A/N: Thank you so much for the kind reviews. YES Jackie is married in this. I'm going AU VERSE starting after movie with of course Jack surviving and some other things but all will be explained and work I promise. Enjoy and I will post more again soon. Thanks again!
Chapter TWO
Kimberly shook her head. "No, there's no problem." She somehow managed a smile. "The name just sounds familiar, that's all."
Jeremiah and Jack exchanged a long look. "Well, Bobby, he's…"
The intercom beeped and she immediately leaned forward to hit the accept button. "Yes Melody?"
"The other partners are here Ms. Carter."
"Show them in please." She stood up and a few minutes later, the door to the conference room opened again. She smiled and stepped forward but the smile dropped completely at the sight of the two men entering behind Melody.
Angel smiled brightly as he saw her, eyes widening in surprise but he covered it quickly as he shot Bobby a look. Bobby wasn't as smooth at covering his surprise and he stared at her for a few minutes, no one in the room saying a word.
Kimberly clenched her hands into fists and felt her nails bit the soft skin of her palms. She turned her head to stare at Melody and noticed the other woman was looking at everything in the room except her. "Melody…"
Melody bit on her bottom lip but finally slid her gaze to Kimberly's. "Yes, Kimberly?"
"Could you bring some coffee in here please?"
"You're not a secretary too?"
Every pair of eyes swung back to Bobby and Kimberly felt her insides tighten.
"Bobby!" Jeremiah's voice held a tone of warning. "This is Ms. Carter."
"I know who this is Jerry." Bobby smirked as he stared at Kimberly. "She spilled beer all over my favorite pair of boots last night."
"This is the woman you met last night!?" Jack was smiling as he spoke up and glanced between them. "Are you serious? Didn't you tell me that you two-"
"No."
"Yes." Bobby glared at her. "But at the time, I didn't know exactly who she was."
Jeremiah sighed as he sat down at the table again, hand rising to rub his fingers across his forehead. "This is unbelievable. Of all the women in Detroit, you have to sleep with the one that's going to finance our building project!"
"You can still get your financing Jerry; calm the fuck down."
"Man, will you watch your language in front of the lady?"
"Believe me, she doesn't mind me talking dirty." Bobby smirked as he focused back on her again. "Do you Princess?"
Kimberly ignored the fact that Melody was literally attached to the wall as she slid from the room and that Angel and Jack were both grinning widely at her. She could only focus on the fact that her face felt like it was on fire and her palms were beginning to hurt from the pressure of her nails. "Mr. Mercer," She turned back to face Jeremiah, "if you don't mind, I'd like to continue this meeting without the inconvenience of outside interference."
"Are you calling me a damn inconvenience?"
She ignored Bobby in the background. "Mr. Mercer?"
"I'm afraid I can't agree to that Kimberly. My brothers are my partners and I want them included in all meetings that concern Mercer Brothers Inc."
"I'm staying here Kimberly so you better get used to it."
She turned to stare at Bobby again. "It's not that I entirely mind any extra presence but I could do without the commentary from the peanut gallery."
Angel chuckled as he reached forward to pat Bobby on the back. "Looks like you didn't show the lady as great of a time as you thought last night bro."
"Yeah, you must be losing your touch Bobby."
"Fuck you Jackie! Unlike you, I haven't had any complaints in pleasing a woman."
Kimberly glanced at Jeremiah to find him with his head in his hands and she moved to take her seat again at the table. He looked up as she opened her briefcase and slid some papers towards him. "I had the financial department draw up your contract this morning."
"You still… You still want to finance my project?"
"That's what we're here for isn't it?" She smiled and slid a pen towards him. "Take your time reading the entire contract before you sign and if you have any questions, feel free to ask."
Jack was still laughing. "Kimberly's obviously an educated woman with an IQ higher than what you're used to attracting Bobby. I highly doubt you had sex with her."
"I got fucking scratches on my back to prove it, you dickhead."
Kimberly shoved her chair back as Jeremiah grabbed the pen. "That's enough." She focused on Bobby as she stood up. "This is a place of business and if you three are done measuring with your rulers, I suggest you sit down with your brother and discuss the contract I've printed up for you."
Jack immediately sat back down and when it looked like Bobby was going to say something else, Angel clapped him on the shoulder and squeezed. "Come on Bobby, let's sit down and do what we came here to do, alright?"
