Kindred (The Watcher Chronicles #2) (16 page)

"How's JoJo?" I ask them, straightening out my shirt.

"She's sleeping," Chandler answers.  "Which made me think of something."

"What?"

"If we're going to go get my talisman tomorrow, I'm going to be asleep for at least two days right?"

"More than likely.  That's what happened to me."

"Then I need your help in hiding what's happening."

"What do you mean?"

"I have fans, some of them rabid.  If I disappear off the face of the planet for two days, their going to start asking questions."

Mason stands from the couch and turns to face Chandler.  "What's your plan?"

"Well, the tabloids already think I have a thing going on with Jess.  I was thinking she and I could go out to a public place tonight and hop a private plane making it look like we're going somewhere secluded for some alone time.  That way no one, including my agent, will wonder where I am.  If I just disappear, there will be questions."

Mason sighs and looks at me.  "He's right.  There would be too many questions.  It might look suspicious."

"Ok, so we go eat and hop a plane," I say with a shrug.  "Sounds easy enough."

"Cool," Chandler smiles a smile I'm sure would melt the heart of many a teenage girl.  "Let me call Deon so she can spruce you up a little."

"Seriously?" I ask, becoming completely exasperated.  "Why does everyone think I need help getting ready for things?  You guys make me feel like I need to hire a permanent stylist or something because I obviously can't dress myself, put on make-up or fix my hair!"

The men in the room become deathly silent and still at my tirade.  With a huff, I turn on my heels leaving them in my wake.

"I will get myself ready," I inform Chandler.  "No need to call your make-over squad."

I go to my bedroom and slam the door shut.

Mason quickly appears, standing by my bed.

"What?" I snap at him.

"I hate to admit it, but you completely turned me on back there."

I cross my arms in front of me, not in the mood to satisfy the need I see in his eyes.

And then he smiles at me and my ire disintegrates into a pile of dust against my better judgment.

"I just get tired of being treated like I can't make myself presentable.  It's a little insulting."

Mason walks over to me and takes me in his arms.  "You would look beautiful even if you were completely naked, without make-up and your hair freshly washed."  Mason sighs.  "Please promise me I'll be able to see you like that one day because the picture I have in my mind just isn't enough."

I roll my eyes at him and drape my arms over his shoulders.

"Hopelessly incorrigible," I say before kissing him.

Once Mason finally leaves my room, I go take a shower and get myself ready for my pretend date with Chandler.  I curl my hair in hot rollers but wear it down like I promised Mason I would from now on.  The soft curls bounce when I move and it makes me wonder how JoJo is fairing with her archangel. 

I decide to dress in comfortable clothing because I'm getting tired of looking so dolled up all the time.  Surely for a simple supper I don't have to look like a movie star who just stepped off a Hollywood sound stage.

I decide to wear a sleeveless, off white, cowl neck sweater dress with ribbed detailing around the waist and bottom.  I also pick out a herringbone moto jacket with an asymmetrical zippered front, over-sized notched collar, zippered front pockets and small adjustable buckled belt around the waist.  I grab a pair of gray suede slouchy calf boots with wrap around self-tie straps.  Around my neck I loosely tie a peach and lavender scarf.

When I look at myself in the full length mirror, I think I look like the epitome of a rock star’s girlfriend.  Who needs a stylist?

I spray a little perfume on my neck and wrist and head out of my bedroom to find my ‘date'.

When I step into the living room, the men are standing around talking to one another.  Mason is the one who sees me first.  His appreciative smile tells me I must have done a better than average job of getting myself ready for my faux date with Chandler.

Chandler turns around and blows a soft cat call whistle.  "Looking wicked cool, Jess. I sure am a lucky man."

"Just remember whose girlfriend she actually is," Mason warns Chandler in a tone that is all at once commanding and menacing.

"Yeah, yeah," Chandler says off handedly, "you've made that perfectly clear a few times already."  Chandler's tone sounds irritated.

I walk up to Mason and put one arm around his waist as I stand beside him.

"So where are you taking me for supper?" I ask Chandler, attempting to break the tension which has built between the two men.

