They walked in silence for several blocks; the street noises and the cadence of their own footsteps the only sounds echoing around them.

She's unbelievably beautiful, Jax thought, as he found himself stealing glances at the young woman walking so purposely next to him. The faint glow from the occasional streetlight, mixed with the pale light of the crescent moon, cast an ethereal glow around her, making her appear like a fragile angel. Her skin was flawless and slightly bronzed, and Jax imagined that the touch of her skin on his would rival the feel of the finest silk from the Orient. Her eyes were huge and limpid, and Jax wondered what it would be like to lose himself in them. Her hair was dark and lustrous, and the pale lights of the night reflected against it, making it sparkle as if sprinkled with fairy dust. And her lips were full and luscious, and they looked as if they tasted as sweet as the honeyed fruits of summer - and Jax had this uncontrollable urge to pull her to him to find that out for himself right now.

What is wrong with me, he wondered? He was engaged to be married within the next year and he didn't even know this woman, and yet here he was, imagining himself gazing into her eyes, running his fingers through her hair, feeling her skin next to his, all the while kissing those extremely inviting lips of hers… Stop it! he reprimanded himself. He had just criticized Mike for his aggressive behavior toward this woman, and yet, here he was, having his own nearly uncontrollable, lascivious thoughts toward her. He needed to banish these thoughts that seemed to be taking over his mind - of him and her touching…kissing…making love… Damn it! Think of something - anything - other than her… Constitutional law class… Yes, think of old Professor Halloway droning on and on about the protection from self-incrimination or the right to bear arms…

Brenda stared straight ahead as they walked, intentionally avoiding looking at the man walking just inches from her, but occasionally catching a veiled glimpse of him, reflected in the glass of a passing storefront window. Georgetown was full of handsome men, but this one topped them all. He was tall - well over 6', she guessed, and he had hair the color of spun gold. His eyes - what she had been able to see of them in the muted light of the bar and then in the pale light of the moon and the street lamps - appeared to be crystal blue with just a hint of green mixed in. His teeth were white and perfect, and he had the most beguiling smile she had ever seen in her life. And his body - well, outside of professional athletes or male models, she had never seen a more perfect body or a more perfect man. Adonis come to life, she thought, and she suddenly wondered what it would be like to have those perfect arms wrapped around her; those perfect eyes gazing into hers; those perfect lips brushing ever so gently against hers…

What was she thinking? She had just lambasted a friend of his for treating her as a sexual object, and here she was objectifying him! This was not like her at all! She rarely had time to have these kinds of thoughts about any man - especially one that she didn't even know. And she definitely knew nothing about this man, other than he was gorgeous, and he had questionable taste in friends, and he had more class than most men she'd known. But then it hit her - he was a total stranger and she was leading him straight to her doorstep! He could be a rapist or a serial killer… She didn't even know his name, for heaven's sake, let alone anything about him!

"This is crazy!" Brenda said as she stopped suddenly, catching Jax completely off-guard, as he was still trying to banish thoughts of this woman from his mind by reciting the Bill of Rights in his head.

"What's the matter?" Jax asked, all thoughts of Constitutionally guaranteed liberties immediately replaced once again by thoughts of him taking liberties with her.

"Listen - this really isn't necessary - you walking me home and all. I'm perfectly capable of finding my own way home without an escort," Brenda said, trying desperately not to get drawn into the mesmerizing depth of his eyes, that, even in this faint light, were hypnotizing her almost into senselessness.

"But I *want* to walk you home," Jax replied, suddenly afraid that she would slip away from him before he even had the chance to know her, like a dream that was just beyond his grasp. "It's nearly midnight, and it's really not safe for a woman to be wandering the streets alone this late - and especially in this neighborhood," he added, hoping that her sensible side would see his rationale here.

But his well-meaning words hit hard against Brenda's feminist sensibilities and brought her hackles up immediately. "This is *MY* neighborhood, and I've been *wandering* its streets alone for the past couple of years, ever since I got this apartment, and I haven't run into harm's way yet!" she argued, her eyes flashing with indignation.

Jax watched in fascination as she immediately became animated at his innocent comments. He was struck by how exquisite she was when she was passionate about something - the rally this afternoon, the incident in the bar this evening, and again now - and he began to wonder just how she much more exquisite she would look while making passionate love with him. A hint of a smile played on his lips as his fantasy began to take form in his head.

