“Yeah, but that was over three years ago. Funny how quickly you forget stuff like that. I love the fog and rain nowadays.”
There was an awkward pause for long seconds, neither of them looking at each other, and apparently at a mutual loss for words.
“Guess I’d better head inside since I actually have luggage to check this time,” mumbled Scarlett. “Um, thanks for everything, Jackson. The resort, all the clothes, the flowers, Penny. It - you didn’t have to do all that.”
“Sure I did,” he corrected. “At least, someone needed to do all that stuff and more, and it should have been done a long time ago. You deserve good things to happen in your life, Scarlett.”
She gave him a wobbly smile, those enormous blue eyes glistening just a little as she visibly struggled to keep her emotions in check. “Maybe my luck is finally starting to change, huh?” She glanced at the glass door that would take her into the terminal before looking back at him. She took a few steps closer until their bodies brushed against the other lightly, then slid a slender hand up his chest until it was cupping the back of his neck.
“Don’t overthink this,” she whispered, just before pulling his head down to hers and pressing that lush little mouth against his.
Jackson was so startled by her unexpected kiss that for a few seconds all he could do was stand there without responding. And then, as the kiss went on and became far more than just a casual little peck, he slid an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against him as he took command. She whimpered a bit beneath the pressure of his mouth, then gasped when he parted her lips and thrust his tongue inside.
They stared at each other in wide-eyed disbelief once the kiss ended. He noted absently that Scarlett’s cheeks were flushed and that she was breathing unsteadily. As for himself, it had been a long time since he’d been this aroused, this turned on, this intrigued by a woman. But then, he realized, he’d been intrigued by this wisp of a girl from the first time he’d set eyes on her. He might have even known back then, he recognized faintly, that this thing between them would come to a head sooner than later. It was just a damned shame that it had finally come to fruition at such an inconvenient time, and in less than ideal circumstances.
“I’ve got to go,” she blurted out, her voice a little hoarse. “Thanks again. For everything.”
And before he could catch her hand, or ask her just what that kiss was supposed to mean, Scarlett turned on her heel and practically bolted through the doors.
Chapter Fifteen
Scarlett scowled as she glanced around the living space of the apartment, before turning to direct that same scowl at Jackson’s realtor friend. “I thought you told me this place was unoccupied. So why is all this stuff still here? And is that a bedroom through that doorway over there? I mean, how many times does a girl have to say “I can only afford a tiny studio apartment” before she’s understood? I can tell you without having to look any further that this place isn’t going to work for me. Too fancy, too big, and wayyy too pricey. Let’s go. Assuming, that is, you have some other places lined up to show me.”
Michael Ishimoto winced at Scarlett’s derisive tone. “Wow, Jackson wasn’t kidding. He warned me that you might be a little, uh, on edge. He didn’t tell me that I should duck for cover when you get worked up.”
Realizing that she had sounded both ungrateful and bitchy just now, Scarlett dialed the hostility back a few notches. “Sorry,” she muttered, though to her ears the apology didn’t sound all that sincere. “It’s just that I couldn’t have made myself more clear to Jackson about what I was looking for. And that I’m on a really tight budget. Didn’t he tell you this stuff?”
The well-dressed realtor with fashionably slicked-back black hair nodded. “Of course. But then he told me to ignore everything you’d asked for and instructed me to find you - in his words, now - “something that isn’t a shithole or a closet”. So here we are. And before you start in about not being able to afford the rent - well, there’s something else I need to tell you. But please don’t go off the deep end when you hear it. Promise?”
Scarlett leaned against the closest wall, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared at the admittedly anxious looking realtor. “I’ll do my best to rein it in,” she told him sarcastically.
Michael glanced down at his expensive leather shoes, apparently unwilling to look her in the eye as he mumbled, “Um, well, here’s the deal. Jackson might have already signed a one-year lease for this place - in your name, of course. More to the point, he also paid the rent for an entire year. Along with the cable TV and wi-fi bill for the year. And all the furniture and stuff you see - well, he picked all that out, too. Sent me links to all the stuff he wanted for you and my staff took care of the actual purchase and delivery.”
She stared at him in shocked disbelief, too surprised to think of a reply at first. And then, as the anger continued to simmer rapidly, threatening to boil over, she swore fiercely.
“That son of a bitch!” she screeched, loudly enough for Michael to flinch. “Who the hell does he think he is anyway? Omigod, I should have known he’d try to pull something like this. He thinks he can control me, does he? Or that he’s responsible for me? Or worse - that he’s like my sugar daddy or big brother. I’m going to give that interfering bastard a piece of my mind right now!”
Michael winced as she pulled out her phone and stabbed the button that would connect her to Jackson.
“Uh, you know, I just remembered a call I have to make,” he stammered. “Why don’t I step out in the hall here to take it? And before you say no, just take a quick look around the place. Uh, say hi to Jackson for me.”
Scarlett was tempted to give the sneaky realtor - who for sure had lured her here under false pretenses - the finger, but he hastily ducked out the front door.
Jackson’s phone continued to ring off the hook, and she was preparing herself to leave a lengthy, very detailed, very pissed off voice mail, when he finally picked up.
“I thought I might be hearing from you sooner than later,” he drawled lazily. “After you texted me this morning to tell me you were meeting up with Michael, I’ve been expecting your call. So tell me. On a scale of one to ten, just how mad are you right now?”
The fact that he not only sounded calm but also greatly amused only angered her further.
“You are a sneaky, manipulative, controlling, annoying, and completely frustrating asshole,” she hissed. “Why in the world would you do something so underhanded, Jackson? You knew, damn it, that I wanted a really small place, that I didn’t give a rat’s ass about having much furniture or new furniture. All I wanted was a tiny little place I could finally call my own for the first time in my life. And I haven’t seen the rest of the place yet, just the living area, but it’s way bigger and newer and nicer than I can afford if I don’t want to blow all the money my father gave me.”
“I know that,” he replied quietly. “But you deserve to live in a nice place for once in your life, Scarlett. Not having to share a room with three other foster kids. Or sleep on a futon or live in an attic. So just go with the flow for once, okay? Let me do this for you. Considering all the stuff you had to do without growing up, this is really just the tip of the iceberg for what’s owed to you.”