Disclaimer: I don't own them except for the kids!
The Perfect Temptation, Part 10
It was a busy day at the Maxwell Garage on Premier Street. Angelina scowled at the fan belt in her in her hand.
"Keep on looking at it like that, the belt will burst into flame," Jonathon snickered as he observed her from the other side of the car he was working on.
"This is brand new and whoever owns this car did something to it," she snapped as she glanced up at him. She looked back at the brand new Jaguar. She snorted in disgust. "This person does not know how to treat the damn car and appreciate what it's worth."
"People that can afford these kinds of cars usually don't appreciate them. Plus, it's more likely some rich girl's car. It looks like a richies car," he said as he wiped his grease stained hands on the towel hanging out of the back pocket of his jeans. He walked around the back of it and looked at the license plate. "Yup, its a chick's car. The acronym says "Daddy's Girl."
Angelina rolled her eyes. "How apropos."
Grinning, Jonathon took the belt from her hand and studied it. "There's a tear in it. I don't know how this person managed to do it, but they did. They have to be pretty damn stupid," he commented as he handed it back to her.
"Well, it has to be replaced. This car is barely a year old," she sighed as she picked up the brand new one she had gotten from storage in the back. "I better be well compensated for this dumb chick's thoughtlessness," she grumbled as she leaned under the hood again.
Jonathon watched her. He was glad that she was showing some of her spirit. He wasn't happy with Damien at all and he didn't want to have to strangle his friend for a girl he considered family. He smiled a little as she quickly replaced it and shut the hood.
"There all done," she announced as she gave the car a triumphant look. Fixing things took her mind off of her problems and she enjoyed doing them. She was as good as her father at putting things together, if not better. The job she had at the Maxwells' Garage fed her abilities. She glanced over at Jonathon, who was still watching her. She smiled at him. "Would you be a sweetheart and put it outside for me?"
"Anything for you, Angel," he teased as he chucked her under the chin and climbed into the champagne colored interior.
Leaning through the window, she pressed a smacking kiss on his cheek. "Thank you."
"No problem," he replied as he grinned at her. He started up the car and backed it out. He parked it along the side where other finished cars sat with their numbered tags in the windshields. He climbed out and walked around it, making sure that there were no marks on it. He twirled the keys around his fingers until they clinked against his wedding ring. He glanced back at the open garage door, where Angelina was checking out another car. He was glad it kept her occupied and happy. He liked it better that way. It was nice to see her smile again. Then again, it was nice to see anyone smile these days considering what had been going on. The news of Veronica's miscarriage made him more apprehensive since Leigh only discovered that she was pregnant less than a week ago. He let out a long sigh as he leaned over to wipe away a smudge on the review mirror.
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Claudia alighted from her father's car as he dropped her off to pick her car up. Between her manicured fingers she held his credit card that he gave her to pay for her car. Her heeled sandals clicked on the concrete as she walked towards the office of the Maxwell Garage. She paused and saw Jonathon Maxwell leaning over her car. With a complacent smile on her lips she walked over and stopped to watch him. He had been the one she would have loved to get her hands on. He had always intimidated her, making it clear that he didn't like her. She saw him as a challenge, but there had always been some other girl in his life. The two most notable ones were Morgan Valenti and Chang Leigh, the woman he was now married to. So, she had gone after Damien Winner. He had been her next choice. She sauntered over to the other side of the car and leaned forwards, bracing her elbows on the hood. "See anything wrong?" she asked.
Jonathon raised his eyes to hers. He stood up straight and shoved his hands in the back pockets of his jeans. "No," he replied, his tone clipped. He disliked her immensely and he had always let her know it. Giving her a chilling look, he leaned against the car behind him. "What do you want?"
A smirk touched her lips as she leaned up as well. "I came to pick up my car," she replied, but her eyes flickered over him before returning to his icy cobalt ones, "among other things."
His mouth twitched. He wasn't stupid. He knew what she was insinuating. It then dawned on him that the Jaguar that Angelina had been working on was hers. "This car yours?"
