Page 34 of Romancing the Rumrunner
“That he might be interested in you for more than who you are in bed with?”
Jessie’s mouth dropped open. “I am not in bed with the Phoenix.” She didn’t even pause to think about how ridiculous that statement was.
Maude cocked an eyebrow. “Oh, stop splitting hairs. What’s the hotsy-totsy Mr. Solomon doing that makes you think he’s more than a little interested in you?”
Jessie plucked at a loose thread on her dress, not meeting her friend’s eyes. “I’m sure I’m just reading things into it.”
Maude abandoned her nail file and lounged against the headboard, tucking her manicured feet under her. “You just let me be the judge of that,” she said, pulling Jessie’s arm off her eyes. “Now, tell me everything.”
Jessie shrugged. “It’s nothing really. Just…the way he looks at me sometimes.”
“Yes…” Maude prompted with a gleam in her eye.
“And the other day, after our little accident, when we were in the cab. He held my face,” she said, her hand mimicking the way Tony’s hand had cradled her cheek, “and he said that he didn’t want me to be in danger.”
“Oh, honey, that man is definitely interested in you.”
“Well, yes, but how do I know if it’s me that he wants or if he’s just…”
“Trying to romance some information out of you?”
“Yes.”
“I guess you’ll just have to trust your instincts.”
Jessie snorted. “Because that worked so well for me before.”
Maude frowned at her. “You aren’t the same person you were back then. And I’ll bet if you are really honest with yourself, you knew something was fishy with Mario. You just ignored your gut. So this time, don’t ignore it.”
Jessie sighed. “Easier said than done. Just when I think I’ve got a handle on everything, something happens that throws me completely off balance.”
“Something happens?” Maude said, perking up. “Like what, exactly?”
Jessie mentally kicked herself for mentioning it.
“Jessica Harlan, you’d better start flappin’ those lips right now and tell me what happened!”
“He kissed me,” she said, and then slapped her hands over her face.
Maude crowed and clapped her hands. “Why didn’t you say so sooner? He kissed you? Oh how delicious, tell meeverything!”
“It was nothing.”
Maude snorted. “It was more than nothing, or your cheeks wouldn’t be hot enough to light my ciggy. Just what exactly happened?”
Jessie slapped her hands over her cursed cheeks. “He must think I’m nothing but some two-timin’ floozy.”
“Oh, honey. I’m sure you’re wrong.”
“But he thinks I’m the Phoenix’s girl, but we…I mean I let him…”
“You let him what?” Maude asked, her bright eyes round in anticipation.
Jessie rolled her eyes. “Never you mind. Doesn’t matter anyhow, I guess. It didn’t get too far. I hit the horn and startled some sense into us, and then Jameson came…”
Maude wrinkled her nose and waved off that comment. “Then what?”
“Then nothing.”
