Tom had a pleasant personality, like Jayden, and she liked him immediately. She thought he felt the same way toward her. At least she hoped so. The longer she looked at Tom, the more she was certain Jay inherited most of his father’s traits.
She glanced over the table at Jay, who was sitting beside Britney. Beth seemed to be egging them on. Then Britney moved closer to Jayden, kind of shoving her generous boobs toward him. Thank God Jay didn’t seem to be paying her any attention, at least the type of attention a man pays to a woman.
“Tell me about life in New Zealand,” Tom said, picking up his wine glass.
“Oh, not much to tell, to be honest,” Alex replied, shrugging her shoulders. “I love going to the farmers market, though. I assume you have it here, too? It’s fun. Just out and about, buying fresh veggies from the farmers themselves. Rather entertaining, too.”
“Ah, yes. I’ve never been to one. Always been too busy,” Tom replied.
“I find the simplest things I do most enjoyable. I also love to observe people. Like right now,” she said, eyeing Jayden and Britney.
Tom glanced in that direction.
“Have they known each other long?”
“Who?” he replied, pretending ignorance.
“Them,” Alex said, nodding her head toward Jayden and Britney across the end of the table.
“They met when they were young,” Tom replied. “Don’t worry. Jay’s not that stupid.”
Alex turned to look at him, her eyes questioning. “He isn’t?”
“Of course not. Britney is wasting her time,” he said, eyeing his son. Jay was studying them and not listening to Britney’s continuous yapping.
“Yeah, she is,” Alex agreed. Jay will never be turned on by that type of woman—or any other woman for that matter.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity for Alex, dinner was over and the guests slowly thanked Mr. and Mrs. McCartney for the lovely dinner and then left. And, yes, Alex had never felt so much joy as when she saw the door to her bedroom.
She rushed in, kicked off the stilettos, and threw herself on the large, soft bed. She sighed and simply gazed up at the golden chandelier, marveling at the bright lights. It felt so good to lie there and do nothing. Her pleasure died a quick death when she felt the sting in her eyes starting to play up again, and she knew she had to take out the lenses.
She rolled off the bed and her knees landed on the floor, her upper body still on the bed. She gave out another loud, weary sigh.
Jay entered the room at that moment. After closing the door quietly so he wouldn’t disturb her, he leaned his body against it, his hands in the pockets of his trousers. He cocked his head to one side as he studied her. She looked as though she had fallen asleep in her sitting position with her head resting on the bed.
“I see that you like my dad,” he said.
“Huh?” Alex popped her head up and looked at him. “He’s very nice, much like you.”
“Yeah? What are you doing?”
“Huh?” And then, “Um, trying to make myself get up, I guess.”
“Sorry.”
“About what?”
“All this. You’ve just arrived, and then you have to meet all those people. You need your rest. Promise tomorrow will be a relaxing day for you.”
“That sounds good, thank you,” she replied, closing her eyes, her head sinking deeper into the cozy duvet. “Do I get to go sightseeing by the way?” she murmured.
Jay thought she looked like a toddler falling asleep before dinner, with her little bottom up in the air like that. He knew she was about to fall asleep if he didn’t do something fast. In two long strides, he was beside her and scooped her up in his arms.
Alex flashed her eyes open. “Uh? What are you doing?”
“You need to take off that lovely dress and shower before you sleep, madam,” he replied and strode to the bathroom.
Alex wiggled herself in his arms. “Please put me down, Jay. I’m not so sleepy anymore. I’ll go and shower now.”
“You sure you don’t want help?”
Alex nodded, wondering if he meant carrying her into the bathroom or helping her undress and then shower. The idea brought a delicious shiver down her spine.
“All right.” Jay reluctantly put her down.
Alex’s feet landed quietly on the soft carpet. She blushed as she gazed up at him through her thick lashes. Then she rushed to the walk-in wardrobe to find her things.
“What are you doing?” his voice vibrated from the door.
“Finding my stuff,” she said, trying to think what this stuff was that she was looking for. Then she remembered it was her pajamas. A few seconds later, she found what she wanted and rushed back to the bedroom. She collided against Jay’s hard body, inconveniently at the doorway. She looked up at him, telling him to please shift so she could pass. He didn’t get her drift and just stood there, gazing down at her, his arms folded across his chest.
“Have to go and shower.”
“You do that.”
Alex squeezed herself between him and the door and rushed to the bathroom. “What a long day this is.”
“Yeah, totally agree,” he said loudly so she could hear him.
“Absolutely,” she shouted back. She was just about to close the door when she poked her head back out and said, “’Night,” with a lovely smile.
Jay grinned. He couldn’t wait to see her reaction when she realized they were sharing a room and a bed.
A moment later, he heard the shower going and knew she must be having a good time. As he went about retrieving his pajamas, he whistled to himself. Back in the bedroom, he poured himself a glass of red wine and proceeded to drink slowly, enjoying the sweet, aromatic flavor.
Then he saw her coming back out, her wet hair down her back, her face fresh and clean, and her eyes sparkling. He knew she wasn’t wearing her contact lenses because she was squinting as she went about the room, trying to get her vision to focus. Not to mention the only thing she had on to cover herself was a thin towel.
Jay swallowed the wine in his mouth loudly.
“Oh, you’re still here?” she said, her face going quite red.
Jay didn’t know how to reply to that. This was his bedroom, after all. Was he supposed to sleep in the kitchen when bedtime came?
“I forgot my cream,” she said and then rushed to the wardrobe.
Jay watched her little bottom as she ran, his mind reeling with ungodly thoughts. The next second, she rushed back out, her lips clamping and her eyes downcast as she raced into the bathroom.
Jay took another mouthful of his wine and then placed the glass down on the table. He waited. Then a full ten minutes later, she reappeared, fully dressed in her decent pajamas. They were light pink with little pictures of Tweety Bird everywhere.
“So, um, aren’t you going to go to your own room?” she asked. “Oh, right. You want to make sure I feel comfortable first. Okay, I’m comfortable, and my head doesn’t ache at all despite the fact that my eyes are really, really sore. Happy?”
“Yeah, I suppose. Just make yourself at home,” he said and strolled into the bathroom.
Alex cocked her head to one side, wondering why he was going into her bathroom. She shrugged her shoulders and jumped on the bed. She giggled and made herself comfortable.