Justice paused and took deep breaths before he began speaking again. “Those are our laws. You are to never attack the officers you see in black uniforms either. They are to be respected and listened to. Their word is law as if I have spoken. Our females are off limits unless they consent to being touched. I hope I shouldn’t even have to mention that but I wasn’t raised in the same testing facility as you. We treat our females with respect and never share sex with them unless they initiate it. You will know punishment if any of you refuse to live by these rules. I hate to stress this but these are laws that are never to be broken. You will find yourself in lockup if you can’t live by them and I promise you won’t be set free until you realize we need to have some laws to live in peace together. Am I clear?”
The room remained silent. Justice took the time to meet every man’s gaze before he slowly nodded. “Now, dinner will be served. We’ll consider this matter closed.”
Justice jumped down gracefully from the table to walk directly to Jessie. He looked grim when he paused at her side. “Let’s eat.”
She wasn’t sure what to say to alleviate his bad mood. He offered her his arm. She reached out and her fingers curled around his forearm. Another jolt shot through her body from his hot, firm skin under her fingers. The man was so warm, it almost felt as if he ran a fever.
“We’re not eating here?”
“No. I hope you don’t mind but we’ll dine in the living room of my suite. Do you really want to have a discussion in front of all of them? I don’t. They aren’t real happy with me right now for laying down the law but it needed to be done.”
“I’m probably not their favorite person either. That’s fine.”
Jessie’s heart pounded over the concept of being alone with Justice for dinner. It sounded intimate instead of businesslike. Then again, if he had an office at Reservation, they would be alone if he took her there. The living room of his suite would be larger than an office. Justice led her to the elevators.
Justice refused to look at Jessie once the elevator doors closed, peering everywhere but at her. Jessie didn’t release his arm but she had the urge to. Why wouldn’t he look at her? He took a deep breath.
“I ordered us dinner. I wasn’t sure what you wanted.” He paused. “I took the liberty of asking them to bring various dishes. I would have waited to ask you but it would have taken more time. I have a speech to write after dinner and the faster I eat, the faster I can get to it.”
“That sounds like a great plan.” She smiled. “I’m not real picky about food. I’m happy to eat.”
He finally shifted his gaze to hers. “You don’t appear as if you eat much. You are small.”
She laughed. “Rigorous workouts will do that. My father and brother were both Marines and I married a Navy SEAL.” She shrugged. “My mom died when I was five so I’ve always been around men who stayed fit. That’s where I picked up some fighting skills. They wanted to make sure I could take care of myself in any circumstance. I was always mouthy and curious as a child and definitely not the timid type. My Dad said my mouth and my ability to find trouble meant that I needed to be able to defend myself. He was right.”
Justice had tensed. His voice was naturally deep but it came out rougher. “Your husband must hate your job if it keeps you away from him.”
“Ex-husband. We divorced two years ago.”
Justice avoided glancing at her again. She noticed he slowly relaxed as the doors to the third floor opened to allow them to exit the elevator.
“We’re staying on the same floor.”
Justice didn’t say a word as he led her down the hall. It was in the opposite direction of her room. At the end of the hallway he pulled out a key from his front jeans pocket to unlock the door. Jessie had to release him when he opened it and motioned for her to take the lead.
She took note of the nice suite with the spacious living area. A small kitchenette had been built against one wall with a wet bar. The hallway that led to the bedroom was on the other end of the room. Justice motioned toward the couch.
“Please have a seat. Do you mind if I remove my shoes? I don’t care how long I wear them, I still can’t wait to be barefoot.”
“It’s your place. Be comfortable.”
She sat on his couch. That was another thing about New Species she’d heard from the team. Most of them hated to wear shoes, preferred to go barefoot, since they’d never worn them inside their cells. She knew firsthand the females weren’t overly fond of underclothes either. She wondered if it were the same with the males and it caused her to smile. Is Justice commando under those jeans? Say something, she ordered her mouth, to get her mind away from that topic.
“I’m not real fond of shoes either. When I’m home, I kick them off the second I walk in the door and I don’t put them on again until I leave.”
Justice sat a few feet away and removed his shoes. He tore open the Velcro closures, jerked them off and Jessie grinned at seeing his large, bare feet. He must hate socks too since he didn’t wear them. Chances were he was naked under those jeans. She’d almost bet on it.
Her attention focused on his lap when he stood but she couldn’t tell one way or the other. Her gaze lifted up his body and she blushed slightly. He stared at her with narrowed eyes, obviously catching her eyeing the front of his pants.
“You were staring at me. Did I forget to zip the fly of my jeans?” He reached down to brush his hand over the front of them.
She shook her head, more embarrassed. "No. You didn’t forget."
He blinked. "What were you staring at? Is there a stain? Did I drop something on my lap when I had lunch?" He bent forward a little, glanced down, before straightening. “I don’t see anything.”
She hesitated. New Species liked bluntness. That was one thing she knew about them with certainty. They appreciated honesty. “You don’t like shoes or wear socks. I know your females hate underclothing and I was inappropriately wondering if the men felt the same. I was trying to judge if you wore something under your jeans or not. I can’t tell. I’m sorry. It was extremely rude of me.”
