Chapter Nine – Sparks and burns

"Hello. But you are not avoiding my question. Your office is 40 minutes away in the other direction and your house is 20 minutes away."

"I happen to like the food here." Bobby just gave his brother a look of total disbelief.

"We can pretend to believe that I buy that." Bobby turned his gaze to Jeanette and smiled. "Good evening Miss Washington."

"Good evening. How do you…" she started and then smiled as she stopped.

"My sister is a huge fan. I am surprised she does not know you are here."

"It's a vacation, so not one work related."

"Ah, I see. How do you know Ramon?" Jeanette was about to answer but a low grunt from across the table stopped her.

"Bobby, step outside with me please." Bobby offered her a smile as he followed Ramon outside. Jeanette couldn't help it, though; as she kept her eyes locked on the two men outside as they started to talk. "What do you want?"

"Honestly Ramon, nothing. I was leaving work and was supposed to meet up with a friend for a bit when I saw you from the doorway. How do you know her?" Ramon glanced over his shoulder at the woman who quickly ducked her head and Bobby could only smirk as he watched his brother. If he didn't know any better, he would think that he might be hearing this story later on anyway. Ramon looked back to him and Bobby smirked. "Andrew just pulled up so never mind. Go back brother." Bobby smiled to himself as he watched his brother head back to the table and followed his friend in, passing by their table and paused. "Oh, Ramon, mom wanted me to remind you not to forget family dinner Sunday night. Bye Miss Washington." Jeanette smiled at Bobby and looked back at Ramon as he took his seat again.

"I gather I won't see you Sunday and I'm forced to eat alone?" Ramon smiled and lifted a shoulder.

"If you ask my mom, I work too much and do not make enough time for the family.

"There is more to life," she started quoting him and he laughed. "I always thought family meals and family time was something important." She smirked as she took another sip of her water.

"What would you know about family time?" Ramon wanted to reach for her hand but he could feel the gaze of his oldest brother. Not that being seen with a woman was something new; he had dated, as in went out on the town with a female, it just wasn't something he did often. And of those he dated, they were in the realm of the elite, where little cafes and rolled up shirt sleeves were not acceptable. And under no conditions, what so ever, had any of his family met any woman of his; that just wasn't done.

"When I was in high school, I remember my parents leaving me for a week; my brother was already dating by then and my sister was already living on her own, so on a Sunday night, I felt very much alone. I had called Sapphire to ask if she wanted to hang out, she said she couldn't because it was family night. I didn't understand and she asked her mom if I could come over. I saw firsthand how Italian families were. She might not have had a lot of affection growing up, being one of nine kids herself, but those family dinners, they were very important," she answered as she looked at him. "Are you okay?"

"Why do you ask, cara mia?"

"You seem on edge since Bobby stopped by, so, just making sure all was okay."

"Everything is fine." Jeanette sat her fork down as she looked at him, taking in his face as he stared into his wine, obviously being lost in thought.

"You can tell Bobby is your brother, you guys look alike." He didn't even move or say anything. "Although, he must have taken the looks because he is much more devilishly handsome." And with that, his eyes snapped up and glared at her; and she hide her smile behind the bite she was currently taking.

"Eyeing another male while out with me, bella, is not a good thing."

"Well, I had to make you come back to me somehow." He lifted his glass to her in a silent toast and she laughed lightly.

----

Three hours later, Ramon was dropping Jeanette off at the front of her hotel room. She smiled her thanks at him as she unlocked the door, watching him as he leaned against the door frame.

"Would you like to come in?"

"No, we have a busy day tomorrow. I will swing by around 7."

"What in the world are we doing that early in the morning?"

"Going out of town, cara mia." She narrowed her eyes slightly, making him smirk in return, which was causing funny feelings in her tummy.

"If you are determined to wake me up so early, may I request you have a cup of coffee in your hand?"

"I will. Good night." She watched as he straightened up, smiled and turned around, walking back down the hallway. She frowned to herself as she turned to walk into her room, not sure why not having a goodnight kiss really upset her. But before she could make it in, he gently grabbed her upper arm, spurn her around and pulled his ever so soft lips against hers. His hand moved from her arm and into her hair, clutching a bit of it in his fist as his other arm quickly wrapped around her. She moaned gently against his lips as she placed her hands on his chest, clutching his shirt tightly. Everything within him, and within her, had sparks shooting and scorching. Finally, Ramon pulled away, his hand within her hair softly rubbing the back of her neck. He glanced at her glazed eyes and down to her swollen lips and smirked yet again. "Good night Jeanette."

"Good night Ramon." He placed one more quick kiss on her lips and with every ounce of strength he owned, he walked away. She watched him as he got in the elevators and when the door finally closed on him, did she touch her lips, still feeling the scorch marks.

----

Ramon drove back to his house, his car going well past the speed limit as his mind went over Ms Jeanette Washington. He was man enough to say those intense feelings for sure were not a good thing. Not that what he was feeling was love, but God damn, something was going on. He wanted to strangle Bobby when she had opened her mouth and spoke about him being more handsome, and that was not something he had ever wanted to do; although, she wasn't the only one to have said anything like that, just the only one to really irk him.

He ground his back teeth, shifted the gears and pushed the car to go even faster. And speeding wasn't something he normally did, hadn't ever felt the need since he was a teenager. And funny enough, he wasn't angry. This was just a solid way to clear his mind, which seemed more and more to be focused on one woman. Again, not a bad thing, he just couldn't figure out why.

But, shit, that kiss tonight surpassed the others, it left him longing for more, and it burned him. He could have sworn, had he looked in the mirror, he would have seen the burn marks on his lips and from somewhere deep within, he found the will power to walk away. Or they both knew he would have entered that room. Not that he would have minded, but she might have and that was something he didn't want. In fact, if he was being honest, he had an idea of how to claim her, one that would probably blow that ever active writers mind away.