Pole Dance (43 page)

They had finished up the call just as Dale and another man arrived.

Never thought that Dale would ever be so cold. But he was. And even brought his own attorney which, Jake knew, was a big 'Fuck You' to Sam, but Sam never said anything or let his professionalism slip. The papers were signed and Dale along with his lawyer had left as soon as the damn ink was dry. Sam had brought out a bottle from his family's distillery in Scotland and poured two fingers of the dark brew into two glasses, with a toast. "To those not with us, to those with which we began, here's to their hearts, again and again."

"Sounds better in Gaelic," Sam advised with a wink before they both shot the aged whiskey down their throats, trying, but failing, to not cough as the sting of the drink hit the back of their throats.

Jake had decided to go out onto his own to purchase areas and businesses without Dale's input or money which for him was decidedly nerve-wracking. They had been business partners since Jake had turned twenty and it was, at first, more than a bit daunting. But, then, the exhilaration kicked in and Jake found his 'business' legs and was able to trust his own instincts.

He had told Dale, much to Dale's disappointment, that he would not be a part of Suds 'n' Duds but to go for it if that was what Dale really wanted to do. Was the first time Jake had done that, turned down a purchase that Dale really wanted. Felt good to do it.

Jake smiled, his head tilted back to catch the spray of the shower before turning to rinse his back. His life, since Cait appeared in it, seemed to be turning 'round. He felt his heartbeat speed up with just the thought of her, at all the beauty she had brought to his life.

*.*.*.*.*

He was just making his way downstairs and saw the murky colors captured in the windows of the front door before he called out, "I'll get it, pretty girl." He caught Caitlin's smile as she again turned toward the oven as he moved to the front door. It was Marianne with Sara and a girl that Jake didn't know, each loaded with bags or covered casserole dishes.

"Hey, Jake," Marianne pressed her cheek against his bicep, which was as high as she could reach even on tiptoe, as she passed. "You know Sara, right? And this is Julie, Jeff Bell's sister, the one that rented Caitlin's."

"Sara," he heard himself rumble when Sara moved passed him as if he wasn't standing there, and he stuck his hand out to the young, very blonde Julie. "Pleased, yeah?"

It may be decades before he was gonna be comfortable with Sara and she with him but he could give a Julie a genuine smile and welcome as she came in.

He closed the door on the sound of Cait's enthusiasm, smiling to himself as again his heart swelled listening to her. He heard Marianne exclaim over Cait's dress and he was taken back to the memory of her in Meer's.

"Babe. Pick what you want and let's get the fuck outta here, yeah?"

"That's not how it works, Jake. Stop pressuring, okay? Do you need to find some other place to be?" In his memory her scowl wasn't scary but just confused. Okay, maybe a little bit scary.

Then, after a while, his special girl came to him barefooted from the dressing room, walking softly towards him clad in a navy blue dress that fit her curves perfectly and seemed to flow around her as she made her way to him. She stopped in front of him then, moved right up on him, against him, leaning her head into him, the top of her head hitting that special spot underneath his jaw. "Love what you're wearin', Darlin'," he rumbled, although Caitlin swore that it was a growl when they talked of it later in the car.

"Love you, Jake. With everything that I am, my hot, gorgeous man."

Jake was speechless as his arms were filled with his girl, and with a heart so full he couldn't take a full breath if he tried.

She finally admitted, after an onslaught of kisses to Sarah McLachlan's Sweet Surrender on the iPod streaming through the car speakers, that she was more than intimidated by Jake's money and, that even with her parents, she always had a budget. That she had never, ever felt that she could spend freely.

"Understand, pretty girl, yeah?" Jake had turned his face away, seemingly watching the sunset. "But, Cait?"

"Yeah, Baby," he heard reflected off the window of the passenger seat that she was turned towards.

"Never have to worry 'bout the cost, Darlin', ever again, yeah?" Her head whipped around towards his, her hair flying. Seeing her move in the reflection of the window, Jake turned his face to hers.

"Never's a long time, Jake."

"Babe," he remembered saying.

He watched her widened eyes as they moved along the windshield as she processed his words. Then with a move that was so Cait, she dove towards him over the console and stopped when, and only when, her lips were plastered to his. His favorite place for her to be.

"Darlin'," he mumbled against the firm press of her lips. "This goes for the fuckin' grocery store, too, yeah?" He felt the nod of her lips against his as his arms wound around her thinking that he only won the battle but not the war. But he would. Oh yeah, but he, Goddamn, would.

*.*.*.*.*

By some unspoken agreement, Jake manned the door and Caitlin greeted their guests from the kitchen which was on display when the front door was brought wide open as Jake tended to open it.

Ram Patel was there, followed by Ted Pierson.

Jeff Trusdale and his gracious, though, quiet wife Beth.

Dex from Human Hieroglyphix, the tattoo place next to Fuego's came in with Samantha, one of the co-owners of Bewitchments, the sex shop on the other side of club.

Paul Adler came alone, eyes totally and completely on Marianne who was slicing herbs for toppings of the stuff that filled the ovens that were emitting the most wonderful smells.