He nodded but didn't look away from Kimberly until he had to sit down beside Jeremiah.
Kimberly forced her shoulders to relax and she pushed her chair in just as Melody returned with a tray of mugs and the coffee pot. "Make sure our guests are taken care of Melody. If you'll excuse me, I need to use the restroom. I'll be right back."
0202020202020202020
According to her watch, she had been in the bathroom for twelve minutes and counting. She lifted her gaze to stare at her reflection and finally turned the faucet water off. Squaring her shoulders back, she wiped her hands dry, threw away the towels, and jerked open the bathroom door.
"I was beginning to think you fell in Princess."
"You shouldn't be walking around unattended." Her grip tightened on the doorknob as Bobby continued to stand in the doorway. "You should go back to the conference room."
"I should do a lot of things right now that I've got no plan to do Kimberly." His eyes flashed as he took a step forward and she took one back, releasing the door as she went.
"Bobby…"
"Small world huh? Who knew the same Kimberly that fit so well underneath me would be the same sassy business woman helping us finance my brother's project?" The bathroom door shut softly as he continued towards her. "I'm surprised but I can't say that I'm upset."
She crossed her arms over her chest as she took another step backwards. "It might by true what they say, it might actually be a small world after all," She ignored the smirk that appeared on his face, "But it doesn't mean that you have to be a jerk about it."
"I might be a jerk Princess but you like it."
She flinched as he reached out to stroke his fingers across her cheek. "Stop."
"No."
"Bobby…" Kimberly literally shook from nerves as his hands cupped her face. "We shouldn't be doing this."
"Why not?"
"Because it's not right."
He chuckled as he pulled her towards him and if he noticed her arms stayed tightly crossed, he made no mention of it. "Who says?" His dark eyes studied hers. "Just because we're working together suddenly means we can't see each other too? What's the big deal?"
"The big deal is that I'm helping you and your brothers finance a contract that costs a lot of money and if people think you accomplished that by sleeping with me, it'll ruin us both!"
"Fine; I'll quit."
"Bobby!" She pushed at his hands but he didn't release her. "This isn't a joking matter."
He chuckled as he let his thumbs stroke the sides of her face. "Okay, maybe I wouldn't quit the company completely but I'd be willing to step back and let someone else handle what I do."
"Oh yeah? And what exactly do you do?"
"I do enough." His gaze lowered to her lips. "And as you know, I do it quite well."
"You're too damn cocky for your own good Bobby Mercer." Kimberly pushed his hands from her face and surprisingly he let her but he didn't take a step back. "I thought I recognized your name when your brother mentioned you. You've got quite the reputation and you're no stranger to the papers, news or tabloids."
"Everyone has a past. Things change and people move on with their lives. Speaking of which, we should move on to talking about the next time I'm going to see you."
When he reached out to touch her face again, she lightly slapped his hand away. "Have you completely lost your mind and forgotten about what happened between us?"
"Of course not and I'm pretty damn confident that you haven't either."
"I'm not… I'm not talking about…" She ran her hands through her hair. "You said things to me…"
Bobby smirked and nodded slowly. "I remember saying a lot of things."
"Don't just stand there and act like you don't know what I'm really talking about!"
"Maybe I was a little out of line…"
"You think?"
"But you were too and-"
"I was not! You were rude to me in my own house and obviously quite amnesiac because we both agreed it was a onetime thing!"
Bobby's chuckle was loud as it bounced off the walls around them. "A onetime thing, that's a good one Princess. I was inside of you more than once for damn sure, so that pretty much throws the one night stand rule out of the window."
"You are completely out of your mind!"
"You might be right, you might be driving me fucking crazy, but that don't change facts!"
"There are no facts!" She shouted back. "I don't want to see you again and that's final Bobby!"
"Bullshit you don't!"
She laughed this time at the look of disbelief on his face. "Why is it so hard to accept that fact that someone you slept with doesn't want to see you again? Have you honestly never had a one night stand?"
"I've had my fair share; have you?"
She shook her head quickly. "No but at least I'm aware of the rules."
"Rules, my ass. You don't know a damn thing! Why are you fighting this so hard?"
"Have you not heard a word of what I've been saying or even opened your eyes? It's not just the business end Bobby but everything else as well! I… I just can't do this! I just don't have the time or desire to continue sleeping with you whenever you feel horny."