Brenda saw the smile that was beginning on his lips and in his eyes, and she grew angrier. "Is there something amusing you here?" she asked defensively, assuming he was about to make fun of her feminist leanings.

"No," Jax shook his head, his smile growing as he spoke, "I was just thinking about how alive you become when you're defending something that you feel deeply about." It was the truth, after all - although he wisely left out the part about imagining how alive she would feel in his arms in the throes of passion.

His compliment caught Brenda completely unaware. She had assumed he was going to turn out to be just another chauvinistic cretin, like his friend at the bar. "Thank you," she said softly, suddenly embarrassed by her anger at his perfectly innocent words about wanting to escort her home. "I'm sorry for my outburst there. I'm just used to taking care of myself - that's all. And I'm certainly not used to men being genuine with me. I've met too many guys like your friend, Mike, who pretend to be nice to me for only one reason, and when I decline their offers, they immediately turn vicious on me… I'm sorry that I assumed you were like everyone else."

Her comments hit Jax like a bucket of cold water. Was he just like every other guy she had had the misfortune to meet? Was he being nice to her just to get her into bed? After all, he had just spent the major part of the past several minutes fantasizing about their bodies entwined in various, tantalizing ways… No, that wasn't him at all. Sure, he was attracted to her physically - What living, breathing man wouldn't be? - but he was also drawn to something more about her. He wasn't sure what exactly it was, but he knew that he really did want to know more about what drove this woman's heart and soul. He had never felt like this before about any other woman, not even Elizabeth - especially not Elizabeth.

"Well, no offense taken," Jax smiled, glad that she was willing to give him a second chance, and fully intending to take advantage of it. "You have every reason to doubt me - guilt by association and all… I mean, judging by my questionable taste in friends, I'm not sure I'd trust me either!" he added, laughing.

"Good point!" she laughed, then she sobered slightly as she extended her hand out to him. "Do you realize that we've spent the past twenty-five minutes together, and we've still not been properly introduced? My name is Brenda Barrett, soon-to-be-graduating senior, majoring in journalism. Thank you for gallantly defending my honor, both back at Malarkey's and here in my neighborhood."

Jax gladly took her outstretched hand in both of his and was immediately struck by the tingling sensations that seemed to course through his body at their contact. He had felt a similar sensation, back in front of the bar, when he had touched her to prevent her from walking away from him. Must be static electricity, he figured, although, from what he could remember from his prep school physics, the conditions for that didn't seem to be right. No, this seemed to be something different - something more. Could this be what all the books and movies meant when they talked about instant chemistry between two people? He had never been a romantic and had always viewed things like animal magnetism and soul mates as nothing more than fictitious drivel cooked up by movie producers, and book publishers, and greeting card purveyors, who wanted to ensnare the entire female population to believe in such things as love at first sight and happily ever after. In his life he had never seen any evidence of such things - other than in fiction - but now, with this woman, he was beginning to believe in the possibility of a lot of things…

"It was my pleasure, Ms. Barrett, and if you ever need any further defending, I am gladly at your service. I'm Ja -" And then it hit him - If he introduced himself, he was most likely cutting his own throat as far as getting to know her better. Surely, she'd recognize his name and associate it with the new Jacks Athletic Field House that was recently dedicated, and, in turn, realize that his family was J&J Jacks International, infamous for all sorts of high crimes and misdemeanors, according to the pamphlets from her rally this afternoon.

"Yes?" Brenda waited expectantly for him to finish giving her his name, but he seemed to be stuck. "You do have a name, don't you? Unless it's Jack the Ripper, or you're some other mass murderer whose name immediately strikes fear into those who hear it, I doubt it can be all that bad."

"Depends on your definition of infamy, I guess," Jax smiled wanly, then decided that honesty was the only course here. "I'm Jasper Jacks, but everyone calls me 'Jax,' with an 'X.'" He waited expectantly as he saw the connections being made in her head.

It took very little time for Brenda to realize who Jax's family was. "You're the Jacks Field House and J&J Jacks International?" Damn! she thought, I actually liked this guy. Why did he have to be one of them?

Jax nodded slowly. "That's my family…You'd probably feel more comfortable if I were a serial killer, wouldn't you?" He was trying to make light of the situation, but his heart was in his throat, afraid that their relationship had ended even before it had begun.

