Thanks for all the reviews on the last chapter! I wasn't sure if anyone was still interested. Here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy! :-)
Chapter 3
After about a ten-minute cab ride filled with Beck playfully refusing to divulge where they were going and Jade dodging personal questions, they finally arrive at their destination. Jade immediately recognizes the location, remembering an ad she'd seen while reading The New Yorker.
"The Silver Towers?" she whispers more to herself as the cab comes to a stop.
"Yes ma'am" Beck answers with a smug grin as he pulls out his wallet to pay the cabbie.
Jade hops out of the cab without another word, focusing solely on the twin glass-adorned, gargantuan buildings just up ahead. She'd seen pictures of them but this is the first time she's actually been. The exterior architecture is fantastical enough so she can only imagine what it'll be like inside.
"I would have opened it for you" Beck says pointing to the cab door as he walks around the cab towards her.
Jade ignores him as she continues to take in her surroundings. She makes a mental note to explore more of Manhattan when she has the time.
"You coming? Or are you just gonna stand there for the rest of the night?" Beck says amusedly as he walks past her. Jade follows him silently as a flood of thoughts bounce through her head. As they reach the door of the lobby, Beck opens it to allow her in and Jade just rolls her eyes.
"I'm not inept at opening doors" she mutters somewhat annoyed.
"I know but, contrary to popular belief, chivalry is still a thing" he answers with a dazzling smile and a nudge to her arm.
Once they're both inside he leads her over to the lobby desk to sign in as a guest. The female receptionist, who Jade supposes is in her mid-30's, noticeably straightens her posture as she sees him approach.
"Hello Mr. Oliver, it's a pleasure to see you, as always" she says the last part rather seductively.
"Nice to see you as well Bridget but please, like I said, just call me Beck" he says politely as he reaches for the guest book.
"Of course anything you say, Sir" she says in the same tone as she bashes her eyelids at him.
Jade can't help but shake her head at the woman's obvious lack of shame. Bridget's gesture goes unnoticed by Beck, however, as he turns his head to address Jade.
"Ok sign right here and we are good to go" he says with a smile, handing her a pen from the desk.
Jade amusedly watches as Bridget's face contorts into a bitter scowl. She quickly grabs the pen from Beck and signs her name in the guest book.
"Enjoy your visit miss" Bridget says through gritted teeth and a faux smile.
"Oh, I'm sure I will" Jade says mimicking the smile before she turns and allows Beck to usher her to the elevators. She can practically feel Bridget's eyes throwing daggers at her as she walks away.
The elevator doors are already opening to allow some other residents out. Once they've all filed out, Beck directs Jade to go in first as he politely holds back the elevator doors for her. She shuffles in and Beck quickly follows, hitting the button to the 57th floor as he enters. Jade puts some distance between them as she heads to the back of the now empty elevator to lean against the wall. She shudders a bit when it starts to move. Elevators have long been one of the many things on her hate list. Beck moves to the back to lean beside her against the wall with his arms folded. The silence that suddenly fills the air only works to add to her discomfort. For a split second she actually wishes some annoying elevator music was playing.
"So…The Silver Towers huh?" she asks more to break the silence than to receive an answer.
"Yep" is all he says, with the same smile and eyes still fixed on her.
The silence resumes and Jade finds herself staring at the floor indicator, mentally willing it to go faster. As it rises at an agonizingly slow pace, she tries to steal a glance over at him but is again met with his piercing eyes and warm smile as he glances back. She quickly looks away and pushes herself off the wall to step back toward the front of the spacious elevator. As it continues its gradual ascent Jade becomes increasingly agitated. She begins to tap her right foot nervously and the marked sound echoes off the marble walls. Beck watches her curiously for a while before speaking up.
"You ok?" he asks trying to hide his amusement.
"I'm fine" she snaps quickly but continues to swiftly tap her foot.
"I take it elevators aren't your thing?" he questions.
"I said I'm fine!" she snaps at him again but curses under her breath and begins to pace about when she looks back up to see that they are only on the 25th floor. She hates that she's starting to lose her composure in front of him but did he seriously have to lead her into the slowest elevator in existence? She tries to calm herself by taking a few deep breaths but the air around her suddenly seems thicker and her throat feels constricted, and when the hell did the temperature get so hot? She starts to feel a little lightheaded and briefly wonders if she might faint and end up suffocating on the floor of this god-forsaken elevator.
