

“Yeah?”

“Go take your clothes off and lie on the bed.”

She could barely breathe. The energy and power that poured off him washed over her in the most scintillating way, she knew she couldn’t, wouldn’t refuse him. She didn’t say anything, just nodded and slid off the stool. She probably should have asked him if his stroganoff was going to be ruined, but she didn’t care about that. All she focused on was walking, not running, to her room.

Of course, once she got there and pulled off her top, she spotted the KY and condoms, but it was the cloths that bothered her most. Then she spun around.

“The cucumber…”

All kinds of nasty images came to mind. Dirty, disgusting, awesome and exhilarating things that made her hands shake. Shivering, but not from cold, she took off the rest of her clothes and lay down.

Aries put the beef on low, got the rice organized and chopped the salad stuff. He’d given her plenty of time to sweat it out. He wasn’t worried about her not doing as he said, because she was hornier than shit. He’d seen the signs. Her breathing pattern changed and her pupils dilated. She practically devoured the sight of him when he’d leaned on the granite. God that had done it for him. He was as hard as the counter top and ready to go after her then and now.

With all his prep work done, he grabbed a glass and filled it with ice. Plucking out a chunk, he shoved it in his mouth and chewed the cube until it was crushed to shards as he made his way to her room. Images of his dream weren’t far from his every thought. He couldn’t wait to get this coldness into her heat.

But it was him who got heated the minute he saw her. On the bed and ready. Well, almost ready for him.

“Now although the sight of you lying naked on the bed appeals to me, you lying on that bed the way I’d like you to appeals to me more.”

“What do you mean?” She remained motionless, with her head on the pillow, arms crossed over her chest and her ankles locked.

“I mean—” he bent and put the glass with ice on the nightstand, careful to use a magazine as a coaster, “—if I wanted a corpse, I would have visited the morgue. What are you doing?”