Relationship - where had that thought come from, he wondered? They had just met, and he was already thinking in terms of relationships with her? He hadn't thought of Elizabeth in that context until - well, actually, never... They had always just *been.* From early childhood, they had been together, and everyone just assumed they would always be together, and he had allowed everyone else's assumptions to become his destiny. But now he had the startling feeling that Elizabeth Barnes, whom he had known forever, wasn't his destiny, while Brenda Barrett, whom he had just barely met, was possibly destined all along to be something special to him. Of course, if that were true, then his entire future depended upon how she handled this situation. Would she see him as the enemy, as she obviously saw his family, or would she give him a chance - try to see him for the individual he was?

He didn't have to wait long to get his answer. "Are you actively involved in your family's business?" she asked quietly, hoping against hope that he wasn't. Had she met him a year ago, she'd be attacking him now, based solely on his name, but a year of maturity - and a year further away from the date of her father's suicide - had helped her become more rational about a few things. Now she was at a point that she realized that just because his family plundered the assets of companies it raided, it didn't mean that he had taken part in it, nor was even aware that this was standard practice for his family's firm. She needed to give him a chance based on him. Besides, he was only asking to escort her home; he wasn't asking her to marry him!

"No," was Jax's simple and honest reply, and he saw her visibly relax at that, which made him smile. "I have to admit that I benefit from whatever they do, but I have no interest in joining them. In fact, I'm just weeks away from getting my graduate degree in law… Although there are those who see lawyers as bottom feeders, right alongside the corporate raiders of the world," he said, hoping once again to make her laugh.

And he succeeded. Brenda laughed at his easy, self-deprecating humor. It didn't matter to her who his family was or what his friends were like, she found herself genuinely liking this guy. "Especially the corporate lawyers," Brenda offered half-jokingly, figuring that was most likely Jax's chosen field.

"Ouch! That hurt!" Jax teased. "But I plan to be an honest corporate lawyer. And I'll try to rein in the corporate sharks in the family gene pool." But as the words left his mouth, Jax could see a visible change in Brenda. She immediately tensed up, as if he had hit a nerve in some way.

"Honest corporate lawyer? I think that's an oxymoron," Brenda retorted sarcastically, her tone immediately tense, her face suddenly stern.

"Why do you dislike my family's company - and corporate lawyers - so much?" Jax asked, as he felt a decided chill settle over them. He knew he was probably pushing his luck, but he needed to know what it was she thought his family's business was guilty of.

Brenda took a deep breath and started walking again, this time at a pace that could tax a veteran speed walker. She was only a block from her apartment, and she suddenly had this need to be home and away from him and this conversation.

"Hey!" Jax yelled as he raced after her, finally catching up with her and matching his pace with hers. "Aren't you going to answer my question? I've been curious since I saw one of your pamphlets this afternoon at the rally. What do you have against my family's business? Is it something personal, or do you just hate any capitalistic venture?"

"Are you implying that I'm a socialist, out to destroy the American way of life?" Brenda asked angrily, never once slowing her pace.

"Are you?" Jax shrugged.

"No! I believe very much in the free-enterprise system. I just don't like vultures, that's all!" she shot back at him, turning to face him, as she stopped suddenly in front of a dingy-looking apartment building.

"Vultures? Is that how you see my family's business - as a bunch of vultures?" Jax was incredulous. He had never in his wildest dreams imagined that anyone could put smart business moves on par with scavenging! And he had never in his wildest dreams met a person who could go from cold to hot to cold again in the blink of an eye. He was getting whiplash here!

"If the feathers and the talons fit…" she replied curtly and then ran up the steps of the building, disappearing through the unlocked front door without saying another word.

"Hey! You haven't answered my question yet!" Jax yelled, as he scrambled up the steps and through the door after her. He found her at the end of the dimly lit hall, struggling to unlock her apartment door. His voice and heavy footsteps echoed loudly in the deserted hallway.

"Shh!" she whispered, her eyes narrowed as she gave him a warning look. "It's well past midnight, and most of my neighbors are probably trying to sleep!"

"Sorry," he said, somewhat sheepishly, as he watched her continue to fight with her keys in the lock. "Here, let me help you with that," he offered, moving to take over the task for her.

"*Mr. Jacks,* I'm perfectly capable of unlocking my own door. Your responsibility toward my welfare ended at the front door of this building, so if you don't mind…" She moved to take her keys back from him, but by then he had tamed the difficult lock and opened the door for her. She snatched the keys from his hand and walked past him and into her apartment, intending to slam the door in his face, but Jax darted in behind her before she had the chance.

