Saltwater Kisses (The Kisses 1)

“Put your seat-belt on,” Dean growled as the driver darted around a taxi. “You okay?”

“What just happened?” My voice cracked. Adrenaline was pumping through my system and I couldn’t figure out if I wanted to run or cry.

“Someone tipped them off. They’ve been hungry for pictures of you since they found out you were in New York,” Dean said. His voice had lost the smiling quality. “They’re still following us.”

I looked back and could see several cabs jockeying for position behind us. I buckled my seat-belt, feeling the car accelerate underneath me, weaving in and out of the traffic. I was glad I wasn’t the one driving.

“But why now? I’ve been out in the city with Rachel every day and they haven’t done this.” I gripped the car door as we took a tight turn.

“Those were organized trips. We cleared them with the stores ahead of time. Didn’t you notice no one else was shopping?”

“I thought that was because the prices were so high. I didn’t realize it was for me.” I slouched in my seat. I felt like an idiot for not noticing earlier that every trip with Rachel had been carefully timed and organized.

Dean looked back at me, his eyes darting to look through the back window. “Rachel didn’t want to say anything because it was pretty obvious you already felt out of place here. But you should know now. The tabloids are clamoring for pictures. You are the hot topic right now and they want you. They’re offering some high prices for pictures and that means they are watching every move you make.”

“What do I do?” I asked. I felt helpless. This was way out of my comfort level.

“You don’t have to do anything. Just let me do my job,” Dean said. He smiled kindly at me. “Don’t you worry. We’ve lost them.”

“I guess that means my trip to the Met is off for the day. No mummies for me.”

“Unfortunately.” He sounded more disappointed than I did. “I can take you tomorrow though if you like. I’ll even get Ms. Weber to come have lunch with us.”

“You promise the best tour ever?”

Dean laughed, his demeanor back to the watchful yet relaxed status I was used to. “The best tour that museum has ever seen.”

“You have yourself a deal then,” I said with a nod. Dean turned back around and I leaned back in my seat.

I understood now why we had to schedule things. I didn’t like it, but I understood. Something about a schedule tickled at my brain. Perhaps I could get onto Jack’s schedule. An idea began to form. I pulled out my phone and opened a text message to Rachel.

Chapter 14

I checked my reflection in the golden doors of the elevator, feeling nervous. The food cart behind me filled the elevator with delicious smells and my stomach grumbled. I had been too nervous to eat earlier, and now I was starving.

The doors opened with a ding and I pulled the cart with two dinners behind me into the big lobby on Jack's floor. Jeannette looked up and smiled as I approached her giant desk.

“You look lovely Emma. Jack has been looking forward to dinner all day, but don’t tell him I told you. He should be finishing up signing some papers, so you can go on in.” She gave me a wink as I headed towards the big office doors and said, “I’ll be leaving in a little bit so don’t you two worry about me out here.”

My mouth suddenly filled with dust and I licked my lips nervously as I reached the big doors. I hadn’t seen Jack since arriving in New York. It was still a dreamlike idea that I could be here, that any of this could be happening. My brain was still having a hard time believing that he would still be interested in me, even though our vacation was over. My world had been turned upside down and I was still struggling to catch up. After my run-in with the paparazzi the day before, I wasn’t sure what to expect anymore.

With a deep breath, I knocked and pushed open the heavy doors. They swung inward easily, and I pulled the cart of food quietly behind me. Jack looked up from his desk, the mask of a businessman slipping away as soon as he saw me. The boyish glint I remembered from the beach shone in his eyes. He signed the last piece of paper on his desk in a hurry and stacked it neatly on the corner before coming around to greet me.

There was an awkward moment where neither one of us was sure what we were supposed to do. Did we hug? Did we kiss? Shake hands? I went for a hug and he kissed me softly on the cheek. My heart pounded in my chest, threatening to shake my entire body.

“Jeannette said you came by yesterday,” he said, breaking away from me. I wanted him to keep touching me, but I wasn’t sure my nerves could handle it. I felt like a girl meeting her crush behind the school for the first time.

“Yeah, I didn’t know you weren’t going to be here. I’m learning the importance of scheduling,” I replied. I played with the food tray, wheeling it back and forth.

“I’m sorry I missed you. I just realized that I haven’t seen you since you got here and that was a couple of days ago,” Jack said, leaning back against his desk.

“You’ve been busy, I get it. You’re important.”

“That isn’t a very good excuse,” he said, shaking his head. His hair gleamed in the soft light from his desk, and it took all my will power not to run my fingers through it. He shrugged and gestured to the food. “You hungry?”

“Starving actually,” I answered. He came beside me and pushed the cart towards a couch and coffee table in the corner of his office. As he took the cart, he brushed against me, sending shivers down my spine. My body ached to remember how he felt, the way he moved inside of me. The beginnings of a blush tried to sneak onto my face, but I tried to mimic Jack’s easy nonchalance and it seemed to keep the heat down lower.

He carefully placed each of the plates on the small table, motioning me to sit down. I sat gingerly on the leather sofa, my stomach doing flip flops. I couldn’t understand my anxiety; I had slept with the man, but now, now that we were going to actually have to get to know one another, I was nervous. Jack had met vacation me. Vacation me was bold and did crazy things like marrying strangers.