“Your husband was also a professor. How did that happen? It seems to me I heard he was actually
your
professor when you met.” It was kind of a low-down tactic to bring it up, but he could feel his chances slipping away. “He was quite a bit older too, wasn’t he?”
“It isn’t at all the same thing.”
“Explain to me how, then.”
In response, she shook her head, her smooth hair brushing her shoulders. The day was clear, but cool, and despite her rumpled clothes, she still managed to look elegant and lovely in the crisp autumn sunshine. “I’m fairly certain you could have your pick from any number of interested young women, Mr. I.Q. Why are you bothering to be so persistent? If all you wanted was a conquest, it seems to me last night you got it.”
The hint of amused capitulation in her tone made relief wash over him. Jake smiled. “If you can figure out why one man is attracted to a certain woman more than any others, that would be an interesting scientific breakthrough, Professor Johnson. In my case, let’s just say there are a few fantasies still unfulfilled.”
“I didn’t say I’d ever sleep with you again. I believe you asked me out for dinner.”
“So I did,” he agreed readily. “Having dinner with you is one of the fantasies I just mentioned.”
That was much smoother.
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And thank God, it worked.
Jana gave him one of her clear-eyed looks. He could hear her keys jingle as she took them out of her purse. “All right, I’ll have dinner with you on one condition. Can we keep this all quiet, please?”
“I won’t say anything, if that’s what you want, but in case you haven’t noticed, I don’t go around talking about my love life anyway.”
Jana nodded crisply and pressed the button to unlock her sleek car. “Be at my house at seven then. And instead of going out, if you don’t mind, I’ll cook.”
That
was definitely a dream come true. There wasn’t a man on earth who preferred an impersonal restaurant to a beautiful woman fixing him dinner.
He said evenly, “I’ll be there.”
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37
He drank a beer, and then popped open a second, trying to
calm down.
The television was on, but The Watcher had the sound muted,
and he blankly watched the images dance across the screen.
Who the fuck was the dark-haired guy?
He didn’t recognize him, but then again, the man hadn’t gotten
out of his car either. It wasn’t one of the other profs, he knew that
parking lot like the back of his hand by now, and exactly who
drove what car. The guy who dropped off the pretty professor
drove a fairly generic mid-sized sedan, not new but not old,
nothing at all like her expensive ride. They had some sort of small
argument, too, though when she got out of the car, she was
smiling.
The bitch had stayed out all night.
Order was what kept the world going. Things needed to be neat
and tidy, and he hated it if his routine was pushed off track.
He’d been convinced she was different, not just another
friggin’ slut. That classy exterior was apparently just a front.
This ruined everything.
* * * *
The sunshine held in an Indian summer record succession of days, which was nice.
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Kate Watterson
She had forgotten entirely about the soccer game, and as Jana hurried across the grass toward the bleachers, a quick excuse formed in her mind.
Work was the usual and easy one, and certainly her sister would believe it. Of course, using it meant another lecture on her lack of a personal life and how much time she dedicated to her job.
With an inner grimace at the dilemma, she climbed up the metal stairs and slid into place next to her older sibling. “Sorry I’m late.”
Crystal said amiably enough, “I was sure it had slipped your mind, but it’s sweet of you to come in the first place, so no harm, no foul. Thank goodness it is almost over because we’re getting slaughtered, but Marcus did score a goal.”
“Good for him.” Jana looked out over a sea of unruly seven-year olds running wild across the field, and wondered how anyone knew what exactly was going on, though several fathers acting as officials appeared to be trying. She finally picked out her nephew, running amuck with the rest of the children, trying to kick the errant ball.
Her sister gave her a speculative look. “I stopped by last night to drop off some pictures. You weren’t home.”
“I worked late.”
“Really?” Dark-haired and petite, Crystal looked skeptical. “It was after nine because Ethan took me out for dinner finally for our anniversary about three months late. I had him make a detour on our way home.”