Jax saw the surprised look on her face, and realized how aggressive he must appear. He had never forced himself into any situation before, and yet here he was, entering her apartment uninvited. "You don't have to be afraid - I won't hurt you or anything…I know I should have waited for you to invite me in, but I was afraid you were planning to slam the door in my face and never talk to me again."

"You're a bright boy - for a corporate-lawyer-in-training," Brenda replied sarcastically, "because that was exactly what I had planned to do." She stood there looking at him, wondering why she wasn't screaming at the top of her lungs at this very moment, telling him to get out before she called the police. Instead, she found herself secretly thrilled that he hadn't just turned and walked away when she had so scathingly referred to his family as vultures.

"And now -?" Jax asked, wondering what she was thinking as she stood there, lit only by the dim light streaming in from the hallway, staring at him, her arms folded across her chest, her eyebrows arched attractively, all the while chewing on her lower lip. Jax suddenly wanted to be chewing on her lip also - along with a few other things.

"Well, I can't very well slam the door in your face, when you're on the wrong side of the door," Brenda pointed out, finding it hard to stay angry with this infuriatingly attractive man. There was no doubt about it - she was drawn to this man. And he was stirring up so many conflicting feelings within her - anger, joy, exasperation, exhilaration, fear, hope…

"Well, from my point of view, I think I'm on the *right* side of the door," Jax smiled, his anger from outside quickly forgotten, as he blessed his luck that she wasn't screaming at him to get out of her place right then and there. He couldn't believe he had actually barged in after her, without her invitation. He had never done anything like this before in his life, but he needed to know more about Brenda Barrett - and he wasn't ready for this night to end yet.

Brenda shook her head, trying not to smile at this impossible man, who was as charming as he was handsome. She had never done anything like this before - allowed a stranger to escort her home and then come into her apartment - uninvited, no less. But for some reason, she felt comfortable with this particular stranger, and she had this uncontrollable desire to know him better, despite his family name. "Well, since you're on *this* side of the door, could you at least close it so that my neighbors can get some rest?" she said, as she threw her keys onto the kitchen table and began flipping on the lights. If she was going to be alone with him, she at least wanted the place to be well-lit so she could keep an eye on him at all times, she reasoned.

Jax grinned and happily complied, shutting the door quietly and then watching, as she appeared to be turning on every light in the place. As she turned on more lights, he was able to get a better view of her apartment. It was tiny - not more than a couple of rooms and a bath, he guessed. The building was old and dingy, but her apartment was brightly painted and attractively decorated, and there were plants and flowers everywhere that added to the cheerfulness of the place. The furniture looked used, but she had painted the small table and chairs in the kitchen area and she had slip covered the couch that took up most of the small living room area, giving the place an air of second-hand chic that seemed to be "in" these days. Overall, it was a very homey and inviting atmosphere.

Brenda saw Jax's appraising glance at the surroundings. "Not exactly what you're used to, I'm sure," she declared flippantly.

"Actually, I was thinking how charming this place is, considering…" Jax began, his eyes still grazing the tiny apartment appreciatively.

"Considering the fact that the building is a dump and the neighborhood is on the verge of decay?" she finished for him, and he nodded, embarrassed that he was so transparent. "Don't be embarrassed; it's the truth. I know it's a dump, but it was all I could afford at the time," she said, her eyes scanning the room as she spoke.

"Well, you've made this place into an oasis in the desert, and that takes a real talent," he said sincerely.

"Not really - just a lot of hard work and determination," she answered modestly.

"Hard work and determination - I like that in a person," he replied, smiling at her.

Brenda blushed slightly, surprised at how his simple compliment pleased her. She had never felt like this before, and it made her a little uncomfortable. She had always been in control of her life and of her emotions, but this man seemed to make everything inside of her tumble out of control. What on earth was she doing alone with him in her apartment in the middle of the night? And why on earth did he even want to be here?

Needing to do something to distract her from the pull of his amazing, blue eyes, she quickly walked to the stove and grabbed the teakettle. "I think I need a cup of tea. Would you care for one, too? Or coffee? - But I only have instant, I'm afraid."

