"All done." Grandma clapped again, and the lights went full-blast, making me pull back.
"I'd say the first lesson went very well." Grandma rose from her chair.
"What was the lesson?" I croaked.
Grandma turned away from us and laughed. "I'm sure you can figure it out."
Jace grabbed my hand. "She finds joy in torturing others."
"No," Grandma turned to face us, "I find joy in inspiring others and, by the looks of you," Grandma looked Jace up and down, "I'd say you're about as inspired as they come."
"Pool," Jace blurted. "We should, uh, go swim."
"Okay."
Jace pulled me out of the office and stalked down the hall, tugging me behind him with such force my arm almost came loose — not that he'd notice. The man was on a mission.
We jogged to the pool area.
Jace pulled off his shirt and jumped in, leaving me gaping after him.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Inspiration." Jace cursed. "Too much damn inspiration."
Chapter Fourteen
"You drugged them… again?" The agent scratched his head.
"Well, what was I supposed to do, Gus?"
"Um, how about not drugging them?"
"Oh you're no fun, Gus. Tell me, when have drugs ever done more harm than good."
"You're kidding, right?" The agent looked around, "You have to be joking."
"I don't joke." Grandma sniffed. "And I stand by my decision. Every man needs help every once in a while."
"Shall I add drugging to your kidnapping charges?"
"Well if you must. I don't want to have to give you too much paperwork, Gus. I really don't want to be a bother."
Jace
"Um, Beth." I swam to the edge of the pool and tried to think of a way to tell her that wouldn't sound crazy.
"What?"
I'd been swimming around for a good five minutes while Beth went in search of towels, but now that she was back, I had to tell her. Damn it. Damn Grandma!
I shook my fist at the sky.
"You okay, Jace?"
"No." Embarrassed, I closed my eyes. "I think there was something in my tea."
"What do you mean?"
"I think I was drugged."
Beth's eyes widened. She took a step toward the edge of the pool and leaned down so she was on her hands and knees, talking to me. And let's be honest. I the state I was in, it was doing more harm than she even realized.
"What type of drug? Do you feel funny?"
"I wouldn't say I felt funny…" I looked down. "Just… inappropriate."
"Huh?"
"Viagra. She put Viagra in my tea."
Beth burst out laughing, "Jace, I highly doubt she would do that. You're a young healthy virile—" Her eyes widened. "Oh, Lord."
"What. Do. I. Do?" I grasped the edge of the pool like it was my lifeline.
Beth's grin grew. "Clearly you have a little problem."
"Can we call it a big problem?" I hissed. "You know, for my self-esteem and all? Can we not refer to it as little or small or miniscule or—"
"I got it." Beth held up her hand. "We have a tiny problem."
"Damn, should have seen that one coming."
"Just…" Beth waved, "make it go away."
"Just make it go away?" I repeated. "Make IT go away? How do you imagine I go about that, Beth? In a public place? In a public pool? Under the watchful eyes of God? Hmm?"
"Whoa. Easy, sinner. I don't mean for you to fornicate with the pool toys or anything. I'm just... thinking."
"Can we come up with a better idea? One that leaves pool toys out of this whole conversation?"
"Don't be so touchy," Beth snapped. "We'll just wait it out."
"Right." I nodded. "Great. So I'll just stay in the pool for four hours in hopes that the situation alleviates, and if it doesn't, what then? Call 911?"
"Well they do say that if an erect—"
I covered her mouth. "There's an easy way to fix this." Without thinking about the ramifications of my actions, I pulled her into the pool, clothes and all.
When Beth came up for air, she screamed. "I'm not really a prostitute, Jace!"
Luckily the only other couple at the pool were by the swim-up bar and partying it up.
"Stop yelling!" I pulled her to the furthest corner of the pool. "And I didn't call you a prostitute. I accused you of having a shady past. There's a difference." But if she were thinking about a career change, now would be the time to fully commit.
