Picture Me Naked (Stoddard Art School Series) (14 page)

“Just imagine what I can do with my pants off,” he said in less than a whisper. Jagger picked up and drained his glass. He gathered the rest of his things. “Have a good night, Zee. Thanks for the wine.”

Zee watched him leave. She stood there stunned, trying to still her heart and the mad rush of her thoughts. She could still feel his lips on hers.

Looking down, she held her glass of wine. Her initial instinct was to unzip her sweatshirt, pour it down the front of her and watch it sizzle and steam. Instead, Zee took a huge gulp. “Mercy.”

She blew out a long breath. “I still have his shirt.”

Chapter Seventeen

The wood popped in the small woodstove in Jagger’s cabin. It felt as warm as a summer day inside. Jagger sat at his kitchen table. A towel was tied about his waist. His hair still wet from the shower. A cold shower. His second since last night. He couldn’t stop thinking about Zee. How soft her lips were. How sweet she tasted. How it took everything he had in him to stop at one kiss. One gentle, earth-shaking kiss.

The worn satchel sat open before him, as did his ledger. A sale flyer from the auto parts shop lay on the table. Zee needed a good car alarm, and he wanted to buy her one. The shop had one with all the features she should have at a decent price. Even with Steve’s “friend” discount, it meant almost a week’s pay.

Jagger flipped through the calendar, added some figures, then tapped his pencil on the flyer. A square of lined paper sat amongst the other items in the suitcase. He unfolded it. How many times over the last three years had he looked at this list scratched on a page of notebook paper? His father’s list:

The Grand Canyon

Eiffel Tower

Big Ben

Machu Picchu

Great Pyramids

Kilowaa Volcano

Red Square

Great Wall

Taj Mahal

Parthenon

The list went on. Thin pencil lines crossed out several of those things listed. Been there. Done. There was still a lot of list left. A lot of amazing sights left to see. Jagger ran a finger over the neat print of his father’s handwriting. He remembered the night his da had written this. How he talked about all these places, the longing in his eyes. Jagger refolded the page, and picked up the flyer again.

“I need to help her out, Da. You wouldn’t mind holding off another week, would you?” He patted the inlaid box and returned all but the necessary money to buy Zee some protection.

As he slipped the case back beneath his bed, last night’s insanity haunted him again. What had he been thinking? He’d been thinking he could charm himself into Zee’s bed. He’d been thinking with his johnson!
Idiot!

Jagger slipped on his jeans and buttoned them up. Did he honestly believe one kiss would sweep her off her feet? Wrong. One kiss and
he
was the one on shaky ground. Sure he had made a smooth exit, but two flights down his heart still pounded in his chest, and the state of his cock made it difficult to walk. He fought against his burning desire to turn around, race back upstairs and kick the door down. Like Zee needed a caveman? Hell no. She didn’t need another man bullying himself into her life.

The warmth of her mouth flashed in his memory. When she kissed him back, a rush flooded him with a need he hadn’t expected. What he would never forget was the way she had looked when the kiss ended. Eyes closed, lips waiting, wanting more.

More. That was something he couldn’t give her. That’s what stopped him last night on the stairs. She deserved more. What could he give her? A few measly months of fun and games. Then what? She wasn’t one of those women who could say “good bye, thanks for the laughs.” No. She was the kind of woman that made you think about your future. His future was one endless destination. Permanently temporary. She was smart to keep her distance.

Jagger pushed his fingers through his hair. “Bugga!” After last night’s kiss, he couldn’t stop seeing her. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. The sale flyer lay on the table. She needed that alarm. At least he could give her that.

Jagger finished dressing and snatched his keys and the money off the table. He could do this. He could keep it light. Be her friend. “And fer Christ’s sake, man, keep yer damn pants on!” He cursed again. One thing for sure, there’d be no “keeping it easy” if he kissed her again.

****

Jagger stood at Zee’s door with one hand on the doorframe and the other holding a blue bag from Steve’s. He looked over his shoulder at the stairs.
Killer.
Thankfully the odd duckie that lived on the first floor let him in. She was a sight in purple and lime green spandex. He didn’t know spandex could droop like that.

Recovered from the climb, he straightened, knocked, and prepared to dodge in case Zee decided to throw something at his head.