"When I…" He laughed as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "What do I have to do to change your mind Princess? Take you out on a date? Tell you my favorite color? Wear a suit and tie? What?"
"A suit and a tie? You think this is about the fact that you…"
"That I what? What about me?"
"Just forget it." She shook her head again and moved around him towards the door. She jumped as he reached the door first, his hand slapping against the back so she couldn't open it. "Bobby…"
"The fact that I come from years of moving place to place in the system and working my way up from the fucking bottom has nothing to do with the fact that I want to see you again. I don't care if you have more money than Bill Gates, it doesn't change anything. I don't give a shit about the money Kimberly."
"Bobby…"
His free hand shifted to cup her chin. "I like you Kimberly. You're hardheaded, stubborn and basically a real a wild cat underneath that sleek exterior. I must be a glutton for punishment but I like that about you."
"This isn't a good idea."
He smirked as he released her chin. "Can't say I'm known for having too many of those anyway."
"What could we possibly have in common?" She sighed as she leaned against the door and brought her eyes up to his. "Why in the world could you possibly want anything else from me but sex?"
His hand stroked the top of her head as he leaned against the door as well. "Why do you have such a low opinion of yourself?"
"Maybe it's not about me; maybe instead it's just a low opinion of everyone else."
"I guess I'll just have to prove you wrong."
"And how do you plan on doing that?"
"Maybe I'll dress up in that suit and tie after all."
"Oh please." Kimberly rolled her eyes as she pushed away from the door. "Like you even own a tie much less a suit."
"You could always buy me a suit Princess with that Black American Express card I know you got tucked away in your wallet." He laughed as she swatted at him harmlessly, catching her hand to press the back of her fingers against his lips. "Let me take you out to dinner tonight."
"Do I need to bring my Express card?"
"You can if it'll make you feel better but I don't know if the McDonalds downtown will accept credit cards."
0202020202020202020
Kimberly shifted in the passenger seat of Bobby's truck. "You cannot be serious."
"I told you we were going to McDonalds, didn't I?"
"But…" She looked at the front of the fast food restaurant, the golden arches glowing from the position on top of the building. "I didn't think…"
"If you don't want to go inside, we can always hit the drive through."
She stared at the double doors for a few minutes before she burst out laughing. She grabbed onto her sides as she laughed, tears threatening to come out of the corner of her eyes, and when she finally focused on Bobby again, she found him smiling at her.
"I'm glad you find the plans I made for our date so amusing."
"No one's ever taken me to McDonald's on an actual date before." She cleared her throat. "This is a date right? That's what we're calling it?"
Bobby nodded and stretched his arm across the back of her seat. "The first of many."
"You sound awfully confident about that."
"We both know I am for good reason."
Kimberly blushed and she fingered the hemline of her short sleeved red knit top she had chosen to compliment her dark blue jeans. "Bobby…"
"So do we go inside or do you want the drive through option?"
"You're really serious about eating here?"
He chuckled and reached forward to start the engine back up on the truck. "Of course not." He checked the rearview as he backed out of the parking space. "If you look behind you, what I actually have planned is back there."
Shooting him a look, she turned in her seat. "Should I be scared? I think I saw a horror movie like this once."
"Just look."
Her eyes caught sight of a small brown basket and she raised the lid slowly. "There's food in here!"
"I noticed the weather this afternoon isn't going to be too bad so I figured we'd go to the park downtown."
She spotted the rolled up blanket behind his seat. "You planned a picnic!"
"Well, to be fair, La Vida Loca actually suggested the picnic and Jackie Boy packed the basket."
"La Vida Loca?"
He chuckled as the truck continued down the road. "Angel's wife a.k.a. the royal pain in my ass."
"She sounds interesting."
"That's one way to describe her." Bobby looked over to find her still smiling. "What?" He smiled back as he glanced between her and the road. "What is it?"
"You're taking me on a picnic." She laughed again; "Bobby Mercer, better known as the Michigan Mauler, is taking me on a picnic. Who would have imagined?"
"Pretty girls should go on picnics all the time." His dark eyes flashed back to her. "How do you know that nickname?"
"You think I'm pretty?"
Bobby laughed. "You're not just pretty Sweetheart, you're gorgeous. Now answer the question."
"I might have looked you up."
"Looked me up how?"