Jessie expected him to be offended or perhaps grow angry. Instead his eyes crinkled and a deep laugh erupted from his throat. It was a nice surprise that he was amused.
“I see. I do wear them. I find jeans are a little harsh on sensitive skin and they can pinch too. I enjoy wearing thick, soft cotton between jeans and my skin.”
Jessie wondered how sensitive his skin was where ”the thick, soft cotton” covered it. Is he a boxers or briefs man? Maybe a Speedos guy? She hoped not. The later were her ex-husband’s underwear choice and she would hate to discover Justice had anything in common with Conner.
A doorbell chimed that distracted both of them. Justice walked to the door, his graceful, long legs carrying him there quickly. “That will be our dinner. I don’t have a dining table but would you mind eating with me on the coffee table?”
An image flashed of him sprawled out on his back, hopefully naked and her eating food off his muscular body. She shoved it back. Damn it, stop! He’s the boss of my boss. Thoughts like those will get me canned. Stop fantasizing about Justice! Concentrate on something else and answer him.
He was so thoughtful and polite. It surprised her more than a little, considering the way he’d been raised in the testing facility. “It’s perfect. I never use my dining room table at home.” She laughed. “I’m one of those people who watch TV while I eat at my coffee table. I know it’s a really bad habit to have but I live alone. It beats watching something rather than staring into space.”
Jessie couldn’t see who Justice spoke softly to but it was a short conversation. Her host pulled a silver cart into the room and closed the door. The cart had four covered plates on top and on the shelf under it were half a dozen various sodas and four small covered containers. Justice pushed the cart across the carpet to the edge of the coffee table.
“You may choose whatever you like. I ordered things I enjoy so I’ll eat anyth
ing that’s left.” Justice lifted off lids and tossed them on an overstuffed chair nearby. He had a great aim when each lid landed perfectly on target.
Jessie peered at the four dishes. One plate contained pasta in a white sauce with shrimp and a side of garlic bread. Good. There was probably the largest piece of prime rib she’s ever seen on the next one with side dishes of a baked potato and some veggies. The third dish almost made her flinch. It was a whole cooked fish, possibly trout and she had flashbacks of her past at the mere sight of it. Her ex ate them constantly and she’d grown to hate the smell. The fourth plate was a stuffed, baked chicken with gravy.
“It all looks good except the fish.” She smiled. “You pick.”
He hesitated before reaching for the chicken. “I’m partial to chicken. I never had it before we were freed.”
“I didn’t know that. They didn’t feed you chicken?” Jessie reached for the prime rib. She set the plate down on the coffee table carefully. Justice moved across from her and sat opposite her a few feet down so they could both comfortably stretch their legs under the table without touching. She sat on the floor too. Her back settled against the couch, finding it really comfortable.
Justice was nearest to the cart. “What kind of soda do you want? Do you mind soda?”
“The cherry one, please. I love them.”
He smiled. “So do we.”
“You were never given caffeinated drinks. I knew that one.”
“Just water. Sometimes we received juice.” He gripped the cherry soda and handed it over. Their fingers brushed.
“Thank you.”
They both popped the tabs of their cans and arranged the silverware. Justice dug in to his chicken and Jessie smiled at his amazingly good table manners. It surprised her again. She had eaten with the female Species plenty of times. They ate with their fingers mostly, tearing things apart and swallowed food quickly as if it were about to be snatched away.
Justice cut and chewed his food leisurely. She glanced at the baked chicken. He ate fully cooked meat too, also astonishing her. Maybe men were different from the women and his time away from his cell had changed his eating habits. Jessie knew she thought cooked food tasted a hell of a lot better than raw or almost-raw meat.
Justice’s cell phone rang and he sighed. He looked tired to Jessie suddenly as his features seemed to turn haggard. He shifted his body to reach inside his back pocket to dig it out. He glanced at the screen before he met Jessie’s curious gaze.
“I’m sorry. I have to take this.”
“Go right ahead.” She hoped they’d get to talk before he was called away.
He flipped open the phone but kept eating. “What is it?”
Jessie ate as Justice listened to the caller, responded with abrupt answers and kept eating his meal. He looked like a man used to working around a phone since he didn’t struggle to eat while holding a conversation. He could juggle the phone and his silverware with practiced ease. He chewed between words. He finally hung up and used his face and shoulder to close the phone. That was talent that drew a smile from her.
Justice lifted his gaze to stare at her while the phone slipped down his chest to perfectly land in his lap. “What is so amusing?”
“You. I’ve never seen that kind of talent before. You closed your phone without ever having to use your hands and then you wiggled a little so the phone would slide down your chest into your lap. Do you do that often?”
He smiled. “It is a skill I have learned.”
The phone rang again and he sighed. He closed his eyes for a second before releasing his fork to reach into his lap. He studied the caller ID and set the phone on the edge of the table. His gaze met Jessie’s.
“I can skip that one. It’s one of the news stations trying to get an early comment from me.”
“Do you ever get days off?”