"Tea would be great," Jax nodded as Brenda filled the teakettle with water at the kitchen sink. The sound of the running water sent an immediate surge of pain through Jax. He had drunk three glasses of beer at Malarkey's and had been headed to the men's room when the fracas between Mike and Brenda had caught his attention, so he had never had that chance to relieve himself. "Umm… Could I use the facilities first?" he asked, looking around for the bathroom.

"Sure, just through the bedroom there. You can't miss it," Brenda said, pointing to the door that led to an adjoining room. "The light switch is next to the mirror."

She watched as Jax nodded and headed off to the bathroom, then she turned to put some Earl Grey into a tea ball for steeping once the water was ready. She reached for the teapot in the middle of the table and sighed as she ran her hands lovingly over the delicate rose pattern of the fragile china piece. It had been her mother's, and she could remember as a little girl, watching her mother brew her daily afternoon tea in this very teapot. Her mother had told her that when she was older, they would share the tea steeped in this very pot, but until then, she could have her milk while Mommy had the tea.

But Brenda never had the chance to share wonderful afternoon teas steeped in this pot with her mother, because her mother died just months after she had made that promise to her. And now this was all she had left of her mother. There had been an entire china set at one time, but after her father's death, she had been forced to put everything - their furniture, household goods, and even jewelry - up for auction in order to pay off the debts that he'd left behind, but she had hidden this from the estate. She had wanted to keep this because she associated it with one of the few, clear memories she had of her mother, and she hoped to one day share tea from it with her own daughter or son.

She was so engrossed in her memories that she didn't hear Jax come back from the bathroom. "That's a beautiful piece of china," Jax said, startling her. "It looks nineteenth century."

"You have a good eye," she replied, smiling as he came over to get a closer look at it. "My great-great-grandmother brought it over from England when she emigrated to New York, and it had been a wedding gift to *her* grandmother. It's been handed down in my mother's family for generations, and I got it after my mother died."

"Are there more pieces to the set?" he asked, as he gently touched the fragile finish of the teapot, his fingers brushing lightly across Brenda's as he did so. He was once again startled by the immediate infusion of warmth that spread through his body at the mere touch of her skin.

Brenda felt the sparks between them, too, and immediately pulled her hand away from his. "Yes…yes, there were, but this is all I have left of the set now," she answered simply, and then stepped over to the stove to grab the teakettle that had begun to wail. "You'd better stand back," she warned, laughing lightly, "my aim can be pretty bad sometimes. Down at McGinty's - the restaurant where I work - they never allow me to pour anything that might burn a customer and result in a potential lawsuit."

"Well, I promise not to sue," he laughed, "although I do happen to know a helluva good lawyer."

"Well, if you did sue, I'm afraid you wouldn't get much. This teapot is the only thing of value that I have - and it's mainly sentimental value, at that," she answered matter-of-factly. "And I'm not sure what you'd want with it once you got it anyway," she said as she poured the boiling water over the tea in the little, metal ball and then put the lid back on the pot to allow the tea to steep for a few minutes.

"Well, it looks like no one was injured here today. Besides, I'm not that kind of a lawyer…" he said as he watched her pull a couple of mismatched mugs from the lone kitchen cupboard.

"That's right, you're not into personal injury lawsuits," she remarked, as she set the mugs on the little kitchen table, beside the teapot, and then sat down in one of the two kitchen chairs. "You're out for much bigger game. You're planning to practice corporate law and help your family totally destroy the lives of working people everywhere." The minute the words left her mouth, she instantly regretted them. This man wasn't to blame for her father's death, her rational side told her once again; but her emotional side was tired and caught up in family memories and needed to lash out.

"Why do you keep saying that about my family? I asked you before what you meant by that, and you just ran off instead of answering me," Jax said, settling down in the chair across from her.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "It's late and it's been a long day, and I should never have said anything about your family in the first place…" She picked up the teapot and poured both cups full and then handed one to Jax. "Why don't you drink your tea, accept my apology as I accepted yours for your friend, and forget everything I've said about your family and corporate lawyers."

"It's been my experience that the truth has a way of coming out when we're at our most tired," he said, watching her as she slowly stirred the contents of a packet of Nutrasweet into her tea. "That's how the police get most of their confessions from criminals - they wear them down until they're fatigued and they have no defenses left, and the truth comes out," he added, his eyes twinkling.

"I'll have to remember that the next time I'm hauled into jail for something," she replied sardonically, trying to avoid being pushed further on the subject of J&J Jacks International and their abhorrent business practices.