Zee opened the door. She had a phone to her ear. “Um, Mom, I need to hang up now.” She gave Jagger a little shrug of her shoulder. “Mom. Mom. Jagger’s here. I really have to go.” He heard a little squeal come from the phone receiver. “Right. Yeah. Okay… Bye.”

She clicked the phone’s button, and smiled. “My hero.”

“Well, this is a more enthusiastic welcome than I expected. After last night, I was prepared to duck.”

“I’m more of a door slammer.” She gave him a quick grin and set the phone aside. “My mother tends to ramble. You saved me from another hour of questions.”

Zee tugged at the hem of a very tiny tank top. It was black with splashes and splotches of bright neon colors all over. It looked as if someone had thrown paint on her. When she tugged at the hem, the low scoop of the neckline left very little to the imagination. Add to that a pair of snug black pants that rode low on her hips. And he thought climbing five flights was hell.

“I was cleaning, and…” Zee stood back and let him in. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Did I know you were coming?”

“No. I would have called but I don’t have your number. Needed the exercise, thought I’d climb a mountain.” Jagger’s gaze moved to the shadowy path between her breasts. With her arms crossed, the dip of her tank displayed the satiny swell of soft skin. Three. Three cold showers in one day would set a record for him. “I wanted to see you. Apologize for last night.” He held out the plastic bag. “I brought you a present.”

“A present?” She rubbed at her arms.

“A peace offering.”

“You didn’t need to bring me a present or a peace offering.” Zee crossed the room and pulled on a large black sweatshirt. She zipped it up tight. “I’m not upset about the kiss, Jagger.”

“I got naked.”

“I remember.” Zee gathered up a dust cloth and a can of lemon polish. “You surprised me is all. You were right, it’s not like I haven’t seen you without your clothes before.” She tucked a roll of paper towels under an arm. “I mean, I should be thanking you really.”

“Thanking me?”

She flitted through the room like a bird picking up things, rearranging pillows. It was like talking to a moving target. “Yes.” She picked up the phone again. “My mother was full of questions about you. She saw Ed yesterday, and he filled her in on the new man in my life.”

“Me.”

“Yes.” Zee stopped and looked at him. “Trust me, I won’t be asking you to be my pretend fiancé at a cousin’s wedding or anything. It’s just that Ed thinks, and now my mother thinks—”

“That we’re a couple.”

“Something like that.” She nibbled on her lip. “It’s easier to let them believe what they think is true.”

“And they think we’re lovers.”

“Yes.” Her gaze held his. She gave a small shake of her head. “Never mind. I’ll set them straight.”

“Don’t.” He smiled at her wide-eyed expression. “If it keeps Ed away from you, I’m all for it. And as long as your mother isn’t going to be hunting me down.”

“No, are you kidding? She’s thrilled.”

“Then what’s the harm?” He tipped one shoulder.

“None, I guess.”

He wished she’d stop worrying her lip. It was driving him crazy.
He
wanted to worry that lip.

“It doesn’t have to go any further than that. I mean, no one in class needs to think anything’s different between us.”

“We did kiss.”

“Yes.” She lowered her gaze. “And it was an amazing kiss.”

“Glad you thought so, too.”

Zee’s eyes lifted and locked with his. Her lips parted as she dipped her gaze to his mouth.

He watched her throat work.

She pulled in a shaky breath. “So, there’s really no need for your peace offering.”

“It’s actually a toy for George.” He lifted the bag.

Zee smiled. “A toy? You’re going to spoil him.”

“It’s an alarm system.”

“What? No, Jagger, that’s too much. I can’t accept that.”

“It’s not for you. It’s for George.” He joked then looked at her seriously. “I don’t trust that Ed will stop bothering you even if I am in the picture. You’re up here on the top of the world. He could take George apart and you wouldn’t know it until you went down to nothing but hubcaps.” He held the bag out again. “This has a remote alarm. Not only will the siren sound at the car, the monitor will sound up here as well. Your neighbors won’t get bonkers listening to an alarm you don’t hear. It’s portable, too, so you can keep it in your bag at school.” He flashed a smile. “George is helpless out there by himself. I’m worried about the poor bloke.”

She shook her head. “I don’t need you to worry about George, or me.”

