“Jack?” she called, laying her head to his shoulder.
“Hmm?” Jack took in the scent of her hair, fresh like flowers.
“Nothing. Just…
Jack.” she whispered against his neck, and her cool breath sent delightful shivers down his back.
“It’s cold out here.” he grinned, pulling her reluctantly back away from him. “Let’s get inside where it’s warm.” he suggested, and he took her hand, and led her into the warmth of the building.
Feeling like a gentleman, Jack seated Lilly on her usual side of the table before he seated himself. He ordered their usual, black coffee, which Lilly never seemed to touch, he noticed.
“I hope I didn’t, uh, hurt your feelings earlier. I really did have to work.” Jack apologized. Lilly smiled.
“I understand.” she let him know, and he returned her smile. God, she was beautiful, he thought, and her smile intensified as if she had read his thoughts. She ducked her head, and golden waves covered her eyes and face. Jack reached forward and brushed the silky waves back into place. He met her gaze when she looked up and held on. They stared at each other a long moment, and then they both chuckled in amusement.
“Why do you stay out so late?” he asked, taking a sip of his coffee.
“I enjoy my solitude. I find that best at night, I suppose.” She replied with a shrug of her slender shoulders.
“And your family doesn’t worry for your safety while you are out patrolling these streets?” Jack asked, and she lowered her head.
“I have no family left, Jack.” She told him. “My mother died when I was five years old. I barely recall her face. My father and older brother died soon after. I was sent to live with an aunt, my mother’s sister. I lived with her until I was eighteen. She was never kind to me or showed me any warmth.” she shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “She died soon after.” Lilly looked away, and Jack worried that he had stuck his foot in his mouth.
“I’m sorry.” he began, but she cut him off with a quick smile.
“It’s fine. It was a long time ago.” she assured him.
“It couldn’t have been that long. You don’t look much older than eighteen now.” he grinned as if teasing her, but truth be told, she did look very young. How old was she anyway?
“I’m older than I appear to be, Jack.” She said with a smile.
“Good. Then I don’t have to worry about going to jail.” he teased, and she grinned.
“No.” She agreed.
“Was it your aunt who told you the stories of your grandmother?” Jack asked, recalling the story Lilly had related to him some nights ago. Lilly ducked her head.
“I’m sorry. Tough subject?” he asked, reaching across the table, and taking her hand in his he turned it palm up and traced the small lines within her palm with his index finger.
“I would rather speak of something else tonight, if you don’t mind?” she took his other hand in hers, and turned the tables on him, stroking his palm now, instead of the other way around. Jack felt something like a shock wave go through him as the soft tips of her fingers caressed his hand, and it was all he could do to stay seated.
“Is New York a permanent residence for you?” he found himself asking, and at the shake of her head, his heart seemed to plummet into his stomach.
“I’m a traveler, I suppose. I never stay long in one place, Jack.” she told him.
“Then you’ve seen the world?”
“Much of it
, yes.” Lilly agreed as she met and held his gaze. “You’re thinking of money and how our salaries compare.” she accused, and it was his turn to duck his head.
“You just reminded me of how different our worlds are.” Jack confessed.
“My coming from wealth and privilege, and you, from the upper middle class?” she cocked a sexy blonde brow at him, and Jack tried hard to keep his lust in check.
“Upper?” he argued, and she tilted her head to a side.
“Privileged?” she challenged, and he grinned.
“Weren’t you?” he counter-challenged.
“I suppose I am now.” she relented. “But everything I have wasn’t handed to me on a silver platter, Jack. I do work.”
“Yes. You’re an artist.” Jack filled in. “Talented and wealthy.” he smiled, but he was feeling more than a little inadequate here.
Lilly narrowed her gaze on him. “And what of your talents?”
“My talents?”
“Yes. Your puzzle solving skills. I read up on you as well, Jack Stone. I know of the medals and awards you’ve received over the years. I know how you served in Iraq for three years before returning here to New York City to continue on as a Homicide Detective. I hear you’re quite a good aim with a gun as well.” Lilly listed off his qualities, all of which sounded like a pile of mud next to hers. Lilly rolled her eyes heavenward. “You don’t know your own worth, Jack Stone!” she hissed, and he grinned over at her.
