Pyramids and Promises (Omega Mu Alpha Brothers Book 2) (18 page)

Fifteen minutes later, they were walking up a cobblestone lane. It had rained earlier so everything had a shimmer to it. From the streets to the trees. The moon was full, and the clouds had started to drift off. The effect was incredible, leaving a haze in the air that truly was magical. Jessica was jumpy at first, the atmosphere not helping. Eventually though, she relaxed and threaded her arm through his.

He led them around to the old gothic Tyn Church with the spires rising up into the clouds. The moon was perfectly framed between the two towers.

“It is enchanting,” Jessica sighed wistfully.

“Another successful midnight adventure.” Conner grinned, and she laughed. It was good to hear.

“They do appear to be your specialty.”

She leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. He wanted more though. He circled his arm around her waist and pulled her tight against him.

“I like doing special things for you,” he whispered before taking her lips in a deep kiss. She slid her fingers through his hair, which was damp from the mist, and gripped the back of his neck.

They were going to have to go back to the hotel soon if she kept pressing against him like she was.

“I missed you today.” He broke away for some air.

“Your friend needed you.”

“I promise we’ll come back soon, and I’ll show you all the things not in the guide book.” He kissed the tip of her nose. She scrunched it at him, and he kissed it again. It was the most adorable thing ever when she crinkled her nose up at him like that.

“We have to go someplace you’ve never been. So we can discover something together,” she said.

He released her and took her hand.

“That’s tough. I’ve been around a lot.”

“Where’s your favorite?”

“You’ll laugh.” He tugged her along. He wanted to walk over the Charles Bridge and see the moon reflected in the river.

“No tell me.”

“A couple of my frat brothers are from Mackinac Island, Michigan.”

“Michigan.” She did laugh. “You’ve been all over the world, and yet Michigan is your favorite.”

“Make fun all you want.” He dipped his head at another couple out on a midnight stroll. “But the world is so crazy, hustle bustle, and most of the time I love the pace of it. But Mackinac is like stepping back in time. No cars. Few electronics. Everything slows down, and Lukas makes killer fudge.”

“Sounds wonderful.”

“It is.”

They were crossing the Charles Bridge when he stopped and dug quarters out of his pocket. The moon was high in the sky, and more clouds had rolled in. He wasn’t getting the light he wanted, but it would do.

“This is so American, but we have to make wishes.” He handed her a quarter. She giggled.

She held hers tight in her hand, eyes closed, and then tossed it in the water. Conner thought for a second. Then he did the same.

“What did you wish for?” she asked.

“Can’t tell you. It won’t come true.” He winked at her.

“Will you tell me if it does?” She dropped her head onto his shoulder as they started the walk back to their hotel.

“I will if you will.” He smiled.

“Deal.”

“We’ve got to decide where we want to go next. Would you like to go up to Alexandria?”

She yawned. “Sure.”

“We’ll do that in two weeks.”

“Two weeks?”

“Yeah, this upcoming weekend I have a big party a work. I want you to be my date.”

“How big?”

“You’ll have to get a cocktail dress if you don’t already have one,” he said.

“Sounds like a big deal.”

He kissed the top of her head. “It’s not really.”

It was, but he wasn’t going to freak her out by telling her that.

“I’d love to go. I’ll have to go shopping though. Do you have a favorite color?”

“You look stunning in everything you put on. Choose your favorite.” He stopped for one last kiss before they went inside. How sweet that she’d ask his favorite color. Seriously though, she could wear a potato sack and still be the hottest girl in the room.

T
he next evening, Jessica and Conner made their way into Jessica’s apartment building.

“I’m sorry about this weekend. We’ll do Europe again, I promise.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s good you took care of your friend. I hope Blake is okay.”

“He will be. He’s probably going to come stay in a few weeks since his schedule has suddenly cleared up.”

“What does he do for a living?”

“He’s a chemical botanist for a drug company.”

“A what?”

“Basically, he goes into jungles and studies plants to make pharmaceuticals. He was a chemistry nerd in college.” Conner leaned against the doorway of her building and grinned at her.

“That big guy?”

“That big guy. He’s been studying some berry he found in the lower region of the Alps.”

“I had no idea.”

“I know. As a chemistry nerd, he got teased a lot, so he buffed up. Spent hours in the gym. No more teasing. And now one of our Mackinac brothers is a doctor. They work on projects together sometimes. A few years ago they got a big payout from a pharmaceutical company for a drug that helps with the side effects of chemo.”

“Huh.”

“Yeah. So, in spite of his problems, did you have a good time?”

Jessica nodded. “Yes, and I’d invite you up, but I’m bushed, and, you know, work tomorrow.”

Conner kissed her quickly on the lips. “Yeah, me too. I’ve been neglecting my duties, and I’ve got a new drilling project starting this week. We could fix this problem.”

“What problem?”

“The one where we have to go home every night. Alone.”

“How’s that?”

“You could move in with me.”