She really wasn’t ready to tell anyone about her reckless sexual encounter with Jake Quinn, much less her inquisitive sister. “I must not have heard the bell. I think I was in bed.”
Now that was true.
“I also called your house phone and cell.” Crystal lifted her brows. “Guess what, no answer.”
“Sometimes people are not in the mood to be social, Crys.”
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39
“If you were avoiding me, I’m offended, by the way. I stopped by to make sure you weren’t all alone. When Ethan mentioned our forgotten anniversary, it reminded me of yours.”
That had been thoughtful, and Jana felt a little guilty for lying.
“I went out for a drink with someone from work,” she said with what she hoped was a composed expression. “One turned to three and that’s why I didn’t answer the door. You know I don’t drink much.”
“Well, at least you weren’t sitting alone in that big house the entire evening.” Crystal looked a little mollified.
“No, I wasn’t,” Jana confirmed, recalling Jake Quinn’s naked body over hers, and the strong feel of his embrace. He’d somehow managed to be both tender and wildly intense in bed and she felt that telltale flutter deep inside when she thought about it.
Did she really think she could just have dinner with the Incredible Quinn—and he was pretty incredible in her opinion—
and send him on his way?
What was worse, he probably realized she couldn’t resist another night like the one they had just shared. Her physical neediness was embarrassing in retrospect, and the initial reaction she’d felt that an affair with him would be a mistake still existed, but it was tempered by the fact she believed him when he said he wasn’t just interested in sex.
At least he’d seemed convincingly sincere.
Not that she actually wanted a relationship.
Crap, this was complicated already. She hadn’t dated a man in fifteen years and wasn’t sure she was qualified to judge if he was just a player who was pleased to find out she would fall into bed with him. Or was the uncomfortably handsome I.Q. really interested in her on another level?
She wasn’t sure how she felt about it, either way. He was too young for her, and it was difficult to reconcile in her mind. Brian 40
Kate Watterson
had been sixteen years older, so the idea of an eleven year difference the other way took some adjustment.
“So how is Suzanne?”
Jana tore her abstracted gaze from the field of running children.
“What? Oh as far as I know, she’s fine.” Suzanne Heathman was a linguistics professor who had been a high school friend, also single, and they occasionally went out to lunch or a movie together.
Her sister’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Hmm. I assumed she was the friend from work of last night. Who was it?”
“You don’t know him,” Jana said evasively, feeling the warm sun on her back through her cotton shirt match the sudden flush in her face.
“Him? I like the sound of that. It’s about time.”
“Don’t get that look. It was just a casual invitation after work, nothing planned.” It had turned out to be anything but a few casual drinks, but she left that all out. She was still ashamed of herself for sleeping with Jake Quinn on what wasn’t even technically a first date.
“You could stand to have a personal life, Jana…oh no.”
Suddenly distracted, Crystal cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled, “Block it!”
The other parents reacted in similar ways. Jana was never sure whether to be amused or touched by the depth of enthusiasm they all had for a game played by children who often didn’t even know on which side of the field their home goal was located. Predictably her nephew’s team did not manage to block it, and the game ended with both cheers and disappointed sighs.
“We’re cooking out tonight because the weather is so nice,”
Crystal said as she gathered up her discarded sweatshirt and prepared to go down and comfort a disconsolate-looking Marcus as he trudged toward the stands. “Why don’t you come over about six?”
Watcher
41
The offer wasn’t surprising, since her sister might be a bit nosy, but she was well-meaning at the same time. She had a large perpetually untidy house, four busy children in various stages of elementary, middle school, and high school, and an amiable husband who worked for a big construction company. She and Jana were close in many ways, but certainly had polar opposite lifestyles.
Jana smiled. “Thanks, but no. I have plans.”
“Really? Or are you just avoiding Ethan’s overcooked
hamburgers?”
She thought about Jake Quinn and his warm, sexy smile, and the heat in those dark intense eyes. “Really,” she confirmed with a small inner quiver of anticipation.
