Chapter 7

 “Brenda, call for you on line 2,” Keith’s crisp voice came through the intercom.

 Brenda grabbed the phone.  “Brenda Barrett, here.  Oh … hi, daddy.”

 “Well, what kind of greeting is that for your old man,” Harlan Barrett said impatiently.  “After all, I’ve been in that godforsaken office in London for 2 days, and you don’t even have a “Welcome Home” for me?”

 Brenda sighed and fiddled with the phone cord.  “Daddy, London hardly qualifies as godforsaken.  And I am pleased that you’re home.  We have a few problems on the self-insured account that we need to discuss as soon as possible.”

 “My thoughts exactly,” Harlan said.  “Why don’t we meet for lunch and we can start getting a handle on things?  If we stay in the office, I know we’ll keep getting interrupted.”

 Brenda checked her watch.  “OK, lunch sounds good.  Tell me where and when.”

 “How about the PC Grille, about 1?  I’ll call and reserve a table.”

 Brenda made a quick note in her day-planner.  “Sure.  I’ll see you at 1.”  She hung up the phone and rolled her pen between her fingers in frustration.  It was two days ago that Jax had brought her back from their trip to the Hamptons, and promised to take her to see the visiting company of “Phantom of the Opera” that Wednesday.  He had seemed pleased with the new aspect of their relationship, and she had no clue why he hadn’t called her since.  She began to tap the pen on the desk.

 {BRENDA!  GET A GRIP!  You’re acting like a sex-crazed teenager!}

 Just then, Keith poked his head in the door.  “Everything OK, Miss Barrett?”  He had never seen Brenda like this before.

 “Yes, Keith, I’m just a little …. tense this morning.  Too much caffeine, I guess,” she laughed.  “Was there something you needed?”

 Keith came through the door with a large vase of hot house flowers.  “Will these help?” he asked slyly.

 Brenda was speechless  It was a breathtaking arrangement of orchids, birds of paradise, and other varieties she didn’t recognize.  She jumped up from behind her desk and grabbed the card from the arrangement before he had set it down on the desk.  She smiled as she read it.

 WAS GOING TO SEND A BIG CHUNK OF THE ICEBERG THAT SANK THAT FAMOUS SHIP, BUT THOUGHT THESE TROPICAL BEAUTIES SUITED YOU BETTER.-----------------J.

 “Yes, Keith, they help a lot,” she giggled.  Suddenly she checked her watch.  “We’d better go over those contracts again.  I’m meeting my father for lunch at 1 and he’ll nitpick every last detail, so I’ve got to have my figures straight.”

 As Keith went to get the file, he noticed Brenda’s improved mood.  Obviously, the woman got a life.  Or something.
 
 
 

 When Brenda got to the PC Grille promptly at 1, she quickly scanned the room for her father.  Not seeing him, she signaled the maitre’d, who nodded and indicated she should follow him to a secluded table in the back of the restaurant.

 As Brenda approached the table, her heart sank.  Harlan was already sitting there, as was Sonny Corinthos.  Harlan the matchmaker strikes again.

 “Brenda!  Look who just happened to be at the Grille for lunch, too!” he said, smiling broadly.

 Although Brenda had on one of her usual business suits, she buttoned the jacket up even higher.  She certainly didn’t want Mr. Corinthos to think she was happy at the prospect of spending any more time with him.  She smiled weakly as Harlan got out of the booth and indicated Brenda should slide in beside Sonny.

 “Brenda, nice to see you again,” Sonny said cautiously.  He wasn’t sure if she had mentioned anything to Harlan about his faux pas the other night.  But since Harlan had called him to set up the lunch, he figured she hadn’t.

 Brenda nodded socially to him, and tried to stay as far away from him on the leather seat as possible.  Brenda ordered a chef salad, but doubted she would be able to stomach much of it considering her companion.  Maybe if she ate a lot of garlic and breathed directly in Sonny’s face he would get the hint and bug off?

 No such luck.  Lunch was torture.  Harlan and Sonny spent most of the time conversing about Sonny’s business and some new ventures he was considering.  They would remember to include Brenda occasionally, but for the most part, she sat and listened to them and played with her food.  Sometimes she dared daydreaming about her weekend with Jax, but was afraid to recall parts of it since she knew it would bring a blush to her face that she wouldn’t be able to explain to the two men.

 Thankfully, Sonny had an appointment to keep at 1:30, so he had to make his excuses and leave.  {HALLELUJAH!!!}  Brenda began to regain a little of her appetite as he slid out of the booth.

 As soon as he left the Grille, Brenda turned to Harlan with eyes blazing.  “What was that all about!”

 Harlan pretended innocence and took a forkful of steak.  “What was what?”

 Brenda put her fork down so as not to stab her father with it.  “Daddy, don’t play dumb.  It doesn’t suit you.  Did you know that Mr. Corinthos was going to be here today for lunch?”

 Harlan coolly responded while still eating.  “Actually, I set the whole thing up.”

 Brenda still was fuming.  “Why?  I wasted perfectly good time here listening to you two talk about something I have little or no interest in.  If you really wanted to discuss the self-insured account with me, why the ruse of lunch?”

 “Brenda,” Harlan said patronizingly, “I can’t understand why you’re so upset.  We still have plenty of time to discuss that account.  I just thought you might like to have someone more your age here, somebody more your type than your dear old dad.”

 “Daddy,” Brenda said through grit teeth, “Mr. Corinthos may be closer to my age than you are, but my type?  I don’t think so.”

 “Why?” Harlan asked.  “He’s a successful businessman, dedicated to his ventures, self-made.  I thought you two would hit it off.”

