The Kick-off to the Heart - Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Emma continued our conversation about her sister’s upcoming wedding , I only caught a few words here-and �"there.  I was too distracted. My body was shivering beneath Jason’s touch. I’ve never felt this aroused before. My brain was fighting with my bod,  my body was winning.  I decided to take action and laid my hand over his. I felt him stiffen under my touch. In the corner of my eye, I saw his face turn to look at me but I avoided his eyes, and just kept nodding at Emma, who was still babbling on about Amanda’s wedding.  Jason returned his gaze to Donovan and relaxed his arm. My heart was racing,  my breath unsteady and my face heating up. 

“ So you’re coming? “ Emma asked.  Trying my best to form words.

“Uhu sure.” Was all I managed to pronounce.

“ Great!  It will be amazing! It will be on Friday tenth-December. The wedding is in the evening and the after-party will be all night. There is an B&B just down the road, if you decide to stay the night.  “ She squeaked.  I didn’t really want to go,  but I was not up for a discussion with Emma.  I had to pick my battles with her �" this one - in my current condition, I would have undoubtedly lost…

Jason turned his body toward Emma and me , his hand moving a tiny inch up my knee , slightly  putting more pressure on it. I stopped breathing. 

“ Are you coming to Amanda’s wedding, Vick?  I’m planning to go as well.  “  He asked me, interrupting Emma’s babbling words. He squeezed my knee slightly and returned to gentle strokes. 

“Uh.. Yes, I’ll probably be there,  “ I replied looking at the wall behind him, I couldn’t look directly at him. It would be too much to handle.

“Great, you can drive with me, we can get to know each other. It’s a long ride too Tampa”  He replied.

“Thanks, but I’ll drive with Emma . “ I quickly answered.  The words left my mouth in such rapid speed that it sounded like one long word together. Emma cleared he voice.

“Uhm... Actually, I will be there to help set up, four-days before. You know how Amanda is, it’s the event of the year,  so she wants everything to be picture-perfect.” Emma shrugged her shoulders with an apologetic smile on her face.  Her phone rang, she hastily grabbed the device of the table and answered.    

‘S**t, s**t , s**t… ‘  I thought. Before I could say anything else, Jason leaned toward  a few inches from my ear.

“All right, it’s settle. You’ll drive with me. Don’t worry I am great driver. And - I promise I won’t bite. Maybe just nibble. “His voice deep as he whispered into my ear.

Snatching my hand from under the table, leaving his hand alone on my knee,  my eyes snapped up at his, he was studying my expression. Before I could reject him,  he turned his face and body away from me and started a conversation with his team mates. But his hand remained on my knee.

 

Four -hours long, we sat like that. Even while we were eating our meals, his touch remained unbroken. Emma and I talked like there was no tomorrow. But I also chatted with Nick and Donovan. Donovan was constantly bragging about his beautiful wife and new born baby. Nick was  sweet and flirty asking me about my café and Ragnar. I got the feeling that Jason didn’t like it , every time Nick said something flirtatious Jason growled like an animal and his hand squeezed my knee tightly.   Finishing my last soda, I shoved his hand from my lap, breaking our touch, my body was disappointed. Nonetheless I had to go home, it was nearly nine-o’clock and I was beat.  I stood up, Jason quickly followed by jumping to his feet,  he looked surprised by his sudden motion.

“I should be getting home, I have an early morning. “ I said to everyone. I didn’t really have an early morning but I just wanted to go to bed. 

“ Okay girlie , I’ll call you! “ Emma stood-up and hugged me tightly, and sat back down.  

“ It was nice to meet you! You should hang with us more often. “ Nick said enthusiastically.                             I replied by nodding at him.

Donovan and Cole were in deep dialog about their training schedules, they quickly mumbled good-bye and continued talking.  As I was turning to walk away the group, Jason’s voice interrupted me in my motion.

 “ I’ll walk you to your car,” He said, as he put his hand on my back. Sending shockwaves throughout my  body.

“That’s really not necessas-“  I was interjected by an aggravated voice.

“Shut-up Vick, and lead the way. Now. ”  He gestured, with his free hand, to the entrance of the bar.       I frowned at him, not knowing where his sudden irritation came from. Thankfully Emma and the guys were too distracted with each other to notice his mood-change.

Uncomfortably I lead the way to the exit. The second we stepped outside, he moved his hand from my back to grab my elbow.

“What the hell do you think you’re-“  Again my words were interrupted by his.

“Shut up, Victoria. ” He said, his voice even more annoyed than it was before. ‘Victoria ?’  I haven’t heard my full name in years. Even when I introduced myself it would be as Vicki.  Strangely I liked the way my name rolled of his tongue.

