And even though he appreciated that his friend had his best interest at heart, when it came to how Seth felt about Jessie, he wasn’t ready to deal with the stark reality that she had no interest in him.
Yet with Jessie, things were never that simple.
“Excuse me, Jonathan. I see someone I know. Do you mind? I won’t be long.”
Alexa glanced over the hotel lobby, looking for Jessie. They had made plans to eat breakfast together somewhere close and talk about the job her boss Garrett Wheeler would propose. If the bounty hunter still felt like making the trip to New York City with her, she would arrange for another passenger on Garrett’s jet, a departure already set for three days from now.
But a male voice calling her name forced her to turn around. Seth Harper was a very pleasant sight to see as he walked toward her, dressed in navy slacks and a pale blue dress shirt. The only thing better would have been to see him naked under her bedsheets—an image that warmed her skin and other places.
“Good morning, Alexa. Great to see you. Are you staying at this hotel?” he asked.
A cute smile graced his lips, and his dark eyes held her in place as they usually did. His physical beauty always took her breath, especially when he stood near her like this. Beyond decency, she inched closer as if they were already lovers and playfully tugged at a button on his shirt. By the look on his face, her intimacy surprised him, but she loved teasing to keep him off-balance.
“Yes, but I’m only here for a few more days unfortunately. I’d love to see more of your city…and you.”
After being Garrett Wheeler’s lover, she’d learned how to please a man but had been obsessed by the idea of taking on a younger lover. And Seth Harper would be perfect.
“What are you doing here, Seth?”
He told her something about having breakfast with a friend at the cafe and went on to polite conversation about Chicago, but she couldn’t keep her eyes off his full, sensual lips. She imagined them on her nipples, along with the warm sensation of his tongue. Her skin rippled with goose bumps, and her body flushed with heat. The faint pulse of her heart throbbed in her ear with a steady urgency as images of him flooded her mind.
Those lips probably tasted like—
Without thinking, she let her body react.
“Hold that thought.” She placed a finger to his lips, relishing the feel of them coupled with the blush of his skin. “There’s something I have to do. And I hope you’ll allow me.”
From having a confident and aggressive man like Garrett as a lover, she’d learned to take what she wanted. Life was too short to waste time with playing coy.
She tugged at his shirt to draw him closer—and kissed those irresistible lips. Surprised by her sudden move, he tensed his body. When she felt him pull away, her hands found the small of his back and his muscled shoulders. That was when Seth gave in—and let it happen.
At least, that’s how she chose to remember the moment.
Jess shoved through the hotel’s revolving glass door and into the lobby in time to witness Alexa locking lips with Harper. A two-by-four in the face would have hurt less. Her heart stopped midbeat. Jess had seen enough. She slipped behind a column to hide and leaned on it for strength with eyes shut tight. When she opened them again, she saw her own reflection in a window. A scarred face stared back.
And the image of Seth kissing Alexa had been seared into her memory. Salt in a very old wound.
Being faced with what she’d given up hit her hard. Seth Harper. Even if she felt confident enough to compete with someone like Alexa, it was too late. What appeared to be the “morning after,” the beautiful blonde had seduced Harper here at her hotel. And Seth wasn’t the kind of guy who crossed that line easily. If he had made love to Alexa, he’d apparently moved on with his life. And she had to respect that.
Jess knew she had no special hold over him. Hell, they’d only kissed once, and she’d been the one to pull away. She’d become a part of his past. And all of it happened after she’d given her worthless blessing to Alexa, as if she had the right to give the green light on Harper’s life…and heart. She had only herself to blame for how things had turned out.
If she hadn’t arrived when she did, she might have missed the whole encounter between Seth and Alexa. Would that have been better…the old ignorance-is-bliss routine? Not one to live in denial, Jess felt her gut twist with the agony of what she’d seen. She obviously had feelings for Seth, but in the harsh light of truth, he needed someone whole, someone undamaged, who could give him the stable kind of love he deserved.
Yet if he was moving on with his life, and she had claimed to be okay with that, then why did she ache all over?
She slipped through a side door of the hotel and headed back to her vehicle, but stopped when she got far enough away to use her cell phone. She placed a call, and when Alexa answered, it took a moment to find her voice.
“Hey…Alexa. It’s me.” A tear slid down her cheek. She brushed it aside and tried to sound casual. “Look, I gotta cancel our breakfast. Something’s come up. Rain check?”
“Yeah, but…” Alexa began.
“And I’ve been thinking,” Jess interrupted. “Can we bump up our flight to New York to tomorrow morning, first thing? I’m anxious to meet Garrett and hear what he’s got to say. I’m ready to…move on with things.”
“Yeah, sure. I’ll rearrange his private charter. And I’ll call you when I have details. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, thanks. See you tomorrow.” She ended the call, ignoring the noticeable concern in Alexa’s voice.
She had already made up her mind. If Garrett Wheeler proposed a reasonable job offer, she would accept it. Sticking around Chicago had lost its appeal.
“I gotta get out of this town.” Jess headed for the parking garage. “Time for a change in scenery.”
She needed a major distraction to get a guy like Seth Harper out of her mind. And if things worked out, Garrett and his secret organization of wealthy and influential vigilantes might hold the key to a much-needed change in her life—in more ways than one.
Compared to Alexa, Jess had a lot to learn when it came to the higher stakes of an international scene filled with savvy criminals who had impressive resources. And higher stakes meant she had to develop her “A” game to a level she didn’t have yet. She’d have to work hard to prove herself worthy of Alexa’s faith in her, no matter how many months it would take her to prepare.
In truth, Jess knew she wasn’t up to the job now. Yet with the combination punch of Garrett’s backing and her stubborn streak, she’d be ready to confront a clever and more dangerous adversary.
Jess took a deep breath and wiped another tear from her cheek—swearing she’d be more than ready.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
With each novel, an author learns more about the craft of writing. In the first book of my Sweet Justice series,
Other real-life “characters” made significant contributions, too, not the least of who were my two gnomeologists. As they say, gnome is where the heart is. And to answer all my many gnome-related questions, I brought in top experts in the field—award-winning author Jill Monroe and
Others helped, too. Special thanks to award-winning author Maggie Price (former police crime analyst and world traveler) for lending her expert feedback on police procedures. Mags, I swear you were hanging out in cyberspace waiting for me to ask a question. I appreciate your time and friendship. My dear friend and talented author Dana Taylor gave her insightful feedback. And thanks to my dementedly endearing friend Joe Collins, who gave his expertise in all things. I now consider him a God among men.