 “He may be what you call dedicated, but I call him obsessed.  He’s out to take care of himself first and puts everyone and everything else second.  I just don’t like him,” Brenda said with a shudder.

 “Well,” Harlan sighed, “that’s a shame, Brenda, because I’ve decided to merge Barrett Industries with his operation.  I intend to name Mr. Corinthos as my successor when I decide to retire.”

 Brenda was a little taken back, since she had wondered what her place in Barrett Industries would be in the future.  But, knowing her father’s chauvinistic attitude towards women in industry, she really hadn’t believed that her father would name her as CEO when he retired.  “OK, if those are your plans, I guess I can work with him.”

 Harlan shifted uncomfortably.  “Well, Brenda, I think you’ll need to be able to get along with him to a greater extent than that.”

 She looked at him closely now.  “Why, daddy?  Why do I sense I’m not going to like your latest scheme?”

 Harlan tried to be nonchalant.  “Because, Brenda, I not only intend to merge with Mr. Corinthos’ companies, I intend for you to marry him.

 Brenda had to keep from shrieking in a public place.  “WHAT!  This is some kind of joke, right?”

 “Brenda, do I look like I’m joking?  I’ve been working on this arrangement for some time now.  Of course, your sister Julia royally screwed up my plans when she married that nut case Bill Eckert.  So, I had to do some re-arranging.  But, I think this will work out nicely.  Beside, you and Mr. Corinthos make a better-looking couple than he and Julia would have.  She’s much too tall for him.”

 Brenda tried to talk to her father rationally.  “Daddy, there are a lot of other ways you could go with this merger, or even finding a successor.  Why not just hire a professional from the outside?”

 “Because, Brenda,” he explained, talking as though she were a 2-year-old, “an outsider won’t have the vested interest that Sonny will.  A family-run business always has more drive than a business run by an outsider.  Sonny will have more at stake in making Barrrett Industries financially secure.”

 Brenda tried to keep this on a business level.  “OK, so you name him as your successor.  That will give him part ownership in the business.  Won’t that be enough control?”

 “I already have the paperwork nearly in place.  The way it’s structured, when Sonny takes over for me, he’ll get 25% of Barrett Industries, with you, Julia, and I each retaining 25%.  When I finally decide to get out completely, my 25% will be divided giving you the largest share and a little to Julia and Sonny.  But he still won’t have controlling interest.  No one individual will.”

 Brenda sensed she was losing the battle.  “Fine.  I’m sure that I can vote my shares his way in most situations and then he’ll have enough for the controlling interest he needs.  Isn’t that enough?”

 “Brenda, be realistic.  Sonny is hungry, but he could also become greedy.  He could try to do anything in his power to cheat either of you girls out of your shares.  No, the way’s it’s set up, if he divorces you, he’ll never be able to get the shares he needs to have a controlling interest.”

 Brenda was ready to tear her hair out.  “This is…. Daddy this is something right out of the Middle Ages!  Arranged marriages went out with corsets and drawbridges!”

 But Harlan was not to be swayed.  “Darling, this will be the perfect set-up for you.  Look at you – you’re a successful businesswoman.  Work is your life.  Wealthy, assertive, powerful.  Be truthful, honey.  Surely you don’t picture yourself as a June Cleaver someday.  Barefoot and pregnant just doesn’t suit you, Brenda.”

 She glared at him, but he went on.  “Or, let’s take a look at your social life thus far.  You’re 25 years old, and have been exposed to most of the eligible bachelors in Port Charles.  You deal with important men around the world, some of whom have made their interest in you painfully clear.  Yet, do you have a boyfriend?  No.  Are you involved in a “relationship?”  No.  Have you experienced that wonderful thing your mother was so fond of spouting about – love?  I doubt it.”

Brenda’s thoughts strayed to Jax for a moment, but then she was brought back to reality by her father’s tirade.  “And I doubt that suddenly Mr. Right will just pop up at this late date.  You’ll have a marriage with all of the advantages socially and financially and none of the disadvantages.”

 Brenda’s face dropped as she realized his intent.  “Oh my God!  I get it!  You think I’m some kind of unfeeling monster, incapable of passion or love!  You think I’m frigid, too!”

 She grabbed her purse and slid out of the booth.  “Thanks for lunch, daddy, but I’ve suddenly lost my appetite.  I’ll send you a memo about that self-insured account.”

 Harlan followed Brenda out of the restaurant, not wanting to make any more of a scene than they already had.  He finally caught up to her in the lobby of the hotel and turned her around to face him again.

 “Brenda,” he hissed quietly, grabbing her by the arm.  “Don’t make a federal case out of this.  I’m sure that as soon as you go back to your office and consider it rationally, you’ll see that it will be best for all those involved.”

 “You listen to me, Harlan Barrett,” she said venomously.  “Just because I don’t sleep with every man who asks me, and just because I haven’t marched down the aisle like some ninny at the ripe old age of 25, it doesn’t mean that I’m going to turn out to be a spinster!  Maybe I’ll fall in love tomorrow, maybe a year from now, maybe never!  But I know that I’ll never marry any man I don’t love!  I’d rather die an old maid than that!  And I am not some bonus perk you can just include to sweeten some business deal!”

 For once Harlan was speechless.  Brenda looked around at the customers in the lobby who were already staring.  She suddenly had a delicious temptation, and couldn’t resist.  “Oh, and daddy, if you have any more doubts about whether or not I’m frigid,” she whispered sharply, “ why don’t you give Jasper Jacks a call!”  She spun on her designer heel and hit the swinging doors of the hotel lobby with a vengeance.  Harlan turned in embarrassment to the other patrons, shrugged his shoulders, smiled, and uttered one single word he knew they would take as an explanation.  “Hormones!!”
 

