The Scale (Martha's Way) (17 page)

“You’re going to die by your twenty-seventh birthday,” Adam
had said with disgust.

“Dying will not bring your mother back,” Blake had chimed
in.

“You’re the closest thing I have to a brother, Jason. So
stop acting like an asshole,” Claire had said in a shaky voice.

“Listen, man, we care about you,” Forrest had said in a
controlled voice, “but in the end, you have to want to stop killing yourself.
The five of us, we are a unit. But we don’t want any part of the person you are
becoming.”

That day they pulled him from submerging in his sorrow. He
and Adam purchased a run- down space and turned it into one of the trendiest
bars in Edgartown. His inn was booming and was now one of the hottest places to
stay on The Vineyard and he was almost done refurbishing his mother’s battered
house.

Only the last few days, he had been distracted by thoughts
of Minka.

Shy, reserved Minka, with the sad smile.
Things weren’t going as he’d imagined. He brought her home last night with one
purpose,
make love to her until she was out of his system.
Instead he made a dinner date with her tonight.
A dumb-ass
move.

The moment he’d picked her up from Oak Lane Inn, her beauty
had blown him away. Things didn’t get better during the course of the night.
She got along too well with his friends. She had been too responsive in his
arms, almost as if she belonged there. The one time she disappeared in the
ladies’ room with her sister, Jason had felt almost empty. He groaned. His mind
lingered to the memories of her relaxed features sleeping during the drive back
to his house.

Once he’d parked the Jeep, she stretched her body, causing
her breasts to almost fall out of the little piece of material she wore for the
night. He’d watched her slowly open her eyes to meet his. She looked slightly
disoriented, but quickly became aware she had fallen asleep.

“I’m sorry. I guess I was tired.”

“You didn’t get much sleep last night,” he had reassured
her. “Are you okay walking inside? I can carry you.”

What the fuck was happening to him? Jason clenched his jaw.

She had blinked her long lashes with uncertainty, a little nervous
quirk he’d picked up on yesterday.

“I can walk.”

“I’ll get your bag.”

By the time Jason had made his way
to her door, Minka was standing outside barefoot with her heels dangling from
her fingers. Part of her hair had come undone from the bun coif she sported
throughout the evening. She’d looked undone, and had left him completely
breathless. Even after they had sex over and over during the night, he still wanted
more. In fact all he wanted now was more of Minka. Typically, he could handle
the female gender and was always prepared for any situation, but something
about Minka hypnotized him.

He reluctantly admitted to himself he wanted to see more of
her after tonight, but he vowed to keep things light and fun with lots of sex.
The truth was she was built for physical pleasure. Just the thought of her
curvaceous body naked under him made him tighten with need.

There was nothing like great sex. And with Minka so far, she
was the best wild sex he’d ever had.

If he really chose to examine the
situation, he might discover his desire ran deeper than the physical
attraction, but he wasn’t ready to do that, so he dismissed the thought and
focused his attention on the reason he was heading back to Falmouth.

Chapter Twelve

“The scale cannot
measure beauty, talent, purpose, life force, possibility, strength, or love.”
    
Steve Maraboli

Jason looked around the large immaculate office, taking in
every detail from the bare desk to the impressive collection of law books
stacked neatly in the library. He remembered a time when this office held some
sort of familiarity, comfort, and sanctuary for him; yet today, as he stood in
the vast room, he felt strangely out of place.

Sucking in a deep breath to clear his lungs, he walked to
the window overlooking the huge water fountain in the well-groomed garden. A
vision of him as a young boy throwing a penny in that cascade of water emerged.
He didn’t want to think about those times; those memories needed to remain
buried. And he was okay with that.

The door to the office opened and he didn’t turn to face the
intruder. He already knew who it was. His shoulders tightened as his father
walked into the room.

“Hello, son.
I thought I’d find you
here.”

“Why have you not given this office to someone else?”

His father shrugged. “This is your office.”

His father walked to the old desk and dropped a manila
folder onto its clean surface.

“I’m not coming back.”

“And yet, here you are.”

His father’s gaze swept over Jason. The scrutiny didn’t
trouble him. He long accepted he didn’t fit the mold of a millionaire’s son. “You
asked me to come see you. I obliged.”

“You look good,” Charles noted.
“In a
suit.
Of course the hair is too long, but…”

“This is who I am.”

“I have come to accept the tattoos.”

A smile formed on Jason’s lips as he thought of his first
tattoo.
The eagle on his shoulder.
His father had been
furious. His mother, who had one or two small hidden tattoos, had smiled and
walked
away
.

“When are you coming back to work?” Charles persisted.

Jason walked away from the window to the library with the
leather-bound law books. He reached for the first business law book he’d bought
in college and opened it blindly. “I have a job.”

“Damn it, Jason, you’re not a construction worker or,” he
waved his hand, “an innkeeper. You didn’t graduate at the top of your class at Harvard
to do nothing.”

Jason chuckled. In five years, his father still didn’t get
it.

“If this is why you asked me here, I’ll leave now.” This
time he made no attempt to hide the frustration. “This conversation could have
taken place over the phone or, even better, via text.”

At that instant his phone vibrated in his pocket. He
retrieved the device and he studied the words from Minka.

I
have to meet a few vendors with Keely and Claire today. I should be done by
six. Sorry for disturbing you
.

He texted back.

You’re
not.
In the office, arguing with my father.
Will pick you up at 7.

Jason caught himself just as he was about to type
Love, Jason
, A closer he used only for
the people closest to him.

Keep it light, he reminded himself as he pressed send before
burying his cell in his pocket. He raised his head to meet his father's
inquisitive gaze.

“She reminds me of your mother,” Charles said with a smile.
“Innocent, but wild.”
With that, his father walked out of
the office and closed the door behind him.

