Chapter 4
Later that night, Jack's Bistro was jam - packed. Jack was so happy that business was going great, but his heart sank when he thought that when Janet arrived she'd have to be alone. Maybe he was being overly protective, but she was his best friend. He didn't really like leaving her, but at least she would be in the same building, so he could keep an eye on her.
At about 9:25 Janet arrived. She was still a little on guard, afraid to enter through the back door, so she went ahead and enter the restaurant from the front - and very public - door. "Hi Janet" Jack greeted her with a smile. "Business is going great; look at all these people!" he exclaimed, grinning.
"I'm so happy for you, Jack. Is there anything I can do to help you out?" She asked, kind of hoping he would say yes. She wanted to return the favor for letting her come to the bistro to hang out, but in actuality, she just felt an overwhelming desire to be with him, and be near him.
"No, that okay, babe. We want to KEEP our customers, remember?" he teased. She stuck her tongue out at him. "It's up to you, okay? You can stay here.or you can go upstairs and do whatever. I asked Felipe to clean up the room and to buy some new sheets for the bed in case you feel like taking a nap." he said, looking into her eyes.
"Jack?" she asked softly. "Thanks."
"No problem, hon. I think we'll be done by ten, OK? If you need anything feel, free to come downstairs and ask for it, okay?" Jack leaned over to give her a quick kiss before she left.
Janet smiled, left the restaurant and went upstairs. As she opened the door, the sweet smell of apple-cinnamon filed the air. She walked into the room, and to her right there was a desk with books that she recognized as the books Jack used to keep control of the sales and profits of the bistro. Next to it was a small table with a 13 inch black television. She also noticed the new white and blue curtains Felipe had put up. The king size bed looked so cozy. The white sheets made the room look bigger then she remember it being, and next to the bed there was a small table with the Apple Jack candle lightened and just a foot and a half away there was a tall mirror. To her left, there was a bigger black chair. Janet made her way towards the mirror as she critically glanced at her reflection. There were no obvious scars from last night. Well, none that I can see, she sighed. He had definitely left his mark on her. But someone else had left his mark on her, she realized, licking her lips. Jack. She shivered involuntarily, remembering the wonderful feeling of his mouth on hers. He had left his mark on her heart.
Janet had been trying not to admit it, but she couldn't betray her feelings. Janet knew that this had nothing to do with the way he'd been acting because of what happened last night. Lately, after Terri had left and even before that, Janet found herself thinking of Jack more and more. But she always kept pushing those forbidden feelings away, hidden somewhere deep inside of her. Ever since the first day that Mr. and Mrs. Roper found Jack in the apartment, the relationship between them was deemed as strictly platonic. What frightened her now was not that they were still friends even after the Ropers were gone, but that they could be more. And she wanted them to be more. "No," she whispered to herself. " No, no, no. You need to stop this. Jack is just your friend.nothing more, and that's what you want, "she reminded herself. Maybe if she told herself that enough times, she'd start to believe it.
*~*
Meanwhile, down in the kitchen, Jack was having trouble concentrating. He was trying to explain to himself what exactly he meant when he called Janet his girl. He had a strange, indescribable feeling that was overtaking him. He had a sneaking suspicion what it was, but he wasn't about to admit that to anyone, least of all himself. Saying it aloud would make it real, and he just could not deal with that. He'd always loved all of his roommates. Most of the time, anyway. Chrissy was fun to joke around with because she was so funny, but he never saw her as anything more then a friend. Cindy was and still is like a younger sister to him, even if his life was in grave danger every time she came near him. Terri is a great girl; he was really relieved she had stayed and given him another chance. But Janet.Janet didn't fit into any of those categories. She was something entirely more special to him.not just a sister, not just a friend. He couldn't imagine living without her for more then a day.
"Jefe, are the plates ready?" Felipe asked, interrupting his thoughts.
"Huh?"
"What's the matter tonight? You seem to be in another world. Are you feeling okay?" he asked.