 When Brenda got back to her office, Keith could tell by the look on her face when she came in that it had not been a good lunch.  Best to look for that hiding place again.

 Brenda stormed back into her office, slammed the door, and plopped herself into her desk chair, swiveling to stare out the windows.  Why didn’t her father just tie a big red bow around her neck and give her to Sonny for Christmas?  When her phone rang, she spun back around, expecting it to be Harlan.

 “HELLO!!” she shouted into the phone.

 After a five-second silence, a low voice came through the receiver.  “I take it this is not a good time?”

 Her body visibly relaxed and she buried her forehead in her free hand.  “Jax, I’m sorry,” she sighed.

 “Problems at the office?” he asked gently.

 “Problems with my father,” she replied, gazing up at the flowers that had arrived earlier.  “Just something he and I have to work out.”  She switched gears.  “I got the flowers.  They are so amazing,” she crooned.

 There was that smile through the wires again.  “No more so than you are, love.  Are you sure you won’t tell me what the problem with Harlan is?”

 She leaned back in the chair.  “It’s a long story.  Bottom line is that he wants me to marry Sonny Corinthos.”

 “You’re kidding!” Jax sputtered.  “Why would he want you tied to that piece of slime?”

 “I don’t know.  Something about sealing a merger between Barrett Industries and Sonny’s operations.  It all seemed like something out of a grade B movie, so I didn’t pay attention to all of the details.  He told me that since I hadn’t had any significant romantic ties to anyone at this point in my life, he figured I never would.  He obviously believes the rumors that I’m physically and emotionally unable to love, so he thought a business marriage would suit me fine.”

 “What did you say?” Jax asked.

 “I told him there was no way I would marry Corinthos!”  Then she giggled a little and lowered her voice.  “And, I may have said something that I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t resist.”

 “Tell me.”

 “Well, as a parting shot, I told Harlan that if he had any questions about whether or not I was frigid, he should give you a call.”

 “Should I expect him to show up at my door toting a rifle and demanding that I make you an honest woman?” Jax snickered.

 “Jax, I don’t think you can even use the words “Harlan Barrett” and “honest” in the same sentence.  They contradict each other.  He probably didn’t even notice what I said, he was just so furious that I didn’t fall into line with his scheme.  Tell you what – let’s just forget about this whole thing, and you can tell me why you called in the first place.”

 “Well,” he said slowly, “I promised to take you to see Phantom tomorrow night, and I thought we might go to dinner first.  How about if I pick you up at about 5:30?”

 “Sounds like heaven to me,” she smiled.  “See you then.”

 As Brenda leaned back in her chair again and turned to face the windows, she tried to breathe evenly and think calmly.  She thought of Julia and Bill, and then John and Jane Jacks, and the love that was so obvious in their marriages.  Nope, there was no way she would ever marry someone who didn’t love her.  They would be having snowball fights in hell before she ever married Sonny Corinthos.

      To be continued…..
 Chapter 8
 

 By the time Wednesday night rolled around, Brenda had calmed herself from her encounter with her father.  She was so looking forward to her date with Jax that even her father’s plot to marry her off to the highest bidder couldn’t dampen her spirits.

 She took a long time going through her closet to find the right outfit to wear to the theater and dinner.  Since their weekend in the Hamptons, Brenda was finding most of her wardrobe drab and boring, and she had been on several shopping sprees during her lunch hours.  She had settled on a grey satin charmeuse suit for this evening, but added a pair of strappy silver sandals that made her legs look longer.  Beneath the suit, she wore a white satin blouse with a halter neckline that left almost her whole back bare.  There was a ruffle that went around her neck to a modest V-opening in the front of the blouse.  With the suit jacket on, there was no clue to the daring nature of the blouse.  She fixed her hair up in a knot on top of her head, leaving the curls fall down and pinning them in place.  She pulled out a few tendrils at her temples and curled them too.

 Promptly at 5:30, her front doorbell rang, and Brenda opened the door to find Jax smiling at her and holding a big bouquet of tropical flowers.

 “This is getting to be a habit with you, huh?” she asked innocently.

 “The flowers, or the company?” he returned, and stepped inside, but not before he carefully inspected her appearance.  He took in the way the grey complimented her dark features, but had no idea what awaited him when she would take off the jacket.

 She returned from putting the flowers in water, and extended his hand.  “Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”  Then he pulled her into his arms for a sizzling kiss.  It seemed natural to her now to open her lips to his thrusting tongue, and she felt her pulse rate start to soar.  He felt it too, and knew if they didn’t stop, they would never get to the restaurant on time.  He pulled back slowly and smiled at her.  “Shall we go?”
 

 They ate at a small Italian restaurant in Port Charles, at a secluded booth in the back.  Jax was attentive to her every word, and for a while, they discussed business problems that Brenda was having with her new account system.  Both carefully avoided mentioning Harlan Barrett, and the evening proceeded without a hitch.  During the main course of the meal, Brenda decided to test the waters and removed her jacket.  Jax’s eyes widened considerably at the expanse of bare flesh.

 “New acquisition, Ms. Barrett?” he asked devilishly.

 “Yes,” she answered, playing along with the analogy.  “Do you think it added value to my existing assets?”

 Jax drew in a sharp breath.  She was a fast learner.  “Do you really want me to tell you what I think of your assets?”  He whispered in her ear, and she blushed down to her toes.