"Yes, it was my birthday gift," Claudia replied as she walked around it, trailing her fingers on the metal and facing him. She braced her hands behind her on the hood as she leaned against it.
Jonathon let out a derisive snort. "Figures that this car would belong to you. And by the way, Claudia, I'm married," he said as he tossed her the keys. He held up his left hand. "See. Married."
Eyeing the band on his ring finger, she arched her brow. "Don't flatter yourself," she said with a sniff. "Damien was much better than you."
"And more willing to be lead around the nose by you too, being the bitch that you are," he shot back. "All you did was make him miserable in the end and practically killing him in the process. I saw him afterwards, I know exactly how much he was in love with you and I couldn't help but pity him for it. How could he love a rotten whore like you?"
Her face flared with angry color. "How dare you!"
"Because I can. To you, I was one of those uncouth Maxwells that you looked down your snotty little nose at. Truth was, it practically rankled that I wanted nothing to do with you," he said, a malicious glint entering his eyes. "And it was because I saw you for the bitch you were. So, I'm going to say this once and only once, leave him alone. I'll be damned if you mess around with him a second time because if you do, I'll show you just how nasty I can get," he snarled as he leaned forwards and looking into her eyes.
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Angelina heard Jonathon raise his voice, making her wipe her hands on a towel that hung out the back pocket of her loose fitting cutoffs. She walked out and saw Jonathon with a deadly look on his face. It was directed towards Claudia. She sucked in a breath and started walking towards them. She could hear some of his words. She knew he could get particularly vicious towards someone he considered an enemy. "Jonathon, what's going on?" she asked as she reached them.
Claudia's mouth hung open with furious shock. No one had ever talked to her like that before. Balling her hands into fists, she raised one to strike him when the copper haired girl she recognized as Damien's assistant, asked him a question. She narrowed her eyes at him instead.
Jonathon turned and glanced at Angelina. "I'm taking care of something. Something I should have done a long time ago," he replied, his voice clipped. "You get that, Claudia," he growled, "You stay away from him."
Blinking her silver eyes, she turned them towards the shorter brunette, who looked ready to explode. "You don't have to do this, Jonathon," she said as she laid a hand on his arm. "I know why you're doing it."
His cobalt eyes softened a little as he looked back at her. "Yes, I do, Angelina. And I'm doing it because I want to."
Deep brown eyes bounced back and forth between them. The younger girl's look was imploring and grateful at the same time. Her mind flickered back to the day in Damien's office. The look reflected on her face and in those metallic eyes when she looked at her former lover. A thought struck her. This girl had a crush on Damien. "You don't stand a chance, red," she hissed.
Angelina's eyes narrowed as she looked at Claudia. "I stand a better chance than you do, gold digger. He's not yours, nor will he ever be again. So why don't you go sink your hooks into some unfortunate sucker, who will over look that you're slut."
She sucked in an outraged breath at the insult. "All I see in front of me is a slut. You aren't worthy of any man, least of all Damien. You're nothing of what he wants. He wants a lady and you're far from that."
Heat rushed to Angelina's face. "I wasn't the one who used him, claiming to love him. I told him exactly what I wanted from him. I don't have a hidden agenda. And perhaps I care for him a little more than you do, you snake. At least I haven't lied to him about who I am," she snarled as her own hands fisted at her sides. She felt like striking the older girl.
Jonathon didn't say anything. He was closely watching Angelina's face. He was proud that she was holding herself together and giving as good as she got. She wasn't hesitant at all and she meant what she said too. Inside he was also laughing at Claudia. The other woman had a look of surprise in her eyes at the insults being slinged at her. He was silently rejoicing at those expressions.
Ill-concealed dislike was written all over Claudia's classical features. Shooting daggers at Jonathon seemed to have no effect. A wicked grin was crossing his mouth. Her eyes returned to the girl in front of her. "And that's why he'll never want you. I'm everything he's ever wanted. You're not. Just watch and see, you brat, I'll get him back. No matter what the cost," she sneered as she turned on her heel and strutted towards the office with her head held high. "Let the little bitch think about that," she said smugly.
