A/N: I am SO SORRY to take so long to update! Hopefully, this will make up for it…things are about to heat up a little between Mr. J and Rita! Thank you to everyone for reviewing, I love you all!!

Rita was heading out of class alone, her head down, clutching her books and notebook to her chest. She had braved the whole day, trying to capitalize on her new appearance by smiling more and being more outgoing, but it was difficult. She had stupidly volunteered to work a problem on the board in her calculus class—she really did know the answer—but once she got up there, she froze. She got confused and ended up flubbing the whole thing, resulting in a humiliating round of laughter from the class. Of which, of course, Robbie Maxwell was one.

She sighed. Mr. J. knew how to bring out the best in her. But here, here at the soul-destroying pit of hell known as North Gotham High, she felt herself slipping back into obscurity. It was hard to remember his words when everyone around her was more confident, more popular, more…everything.

Still…she looked to her right as she crossed the school grounds, taking a short cut toward home. She saw Robbie himself, the long, lanky basketball star, shooting hoops with a couple of his buddies. She paused, then pursed her lips in determination.

She had to quit being such a weenie. So what if he utterly rejects me? she thought. Rita knew he had taken notice of her; at lunch, she was aware of his eyes on her as she walked by his table on her way to the food line. What was it Mr. J had said? Oh, yeah… "Oughta be illegal to look like that…." Dammit, if she could impress a sophisticated man like him, she should be able to get a reaction out of a schoolboy like Robbie….

Rita raised her head and strode purposefully to the small set of bleachers that faced the basketball court. She climbed to the third row, perched on the edge of the bench, and began sorting through her notebook papers, carefully ignoring the action out on the court.

Momentarily, Robbie Maxwell's pals headed out, and Robbie himself started to leave; but at the last minute, he turned and walked over to Rita.

"Hey, uh…Marguerite, is it? Listen, I felt for you in calculus today. That really sucked."

Rita looked at him, her heart pounding, but she maintained a cool tone of voice.

"Oh, yeah…I really screwed that up. Oh, well, so much for getting extra credit out of Mr. Sinclair."

"Extra credit, yeah…I could use some of that. Um…you usually make pretty good grades in his class, don't you?" Robbie eased himself up to the second bench, his short dark hair tousled, his clear green eyes looking up at her.

"Yeah, I guess so."

Robbie nodded.

"Well…I was thinking…maybe you could help me study for that test on Friday…you know, like tutoring or something? Uh…I could take you for a burger and we could go back to my place…maybe you could explain some of that stuff to me so I could at least pass the class. My dad'll kill me if I get kicked off the team."

Rita felt a little rush that momentarily clouded her vision. She shook it off, took a deep breath, and made herself answer casually, "Sure, Robbie. That'd be great. When?"

"No time like the present. How about I pick you up around seven tonight?"

"O…K…um…you know where I live?"

"Give me your address."

Rita did so, and they said goodbye. Rita walked with measured steps until she was sure she was out of Robbie's sight, then she broke into a run for home.

***

Jack was shaking his head over a number of cryptic e-mails he had intercepted between one of his contacts and the mob guy he now had in his employ. Something odd was going on, and he didn't like it. Not one bit….He absently flipped a dagger in the air, artfully catching it by the handle. Fuckers. He couldn't afford a traitor in his organization…well, time enough to deal with that later.

A timid knock on the door told him Rita was stopping by. An eyebrow shot up and a pleased smile crept across his face. Ah, my little Margie…let's see what's on the cutie-pie agenda for today….

Whistling tunelessly, Jack locked his office, and stepped over to his front door. He playfully opened it only a few inches and peered with exaggerated caution out into the hallway. Rita stared at him in bewilderment, but he instantly dissolved into laughter at her expression, letting her know he was playing with her, as usual.

"Ok, I guess it's safe to let you in," he said, chuckling. "Ya know, kid, I have to watch out for those baby blues of yours, you're gonna knock me stone-cold dead someday." He winked at her teasingly as he swung open his door.

Rita giggled, and happily entered his apartment.

"Guess what, Mr. J!" she said breathlessly.

"What?" he asked, in mock apprehension.

"I've got a date!" she revealed excitedly.

"Oh, yeah?"

"Well, kind of, I mean, I guess it's not exactly a date, it's more of a tutoring session, but Robbie Maxwell—did I tell you about Robbie? He's really cute—he wants me to help him study for the calculus test this Friday, and he's going to take me out for dinner first, and I think he kind of likes me, at least, I know he noticed me at lunch, and then he came and talked to me after school, and now he's going to pick me up at 7:00!" Her words came tumbling out in one stream-of-consciousness flow, and Jack stared at her in deep amusement, waiting for the flow to ebb.

"Now, hold on just a minute." He crossed his arms, knit his brows, and curled up his lip in displeasure.

"You mean to tell me this…this joker…asked you out for tonight on the same day? What are you, running an escort service? That's complete bullshit, sugar, you don't let him treat you like that! I bet his parents won't even be home, and let me tell you something, he wants a lot more from you than 'tutoring'. You gonna give it to him?" He gestured at her with his index finger.