"This is SO not the fairytale." Beth smacked me in the shoulder once we reached the other side of the pool by the waterfall.
Thunder rumbled across the sky.
And then sheets of rain started tumbling out of the sky — it wasn't a normal rain. It was a Noah rain. The type of rain that makes it almost impossible to see the person in front of you without blinking the drops out of your eyes.
Beth tilted her head back and laughed.
I couldn't laugh. The laugh was stolen from my chest the minute I saw her close her eyes as the water dripped down her body. I would never need Viagra in that woman's presence. Ever.
Just put Beth in front of all the test subjects for ED. Problem solved. I should get a medal.
"Come here." I growled, pulling her close to me. She didn't fight. She wrapped her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist.
I groaned as she pressed against me. I was ready to beg, I'd been brought that low. Weeping? Yeah, it was going to happen. A grown man was going to weep, jury was still out whether the weeping would be from ecstasy or pain.
"I'm still not helping you." Beth smiled. "But there is this one thing I've always wanted."
"There's several things I want at the moment," I said in a hoarse voice as I moved against her. "But what's your one thing… tell me."
"I want to be kissed in the rain."
I touched my forehead against hers and nipped her lower lip then whispered against it. "I think I can do that."
Our mouths touched.
And it was like lightning had struck the pool. My entire body hummed as Beth's mouth worked against mine. I pushed her against the wall of the pool and then jerked her hard against me when she moaned into my mouth.
My body didn't just ache for her — it burned from the inside out, the outside in. Every time her teeth grazed my lips or her tongue collided with mine, I was burning hotter and hotter. Ready to explode. Happy and satisfied to be kissing her, even though my body had physically wanted more, I was finding ecstasy in her touch.
Rain poured down our faces as I walked her through the water, back underneath the waterfall.
I tripped with her in my arms; we both laughed as I managed to get us into the little cave.
My lips were about to find hers again when I heard a low voice say, "Beth?"
Beth moved her hands toward my pants, so I ignored the voice.
"Beth, is that you?"
Growling, I pulled back to yell but stopped when Beth's face visibly paled. "B-Brett?"
"Hey!" He waded through the pool and pulled her in for a hug. "How are you? It's been so long!" He released her.
I tugged Beth closer to me and shielded her; I would have peed on her to mark my territory if my body would have allowed it. Seriously, the guy needed to back the hell off before my fist ran into his face.
"I'm good." Beth gripped my arm tight. "And you?"
"Awesome! Just on vacation for a few days." He held up his hand. "Hold on, you have to meet my fiancée."
He left. Beth's grip tightened. She looked like she'd just seen a ghost — and not a friendly one like Casper — one that feeds on the souls of small children.
"Make a run for it?" I whispered, tugging her away from the man with too much chest hair. Did he get implants? Did guys do that? To look more masculine?
"They'll see us," she said through a fake smile.
Brett reappeared with a plastic Barbie doll look-alike in nothing but a string bikini and smile.
/> Wonders never cease.
"This is Paris."
"Of course it is," I said under my breath. Beth elbowed me and held out her hand.
"Pleasure to meet you, Paris. I'm Beth."
Paris shook her hand, but passed Beth over as if she were a tiny little bug. Instead her eyes were glued to me and my naked chest. Of course they were. I'd be looking at me too if I had to date someone who used the same comb for his hair that he did his chest.
"Senator Jace Brevik?" A predatory smile made its presence known on her Botox-infused face.
I gave her points that she could still manage to move her mouth, let alone bust out a smile with all that swollen puffy skin.
"Yes. Yes, I am."
Brett laughed. "I knew you looked familiar! What are you doing here? Beth, holy shit, that's so cool you work for a senator?"
"Work?" Beth repeated. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you know." Brett waved her off. "You always were so smart. I just figured you were here to offer support to the senator and his wife or lover or whatever. Say, where's your significant other?" Brett looked around. "I would really love to meet her. Honestly, it would be an honor."
