“I hear you. San Francisco’s expensive.”
I chat a few minutes more with Melinda and watch Jackson get out of the pool. He dries off and gives me a subtle signal, and I know he wants me to meet him in the house.
When I get out and dry off, I head for the master bedroom. As I approach, I hear the shower running, and I take off my wet suit and enter the bathroom. Jackson’s reflection in the bathroom mirror takes my breath away. I love the curves in his hips and the happy trail line. I stand and watch him.
“You’re welcome to join me.”
“I’m enjoying the view.”
“It’s only for you.”
I chuckle and step in behind him.
***
After an afternoon of lovemaking, I’m exhausted again. Jackson is taking me into town for dinner tonight, and our plan is to enjoy an evening out. It’s not something we’ve done very often.
Brian and Ben drive us to a shopping area. Ben drops us and will meet back up with us shortly. As we wander in and out of the stores, it’s fun to see Jackson’s approach to shopping. If you like it, you buy it. I can’t live that way. My expenses have decreased, and I’m not paying rent, so the girls will have to cover the cost of their closet, but that doesn’t mean I have a ton of discretionary money. Jackson gave me a raise, which helps immensely, but I still haven’t decided what I’m going to do after Hawaii. And even if I accept the stock options, today they’re only a piece of paper. They have no value until we go to market.
Jackson’s whole life is discretionary money. We wander in and out of stores, and he picks things up and offers to buy them for me. A woman I’ve never met leans over and says, “Honey, if the man wants to spend money on you, you have to let him.”
I force a smile. “Thanks, I’m sure you’re right.”
Jackson steers me into a high-end, Hawaiian-themed jewelry store. It’s filled with designs of plumeria flowers, turtles, waves, and palm trees. My heart’s beating fast. I’ve never been given jewelry before and never been shopping for jewelry with a man—let alone one I was sleeping with. Thankfully, there doesn’t seem to be any engagement displays.
Jackson stops at a table of plumeria jewelry. Immediately the saleswoman approaches. “Can I show you anything?”
Jackson looks at me. “What do you think?”
I shrug noncommittally.
“I’d like to see this one in the white gold.” He’s pointing to a choker that’s a stunning cascade of plumeria.
She gets it out and starts reciting the figures—eighteen inches long and thirty-nine twenty-four-karat-gold plumeria flowers. She hands it to Jackson, and he looks it over.
“Would you like to try it on?” he asks.
It’s beautiful. Who wouldn’t like it? I turn around and hold my hair up while he clasps it.
“It comes with matching earrings, a bracelet, and a cocktail ring,” the saleswoman jabbers on.
I turn around and look at him and touch the necklace. “I love it.”
“I know you don’t want me to buy too much for you, but may I please buy this necklace? It will be a great memory of our early trips to Maui.”
I debate. The delicate necklace encircles my neck and really does say Hawaii, but once she quotes the price, I almost faint—it’s over five thousand dollars.
Jackson leans in, and I can smell his cologne. “I can afford it. Please…”
I nod. I may hate myself later for giving in, but it is a beautiful piece, and no matter what, I’ll always have it to remember our time together.
She packages up the necklace, and after Jackson pays for his purchase, we walk toward a seafood restaurant on the water.
“Now, you have a permanent lei.” Jackson laughs at his own joke.
“Is that what this is?” Permanent is a scary word.
“Or maybe you can get laid while only wearing the lei.”
Now he really is pulling out his twelve-year-old humor. It’s my fault. I started it to get a rise out of him.
“Uh-huh.” But I do like the idea of wearing the necklace and nothing else.
“Are you wearing panties tonight?” Jackson asks in a low voice.
“I am. I guess I’m being a good girl.” I give him my best pouty face and pop my shoulders back, so my breasts are prominent.
His eyes become hooded, and I know what he’s in the mood for.
He steps in and kisses me.
I nibble at his lower lip. “You need food after your crazy day.”
He nods. “I wish I wasn’t leaving you tomorrow.”
“I have a lot to accomplish over the next few weeks if we’re going to be prepared for almost fifty people to come to the house.”
We walk hand in hand into the restaurant, and I turn to see Ben and Brian staying close. I’d forgotten they were with us.
At the restaurant, we’re shown to our water-facing booth. The ambiance is what I would envision for the dining room of a cruise ship—very elegant with a hint of nautical decor. Once they take our drink orders, Jackson sits back and puts his arm around me.
“I’m happy to be here with you.”
Snuggling close. “I’m glad you’re here, too.”
“I wish the police were closer to finding out who’s been bothering you.”
I nod. I’d say the stalker is doing more than bothering me. She’s displaced me.
“I spoke briefly to Jim about this during the week,” he continues. “They feel confident it isn’t Collette. Jim’s team has worked with Bobby’s manager, and they’ve identified six possible candidates—women who have stepped over the line of normalcy when it comes to Bobby—and they’re working on eliminating them from the pool of suspects.”
His hand moves to my