 As Jax drank an after dinner brandy and Brenda was enjoying her coffee, she thought she might’ve gotten in over her head with this sensual game she had just learned to play.  He had been stroking her fingers lightly with his own during dinner, and once took her hand in his to press a kiss to her wrist at her pulse point.  His eyes had become like two fiery coals in the darkened room, and she was becoming her old insecure self.

 She lowered her head and looked shyly up at him.  “Do I have pasta sauce on my nose or something?”

 Jax shook his head and smiled.  “I must be losing my touch.  Here I thought I was sending you these smoldering, passionate glances, and you think I saw something funny?  Actually, I was just thinking about what I’d really like to do.”

 Brenda had to control her racing heart and breathing.  “What’s that?”

 He continued to stroke her hand, but now was tracing little patterns higher and higher on her arm, nearing the ruffled front of her blouse.  “I’d like to take you home and take your hair down, pin by pin.  Then, I’d like to kiss every square inch of that lovely back of yours, and make love to you for a very, very long time.”

 She looked down at her coffee, and then looked back up at him with eyes of brown velvet.  “Phantom is going to be in town for three weeks.  I can see it anytime.”

 {What a woman!}  “I was thinking exactly the same thing.”

 Jax handed some bills to the waiter and put his arm around Brenda’s waist possessively until they were safely in his car.  He leaned over to give her another passionate kiss.  “Bucket seats don’t exactly lend themselves to romance,” he said regretfully.

 They somehow controlled their urges for the long drive until they reached Brenda’s cottage.  She had kept her jacket off, and once they were inside the door, Jax pulled her into his arms and his hands roamed over her back, burning every inch of flesh they touched.  He traced little patterns lightly on her skin, and she whimpered into his ear as he nuzzled her neck.

 “Easy, love,” he whispered, “we have all night.”

 She pulled back from him and coyly took his hand and led him to her bedroom.  She lit one bedside lamp, casting an amber glow over the room.  She began to take down her hair, but he stopped her.

 “No,” he said hoarsely.  “Let me.”

 Standing behind her, he took out the hairpins one at a time.  Each time he did, he kissed the back of her neck, her arm, and finally turned her around to face him.  Her face was flushed, and she tried to get the pearl buttons on her blouse open to his teasing fingers.  When they wouldn’t give way, he took the blouse and pulled it apart, scattering the buttons.  “I’ll buy you another,” he growled, and began exploring every part of her with his fingers.

 She thought she would die from pleasure before every piece of their clothing was on the floor and they were in the bed.  Jax made good on his promise to kiss every square inch of her back, and when he began to trail kisses down her stomach to her thighs, Brenda’s moans were his undoing.  Brenda once again experienced the ultimate pleasure of his lovemaking, and Jax soon joined her in fulfillment.

 As they lay in the dim light, Brenda relished the warmth of his arms.  But soon, the insecure Brenda began to peek out again, and she looked up at his serene face.  “Jax?”

 “Hmmm..”

 “What are you thinking?”

 He took a deep breath.  “Actually, I wasn’t thinking at all.  I was just lying here in a state of blissful oblivion.”  He opened one eye.  “Why?”

 Brenda began to draw little circles on his chest.  “Oh, …. I was just wondering if you were wishing that I was Julia.”

 He tipped her face up to meet his intense gaze.  “Brenda, where did that come from?”

 She couldn’t face his look.  “Oh, I don’t know.  I just thought maybe you might be imagining that I was her when you were making love to me.”  She looked up again at him now with those dark brown liquid eyes.

 “Brenda, you should know that you and Julia are nothing alike.  And if I just wanted to make love to someone and pretend that they were Julia, then any warm body would do.  And I definitely prefer yours,” he said, snuggling next to her, trying to break this serious mood.

 But Brenda’s niggling doubts wouldn’t allow her to let it go.  “Yeah, but you have to admit that it’s kind of strange, me making love to a guy who’s really in love with my older sister.  Not really very healthy, Dr. Freud would say.”

 Jax ran his fingers through his hair.  “Brenda, can’t you just let it go?” he began, sounding very annoyed.

{Well, Brenda, now you’ve blown it.  Can’t you just accept happiness without looking for reasons?}  She was about to apologize and change the subject, when he let out a long breath, and caught her by surprise.

 “I’m sorry, Brenda.  You’ve allowed me into parts of your soul that nobody else has reached.  That entitles you to honesty on my part.  So, I’ll try to answer any questions you might have, but remember – I’m basically a gentleman and I don’t kiss and tell.”

 Brenda began cautiously.  “I remember one time when Julia and Bill had first started dating, they had a big fight.  Julia wasn’t sure of her feelings for Bill, and I encouraged her to go to you and have an affair.”  She looked down at her fingers, entwined with Jax’s on his chest.  “Did she … did you ….”

 Jax sighed.  “No, Brenda, we didn’t make love.  Julia came to me, yes.  But even though I tried things that would drive other women crazy …”

 “Like me,” Brenda said quietly.

 “Yes, love,” Jax returned.  “I hate to sound like a gigolo, but I’ve been around the block enough times to know how to touch a woman and what she likes and dislikes.  Anyway, when I tried it with Julia, she wouldn’t respond to me at all.  There was no connection there for us.”

 “Because she was in love with Bill,” Brenda supplied.

 Another big sigh.  “Probably.  So I sent her back to her Bill, since I could see that no matter how much I loved her, she didn’t love me back.  It was obvious that he held the lock on her heart.

 “So was it rough, seeing her the other night?” Brenda ventured.

