It was after one when Darlene came to her from cleaning up the dining area.
“There’s a woman here who wants to speak to you. She didn’t ask for the manager, she asked for you by name,” the college student looked toward the dining area and gestured to the tall blonde standing by the counter looking bored and unimpressed.
“Swell,” she applied her owner face and went in to the dining room. Thankfully, it was empty. Her regular customers knew she closed at three on Saturdays. “Good afternoon, Jasmine. Looking for some good coffee?” Nah, life couldn’t be that simple, she thought wistfully.
“I saw his car here last night.”
Charlotte held her breath. “Alright.”
“Why do you want him? Is it money? I can give you money,” she said softly.
“We’re friends, Jasmine. We watched a movie and fell asleep,” Charlotte wasn’t all that sure the woman was stable. “Do you live in Vancouver? Is there someone I can call for you?”
“I don’t need your help and I know you didn’t just fall asleep,” she returned, a flash of anger in her eyes. “I saw you. Watched you with him.”
“You don’t need my help, but perhaps your family. I could call them for you, if you like,” Charlotte made a move around the counter. She did not like being spied on by a stalker. “How about some tea? I made a lovely batch of iced tea and I knew we still have some. And a pastry?”
“Why do you want him?”
“Why do you want him? Who did you want before him, Jasmine?”
“That is none of your business.”
“I’m getting ready to close the shop, Jasmine. I don’t know what you want from me.”
“I want you to stay away from him. He’s mine. Those kids will like me,” she nodded to herself, pale eyes going to the floor and back to Charlotte’s face. “He’ll never stay with you. You’re so plain. He’s used to the finest money can buy.”
“He doesn’t want to buy you, Jasmine,” Charlotte should have seen the palm coming, her head snapping back and ears ringing. “Darlene, dial up the police, please. This woman just assaulted me and I want her arrested,” she spoke quietly, calmly. “Maybe some time in prison will get through to you.”
Charlotte watched her spin on her expensive heels and leave the building, the slamming of a low sports car door next before the spinning wheels left the parking lot.
Darlene handed her a towel filled with ice. “Your face…”
“Thanks,” she sighed. “Crazy woman. Swell.”
“Off her medication?”
“Off her rocker,” Charlotte mumbled, shaking her head and locking the front door. “Let’s shut down early. It’s too nice and sunny out. People are at the beach having a good time. You go play for a while, too. I’ll see you on Monday.”
“Thanks. I have some summer courses to prep for,” Darlene gathered her backpack and checked for her keys, waving as she left.
Charlotte wasn’t sure how to catalogue all the things going through her head at the moment. Her face had stopped stinging, that was a good thing. She checked the alarm before tiredly climbing the back stairs, her gaze drawn to the small windows and the parking lot.
She paced the large open space. She rechecked the parking lot and the long stretch of roadway she could see from her second floor windows. Across from her was a gradual hillside leading to another flat space before the houses began dotting the area. But so far there was no sign of Jasmine Billings’ car. Charlotte pulled her phone out and tapped in a familiar number, making a text request with the reason to her friend at the dispatch desk.
She breathed a long sigh when the answer returned. She’d been with the police for almost six years and knew it was a formality that was part of the steps necessary when being stalked and threatened. And watching her windows to catch a sight of Jesse and her was a little creepy, she decided, standing in the opening to her closet and glancing down her choices.
Even running her fingers along the sides of several dresses and thinking of Jesse didn’t take the edge off the sensation she felt because of the woman who’d come to her shop. The look in her eyes had been unnerving. As if no matter what was said, her vision, her version of events would never come to close to what was the truth. She scarcely glanced at the clock as she sat on the vanity seat smoothing a light lotion along both legs and onto her arms before letting the simple halter dress over her head.
She added a sexy finishing touch, adjusting the lace on her hips. A pair of black heels fell next to her desk before she turned the computer on and checked the time. She was more than a little ahead of schedule, she realized with a little laugh, signing into her game and shortly before four and meeting up with some friends for an impromptu couple missions.