"Me? Oh.yeah. Sure. Just wondering how Janet's doing."
Felipe smiled to himself. He knew it. He'd always known it. That boy had it bad. "If you want, Jefe, since we close in 15 minutes anyway, why don't you let me finish up here? I'll take care of everything. You can go be with your girl."
Jack washed his hands and thanked Felipe before he headed upstairs to the bedroom. When he opened the door, he found Janet lying down on the bed watching television. She was so into it she didn't even notice Jack had walked in the room and crept up beside her.
"Hey, beautiful." Jack said with a smile. "Am I interrupting anything?"
Janet jumped almost instantly, then smiled and shook her head. "No, not really I'm just watching I Love Lucy. Want to join me? It's about to be over." she said, hoping he would say yes.
"Of course I would, but the Lakers are on tonight."
"But its about to be over!" she whined, rolling over when he reached for the remote. "I got here first!"
"Please??"
"NO!" she laughed as he reached out for her. She jumped off the bed.
"Please????!!!!"
"Honestly, Jack. Don't be such a baby. It's almost over."
"So? You can watch this again some other time."
"You can read about the game in the paper!" she retorted as he started to chase her around the room.
Giggling, she ran into the bathroom and locked the door. "Janet!" he whined, pounding on the door. "Open up!"
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. As Jack stood chatting with Felipe for a few moments, Janet was able to seize the moment and ran out of the bathroom, grabbing the control from his hand. "Thank you!" Jack said a quick goodbye to Felipe, and then turned to Janet, mock sternness in his voice. "You're dead, woman!" She giggled again as he tackled her on the bed. "Give it up."
"No way!" she cried breathlessly, struggling to get away. It was in vain, however, because he had a firm grip on both her wrists. She hated that. It made her feel helpless, and he knew it. Her mouth opened slightly when she noticed that Jack was on top of her and his face was inches from hers. Not a sound was made as their lips grew closer, and closer.
Jack stopped himself just in time and kissed her on the forehead. "Come on," he said softly, his gaze still locked with hers. "Let's go home." He grabbed Janet's hand, pulling her from the bed.
She dutifully followed him, but stopped just short of the door, turning to face him, worry mixed with love in her eyes. "Jack...? What happened back there.with us??"
It was a long time before he looked at her. He avoided her eyes as he started to speak. "God...Janet...you really don't get it, do you?" He was now staring straight at her, and his gaze was penetrating her soul. "I mean...ever since that night.ever since that moment I saw you.I can't concentrate...I can't do anything. I don't know what it is. I can't stop thinking about you."
Her heart soared, but then sank again, as quickly as it had risen. Ever since that night. That night had ruined everything for her. It had only been a matter of five minutes, but already the incident was taking over her life in every conceivable fashion. "Jack...don't think that you have to baby-sit me. I know you're a nice guy, but I'm a big girl. I don't need you to protect me."
"No.no." He took her hands in his. "It has nothing to do with anything like that. Yes, now the main reason I have you over here is because I want to protect you, but.I want to be with you too. I want to be with you all the time. Last night just reinforced it. I've been feeling this way for a long time now. Janet..."
Janet didn't want - couldn't take hearing any more of how Jack felt sorry for her. It hurt too much. "I'm sorry.I can't take this." Tears blurring her vision, she ran out the door.
"Janet, wait!" It only took about a couple of seconds before Jack was able to catch up with her. He grabbed her arm, forcing her to turn and look at him. "Sweetheart, I.I think that I'm.."
"I know." Her voice was soft and light, and full of emotion. "I feel it, too." The kiss between them was strong and filled with passion. Janet could feel her whole body seem to melt as his lips touched hers. She knew that this wasn't the right thing to do, but she didn't care anymore. Gradually, however, the familiar fears took over her mind and her subconscious brought her back. "No." Without another word, she ran back into the restaurant, leaving a dumbfounded Jack behind her.
