Adam & Jesse

The next day Jesse greeted Adam at her door. As the dinner party was formal, he was wearing a black tux with a white shirt. She had put on a white strapless dress that was slightly longer than some of her other ones, but it still didn't come to her knees. Her hair looked uncombed, but very sexy and windswept. She also was wearing a small diamond necklace and diamond earrings.

"You look ravishing! I can also tell that you have nothing on underneath. " Adam said softly with a grin.

"But my dress isn't see through! " Jesse laughed softly. Adam walked in and bent down to kiss her softly on the lips.

"Not see through, but I still can tell. " He whispered.

"And what will you be thinking tonight, I wonder? " She teased him.

"I'm not sure I'll be able to think at all except to watch you. "

There were table's set up with an elaborate assortment of foods, including seafood, and it was obvious that it was a costly dinner party. People arriving were wearing tuxes and evening gowns, most of which were floor length. Many had arrived in limousines and would be dropped off and picked up later.

" Mr. and Mrs. Conner, how are you? " she politely asked. " I'm so glad you decided to come. Adam these are the Conner's, president of the Main Bank and his wife. This is Adam. "

" How nice to meet the both of you. " Adam replied.

"Nice to meet you Adam, and Jesse, you look beautiful as usual. " Mr. Conner said.

"Hello Adam. You look lovely dear. " Mrs. Conner said.

"Thank you. I hope you both enjoy your evening. "

"I'm sure we will. By the way, did you get a chance to look over the proposal I faxed you? " Mr. Conner asked.

"Yes, I have looked it over and I believe I would benefit more by owning the property. I'm having a proposition drawn up that you may be interested in and I will be sending it to you. Let me know what you think after you look it over. Oh Adam, there's Doug. Would you excuse us please? " Jesse said, and Adam followed her to where the man she had danced with at the club was standing.

"Doug, so nice to see you. " Jesse smiled.

"The pleasure is always mine. " Doug flirted. " You are as stunning as ever, Jesse. " Doug kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Thank you. Doug, Adam. Adam, Doug. " Both men exchanged handshakes. It was obvious to him that Doug had his eye on Jesse, although tonight, he couldn't imagine what man wouldn't.

"And when will you be free for dinner again, Jesse? " Doug asked.

"I'm always free, Doug, you know that. But call me next week and I'll see. "

"I'll do that. It will also give us a chance to go over the proposal you sent me. I am very much interested in this new project. " Doug said.

"Call me. " Jesse said smiling and then walked away.

"Well, he seems very interested in you. " He said.

"Are you jealous, Adam? "

"Did you want me to be? " He flirted with her.

"Mr. McGinnis, I'm glad you could make it. " Jesse greeted the approaching man.

"Nice to see you again, Jesse. I'm sorry, but my wife was unable to attend. She hasn't been feeling well. "

"I'm sorry to hear that. This is a friend of mine, Adam. This is David McGinnis. " Jesse introduced them.

"How do you do, Mr. McGinnis, please send your wife our regards. " Adam said, shaking David's hand.

"By the way, did you look over my proposal? " Jesse asked.

"Yes, I did and I'm very much interested. We need to get together and talk about it. "

"Of course, I will call you and set something up. Enjoy yourself and let your wife know how sorry I am that she was unable to attend. " Jesse said, walking away from David.

"Sounds like that enticing body of yours is doing more business tonight than partying. I'm beginning to wonder why you wanted me here at all. " Adam teased her.

"Am I enticing you? " Jesse flirted with him. " You know there are things I do need help with, I can't do everything myself. "

"You are bad, Jesse. Has anyone told you that before? " Adam asked.

"Yes, but I only like the sound of it when you say it. " She reached up and gave him a light kiss.

He continued to be introduced to other people, all of whom seemed to have one thing in common, money, either to invest with, or they were in need of it. He watched Jesse as she played with these people, always with a smile. He knew that there was high finance dealings going on or in the making, but he had no idea to the nature of those.

"Jesse, would you care to dance? " He asked, needing a break himself.

"I thought you would never ask. "

He held her in his arms, breathing in her scent, enjoying her closeness as they danced. She pressed her body close to his.

"You smell wonderful Jesse. You make it hard for me to resist you. " Adam whispered in her ear.