He dumped two heaping teaspoons of sugar into his cup and stirred, watching as she purposely avoided looking him in the eyes. "Why can't you just tell me what it is you think my family's guilty of?" He didn't know why what this woman thought of his family was so important, but it was. For some reason, he needed to know where both he and his family stood with her.

"Don't push it," Brenda warned, sipping her tea gingerly. "Can't we just enjoy a quiet moment over a cup of tea as the pleasant ending to an otherwise not-so-pleasant evening?"

"I just want to know what you think my family has done that's so terrible that you're willing to publicly lambaste them, as you did this afternoon on the quad," Jax persisted, and he watched as something in her seemed to snap.

"Do you *really* want to know why I hate your family's company and all the others out there like them?" she asked, her voice rising as she set her mug down hard, spilling tea all over the table.

Jax was momentarily startled by her sudden anger, but he nodded for her to continue.

"J&J Jacks International - with its cadre of high-priced, corporate lawyers - specializes in buying out struggling companies and divesting them of their assets and then kicking the long-time employees of those companies to the curb, like garbage," she fumed, as she clenched and unclenched her fists on the table. "Your family sees nothing more than the bottom lines of any companies it gets its greedy, little hands on… But there's a hell of a lot more to a company than its profit or loss ratio! There are people who comprise any company, and the balance of their lives and their future livelihood are just as important as the state of the company's balance sheet!"

Brenda sat there staring at him; the fire in her eyes making her even more beautiful than he thought possible - so beautiful, in fact, that he almost lost his train of thought. Almost - but not quite… "I doubt that my family has *ever* plundered any salvageable company beyond recognition," he finally said, tearing his eyes away from hers so that he could concentrate on the point that he was trying to make. "And, besides, those people in the irredeemable companies are well-compensated and helped with job training and placement, when necessary!"

"If you believe that, then you're either naïve or a total idiot!" she shouted, her face growing red with anger.

"And just where did you get your information - some disgruntled ex-employee with an axe to grind?!" he shouted back at her, incensed that she not only believed, but was also perpetuating, such propaganda about his family.

"No, I found it out from personal experience when my father's company was destroyed by your family, and he was laid off soon after they took over! Your family stole my father's pension and benefits out from under him. He couldn't find work after that, and he couldn't see any future left for himself, so he killed himself!" she exploded, tears of both anger and pain falling freely down her cheeks. Something in Brenda had just snapped, as the events at the bar and the pressures of the last few weeks before graduation seemed to combine with all the pain and anger she had suppressed over the past few years, to combine into one torrential, emotional meltdown.

Jax sat there stunned at both her revelation and her breakdown. Could his family really be guilty of these things? Whether they were or not, she certainly believed they were. No wonder she hated the Jacks name with such vehemence, he realized. He watched as her tiny body shuddered with the sheer force of her sobs, and he stood and quickly walked around to her chair, pulling her up to wrap his arms around her to comfort her.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything…" he soothed, as he caressed her gently. "I should never have forced you to tell me like this, especially after the night you've had… I'm so sorry…" He felt her arms wrap around him as she continued to cry, holding onto him as if he were her lifeline, and he liked the feeling. It felt right to him; in fact, holding her like this felt like the most right thing he'd ever done in his life… "It's okay," he whispered, rubbing his hands lightly up and down her back. "Let it all out…"

They stood there, wrapped around each other for several more minutes, as Brenda's cries finally dissipated. Slowly, she pulled back away from Jax. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, looking up at Jax, embarrassed by her emotional display. "I have *NEVER* done this before in my life, and I'm sorry that I broke down like that now."

He suddenly felt incomplete when she pulled away from him, and he had the urge to crush her back to him, but instead he smiled gently at her and smoothed her silky hair back away from her face. "If this is the first time this has ever happened to you, then I think you were long overdue," he said as he bent down and softly kissed her forehead. He meant to stop there, but looking into the depths of her huge, mocha eyes, he found himself wanting more, and he gave into the urges that had been taunting him since the evening had begun. He brushed his lips softly across the tip of her nose, and then gently kissed the tracks of her tears on her cheeks, finally allowing his mouth to slowly find its way to hers. Hesitantly, he lightly brushed his lips across hers, but he increased the intensity as he felt her lips easily open at his touch, welcoming his advances.