He dragged me around the corner, away from the bar - facing the parking-lot, and  he pushed me against the wall. His hands resting beside my face, trapping me. My heart beating out of my chest, he neared his face to mine. I could feel his exhaling breaths on my face. I could smell his scent, he was almost close enough to taste… ‘God, I wanted to taste this man…’   My eyes traveling from his chest up,  pausing a few-seconds  on his perfect oval-shaped lips. Finally my eyes met his.

“ Do you want Nick?”  He growled. “ Is it him you want? Is that why you’ve been rejecting me?”

“Seriously!! Is that what’s been bothering you?!” I raised my voice, I was appalled by this accusation.   “You have NO right to ask me that, but since you asked so very nicely �" let me enlighten you then. No I do not want Nick, but nor do I want you! I rejected you, and will keep rejecting you until you get it  thru you thick skull!!” I told him my voice harsh.

“That’s bull-s**t, you want me as much as I want you! “ Raising his voice.  Meanwhile I was struggling to escape his caged arms, he pressed his body against mine to keep me from succeeding. His body warm and muscled, it made my mouth water. I felt something hard poke my lower stomach, my eyes shot wide looked down to our entwined bodies.

“Are you… is that….. What ? “   The only words I managed to pronounce. He chuckled as he was watching my face glow red.  

 “ Don’t flatter yourself, darling �" that’s just my belt poking your stomach. “ He said between chuckles, I was blushing severely. “  Trust me,  if it was me  that was poking you, I would have kissed you by now. ”  That remark made me stop breathing.  ‘Kiss me?’  I returned my eyes to his. Trying to keep the words from escaping my mouth �"I failed.

“Kiss me? so you don’t want to kiss me? “ I asked softly.

“ Well, do you want me to kiss you, Victoria? “ he returned the question.

I was processing his words,  did I want him to kiss me? ‘Yes-I really did’. Before I could answer him he was leaning in close, his lips almost touching mine. Out of nowhere, I snapped. This man could break more than just my heart, he could break me entirely. I pushed him away , it cost all of my strength but resulted him to stumble back two-steps.  His  expression showed surprise . He just stood there, watching at me. Before I could say something I would later regret, I walked passed him silently and continued to walk to my car, alone. 

On the way home, all of my thoughts involved Jason- every word, every glimpse, every touch,  made my skin shiver and my legs tremble. The affect that this man had on me was unsettling. But yet,  I never wanted it to end. 

The next day, I slept in. Ragnar woke me up by jumping on the bed. He needed to go outside. I stepped out of my bed , quickly pulled on my sweats.  Slipped my feet in my sneakers and walked to the back door.  I let him do his business in the enclosed yard while I walked back inside and started making breakfast.

It was eleven-o’clock even though it was Saturday and the café would be booming with customers, I decided to stay home for the weekend. What’s the point of being your own boss if you can’t make and break the rules? Jessa will keep the place rolling.

After cleaning the house, taking a nice long shower and walking Ragnar,  the clock hit two. What to do when you have the weekend all to yourself? No chores.  No groceries… I decided to waste my time behind the television watching my favorite series:  Scandal. I love Scandal , I love how confident Olivia Pope was, she was everything I wanted to be.

In the third episode I was interrupted by my buzzing phone, I paused the series,  walked to my kitchen counter and picked up my phone. It was a text message from a unfamiliar phone number.

305-4431-889 : Check your front door.

Reading the message, my heart started racing, I felt my face draining from blood. ‘Did she find me? Or did he find me? Or both? … What must I do? Run? Just open the door..?’  I gathered my courage and answered the text.

Vicki:  Who is this?

I quickly called Ragnar by my side, even though I was still in the house with all my doors locked, Ragnar made me feel safer. Inside seconds I got a reply.

305-4431-889 : Victoria, just open the goddamned door.

 ‘Victoria..?’  My mother, Samantha, never called me that. Neither did my step-dad. So it couldn’t have been them. But who was it then? who used my full name?… and then it hit me:   Jason.

Vicki:   Jason? Is this you? How did you get my number?

305-4431-889 :  Yes, Victoria �" this is Jason. I stole your phone number from Emma when she wasn’t looking last night. Now, open the freaking door!!!

Relieve washed through me. Hastily I walked to my front door, Ragnar copying every stride.                            Unlocked the door and pulled it open. There was no one outside, however there was a small blue cool box  by my feet. I carried the box inside and put it on the kitchen counter �" my curiosity took over , quickly opening it. The box contained a large bucket of Ben & Jerry Chocolate fudge ice cream and next to it a note.  I held the ice cream in my hand and smiled. Jason had a surprisingly sweet side. I put the ice cream in my freezer and resumed to open the note.

Victoria,

I was an a*s-face,

I am sorry. Please forgive me.

Call me

Re-reading the note, over and over. It was short but so sweet. Unconsciously,  Jason was wrapping me around his little finger... My phone started buzzing again. Grabbing my phone I opened the new message.