"And you have no idea what seeing you in that tux is doing to me. " She whispered to him and kissed his neck softly.

"I'm beginning to get an idea. You don't ever quit, do you? "

"You make it impossible for me to. " She pressed her body closer to his. His hand now moved much lower down her back, past her waist and he pressed her tightly to him.

"If anyone is making this impossible, it is you darlin! I'm not sure how much longer I will be able to keep my hands off you. " Adam said seductively.

"Now who is being bad? I still haven't figured out why ever since I met you, you've been trying to keep your hands off. " Jesse said provocatively, looking up at him, her lips slightly parted and her eyes sparkling.

"I haven't figured that one out myself. " He whispered and kissed her awaiting lips. His lips parting as hers, and he felt himself succumbing to the passion she was showing him. Finally pulling himself away from her before he went any further, he broke the kiss and held her tightly with her head resting against him.

"So what do you think of this party? "

"I think that you are up to something, but I'm beginning to see that you usually are. "

"Very good, and here I thought I had been distracting you. " Jesse laughed.

"Oh that you have, do not doubt that for a minute. "

After they danced, they had gone to the buffet and got something to eat. It was shortly after dinner when they ran into Mark and Talley.

"Jesse you are beautiful as usual. " Mark said. " You also have outdone yourself, the food is excellent. "

"Thank you Mark. It seems that you do know how to look and behave like a gentleman. I was beginning to wonder. " Jesse teased and then looked at Talley. " Talley you look lovely, it's nice to see you. "

"Jesse, you look nice, but you really should be more careful. Not all men like seeing everything a woman has to offer. Adam you look extremely sexy in your tux, of course you would look sexy in anything. "

"Always nice to see you, Talley. " Adam said reserved.

"Reese was looking for you yesterday? I was worried about you. " Mark said.

"So worried you rushed right over! " Jesse laughed. " Reese was mad about the Corvette and a piece of property I recently got rid of. "

"Always trying to control them aren't you? " Talley laughed sarcastically. " Now I know why Reese left you. "

"Talley, enough. " Mark said angrily.

"Reese didn't leave me Talley. I may not be married to him, but if it weren't for me, he'd be in jail right now. After what he did, he's very lucky he has a job. If you call that control, then yes, I'm very controlling. Especially when it comes to my life and my responsibilities. "

"Don't mind her Jesse. " Mark said, eyeing Talley angrily.

"Adam, I think I'd like to get some fresh air, would you care to join me? By the way Talley, I have a word of advice for you. I intend to take care of business in the next few months. If I were you, I would know whom my friends were. " She turned before Mark or Talley had time to comment. Adam followed her outside where there were others enjoying the beautiful night. She went immediately to the bar and ordered them each a drink.

Adam followed her to a table at the end of the patio that was more secluded and not as lit up as the rest of the pool and bar area. Jesse sat down, closed her eyes and sighed; he sat down in a chair across from her. He looked at her with a passion he had thought he would never feel again, but one he wasn't sure he should be pursuing.

"So, why was Reese mad about the Corvette? I take it he was referring to the one sitting in my driveway? I really have been curious about that. " He asked her, keeping his tone light.

"I don't think I want to talk about that. " She said hesitantly, still keeping her eyes closed, but she was smiling.

"Now I definitely want to know about it. Come on, out with it. "

"It was a new company car that had just arrived and I took it. That's all. "

"Right! Whose car? " Adam asked, chuckling.

"Mine, since it's my company. " She sat up and looked at him and couldn't help but laugh. " It was supposed to be Reese's. But I've warned him before about buying things in company names. Besides, he has a car. If he wants a Corvette, he will have to use his own money for that. Not mine. " She was smiling, and he could see she was very proud that she had done that to Reese.

"Mark's apparent friendship with Reese is why he wouldn't take the car? "

"Something like that. " Jesse smiled.

"Yes, something like that no doubt. And what is it between you and Talley if you don't mind me asking? "

"Other than she has been Reese's mistress even before we were married, I don't appreciate her making fools of my friends or those I care about. I was just letting her know that her game is about up and she better decide on what or whom she wants. "

"You really like to invite trouble, don't you? " Adam laughed, not showing his surprise at what she had told him.