 “I don’t know,” Jax said, running his fingers through his hair.  He looked down into her wide, trusting eyes.  “You want to know how I really feel about Julia?”  Brenda nodded.  Jax shook his head.  “There are times when I can’t even remember what she looks like.  Until the other night, I had been on the other side of the world, concerned with so many other things.  But then, there are times when I’m in a meeting or just watching the sunset, and I’ll get this huge ache in my chest missing her.  I’ll see her face in my mind’s eye, or turn to share a story with her, and I get this loneliness that doesn’t quit.  I just love her.”

 Brenda took a while to assimilate all of this, when a chuckle started deep in Jax’s chest.  “You know, all of this honesty has inspired me to make a confession to you, Ms. Barrett.”  As she gazed up into his crystal blue eyes, he stroked her cheek with his finger tenderly.  “I’m finding more and more each day that I really like you.”

 Brenda let out the breath she had been holding.  “Jax, you shouldn’t hand out outrageous compliments like that.  I might just swoon at your poetic nature,” she said sarcastically.

 He got defensive.  “Brenda, I mean that.  And it’s something I can’t say about many of the women I’ve slept with.”  After a long pause, he asked, “So, have you liked all of the men you’ve slept with?”

 Brenda waited for a minute, seemingly in deep thought.  “Nope.  Truthfully, I can’t say that I’ve liked either one of them.”

 Jax was flabbergasted.  “Just two?  There’s only been two?  Love, that just about qualifies you for sainthood around here.  Will you tell me about them?”

 Now it was Brenda’s turn to sigh.  “The first was a singer for our record label.  I had just gotten back to town from London with my new figure and I guess I was experimenting with my sexuality.  Lois and I had just started L&B Records, and one of the singers was more than willing to be more than just friends with management.”

 “What happened?” Jax asked gently.

 “The usual with superstars.  It’s hard for them to be constantly surrounded by groupies, throwing lingerie and keys to motel rooms.  When I found Miguel on tour in a hotel room with a fan, our relationship was history.  One thing I learned from Harlan Barrett – I don’t intend to play second fiddle to any other woman.”

 “Let me guess,” Jax supplied.  “You rebounded into the arms of some other jerk.”

 “Right again,” Brenda moaned.  “Except this time I wanted somebody who would be my man and not pay attention to any other woman.  So I picked this turkey who was in the police academy.  Jagger was only interested in me, all right.  Not only was he interested, he was obsessed.  He followed me night and day.  He accused me of having affairs with other men -- even Keith, my assistant, for God’s sake.”

 Jax was beginning to gently run his fingers down Brenda’s body in light patterns again.  “And I take it sex was not too great with him?”

 Brenda looked up at Jax with sad eyes.  “I guess for HIM it was.  He really didn’t care how it was for me.”  Jax’s silence indicated his understanding.  “So, after these two losers, I decided that maybe I wasn’t meant to be one of those women in the romance novels.  Maybe passion just wasn’t part of my personality.  I guess I heard the talk so many times about my being frigid that I started to believe it myself.”

 Suddenly, though, Brenda was finding it hard to breathe.  Jax’s fingers were still making interesting patterns, but no longer on her arm or stomach.  He could see the effect he was having on her, and he smiled mischievously.

 “Something wrong, love?”

 Brenda’s eyes had glazed over.  They were facing each other, and Jax loved to watch her eyes become liquid pools just at his touch.  He continued to touch her with the lightest, gentlest caresses, but soon she needed to hold onto his shoulders as her world was spinning on its axis.  He repeated the question.  “Something wrong, Brenda?”

 “Um…..were we talking about something?” she asked breathlessly, opening her eyes to look deeply into his.

 He smiled again.  “I believe you were saying that you decided sex wasn’t something you would enjoy.  So tell me,” he said as she gasped in pleasure and arched her back, “what is your opinion of sex now, Ms. Barrett?”

 “Can’t you tell?” she purred, as she rolled over on top of him.  “I think it’s absolutely mind-boggling!”  And then she proceeded to show him why.
 
 

    To be continued…..
TORN

Chapter 9

 The next few days were busy ones for Brenda.  Her father had her hopping with special projects for Barrett Industries, and the computer system she had designed had some minor blow-ups.  She was still getting settled into her cottage, and making minor repairs to the plumbing system and roof.

 By the following Monday, Brenda was getting to be a nervous wreck.  Lois was anxious to get together to go over L&B business, and Jax hadn’t called her since their aborted date to Phantom the previous Wednesday.  Brenda was worried that her insistence on discussing Julia may have alienated him in some way, although their “communication” that night after the Julia discussion was anything but distant.

 Brenda decided Monday afternoon to put her foot down, and informed Keith that she was going to L&B for the balance of the afternoon.  She was careful to leave her forwarding number with him, and program her cell phone for call forwarding, in case any “important” calls should come through.

 Lois was delighted to have Brenda all to herself for the afternoon, and they sat in the gatehouse, busily going over invoices and sales receipts for their clients CD’s.  As Brenda helped herself to her third marshmellow pinwheel cookie, Lois eyed her suspiciously.

 “Somethin’ wrong, Brenda?”

 “No,” she insisted, dropping a crumb in her lap.  “What makes you say that?”

 Just then the phone rang, and Lois answered.  “L&B Records.  Oh, yes, she is.  Just a moment.”  Lois went to hand her the phone, and Brenda almost took Lois’s hand off to get it in a split second.

 “Hello, Brenda Barrett, here,” she said, trying to control her voice.

 “Hello, dear.  This is Jane Jacks.  I hope this doesn’t inconvenience you, but your efficient assistant said I might find you here.”