* * * *
The neighborhood was definitely affluent. Jake searched for the right house number, driving slowly past big houses with impressive facades, neatly kept landscaped yards, finally finding the right one nearly at the end of a winding drive. Professor Johnson’s house sat well back, and as he pulled into the driveway, he shook his head a little as he compared it to his more than modest campus apartment. Brick and timber, it had an elegant exterior, manicured grass, and several large beautiful maples flanked the drive, their leaves just touched with the beginnings of fall gold. The place was pretty spectacular, but then again, Jana’s husband had been the Dean of the School of Science by the time he died, and Jake had a fair idea of her salary also. Most professors weren’t rich, but smart ones could be well off. It was a beautiful house, but still awfully big, and the location was pretty private. He wasn’t sure he liked the idea of her living there all alone.
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Kate Watterson
It was hardly up to him, he reminded himself wryly, and somehow he doubted the sophisticated and self-possessed Dr. Jana Johnson would appreciate his protective male instincts.
He parked in front of the three car garage and got out, holding the two bottles of wine he’d selected, hoping he’d made a decent choice. The walk was brick and led to a small arched sheltered entryway with a carved door flanked by beveled glass panels. Jake pressed the doorbell, pleased to note that there was obviously an alarm system, the tiny red light going off just before the door opened.
“You’re right on time, I.Q. Please come in.” Jana’s lips quirked a little in an uncharacteristic teasing smile as she stepped back.
That ridiculous nickname made him feel uncomfortable, but his mouth went dry for entirely different reason.
He followed, not even able to give a proper greeting because he was momentarily silenced by the fact she was dressed differently than he had ever seen her. She wore a red silk shirt tucked into faded jeans that hugged her long legs and fabulous ass, no jewelry, was barefoot, and if he was a judge from the provocative sway—
and he was very used to looking at her breasts through clothing—
wore no bra. The ebony silk of her hair hung lightly across her shoulders, loose and shining. Jake walked behind her through a two-story foyer with a skylight, and into a spectacular open area that held a sunken living room with a stone fireplace. Beyond was a wall of French doors to the backyard, and to his right the kitchen area, from which came some extremely delicious smells. Soft classical music played from an unknown source.
“I wasn’t sure,” he finally managed to say, proffering the wine,
“so I brought both a red and a white.”
“Thank you.” She lifted a brow as she accepted both bottles and turned toward the kitchen. “Though I don’t plan on overindulging again, I have to warn you.”
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43
Jake leaned against the marble counter, admiring the view as she bent over to put the white wine in the refrigerator. “A guy can dare to dream, can’t he?”
She straightened and her expression was neutral. “Maybe.
Would you like a glass of wine? I have some already breathing.”
He’d drink stale salt water after that quixotic maybe. “That sounds great.”
There was a rack hanging above the polished counter and she retrieved two crystal glasses and deftly poured red wine while he removed his coat. She handed him both glasses, took his jacket, and gestured at the living room. “Have a seat while I hang this up.
Dinner won’t be ready for about a half an hour.”
“It smells wonderful,” Jake said honestly as he went down two steps and chose the leather couch in front of the fireplace. The furnishings were both comfortable and elegant, an eclectic mix of antiques and modern pieces seamlessly blended into an inviting space. To his disappointment, Jana retrieved her wine glass and chose a wing chair a few feet away. She sat down, gracefully curling one leg beneath her, and sipped her wine.
“This is a beautiful house,” he said conversationally. Then he added, “It suits you.”
“Brian loved it the minute we saw it. We made an offer the same afternoon.”
Jake took a small drink from his glass, watching her over the rim. He commented without inflection, “He had excellent taste, but then again, I already knew that.”
She looked at him with those very blue eyes. Her dark lashes lowered a fraction. “I see you are going to use charm since I’m on my guard against the alcohol ploy. That was a lovely compliment.”