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CHAPTER TWELVE
SATISFACTION, EMMA DECIDED, WENT A LONG WAY TO STAMPING out worry. The look in Jack's eyes when she opened the door was exactly what she'd aimed for.
"I need a moment of silence," he told her, "to offer up thanks. "
She gave him a slow, sultry smile. "Then let me say you're welcome. Do you want to come in?"
Closing the distance, he trailed his fingers over her shoulder, down her arm. Those smoky eyes stayed fixed on hers. "I'm just having this thought about how I come in and we forget about the opening. "
"Oh no. " She nudged him back, and stepped out. Handing him the wrap, she turned her back, glanced around as he draped it over her shoulders. "You promised me strange paintings, lousy wine, and soggy canapes. "
"We could go back inside. " He leaned down to nuzzle her neck. "I'll sketch some erotic drawings, we'll drink good wine, and call out for pizza. "
"Choices, choices," she said as they walked to his car. "Art opening now, erotic sketches later. "
"If we must. " But he stopped at the car to draw her into a luxurious kiss. "I like the way you look, which is amazing. "
"That was the plan. " She stroked her hand over the slate gray sweater he wore under a leather jacket. "I like the way you look, Jack. "
"Since we look so good I guess we'd better go be seen. " When he got behind the wheel he sent her an easy smile. "How was the weekend?"
"Jammed, as advertised. And successful, since Parker talked the clients into renting the tents for Saturday. When it rained, everybody stayed dry. Even better, we scrabbled around for more candles and some of my emergency supply of flowers so we had all this soft light and fragrance while the rain pattered on the tent. It was really lovely. "
"I wondered how that worked out. I was out on new construction Saturday afternoon, and we didn't. Stay dry, that is. "
"I like spring rains. The way they sound, the way they smell. Not all brides feel the same, but we managed to make this one really happy. And how was Poker Night?"
He scowled at the road as his headlights cut through the dark. "I don't want to talk about it. "
She laughed. "I heard Carter cleaned your clock. "
"The guy hustled us with all that 'I'm not much of a card player' routine, and that open, honest face. He's a shark. "
"Yes, oh yes, Carter's a real shark. "
"You haven't played cards with him. Believe it. "
"Sore loser. "
"Damn right. "
Amused, she leaned back in the seat. "So, tell me a little about this artist. "
"Ah . . . yeah, I should do that. " During a beat of silence, he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "A friend of a client. I think I mentioned that. "
"You did. " She'd meant the art itself, but she caught enough in his tone to zero in. "And a friend of yours?"
"Sort of. We went out a couple of times. A few times. Maybe several. "
"Ah. I see. " Though her interest spiked, she kept her tone casual. "She's an ex. "
"Not exactly. We weren't . . . It was more we hooked up for a few weeks. More than a year ago. Closer to two, actually. It was just a thing, then it wasn't. "
His uneasiness struck her as both interesting and flattering. "If you're looking at this as boggy ground, Jack, you don't need to. I've had my suspicions you've slept with other women. "
"It's true. I have. And Kellye - she spells it with an 'e' on the end - is one of them. She's . . . interesting. "
"And artistic. "
His lips twitched, intriguing her. "You be the judge. "
"So, why did the thing stop being a thing, or is that too awkward a question?"
"It got a little too intense for me. She's an intense sort, and high-maintenance. "
"Required too much attention?" Emma asked, with just a hint of cool.
"Required is a good word for it. Anyway, it stopped being a thing. "
"But you stayed friendly. "
"Not so much. But I ran into her a couple months ago, and we were okay. Then she got in touch about her opening, and I figured it wouldn't hurt to go. Especially since you're here to protect me. "
"Do you often need protection from women?"
"All the time," he said and amused her again.
"Don't you worry. " She patted his hand on the gear shift. "I'm here for you. "
After he'd parked, they walked through the cool spring evening in a breeze that fluttered the ends of her wrap. The little shops she enjoyed browsing were already closed, but the bistros did brisk business. A number of diners braved the chill for a chance to eat outside with candles flickering on tables. She smelled roses and red sauce.
"You know what I haven't done for you?" Emma began.
"I have a list, but I figured I'd work up to some of the more interesting items. "
She poked him with her elbow. "Cook. I'm a good cook when I have time. I'll have to seduce you with my fajitas. "
"Anytime, anywhere. " He stopped in front of the gallery. "Here we are. Are you sure you wouldn't rather cook?"
"Art," she said, and breezed inside.
No, not really, she thought immediately. The first thing she saw other than a number of people standing around looking intense was a large white canvas with a single, wide, blurry line of black running down the center.