"I thought we would go to Nobu.  Should be a lot of paparazzi outside it, always is.  It's a popular place with the A-list crowd in New York."

I turn my attention to Mason who continues to scowl at Chandler as if just his glare will insure my impudent little rock star friend will behave himself with me tonight.

"Hey," I say, squeezing Mason with the arm I have around his waist to gain his attention.

Almost reluctantly, Mason slides his eyes from Chandler to look at me.  I can feel how tense his body is.

"Will you be here when I get back?" I ask.

"Yes," "Mason slides his eyes back to Chandler.  "I'll be here waiting for your safe return."

"You know where Nobu is right?" Chandler asks Isaiah, obviously ready to get out from under Mason's intense scrutiny.

"Yes," Isaiah answers.

Mason kisses me lightly on the lips.

"Come back to me," he whispers.

I smile, a little confused by his statement.

"Always," I reassure him.

Isaiah places his hand on mine and Chandler's shoulders.  Just before we phase, I wink at Mason.  He smiles and I know he'll be all right until I make it back home.

Chapter 13

Chandler and I are seated almost immediately when we reach the restaurant.  The architecture inside Nobu makes you feel like you've stepped into a modernist take of a Japanese countryside.  We are seated in a private corner behind a line of birch tree trunks with strips of wood planks attached to their tops meant to mimic tree limbs as they reach up towards the ceiling.  Our chairs scrape against the dark wood floors as we sit down next to a wall made of river stones.

"Do you eat here a lot?" I ask Chandler, noticing a few celebrities from movies and TV shows scattered around the room, enjoying their meals.

"Every once in a while," Chandler says, unaffected by the room full of celebrities as he considers the menu.  "Especially when my agent thinks I need to be in the public eye a little more."

I look at the menu having a hard time deciding what to eat.  I finally settle on a bowl of miso soup and the Colorado lamb chops with balsamic teriyaki.  Chandler decides to get the tenderloin of beef with pepper sauce. 

While we wait for our meal, I study the crowd around us and feel myself go into Watcher agent mode looking for any trouble makers.  I see a few tearers scattered around the restaurant but none of them seem to present a threat of any sort. 

I feel Chandler staring at me and look over at him.

"What?" I ask, wondering why he's looking at me so intently.

"How are you so sure Mason is the one for you?" He finally asks me.

"Should we really be talking about this here?" I ask out of the side of my mouth, glancing quickly around us for any prying ears.

"No one's going to overhear us," Chandler assures me.  "How do you know?"

"Because he makes me feel special, like I'm not as screwed up as I think I am.  It's hard to explain.”  I pause for a minute to gather my thoughts.  “My heart feels on fire every time we're together.  He's a part of my soul now.  I can't live without him.  I wouldn't know how to or even want to anymore."

Chandler lifts his eyebrows as he contemplates what I've said.  "How do you know there isn't someone else who could make you feel the same way?"

"That would be impossible."

"But you don't know for sure, do you?  You'd have to open yourself up to someone else to find out."

"I have no desire to try."

Chandler shifts in his seat and puts his elbows on the table to lean towards me.  "I don't think you'll know for sure Mason's the only man for you unless you do.  He's the only man you've kissed so how do you know it's as special as you think it is?  You have nothing to compare it to."

"I don't need a comparison," I say, becoming irritated.  "What's up with you tonight?  Why are you questioning me so hard about Mason?"

Chandler shrugs nonchalantly and sits back in his chair.  "Just think you owe it to yourself to make sure he’s the one for you.  He's your first real boyfriend, Jess.  I don't think you've had enough experience to know for sure he's the one you’re supposed to be with."

Our food comes and provides a good excuse to cut the conversation short.

I eat silently, not bothering to attempt to make small talk while we eat.  What is up with Chandler?  He's usually so supportive of my relationship with Mason.  His odd behavior makes me suspicious.

After supper, we make our way out of the restaurant.  Chandler casually puts his arm across my shoulders before we go outside to be photographed by the paparazzi.

"Ready?" He asks me, his rock star smile at the ready.

