Lessons in SECRET (21 page)

“Oh my God,
Matilda
is one of my favorite movies ever. So thank you for the comparison.”
I turn a little to kiss him before continuing. “My parents kept me
away from everyone my age, and most people I went to school with as
well. But I still saw things and learned things. I was fascinated by
social justice issues, but knew they wouldn’t approve of my
interest in anything that wasn’t considered ‘academic.’ I often
did two research papers for my classes. One to show them, and one
that I turned in.

“At some point, my
parents just started looking at my grades and degrees, but couldn’t
be bothered to pay attention to the actual classes or majors. That’s
when I started adding in the ones that interested me—women’s
studies, world religions, multi-cultural studies and literature, and
of course, archaeology. I took some extra language classes, but I’ve
been multi-lingual since I was little. I’ll never be adept at all
of them like Reina, but I can get by in most countries.

“One of my professors
was friends with Maggie Griffin.
She
looked at my classes, and degrees, and asked me to meet with her. The
first time I went to her house, I knew what a family should really be
like. She and Gary welcomed me like I was their own. And the
boys…well, they’re like my own brothers. I would do almost
anything for them, and I know they’d do the same for me. Between
them, and the women I work with, I’ve learned about different
variations of love.

“And, of course,
there was the time when I met this totally hot teacher…slash bad
guy…slash undercover intelligence agent…slash son of one of the
most powerful women in the world. He taught me how it feels to be
loved like no one else matters.”

Jake lifts me and turns
me around to straddle him. Instead of the kiss I’m expecting, he
pulls me tightly against him in a hug. “That’s because no one
matters to me as much as you. I’m so glad you feel it because it’s
true. You’re everything to me, and if the city fell around us, I
wouldn’t give two fucks as long as I had you in my arms. I’m so
sorry that you had to go outside your biological family in order to
discover your
real
family,
but I’m glad you found all of them. And me. I thank God every day
that you went undercover and found me.”

“Let’s talk about
your mom later,” I tell him as I reach between us to guide him back
inside of me. “Right now I just want to show you how thankful I am
for you, too.”

* * *

Jake

They give medals for
marathons and triathlons, but where’s my award for the sexathon I
completed a few hours ago? I didn’t even think it was humanly
possible to orgasm that many times. Not that I’m complaining. I
just want a shiny medal to recognize my endurance. And maybe a week’s
worth of sleep.

Sleep’s going to have
to wait since there’s something we need to do before the ball
tonight. I run my fingers through Isa’s hair as I kiss the top of
her head. I don’t want to startle her awake, but she does need to
get up.

“Seriously, Jake?
Again? I’m only mortal, you know.”

“Excuse me, but last
time it was you who started it. And your brain is definitely
super-human.”

“You can even up the
score later.”

“I’m ahead in the
orgasm department if I remember correctly.”

“I could probably use
my hand. My mouth would require me to move my entire body, so that
has to be out for now.”

She’s so fucking
adorable. “While I appreciate both offers, and will definitely be
taking you up on at least one later, I’m waking you up because I
have an errand to run and then we both have something to pick up
before the ball.”

“No we don’t.
Stella already gave us my dress, shoes, and whatever else she deemed
necessary. It’s in the backseat of your car.”

Yes, her dress and
shoes are there. I did bring in the small bag Stella told us was for
if we decided to go outside during the day today, though. “You need
a ring.”

“No I don’t.”

“I know I got hit in
the head a few times while we were in Milwaukee, and I’m not fully
recovered from the sextahon we had, but I was pretty sure you said
you’d marry me yesterday.”

“Sexathon? Are you
hoping for a medal by calling it that?”

“Actually, yes. But
we can get to that later. Marriage, woman, marriage. Focus.”

“I quite happily
accepted your marriage proposal yesterday, but I don’t need a ring.
You should save your money until you decide what you want to do now.
Unless you’re going to still work for your mom. And oh, we haven’t
even talked about where you’re going to live. I mean, I can’t
expect you to give up your life here. Or your Indiana Jones bachelor
pad.”

