The Heart (12 page)

Jack moved his chair audibly as he leaned in close.

“I’m betting I could manage to take those lips that I’ve been thinking about tasting for the last three days and put my hands all over you without your protest. But I’m going to have to stick to flirting with you on principal.”

My libido took a nosedive as I looked at him in question, but I didn’t trust myself enough to speak.

Jack pushed back in his seat, readjusting himself to the table. “Like I said—” he continued cutting into his steak “—Seth is a good friend of mine, and I’m pretty sure that would no longer be the case if he had any idea of what I was thinking about doing to his daughter. Besides, I’m into dating the women I sleep with. You don’t date, that’s a problem.”

“I’m too busy for anything personal.”

“That’s a shame,” he said absently.

I rolled my eyes as he chewed a bite of the tender meat. He was openly toying with me now as if he’d be doing me a favor.

“Well, I’m glad you made that decision for both of us, Jack. You know, I think you’re right,” I said coyly. “I’m thinking letting you do what’s going through that handsome head of yours could only end in disaster. And like I said earlier, I wasn’t propositioning you.”

“Of course you weren’t,” he said way too confidently.

“I wasn’t. I haven’t let a man touch me in years, so don’t flatter yourself.”

“I won’t,” he said, filling his mouth again with the tender meat and fueling my new distaste for his arrogance. My blood boiled as the air around him remained the same.

Ignoring the urge to cover him in bourbon, I spent the next few minutes devouring my food in an attempt to ignore his eyes that were still on me.

“That’s impressive,” he noted as I took my last bite of steak.

“It’s my only party trick,” I said with a little too much bite in my voice. Jack reached over and lifted my chin with his fingertips, commanding my attention.

“What is it, Rose?”

I really didn’t have a right to be indignant about the fact that he wasn’t going to make a move on me. He’d been nothing but a true gentleman to me since I’d met him, and I had no reason to hold a grudge. Although in the last hour he’d acted like an arrogant ass, I really didn’t see the harm in his game. If he were attempting to date me, I’d shot him down the first five minutes of dinner, and the fault was mine. If anything, I was just as relieved as I was disheartened by his hesitation because I was scared. I let my irritation slide off of my shoulders. The truth was, he was right. I had no idea what I wanted from him, if anything at all, and was still too unsure to do anything about it.

“I’m just tired,” I said, pulling my chin away.

“That’s not it at all. I’m not a beat around the bush type of guy. Talk to me.”

“Nothing to say. I’m fine, really.”

He took my hand in his and waited for my eyes patiently. “Then know I’m here as a friend.” Realization struck and I jerked slightly and pulled my hand away.

“He told you?”

“Who? And told me what?”

“My father told you?”

“I’m not following,” Jack said, truly confused. I couldn’t help but think more of him for his genuine concern for me. I’d assumed my dad told Jack about Grant, but it seemed it wasn’t the case. What I was sure about was that I didn’t want Jack to know. In just those few seconds I’d thought he’d felt pity for me, it felt like the whole dynamic had changed, and I hated it. I didn’t want that, not from Jack.

“It’s nothing. I have a long day tomorrow. Would you mind taking me home now? I’m just going to use the restroom.”

Jack gave me a careful nod with unanswered questions in his eyes. I quickly made my way past the bar and to the bathroom. Washing my hands, I refused to face my reflection. I had let myself down in a way and refused to admit it, even to myself. With a sigh, I exited the restroom, intent on ending the night on a decent note with Jack when I heard my name called as I passed the bar.

“Rose.”

I froze, the voice alone causing dread to race through my veins. Turning to the source, I let my eyes roam over his disheveled appearance. It took me years to get over him, years I would never get back.

“David,” I said as I attempted to make my way past him. Somehow, I knew he wouldn’t make it easy. He stopped me with a gentle hand on my arm. I pulled my lip in with my teeth in annoyance.

“Rose, come on, give me a minute. It’s been a long time.” My patience drained as I stood and took in his expensive suit I assumed a successful attorney would wear. His dark brown hair was styled back neatly, but the circles beneath his hazel eyes and his posture gave him away. David had always been one for keeping up his appearance, and though at one time I’d thought him the sexiest man in the world, I couldn’t for the life of me remember why.

“You had plenty of minutes with me, David. I’m with company. I don’t want to be rude.”

“Oh, yeah,” he said, uninterested, “well, they can give me one more.”

“It’s late, David. Don’t you have a family to get home to?”

“Yeah,” he said as he gripped his tumbler, his wedding ring absent.

Pig.

He looked me over with appreciation I was all too familiar with. It disgusted me.

“We’re not together anymore.”

“That’s a shame. It was a beautiful wedding,” I said, surprising myself with the lack of contempt in my voice. I’d watched him marry someone only months after ending our five-year relationship. Though I remembered it as painful, the truth was, he was wasted time. I’d stopped caring about his rejection long ago and hadn’t looked back.

“Are you…attached?”

“You can’t be serious,” I said with a laugh. “Let me buy you another drink, David. Seriously, drunk is the only time you were ever funny.”

