Jocelyn's Choice (8 page)

I was finally finished with high school. I held my diploma and made my way through the crowd. My gaze immediately locked with his. He was making his way through the masses to get to me with that sexy grin spreading across his face. When he finally reached me, he picked me up and plastered his lips against mine.

Hmm . . . he tastes so good.

He lowered me back to the ground and handed me a bouquet of yellow roses.

"They're beautiful." I smiled. "Thank you."

"You told me the dress you're wearing underneath that gown is yellow."

"You remembered?"

"I remember everything about you." He brushed his lips against mine. We were interrupted by the sound of Max clearing his throat. I closed my eyes and giggled when I heard Alex softly groan.

"Hey, Dad." I turned to face him.

"Congratulations, Jocelyn." He awkwardly smiled. "Hey, Alex."

"Hello, Chief Andrews," he said, as he shook his hand.

"I think you can call me Max. After all, we have watched a game or two over a few beers, so I think you've earned it."

Alex smiled.

"Are you ready, Jocey?" Max asked.

"Actually . . . ." Alex stepped in. "My parents were wondering if you'd like to go to dinner with our family?"

I glanced over at the Jordans, who were chatting with Evan and Cali. They looked so proud of their son as they smiled and took tons of pictures. He looked entirely too good in that cap and gown.
Only Evan Jordan could pull off that look and make
it desirable.
I almost took Alex up on his offer, until I saw Brenna, Ryan, and Julia approach Jack. There was no way I was spending my graduation dinner with Julia and Brenna. I didn't care if Ryan was there to keep them in line.

"Thanks, Alex." I smiled as I squeezed his hand. "But we made reservations, and I'd like to go to dinner with my dad." As much as I wanted to be with Alex, it had always been Max and me, and I wanted to share this time with him.

"Of course." Alex smiled. "My mother just wanted to extend the invitation."

"That was very nice," Max said. "I'll go over and thank her, and then I'll meet you at the car, Jocelyn."

"Okay." I watched him walk away.

"Will I see you later?" Alex asked.

"I hope so." I kissed his jaw, wanting to feel his stubble against my face. "Will you pick me up from the restaurant?"

"Just text me when you're ready, beautiful." He kissed my forehead.

"You're not mad I'm not coming with you?"

"I know why you don't want to go." He frowned. "I'm sorry she came with us."

"It's not your fault Julia is attached to Brenna's hip." I laughed. "But, now at least you'll have someone to sit with at dinner." I knew that was why Julia came. Evan had Cali, Brenna had Ryan, and Alex would have her.
How perfect.

"That's not funny. You know I'm not interested in her."

"I know," I said. "Don't keep your family waiting. I'll see you in a little while."

"Jocelyn," he said, "congratulations."

He headed back toward his family. As soon as he approached, Julia hooked her arm through his and pulled him to the exit. Alex barely looked at her; he talked with Evan as they walked out of the building.

Max and I had a quiet dinner, but then for some reason during dessert, he decided to get chatty. I love my father, but I wanted to get to Alex.

"You sure you don't want dessert?" he asked as he stared down at his apple pie.

"No." I smiled. "But you dig right in."

"Alex is leaving soon?"

"A few weeks," I said. "I'm trying not to think about it."

"You really like him, huh?"

"I do. More that I expected."

"What do you mean?"

"When he asked me out that first time, I thought it was to tease Evan, and it might have started that way, but he's really interested in me, and that's shocking."

"Jocelyn?" He shook his head. "Why is that so surprising?"

I smiled and looked down.

"Look," he said. "I don't want you to think for some reason you're not worth Alex Jordan's time. You're smart, kind, and beautiful. He's lucky to have you in his life."

"Dad," I said. "Please."

"Look, all I'm saying is, if Alex really likes you, it's because of who you are, and you shouldn't feel like it's a mistake."

"Thanks." I glanced down at my phone.

"Call him or text him or whatever it is you do." He rolled his eyes. "You've spent more than enough time with your old dad."

"Thanks." I placed my hand over his. "I love you, you know."