Jagger held her gaze. “Doesn’t seem I have a choice in the matter.” He was close enough to reach out and tug on one of her curls. “Take it, Zee. No, better yet, just give me your keys, and George and I can play without you. I’ll have it installed before you can say Bob’s yer uncle.”

“It must have cost a fortune. Let me reimburse you.”

“Your mum didn’t teach you that you don’t pay for presents?” Jagger ran a hand down her arm. “No worries, darlin’.”

“But you’re trying to save your money for France.”

“No worries.”

“Will you at least let me make you dinner?”

Jagger’s mouth crooked up on one side. “I could live with that.”

“You haven’t tasted my cooking.”

Chapter Eighteen

“Coffee?” Zee stood next to her car with a steaming cup. She only spilled twice on the way down to the parking area. George’s bumper hid most of Jagger’s upper half as he worked to attach the alarm system under the frame. For a second she felt a thread of panic. Ed worked on her car a few times, and this was the same vision of jean-clad legs sticking out from beneath her car. But these legs were long and encased in jeans worn to a soft,
uncreased
pale blue.

Jagger slid out and smiled up at her. “You’re a mind reader too, I see.”

“It’s the least I can do.”

Jagger got to his feet, took the cup, and swallowed a large sip. “Thank you, darlin’.” He watched her over the rim of the cup as he took another swallow. “We should make sure we’re clear on a couple things.” He waved a hand toward her car. “I don’t want you to feel like you owe me here. I wanted to do this, and I’d love to have dinner with you, but you don’t have to invite me because of it.”

Zee wasn’t exactly sure how to take that. “Okay.” She licked spilt coffee off the knuckle of her thumb.

Jagger watched her and raised an eyebrow. “Of course, if it will get me another kiss, forget everything I just said.” He took another swig of coffee. “Forget I said that, too.” He looked away.

Was she making him nervous? Jagger Jones? Where was Mr. Sure-of-himself? Zee smiled and waited until he had another mouth full of coffee. “Hell, for another kiss all you have to do is ask.” With that, she turned and walked back toward the building. She snickered as she heard him choke. When had she gotten so sassy? She turned back around and while still walking backwards said, “I hope you like pasta?”

He was wiping his lip. “Pasta’s great.”

“Good.”

Zee sprinted the five flights up to the apartment. By the time she had the water boiling and the chicken cooking, Jagger was knocking on the door.

“That didn’t take very long.”

“I was motivated.” His easy smile was back. “Where can I wash up?”

“The bathroom is that way.” She pointed over her shoulder.

“Thanks.”

Back in the kitchen, Zee slipped the chicken into the oven to finish. She was slicing a tomato for their salads when Jagger joined her.

“It smells amazing in here.”

“Thank you. Would you like some wine?”

Zee took down two glasses and pulled the box of wine from the refrigerator.

“Wine in a box?”

Zee smiled. “I’m very concerned about the decline of the cork forests.”

“I didn’t know you were so socially conscious.”

“I have a passion for cork.” She nodded. The kitchen was a tight fit for one. Having Jagger there created an interesting dance. His closeness, sharing her space, it was setting her nerves on edge. The few attempts to cook for Ed involved him sitting in the living room and watching television until the food was on the table. She wasn’t used to a man in her kitchen.

“So what can I do?”

“D-do?”

“To help?”

Zee shrugged “Nothing. You’re a guest. Besides, I’m almost done. I just need to set the table and change my clothes.”

“I can do that.”

Zee took a large gulp of wine and choked. “You want to help me change?”

The corner of Jagger’s mouth tipped. “Tempting. I meant set the table.”

She covered her eyes. “Of course that’s what you meant.”

“Before you tell me I don’t have to, just point me in the direction of the plates.” Zee quirked her mouth and pointed to the left. “Good. I’ll take care of the table. You go change. Although, you look fine to me. Or you could wear the little number you were wearing when I first arrived. I liked that too.”

“My workout clothes?”

“You looked great.” The kitchen was too warm. Zee reached past Jagger to open the window over the sink. She was dangerously close to him. He paused mid sip and spoke into his wine glass. “Of course, we could always make dinner clothing optional.”

What?
Zee made the mistake of looking at him. He was smiling with that mischievous sparkle in his eye. Wait. He just suggested they be naked at dinner, and the fact she hadn’t answered right away would make him think she was actually considering his crazy suggestion. As if to confirm her assumption, he tipped one eyebrow.