 Brenda slumped into the sofa and took another miniature bite of her cookie.  “No, Mrs. Jacks, no problem at all.  What can I do for you?”

 “First of all, since you aren’t nine years old anymore, I think you can call me Jane instead of Mrs. Jacks.”  Brenda smiled at her candor.  “And you may not be so anxious to help me once you hear me out.  You may recall that the Jacks family throws a benefit each year for some worthy charity.”

 Another corporate donation request.  Great.  {Could you possibly donate your son Jasper to my own worth charity?}  “Sure, Jane, Barrett Industries would be happy to be a sponsor for your event.”

 “No, dear,” she sighed.  “I’m afraid it would be so simple if we just wanted your money.  You see, I want your body instead.”

 {And I want your son’s body, so we’re even.}  “Excuse me?”

 “Well, we thought that this year, we might have a carnival-type event instead of some stuffy old dinner dance.  You know, booths, games of chance, pony rides … kind of a homecoming picnic kind of thing.”

 “That sounds like fun, Jane.  Do you know which charity you’ll be spotlighting?”

 “It was actually my mother-in-law’s idea.  I believe Jax mentioned that you met Jerry’s finance the other night.  Well, Josie has become quite fond of Lucas, her son, and he has juvenile diabetes.  So, she suggested that we dedicate the carnival to raising money for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.”

 Brenda remembered the discussion they had about Josie’s love of her soon-to-be great-grandchild, and she was touched at the woman’s thoughtfulness.  “That is a marvelous idea, Jane.  How can I help?”

 “Well, we’re still in the planning stages, but I know I’ll need lots of volunteers to work in the various game booths.  I thought maybe we could have dinner sometime – the boys, Bobbie, you, John, Josie, and I – here at the house and discuss the arrangements.”

 Brenda was pleased that Jane was including her as Jax’s dinner partner.  She just wished he had informed her of it himself.

 “I’ll look forward to it, Jane.  Just let me know the date and I’ll put it on my calendar.”  She nodded into the phone.  “Thanks for calling.  ‘Bye.”

 Brenda looked up at Lois for the first time since the conversation began, and Lois was staring holes right through her.  “So that was ….?”

 Brenda handed her back the phone.  “Jane Jacks.  She wants me to help with the annual Jacks Family charity event.”

 “And she knew to call here because …?”

 Brenda pretended indignation.  “I told Keith to forward my calls here this afternoon.  Is that a problem?”

 Lois played with one of her manicured fingernails.  “No, but it wouldn’t have anything to do with one certain Captain Blue Eyes, would it?”

 Brenda tried to be nonchalant.  “Well, Jax and I have been dating a little.”

 Lois squealed with delight.  “Brenda!  That’s great!  That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?  But wait – how can you two be dating if he still has a major heartache for Julia?”

 “That’s just it, Lois.  It isn’t anything serious.  It’s just … fun.”

 “Yeah, right,” Lois snorted.  “And I’ll buy that oceanfront property you have in Denver, too.”  Her eyes widened in understanding.  “Brenda, you’ve fallen for him, haven’t you?”

 Brenda took another cookie and nibbled on it.  “I don’t know, Lois.  I don’t know what to think.  I’m don’t think I love him, but I’ve never really loved any man, so how do I know how it feels?  All I know is that being with him is just unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced.  When we’re together I feel free, and happy.  I can be myself and say things that daddy would have a fit to hear.”

 Lois seized on Brenda’s momentary pause to take a breath.  “And is he positively yummy in bed?”

 “LOIS!!” Brenda exclaimed, then they both lapsed into giggles.  “Do you know I’m 25 years old and I’ve never enjoyed sex before this?”

 “I knew it!  I knew you two would hit it off!”

 “Yeah,” Brenda said, “but what can I expect from the relationship?  I know he’s still majorly hung up on Julia.  So I try to keep things light, and not expect too much.  But now…”

 “Now what?” Lois asked gently.

 “I haven’t heard from him in almost a week.  I don’t know if I said something stupid, or he just lost interest, or what.”

 “Which is why you almost hit the ceiling when the phone rang before.”  Brenda nodded.  “Listen, girlfriend, I don’t know that much about Jax except what Ned tells me about his business dealings.  But I know you, and I saw your sister Julia at that birthday shindig, and she can’t hold a candle to you.  If you really decided you wanted Jax to fall in love with you, he would forget old Jules in a heartbeat.”  Then she took a cookie herself.  “Men!!”

 “What do you mean?” Brenda asked.

 “I could kill old Captain Blue Eyes for upsetting you like this.  To see the mighty Brenda Barrett, reduced to a sniveling simpleton waiting for the phone to ring.”  Lois took another bite of cookie.  “Well, there’s only one strategy for you, slugger.”

 “What’s that, coach?”

 “If he’s the only one you really ever wanted and he makes you happy, I say you should go after him.  You know, put the moves on him yourself.  Throw him off balance.”

 Brenda looked at Lois like she had 3 heads.  “You mean, I should call him?”

 “Yes, Brenda, this is the 20th century, you know – almost the 21st, for goodness sake.”

 “Oh, no, Lois, I couldn’t do that.  I would freeze up, and wouldn’t know what to say.”

 “He’s been playing a game with you, Bren, and you need to get the ball back in your court.  He’s been toying with you, making you wait until he calls, and then when he does, you’re so thankful that you don’t even realize that you should be mad as hell at him for acting like such a slob!  He’s made you want him, now you should make him want you back!”