Angelina's hands clenched even tighter, her nails digging into the tender flesh of her palms. "The gall of that…that…whore…" she sputtered, to infuriated to speak. "I'll kill her before I let her have him."
Jonathon grasped her hands and pulled them apart, used to doing so with Randy. "She's saying that just to get to you. Don't play her head games. She will ruin you like she did Damien. She has no conscience. She'll do it in a heartbeat for she means to have him now that she knows you want him. Claudia plays for blood and its yours, she's after," he explained as he turned her to face him. "You're best bet, Angel, is to go to him. I know you might be angry with him, but if you do want him, forgive him. Girls are not his forte. He's so inexperienced in that area of his life since it's always revolved around his family's business. And don't hide yourself from him. Don't make him put his foot in his mouth unnecessarily."
She scowled. "A day or two ago, Randy told me to leave him alone and let him come to his senses. Right now, I don't like him because of what he said about me. I don't know if I want him or not."
He bent down to her level and looked her in the eyes. "Don't be stupid. You want him. I know you do because I can see it in your eyes that you do. It's clear when you were going back and forth with Claudia that you do. Don't be stubborn. It only gets you hurt in the process. Trust me on this. I put myself through too much heartache because of my insecurities. I almost lost Leigh entirely. I don't want you to lose him because it's so obvious to me, that you care a great deal about the dope," he said gently. He pressed his finger against her lips when she went to protest. "I want to see you happy. And he can make you happy, like I know you could make him. But let him make the first move. He knows he made a mistake with you and he will come to you in the end. He's easy to guilt trip."
With a sigh, Angelina slumped her shoulders. "I know. But I how can I let him in? He…"
"I know he hurt you and it doesn't make me happy that he did, but don't throw away this opportunity. Don't shut him out," he said as he pressed a brotherly kiss on her forehead. "I know it's hard for you to open up, but you have to trust him. You can trust him. He's one of the most loyal and dedicated people I know. Open up to him and you will be surprised of what you'll find underneath."
She bent her head against his chest. She could hear the steady pounding of his heart against her forehead. "It makes me glad that I have someone like you looking out for me. It's kinda nice having a big brother."
He rubbed his hands up and down her arms. "No matter what, you can always count on me, or even David or Chris to be there for you. You're family. You're just like another little sister to us. We'll always try to protect you, just like we do for Randy."
"Thank you," she replied as she pressed her cheek against him and gave him a hug.
"No problem," Jonathon said as he wrapped his arms around her to return the hug.
Angelina closed her eyes against the comforting warmth of his chest. He was as close as a brother could be. She could confide in him and be herself. She didn't have to hide with him. She would have loved to been able to date him, but she was content in having him like this. In some strange way, she had always seen Jonathon as her knight in shining armor. With her eyes still closed, she thought of Damien. He was one of Jonathon's closest friends. Deep down, she wanted to go to him, but she was afraid. Afraid of what he could say. But she knew that he was hiding his own fears and anxieties behind that aloof façade of his. He was similar to her in some ways. Knowing that she wanted nothing more to forgive him. She cared that much about him, but there was no telling on when he would come around and if Claudia could possibly get to him first. She couldn't let the other girl win him back. In the back of her mind, he was more than just something to be won. It was him as a person. The person whose heart needed to be touched by someone who wasn't so scheming and calculating, needed someone gentle and understanding. And most of all, she needed his. She needed whatever warmth and understanding lay beneath the surface of his eyes. She wanted to be able to make him smile again and rebuild her shattered self-esteem and confidence. It was going to take all of her efforts to bring him around and all her courage to let him in to that deep dark part of her soul that she kept hidden from the light.
A/N: I know it's a short chapter, but don't despair, there's more coming soon! XOXO!!