Knight Shift (32 page)

Jax paced nervously outside the bathroom door. He found it very unnerving to know that Penny was in the tub alone with the door closed. When he couldn’t handle it any longer, he knocked and asked, “May I come in?”

She replied somberly, “The door’s unlocked.”

Jax opened the door and found Penny sitting in the tub, hugging her legs, and staring off into the distance. He asked, “Are you alright? You’ve been in here a long time.”

Without moving, she replied, “I’m fine. I guess my mind wasn’t ready to face the world again.”

“Isn’t the water cold?”

She shook her head. “I just refilled it.”

She forced a fake smile, but he could feel her distress. To try and help bring her back from the dark place she was in, he rolled up his night pants and stepped into the water behind her. After sitting on the back ledge of the tub, he pulled her back and let her rest against his legs.

After a few quiet moments of him rubbing her shoulders, she said, “Don’t take this the wrong way, because I meant what I said the other day about not forcing myself on you. But…”

“What do you want?”

“Can you take off your pants so that I can lean on your bare legs and feel your cool skin against my cheek? I find it calming.”

Calming wouldn’t be the word Jax would use to describe the feeling he would have if a naked Penny was sitting between his legs while her cheek was pressed against his inner thigh. But seeing the need in her eyes, he decided to find a way to make it work. He got out of the tub, took off his pants, and then wrapped a towel around his waist. When he got back into position, she wriggled between his knees and wrapped her body around his leg like it was a long pillow. After she pressed her cheek on his thigh, she sighing contentedly.

He, on the other hand, was extremely grateful that he had a towel on to hide his body’s reaction to her touch.

While she clung to him like a life preserver, he drew circles on her back. No words were said and none were necessary. His touch alone was, once again, the lifeline that brought her back from the mental darkness that was tugging her under.

When the water started to turn cool and Jax wasn’t sure how much more his body could take, he decided that he not only needed to get her out of the tub, he needed to get her away from a room with a bed. He broke the silence by announcing, “Let’s go out.”

She sat up with a start. “Go out? Now?”

“It’s been a trying day for both of us and staying locked up in this room isn’t helping any. When we arrived at the hotel, I asked the desk clerk to suggest something and he said there’s a night club a couple of doors down where a live band plays. Why don’t we go and listen?”

She snuggled back against his leg and said, “That’s okay; I’m fine staying right here. The water is getting a little cold, but I could refill it again.”

Her movements forced him to clench his fists and concentrate hard to calm his reaction, which was growing more painful by the second. With a slightly strained voice, he said, “Your skin is already wrinkling.” His ache was becoming desperate so he blurted out the first thing he could think of, “You could be my date.”

Any other time the thought would have made her leap for joy. Now she wanted to hide in her self-made bubble. She replied, “Thanks for the offer, but I’m not exactly in the most pleasant mood and, odds are it would be crowded. I can’t ask you to be trapped again in a group of unknown Humans.”

At that moment he could deal with a crowd. It was a single, naked Human by the name of Penny that he couldn’t handle. In hopes to persuade her, he said, “I’ll be fine; you’ll protect me.” Although she knew he was teasing, it was also the truth. The reactions from Humans had made her quite protective of him and she would do anything to keep him from unkind words. Before she could respond, he stood and pulled her from the water, tossed her a towel, and said, “No arguing with me, Human. Put on something fun and we’ll paint the town red.” Seeing her expression, he knew what she was thinking and added, “Not red in that way. No blood will be shed, I promise. I just want you to have some fun the Human way.”

Although she would’ve preferred to stay in, lying with Jax at her side, she could see how anxious he was. She said, “But I don’t have anything appropriate to wear. Clubbing wasn’t exactly on my mind when I packed.”

Seeing a ray of hope, he replied, “This hotel has a store. Let’s go down and find something—my treat.” To seal the deal, he said, “And I’ll let you pick out something for me with color in it.”

Penny asked in disbelief, “You would wear something other than black?”

“Don’t go too crazy, but yes.” Seeing her interest piqued, he said, “Get dressed before I change my mind. Sitting in this steamy bathroom has made me sweat. I’m going to take a quick shower and I’ll be out by the time you’re dressed.”

She nodded in agreement and left him alone in the bathroom. Once the door was closed, he flipped on ice cold water and stood under the streams until his body calmed down.

Less than an hour later, the couple walked into the hotel boutique. Although the salesperson smiled at Penny, when she looked up at Jax, her expression quickly turned to one of fear and she took a step backwards.

Penny protectively wrapped her arm around her companion’s waist and said, “My fiancé and I are going out tonight and we want to wear something fun.” While hugging Jax tightly, she placed her free hand on his chest and flashed her beautiful engagement ring. “Can you help us out?” she asked.

To help alleviate the worker’s fears, Jax added, “And money isn’t an object.”

When Penny looked up at Jax about to protest, he placed a finger on her lips and said, “Don’t argue with me, Dear. Think of it as a pre-wedding gift.”

Penny couldn’t help smiling at Jax’s attempt at acting.

The salesperson called over the manager and, after a short whispered conversation, the manager asked the couple while trying to hide his apprehension, “To help us pick out the proper attire, what are you two planning on doing tonight?”

Penny said, “We hear that the place down the street is having a live band and we want to go. We’ve been on the road a long time and didn’t pack anything for a night out.”

Seeing sadness behind Penny’s eyes, the manager asked, “Is everything okay?”

Jax pulled Penny against him even tighter. He was going to respond for her, but Penny interrupted him by saying, “There was a plane crash…memorial was today.”

Since the memorial was the top story on the news all day, the workers knew instantly what was causing her obvious distress.