 Lois thought a moment, and then an idea formed.  “OK,” she said, tapping a fingernail against her lips, “you don’t want to use the telephone because you’re too shy.  I know – go to see him in person!”

 “You mean like at the penthouse?”

 “Sure, it works for me.  And be sexy, provocative, seductive.  Let him know that you’re a great catch and he can’t afford to take the chance of losing you.”

 Brenda shook her head.  “I still don’t think I could, Lois.  I mean, why would I be at the penthouse in the first place?  And if I act sexy and alluring, I might as well wear a big sign around my neck that says, “I’m here and you’re bed’s 50 feet away.  What should we do about it?”  That’s just not me.”  She paused for a moment, then looked at Lois with panic on her face.  “Or even worse, what if he has another woman there?  Maybe that’s why he hasn’t called – he got tired of me and found somebody new!”

 “Brenda, chill out, girl!  How much caffeine have you had today?” Lois asked, trying to boost Brenda’s confidence.  “From what you tell me about the way you two have hit it off, I’m sure he won’t have another woman there.  But, we won’t go that route if it bothers you.  Now think, where else does he hang out?”

 Brenda thought a minute, and a smile slowly spread across her face.  “Well, I could go to his office.  We actually have been discussing this new computer system that he would like to adapt for J&J Jacks.”

 Lois got caught up in the plan.  “And you might just want to show him some of those long sheets of paper that the computer spits out ….”

 “Some printouts!”  Brenda leaned across and hugged Lois, upsetting the plate of cookies.  “Lo, you are a genius!”  She jumped up and grabbed her purse and briefcase.  “I just need to make one stop at the office first to get a new blouse that I bought at lunch yesterday.  I’ll call you later – or if I’m successful, maybe I won’t!!!”

 Lois shook her head.  She was ecstatic to see Brenda so relaxed and happy for a change.  And now that she was gone, she would have the rest of the cookies to herself!
 
 

 Brenda made a quick stop at her office to explain to a bewildered Keith that she was taking the rest of the day off and not to forward any of her calls unless they were life-and-death emergencies.  After changing her blouse and grabbing a handful of computer printouts, she headed to the other side of the building to the J&J Jacks offices.

 She was nervous as she rode up in the elevator, but still felt Lois had been right in her assessment of the situation.  After all, even if Jax was cruel enough to turn down her overture, it still couldn’t be worse than not hearing from him and sitting on pins and needles for a call that might not have come.

 She was shown through several outer offices until she came to a desk manned by a human tornado.  Brenda put out her hand.  “Hi, I’m Brenda Barrett.  You must be Jax’s assistant, V.”

 V looked confused but cordial.  “Hi, Miss Barrett.  Oh…. I remember.  The hot house flowers.  Nice to meet you in person.  How did you know about me?”

 “I saw some of Jax’s sketches and he mentioned that you were teaching him to draw.  You must be an excellent teacher, because they’re quite good for a beginner.”

 “Well,” she said self-consciously, “I think he has a lot of innate talent, or else the best teacher in the world couldn’t make a difference.”  She fumbled with her calendar.  “Do you have an appointment this afternoon with Mr. Jax?”

 “Actually, no, but I thought I would drop by and discuss a few of these printouts with him.”  {And try to seduce him.}  “Is he busy right now?”

 V smiled.  “No, actually he’s in one of those “If you want to stay alive, hold my calls and leave me alone” kind of moods.  I was actually just going to be brave and stick my head inside to tell him I’m leaving for the day.  Want to come along?”

 Brenda took a deep breath.  It was all or nothing now.  “Sure.”

 V grabbed a purse from under the desk and a few files.  She motioned for Brenda to follow her, and she cautiously pushed open one of the large double doors to Jax’s office.

 Inside, Jax was sitting at his desk, massaging his temples.  He had been trying to concentrate on the file before him, but his attention span today had been extremely short.  When he closed his eyes, a woman’s face appeared to him, smiling and beckoning him to come with her.  Julia.

 But wait.  When did Julia’s hair turn dark, and when did her eyes become that rich, chocolate brown that kept enticing him?  Wasn’t she taller?  He shook his head, trying to clear the image, as he had for days.  But the same petite brunette kept haunting his dreams.

 When he heard the noise coming from the doors to his office, his eyes shot open, and he saw V’s face peeking around the corner.  “Mr. Jacks, I’ll be leaving for the evening now, unless there’s anything else.”

 Jax gave a big sigh.  “No, V, I’m just going to stay here and try to get through a little more of this correspondence.  I’ll probably just order in something for dinner.  You go ahead.”

 V nodded.  “Oh, and Mr. Jacks, Ms. Barrett is here to see you.”  She stepped back and Brenda poked her head through the door.

 “Is this a bad time?”

 Jax almost had a heart attack.  How did she get from his daydream fantasies to his office door so quickly?

 “No, uh, not at all, Brenda.”  He stood and straightened his tie and jacket.  “What can I do for you?”

 Brenda smiled her thanks at the departing V and closed the door behind her.  “Well, we really didn’t get to discuss that printout of the payment system the other day, so I thought since I had some extra time this afternoon ….”

 Jax extended his hand to the empty chair in front of his desk.  {Don’t let her see you sweat, Jax.  Be cool.}  Who was he kidding?  He had been kicking himself for not calling her for the past four days.  He wanted to keep it light, noncommittal, nothing hinting at exclusivity.  But he had been aching for her ever since that night they skipped the theater, and it pained him to admit it.

 Brenda took a seat in the chair.  Jax sat back down behind his desk and glanced back down at the file open before him.  She took one of the printouts.  “Well, if you want to look at this one, you can see how it tracks the self-insured portion as opposed to the traditional insurance payments made by a third party ….”  Jax nodded his head in vacant agreement, but his eyes still didn’t meet hers.