"Pick a number between zero and nine" Beck suddenly says, cutting through her frantic thoughts.
"What?" She asks a bit disoriented.
"Pick any number you want between zero and nine" he repeats "but don't tell me what it is"
"Why?" She asks in confusion.
"C'mon just do it, do you have a number in mind?"
Jade has no idea what he's getting at but, in her disoriented state, she decides to humor him.
"Yeah, I guess whatever" she answers still bewildered.
"Good, now double that number in your head"
"Okay…"
"Okay now add five to that number and then multiply your answer by five"
"What is this?" She asks starting to get a little annoyed.
"Just keep going, it's almost done" he coaxes.
She lets out a loud and lengthy sigh before gesturing him to continue.
"Ok remember that number. Now pick a different number between zero and nine"
"Is there a point to this?" she asks in a biting tone.
"Yes, there is. Now once you've picked a new number, add that to your previous number and then tell me your answer"
"Eighty-two. There are you happy? Are my math skills to your satisfaction?" she asks sarcastically.
"The first number you picked was five and the second number you picked was seven" he utters confidently.
Jade's eyes widen in surprise and her mouth drops slightly open. "How…how did you…"
"I'm psychic!" he quickly says with a smile before she could finish asking.
"Seriously though" she throws back after a brief pause.
"I'm being serious"
He chuckles out when she shoots him a scathing "cut-the-bullshit" look.
"It's a trick," he finally admits after a long moment. "Maybe I'll teach it to you some time, but for now it served its purpose"
"Which was?" She asks with knitted brows as the elevator slows to a halt.
He leans down briefly to whisper into her ear "You stopped pacing" as the elevator doors slide open.
For the first time Jade realizes that she had indeed stopped pacing. In fact her breathing was back to normal and she no longer felt on edge. Her eyes dart up to the floor indicator and a faint smile appears on her face when she sees the number 57. Beck moves to hold the elevator doors open.
"You ready?" he asks.
Jade just nods as she follows him out and down the long narrow hallway. They come to a stop at the end of the hall, at a door with a conspicuous red sign, reading Roof Access: Authorized Personnel Only. After a quick scan of the hallway to confirm that it was empty, Beck punches a code into the large code-lock on the door. There's a faint click and Beck opens the door and quickly ushers Jade in and up a small set of stairs.
They come to another door with another code-lock but this time Beck hesitates. Jade looks up at him in confusion but doesn't say anything. As she looks into his eyes she notices, for the first time, a hint of uncertainty and maybe even vulnerability, hidden behind his gorgeous brown orbs. After a brief moment though, a faint smile settles itself on his face and he finally punches the code in and opens the door.
Jade's breath is stolen the moment she steps foot onto the roof. The view is absolutely magnificent. The wonderful array of colorfully lit buildings, of differing designs and heights, stretch seemingly past the horizon and produce an atmosphere so ethereal and surreal that Jade has to fight the urge to pinch herself to ensure that it isn't all a dream.
"It's amazing isn't it?"
Beck's voice is somehow distant even though they are standing right next to each other. Jade has fallen into her own little world as she stands captivated by the scene in front of her. A faint "Yeah" in response is all the breath she has left to muster out.
"Over here" Beck gestures and Jade follows him absentmindedly while still taking in the view.
He leads them over to one of the cooling units and helps her on top of it. She then briefly holds his cup of coffee and bag of biscotties as he hops on as well. They both stare out into the distance in silence for a while before Jade speaks in a whisper.
"Wow, this is just incredible"
"I know"
"How did you even get access to this, I thought you lived a couple blocks from the café?" she inquires curiously, still looking out into the distance.
"I do. My dad lives here, he rents one of the lofts"
"Does he work here?"
"Nah, he works for Morgan Stanley on Park Avenue"
Jade nods at this new information as she tries to piece everything together in her brain.
"Well I guess that explains how he can afford this place but how'd you end up with the codes?" she asks, finally looking at him.
"Ah, the codes! Well you see that had less to do with my father and more to do with my dashing good looks and exceptional charm" he says and they both end up laughing together at his statement.