"Not me! " She kidded.

"Of course not you. " Adam laughed.

"I guess you have me all figured out. " Jesse said softly with a smile.

"Honey, I'm actually clueless when it comes to figuring you out. "

"Why am I so different? Could it be that we are both sitting here trying to figure out what game the other is playing? " Jesse looked at him with a playful grin.

"What if neither one of us is actually playing a game? " Adam asked seriously.

"That's always a possibility, not a likely one though. "

" Somehow, I just don't believe that darlin. Considering so far what I've learned about you, always keeping everyone at a distance, yet you haven't stopped me. Something is different. " He couldn't help laughing.

"Yes, I suppose you are different. I didn't want to stop you. " She said, now giving him that look he had grown accustomed to. " What's more, I still don't want to. "

"I'm beginning to understand that. " He laughed. " But there is a lot about you I don't understand. "

"As far as my business life, I don't think there is much you need to understand. That has nothing to do with us. " Jesse smiled.

"It is rather hard to tell what is business and personal with you though. "

"But what I do in my business has nothing to do with what my plans are for you and me. " She now flirted.

"I can only imagine what those plans might be. " He flirted back with her. " I've really learned a lot about you in the last several days. Much of which surprises me. "

"Really? So tell me, what have you learned about me? " She leaned on the table, putting her elbows up and resting her chin on her hands and smiled at him.

"Well, you have an ex whose car is sitting in my driveway, and whom you hate and who likes to hit you, who now also believes I'm fucking you. The girlfriend of a good friend, also happens to be you're ex's mistress. You are putting a major deal together. I also learned that I more or less work for the woman I've been pursuing. She even owns the building I work in and the house I live in. "

"Poor baby, you've had one hell of a few days. And damn, it's not even over! What can I do to make you better? " She teased.

He grinned and shook his head back and forth. " I've also learned that the lovely creature I'm looking at swears better than I do and she can do ALL these things at the same time without ever taking her mind off sex. " He chuckled.

"So then, let me ask you a question. With what you know about me so far, has that changed where you were hoping to go with this relationship? "

He looked at her curiously wondering why she asked this, finally answering. " No, nothing has changed. "

"I realize there's a lot about me you don't know. I'm sure there's a lot about you I don't know either. Although, " Jesse smiled at him, " I am enjoying what I know so far. "

" Is that right? Can I ask if there is anything particular you would like to know? "

"One thing does come to mind. " Jesse said, and he saw the twinkle in her eyes.

"I guess I asked for that one. And you're not going to say anything else, right? " He saw the look in her eyes, and didn't need her answer. He signaled the bartender to bring them each another drink. Jesse stood up and at first he thought that she was about to go in, but she came and sat on his lap, putting her arms around his neck.

"If I tell you everything, what will you have to look forward too? You would be bored with me in no time. I don't want that. " She said softly, her eyes staring into his.

"And if you ask me one more time what it is I want ….. "

"Honey, you have made it very clear what it is you want from the day you walked into Mark's house and I doubt you would ever bore me. " His arms went around her, pulling her to him and he kissed her passionately.

"I think we better go back inside, " Jesse whispered as she tried to catch her breath.

The night wore on and Jesse was constantly being pulled away or walking away from Adam, socializing with others or doing business, he wasn't sure which. He had met a lot of interesting people, some he knew from their company into the bar he worked at. He finally went and sat in one of the living room chairs with a small group of others that he had recently been introduced to. He looked up and saw that Jesse was talking to Doug again. He knew it was crazy, but he actually did feel somewhat jealous of Jesse dating Doug.

"Yes, I read it in the paper this morning. Isn't it awful? " Karen said.

"Well I sure hope they catch whoever did it. I don't like to think that kind of thing happens around here. " Gayle said.

"It happens all over. There's probably a lot worse that happens in this town. We just don't know about it. Besides, Tim Douglas was a disreputable man. He probably had a lot of enemies. " Rick said.

"What's going on? I didn't get a chance to read the paper today. " Adam asked, hearing a name he recognized.

"They found Tim Douglas's body dumped behind some used car lot. It looked like someone broke his neck. Do you know him? " Rick asked.

"Not really. When did this happen? " Adam asked, now concerned.

