Breathe (18 page)

He took one, slipped it on his finger, and let it dangle. “These do seem complicated, but I can just imagine them on, and the image I am getting is making me sweat. We need to get you away from me.” He took the dress and led me to a guest bedroom. “You have a bathroom at your disposal, and you will find it has all you could possibly need to get dressed for tonight.”

“Okay,” I said, as he laid the dress on the bed and walked back to the door.

He gave me a cocky grin. “I’ll pick you up at seven, if that’s all right.”

I glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It showed a quarter to six now. “See you then.”

He bowed and closed the door behind him.

I walked into the adjoining bathroom. Make up and bath gels, soaps, salts, creams and as many different body lotions, splashes, and powders filled the marble counter tops. I bit my lip to keep from laughing out loud. He’d been prepared for me to say “yes.” A piece of paper lay on top of the towels, bath cloths, sponge, loofa, and some other item I’d never seen before. I picked it up and smiled when I realized it was from Jax.

Sadie,

I had no idea what you would need. I took the liberty of buying everything I thought smelled good. Not any of it smells as good as you, but the sales lady assured me all women want to feel pampered in the bath. So I just bought it all. As for the makeup you don’t need any. Your natural beauty is enough to bring me to my knees, but I wanted you to be happy, so I had a sales lady give me everything a ‘gorgeous blond with incredible skin and amazing blue eyes with lashes that are long and curly without any help’ might need. She said it sounded like you didn’t need anything but she gave me a few things she believed would make you happy.

I love you,

Jax

I laughed, took the note, and tucked it safely into my purse. I smelled the different fragrances and finally decided on one, and then began the task of making myself beautiful enough for the dress.

* * * *

Jax knocked on my door at exactly seven, and I slipped on the sexy silver heels. They fit me perfectly. He had really done his homework. I opened the door, and my heart skipped a beat. Seeing him in a black tuxedo made my knees go slightly weak.

“You really should warn someone before you unleash yourself on them dressed like that,” I said with awe in my voice. I had never seen anyone so incredibly perfect. It was then I realized he was staring at me, well, my body, and his gaze stopped at my feet.

“I think I am going to give my stylist a raise.”

His eyes met mine, and he smiled, a slow sexy smile that didn’t help my weak knees.

“You’re incredible,” he finally said, reaching for my hand and pulling me against him. His warm clean smell of soap, mouthwash, and Jax, set the blood in my veins racing.

His lips touched my ear. “I want to hold you, kiss you, and enjoy you in this dress right here in this room all night, but I can’t.”

I shivered.

“Please don’t shiver. It does something to me,” he said against my ear again.

I smiled. “Well, stop whispering in my ear and tracing patterns on my naked back, and I will stop,” I forced out through the desire clogging my throat.

He grabbed my hand and started walking. “I have to get us around people. Now,” he said with a sense of urgency I completely understood.

Kane stood at the door of the Bentley I’d only seen Mrs. Stone use. He nodded. “Miss White, Mr. Stone,” he said with no emotion as we stepped inside. Jax put his arm behind my back.

“I have it on best authority you don’t like most seafood.”

I grinned and nodded, knowing the authority was Mr. Greg.

“So, I am limited to two choices. This area is for the tourist. The casual everyday tourist, but there are a few establishments harder to get into. Have you ever heard of ‘Le Cellier?’”

I hadn’t, of course. I shook my head.

“I’ve been there a few times. It’s good, but more importantly, it’s somewhere we can enjoy a meal out together and not deal with fans.”

I let out a happy sigh and leaned back against the seat and crossed my legs. Jax cleared his throat, and I looked up at him.

“Could you try to not flash me any leg while we’re alone. I’m having a hard time with it.” His smile was strained, and I bit back a smile.

“Sorry,” I said softly and tucked my crossed legs back toward the seat.

We pulled up to the establishment, and there were men waiting to open our door. Jax took my hand and walked us up to the hostess, who immediately noticed Jax.

“Mr. Stone, we have your table ready. Right this way.”