"I love you too, Jocelyn, and I'm really proud of you."

Alex picked me up from the restaurant and took me back to his house. Jack and Sarah were having a small gathering to celebrate Evan's graduation. When we pulled up, there were at least thirty cars surrounding the property. I waited for Alex to open my door and help me out of the car.

"I thought you said a little gathering." I looked at the cars and suddenly felt anxious. Max rarely entertained unless it was poker night, so I wasn't used to those types of crowds.

"This is small for my parents." He laughed as he took my hand and led me up the path to the front door.

"Who are all these people?"

"Just family and friends, and some of my father's colleagues from the hospital,"

he said as we walked into the foyer.

The house was filled with tons of people I didn't know. I looked around and then back at Alex.

"Don't be nervous." He pulled me to him and kissed my forehead. "You look beautiful. I love this dress."

"Thanks. I picked it out for you."

"It's very sexy." He gently kissed my lips. "You better stay close to me, so everyone knows you're mine."

"Jocelyn," Sarah called as she walked into the foyer. "Alex, let go of her for two minutes so I can give her a hug."

"Yes, Mom." Alex rolled his eyes, and I was disappointed when he let go of me.

Sarah pulled me into a hug and said, "Congratulations, sweetie. Did you bring your dad?"

"No." I smiled. "He doesn't really do social functions."

"Come on." She pulled me through the kitchen with Alex following close behind.

"I want you to meet some people."

I turned to Alex for some sort of assistance, but he just looked at me apologetically and mouthed, "I'm sorry."

Sarah pulled me around the house like a little rag doll, introducing me as Alex's girlfriend to all her guests. I felt awkward, but I liked being introduced that way, especially when Julia was around.

Ha!
I bet Sarah never introduced her to Jack's colleagues as her son's girlfriend.

His one and only . . . his one true love. Well, maybe I was getting ahead of myself, but
still
.

After half an hour, Sarah was finally finished with me, but I had lost Alex. Evan came up from behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Where have you been, klutzy?" He spun me around and took in my attire.

"Wow, Jocelyn, where did you get that body?"

"Shut up!" I hated it when he embarrassed me.

"No, really." He laughed. "Where have you been hiding those?" He pointed to my cleavage.

Actually, my boobs did seem a little fuller from when I bought the dress a month ago.
How strange.
"Stop it!" I hit his shoulder.

"I'm just sayin', you're kinda hot." He winked.

"And I'm not sharing, little brother," Alex said, as he came up behind me and pulled my back against his chest. "And you," he said, as he turned me around. "I leave you for five minutes and you're flirting with my brother?"

"You shouldn't leave me alone then."

"Alex," Evan said, "I had no idea she could look this good."

"Thanks, asshat," I retorted.

"No, it's a compliment, really. You two needed each other."

"Whatever!" Alex waved him off.

"No, listen," he said. "She needed you to come out of her shell, and you needed her to calm the fuck down. You're the perfect couple, and you have me to thank."

"Are you done?" Alex asked. "Because I want to be alone with my perfection."

"You know I'm right." Evan laughed. "It’s right there for everybody to see."

Alex took my hand and led me outside to the gazebo in the back yard that overlooked the pond. He sat down on the bench and pulled me into his lap.

"Did you have fun with my mom?"

"You left me with all those people."

"Sorry," he said. "But my mom had you in her clutches, and there wasn't anything I could do about it, so I went to get a beer and got sidetracked talking to Ryan."

"And his entourage?" I asked, trying not to sound jealous.

"No, Brenna and Julia were upstairs," he said. "Doing who knows what."

"I really like your mother," I told him. "She makes me feel special."

"That's because you are special." He smiled. "And Evan was right." He stopped to take a drink from his beer, then offered a sip to me, but I shook my head. Instead, I took the bottle and placed it next to us on the bench.

"I'd rather taste it on your lips," I said as I pressed mine to his.

He ran his fingers through my hair, deepening the kiss as his other hand rested just under my skirt.

"Hmm," I moaned as I pulled away. "How do you know Evan was right?"