"Apparently he hadn't been around for a week or so. They didn't say how long he had been there or whom they think is behind it. " Rick said.

"I wonder who did it. " Karen said.

"Did what to who? " Jesse asked as she walked up and stood next to where he was sitting.

"They were just telling me about Tim Douglas. " Adam told her.

"He works at Taylor and Borg, actually for Gerald. He takes care of the company car lot. " Jesse said with obvious distaste.

"Well, not any more, dear. You must not read the papers either. They found his body yesterday. It's been missing for about a week or so from what the article said. I'm surprised you didn't know about it. " Gayle said.

"I hadn't heard. " Jesse all but whispered. He knew immediately from her voice something was wrong. He could almost see the color draining from her face and her disturbing expression.

"Jesse, are you alright? " Adam asked her as he stood up. She stared at him with a blank expression and he wasn't even sure she was seeing him. By now everyone in his group could see that something was wrong and although Richard was not right there, he was watching Jesse from where he was standing. " Hey babe, let's go get some fresh air? Sorry, she's just had a long few days. She'll be fine. " Adam quickly put his arm around her, and she whispered softly the word sorry, while he led her outside to where they had sat before.

It seemed as if she had drifted off, not really wanting to vocalize her thoughts. He could see by her expression that whatever her thoughts were, she definitely was uncomfortable with them. He sat quietly for several minutes hoping she would either look at him or say something to him. Before she did, Richard had walked up to their table and sat down, which really surprised him.

"What's wrong? Everyone is asking? " Richard asked. " Are you all right? "

She finally looked at Richard, and her expression changed, and she suddenly seemed to relax. " I think I'm just really tired. It's late isn't it? Just let them know I'm fine, but really tired and when they all go you can lock up the front and go on home. Is that okay? " She spoke very softly.

"Yes. What time tomorrow or will you call? " Richard asked.

"Why don't you just wait until she calls? I think she just needs some sleep. " Adam answered for her.

"Okay. " Richard said and went inside to do as Jesse asked.

"Are you feeling any better? " He asked her and she looked at him, finally he saw her focusing. She sighed deeply and placed her elbows on the table resting her chin in her hands.

"Adam, you have no idea. " She finally said softly.

"You can't really expect to go non-stop night and day. Maybe you need to rest awhile. You don't have to entertain every night, do you? "

"Believe it or not, most of it is related to work. It's fun too though, especially when you're around. " Jesse said softly, but he could tell something was still bothering her.

"I know you don't want me to ask you about your business, but I only have one question I really would like answered. Then I won't ask any more, at least not tonight. "

"I already know what you're going to ask. I don't need any more harassment from the police department. There will be some now. " She sighed and closed her eyes.

"Because of what happened to Tim Douglas? " Adam asked.

"I really don't want to talk about this. "

"Jesse, I'm not an idiot. I saw your reaction, so did a lot of other people. There's bound to be talk about all this. I'll probably find out soon anyway, you're too well known for me not to. "

"Good, then you think about it and see if you can figure out what happened. It will be one less thing for me to think about. "

"There's no way you can tell me you know nothing about this. You wouldn't have reacted that way if that were true. "

"I didn't say that I didn't know anything, just that it was good that someone else was looking into it. "

"You're one confusing lady. " Adam sighed, confused by her responses.

"And you're one very curious man. Would you like to explain that to me? " She said softly and he could tell she was actually studying him. He tried to figure out how to answer her question and what it was she was actually asking, wondering if some how she knew of his real profession, but she spoke before he had a chance to answer. " I can see that you really don't want to answer that. You're much more like me than I had realized. "

He didn't reply and after several minutes of silence she sat up with her elbows on the table again. She was staring at him and softly sighed. He looked into her eyes and saw a depth there, yet didn't understand it. She stood up, walked over to him and held out her hand. Although he felt confused, he took her hand and went with her. Before he realized what had happened she walked along the side of the pool and then jumped in it, pulling him with her.

"What the hell did you do that for? " He asked shocked, and immediately he noticed how she looked with her white dress, now see-thru, clinging to her body. She was smiling wickedly at him. " Do you realize that you just ruined my tux? " He said, finally laughing while she swam away from him.