Jax was right. The other diners were not going to come ask for autographs, but they did notice him as we walked by. Several whispered, and their eyes followed him. We were seated at a table away from the main dining area, where there were no other people around us. Jax held my chair out for me, and I sat down, glad we weren’t going to be in the view of curious eyes.

Jax grinned. “Do you read French, or should I order for you?”

“The menu is in French?” I asked, surprised.

He nodded. “Yes, and I know to stay away from oysters and shrimp. Are you okay with veal or lobster?”

I wasn’t really sure what I was okay with. The nicest restaurant I’d ever been to had a menu in English and nothing cost more than fifteen dollars.

“Just order whatever you think I will like.”

He chuckled. “Okay.”

A server appeared, and Jax ordered in French, of course. I watched him, mesmerized by his voice and the way the foreign words flowed from his mouth with such ease.

He stopped. “What do you want to drink?”

I frowned and almost hated to ask. “Do they have Coke?”

He grinned and went back to speaking in French.

Once we were alone again, he leaned toward me and whispered, “I ordered you lobster because I know it is good here. It also tastes nothing like shrimp or oysters.”

Before I could reply, a Coke appeared in front of me, and in front of Jax.

He took a sip and reached out a hand toward me. I slipped my hand in his and sighed.

“It’s hard to be near you and not be touching you in some way.”

I knew exactly what he meant. The thought should have been a happy one, but the fact that July was half over reminded me how close I was to not being able to touch him any longer.

“That wasn’t supposed to make you sad,” he said softly.

I made myself smile. “It doesn’t. I was just thinking about how quickly summer will be over. How fast it has already gone.”

His eyes showed emotion I didn’t understand. “I know,” he said and tightened his hold on my hand. He looked at the drink in front of him, and then back up at me with a sadness in his eyes. “I can’t think about it right now. Leaving you will be the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I’m just not sure how I will be able to.” He broke off and turned his gaze away from me.

I wish I hadn’t brought up our very near future. I hated seeing the pain in his eyes. “We will figure it all out. Let’s not let it get us down now. We still have a month and a half to go.”

He forced a smile and nodded. “You’re right”.

Jax stood up and came around the table and held out his hand. I stared at him in his tuxedo, and my breath caught in my lungs. He really was breathtakingly beautiful.

“Would you dance with me?”

I slipped my hand into his and followed him into the main room, where the band played. I stepped into his arms and wished I could stay there forever. His hands rested on my lower back, and I slid my hands up his arms and rested them on his shoulders. With my extra height, thanks to my killer heels, I was much closer to his six foot two inches. He leaned down until the warmth of his breath tickled my ear and neck.

“You feel amazing in my arms.”

I shivered and slipped a hand behind his neck.

“However, if the old gentleman at the table to our left doesn’t stop ogling your legs, I am going to have to go take him out.”

I bit back my laugh and turned my head to see the offending, old man. “You’re crazy,” I whispered.

He nodded. “I’ve been crazy since the day I walked upstairs to my bedroom and found you wiping something off the floor. I’ll never forget thinking, ‘I don’t care if she snuck in here to get close to me, if she’ll let me lose my fingers in those curls and stare into those baby blue eyes, she can get as close as she wants.”

I hadn’t realized he had felt anything for me that first day. “Really? I thought you were aggravated some crazed fan had slipped through.”

He grinned wickedly. “How do you suppose someone gets aggravated at someone who could have fallen out of heaven?”

I blushed and laid my head against his chest. We finished the rest of the dance in silence. I memorized his heartbeat and closed my eyes to commit the moment to memory. I knew one day soon I would need to remember how right this moment had been. When it was all over, I never wanted to think I had made a mistake by loving him. I wanted to always remember how he made me feel, so I would know the pain was worth it.

Jax walked me back to my seat before taking his. I took a drink of my Coke and noticed there was some kind of bread on a silver platter in the middle of the table. Jax sliced a piece of bread and put something that might have been oil instead of butter on it, and then handed it to me.

“Their bread is really good,” he assured me.

I took a bite and decided the strange oil tasted much better than butter. He had slathered himself a piece with the yummy oil and somehow managed to be sexy while eating bread. I wondered if they gave lessons to rock stars on such things. And if so, could I get in on one of those lessons.