Charlotte was up almost absently to open the door when the knock came, her finger up for a holding pattern before zipping back to her desk chair and resuming the shooting pattern. She’d told them she had to leave soon and they were almost finished. Another five minutes and she let out a long sigh, chatting to her friends and telling them she was leaving for the night before she shut the game and computer down.
She wasn’t sure how she managed to forget he’d come into the apartment. But when his mouth cruised along her shoulder, she jumped visibly and let out a little squeak.
“I’ve watched the kids play that game but had no idea how involved it was,” Jesse murmured, his teeth firm on the exposed throat.
The collection of scents ranged from flowery to the spices and sugar from her kitchen, all blending into an intoxicating mix that made up Charlotte in his mind.
And body. He’d spent a lot of the day working but in the blank spaces he found himself arguing with the male portion of him that wanted to go back to the long night he’d spent with Charlotte and the hardened reaction it caused was something he hadn’t given a lot of thought to. Until now.
Charlotte barely removed her headset when she groaned.
“I’m glad you didn’t do that while I was fighting,” she murmured, wondering when she began melting. His head nudged hers to the side a little more, fingers scraping the long hair to the side for easy access seconds before the other palm rubbed over one breast, bringing the traitorous thing awake. “Jesse…”
“I’ve discovered there’s a decided gap in my life, Charlotte and you fit neatly,” he told her, demonstrating by closing his fingers around the small, rounded breast, fingers toying with the nipple until it peaked painfully, demanding more attention.
“You know I can’t think when you do that,” she complained at the same time her back arched slightly, thrusting herself more firmly into his palm.
“You don’t seem to mind being exploited,” Jesse straightened up, adjusted his slacks and turned the chair she was in to face him, taking in the halter dress in a flowing bright gold and yellow jewel-tone. She was sitting barefoot and cross-legged on the large desk chair and he couldn’t help but grin. “I’ve never seen people sit in desk chairs like you and the kids before,” his head shook, one palm out and gliding over her shoulder until the long red hair filtered over his fingers. “Dinner?”
Charlotte inhaled slowly, unfolding her legs and nodding. It wouldn’t have taken much to make her forget about dinner plans, amber eyes scanning the floor for the heels she had dropped there. She could feel the heat in her face, not to mention the taut, buzzing sensations he’d begun to arouse with his touch.
“It would be easy to forget dinner,” Jesse agreed, as if reading her thoughts. He laughed when she looked up from adjusting her heels. He wore a casual shirt beneath his jacket, hands shoving the sides back and sunk into the pockets of his slacks.
“I’m thinking it would be really easy to forget a whole week,” Charlotte admitted as she stood up and moved to stand in front of him, her palms taking his and guiding them to her hips.
“You think we’d have it worked out of our system by then?” Jesse wasn’t sure if he was relieved she’d admitted the sharp attraction or not. He knew it would have been damned difficult to walk away if she didn’t. It took a lot of effort to hold the groan of need inside him when her palms pressed over his chest and onto his shoulders, soft fingers stroking over his throat and into the hair at the back of his head.
There was no resistance when she pulled his mouth to hers, the full bow of her lips at once soothing and arousing. His hands tightened on her hips even as his body reacted, the groan dragged from deep inside him.
“I don’t think a week would be long enough, Jesse,” Charlotte whispered against his mouth, taking a step back and meeting eyes that had darkened, his panting just as ragged as her own. “So we’d better go if we want dinner because I don’t have the resolve to fight it and if that’s what you’re betting on…you’re just too tempting, Jesse,” she let her cheeks puff slightly, a long breath pushed through her lips, her head shaking ruefully.
“Eventually starvation would take over,” but he grinned and took her palm. “Dinner and dancing. That’s what you asked for tonight.”
“I’m really flexible though,” she teased, leaning in for one more kiss.
“Now who’s doing the tempting,” he growled, noticing the pack she had sitting at the side of the desk. “You’re bringing that?”
“You invited me for a sleep over,” she reminded him. “Although, I’m seriously thinking we didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“That’s why they make vitamins,” he bent and lifted the backpack, frowning.
