Subj:       Looking For Love by Neici ch14-15

From:                [email protected] (Neici Bennett)

 

 

Babbling from the author: I wanted take minute to acknowledge everyone who

has been kind enough to e-mail me with comments or suggestions about the

story.  I know that I haven’t gotten around to thanking everyone

individually, but believe me I’m working on it!  Don’t you just love

Internet problems? So I cancelled my aol account.  SO please mail all

feedback to me at [email protected] Well, anyway, thanks a lot and please

feel free to keep the comments coming.  It makes me feel important!

 

Looking for Love

 

Chapter Fourteen

 

Setting:  Jerry’s NYC Office at J&J Jacks of Alaska three days after the

kiss

 

                Jax’ look alike is sitting behind his desk going over some contracts when

there is a slight knock at the door.  "Come in," he called wondering where

in the hell Chelsea, his New York personal assistant was.

                "Hey," a familiar voice spoke, causing Jerry to look up.

                "Hey Riz, what’s up?"  He spoke pushing the contracts aside.

                "We need to talk."

                "Talk about what?" Jerry pretended to be oblivious, there was no way that

he was going to make this easy.

                "About…about what ha—happened in your brother’s penthouse." She stuttered.

                "You mean to tell me you followed me all the way to New York City to talk

to me about a little kiss in my brother’s living room?"

                Little kiss?  Little kiss!  Excuse me Mr. Blonde and Beautiful, but what we

shared in your brother’s living room was not just some little kiss!  Riz

felt like shouting at the top of her lungs.  He was incredible!  He was

completely unbelievable!  How in the hell could he be so nonchalant about

that make-out session?  Riz didn’t know whether to be grateful or to be

insulted.  Was it possible that Jericho Jacks was an even bigger jerk than

she’d originally believed?  Of course he’s an incredibly gorgeous jerk, she

couldn’t stop herself from thinking.

                "I didn’t follow you.  I was called here on emergency business and I was on

my way back to the airport when I came to a realization."

                "A realization?  Well, now you’ve got my attention."  Jerry leaned back in

his leather chair and gave her one of his heart stopping smiles.

                "I know that I’ve been avoiding you for the past couple of days," she began

but was interrupted by Jerry.

                "Three days.  Seventy-two hours." Jerry informed her.

                "Not that you’re counting or anything right?" Riz couldn’t resist adding

with a smile of her own.  Jerry just smirked in return.  "Anyway, what I

decided was that maybe…no definitely that that kiss was not a good idea."

She lowered her head, because he knew her too well.  He’d be able to tell in

a heartbeat that she was lying and only doing this because she was afraid. 

Afraid of getting hurt again.

"I mean, Jerry, we would never work out.  We are… I mean you are…"

"I am what?  Huh, Riz?  Come on, tell me."

"You’re… I don’t know, Jerry!"

"But surely you must.  Here you are in my office in New York City telling me

that there is no chance of anything more than a partnership between the two

of us.  Now I want a reason."  Jerry said forcing her to look him in the

eye.

"I thought that we had a friendship as well as a partnership." Riz said

quietly.

                Jerry looked at her for a moment.  His gaze more green than blue because of

a mixture of friendship, frustration, anger, and passion.  He wanted her;

there was no denying that.  And judging from the way she had kissed him

three days ago, she wanted him just as much.

                Suddenly, Jerry stood up from behind his desk and made his way over to her.

  "Riz, how come you’re not even willing to give us a chance?" Jerry

demanded taking her face in his strong hands.

                "I ca-ca-can’t do this, Jerry. I just can’t!  Why can’t you understand

that?"

                "Because, I know that you don’t mean it.  You want me Riz," He told her

bluntly.  "I can see it in the way you look at me.  It’s in your eyes, they

don’t lie." He said continuing to cup her face in his hands.

                "Jerry!" she started somewhat indignantly, but was cut off by the firm

pressure of his lips against hers.  At first she tried to resist him, but

that was damn near impossible.   Hell, who was she trying to kid?  It was

impossible.  So she gave into the sweet, heady feeling that overcame her and

surrendered her lips to his.

                After what seemed like eternity, Jerry pulled away from a dazed Riz.  "See

that?" he asked her.  "Tell me that you don’t want me," he challenged.  His

eyes boring into hers, seemingly daring her to say other wise.  "Tell me,

and I’ll never bother you about this again.  We’ll go back to being

partners, members of the same team, and married for the time being." He

smiled slightly.

                The office was deathly silent.  Not a single sound unless you counted the

soft ticking and tocking of the clock that sat on Jerry’s desk.  Tick… 

Tock…  Tick…  Tock…  Tick…  Tock.  Jerry looked at her and waited for an

answer.  Tick… Tock … Tick…  Tock.  That bloody clock was driving him

positively insane!  "Well?" he challenged again after awhile.

                "I-I do want you Jerry, you know that."

                "Then what’s the problem?  Why can’t you and I pursue a relationship like

normal people?"

                "Because, I," she stopped and stared at the clock.  Tick… Tock…  Tick… 

Tock.

                "Because what, Riz?" Jerry demanded.  Why couldn’t she see how much fun

they could have together?   Here he was, one of the worlds most sought after

bachelors and he was willing to give up his freedom for her.

                As if she could read his mind she said, "Believe me, Jerry, I know how

important giving this relationship between us a shot is to you.  But I just

can’t do this, Jerry."

                "So you keep saying.  But you keep leaving out the part where you tell me

why."

                Silence.  Tick…  Tock…  Tick…  Tock…  Tick…  Tock…  Tick…  Tock.

                "Why?  Riz, answer me!" Damn that insufferable clock!