She looks like she’s
on the verge of a panic attack as she suddenly sits up, clutching the
sheet to her chest. This is not going at all like I planned. But
really, when does anything go the way I plan it?

“Breathe, Isa,
breathe. One thing at a time. You
do
need a ring, and money is no object. Let’s just be clear
about that before I take you to the jewelry store. I’m buying you
whatever ring you want.”

“How is money no
object? You told my dad that you don’t live off your parents and
this place couldn’t have been cheap.”

“While I never lived
off my parents once I became an adult, I did receive my trust from my
grandfather when I turned twenty five. I used that to pay off this
place, my car, and all my other bills. The rest is still in the bank,
along with a good chunk of the money I made working for the military
and my mom. I donate a percentage of the money, as well as the
interest I earn on it, to various charities. There’s still a big
amount left after that. As for the future, Matt offered me a job at
Corrigan & Co. He said Aiden’s leaving for at least a little
while, and he thinks I’d be a good fit with him and Nate. If it
works out, I’d stay on when Aiden returns. The pay he offered me is
more than enough for me to live on. For a decade.”

“You’re really
going to move to Vegas?”

“Yes. Even if I
didn’t have that job, I’d be moving there. It’s where my home
is.”

“Me?” I nod.
“They’ll give you your own apartment in our building. Unless you
want to…um, you know.”

“Do I know?” I do,
but sometimes it’s fun to play dumb.

“Your stuff would
look nice in my apartment.” There we go.

“My Indiana Jones
stuff that makes you horny?”

Instead of getting
embarrassed, she hits me with a pillow as we both laugh. “Yes, that
stuff.”

“I agree. Now I’m
going to go take care of my errand while you talk to your girls.”

“I don’t need to
talk to them.”

“Uh-huh. Just make
sure to mention my endurance level during the sexathon,” I tell her
as she lobs another pillow at me.

After some kissing and
groping, followed by me bringing her gown and other stuff inside, I
make my way down the street to take care of my errand. It’s
something I decided to do after we had our talk last night, and I
have to admit that I’m a little nervous as I walk up to the door.
But I need this, so here I am.

“Hi, Jake. Please
come in,” Gary Griffin says as he opens the door to his own D.C.
townhome.

* * *

Isa

Two can play this game.
Jake’s off on his secret errand, so I plan one of my own. I’m not
sure how much time I have, but Darcy found me a place close by so I’m
headed there now. Stella packed me my favorite dress and boots, so I
feel confident and sexy, which is good because I’d normally be
embarrassed to ask for what I need. Or just not go get it at all.

Thanks to Darcy’s
connections, I get what I need with only a short wait. I get out of
the cab back at Jake’s right as he’s walking up the street. He’s
got a coffee cup in his hand, and a smile on his face.

I smile back as I see
him look me over from the toes of my chunky heeled black boots to the
top of my short black dress with the oversized pockets in front. One
of those pockets is hiding my surprise, so I’m extra thankful for
it today.

“I like the sexy Lara
Croft look,” he says as he sips his coffee.

“Well, you were
raiding my tomb all night,” I reply, causing him to spit out the
drink he just took.

“Jesus, babe. Where
did that come from?”

“I thought you liked
me being bold.”

“I do. I seriously
do. But I also think I created a monster.”

I look pointedly at the
front of his jeans. “Is it growing right now?”

“You know it is. We
have a ring to buy, though, so it’s going to have to wait until
later.”

“I need to buy some
new panties, too. The ones I’m wearing are just a little…wet,”
I tell him, licking my lips.

“Isabelle Carlton,
you’re going to be the death of me.”

“Been there, done
that, killed some bad guys.”

“Holy fucking shit.
This is the hottest conversation I’ve ever had in my life. And
we’re both fully clothed.”

“For now.”

He walks by me,
slapping my butt in the process. “For such a brilliant woman, you
seem to be having a lot of trouble focusing on things today. Now get
in the car so I can take you to the shop with all the sparkly things,
and you can get whatever you want.”