"Let me guess, it was your ever-so-lovely receptionist that was no match for your seductive wiles?" Jade jokes.
"Who Bridget? No way! I had to use my charms on those much higher up in management"
"Impressive" she says with a nod.
"Thank you" he says with a good-humored bow.
The silence resumes as they both turn their attention back to the expanse in front of them.
"So about that biscotti?" Jade finally says, gesturing to the bag containing them.
"Oh yeah, I did say I'd break a small piece off the end for you didn't I?" he asks with smirk.
"No actually you said you'd give me a third of one"
"I don't think that's what I said"
"You definitely said it"
" I think you may have misheard me"
"I think you're full of shit, now hand it over"
"And what will I get in return?" he asks playfully.
"How about a promise that I won't push you off this roof and steal all of them and your cup of coffee?" she asks with a straight face.
"Fair enough" he says as he takes one out and hands it to her.
She breaks a third off for herself and tries to give him back the rest. He shakes his head and mutters out "Keep it". Jade is kind of hungry so she doesn't protest. As she bites into the delectable treat, a heady groan escapes from her lips.
"I told you, best in the city!" Beck chuckles out.
"Oh my god!" she groans out again as her taste buds run wild with delight.
She takes her time and savors each bite, hardly noticing Beck staring at her contently. She's so engrossed in the heavenly piece of chocolate chip goodness that she's a little startled when Beck speaks again.
"So where are you from?" he asks.
"I thought we went through this whole "you-ask-me-questions-and-I-dodge-them" spiel in the cab ride over here?" She asks in between her bites.
"We did, but now I've shown you my secret hideout and you have half of my highly cherished biscotti in your belly" he answers smugly.
Jade shoots him a biting look for his not-so-subtle attempt at blackmail.
"L.A." she eventually relents.
"Really? I'm trying to move there after I graduate" he says as he sips his coffee and nibbles on a biscotti.
"Yeah, I plan to move back" she says.
"Any siblings?" Beck continues.
"One annoying little brother"
"I'm sure he's not that bad"
"You don't know him" she shoots him a serious look.
"True" Beck chuckles out.
He catches her eyeing his cup of coffee and offers her some. The biscotti has made her a bit thirsty so she takes the cup no questions asked. She wipes off the lid before she sips it and Beck smiles at her. The coffee is nice and strong, just how she likes it.
"Thanks" She says it so softly, that Beck thinks he may have imagined it. "So what about you, any siblings? She asks as she enjoys the brew.
"Nope. Only child"
"I see, so you're a spoiled brat then?
"Considering this view, is that such a bad thing?" he jokes.
"I guess not" She admits with a small smile before handing him back his cup of coffee.
"So how'd your parents take it when their little girl decided she wanted to be an actress?" he asks lightly, taking a sip from the cup.
"My Mother took it surprisingly well actually. Although she did learn a long time ago that it's useless arguing with me once I've set my mind on something"
"And your Dad?"
She let's out a short humorless laugh before answering, "He disagreed, as he does with everything that I do" her tone is bitter and her jaw tightens as she looks away from him and toward the faint horizon.
"You want to talk about it?" he asks after a while, noticing her change in demeanor.
"So about how many girls do you bring up here a day?" she asks abruptly, ignoring his question and snatching away his cup of coffee again.
Beck can't help the laugh that escapes him. "You're the first person I've brought up here believe it or not"
"Not! Seriously how many? At least two a day right?" she pushes
"I'm serious. I've never even told anyone else about it. It's nice to have a place for yourself you know? Somewhere you can go to think, to clear your head, to escape from everything and everyone" he says looking out at the city.
Jade suddenly and completely understands his hesitation before. His previous reluctance and almost nervous uncertainty at opening the roof door stemmed from revealing his place of solace. The realization brings a small smile to her lips.
"I know what you mean. I have a place like that too" she says looking out into the distance as well.
"Really?" He turns to look at her. "Where?"
"In Brooklyn. There's this park near the bridge"
"Brooklyn Bridge Park" he finishes for her.
"Yeah, I know it's not as private as your fancy rooftop but when I'm there, it feels exactly how you described; a place where this world disappears and my own is created"
"Show me" he says suddenly.
"Excuse me?" she asks a little taken aback.