"Uh…what do you mean, Mr. J?" Rita was deflated by Jack's disapproval.

"I mean, he wants to get in your pants! Geeeze!! A guy doesn't set up a deal like that if he respects the girl…no, he's not thinking about passing a test, not a calculus test, anyway…" Jack shook his head regretfully, and went to sit on the couch. Rita followed.

"Well…so you don't think I should go?" Rita asked uncertainly.

"That's up to you, babe…but don't fool yourself. Know what you're getting into. Hell, fuck the guy's brains out if you want to, but don't go over there thinking he's some sweet little boyfriend, planning to bring you flowers and a promise ring. He wants sex. Know that. Be prepared. And, if you don't want to do it, have an escape route planned. Oh, and don't drink anything while you're there." Jack absently flipped on the TV with the remote.

Rita's mind was reeling from Jack's crude language, and even more so from his blunt assessment of her upcoming evening. It took her a while before she was able to articulate a sentence.

"Mr. J, I—I don't think Robbie would…spike my drink…" Rita would have had no clue about ruffies if it weren't for Lynne's vigilance in regularly reporting magazine articles on date rape to her.

Jack laughed a bit sheepishly. "Ok, maybe I'm being a little…over-dramatic. But I'm just saying this because I care about you, babe….Look, this is a teenage boy. They're horny. You're adorable. Figure it out." He turned to look at her, emphasizing his point by taking her jaw in his hand and scrutinizing her pretty face. His fingers were warm and strong, but gentle, and she found herself staring into the mesmerizing power of his brown eyes, forgetting what in the world they were talking about so excitedly…oh, yeah, Robbie….

"Ok, Mr. J. I guess I didn't look at it like that. I'll be careful," she assured him.

"Yeah, just pay attention, that's all. Do what you want, but don't be a sucker. That's all I'm sayin'." Suddenly, he broke into a dazzling smile and said cheerfully, "Aw, you'll be all right, kid. You're tough, right? I shouldn't worry, huh? I tell you what, if he gives you any shit, you tell him Mr. J'll come and get 'im. And…I will. I…definitely…will." His smile faded, and something flashed across his face, giving Rita a chill. But, it passed in an instant and then his easy smile was back.

Suddenly, still holding her face in his hand, he leaned forward and kissed her cheek. He sat back and looked at her, his eyes crinkled in a fond expression.

"Pretty little Margie…see, I told you! You just need to believe in yourself, and those damn boys'll be flocking to your door…but, you better be ready. You better…be prepared." His voice now had a hypnotic quality, deep and rich. He nodded in emphasis.

Rita couldn't help herself—she leaned forward, and shyly touched her mouth to his scarred lips. He released her chin, and slipped his hand onto the back of her neck, effectively locking her in position. He tipped his head slightly to the side and pressed his lips firmly against her soft mouth, just for a moment. Then he pulled back, released her, and looked at her worriedly. He wasn't smiling anymore.

"I'm…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that," he said in a low, troubled voice.

"No, it's ok, Mr. J! It was me…I wanted to…I'm the one that's sorry, I better go…" Rita hastily stood up and, feeling like she wanted to cry, turned toward the door. What the hell was she thinking? What was it about this man that made her brain spark and blow out like a faulty switch on a cheap appliance?

"Rita…wait." Jack felt like a fisherman playing a rainbow trout.

He went over to her and pulled her into his arms. He kissed her, nothing subtle about it this time, his warm, moist lips sliding smoothly over hers, encouraging her to part them so he could slip his tongue into her previously unexplored mouth. She flinched, tried to pull away—it was a strange and unsettling sensation, and it made her stomach do flips—but he held her too tightly against his lean, wiry body for her to squirm out of his secure grasp.

Then she understood that she didn't want to. Rita closed her eyes and quit resisting. She let him run his tongue around the inside of her mouth, and realized that she was quickly getting used to the feel of him, that she very much liked what he was doing. His slid his tongue into the area between her lips and gums, onto her own tongue, the insides of her cheeks. That sent a powerful jolt through her slight frame, starting between her legs, electricity emanating along her limbs to the tips of her fingers and toes.

He slid his hand down over her back to her round bottom, and pressed her hips against his. The heat from the closeness of their bodies shocked her even as it intrigued her, and the scent of him—warm, male, spicy—was an intoxicant in itself. Suddenly, it occurred to her that the hard length she was feeling against her belly was his erection….

Just as Rita gave a shudder of yearning, he stopped exploring with his tongue and gave her several full, deep kisses, just his mouth on hers. Jack finished the overture by gently skimming her lower lip between his teeth, followed by tenderly pressing his lips to her nose, forehead, and cheeks.

He stopped, and looked down at her, half-smiling, and she found herself swimming in the depths of his dark eyes. For the first time, she really noticed the full ravages of the ragged scars on his cheeks, and she dreamily wondered what it would feel like to touch them….

"Why don't you call Robbie Maxwell…and tell him to go fuck himself?" Jack inquired gently.