“Rose,” he said low as his fingers stroked my arm.

“Get your fucking hand off me now,” I said without an ounce of femininity.

“There hasn’t been a day I haven’t thought about you,” he said as his mouth spewed pure bullshit.

“Oh lord, David, take care. You’ve got a lot further to fall.”

“You don’t have to be a bitch,” he hissed. “I wanted to apologize.”

“Then apologize to the lady and make it fast before I make it painful,” Jack hissed behind me. I felt the heat radiate from him as I took a step back in surprise.

David chuckled with disdain, his eyes cutting to Jack as he sipped his bourbon. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your boyfriend, Rose?”

“No need,” Jack said, stepping in front of me as his face turned dark and his voice deadly. “Allow me to introduce myself. Jack Sawyer, bred Lousian’. That makes me your neighbor.”

“Nice to meet you, Jack,” David spit out with absolutely no civility.

Without missing a beat, Jack continued, “Pleasures all mine, asshole. Now about that apology, I want her to have it, and then I want to part ways.”

David laughed and I could feel the tension in Jack as he did everything he could to keep from touching him.

“David, you’re out of your league here,” I pleaded as I saw Jack make up his mind.

“Am I now? Well, at least you still fear for me,
darlin’
,” he drawled out in attempt to mock Jack. “I apologize.”

“I’m so glad you left me. Hindsight is blinding me right now. Seriously, David, you are scum.”

“Awww now, Rose, we had some good times. Remember when—”

In a flash, Jack had David’s tie pulled taught around his neck, choking him as he pinned him to the bar. “Don’t finish that. I’m asking you nicely. We’re neighbors and we need to behave as such. I was raised to drag the trash to the curb before I get rid of it. If that’s that case here—” he eyed David with menace “—I have no problem doing that. You regret throwing her away. It’s evident. You’re a fucking idiot for doing it. Maybe you should learn a lesson about regrets tonight. So I’m going to ask you again not to finish that sentence so we can part ways.” Jack let go of him abruptly just as the bartender came over to assess the situation. I was shaking, as well as David, who could do very little to hide it. Jack kept his eyes glued to David’s in challenge as he lifted his wallet out of his pocket and threw several bills onto the bar.

“Drinks on me, neighbor,” he muttered with confidence as he grabbed my hand and led me to the door. I didn’t look back.

After a silent drive back to my house, Jack turned to me and started to speak. I pushed the door open and let myself out of the car. He objected profusely as he rounded the car and handed me my keys.

“I’m sorry,” I said, embarrassed. I’d spent the drive home stunned by David’s sudden appearance and behavior, but at the same time completely fascinated by Jack. I’d forced myself to look anywhere but directly at him because the truth was, as terrified as I’d been for David’s safety, I was a little bit turned on by the whole thing. As I looked at Jack standing in the front of my car, my headlights still on, I found myself comfortable in his eyes, as if a weight had been lifted.

“Don’t be sorry for someone else’s behavior. It’s not your cross to bear.”

I nodded, too tired to decipher my current emotions.

“Night, Jack,” I whispered as I quickly made my way up to my porch.

“Rose, stop,” he said, his voice filled with authority. I stood with my hand on my door and waited for him to continue. The night had gone from promising to disastrously bad, and I still wasn’t sure whose fault it was, aside from David’s.

“Yes?” I asked, turning to look back at him, trying to seem indifferent. I was pretty sure both of us knew I wasn’t. He stayed put at the foot of the deck as he watched me.

I waited, unable to look at him.

“Get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Actually, you won’t. I’m back on at the hospital tomorrow, so thank you for dinner.”

“Rose?” Jack started up the steps and I cut him off with my posture, no longer willing to play games. I felt too raw, too vulnerable. My emotions were way too apparent. Maybe I wasn’t ready, or maybe he was drawing them out of me.

“Night, and thank you for all you’ve done for the center.” I closed the door behind me, walked straight over to my dresser, grabbed the vibrator that Jules had bought me, and took it to the bathroom with me. To hell with him. He was far too damned good looking, anyway.

“If Ben Affleck can outlive the embarrassment of Gigli, you can get out of bed, Rose.”

“So?” The two J’s looked at me expectantly as I pulled my jacket on.

“Nothing happened, and I mean nothing.” Other than the fast orgasm I’d brought myself to after dismissing Jack, I was still alone in every sense of the word. I’d drawn the conclusion after a long restless night. I’d snubbed Jack, and he’d reacted badly, but we were both guilty. Either way, it seemed over before it began.

The girls looked at me as I blew out a harsh breath. “He’s a good friend of my dad and doesn’t want to screw that up.”

“By screwing you,” Jamie added, pulling her long, silky hair into a bun.

“Exactly, and you know what?” I said, looking at Jules and slamming my locker. “About five seconds before he told me he couldn’t lay a hand on me, I’d decided to do his brains out.”

“Well, at least you’re finally up for it,” Jamie said, patting me on the shoulder as if I needed condolence. “I mean the doing part.”