Too fast. Way too fast. She stepped back and thought quickly. “The embassy has pretty strict rules on that, actually. I’m not allowed to live in non-embassy housing, and I’m not allowed to have anyone move in with me.”

“That’s right. I forgot. We could just get married. Then they couldn’t forbid you from living with me. Also, if they gave you a hard time, you could just quit. We wouldn’t need your salary.”

“Did you just propose to me?”

He smiled. “Yeah, I guess I just did.”

By now they were standing near her elevator. She pushed the button. She didn’t want to say no. But she wasn’t ready to say yes yet either. Finally, she had it. She kissed him on the lips and then escaped into the open elevator. Just before it closed, she spoke out.

“You can do better than that.”

She leaned against the back of the elevator and sighed. She had to think about this.

The Ms and Tommy. What had Jessica been thinking when she agreed to let them all go dress shopping with her on Wednesday? They’d gone to a couple stores on the swanky high end side of town that Jessica had only been to once, with Conner. All they had managed to accomplish was a slap fight between Molly and Tommy over which color dress she looked better in. Not that it mattered. It had been a hideous taffeta thing that Jessica wasn’t wearing.

So no dress and everyone was quickly losing patience. She tried on pink, red, blue, purple, and every other color of the rainbow, and nothing had suited her.

“I don’t know why I’m being so picky. I just need a party dress.” Jessica sighed as Jeff dropped them off at another shop.

“Cause in spite of what he said, you know this is an important night for your fella, and you wanna look good on his arm.” Melinda pulled her inside.

“It’s not just an important night. It’s the night. If it doesn’t go well, he might get the axe.” Tommy followed.

Jessica spun around. “He didn’t tell me that.”

“Doesn’t want you to be nervous, I guess.” Tommy shrugged.

Melinda explained what they were looking for to the sales girl as the rest of them picked through the racks.

“Color?” Melinda called back to her.

“I like her in blue,” Molly hollered.

“Something metallic. Makes her skin glow.” Tommy held up a gold sequin number that would have been more appropriate on a stripper.

“Hideous.” Marcy pushed the garment back to the rack. “Something neutral.”

“I’m sick of colors,” Jessica answered.

A moment later, Melinda appeared beside her, eyes wide with excitement.

“I think we may have a winner. Come try it on.”

Melinda was right. It was a definitely a winner. White with delicate black lace over the bodice, the dress belted at the waist and then wrapped around so that the front was shorter showing off Jessica’s great legs. It fit her beautifully. Hugged her waist and hips while showing just the right amount of cleavage.

By the time they added some black heels, statement earrings, and a bracelet that Tommy said added pizzazz, Jessica was going to look killer.

“You’ll have to pick that boy up off the floor once he sees you in this.” Melinda smiled devilishly.

“Yeah...smoking.” Tommy winked at her. “And you won’t look bad either.”

Molly swatted his arm. “You are terrible,” she squealed.

“Oh, honey.” Tommy laughed. “Now that this is done. Where can we get drinks? I need a martini after this.”

Saturday morning, she got up early. There was one last thing she wanted to do to for tonight. She’d asked Conner if Ahmed could take her on a secret mission. He was there early to pick her up.

“Where would you like to go, Miss?” he asked as he held the car door open for her.

“Can you take me here?” She handed him a card with an address not far from the dress shop.

He raised an eyebrow.

“I’m sorry. I hate to tie you up just for a day at the salon.”

“It is the way of women.” He smiled. Actually smiled. “I’m glad you’re going with him. Tonight is important. It’s good for you to keep him in line.”

He shut the door. So tonight was important. She knew it. Ahmed confirmed it. Conner kept blowing it off, but his eyes crinkled at the corner whenever they talked about it. This wasn’t just some birthday party.

Jessica had scheduled to make a day of it. She had a facial and her legs waxed. Then her makeup professionally done. It came time for her hair. This was a big deal. Her long blonde hair had been a signature of hers since high school. But the creepy way that Rick kept bringing it up got under her skin. It had to go. It was time for a new look.

“Cut it,” she told the stylist. “I want something above my shoulders but not above my jawline.”

“Have you thought about a color? You have the perfect hair for it.” The stylist had several different wild streaks of color in her dark hair. Her eyeliner was drawn in a fancy design, and she wore dark lipstick.

“What would you do? I have a big event tonight. I have to look nice.” Jessica would love to do something fun, but she also wanted to look hot for Conner.

“What are you wearing?”

Jessica described the dress.

“A small streak of pale pink underneath. You wouldn’t see it unless you ran your fingers through it or wore your hair up.”

Pale pink. It looked like a color a Disney princess would have.

“Or we could do more of a dusky rose color,” the stylist said. “That would be very pretty and understated.”

“That sounds nice. I like that.” More grown-up at least.

The transformation began. They stylist put Jessica’s hair in a ponytail holder and cut off just above her shoulders. Then dyed. Finally it was washed and trimmed with long layers cut in. When it was done, Jessica felt lighter than she had in years. She loved the look, which ended up grazing her jaw, and the color was subtle.