“Laptop, clothes, shoes…girl stuff,” she said to the unasked question. Her palm reached out and took a grip on the pack, her lower lip tugged between her teeth. She wasn’t surprised when he stopped her at the door, his hand leaving hers to tilt her face to his.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m just not sure this is a good idea. Maybe it would be better if you stayed here.”
“Is it going to be uncomfortable for you, Charlotte?”
“I don’t know,” she answered honestly, closing her eyes for a minute. “I don’t want to be but maybe we should talk to them first, Jesse. I…we give teenagers lectures about this kind of thing and here we’ve just met and…”
“I’ve been thinking all day that it doesn’t feel like a just met situation,” he said quietly, uncertain about the words he wanted to explain something he hadn’t really found an answer for inside himself.
“I know that,” she said quickly. “Believe me…this isn’t my normal behavior. I don’t know that I’d be able to explain to them how it’s different when I can’t explain it to myself. We…we fall into claiming we’re older and we know better, but…I just think we should wait before…before launching me into their morning. That’s all.”
“It embarrasses you?” Jesse felt a slight surge of anger, dark eyes watching her pace out of his hold.
“I…No! I don’t want to be. No, of course not, Jesse. I’m old enough to be past embarrassment,” she shot back with a frown. “Have you ever taken a woman around them? Has it always just been the three of you? Don’t you think they’ll have some kind of reaction if I just walk out of your bedroom in the morning?”
“I’ve done nothing but think of them for the last fifteen years,” he stopped himself, the edge of his own voice dragging him back to reality. He’d always been very careful to keep his personal activities very personal. Why, then, was it so important that they know he wanted Charlotte part of his life? “Maybe we should invite them to dinner with us.”
“I…” Charlotte felt every drop of moisture evaporate from her tongue. She’d been gaming with them for three months. Why was she nervous now? “I don’t know about that…it’s where…okay…alright…maybe that would be good…”
“You’ve been talking to them for the last three months,” Jesse said carefully.
“I know that. Me and them. Game. Shooting. Planning. Not sitting at dinner with their father!” She hissed like he was some reverent temple at the table. Charlotte let one hand fly through the air as she paced, struggling for balance. “I don’t have a game manual for this.”
Jesse closed one eye and struggled with the logic.
“And you think I do? I’ve worked hard to keep my personal needs out of their sight. I’ve worked hard to be a good father and build my business. I didn’t allow myself the…the…”
“I’m sure parading women through their lives wouldn’t have been good for them.”
“I don’t have a life filled with a parade of women,” he responded, teeth clenched, part of him wanting to burst out laughing at their conversation. “The few I have dated knew about the twins. Most bailed for that very reason and you know what? I didn’t feel a damn thing when they did,” Jesse took two long steps forward and gripped her shoulders. “But I don’t think I’d be able to say that if you bailed because I was the father of teenagers, Charlotte. And I don’t think you’re the kind of woman who would hesitate about our relationship because of the twins.”
“You’re wrong,” came the low whisper. “If I thought it would hurt them, Jesse…if I thought it would hurt what you have with them…”
“I have to have confidence in the kids I raised, Charlotte,” his palms slid along her shoulders to frame her face. “Let’s go to dinner. I’ll give them a call and invite them to join us. I’m not going to run from these feelings. Even when you make me want to swear in three languages…I like being with you,” his thumbs stroked over the curve of her smile.
Charlotte drew in a slow breath and nodded, frowning the next instant when he lifted her pack in one hand.
“You’re taking that? Why? I thought…it would be better…”
“Just in case,” he said smoothly, taking her palm and waiting while she lifted a small purse from the table. He stood on the sturdy deck, watching her set the alarms before going to the waiting SUV.
Charlotte forgot their discussion as she wandered down the stairs, trying to be casual as she scanned the streets around her shop. She checked the neighboring parking lots and knew she was holding her breath as well as his hand as he led her to the SUV.
“Charlotte? Something wrong?” Jesse followed the path of her gaze, dark brows knit in thought.
“Oh, no…no…just checking things,” she shrugged and smiled, squeezing his fingers. “I’m okay.” It would definitely put a crimp in the evening to bring up Jasmine Billings visit now.
Tomorrow, she thought absently. She’d tell him tomorrow.