“Never.” He shrugged one shoulder. “I knew it would be a tough responsibility when I was asked to take the lead.”
“Take the lead?”
“My people asked me to lead them. I was calmer than most and reasonable. I was the best fighter too and I had the quickest response time adjusting to where they took us after we were freed. I did not try to kill any humans who annoyed us with their way of criticizing everything we did. I was always the cushion between my people and yours. I became the negotiator when there were disagreements between us. The Species were asked to elect a spokesperson to represent them and I was asked by my people to lead. I accepted.”
She took a sip of her drink. “You’ve done an amazing job. My father is Senator Jacob Hills and he always tells me that your job originally was supposed to be limited but you stood up for Species and argued to get them where they are today. He says you are a force of nature that no one should be stupid enough to mess with.”
Justice chuckled. “I like him. I didn’t realize you were his daughter.” His gaze skimmed her. “You look nothing like him.”
“I resemble my mother but I barely remember her. She died when I was five years old after a drunk driver hit her car on her way home from the gym. I have a lot of pictures of her though and I definitely take after my mom.”
“I’m sorry for your loss. Your father is well liked.”
“He likes you too. Not many people realize I’m his daughter and he tries to keep that off the radar. I’m kind of wild.” She touched her hair. “He hates the hair.”
Justice studied it. “You were not born with that bright hair, correct? I like it but I have never seen that color before and I have seen a lot of people since we were freed.”
“It’s straight from a bottle. It’s not the color he objects to but he does miss seeing it a lot less colorful. It’s the length he hates the most. I refused to cut it after an especially bad haircut when I was sixteen that made me look like a boy and it was days before my big sweet-sixteen birthday. That’s a big party event and I hated it short. I stopped cutting it after that fiasco. Then my ex-husband demanded I keep it short after our wedding. He said it was too long, always annoying him, and he and my father tried to gang up on me to cut it to my shoulders. ‘Responsible people don’t have hair to their asses.’ That’s a quote.” Jessie laughed. “I won’t cut the hair and Dad gives me some grief about it whenever I see him.” She shrugged.
His pretty gaze softened. “It’s beautiful. Anyone is foolish who wants you to cut it. I don’t know how anyone could find it annoying. I have long hair. It’s not nearly as long as yours but long hair for a man isn’t fashionable it seems, from what I’ve been told by our media consultants. I also refused to cut my hair short but I do allow them to keep it at this length. I am responsible and hope humans see me as such. I hope you leave yours flowing down.”
He likes long hair. Jessie felt her heart twist. Sexy hot, nice ass, a body that didn’t end and he liked her hair. He was nearly perfect. His phone suddenly rang and he reached for it. Scratch that. A perfect guy wouldn’t have an annoying cell phone that kept ringing all the time. He wouldn’t be a workaholic. Justice North lived and breathed work.
“I’m sorry but I have to take this.” He flipped open his phone. “Justice here.”
Jessie finished her dinner. Justice had finished with his too. Halfway through the conversation he’d shot her an apologetic look and rose to his feet. He walked to his briefcase on a desk by the front door and opened it to leaf through some folders as he spoke quietly. He remained on the phone.
Chapter Three
Jessie cleaned up their dinner dishes and put them on the bottom empty shelf of the cart. She lifted the lids on the four smaller dishes to identify the desserts when she pulled them out and set them on top. She knew a lot of the Species weren’t fond of chocolate and ignored the fudge cake to study the other dishes. One was a mixed-fruit concoction piled on what appeared to be angel food cake. The other two were pieces of apple and pumpkin pie. She glanced at Justice for a moment, trying to decide which one he’d enjoy more. She picked up the fruit and the apple pie and gra
bbed a spoon before approaching him.
He must have sensed her behind him. He turned and cupped the bottom of the phone to mute his voice. “I’m sorry.”
“Which one?” She held them out.
He smiled and accepted the fruit. She had guessed right. She held out the spoon but he didn’t have a hand free to take it. She grinned as she dipped it into the dish he held and lifted it toward his lips. He grinned in response and opened his mouth.
She took notice of his fangs as she gently slipped the spoon against his tongue, avoiding the sharp points of his teeth. He sealed his mouth around the spoon and Jessie suddenly became as jealous as hell of that bit of silver with his lips wrapped around it. She pulled it slowly out.
He closed his eyes as he savored the taste, his expression showed the pure pleasure he experienced and he softly groaned. Jessie put the other dish on the table far from his papers and took the dish he held. His eyes opened to stare at her and she kept her smile in place despite the attraction she felt toward him. She dipped the spoon again to offer him another bite.
“You need both hands,” she explained softly.
“Thank you,” he whispered.
He took another bite, just as seductively as the last, only the second time he kept his gaze on her face. The blue of his eyes showed more and it fascinated her how the color seemed to change with his emotions. The oval-shaped pupils had shrunk a bit, narrowed and more blue spread through his exotically patterned irises. Justice suddenly broke eye contact to search for something. He grabbed a paper and read it. She felt the loss of his attention and disappointment filled her for some odd reason. She’d enjoyed being the sole focus of his attention for those brief moments.