Later that night, Jack's Bistro was jam - packed. Jack was so happy that business was going great, but his heart sank when he thought that when Janet arrived she'd have to be alone. Maybe he was being overly protective, but she was his best friend. He didn't really like leaving her, but at least she would be in the same building, so he could keep an eye on her.
At about 9:25 Janet arrived. She was still a little on guard, afraid to enter through the back door, so she went ahead and enter the restaurant from the front - and very public - door. "Hi Janet" Jack greeted her with a smile. "Business is going great; look at all these people!" he exclaimed, grinning.
"I'm so happy for you, Jack. Is there anything I can do to help you out?" She asked, kind of hoping he would say yes. She wanted to return the favor for letting her come to the bistro to hang out, but in actuality, she just felt an overwhelming desire to be with him, and be near him.
"No, that okay, babe. We want to KEEP our customers, remember?" he teased. She stuck her tongue out at him. "It's up to you, okay? You can stay here.or you can go upstairs and do whatever. I asked Felipe to clean up the room and to buy some new sheets for the bed in case you feel like taking a nap." he said, looking into her eyes.
"Jack?" she asked softly. "Thanks."
"No problem, hon. I think we'll be done by ten, OK? If you need anything feel, free to come downstairs and ask for it, okay?" Jack leaned over to give her a quick kiss before she left.
Janet smiled, left the restaurant and went upstairs. As she opened the door, the sweet smell of apple-cinnamon filed the air. She walked into the room, and to her right there was a desk with books that she recognized as the books Jack used to keep control of the sales and profits of the bistro. Next to it was a small table with a 13 inch black television. She also noticed the new white and blue curtains Felipe had put up. The king size bed looked so cozy. The white sheets made the room look bigger then she remember it being, and next to the bed there was a small table with the Apple Jack candle lightened and just a foot and a half away there was a tall mirror. To her left, there was a bigger black chair. Janet made her way towards the mirror as she critically glanced at her reflection. There were no obvious scars from last night. Well, none that I can see, she sighed. He had definitely left his mark on her. But someone else had left his mark on her, she realized, licking her lips. Jack. She shivered involuntarily, remembering the wonderful feeling of his mouth on hers. He had left his mark on her heart.
Janet had been trying not to admit it, but she couldn't betray her feelings. Janet knew that this had nothing to do with the way he'd been acting because of what happened last night. Lately, after Terri had left and even before that, Janet found herself thinking of Jack more and more. But she always kept pushing those forbidden feelings away, hidden somewhere deep inside of her. Ever since the first day that Mr. and Mrs. Roper found Jack in the apartment, the relationship between them was deemed as strictly platonic. What frightened her now was not that they were still friends even after the Ropers were gone, but that they could be more. And she wanted them to be more. "No," she whispered to herself. " No, no, no. You need to stop this. Jack is just your friend.nothing more, and that's what you want, "she reminded herself. Maybe if she told herself that enough times, she'd start to believe it.
*~*
Meanwhile, down in the kitchen, Jack was having trouble concentrating. He was trying to explain to himself what exactly he meant when he called Janet his girl. He had a strange, indescribable feeling that was overtaking him. He had a sneaking suspicion what it was, but he wasn't about to admit that to anyone, least of all himself. Saying it aloud would make it real, and he just could not deal with that. He'd always loved all of his roommates. Most of the time, anyway. Chrissy was fun to joke around with because she was so funny, but he never saw her as anything more then a friend. Cindy was and still is like a younger sister to him, even if his life was in grave danger every time she came near him. Terri is a great girl; he was really relieved she had stayed and given him another chance. But Janet.Janet didn't fit into any of those categories. She was something entirely more special to him.not just a sister, not just a friend. He couldn't imagine living without her for more then a day.
"Jefe, are the plates ready?" Felipe asked, interrupting his thoughts.
"Huh?"
"What's the matter tonight? You seem to be in another world. Are you feeling okay?" he asked.
