Then & Now (6 page)

His beautiful blue-green eyes flashed with confusion.
  There was a strum of recollection vibrating in the space between them as he gently removed her hand.  “You knew it was me?”

She had to smile. “Yes, Justin.  I knew it was you.”

“How?  Why didn’t you say something?”  His voice was scarcely audible.

“Why didn’t you?” She retorted, lifting an eyebrow in challenge.  When he didn’t answer—like she knew he wouldn’t—she went on.  “It’s your eyes, the way you walk, how you say hello, that’s how I know the difference.  When you came up to the table tonight, you said hello like your bother does.  I took it as…well a welcome, I guess.”

His soft chuckle confirmed it.  He had wanted this night just as bad as she had.  And with those three words he whispered on the throes of his passion, she knew this ran deeper than some childish crush his brother teased him about.

Yet, she kept
quite.  Though she wanted to climb into his arms and never come out Maddie knew that there would be massive consequences to this decision.  Even if this night led them to nowhere, she couldn’t marry Jordan now. 

“Madeline, you are everything I will ever want.”  Justin breathed.

She could tell that there was a but; a big but.  His fallowing silence made it more definite.  Her heart suddenly felt pained as if tearing long invisible seams.  She had claimed that she would deal with the penalty of her actions, only now she wasn’t so sure.

She had unintentionally put brother against brother.  She saw that now.  What had she really expected to come of this?

“But nothing will come of this.”  She finished his thought on a shaky breath.

His eyebrows bunched together.  “
Maddie, I want it to.”

“But you can’t.  I understand.”  Feeling overexposed, she quickly grabbed the comforter and wrapped her body up in it.

“Maddie—”

She held up a hand to stop him.  “Justin, it’s okay.  I told you that the consequences will be solely mine, and I meant it.  I will go
to Jordan and explain.”  Trying not to look into those beautiful eyes or at his handsome face, she tried to scurry off of the bed.  Which wasn’t easy with the bulky comforter uncooperatively hanging around her trembling body.

Gathering her up
, comforter and all, Justin caught her before she could even get to the edge of the mattress.  He swiftly turned her.  The comforter caused a clumsy reunion; she landed face first into a wall of human perfection.  His heart pounded against her cheek.

“
Maddie, will you just stop for a minute?”

Keeping her head against his magnificent chest,
Maddie swiped at the fallen tears before he could see.  Though she was finding it difficult to use her motor skills, her hands were shaking so violently.

Cupping her face he
brought to her eye level.  “Haven’t you heard a word I said?  I want you Madeline Turner.  Now and forever.”

If he hadn’t been holding her she would have
fallen right off the bed and onto the floor. “Are you sure?”

His smile reached all the way up to his eyes, before he began kissing her.
“Yes, you beautiful, oversensitive, perfect, woman!”  He laughed in between kisses.

She giggled in return.
“But, what about Jordan?”

He s
ighed, with a thoughtful expression.  “Honestly, my love.  I really don’t think he’ll be that upset about it.  Sure he will over exaggerate his anger, only to make me feel guilty. But really I think he’ll take it just fine.”

That statement should have stung, yet to her surprise it didn’t.  In fact she found herself relieved.  “
You really think so?”

He let out a nervous chuckle. “No.  But for you I would chance it.”

With a girlish squeal she dropped the bulky blanket and through herself into his arms.  Her actions took him by surprise and without preparation he lost his balance which sent them both flailing backward onto the bed.

Once they landed,
Maddie began kissing him wherever her lips could reach, his chin, cheek, even the tip of his nose.  After each kiss was securely placed, she stated joyfully, “Oh, Justin! I love you!” 

With a deep roar of laughter he rolled her under him.  Covering them with the ready comforter Justin nestled himself between her legs, right where he belonged.

The elevator ride down wasn’t as passionate, yet Justin still laughed when the dinging of their approaching floor confused him for a moment.  With her lips sliding delicately across his neck and her body pressed against his there was no wonder why he felt a little dazed.  It made him want to go straight back up to their room.

It had been well over three hours since their venture up to his version of paradise.  He doubted anyone was left at the party.  Everyone usually cleared out early when it came to his aunt’s dreary festivities.  The woman sure knew how to kill a party.

If it hadn’t been
Maddie’s vivid details of what she wanted to do to him in her Jacuzzi, they would probably still be upstairs.  Too bad the hotel’s tub had been too small he really hated watching her dress when she should be wearing nothing but the sheets.   

She gracefully exited the elevator with him fallowing leisurely.  His gaze admired all her succulent curves as she glided in front of him.  When she glanced seductively back at him, she caught his eye and laughed bashfully.

Taking her by the arm he pulled her back into his arms.  Unfortunately, her expression wasn’t one he had hoped for. “What?”

“
If what I’ve done causes you and your brother to have any kind of friction, I will try and make it up to you.”  Her words shook as she spoke, but the sincerity was strong.

“
Maddie—” He started, but she stopped him.

“Seriously, Justin.
  I really don’t want to come between you.”  She clasped her hands in front of her as if pleading.

She looked so solemn, that he had to take her deeper into his arms.  “Love, I already told you. 
Jordan, after a while, will be okay with this.”

“Will I?”  His brother’s voice burned deep into his back. 

Justin turned to face him, placing Maddie behind him.  “Jordan, I want to talk to you about this in private.”

“No!”
Maddie protested bringing herself to the side of him.  “This was my fault.”

“I could have stopped you.” He stated, directing his attention on her fully.  

“Do I want to know what you ‘could have stopped’ her from?” 
Jordan asked without a trace of humor.