Cait, catching the direction of Paul's gaze, elbowed Marianne who was now armed with oven mitts and tilted her chin Jeff's direction. Marianne glanced and then found her eyes were caught on the Detective's. She smiled softly and Cait shot her own gaze to Jake's and she did a chin-thrust his way, an I-told-you-so movement before she pointed her head to Marianne and Paul's direction.

Jake, in a counter move, tilted his head to Ram who Caitlin saw was watching the antics of Marianne and Paul as they both bent over the oven, arguing to find the perfect melting point of the cheese on the nachos. Caitlin's heart hurt when she heard Marianne's soft laughter to the right of her and yet caught Ram's gaze on the other side of the bar. She watched as his eyes drifted back to Marianne, flared then determinedly moved away.

Caitlin's eyes searched through the crowd to find Jake's. He lifted his chin but she shook her head and tilted her head to Ram's. Jake moved to drape an arm around Ram with a, "How's it goin', Buddy?" while steering him away from the counter and into the living room.

She watched as Sky, the head bartender and soon to be co-owner of Fuego's, flirted with Sara. They made a gorgeous couple--she was beautiful and Sky was sheer black perfection from the top of his shining bald head to the toes of his gleaming shoes.

Jake had told her of Sky and how Sky had been one of his pet projects, taking on the huge black man that had an obvious chip on his shoulder but who was determined to drag himself out of the cesspool of his past, although Sky's past was on the neon streets of Las Vegas.

Starting in the kitchens of the Club but boldly asking Jake's financial help in going to Mixology School to learn to be a bartender, Sky had more balls than most in the club other than Jake and, a maybe-when-pushed, Dale. Without having to think twice, Jake called the local school and immediately paid Sky's tuition in full, having been impressed with the giant's unswerving grit to complete any and all tasks that were asked of him--from dishwashing, to mucking out the bathroom stalls even when the occasion called for it during opening hours.

Because of his soaring height and intimidating appearance, Sky even stepped in when more muscle was needed to subdue an unruly client (though, Sky did remove his dishwasher's apron when he had to appear in the main portion of the club)--without question or complaint and without demands for more money. But it was the immediate repayment of the debt that had Jake firmly in Sky's corner and knowing his trust was well founded. From the very first week, and without fail, every Saturday morning Jake found $50.00 in a plain envelope sitting in the center of his desk.

As the weeks wore on and Sky was moved to the bar to study with Dave, the original head bartender, the money in the weekly, plain envelopes increased and it wasn't long before the financial debt was paid.

But, it wasn't until after Sky's first solo closeout, where the receipts were up 20% compared to similar receipts for the same weeknight, that trust between the two of them was cemented.

It hadn't taken Sky long to catch on to Dave's skimming ways. Whether it was shorting the till, carting off an extra bottle or two or negotiating an off-the-books discount with one of the suppliers, Dave was able to snag himself quite a tidy portion of the club's profits.

Sky never reported what he saw, knowing that the receipts would speak for themselves. After two weeks of seeing an increase in revenue without changing anything other than who was in charge behind the bar, and finally reviewing the video tapes showing Dave and two others of the staff were not only shorting the register but carting off booze, Jake and Dale had no qualms in confronting and then ousting Dave and his cronies. Promoting Sky to head-bartender was a no-brainer.

Caitlin's eyes drifted from Sara and Sky and caught on Jake's again. He pointed his chin towards Dale who had only arrived a few minutes earlier with a tall, built blonde hanging off his arm. Caitlin moved her eyes in the direction of Dale's glare and saw it was pointed directly at Sara, who was now laughing up into Sky's smiling face and had her arm on one of Sky's very muscular biceps. She moved her eyes back to Jake's and bugged out her eyes. He just smiled before turning back to his conversation with Jeff and Beth.

Marianne bumped her shoulder and smiled up at Caitlin. "Was I right about the drama or what?" Marianne said, hiding her smile behind her glass of wine. Caitlin bumped her right back and used her own glass to point out Layne who was totally working it and working it on Sam McKenzie. The attorney, who was a
lot
hotter in jeans and an untucked button-down shirt than he was in a suit, looked like he had been struck by lightning and couldn't take his eyes off the effervescent woman in front of him.

Not to be outdone, Marianne pointed her glass to Julie who was smiling up at James (but you can call me Jim) Davis. Correction,
Professor
James Davis who, come to find out, was another one of Jake's boyhood friends as well as being Caitlin's Speech professor. Caitlin shook her head, knowing that nothing was happening with Julie, but she did notice Kristen, one of Fuego's dancers, staring his way with a predatory gleam in her eye. Caitlin and Marianne watched as Jim caught Kristen's glance. They began to giggle quietly as they watched a blush steal its way up the seriously hot professor's face.

"Think the teacher's gonna get
taught
," Marianne mumbled, which caused Caitlin to burst out laughing.

*.*.*.*.*

The house seemed especially quiet after all the guests left. Caitlin was in the bathroom the door partially open doing her nightly ritual, so Jake had to move stealthily to get the large picture from under the bed and hung on the wall before she came out. He had taken a few minutes before the party to get the picture hanger in place.

He stripped down and slid between the sheets before he reached into his nightstand for the black box. He noticed his hands were shaking as he tucked the box under one of the pillows before he slid further down the bed, turned on his side and braced his head in his hand.

"Baby?" he heard her call from the bathroom.