 D*mn.  He wasn’t going to make this easy for her.  {Well, Brenda, you’ve come this far.  Don’t back out on it now.}  She took a deep breath, and then dropped the stack of printouts on his desk on top of the file he was perusing.  It made a puff of air, and he looked up at her in surprise.

 She stood slowly in front of him and began to remove her suit jacket.  “You know, I think I know what our problem is.”  He swallowed hard as she removed the jacket, and she had to restrain herself from giving away her plan too quickly.  “I’ve found that I have to be completely comfortable when I’m trying to decipher these computer printouts.  Do you mind?”

When she removed the jacket of her ivory suit, she revealed a soft chiffon lilac blouse.  It was frilly and feminine, as were others he had seen on her lately, but there was a noticeable difference.  The fabric was very sheer, and he could plainly see that she only had on a thin camisole under it.  He could see the soft outlines of her breasts, and the dark shadows of their centers under the fabric.  As she moved to remove the jacket, the fabric rubbed against her breasts, causing an immediate physical reaction.

 Suddenly, there was a loud CRACK!!!

 Brenda and Jax both looked down at his desktop to see that he had snapped the pen he was holding in half and ink was spilling all over his fingers.

 Brenda smiled to herself.  {Plan’s working.}

 “Oh, Jax, be careful of the printouts!” she said, trying not to smirk.  She took a tissue from a box on the desk and leaned over to try to wipe ink off the papers and his fingers.

 {D*mn!  How did I do that?  You idiot, Jax, you know d*mn well how and you know d*mn well why!!}

 Brenda was really getting into the plan, now, and was wiping the ink from his fingers  v..e..r..y   s ..l..o..w..l..y  as she leaned over the desk very close to him.  “Now, I think that’s mostly cleaned up.  See, I think I can concentrate much better on these things when I’m a little cooler.  Don’t you think this is better?”

 Jax mumbled incoherently.  “Hmm…. yes….better…”

 She went to sit back down, but then seemed to think about the situation and rose to her feet again.  “Well, I can see I haven’t solved the problem completely.”  She went around the desk to his side and pulled him to his feet.  Standing so close that she barely touched his chest, she undid his tie and pulled it from around his neck.  She then undid the first two buttons of his shirt.

 {Jax, old man, did you forget to tell V to turn on the air conditioning in here today?  When did it get so warm in here?}

 Brenda was ready for the final touch.  She threaded her hands under the lapels of his jacket to push it barely off his shoulders, and then walked around behind him to remove it completely.  He closed his eyes, and then felt her slide the jacket down his arms.  She leaned in very close to him, pressing her body up against the back of his slightly sweat-dampened starched shirt.  “Now, don’t you think you can concentrate better if you’re more comfortable?”  His control snapped.

 He turned around to face her, and found her cheshire grin right before he buried his hands in her hair and pulled her to him.  He took her breath away with his kiss, plunging his tongue deep in her mouth.  When he pulled back, still breathing raggedly, he found his passion reflected in her eyes.  As she pulled her blouse out from her skirt, he couldn’t wait for her to undo the buttons and he slid his hands under it to find what he had been wanting.  “Sweet, Brenda,” he muttered, as he took love bites of her neck and she grabbed his shoulders to steady her spinning world.

 He pulled back once more, turned to his desk, and swept the files and papers off in one motion.  Turning back to Brenda, he lifted her into his kiss, and set her down on the desk.  She pulled at his shirt, anxious to get at his bare chest, scattering the buttons as she did.  “I need you, Brenda,” he growled, and he proceeded to lay her back on the desk.

 “Jax, wait,” she said once, the shy Brenda returning.  “Is everyone gone for the day?”

 He gave her a devilish grin.  “That’s your problem, love.  You’re the noisy one!”

 They proceeded to make love quickly and passionately, and finally lay spent on the floor behind his desk.  She lay in his arms, her back to his chest, her blouse undone and partially pushed off her shoulders.

 “Are you OK?” he asked, when both of their breathing had returned to normal.

 Brenda was slow to answer.  He could feel her smile.  “No, I’m dead.”

 He smiled himself.  “Ahhh, but what a way to go.”

After a few seconds, he got another mischievous grin on his face and his fingers began to wander as he leaned down and blew in her ear.  He could feel the vibrations of her soft moan.  “Nope, you’re not dead.”  Then he stroked her hair lovingly. “Brenda, Brenda, why didn’t I find you sooner?  You are just full of surprises.”

 Brenda chuckled softly.  “Well, if you’re heaping that praise on me for today’s performance, I have to admit something.  It wasn’t my idea.”

 Jax turned her to look into his eyes.  “Don’t tell me Harlan sent you here and this is his new idea of corporate negotiations?”

 Brenda shook her head as she giggled at the notion.  “No, Lois and I had a long girl talk, and she was the one who gave me the idea.”

 Jax again turned her up to have his full attention.  “But you were the one who had the honesty and guts to go through with it.  You are one charming vixen, Ms. Barrett.”

 Brenda carefully filed the words away in her heart.  If she hadn’t fallen before, it was becoming more and more difficult to not fall in love with this incredible man.  He suddenly sat up straight.

 “I’ve got a great idea.  I need to go out to the coast to handle a business problem first-hand for a couple of days, but I’ll have a lot of free time, too.  I have a beach house in Malibu not too far from our offices.  Want to come with me?”

 Brenda’s brilliant smile was all the answer he needed.
 

      To be continued……