"From what Mom says. She's thankful that you calmed me the fuck down." He laughed. "She was getting tired of me chasing after every daughter of every woman on the board of every charity she was associated with."

"You did that?"

"Pretty much." He shot me a wicked grin. "You have no idea just what a handful I was."

"Didn't anyone ever turn you down?"

"Once." He chuckled. "But I think she liked girls."

"Of course." I rolled my eyes. "And you don't miss that?"

"Miss what?"

"A different girl every night? Going out and hooking up with a stranger? No strings, just fun?"

"It was getting old," he said. "And I'm having fun with you."

"Really?" I smiled.

He took my hand, and his face turned serious. "Jocelyn, I've been doing some thinking."

"Uh, oh!" I giggled.

"Have I ever mentioned how adorable you are?"

"Not tonight."

"Hmm, well, tonight, you're sexy, and I'm going to show you how much I want to take this dress off later." He slowly kissed me. "But, right now, I need to tell you what I've been thinking about."

"Okay," I whispered.

"I'm going back to Yale to do the internship in a few weeks."

"I know." I frowned. "Don't remind me."

"But I've decided to come home after that."

"What about medical school?"

"I can think about that later," he said. "The doctor I've been shadowing at the hospital just got a grant to complete a major project, and he needs a research assistant.

He starts in January, and he's offered me the job."

"You'd be working here?" I said, trying to hold back an excited scream.

"Yes." He smiled. "I'd be working with him for at least a year. My dad thinks it's a great opportunity, and when I'm done, I can look for a job using my Master’s, or I can go to medical school."

"Are you sure?" I was jumping up and down inside my head, but I wanted to make sure this was want he wanted. He'd been going back and forth about school, and if he had concerns, I wanted to be here for him to talk about them.

"Yes, I'm sure." He nodded. "It's time for me to come home, Jocelyn, especially now that I have someone to come home to."

I couldn't stop the grin.

"But I know you're young, and you've just graduated. There are so many things you still have to experience, and I do have to leave for four months, so I don't want you to feel obligated to wait for me."

"Do you want me to wait?" I knew what I wanted, but I didn't want to assume anything for him.

"I don't want to be selfish," he said as he looked down. "But I want this, us, to work."

"I do too," I whispered.

He looked into my eyes, and I saw the relief in his gaze
. How can he not think I'd
want him
? "I know things progressed really fast between us, but it’s working. I only wish I didn't have to leave."

"I want you to go," I said. "I'll miss you like crazy, but this is something you have to do. I want it for you."

"If the situation were reversed, I don't know if I could be so selfless," he said. "I'd want to keep you with me."

"I don't believe that." I smiled. "You always do what's right for me."

"I want to be what's right for you," he whispered against my temple.

"You are." I pulled him into a hug. "I'll wait for you, Alex." He had my heart, even if I wasn't sure he was ready to hear it.

He moved his lips along my jaw and to my lips, and before I realized what was happening, I was on my back, and he was hovering over me. He brought his lips to mine and kissed me eagerly. He wanted more, evident by the way his erection pressed against my thigh.

"Baby." I tried to push against his chest, but it was a weak attempt; my body was humming for him. "Someone will see us."

He stopped kissing my neck and gave me a thoughtful look, as if he were contemplating the situation. He climbed off me and extended his hand. "Let's do this in my bedroom."

"There's a house full of people."

"Exactly." He playfully tapped the tip of my nose. "No one will know where we are."

"Oh," I said, as the realization sank in.

Alex laughed and took my hand. He wrapped his arms around my waist as we walked to the patio doors. It took us a while to get to the house; every time Alex kissed my neck, I had to turn around and seek out his lips. We finally made it to the back staircase and to his room, and, just as Alex had predicted, no one saw us enter the house.

"I have to get inside you," he mumbled against my lips.

He pushed me into the bedroom and shut and locked the door behind us. Before he could turn around, I had my arms wrapped around his waist and was kissing the back of his neck. I was so gentle my lips were barely touching his skin, but his whole body was responding to me. He spun around and pushed me up against the desk on the opposite side of the room.