Chapter 47. A presentation
Jackson Johnson
I could see her wrinkle her nose at my refusal to let her drive. I motioned with my hand for her to get into the car, and she relented and got in. I walked around the car and got in, and moments later, we merged into the night traffic. I played some instrumental music at a low volume.
"I think I should admit that I got nervous," she surprised me with her honesty.
"I noticed it in your eyes, which is why I insisted on driving you," I glanced briefly in her direction, and she smiled without looking at me. "How about I take you out for practice one of these days? Once you're more confident, I can arrange for a company car for you to use." I stopped at a red light, and she turned her head, showing she was thinking. "Don't you like the idea?"
"It's not that, it's just that I feel like it would be taking advantage." I raised an eyebrow.
"Taking advantage? You're an employee of my company, Lilly."
"But I'm an administrator, not an agent."
"Does it matter that I'm your boss and I decide to do it?" She smiled broadly.
"Well played, but it would be temporary." I nodded in response without looking at her. "When would the practice start?" she asked immediately, excited.
"Oh," I hadn't thought about that yet. The light changed, and I focused on the traffic for a couple of minutes. "How about weekends?" My heart fluttered when I said it out loud; I didn't dare look in her direction, not wanting to overwhelm her. "I mean, not every weekend, we could just... on Sundays?"
"All day?" she asked, curious and surprised at the same time.
"In the afternoons, I'm already in the city." I now looked at her; she had a furrowed brow. "What?" She realized I was looking at her.
"I don't want to intrude on your Sunday."
"You wouldn't be intruding. I never have anything to do on Sunday afternoons. Sometimes I lie on the terrace, swim a bit, or just go for a walk..."
"Then, it sounds good to me." She smiled and turned her gaze out the window. There was a long silence for several minutes. "By the way," she cleared her throat and looked at me intently as I reached another red light.
"Yes?" She bit her lip and squinted her eyes.
"Is the date real?" I nodded slowly. "I thought we would talk more during lunch."
"Well, you had just gone through something with Oliver, and I realized too late that I was too abrupt in asking you out right after that..."
"Wait, are you saying that you always... no?" I shook my head quickly, unable to take my eyes off the traffic. I didn't like not paying full attention, as it could lead to an accident. "Is it a 'no' then?" From shaking my head, I started nodding. "Are you confirming that it's a 'no'?" Anxiety hit me as I saw she was getting confused. I turned right and pulled over, turned on the hazard lights, and looked at her intently. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."
"No, no, let me speak," I insisted. "Yes, I want the date, but I wasn't considerate enough to give you space after what happened with Oliver. I know this might sound strange, but keep an open mind," she nodded slowly, not taking her eyes off me. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly to calm my racing heart. Her brown eyes looked at me expectantly. "I want a date. A real date with you. I feel comfortable with you. I know you just got out of a relationship and it's quick, I understand, but I think it's worth trying. But if you tell me you want to wait... I will." I noticed her fingers gripping the edge of the seatbelt.
"I'll confess that I also feel comfortable talking to you. And I think it's worth it if... we have a first date and get to know each other more."
"Yes, I like that." After driving for a while longer, we arrived at her house. I was about to get out and open the door for her, but she refused. I noticed she placed her hand on mine, which had rested on my thigh for a moment.
"There's no need for you to get out. Thanks for the ride. See you tomorrow..." She looked at me in silence for a couple of seconds, and I didn't understand her look. She smiled and just withdrew her hand to wave goodbye. I did the same, somewhat puzzled, then when she closed the car door, I understood. "She wanted to say goodbye with a kiss, Jackson!" Damn it, I'm new at this! I didn't hesitate and got out to catch up with her.
"Lilly," I said her name and she turned to me, looking puzzled.
"Yes? Did I forget something in the...?" I closed the distance with one step, she stopped mid-sentence, I noticed how she swallowed just like I did, she lifted her gaze and waited, I knew what she was waiting for. I moved closer until we were just centimeters apart, our clothes not quite touching but almost.
"Forgive me if sometimes I act like I've never done this before..."
"This what?" she whispered, swallowing again with difficulty.
"This." I leaned towards her, cupping her face with both hands, brushing my lips against hers. "That's it, Jackson, you can do it, just like Brad Pitt before kissing the girl," I promised myself I wouldn't watch "Meet Joe Black" again. I brushed my lips again to make the moment more tender, but she interrupted by pressing forward to capture my lower lip, it was as if she was starving for something, she nibbled on it and almost made me pull back as heat surged through me from head to toe like a line of electricity. I found the rhythm of the kiss until her hands settled on my waist, I stopped, our breaths mingling against our skin, I hadn't moved far, her face was still very close to mine, I brushed my nose against her cheek and then kissed her forehead before stepping back. She barely opened her eyes, still in that cloud, she touched her lips with her fingers and then licked them, finally coming to her senses.
"Oh, g-good night, I..." she nervously touched her neck. "R-Rest well," she whispered.
"You too," I watched her enter the building and slowly climb the stairs, when I couldn't see her anymore, I turned back to my Bentley. My heart was racing with excitement, but what was this heat that had settled in every corner of my body?
"So that's it... she found an American to warm her bed," I tensed up seeing Oliver stepping out of a car a short distance from mine. I took a deep breath and let it out like a bull, ready to charge at him, glancing to make sure she was gone.
"How can you talk about her like that?" I paused, getting closer to him. "What do you want, Oliver?" He kept his distance, had purple bruises near his nose and eyes, I remembered the punch I had given him at lunch. Was it that strong?
"She is mine," he emphasized harshly, not taking his eyes off me.
"She belongs to no one. She is not a property, not an object you can just come and claim."
"What is going on here?" A male voice sounded behind me. "Oliver?" I turned towards the voice and saw an older man, his brow furrowed, looking at Oliver with great surprise. "What are you doing in New York?"
"Father-in-law..." then I understood he was Lilly's father.
"I am not your father-in-law, if I remember correctly," his tone was stern but polite. He approached and looked at me, wondering who I was. "Who are you?"
"I am Jackson Johnson, I am..." he stepped forward, surprised.
"Are you my Lilly's boss?" I nodded politely, extending my hand to him in introduction, he accepted, then looked at Oliver. "You look very beaten up."
"And that's just from one punch..." I stopped my words seeing the man astonished.
"Did you hit him? Why?"
"Well, he..." Oliver stepped forward to prevent me from saying the reason.
"Father-in-law, I need to talk to you all."
"I don't want to sound rude, you know that, but it's not necessary to call me that and I believe you have nothing to talk about with us, I thought you and my daughter made things clear in London."
"I would like to talk anyway."
"There is nothing to talk about, are you here for more?" I looked towards the female voice, it was a young woman with brown hair, for a moment I noticed the resemblance to Lilly, then I deduced she was her sister.
"Leah, let's talk." She shook her head furiously.
"After calling my sister a slut?" we gasped hearing her.
"Leah!" Another woman exclaimed, but she was older, identical to Lilly, "The mother." "Oliver, please, we are tired, it's late."
"Fine, I'll come back tomorrow." He hesitated to leave seeing me standing there, watching the scene. Then he shot me a hateful look and left. He started the car and disappeared.
"So you are... Jackson Johnson?" The three of them looked at me in a strange way, what do I do? Should I run?