"My Brett's in politics too." Paris kissed Brett's neck and sighed. "He's the mayor of our town."
How nice. Brett thinks being a mayor means he's in politics. I should punch him in the balls and get it over with.
"Oh yeah?" Beth's lower lip trembled.
Why the hell did she look like she was going to cry?
"Yeah, Mayor of Bellingham, but I have aspirations for more." He puffed out his chest.
Bellingham, Washington? Right. Good for him. If he kept at it, he could run against me for president, said no person ever.
"Anyway, we won't take any more of your time, but if your better half or whatever shows up while we're all at the pool, it would be cool to do a photo op."
"Why not now?" I found myself saying.
"But your girlfriend—"
I should have stopped talking. Instead, words were coming out of my mouth without my permission, and my arm wrapped protectively around Beth's shoulders. "She's right here."
Paris's mouth dropped open, and Brett turned bright red. Take that, sucker.
To add insult to injury, Beth chose that exact moment to grab my face and kiss me so hard that my mouth almost went numb from pleasure. When she pulled back, I tried to kiss her again, but she laughed and hugged me instead. The Viagra was still in full effect, and my body didn't understand that this wasn't the most appropriate of times to attack her.
I shot a look to Brett that basically said, That's right, bastard. She's mine. Be an asshole elsewhere. We're full up here.
"Wow." Brett smirked. "I, uh, I wouldn't have guessed."
"Why not?" I said smoothly. "Beth's one of the leading chemists in the field of research and development for GreenCom, she graduated with honors from Yale, and has more schooling than both of you combined. I'd say it makes sense." I pinched her ass.
She stomped my foot.
"Besides, she's sexy as hell."
"Well." Brett cleared his throat. "I guess we should take that picture then?"
Beth elbowed me again.
I glared.
She pointed down.
I cursed.
"Something wrong?" Paris purred, her talons resting on Brett's hairy chest.
Wasn't she afraid her fingers were going to get trapped? She scratched a bit, some of the hair covered her pink nails. I puked a bit in my mouth. And problem? Gone. Wow, and to think all I needed was a Botoxed woman touching another man's chest hair.
"Actually," Beth gripped my arm, "we were just on our way back to the hut for a nap, but we'll be here all week. I'm sure we'll see you later."
"Dinner," Brett said.
Would he never give up?
"Uh…" Beth looked to me for help.
"Sure," I answered without looking at Brett. "But just so you don't think we're flaky, we haven't been eating much. This trip is all about proper hydration so we can spend all day and night in bed. This is the first daylight I've seen in hours. And I intend on keeping this one…" I swept Beth up into my arms and kissed her hard on the mouth, "…very, very busy."
"Geez, get a room," Brett said under his breath.
"Oh, we have one." I smirked. "With a California king and a plunge pool. See you later, Rhett."
"It's Brett!" he called.
"Okay, Rhett!" I ignored him and walked with Beth in my arms all the way back to the edge of the pool. "Now we make a run for it."
"Now?" Beth winked.
"Don't make me chase you."
"If you catch me, you get a prize," she teased, lifting herself out of the pool and crooking her finger at me.
"I like prizes." I lunged after her.
Chapter Fifteen
"Let's go over this again. Besides the drugs, did you do anything else to harm the senator?"
Grandma rubbed her hands together as her eyes darted around the room.
"Ma'am?"
"Oh, alright!" Grandma let out a heavy sigh. "I may have helped them along in their relationship."
"Helped?"
"Lavender in the hut, fertility beads under the mattress, a dreamcatcher by the plunge pool, oyster appetizers every afternoon, and a Michael Bolton love mix."
"Michael Bolton?" the agent repeated.
"Don't knock it until you try it." Grandma smirked.
Beth
I ran to our hut, thrust my body against the door, and let myself in with the dangling key.
Jace was hot on my heels.
And I was out of breath.