"Me? Oh.yeah. Sure. Just wondering how Janet's doing."
Felipe smiled to himself. He knew it. He'd always known it. That boy had it bad. "If you want, Jefe, since we close in 15 minutes anyway, why don't you let me finish up here? I'll take care of everything. You can go be with your girl."
Jack washed his hands and thanked Felipe before he headed upstairs to the bedroom. When he opened the door, he found Janet lying down on the bed watching television. She was so into it she didn't even notice Jack had walked in the room and crept up beside her.
"Hey, beautiful." Jack said with a smile. "Am I interrupting anything?"
Janet jumped almost instantly, then smiled and shook her head. "No, not really I'm just watching I Love Lucy. Want to join me? It's about to be over." she said, hoping he would say yes.
"Of course I would, but the Lakers are on tonight."
"But its about to be over!" she whined, rolling over when he reached for the remote. "I got here first!"
"Please??"
"NO!" she laughed as he reached out for her. She jumped off the bed.
"Please????!!!!"
"Honestly, Jack. Don't be such a baby. It's almost over."
"So? You can watch this again some other time."
"You can read about the game in the paper!" she retorted as he started to chase her around the room.
Giggling, she ran into the bathroom and locked the door. "Janet!" he whined, pounding on the door. "Open up!"
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. As Jack stood chatting with Felipe for a few moments, Janet was able to seize the moment and ran out of the bathroom, grabbing the control from his hand. "Thank you!" Jack said a quick goodbye to Felipe, and then turned to Janet, mock sternness in his voice. "You're dead, woman!" She giggled again as he tackled her on the bed. "Give it up."
"No way!" she cried breathlessly, struggling to get away. It was in vain, however, because he had a firm grip on both her wrists. She hated that. It made her feel helpless, and he knew it. Her mouth opened slightly when she noticed that Jack was on top of her and his face was inches from hers. Not a sound was made as their lips grew closer, and closer.
Jack stopped himself just in time and kissed her on the forehead. "Come on," he said softly, his gaze still locked with hers. "Let's go home." He grabbed Janet's hand, pulling her from the bed.
She dutifully followed him, but stopped just short of the door, turning to face him, worry mixed with love in her eyes. "Jack...? What happened back there.with us??"
It was a long time before he looked at her. He avoided her eyes as he started to speak. "God...Janet...you really don't get it, do you?" He was now staring straight at her, and his gaze was penetrating her soul. "I mean...ever since that night.ever since that moment I saw you.I can't concentrate...I can't do anything. I don't know what it is. I can't stop thinking about you."
Her heart soared, but then sank again, as quickly as it had risen. Ever since that night. That night had ruined everything for her. It had only been a matter of five minutes, but already the incident was taking over her life in every conceivable fashion. "Jack...don't think that you have to baby-sit me. I know you're a nice guy, but I'm a big girl. I don't need you to protect me."
"No.no." He took her hands in his. "It has nothing to do with anything like that. Yes, now the main reason I have you over here is because I want to protect you, but.I want to be with you too. I want to be with you all the time. Last night just reinforced it. I've been feeling this way for a long time now. Janet..."
Janet didn't want - couldn't take hearing any more of how Jack felt sorry for her. It hurt too much. "I'm sorry.I can't take this." Tears blurring her vision, she ran out the door.
"Janet, wait!" It only took about a couple of seconds before Jack was able to catch up with her. He grabbed her arm, forcing her to turn and look at him. "Sweetheart, I.I think that I'm.."
"I know." Her voice was soft and light, and full of emotion. "I feel it, too." The kiss between them was strong and filled with passion. Janet could feel her whole body seem to melt as his lips touched hers. She knew that this wasn't the right thing to do, but she didn't care anymore. Gradually, however, the familiar fears took over her mind and her subconscious brought her back. "No." Without another word, she ran back into the restaurant, leaving a dumbfounded Jack behind her.