do they live?”
“Right here in L.A.”
“What the fuck?”
Jax simply shrugs and takes another sip from her wine.
“Do you have any contact with anyone from your childhood?”
“Well, I had several nannies growing up. Lauren would always fire one if I failed at something, blaming them and not their average child. I guess it was easier that way. It wasn’t until I was ten that Mimi came into my life.”
“Mimi?”
“Her name was Michelle, but she insisted I called her Mimi when no one was around. She was my everything, and I lost her to cancer a year ago next month. So you can see why I collect Band-Aids and immerse myself in work.”
“You said you have a sister.”
Jax rolls her eyes and takes another drink. “She’s a real piece of work. She’s lived up to every single one our parents’ expectations and has the mansion, cars, and trophy husband to show for it. “
“Do you talk much with her?”
“About once a month. We were really close growing up, but when she hit high school it’s like she morphed into a new person. In fact, I have my bi-yearly dinner with her and her husband coming up.”
“Bi-yearly dinner?”
“Yeah, if I don’t throw her a bone every once in a while she snoops around in my life more than I’m comfortable with.”
“Man, I thought the Sterlings were fucked up.”
“Well, player, you met your match.”
Cole cringes every time she calls him that name. Yes, he’s lived up to the title and it’s the persona he’s built, but he doesn’t care for it when she says it.
“Oh. You know Dr. Fuckface who you stood up to for me?”
“Yeah,” Cole mumbles.
“My sister swore to god that I was dating him and even had herself convinced I was engaged to him, so she hired a PI to follow me.”
“And?” Cole feels his blood boil at the thought, and wonders if that’s why he treats her like trash.
“And what do you think?”
Cole pushes back from the table and stretches his legs out with one arm relaxed on the chair.
“I’m thinking he wants you.”
Salads are placed in front of the couple, but again it’s like the rest of the world is blocked out when they’re together.
“Oh, he had me. Fucked me all night one time. It was good, don’t get me wrong, but I just wasn’t feeling him.”
Cole sits straight up, furious. “Fuck, Jax…”
She breaks out in laughter before he has a chance to scold her about the workplace and dating.
“Gotcha, player.”
“Don’t call me that anymore.”
“Why? It’s who you are.”
“What if I don’t want to be that with you?”
“I’d say you might have to kiss me again to convince me.”
Cole sits forward and reaches over the table until his lips meet hers, and the whole world vanishes again.
Cole’s hand rests on Jax’s thigh again on the drive home. The restaurant had closed down while they talked the night away on the balcony, but the management never asked them to leave. It was Cole who picked up on the chills running up and down Jax’s arm.
“Dinner was amazing. I don’t think I’ve had a meal like that since high school. I’m used to the cafeteria food.”
“Hey, the cafeteria food isn’t that bad.”
“You’re right.” Jax covers Cole’s hand on her leg.
“How was dessert?” he asks, smiling and looking straight ahead.
“Sinfully delicious.”
Cole stops the car in front of her apartment, and neither of them makes eye contact. Jax finds herself willing Cole to ask about the nurse outfit. She has no idea why or how he’s turned her into this.
“Thanks for dinner and returning the favor.”
“Anytime, Doc.”
Cole climbs from the car and opens her door, holding his hand out. She takes it and lets him walk her up to her apartment. They travel in silence, but their thoughts are presently clear to each other.
Jax unlocks and opens her door. “Well, thanks again.”
“You work tomorrow?”
“No, I’m off for a couple of days.”
“Well, thanks for the night.”
“Bye,
“Right here in L.A.”
“What the fuck?”
Jax simply shrugs and takes another sip from her wine.
“Do you have any contact with anyone from your childhood?”
“Well, I had several nannies growing up. Lauren would always fire one if I failed at something, blaming them and not their average child. I guess it was easier that way. It wasn’t until I was ten that Mimi came into my life.”
“Mimi?”
“Her name was Michelle, but she insisted I called her Mimi when no one was around. She was my everything, and I lost her to cancer a year ago next month. So you can see why I collect Band-Aids and immerse myself in work.”
“You said you have a sister.”
Jax rolls her eyes and takes another drink. “She’s a real piece of work. She’s lived up to every single one our parents’ expectations and has the mansion, cars, and trophy husband to show for it. “
“Do you talk much with her?”
“About once a month. We were really close growing up, but when she hit high school it’s like she morphed into a new person. In fact, I have my bi-yearly dinner with her and her husband coming up.”
“Bi-yearly dinner?”
“Yeah, if I don’t throw her a bone every once in a while she snoops around in my life more than I’m comfortable with.”
“Man, I thought the Sterlings were fucked up.”
“Well, player, you met your match.”
Cole cringes every time she calls him that name. Yes, he’s lived up to the title and it’s the persona he’s built, but he doesn’t care for it when she says it.
“Oh. You know Dr. Fuckface who you stood up to for me?”
“Yeah,” Cole mumbles.
“My sister swore to god that I was dating him and even had herself convinced I was engaged to him, so she hired a PI to follow me.”
“And?” Cole feels his blood boil at the thought, and wonders if that’s why he treats her like trash.
“And what do you think?”
Cole pushes back from the table and stretches his legs out with one arm relaxed on the chair.
“I’m thinking he wants you.”
Salads are placed in front of the couple, but again it’s like the rest of the world is blocked out when they’re together.
“Oh, he had me. Fucked me all night one time. It was good, don’t get me wrong, but I just wasn’t feeling him.”
Cole sits straight up, furious. “Fuck, Jax…”
She breaks out in laughter before he has a chance to scold her about the workplace and dating.
“Gotcha, player.”
“Don’t call me that anymore.”
“Why? It’s who you are.”
“What if I don’t want to be that with you?”
“I’d say you might have to kiss me again to convince me.”
Cole sits forward and reaches over the table until his lips meet hers, and the whole world vanishes again.
Cole’s hand rests on Jax’s thigh again on the drive home. The restaurant had closed down while they talked the night away on the balcony, but the management never asked them to leave. It was Cole who picked up on the chills running up and down Jax’s arm.
“Dinner was amazing. I don’t think I’ve had a meal like that since high school. I’m used to the cafeteria food.”
“Hey, the cafeteria food isn’t that bad.”
“You’re right.” Jax covers Cole’s hand on her leg.
“How was dessert?” he asks, smiling and looking straight ahead.
“Sinfully delicious.”
Cole stops the car in front of her apartment, and neither of them makes eye contact. Jax finds herself willing Cole to ask about the nurse outfit. She has no idea why or how he’s turned her into this.
“Thanks for dinner and returning the favor.”
“Anytime, Doc.”
Cole climbs from the car and opens her door, holding his hand out. She takes it and lets him walk her up to her apartment. They travel in silence, but their thoughts are presently clear to each other.
Jax unlocks and opens her door. “Well, thanks again.”
“You work tomorrow?”
“No, I’m off for a couple of days.”
“Well, thanks for the night.”
“Bye,
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