Kimberly crossed her arms over her chest. "I take pride in knowing who I'm working with and what they bring to the table." She kept her eyes on him though the urge to look elsewhere was strong. "I know a detective at the local station and he gave me some information."
"A detective?"
She fidgeted with her sweater again. "I went to the same college as Green so he didn't mind giving me information." She hit the side of the door as the car swerved. "Bobby?!"
"Green as in Detective Darius Green?"
She nodded slowly and rubbed her arm. "Yes, he's head of the unit. Do you know him?"
"You could say that." Bobby pressed down on the gas as the car straightened on the road. "I'm surprised after talking to him that you still agreed to go on this date."
"I'll admit that a lot of the things in your file aren't pretty but seeing as how you didn't kill me in my house after we slept together, I decided to follow my gut instinct about you."
"Oh yeah? And what's your gut telling you about me now?"
"You scare me for a lot of reasons but I know that I can trust you, even if it's with my life."
Both of his hands grabbed the wheel; grip tightening. "I don't like that I scare you and I can't promise that I won't run off at the mouth seeing as how I'm hot tempered but I need you to know that I'll never lay a hand on you out of anger Kimberly, never."
"I believe you."
The truck pulled into the lot of the park and he turned off the engine before he shifted in his seat to face her. "Do you?"
She nodded, her eyes on his, as he reached out to cup the side of her face with his hand. "I do."
With a smile, Bobby lowered his hand. "Why don't you grab the blanket and I'll get the basket?"
She nodded again and ten minutes later, they were sitting on the blanket with the items from the basket between them. People roamed around them, the laughter from the kids on the nearby swing sets echoing through the park.
Kimberly surveyed the blanket covered with bottles of water, fruit, Ziploc bags of chips and wrapped sandwiches. "Jack did a great job."
Bobby grunted as he grabbed a water bottle and twisted off the cap. "I'll tell him you said so." He took a gulp from it. "All the Fairy needs is an apron and he'd be Betty fucking Crocker."
"Fairy?" She grabbed a bottle as well, holding it with both hands. "I don't follow."
He chuckled. "I like to tease Jackie about being gay."
"Why would you do that?"
"Because it's funny."
"Teasing someone about their sexual preference is funny to you?"
Bobby burst out laughing and he leaned back against the blanket on his elbows. "Princess, he's not really gay. It's just a joke. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife Natalie and their children when he's not here visiting. He doesn't come in as much as he used to with them there, they already have two kids and another one is on the way."
She twisted off the bottle cap and cleared her throat. "That's quite a large family. I didn't grow up with any sisters or brothers."
"I didn't have any brothers either until I was twelve years old."
"That must have been hard."
"It was at first but Evelyn changed my life." He took another swing from his bottle. "If you plan to continue seeing me Kimberly, I'd get used to being teased. The Mercers are a tough group to be around if you're sensitive."
"I'm not."
His eyebrows furrowed as he stared at her. "You're not what?"
"Sensitive." She chuckled. "What did you think I meant?"
He laughed again before twisting the cap back on his water and tossing the bottle onto the grass beside him. "Come here."
"What?" Her eyes were wide as she stared at him. "And do what?"
"Just come here." Seeing the hesitation in her eyes, he stretched out his hand. "Please?"
Slowly, she slid her hand into his and tossed it bottle to the side as well. She shifted carefully over the items and was surprised as he looped an arm around her shoulders before laying flat on his back. She had no choice but to follow and she listened to him sigh as she rested her head on his chest, her right hand now pressed to his chest as well.
"This is nice."
Kimberly chewed on her bottom lip as she listened to the steady beat of his heart. "Bobby…" His answering grunt vibrated through his chest into her ear and she shifted her head in order to glance up at him. His eyes were closed. "Why me?"
"What do you mean Princess?"
"There were tons of girls at Johnny's that night. Why me?"
"You were the only one who spilled beer on my boots."
"Bobby!" His eyes snapped open when she slapped him gently on the chest. "I'm being serious."
He chuckled. "I am too; you're the only one who did." He closed his eyes again and his hand stroked her back slowly up and down. "But that wasn't what first caught my attention about you."
"It wasn't?"
"Nope, it was actually the moment I came back from the john and saw you sitting at the bar by yourself."
"You did?"
Bobby continued stroking her back. "Mmm-hmm. You were thumbing your beer like any minute you expected it to talk to you and sitting on that bar stool in your prime little suit and all I could think of was how sexy you looked."
