Paradise - Chapter 2
He covered Rory's mouth with a kiss that sent sparkles everywhere in Rory's body. A light, tender kiss. Rory had already been kissed by young students without experience; by those who were too impatient. Nobody had ever kissed her with Jess Mariano's slow competence. She felt she needed to put her hand on his back, to make sure he wouldn't go. Lost in the kiss, she slid her hands on his back, his neck, his chest, his shoulders.
He took her hips, taking her closer, making the kiss more intense, if that was possible. When their lips finally slipped apart, hours seemed to have passed by. Standing in the circle of Jess' arms, she put her face on Jess' chest and tried to make a little order in the swirl of her feelings. Wouldn't he think she was strange to kiss him after only a couple hours of being together?
She lifted her head, ready to face derision and surprise. But what she saw was absolutely not derision. His eyes shined with a soft flame, his face only showed passion. He instinctively tightened his arms, not about to let her go. She felt her body was still hard with desire, and she had a strange feeling of pleasure mixed with pride to know this kiss troubled him as much as it troubled her. Without thinking about what she was doing, she looked at his inviting lips. Wanting to feel those lips against hers again, Rory lifted her eyes to Jess', seeing what she wished his eyes would express. He took her lips with a passionate kiss that drove her crazy.
A bit later, Rory heard voices coming outside, and quickly removed Jess' arms from around her waist. Dozens of couple were outside the club to look at the fireworks. And, in front of those people, was her father, his long strides showing his rage.
-Oh my God, Jess, you have to go. Please, leave. Now.
-Why would I?
-Please! Nothing will happen to me if you leave now. But I'm not sure what he'll do to you if you stay.
-Mariano, two bodyguards are coming to kick you out. Turning to Rory, he said, You come with me, and I don't want to hear a word. Your mother did enough of those things here; I'm certainly not going to let you make the same mistakes. Am I making myself clear? Go home. It'll take you twenty minutes to get there. I'll call you in twenty-five minutes, and you better be there, may God protect you if you aren't!
With those words, he left and entered the club. Her eyes filled with tears, Rory walked into the parking lot, passing by a lonely silhouette, before recognizing it was Jess. She stopped walking, but she was too ashamed to face him. He came to her side.
-Are you okay?
-Yes. Trying to look as off-hand as he looked, she said, My father is a Hayden, and the Hayden's do not argue in public.
-And they don't cry in public, either, he said, seeing Rory's eyes.
-No.I..I'm going home. Do you want me to get you home?
-Only if you let me drive.
He didn't give the impression he wanted to drive a Porsche. He wanted to drive because he was nervous to see her driving in this state of mind.
I-'d like to give my excuses for tonight. The fight with my father...
-I think it's your father who should feel sorry. He hurt me by sending only two bodyguards. He could've sent at least four, not to hurt my ego.
-He should have sent at least six.
-My ego and I thank you.
Rory, who thought she wouldn't be able to laugh that night, burst out laughing. With the dashboard's light, she examined him. What Leigh Ackerman said earlier came back to her mind. She remembered that, in the first place, she had thought Jess didn't have anything sexy. But now, she felt that she was the luckiest woman on Earth, and that dozens of other girls felt that way before her.
***
-I live here.
-It looks like a museum.
-Thank you for not saying mausoleum.
-I only thought it, he said, smirking.
Rory entered the library. She lit a lamp, and took the phone to call a taxi for Jess, but her heart told her not to. She wanted him to stay, she wanted to talk to him, she wanted anything who could make her forget the despair she would feel the minute she'd be alone.
-You don't have to leave now, you know. My father will play cards until the club closes, at two o'clock.
-Rory, it's not that I don't want to stay, it's just that if he comes home sooner and finds me here...
-He won't come home sooner. Death herself wouldn't dare to interrupt one of his games.. He's a little obsessed with cards.
-I think he's also obsessed by you.
Her heart stopped beating while he looked at the phone, wondering what he should do. He finally hung up, and put the phone on the table.
-Would you like a cognac? That's all I can offer, since the servants are already in bed by now.
-Yeah, I'd take a cognac. Does the servants lock the fridge for the night?
-It's almost that. Tell me, you don't know how to cook, do you?
-I'm sure I would know, if somebody could tell me where the kitchen and the oven are.
He put his glass on the table, looking at her. Rory knew what he was going to do way before he grabbed her waist and pulled her next to him.
-I'm sure you know how to cook...
-Why do you say that?
-Because you put me on burning coals an hour ago...
Their lips were only an inch apart when the phone began ringing. When Rory took the phone, her father's voice had the same effect on her as a blizzard would have.
I congratulate you for having enough judgment to do what I told you to. And, Rory, I was just going to let you attend Harvard, but after your behaviour tonight, I don't think that's the right place for you. It's the ultimate proof that I cannot trust you.
***