To save Penny from having to offer any further details, Jax added, “She needs a night out to distract her from everything.”

His non-verbal actions told them all not to ask Penny any questions about why she was at the memorial. They took the hint and instantly painted smiles back on their faces. The manager said, “I think we can find something that will do the trick.” He called over a few more workers and instructed, “Please help this couple find something for a night out.”

Seeing the tattoo over Jax’s eye and his muscular body, the salesmen from the men’s side of the store weren’t sure how to respond and stood motionless. After some prodding from their manager, a brave worker stepped forward and accepted the challenge to find something to fit over his large arms. “Follow me,” he said while motioning for Jax to follow.

When Jax went to follow the young workers, Penny’s protective instincts kicked into high gear again and she found it hard to release him. She grabbed his hand before he could walk away and asked, “Are you going to be okay on your own? I know shopping isn’t your thing.”

Jax smiled, seeing the genuine concern in her eyes, not for the workers but for him. He replied, “I’ll be fine. Go have fun.” To put a smile on her face, he added, “…Love Muffin.” His efforts were rewarded when she let out a giggle.

As Jax walked away, Penny’s saleswoman got her attention by saying, “My name is Jackie. What’s yours?”

Penny turned to the one that spoke and said, “I’m Penny.”

“Nice to meet you, Penny. Your fiancé is quite strong looking. How long have you been together?”

“I’ve known him for about a year, but our relationship took a major turn recently. I know we’re an odd pair, but there’s something about him that takes my breath away and I can’t imagine a day without him at my side.”

Hearing the genuine affection in her voice, Jackie said, “I’m very happy for the two of you. I hope that someday I’ll meet someone that puts that twinkle in my eyes.” Getting back to the task at hand, she asked, “Do you have any ideas on what you want to wear tonight?”

“Not really.” She looked at her reflection in a nearby glass display and scrunched up her face, saying “I’m a mess. Find me something that will camouflage this disaster.”

Jackie’s face lit up and said, “Put your faith in me. When I’m done with you, you’ll be sparkling.”

Penny nodded and, after giving one last glance to the spot where Jax disappeared behind some clothes racks, she followed Jackie and her assistants toward a large dressing room.

An hour later, Penny emerged to find Jax waiting for her with several frightened workers huddled together some distance away. Penny scanned his outfit and said, “You look very handsome.”

Jax was wearing a jet black pair of dress pants with a button-down dress shirt in a deep shade of red, which emphasized his broad chest and, surprisingly, complemented his eye tattoo. He replied to her stare, “I told you we were going to paint the town red.”

Penny replied approvingly, “Red is definitely your color.”

“As is yours,” Jax replied with a crooked smile on his face. While he examined his date, the male workers noticed her as well and stood a little taller, puffing out their chests.

Jax eyes started at Penny’s feet to find red spike heels that tied up her ankles. Sheer black silk stockings hugged her shapely legs and led his eyes to a short, silk and sequin cocktail dress in the same deep red of his shirt. It was obvious that the workers had coordinated their selections. His visual journey momentarily paused when his eyes locked on her feminine curves that the dress highlighted nicely. When he caught the male store workers admiring those same features, he cleared his throat loudly to inform them that what was displayed was all his.

The workers felt the intensity of his stare and quickly scattered.

Jax’s visual journey continued. Although the dress gathered at her neck in a high collar, Penny’s full back was exposed. Her hair swept across her face and made a perfect frame to her rosy cheeks and bright green eyes.

Although he found her beautiful, he tilted his head and said, “It’s missing something.”

Examining herself, she asked, “What’s wrong?”

After Jax approached her, he asked her to turn around. With her back to him, he laid something cool around her neck. To help her see the gift, she walked to the counter and looked in a mirror. She gasped at a beautiful ruby and black diamond teardrop necklace. He placed matching earrings into her hand. While staring at all of the stones and the rest of her outfit, she said, “I can’t accept all of this. It’s too much.”

When she went to unclasp the necklace, Jax caught her hands and said, “Leave it on. Besides, it’s too late. I’ve already paid for it all.” He added for her benefit, “Now put on the earrings, Pumpkin. Your date is waiting.” He held out his arm to her.

With her voice breaking, she replied, “Thank you, Jax.”

An hour later, the couple was seated in a candlelit room. Although every table was filled, when Jax asked for a table for two, somehow the hostess quickly found a spot for them in the center of the room, just off a small dance floor.

Although the dim lighting helped Jax feel less like the odd one out, Penny pulled her chair next to him so that she could hold his hand. After ordering drinks, they sat back and listened to the band play soft jazz. Penny leaned against her date and asked, “Did you know that the day of the accident, I was going to call you to ask you out on a date?” Before Jax could answer, she added with a hint of anger in her voice, “Oh, I forgot. I told Casper that too.”

To temper her mood, Jax replied, “What you didn’t know is that I was going to say yes and, on the date, I was going to confess my stalking.”

As her feelings of irritation and humiliation returned, she said, “It isn’t fair. All of this time I shared everything with Casper, I mean you. Even things that you had no business hearing or seeing. How did you remain silent?”

“It was extremely difficult. I tried to tell you so many times, but I feared you would reject me.”

Penny stared at Jax and asked, “How could you possibly think that? My swooning over you was an everyday topic with Casper. Did you think that I was joking?”

“No. I figured it was the thrill of the hunt for something that you thought you couldn’t have. Once you caught me, you would regret the whole thing, realizing what you got stuck with. I couldn’t believe that you could really care for someone like me.”

While projecting all of the genuine feelings she held for him, she drew a line lazily down his chest with a fingertip. As she continued the path south to more sensitive areas, she asked in a sultry voice, “Do you believe me now?”