"I did not." She blushed as she buried her face into his chest. "Keep going."
He laughed but continued. "I debated for about five seconds before I got up to sit in the empty seat next to you at the bar but then your friend Melody showed up and the rest they say is history."
Still smiling, Kimberly propped her head up on his chest. "Bobby?"
"Yeah Sweetheart?"
"Will you kiss me?"
His hand stopped moving and she opened her mouth to say please when his hand shifted up to slide into the locks of her hair at the base of her neck. His free hand cupped the side of her face and she stretched upwards to meet his mouth. Her fingers tightened into the material of his tee shirt as the kiss deepened, her body shuddering against him at the feeling of their tongues bumping before twisting slowly together. Slowly he took his time searching her mouth and she let him, her body pliant as it pressed into his.
The sound of a child laughing broke them apart and Kimberly couldn't help but smile. She caught sight of Bobby's knowing smirk, his hands still in her hair and on her face.
"Are you hungry?"
"Are you?"
"I am but not for food." He growled.
"I think they frown upon sex in a public place Bobby."
He chuckled and leaned forward to brush his lips against the tip of her nose. "Damn, guess I'll have to wait until I get you alone again."
"Bobby!" She blushed again but couldn't stop the grin that appeared on her face. "And who says there will be a next time?"
"I told you before Princess," His hands shifted down her sides to rest comfortably on her hips, "I'm a confident man for good reason."
"And if I didn't want a next time?"
"That's impossible." He kissed her again, not pulling away for several minutes until she moaned into his mouth. He pulled away with a wide smile. "See what I mean?"
"You jerk." She was smiling as she hit him on the stomach and he grunted playfully. Her eyes narrowed. "Oh, do not even act like that hurt you!" She poked at his stomach. "Are you smuggling bricks under there?"
"Why don't you look and find out?"
Kimberly cackled with laughter. "Bobby!"
His hands cupped her face again and the laughter faded away. "I love it when you laugh Kimberly."
"Bobby…"
"And I take back calling you pretty; you're not pretty, you're beautiful. You're a beautiful woman."
She closed her eyes as he leaned forward to brush his lips across her forehead. "Thank you."
"Can I ask you something?"
She nodded and didn't open her eyes.
"Have you been hurt by someone in the past?"
"Yeah, it happened a long time ago." She cleared her throat. "My last serious relationship actually so… four years ago."
Bobby inhaled sharply through his nose. "You haven't been with someone in four years?"
Kimberly shook her head.
"What happened?"
"He hurt me, what more is there to say?"
"Does he still live in Detroit?"
Her eyes finally opened, wide and alert. "Whatever you're thinking Bobby, stop."
"It was just a question Sweetheart." He cradled her to his chest, hand stroking her back again. "So what happened?"
Kimberly sighed as she rested with her face pressed in the crook of his neck. "It was someone my father wanted me to marry. We dated for a while and then he cheated on me with my best friend. That's it. End of story."
"Well, he's a fucking idiot but at least his loss is my gain."
"Bobby…"
"I'm sorry to hear about your friend though."
"Don't be." She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent that was uniquely Bobby as it mixed with his cologne. "They're happily married now with two kids so I guess it was meant to happen."
"It wasn't your destiny to get cheated on Kimberly. He was just a fucking idiot for not having the guts to tell you it was over when he had the chance."
"No one deserves to be cheated on." She clutched at his tee shirt. "Let's not talk about this anymore."
Bobby was quiet for a few minutes before he spoke again. "I've been cheated on before."
Kimberly shifted to lift her head up and gaze at him. "Really?"
"Her name was Samantha."
"What happened?"
"I was in the fourth grade and he had more Tonka trucks than I did."
"You jerk!"
Bobby chuckled as he rolled them and slid between her legs. He kissed her and she wound her arms around his neck to pull him closer. "I'm sorry." He grinned as he pulled back to press his lips against her neck. "I don't like it when you're not smiling."
"That was mean." She smothered her grin and bit his shoulder teasingly. "I'm going to start calling you the Michigan Meanie."
"Hey now. I worked hard to get the nickname of Michigan Mauler."
"I believe you; I saw your hockey record." Her eyes met his and she smiled. "Samantha huh?"
"Yeah, what a slut."
Kimberly burst out laughing but the sound was smothered as he covered her mouth with his again.