“And I’m afraid to know yours.” He confessed, pulling her toward him, and leaning over the table to kiss her softly. “I want you to meet my brother.” he said suddenly, and she started to pull back, as if suddenly uncomfortable.
“I…uh…”
“I, uh, what?” Jack mocked playfully. “You want me to arrange something for this weekend? Friday you say?” he put to her, and she smiled with a shake of her head.
“We’ll see.” she gave in partly. It was enough for now, Jack thought, and he leaned in to kiss her once more.
“You never touch your coffee.” he mentioned when the kiss broke. Lilly looked down at her cooling cup of coffee, still full to the rim. She looked into Jack’s eyes, and smiled. “I don’t drink coffee.” she confessed, and they laughed together.
“No?” Jack scoffed teasingly. “Then how did I meet you in a coffee shop?”
“I saw you through the window, and had to meet you.” Lilly admitted.
“Because I look like your grandmother’s painting?” Jack asked, not sure he liked this part so much.
“Yes.’ Lilly agreed.
“And you still believe I’m your Jackson reincarnated?” Jack teased. Lilly smiled, meeting and holding his gaze.
“Aren’t you?” she asked, leaning in close, her lips hovering dangerously close to his.
“Darling, I’ll be whoever you want me to be.” Jack said huskily, and then he kissed her, kissed her until he was breathless with it.
Chapter sixteen
After coffee, Jack drove Lilly home and somehow he found himself standing in the front parlor of her home. It was an elegantly decorated room with rich woven rugs and tapestries that belonged in castles of old. The furniture was Victorian with high-backed, velvet-covered sofas and chairs with hand-sculpted arms and legs. The furniture in this room probably cost more than his brother’s house, Jack thought uncomfortably! A man in his late seventies to early eighties dressed in a penguin suit greeted them at the door and took Jack’s leather jacket.
“Good evening, sir. May I take your jacket?” The butler, Reginald, if Jack had it right, had asked with a dignified bow. Two other men were there as well, younger men in their mid-twenties, handsome, solidly built men that made Jack wonder what the h
ell they were doing there. He cocked a brow in their direction.
“My grandsons, Josh and Troy Meiser.” Reginald introduced the young men, who stepped forward to shake Jack’s hands.
“We work as Lillian’s bodyguards, not that she ever takes us anywhere.” The dark haired young man by the name of Troy commented as he shook Jack’s hand.
“Mostly we hang around the manor and twiddle our thumbs.” Josh added with a grin that caused dimples to sink into both of his cheeks.
“But we do get paid well for it.” Troy said with a wink to Lilly. Jack’s gut tightened.
“Bodyguards?” he cocked a brow curiously in Lilly’s direction.
“One can never be too careful.” She said, and she motioned for him to follow her. They joined in another room, a larger room, with more rich, woven rugs, tapestries, and fine furnishings. This room also had a stone fireplace, this one as big as Jack’s car, Jack thought in amazement. It was entirely made of huge, gray stones that did indeed look as if they had been carted in from some far away castle. Above the mantel there was a painting of a dark haired woman with amazing sapphire eyes.
“Who is that?” Jack nodded toward the painting.
“Lady Gina.” It was Reginald who answered. “She was like a second mother to my Lillian.”
“Your Lillian?” Jack asked, taking the crystal glass of Brandy that
Troy brought to him, and staring down into the amber liquid.
“Forgive me. I tend to think of My Lady as a daughter.” Reginald smiled awkwardly, showing a remarkable mouth of white, straight teeth.
“How do you know Miss Lillian?” Troy was the one to ask, sounding protective of Lilly. Jack didn’t like it.
“We met in a coffee shop.” Jack met Lilly’s gaze from across the room. She had settled
on a high-backed, blue velvet-covered sofa, tucking her legs beneath her elegantly and sitting straight with her hands in her lap. She nodded to the chair across from her, and Jack sat down, feeling more uncomfortable the longer that he stayed there in such lavish surroundings.