“You did not just say
“sparkly things” instead of jewelry.”

“I did, and you’re
illustrating my point exactly. I also said you could get whatever you
want. Most women would focus on that, but not you. Oh no. You have to
tease me about my word choice.”

“I already know I’m
getting a ring, Watson.”

“I didn’t say you
could get a ring. I said ‘whatever you want.’ And I’m more of a
Moriarty, thank you very much.”

“As long as I’m
Sherlock.”

“Of course, Beautiful
Courtesan.”

He did not just go
there. I punch him in the arm as he laughs. “Don’t make me hurt
you,” I tell him like the true Cumberbitch that I am.

“You can spank me
tonight. I’ve been a very bad boy, making fun of the great Benedict
Cumberbatch’s name and all.”

“Just drive.”

Jake

I skip the big name and
fashionable jewelry stores and take Isa to a small shop I’ve seen
while walking around in the past. It always has interesting and
different looking jewelry in the windows. I think Isa will find
something that she loves. If not, I’ll take her somewhere else. We
still have a few hours before we have to get ready for the ball.

“Wow. I love this
place already,” she tells me when we walk up.

“I thought you
would.”

“Have you bought a
lot of things here?”

“Fishing?”

“Maybe.”

“No. I have never
bought anything here. I have, however, bought necklaces for women
I’ve dated at Tiffany. Actually, the same necklace. I thought it
was cool when I was younger, and the girls seemed to like it."

“I’m sure they did.
I imagine that the ‘Jake Mason necklace’ was a badge of honor.”

“More like dishonor,
but who cares. I only want to buy sparkly things for you now.”

“There you go again,
using those pretty words. And I know you only want me. I was just
curious, not jealous.”

“My heart is wounded
by your lack of jealousy on my behalf.”

“I was jealous of
Vicki. Isn’t that enough?”

I turn her around to
look at me. “You know I meant it when I said she’s just my
friend, right?”

“I said I
was
jealous, not that I am. I think men and women can be friends. I have
some awesome guy friends.”

“Just wanted to be
sure. Other women haven’t been so comfortable with her.”

“I’m never going to
be like other women, Jake. I thought you knew that.”

“I do. It’s what I
love most about you. Now let’s go inside and find that ring. And
other things.”

“A ring. Just a
ring.”

“You say that now,
but I already saw you admiring the things in the window.”

“I could buy them for
myself if I wanted to. I am actually quite wealthy, you know.”

“I didn’t know, but
I suspected. Please let me spoil you just a little.”

“Maybe.”

That’s better than a
‘no’ so I’ll take it for now. I hold the door for her and watch
her jaw drop as we step inside. It
is
a pretty spectacular sight with all the gems on display. I
let her wander for a moment until I hear it.

“Oh my God. It’s
just…wow.”

I hurry to her side and
look down at her ring. It has a giant pink diamond in the middle,
surrounded by diamond scrollwork, and diamond flowers on the side.
Diamonds also flow down the band on both sides.

“You won’t be able
to hide with that on your finger.”

“What? No. It’s too
much. I know it’s too much.”

“For you to wear?”

She shakes her head.
“I’d wear it. I wouldn’t even care if people looked at me. It’s
the most beautiful and perfect ring I’ve ever seen. But the price
has to be astronomical.”

“We’d like this
ring,” I tell the man behind the counter, before looking back to
her. “It’s yours, Isa. I told you money doesn’t matter. I don’t
care if this ring costs everything I have in the bank. It’s going
on your finger right now.”

“You can be my kept
man if it takes everything.”

Fuck yeah. “Deal.”

The ring takes a nice
chunk out of my savings, but doesn’t even come close to all of it.
I pay for it right away, calling my credit card company to let them
know that there will be more charges coming. I didn’t want to wait
to put it on her while we looked around some more. I slide it on her
finger and then kiss her hand.

“I just almost
swooned. Like seriously, fell to the floor swooned,” she tells me

“That would’ve
almost made up for me not being given kept man status.”