"I haven't been there since I was a kid and I've never been there at night so, show me" he says with a smile.
"Brooklyn isn't such short distance from here as I'm sure you know and it's getting kind of late. Besides, you don't need me, you can go anytime you want"
"But I want to go with you" He says in a sincere tone, looking into her eyes.
Jade feels her breath hitch a little in her throat as she looks back at him.
"Please" He continues, "I showed you my place after all"
Jade rolls her eyes "I don't respond well to continued blackmail"
"Last time I swear" he holds his hands up in mock surrender. "There are some biscotties left" He says as he shakes the bag in front of her.
"I'm not a dog!" she snaps at him.
"I'm sorry, I know" he says trying to hold in his laughter. "But c'mon, please?" He continues, giving his best puppy dog eyes.
Jade takes another long look at the scene in front of her, soaking it all in, before the words almost inadvertently leave her mouth. "Fine, but we're not staying long".
A large smile etches itself on Beck's face and he quickly hops off of the cooling unit. "Lead the way" he says as he holds his hand out to help her down. Jade bats it away and hops down on her own accord. She takes one last look at the breathtaking view, unsure if she'd ever see it again, before they both head off the roof and back down the way they came.
The elevator ride down goes much smoother as the two engage in light conversation throughout. The subsequent cab ride lasts about twenty minutes, after which Beck again pays the tab. Not that Jade is complaining; cab rides aren't exactly cheap, even without the extra night fee.
"It's nice and peaceful. Definitely not how I remember it" he says once they'd finally reached the park and walked a short distance.
"Yeah, sometimes it can get a little hectic during the day"
"The bridge looks amazing from here, the city too"
Jade nods in agreement. "It may not be as spectacular as your bird's eye view but it's still beautiful, to me anyway"
"It is beautiful" he smiles at her. "You want to sit down for a minute?"
Jade just shrugs as she follows him to a nearby bench. They sit in comfortable silence for what seems like forever. As they sit there gazing at their surroundings, Jade wonders how they'd reached this level of comfort so quickly. She doesn't even really know him, yet she's spent the night in his company sharing cabs, biscotties, coffee, and secret places. It's all honestly a bit unsettling for her to think about, so she decides not to. Instead she takes the time to remind herself that this is all just a game.
"So what's plan C?"
"Excuse me?" He asks a little confused.
"You flash a winning smile, crack a bunch of jokes, engage the girl in witty banter, give her a breathtaking view of the city, and then let her take you to a cherished location that you've already seen before. What if she still finds you repulsive and is no closer to succumbing to your advances? Then what? Which leads me back to the question, 'what's plan C?'"
He gives an impressed nod and chuckle "You want honesty?"
"Please"
"I've never had to go past plan A"
"Really?" she says with feigned surprise
"Usually all I have to do is flash my pearly whites and the women turn to putty" he says with a shrug
Jade scoffs "I wouldn't exactly call them pearly"
At this, Beck begins to laugh. It's a deep, guttural laugh and all Jade can do is stare in intrigue as his mirth overtakes him. She knows what she said wasn't that funny, yet his laugh is strong and sincere. It's a pleasant sound she concludes, a sound she wouldn't mind hearing more than once. His head is tilted back, long hair skirting the edge of the bench as he bellows towards the heavens. The dim park lights perfectly illuminate his face and in that moment, Jade can't help but think he looks like a beautiful painting. Her lips curve in amusement and a soft chuckle escapes them as she watches him desperately try to regain his composure.
"You're something else you know that?" He says with a smile after he finally calms down.
"I know" she says with a smirk.
The staring contest, which they've apparently grown accustomed to, picks back up.
After a while he breaks eye contact to admire the rest of her facial features. She takes the opportunity to roam his as well. His eyebrows are somewhat bushy and his nose is broad. His jaw is nicely chiseled with a sexy dash of stubble, but his lips are what draw her the most. They're thin yet succulent and deliciously inviting. She doesn't doubt for a second his claim of women turning to putty around him. He truly is gorgeous.
"You're so beautiful" he says, practically mimicking her thoughts, as he brushes a piece of hair behind her ear.
He lets his hand linger near her face, gently caressing her cheek with his thumb.
"What happens now?" she asks in a whisper.