"Is it a tire tread? A single tire tread on a white road, or a division of . . . something?"
"It's a black line on a white canvas. And we're going to need drinks," Jack decided.
"Mmm-hmm. "
While he left her to find some, Emma wandered. She studied another canvas holding a twisted black chain with two broken links titled Freedom . Another boasted what seemed to be a number of black dots, which on closer inspection proved to be a scattering of lowercase letters.
"Fascinating, isn't it?" A man in dark-framed glasses and a black turtleneck stepped up beside her. "The emotion, the chaos. "
"Uh-huh. "
"The minimalist approach to intensity and confusion. It's brilliant. I could study this one for hours, and see something different each time. "
"It depends on how you arrange the letters. "
He beamed at her. "Exactly! I'm Jasper. "
"Emma. "
"Have you seen Birth ?"
"Not firsthand. "
"I believe it's her best work. It's just over there. I'd love to hear what you think. "
He touched a hand to her elbow - testing, she knew - as he gestured. "Can I get you some wine?"
"Actually . . . I have some," she said when Jack joined them and offered her a glass. "Jack, this is Jasper. We were admiring Babel ," she added when she found the title.
"A confusion of language," Jack supposed and dropped a light, possessive hand on Emma's shoulder.
"Yes, of course. If you'll excuse me. "
"Busted his bubble," Jack added when Jasper slunk off. Testing the very bad wine, he studied the canvas. "It's like one of those magnet kits people buy for their refrigerator. "
"Thank God. Thank God. I thought you actually saw something. "
"Or somebody dropped the Scrabble tiles. "
"Stop. " She had to suck in a breath to stop a laugh. "Jasper finds it brilliant in its minimalist chaos. "
"Well, that's Jasper for you. Why don't we just - "
"Jack!"
Emma turned to see a six-foot redhead, arms outflung, burst through the crowd. She wore snug black that showed miles of legs, a pencil-thin body offset by high, firm breasts that almost poured out of the scooped-neck of her top. She jangled from the clanging of a dozen silver bangles on her arm. And nearly mowed Emma down as she threw her arms around Jack to fix her murderous red mouth to his.
The best Emma could do was grab Jack's wineglass before it upended.
"I knew you'd come. " Her voice was low, and nearly a sob. "You don't know what it means to me. You can't know. "
"Ah," he said.
"Most of these people, they don't know me. They haven't been in me. "
Jesus. Christ. "Okay. Let's just . . . " He tried untangling himself, but her arms tightened around his neck like a garrote. "I wanted to stop by and say congratulations. Let me introduce you to . . . Kellye, you're cutting off my oxygen. "
"I've missed you. And tonight means so much, now so much more. " Dramatic tears glimmered in her eyes; her lips quivered with emotion. "I know I can get through tonight, the stress, the demands , now that you're here. Oh, Jack, Jack, stay close to me. Stay close. "
Any closer, he thought, and he would be in her. "Kellye, this is Emmaline. " Desperate now, Jack gripped Kellye's wrists to unlock them from his neck. "Emma . . . "
"It's wonderful to meet you. " Cheerful, enthusiastic, Emma offered a hand. "You must - "
Kellye stumbled back as if stabbed, then whirled on Jack. "How dare you! How could you? You'd bring her here? Throw her in my face? Bastard!" She ran, shoving her way through the fascinated crowd.
"Okay, this was fun. Let's go. " Jack grabbed Emma's hand and pulled her to the door. "Mistake. Big mistake," he said when he managed a good gulp of fresh air. "I think she punctured my tonsils with her tongue. You didn't protect me. "
"I failed you. I'm so ashamed. "
He narrowed his eyes as he pulled her along the sidewalk. "And you think that was funny. "
"I'm a bitch, too. Coldhearted. More shame. " She had to stop, just stop and howl with laughter. "God, Jack! What were you thinking?"
"When a woman has the power to puncture a man's tonsils with her tongue, he stops thinking. She also has this trick where she . . . And I almost said that out loud. " He dragged a hand through his hair as he studied her glowing face. "We've been friends too long. It's dangerous. "
"In the spirit of friendship, I'm going to buy you a drink. You deserve it. " She took his hand. "I didn't believe you when you said she got too intense and so on. I figured you were just being the usual no-commitment guy. But intense is way too quiet a word for her. Plus, her art is ridiculous. She really ought to hook up with Jasper. He'd adore her. "
"Let's drive across town for that drink," he suggested. "I don't want to chance running into her again. "
