“And if you keep doing that,” he warned in a low voice, “you’re bound to make me hard again. And I know for damned sure that I’d be physically incapable of another round. Jesus, you really are a wildcat, aren’t you? Or maybe a she-devil, given that red hair.”
Playfully, she raked her fingernails along his chest, though they were so short he didn’t even wince. “Rowl,” she growled in her best imitation of a ferocious cat. “And, hey, what makes you think I’m capable of helping a big, strong dude like you to the bathroom? I mean, you’ve got to outweigh me by at least seventy, maybe eighty pounds, and you’re almost a foot taller.”
He wrapped a hand around one of her biceps. “You might be on the small side but you’re scrappy. I’m betting you’re stronger than you look, like you could hold your own in a fight.”
“Damned straight,” she confirmed proudly. “But not necessarily because I’m strong. I just know how to fight dirty. In elementary and middle school I was the best hair puller, biter, kicker, spitter, and head slammer in my class. Not to mention I had very sharp elbows that I didn’t mind in the least jamming into someone’s chin or throat or gut.”
Jackson shuddered. “Damn, you are a bloodthirsty little wench, aren’t you? Does this mean you outgrew your fighting tendencies by high school?”
Scarlett flopped onto her back, staring up at the ceiling of her darkened bedroom. “More or less. When Margie and Roz pulled some strings and got me enrolled in this charter school, I didn’t need to fight or feel a need to defend myself. The teachers and staff there really interacted with the students, really made them feel like they cared. Plus, there was a super strict anti-bullying policy at the school, you’d get your ass kicked out of there in a hurry if they thought you were trouble. So no one picked on me, and I finally learned to calm the hell down and not lash out all the time.” She turned on her side to face him, tapping a fist against his cheek mischievously. “But I haven’t forgotten even one of the dirty street fighting tricks I picked up over the years, so you’d better not do anything to piss me off, Gilmore. Otherwise, I might demonstrate my leg whip, cut your legs out from under you. It would happen before you saw it coming.”
He guffawed, hooking an arm around her neck and pulling her in close. “Jesus, you are fucking terrifying, have I ever mentioned that? I promise to never intentionally piss you off, okay? Now, how about you help an old dude to the bathroom and then maybe you’ll let me help you set up your new laptop and phone.”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “Still haven’t said I was keeping those, you know.”
Jackson patted her on the butt. “Wait until you see the graphics on the laptop. Not to mention the six different software programs I had installed - let’s see if I can remember them all. Sketch Up, Revit, 3D Studio Max, V-Ray. Can’t remember the other two offhand, but one of the architects we use for our projects said they were the best.”
Scarlett threw up her hands in surrender. “You really know the way to a girl’s heart, don’t you? No flowers or diamonds or chocolates for me - well, except for the roses. Instead, you tempt me with a walk-in shower and architectural design software.”
Catching him by surprise, she leaned over and kissed him softly, sweetly. He gazed up at her wonderingly as she whispered, “Thank you, Jackson. Guess I’ll have to keep the laptop now. The phone, however, is another matter entirely.”
***
He grinned broadly as Scarlett used her new phone to take a photo of both of their brunch entrees. Ever since she’d realized just how fantastic the camera feature was, what high quality photos it took, she had rather grudgingly agreed to keep it, along with the laptop. After all, he had pointed out with ill-disguised satisfaction, the camera would soon be a necessity as she began to plan out her senior thesis. And since her current phone was barely hanging on by a thread - not to mention the lousy picture quality - she didn’t really seem to have a choice when it came to accepting his gift.
“Let me see,” he requested, holding out his palm for her phone. His grin deepened when he scrolled through the photo album to view the most recent additions - his plate of crab cake eggs Benedict and hers of the decadent cinnamon roll pancakes.
“These look good enough to eat,” he joked. “Nice clear focus, brilliant colors. Still bitching me out beneath your breath for buying this new toy?”
“Not as much, no,” she grumbled, taking a sip of her peach Bellini. “Mostly I just hate having to admit that you were right.”
Jackson guffawed as he continued to scroll through the photos she’d already snapped. “Get used to that, babe. Though I’m not always right, mind you. Once in a great while - maybe like two or three times a year - I’m wrong about something. And - hey, when did you take this one?”
Scarlett grinned wickedly as he handed the phone back to her, a photo of his mostly naked body filling the screen. “Told you I was a light sleeper. While you snore - pretty loudly, too. At least I didn’t take any full frontal shots. Not this time, anyway.”
He waggled a finger at her teasingly. “Just as long as this doesn’t wind up being shared all over social media. I’m, uh, basically shy.”
“Yeah, right.” She rolled her eyes in disbelief. “But I’ve got no intention of sharing any of my private photos, Jackson. Plus, I’m not much of a social media person. I’ve got an Instagram account, but that’s mostly so I can follow some architectural pages. Sharing my personal info online doesn’t really appeal to me otherwise. I did mention that I’m fairly antisocial, didn’t I?”
“Maybe a few times. And I’m guessing it’s more of a privacy issue for you, which I totally get,” he assured her gently. “I seldom post stuff these days, either.”
Scarlett swallowed a bite of pancake, being sure to lick the delicious cinnamon glaze from her fork. “If your family is as nosy as you say they are, I’d stay off social media all together if it was me.”
He reached across the table to brush a speck of the glaze from her bottom lip, then licked it off. “Mmm. Not sure what tastes better - that glaze or you.”
Her blue eyes sparkled mischievously. “Sounds like you should do a taste test.”
She forked off a generous bite of the pancakes and offered it to him, then leaned over and kissed him when he’d finished swallowing. She made a little “mmph” of surprise when he threaded a hand into her curls, holding her head still as he deepened the kiss.
“Definitely you,” he pronounced as he released her, smiling in satisfaction to notice the flush on her cheeks. “At least, I’m pretty sure. Maybe we should try that again.”
“No!” she exclaimed, pointing her fork at him warningly. “Everyone is already staring at us, Jackson. Did I mention that I’m also a little uncomfortable with overtly public displays of affection?”
“Well, we’re just going to have to work on that one,” he announced cheerfully. “Though I must say that surprises me a little. I mean, you’re this outspoken, ballsy woman, not afraid to speak her mind or speak up for herself. I would have guessed you’d be like ‘fuck it, if I want to make out with a guy in public and people don’t like it they can go screw themselves’.”