Justin exchanged a long look with Madeline before turning back to his brother.  But before he could speak a word he heard
Maddie utter.

“Probably the same thing
you
did tonight with Kendra.”

Baffled both brothers stared at her flabbergasted.  “I have no idea—”
Jordan tried, but failed.

“I know about you and her.  No, Justin didn’t tell me.”  She acknowledged
Jordan’s disapproving glace towards his twin.  “I saw you with her.”

Jordan had the nerve to smirk,
“Maddie, I think Justin’s right.  We do need a minute.  If you don’t mind?”

   Her eyes
darted uncertainly between them for a moment, until Justin gave her a quick wink.  She gave one solid nod before walking tensely toward the service desk.

Jordan had begun sauntering in the other direction.  Justin fallowed at his own speed, for he knew where this was going.  His brother was all for the dramatics.  He waited a full minute after his brother came to a halt at the end of the hall before he came right out with it. 

“Jordan this is important to me, so I won’t put up with your over dramatized reaction to this.  If you want me to feel bad, then you’ll be happy to know that I do.  Not about making love to Maddie, but about how it happened.  We should’ve—”

“Justin, I owe you an apology.” 
Jordan calmly avowed as he shoved both hands into his pockets.

Blinking twice, Justin thought about that for a moment.  “What?”

“You heard me.  Don’t make me say it again.”

“Why?”

“Because, I hate saying it.”

He inhaled deeply through his nose.  Was his brother messing with him?  He wasn’t sure, but for
Maddie he would deal with it.  “Why are you sorry?”

Jordan
chuckled lightly. “Because, the only reason I was going to marry Madeline was to drive you crazy.  I knew of your feelings—hell everyone did.  And when I heard mom tell dad that she thought you would be better for her, I got a little upset.”

Anger he had never felt towards his twin before, boiled throughout him. 
“You what?”  He practically shouted.  “I can’t believe you would do such a thing!”

“You can’t?  Hell
Juss aren’t you going to admit that you’re just a little like me?” Jordan tilted his head to the side, and after a short pause he declared radically. “Honestly little bro, on this level you matched me.”

Shaking his head, Justin had to fold him arms over his chest.  His brother’s annoying truth cooled his fury.  “I want her
Jordan.  This wasn’t a game for me.”

His brother nodded mindfully, “I know.  And that’s why you shouldn’t make her wait any longer.”  He motioned towards the lobby where
Maddie stood worrying her bottom lip.

Justin gave his brother a long look, “I might not forgive you for using
Maddie like you did.”

“Yes you will.” 
Jordan laughed knowingly.

  Rolling his eyes, he scoffed. “You can be a real jerk some times.”

Shrugging his shoulders, Jordan smiled. “So I’ve been told.” 

Turning on his heel, he heade
d back to the woman he knew he could never live without.  He moved a little faster once he had a clear view of her beautiful face.  Her lovely features were so full of worry he couldn’t resist taking her into his arms.

“So, tell me what exactly
do you want to do with me in that Jacuzzi.” He growled playfully into her ear.

She pulled back enough to look into his eyes.  Once she saw his reassurance,
Maddie wrapped her arms around his neck.  “Take me home and I’ll show you.”  She whispered seductively over his lips.

Without further invitation, he had
her out of the hotel and into his car.

Amelia Steele held her breath as he past.  Her hiding place behind a large potted plant gave her the advantaged of watching him through the fat leaves without being noticed.  Her knees shook as he talked with one of the associates. 

Bryant Sharp was by far one of the most beautiful men she had ever seen.  His unrealistically dark blue eyes, complimented his jet black hair and bronze colored skin.  Strong pronounced features, made him seem more cut out for the cover magazines, and hunky calendars.  Yet his remarkable sense of business had proven itself time and again that this is where he belonged.

As the owner of Sharp Industries and as her boss.  Which made him not only off limits, but out of her class.  In fact she could put good money down that he didn’t even know that she existed.  With her wire-rimmed glasses and too curly hair, she was no match to the
gorgeous
women she worked with.  Such as the flirtatious colleague, who just happen to be a blond-bombshell in designer heels that he was talking with only a few feet away. 

She had to swallow to keep from sighing, while he smiled at the bubble-head colleague.  She knew how pathetic it was to get all worked up over a smile that didn’t belong to her, but she couldn’t help it.  Her stomach would involuntarily seize, every time that amazing mouth would quirk up at the sides. 

“I don’t want to interrupt you and your goggling.” Heidi Davis, one of the many beauties, laughed as she came up next to Amelia’s little shelter. “ But the reports need to be in Mr. Sharp’s office in ten minutes.”  She reminded her as she grabbed her hand and yanked her out from behind the plant.

“The reports are ready and on my desk.  So you can take them to Mr. Sharp.” She had no desire to take the reports to Bryant.  Last time she delivered anything to him, she tripped, stammered, repeated herself, and spilled his coffee all over his desk.  She even caught him trying not to laugh at her.

Nope, never again.  Besides Heidi always liked having excuses to leave her desk.  Especially since she had been moved next to her ex-boyfriend’s cubical.

“Can’t.”
  Heidi smiled.  “I have to go downstairs to planning.  So that means you have to.”

Digging her heels into the carpet, she stopped them both from walking any further.  “What!”  She almost shrieked.  “No, Heidi!  I can’t!”

“What do you mean you can’t?  It’s your job.”  Folding her arms and raising an eyebrow, Heidi did little to hide her amusement.

“It won’t be if I spill anything else on him.” She mumbled.