"Ready as I'll ever be, I guess.”  I take a deep breath to prepare myself for what's about to happen.

As soon as we step outside, a multitude of camera flashes go off in my face.  Instinctively, I try to shield my eyes with one of my hands.  Chandler gently grabs my hand and pulls it down because the whole point of us doing this is so the tabloids know we’re together.  Chandler stops to talk to one of the reporters asking him questions.

"So what are you guys planning to do next?" the woman asks.

"Taking my sweetie to a private island to get her away from all this for a few days," Chandler says good-naturedly.

"Care to share where this island is?" The reporter asks.  I can practically see her salivating over getting an exclusive about our romantic get away plans from Chandler.

Chandler laughs.  "You and I both know if I did that it wouldn't be private anymore."

One of the many nameless photographers milling about us shouts, "Give us the money shot, Chandler!"

Chandler looks down at me like he’s contemplating the photographer’s request.  I have no idea what the money shot could be but by the look in Chandler's eyes I have a feeling it's not something I'm going to like.

Before I know it, Chandler has his arms wrapped around me and his mouth is covering mine.  At first I'm too shocked to react, but when I feel him attempt to push his tongue between my lips, I roughly push him away.  I don't care if the photographers are snapping wildly at my reaction to the kiss because all I can think about is getting into the limo that is waiting for us at the curb.  Otherwise, the headline for tomorrow’s paper will be
Chandler Cain Murdered by Watcher Agent Girlfriend
.

As I storm towards the limo, the chauffer instantly opens the door for me.  I crawl inside it and see Isaiah sitting there directly opposite the backseat to accompany us back to the airport.

"I need ten minutes alone with him," I say to Isaiah, desperately trying to control my temper.  "Can you come back then?"

Isaiah nods but doesn't seem pleased by my request.  I feel sure he just witnessed what Chandler did because of the storm brewing in his eyes.

"Ten minutes," he promises and phases away.

Chandler gets into the limo and the chauffer closes the door behind him.  Neither of us says a word to one another.  I don’t even look his way.  When I feel like we're a safe distance from the prying lenses of the paparazzi, I turn to Chandler and slap him so hard against his right cheek the palm of my hand stings from the contact.

"Geez, Jess," Chandler cries out, cradling his cheek.

I point my index finger at him and say, "Don't you dare say it was just a kiss.  I thought you were my friend!  You don't do something like that to your friends!"

I feel the hot sting of tears burn my eyes and don't prevent them from falling, showing Chandler how much he's hurt me.

"You know what I went through as a kid," I say through my tears, taking a deep breath.  "How could you act like him and force yourself on me like that?"

I watch as my words slice through Chandler's heart causing more pain to surface in his eyes than my slap did.

"Oh god, Jess," Chandler says, his eyes wide with the horror of what he's done.  "I didn't even think about it like that.  I'm so sorry."

He looks contrite for what he did, but I'm not sure it's enough to make me forgive him.

"Why?" I ask, begging for an answer.

Chandler's head falls back against the top of the seat like he's suddenly lost all the energy from his body.  He closes his eyes and shakes his head slowly from side to side.

"I had to know," he whispers.

"Had to know what?" I ask just as softly.

He lifts his head and looks at me. "Ever since we met, I've felt more connected to you than anybody I've ever met before in my life.  I know we've been chalking our instant closeness up to the archangel thing but part of me had to know if it was more than that, especially after we met JoJo.  I just don’t feel the same connection with her that I do with you.  This is the closest I've ever felt to being in love with someone, Jess.  I had to know if I had a chance to make you want me too."

I wipe the tears from my face.  "Is that why you were asking me so many questions about Mason?  Were you trying plant doubt so you might have a chance with me?"

Chandler nods.  "I never meant to hurt you.  I just did something stupid.  When that photographer asked me to give him the money shot, I knew what he wanted.  I used it as an excuse to kiss you.  I needed to know what it felt like."

"And what did you feel?"

"Honestly?" Chandler says, looking completely abashed.  "It felt like I was kissing my mom."

I stare at Chandler for a little while before asking.  "And how often do you try to stick your tongue in your mom's mouth?"