A soft knock came from the door. Was his father back for
another go at him? No, his father never knocked. “Enter,” Jason
instructed.
 
The pretty red-headed
assistant he’d noticed earlier walked in.

“Can I get you anything, Mr. Montgomery? Coffee, tea…” her
voice lingered suggestively.

He took in her features. Her red hair was striking against
her creamy skin. At one time, he might have taken her up on her offer. Only
this time he didn’t even entertain the idea. Worse, it was Minka who occupied
his mind. Jason shook his head, pulled out the leather chair and sat. “No
thanks, Liz. I’m good for now.”

By the time Jason lifted his head to check his watch, three
hours had gone by. He examined the few pages he had read and highlighted with
notes. There were still other documents he needed to complete, but from what he
was able to review so far, he hated to admit it, but the settlement offer was
fair, if not generous. Sliding the chair back, he rose and walked three doors
down to his father’s office.

He came to an abrupt stop at the sight before him. Unlike
five years ago, his father’s pants were not down and the woman was fully clothed,
sitting on his lap and wrapped in his arms. He studied his father’s latest
conquest. She couldn’t be more than a few years older than he was. She laughed
at something his father said and tilted her head to accept his mouth on her
neck. A part of him wanted to walk out of the room as he did five years ago,
but he remained standing there until they both realized they were not alone.

His father gently pulled the woman off his legs and came to
his feet. “Jason, this is Nicole. I invited her to have lunch with us.”

Nicole gave him a smile. Jason was glad she didn’t extend
her arm out for a formal greeting. “I’m done for the day,” he muttered before
stepping out of the office. It took all his strength not to slam the door
behind him.

He had not meant to drive to the inn. Once inside the Jeep,
his intention was to go back to his mother’s old house and let out his
frustration on finishing the kitchen. He found Minka, Keely and Claire in the
back by the meadow deep in discussion. He should have walked away and gone
inside the inn, but here he stood in his suit, captivated.

His heart raced at the sight of Minka in the delicate
bohemian dress that accentuated her curves. He ached.

Her hair was swept to one side in a single braid, giving her
an innocent look. She was engaged in a conversation with Keely, Claire, and
someone else out of his view.

He rushed his steps. He knew she was going to be busy with
Keely for the day, but after leaving his father’s office his thoughts had been
consumed by her. He needed to see her.

She looked up and a look of surprise swept over her pretty
face before she refocused her attention on Claire. Jason watched her brush one
loose strand of curls behind her ear. Her lips parted and she licked her bottom
lip; a flashback of her kissing his body rushed through his head.

As he approached the group, the other woman came to view. She
smiled invitingly at him.

Shit. Rita. What the fuck was she doing here? Then he
remembered she owned a flower shop.

“Hey,” he greeted them.

If looks could kill, he would have been torn into pieces
based on the daggers from Claire and Keely’s stares.

Rita came forward and wrapped her arms around his waist.
“Jason, good to see you again.”

“This is not the time, Rita.” He gently removed Rita’s hands
from his body without looking away from Minka. “Come with me.” Desire echoed in
his ears but he didn’t care. He wanted Minka to know it was her he craved.

Minka’s hazel eyes went to the other women, then back to
him. He noticed her slight hesitation and worried Rita’s warm greeting had hurt
her.

“I’m…” she stammered, glancing at the thin watch on her
waist. “It’s…”

“She’ll be back in one hour,” he advised Keely, who crossed
her arms over her chest. Her pretty face set in a dark storm, obviously not
pleased with the disruption.

* * * *

The sight of Rita and Jason together sickened her stomach.
Minka remained still and tried not to stare. It was obvious the two had been
intimate.

Had Rita fallen for him too and been dumped after he became
bored? Were they still intimate? It definitely appeared the two had unfinished
business. Besides, she and Jason had never really drawn boundaries.

She stood frozen, all too aware of the thumping of her heart
as he came to stand before her. He took her face in his hands and lowered his
lips to hers. The kiss was too hot, too potent for an embrace in front of her
sister and one of his lovers. It was also too hot and too intoxicating to
fight. She surrendered to it, to him, to the unfulfilled woman inside of her.

“Let’s go,” he whispered against her lips. “I need you.”

The kiss.
The
words.
The edginess in them.
His face looked
worn and she wanted to help him.
Had to.
All of that
was too much for her and her guard plummeted. Everyone else ceased to exist.
With a slight movement of her head, she gave him the okay to do with her as he
pleased. A hint of a smile touched his lips; he took her hands in his and
guided her to his Jeep.

They drove in silence. She had no idea where they were going
and didn’t care. Minka tried to focus her attention on the scenery. The roads
on The Vineyard were mostly single-lane with a bike path and adorned with tall,
elegant trees. Under long lashes she stole a glance at his profile. His eyes
were hidden behind a pair of aviator shades, his lean facial features hard and
stoic.
I need you
. His words played back
in her head, giving her goose bumps.

“Do you like?”

Startled, she focused her attention back on the scenery.
Since being on the island, she had had limited opportunity to explore the
different towns with the exception of Oak Bluffs. She made a mental note to
block a day with her camera and explore.

Jason steered the Jeep along the continuously curving road,
passing a small pond. Two girls stood laughing before jumping in the water.
They resurfaced shortly after, still laughing and holding hands. Minka smiled.
She thought of her relationship with her sister. A wall had been cast down
between them. After their conversation last night, spending the day with her
sister had been much easier. Perhaps they would never be as close as those two
little girls seemed, but something was developing between them.

One hand reached and took hold of hers. She tried not to
watch but turned anyway as he guided her hand to his lips. She waited for him
to release the hold; it would have been easier to do so and less intimate, but
he held on for the remainder of the drive.