 Jason: Well?? Did you open it?

I giggled as I read his message,  he was so very impatient. It made me wonder how he was when he was a child and he didn’t get his way. I could totally imagine him throwing a fit for something small.              

Vicki:  Yes, I did. Thank you, it’s very sweet. How did you get my address?

 I replied, in a matter of seconds my phone started to ring. I glanced at the screen it showed it was Emma. Answering my phone:

“Hey Emma, ” I said

“Vicki, are you seeing Jason?” she just jumped write to it ‘ Damn it, ‘  she knew something was up.       I never liked talking about my love life. Mostly because I’ve never been in love. But still, it made me feel uncomfortable sharing my emotions.

“What? No, why do you ask? ”

“Well, I saw how Jason was looking at you. I just thought something was heating up”

“No Emma, nothing is up between Jason and me.” I tried the reassure her, but I didn’t even  believe myself, there was something playing between Jason and me. It was innocent so far, but nevertheless very much existing.

“Okay, well just so you know… He’s a great guy and all, but also a womanizer. He had only one serious relationship in his life, and it ended with him getting heartbroken. Since then, he only does hook-ups.  Don’t get me wrong, he is a nice guy, but doesn’t commit. I don’t want you to expect too much…”

My stomach twisted at the unwelcome truth. But she was right, Jason was a ladies man. But instead of feeling sad, I felt angry. Angry at the woman who broke his heart. I didn’t know the whole story, but the way Emma was telling me about his heartbreak, I loathed the woman. Before I could dwell on the thought- Emma changed the subject.

 “Anyway, we are going paint-ball-shooting tomorrow, it will be the same crowd as yesterday and Donovan’s wife, Ashley. The guys are competing against The Miami Gators �" something to do with a lost wager.  I want you to come.”

“Uhmm… What time? And where? “

“2pm , its next to Woodlawn park cemetery. There are traffic signs along the way- you can’t miss them.”

“Alright , sure why not. It will be fun!” I said excitingly. It will be fun, I am a very competitive person. I liked to be good at everything. But my aim, involving any type of weapon, was precise. I know, it was an irritating trait, but I was honest enough to admit it to myself.  Jason will be there, which I looked forward too.

“Great, you can hire the needed gear there.  I’ll see you tomorrow!”

“Great, bye! “  As I hung up, I saw that my inbox had three- unread messages. They were all from Jason.

Jason: I am glad you think I am sweet. I can be sweet. With you, I only want to be sweet. I visited your café, you weren’t there, so I asked your over-the-top friendly manager. Please don’t be angry, I am sorry. I just wanted to give you the ice cream.

 My body shivered, it was just a text - but my body responded to his words. I had to laugh about his comment on Jessa, she was always more friendly with good-looking men , I could only imagine when she saw Jason. I do have to talk to her about exchanging my address, if Jason could find me this easy, Samantha and Pete could too.  I quickly read the next message.

 Jason: I am sorry if that was too forward. But I just want to make it up to you, make you happy.

 My heart skipped a beat, my body was now craving his touch. ‘Was he playing with my heart? playing me?’  I didn’t want to answer my own questions . I opened the last message.

 Jason: Damn it, Vick! I’ve been apologizing over and over, you don’t know me very well �" but me, apologizing is very rare, and this , me trying to “whoo-you” ,  is not something I am used to! Just give me something.

My eyes were wide, jaw dropped, mouth open �" needless to say I was speechless. ‘He was trying to whoo-me?  Why would he want to do that? ‘

 If things escalate between Jason and me, it would end with him breaking more than just my heart. He would break all of me. I know this, because he would either grow bored of me or find me high-maintenance, difficult , emotionally unavailable. I knew I owned these traits, many people told me this repeatedly. 

Inhaling a deep breath , I typed a reply.

Vicki: I am sorry for the wait, I was on the phone with Emma. She invited me to come paintballing with you guys tomorrow. You don’t have to keep apologizing, I forgave you yesterday in the alley and again in Allstars. As for “whoo-ing me”  and giving you something to “work with” �" I am not the easiest person, nor am I very open about my affections. I don’t play hard to get, but I am hard to get, I have a hard time trusting people and bonding emotionally. I am sorry �" I don’t want to reject you , again, but whoo-ing is unnecessary.

 Pressing send, I owned him an explanation . An warning about my qualities. Before I could dwell on my depressing  reply, my phone buzzed.

Jason:  Victoria, you won’t scare me off that easily. I will pick you up at one-thirty. See you tomorrow.

 ‘Wait what?’   Surprised by his reply .  ´Control-freak’.    I liked it. I also liked that he wasn’t running the opposite direction. Perhaps he had the skill and patience to not only wait for me, but change me into the person I  desperately wanted to be.