"You tell me," he says leaning in a little closer. Eyes trained solely on her lips.
Her heart speeds up as he inches closer and closer and she briefly wonders if it's loud enough for him to hear. The smell of his cologne and his minty fresh breath is a bit overwhelming and she knows somewhere in the back of her mind that's she's treading on dangerous ground.
She pulls away from him just as their lips are about to touch and stands up. "It's kinda late" she starts "Take me home?"
He lets out a small, disappointed sigh before a faint smile appears on his face. "Sure" he says after he's stood as well. "After you"
The cab ride back to her dorm is silent yet once again comfortable. She stares out the window the entire time, admiring the beauty of the city. Even without looking at him, Jade knows Beck is staring at her. She can't explain how but she feels his eyes penetrating her skin. It's so tangible that she can't stop herself from fidgeting under his gaze.
The cab finally pulls to a stop outside her dorm building. Beck pays the tab, hops out of the cab quickly, and scurries over to open her door.
"My lady, your humble abode awaits" he says as he extends his hand to help her out of the cab.
Jade rolls her eyes and swats his hand away.
"I can exit a vehicle by myself, thank you" she snaps as she gets out.
She takes a couple of steps and notices that he's right on her heels.
"That was fun" he whispers near her ear, making her shudder slightly.
"I'm glad you find cab rides so amusing"
"Not the cab, although I did enjoy the view" he says with a nudge and a smirk.
He waits until she's finished with her scoff and lengthy eye roll before he continues.
"I meant the night was fun, you're fun"
"We barely did anything. We sat on top of a building and under a bridge. I'll admit you put in painstaking effort, yet ultimately; you were embarrassingly unsuccessful in getting into my pants. Now, if that's your idea of 'fun' then sure, we had loads of it" She utters flippantly.
She's met with one of the giddiest looks she has ever seen in her life and she finds herself getting annoyed. Seriously the boy cannot take a hint. How many times does she have to blatantly insult the fool for him to understand that nothing is going to happen between them?
She stops at the entrance to the lobby of her dorm building and turns to address him.
"Look I'm tired and you're starting to become a nuisance, so this is what's going to happen next. I'm going to go up to my room, take a shower, and go to sleep. Notice none of those plans involve you, so feel free to slither on to your next activity"
He grabs the door handle to the lobby before she can and opens it to allow her in.
"Have a nice night Jade" is all he says with the faintest of smiles.
Jade remains frozen however, her brows furrowed in confusion. It's not the reaction she was expecting. She thought he'd a least fail at a few attempts to gain access to her dorm, or go in for the proverbial 'end of the night' smooch, in which case a slap would be waiting for him.
But here he was, politely ushering her towards her destination.
They hold each other's gaze and after a moment his smile widens.
"You waiting for something?" He asks mirthfully.
"No" she says a little too quickly.
"Ok then, goodnight" he says still smiling.
She cautiously takes a few steps into the doorway as she watches him intently, being careful to keep her guard up just in case he tries something.
Once she's all the way in he carefully lets the door close. He gives one final nod and smirk before turning to walk in the opposite direction.
Jade just watches through the glass door at his retreating figure. She's still a little confused and, much to her surprise (and annoyance), a tad disappointed as well.
She quickly shakes it off though and reminds herself that he's just like all the others and she'd be stupid to even consider starting anything with him, no matter how attractive he his.
There are many facets that make up the nature of Jade West, but stupidity isn't one of them!
A sudden need to make this point crystal clear to the pesky fool overtakes her as she reopens the building door to shout out after him.
"Hey!"
Beck turns around but keeps walking backwards.
"This is done you know?" She shouts as she gestures between the two of them. "Game over"
He smiles briefly before his face contorts into an expression just as sensual as it is serious.
"You sure about that?" He yells back.
And before Jade has a chance to recapture the breath he just stole and yell back, he turns back around and disappears behind a building corner.
She stands there a while longer, mouth slightly ajar, wondering if she's ever been more unsure of anything else in her life.
"Shit..."
Hate it? Love it? Want some more of it? Review and let me know sil vous plait!
*Also shout out to Dawnmist of RiverClan for drawing my punctuation disaster to my attention. Sorry about that! That bugs me too so thanks for pointing it out! Hopefully this chapter was better in that respect :-)*