“Jack doesn’t like the fact that I have money.” Lilly announced from out of nowhere. “He is uncomfortable here.”
Jack noticed when Josh and Troy exchanged a snicker at his expense. He looked to Lilly accusingly. “They are just things, Jack, things of little importance.” she assured him.
Things that I will never be able to buy for you, Jack thought, and he stood to his tall height. Handing his brandy back to
Troy, he nodded to Lilly. “It’s late.” he said in dismissal, turning to leave.
“I’ve injured your feelings?” Lillian acknowledged, looking up at him.
“No.” He lied. “It’s late.” he said tightly, and he nodded to each of the three men. “Goodnight, Lilly.” he said, not looking at her, and he turned to leave, but the butler jumped forward and blocked Jack’s path.
“I’ll just get your coat, sir.” Reginald said hurriedly.
Jack had made it all the way out the front door, and had shrugged back into his jacket when Lilly opened the front door, and stepped out into the moonlight.
“Jack.” She called, and he turned fully to face her. “I’m sorry. I know that this bothers you.” she said, motioning around her. “I just wanted you to know that it doesn’t bother me, that I wish it didn’t bother you.” she told him, and he stood there staring at her. She was so damn beautiful, he thought, and she ducked her head, hiding her face from him. Jack stepped forward and brushed her hair aside. Leaning in, he kissed her forehead, and brushed his hand along the side of her soft, beautiful face. Her amazing blue eyes lifted to meet his. “Don’t let this bother you, Jack.” she said, almost pleading.
“I’m trying not to.” He replied, and he smiled down at her. Taking a step in to her, he ran his hands slowly up and down her arms. “Friday?” he asked, and she looked up sharply. “Now who’s uncomfortable?” he accused, and she forced a smile.
“I’ll pick you up at seven.” he told her, and he didn’t give her time to respond. Instead, he kissed her quickly, and walked away.
Lillian watched Jack Stone until he was safely in his
car and driving down the drive.
“Well. That was interesting.”
Troy called from behind her. It was only a few hours until sunrise. Lillian had not fed this night, but she had fed enough the night before to last her a week or more. She would hunt as little as possible, she thought. Being with Jack Stone, associating with him, touching him, kissing him, and being held by him was making her feel, well almost human again.
“Was it?” she replied, and she stepped back inside her home, and shut and locked the door behind her.
“So who is this Jack Stone?” Troy, the more aggressive of the two brothers, asked point blank as he led Lillian back into the drawing room.
“He’s a detective with the police de
partment. He’s working the murders.” Lillian said awkwardly.
“I see. So, you’re keeping your enemies close?”
Troy said as if she were a genius.
“Jack Sto
ne is not my enemy.” Lillian spit out.
“You fancy this man.” Reginald stated, and Lillian looked up meeting the old man’s dark eyes.
“I do.” she confessed, and Josh sucked in his breath.
“Fancy, as in want to…m
ake a meal out of?” he asked in a shaky tone.
“I don’t bring my dinner home, Josh.” Lillian said as she sat back down on her sofa, and stroked the finely carved arm.
“Then you like him, like him?” Josh asked not understanding. Troy chuckled beneath his breath. Reginald smiled from ear to ear.
“Tell me everything.” Reginald insisted, and for once in a very long time, he sat in her presence, taking the seat across from Lillian. Lillian smiled gently.
“When I was young, having just left mortality.” she began, and Troy and Josh gathered around close. The crackling of the fire in the fireplace sounded, and all four sets of eyes turned to stare at the orange glow of the fire for an entranced moment. “Gina and I were aboard a ship leaving from England to the Americas. We were fleeing, as I being a newborn to immortality, had done something foolish, and had exposed us.” she told the men, seeing that she had their undivided attention. “The ship, the Elisabeth II, had been at sea but a few days when I met a man too beautiful for words. Gina warned me against this man. She could read of him his true character, and also I would discover later, she had had a past with him. Being so young, I would not heed her advice.”