                "Because Jerry, don’t you see?" she was whispered, her voice trembling.

                "Don’t I see what?" He needed to know.

                "Jesus Christ, Jerry!  Don’t you see?"  She was yelling now, but her voice

was still shaking.

                "See what?"

                "HIM!  Jerry.  Him, you’re just like him!"

                "Him?  Who is he?  Oh! No! Riz, no" all at once it donned on him.  She was

scared.  She was petrified of committing herself to another relationship. 

She was still hurting from what he had done to her.  "No, honey, I’m nothing

like him.  I’d never hurt you like that.  Don’t you understand that? 

Never."

                "I want to believe you.  I really do.  But I’m just so scared, Jerry.  So

scared."

                "Don’t be afraid, Riz.  You can trust me.  You’ve got to trust me.  You do

trust me, don’t you?"

                "With my life."  She said honestly.

                "Then trust me on this: We have something, you and me.  Riz, I don’t know

about you but when I kissed you it was like nothing I’ve ever felt before. 

And I don’t know how I could let you just walk away without exploring the

potential that we have together.

                "I’m not proposing marriage or anything," Jerry stopped to laugh at the

irony of the situation.  "But I am proposing that we explore this…us and

just see where we wind up.  Who knows, maybe that’ll be together or maybe

it’ll be as far away from each other as earthly possible.  I just think that

we owe it to ourselves to find out what could be."

He couldn’t believe he had just set his feelings out on the table so freely

like that.  He had just practically placed his heart in gift-wrapped box and

now all he could do was wait and see if she was willing to accept the

package.

This wasn’t him.  Jerry Jacks, international playboy would have never been

so open about his emotions.  He had always been the twin who was better at

hiding his true feelings from people, so why was it that practically every

time he talked to Riz it seemed as though his thoughts were written all over

his face?

She stared at him for a couple of minutes in silence.  And there went that

damnable clock.  Tick…  Tock.  It was as if it were ticking away the

decisions of her life.

  If she decided to dismiss the feelings she felt for Jerry, then she’d be

safe.  Tick.  There would be no way for her to get hurt again.  Tock.  But

then again, if she chose to be with Jerry and explore those very same

feelings, she might find something truly magical.  Tick.  Wasn’t adventure

what romance is all about?   Tock.  Adventure and risk.  Tick.  The

adventure of looking for that special someone and then risking it all on a

chance at true love.  Tock.  Since when did I become such a wimp?  She asked

herself. Tick.   Just because you were hurt by…him, doesn’t mean that Jerry

couldn’t be the one that you’ve been waiting for your entire life.  Tock.

Yes, go for it.  Tick. Tock. Tick Tock.  The clock seemed to be tick tocking

faster and faster with each passing thought.  No!  You’ll only get hurt

again!  Tick Tock Tick Tock.    He’ll win, if you don’t give yourself

another shot at loving someone.  That’s what he wanted, for you to sit and

pine away for him forever.  Tick Tock Tick Tock.  Tick Tock Tick Tock Tick

Tock.  He’s winning and you’re letting him.  Tick TOCK!

It was this last thought that brought Riz to the present and the handsome

blonde billionaire standing inches away from her.  She shook her head, as if

to clear it of the incessant thoughts and that endless tick tocking of the

clock.

"Okay," she said at last.  "I’m willing to give this relationship thing a

try."

"Are you sure, this is what you want?  I don’t want to pressure you into

anything that you’re not ready for."

"No, I’m completely sure.  It’s time I stopped pining away after a memory

and moved on with my life.  If we take things slowly, I think that I will be

able to handle a serious relationship, Jerry.  The question, my playboy

friend, is can you?"  She said turning into the old Riz again.

 

Chapter Fifteen

 

 

 

Setting: Jax’ NYC office

 

                « Meester Jaques ?  Meester Jaques ?  Allo ! Meester Jaques ! »  The short

stocky Frenchmen tried unsuccessfully to regain the attention of the young

business tycoon.

                "Oh!  I am so sorry, Pierre.  I don’t know where my head is today.  Do

forgive me.  You were saying?"

                "I was saying that my associates and I are ready to close this deal, today

if J&J Jacks of Alaska is willing."

                "Willing?  Why, yes, yes of course we’re willing."  Jax said distractedly.

                "Then the terms are agreeable?  Twenty million dollars and fifteen percent

of your company’s Coca-Cola shares."

                "Ah! Nice try, Pierre.  But I do believe we settled upon thirteen million

and five percent of the Coke shares." Jax grinned snapping out of his daze.

                "You seem a little distracted, Meester Jaques, you cannot blame a man for

trying to take advantage, no?  But, very well, have your assistant fax me a

copy for the final transactions before I change my mind."

                "Consider it done.  It’s been a pleasure doing business with you, Pierre."

He praised before terminating the call.

                Distracted.  That’s what he was, distracted.  Jasper Jacks had been called

a lot of things in his twenty-six year life span, but distracted was not one

of them.  But, if the truth were to be told, he was distracted.  And he had

been ever since he had agreed to help Brenda with her insane quest for what

she believed to be true love.

                "The sooner she and Sonny get back together, the sooner I will be able to

return to my normal, distraction-free life.  And the happier I’ll be."  Jax

mumbled to himself.  However, he acknowledged this to be a lie as soon as

the words escaped his lips. He was in danger of falling for Brenda—falling

hard.  He had to be more careful.  Just look at what happened the last time

he had fallen for a woman with so much emotional baggage.

 

**Thanks so much for taking the time to read, you guys.  I really appreciate

it!! Keep the suggestions coming, okay?!?!?**

 

Neici

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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