“What are you grinning at?” he asked.

I hadn’t realized my thoughts showed on my face. I shrugged. “I am thinking about the way you make things as simple as eating bread attractive.”

He gave me a crooked grin and leaned toward me. “Maybe the same way you make breathing sexy.”

“What?” I asked, confused.

He raised his eyebrows. “When you breathe, it gives me chills.”

I laughed and shook my head. “You are really good with words.”

He winked at me and sat back in his seat and took a drink of his Coke. “You make me feel poetic.”

A server came up behind Jax, and I heard one behind me so I sat up straight and waited for them to serve our salad.

“The wonderful thing about Alabama is you get pecans in your salad,” Jax said as the servers left.

I had to agree with him. I loved pecans, but I never thought to put them in my salad before.

Once our meal was finished, and Jax paid the bill, we went outside to Kane and the Bentley waiting for us at the front door. How Kane did that, I would never know, but he was always on time. We rode to my apartment in silence. I sat snuggled up in Jax’s arms, and he played with my hair. It was one of those times when words weren’t needed.

Kane slowed and parked right on the street in front of my apartment.

“Thank you for tonight.”

Jax smiled down at me and tilted my face to match his before gently kissing me. I closed my eyes and pressed closer to him. He pulled back just enough to look into my eyes.

“I love you, Sadie White,” he whispered in a raspy voice.

I smiled and kissed his face softly. “I love you, too, Jax Stone.”

He groaned, pulled me closer, and buried his face in my hair. I wanted to stay this way forever. I never wanted September to come.

“You’re every song I have ever sung. I’ll never let anything hurt you again. For the first time in my life, my dreams aren’t about me.” I lifted my eyes up to meet his, and he smiled. “They’re about you.”

Chapter Fourteen

Sunday morning, I slept late again. I could hear Jessica up and about in the kitchen. I stretched before standing up and reaching for my phone and slipping it into the pocket on my pajama pants. I was supposed to be meeting Jax this afternoon to go surfing, something I had never tried. I walked down the short hallway into the kitchen, and saw Jessica leaning against the bar drinking a big glass of milk.

“It’s about time sleeping beauty woke up.”

I stifled a yawn and shrugged. “So, I slept late. I get up early every other day of the week.”

Jessica nodded, “Yes, but today is the day you get to find out what happens to girls who date rock stars.”

I frowned at her. “What are you talking about?”

She pushed off from the bar and threw the Sunday paper on the table in front of me.

“Good thing I have thick skin, because this isn’t flattering.” She turned and walked out of the room. I stared down for the second time at a photo of Jax, but this time it was my waist his arm wrapped around. He appeared to be whispering in my ear or kissing it. I sank down into the chair when I realized I was wearing my swimsuit. The picture had been taken at the July 4th party while we were dancing. Above our pictures it read, “The Prince of Rock is Snagged by His Maid.” My stomach dropped.

“Jax Stone has been living semi undercover here in Sea Breeze this summer, courting his hired maid, Miss Sadie White. The couple was seen together at a party held at the house of Mayor McCovey. Mayor McCovey’s son, Dylan, held his annual July 4th party at his parent’s home on Seagull Drive, and Sadie White was an invited guest. When we spoke to Dylan, he said, ‘No one was expecting it. Sadie is just a girl who moved here this year. We had no idea she was dating Jax Stone. But the two were inseparable.’ Sadie is an employee of the Stone’s, and she rides her bike to their house on Sea Breeze's exclusive island, where only the extraordinarily wealthy have summer homes. She works in his kitchen and serves him his food. Apparently, he takes her home after work.

“Sadie lives with her mother in an apartment here in Sea Breeze. Her mother is a single mom who is expecting a baby any day. Sadie seems to be the only one with a job. Interestingly enough, she somehow managed to be Jax Stone’s summer girl.”

I closed my eyes and laid my head on the table. I couldn’t believe the local newspaper had gotten wind of this. They’d painted Jax as a cold jerk who took advantage of his employees.