But I wasn't sure if it was from excitement or embarrassment.
My past was coming back to haunt me. But it's not that it was a hard past where I'd done drugs or suffered from anorexia or anything like that. It had everything to do with insecurities, ones I'd never faced. And that was the crappy thing about insecurities: they never actually went away until you dealt with them. And I'd never dealt with mine. Ever.
And Brett? He'd just resurfaced every last one of them…
"Boring Beth, Boring Breath, Boring Breasts!" Some of Brett's friends chanted and then high fived one another.
They all walked off. Every last once, except JP.
"So, Beth." He smirked, and a piece of dark hair fell across part of his face. "Now that you know Brett wants nothing to do with you, considering you freaking plastered yourself all over the star of a rival football team, like a total and complete slut," he took a deep breath, "I figured you'd go out with me."
"Go out with you?" I said in a small voice. "Like on a date?"
JP smirked and then burst out laughing. "I'm sorry I can't do this. The guys paid me ten bucks to ask you out, but the look on your face was priceless. I have a girlfriend, she puts out, why would I go for a virgin nerd with glasses who makes guys run away screaming?"
My body crumpled against the floor. The cold tile helped alleviate the massive heat stroke that had attacked my body. I tried breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth, when I felt strong arms wrap around me and pick me up.
I snuggled into Jace's embrace and closed my eyes, angry at myself for allowing a bad high-school memory to render me completely helpless.
Within seconds we were outside, and Jace held me as he walked into the plunge pool and sat. I was in his lap, arms wrapped around his neck.
"Thanks," I said in a small voice.
Jace's face was still, angry, tight. His jaw clenched as he looked away from me and swore, slapping the water with one of his free hands. "What the hell did that guy do to you?"
"Nothing." I tried to squirm out of his lap, but his arms tightened, just trapping me all the more against him.
"Beth."
"It's so stupid." My voice caught. "I don't think I've ever been so embarrassed. I'm sorry I freaked out. I just—"
"Beth," Jace's hand traced my face, "you have no reason to be embarrassed, but if you don't tell me wha
t happened within the next ten minutes, I'm going to get charged with murder, and US senators don't do well in federal prison."
I gave him a weak smile. "It's a boring story."
"I happen to like boring," he whispered.
If any other guy would have said that, I would have taken it as a slam to my personality. But the way Jace had said it? Well, he'd made it feel real, as if he'd been saying that he liked me, had seen beyond what others had.
"Me and a few other nerds were his pity-date at prom. I danced with him. He was really nice and then basically told me I was cool for a nerd. I refused to kiss him goodnight, and for some reason, it pissed him off that I wouldn't put out." I didn't want to tell him the truth, but there really wasn't any other way. "A few of his friends saw you and me kiss, and he was angry that I'd kissed you, a lowly sophomore from another school, and not him. He started a rumor that I'd hit on him, he'd rejected me but felt sorry for me, and that I'd asked him to take my virginity."
"Asshole," Jace hissed, rocking me back and forth in his arms. "I never thought…" he sighed against my neck, "I never thought my kiss would cause so many problems."
If he only truly knew how it had wrecked me.
"The rest of the year was absolute hell." I shrugged, ignoring the tiny voice inside that said I should tell him exactly how much that kiss had affected me, how much it had altered my view of dating and waiting for the right one. "Notes in my locker from random people calling me a slut, whore, bitch, goody-two shoes. It was like I couldn't win. I suddenly didn't fit in anywhere. My smart friends were afraid it was true because Brett was so popular. And the popular people just thought it was pathetic. My freedom came when I graduated and went to college."
"Beth," Jace's thumb grazed my lower lip, "tell me what you want."
"Huh?"
"One," Jace continued tracing my lips, "I could go kill him and go to jail, but I think we've established that as only a last resort."
I laughed.
"Two, I can run for president some day then have the CIA handcuff him to a bed with stuffed animals and a few pornographic magazines ending his political career for good."