Brenda gasped at the sensations that Jax's kiss was sending through her. She had been kissed before, but nothing to compare to this kiss or this man. There was a part of her that was telling her that this was wrong - she barely knew the man and she was emotionally drained - but her body urged her to ignore that voice of caution and just give into the moment. And so she did… She felt his tongue glide ever so gently over her lower lip, and she opened eagerly, allowing him full access to her mouth.

Jax moaned as he felt her thread her fingers through his hair, pulling his face closer still to hers, thus deepening their kisses even more. She tasted even more heavenly than he imagined, and he found that he wanted to taste more of her. He pulled his mouth away from hers and snaked his hands beneath her tight, white tee shirt and gently pulled it off over her head, while she offered no resistance. He ran his hands slowly up and down her back, struck by the absolute silkiness of her skin. As his fingers slid leisurely along the curve of her spine, his lips traced a path from her ear to the valley between her breasts. She was so beautiful, and he wanted her more than he had ever wanted anything in his life.

Brenda arched her back in ecstasy as Jax's soft lips and tongue played along the swell of her breasts, sending indefinable shivers throughout her body. She had never felt like this before. It wasn't like she had never done this before; it was just that the feelings that were coursing through her were beyond anything she had ever felt before, and she never wanted this to stop. She had never wanted anyone as much as she wanted this man at this moment. She tugged on the bottom of his blue polo shirt, and quickly pulled it out of his jeans and off him. She moved her hands slowly up and down the wide expanse of his tanned, muscular chest, before moving her mouth to cover the same path.

As the heat of her warm, moist lips burned a path along his chest, Jax felt he would explode. She was unleashing sensations in him that he had never known before - had never thought were possible. This is crazy, he thought - I barely know this woman! But at this moment he wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life feeling this way, so if this was insanity, he never wanted to be lucid again.

He lifted her up into his arms and headed into her bedroom, laying her in the middle of the full-sized bed that dominated the tiny room. He knelt at the edge of the bed, just looking at her. She was beyond beautiful - she was exquisite. Her long, dark hair was splayed out on the pillows beneath her; her incredible, dark eyes were half-shut, hooded with passion; her rich, full lips were still moist and swollen from their fervent kisses; her tiny, delicate body lay poised and ready for him - or was she? He hesitated slightly, questioning whether she wanted this as much as he did. "Are you sure?" he asked quietly, his voice a mere whisper.

"Yes," was her breathy reply, and then she held her arms up to pull him to her. He accepted her invitation eagerly, wanting more than anything to see paradise again and again in the arms of this woman. His lips hungrily sought hers, just as both his hands and hers fervently sought to remove the last vestiges of clothing that remained between them.

"You are so beautiful," he murmured, as his eyes eagerly swept over her and his hands slowly caressed the length of her naked body. She was trembling at his slightest touch, and it made him want her even more. "You're like something out of a dream," he whispered, trailing kisses along the path his hands had just traveled.

"If this is a dream, I don't want to ever wake up," she smiled, as she ran her hands appreciatively over his broad chest and down his powerful arms, thinking that this was the man she had been waiting for all of her life.

Her words infused Jax with joy as he realized that she wanted him as much as he wanted her, and he gently laid her back onto the bed as he joined both their lips and their bodies together for what would be the first of many times that night. They satisfied their hunger for one another in every way possible, finally falling asleep in each other's arms, just as the first rays of dawn kissed Brenda's bedroom window.

Brenda awoke to the feel of Jax's slow and steady breathing on her back and his warm arms wrapped around her, cocooning her. It was unfamiliar, yet it seemed comforting to wake up in his arms like this, and she imagined she could happily wake up like this for the rest of her life. The rest of your life? she thought - get real, Brenda, this was probably a one-time thing, and you'll never see this man again in your lifetime. She sighed, knowing that was most likely true, and feeling suddenly ashamed that she had allowed this to happen in the first place. She had never laid eyes on the man before last night, and yet, mere hours after meeting, they were home in her bed, making love like they had been lovers reunited after a long separation. They quickly emptied her box of condoms before the night was over, and, then they enjoyed one another in other ways.

Complete mortification hit her as she realized he probably thought she did this all the time, since she conveniently had a new box of condoms in her bedside stand, ready and waiting for them as the needs arose. She hadn't explained the story behind that new box to him last night, because, at the time, funny, little anecdotes were the furthest things from either of their minds. She hadn't told him the box had been a gag gift to her from her friends on her last birthday, as a jab that Brenda actually needed to get out and have a social life. Her friends knew that it had been nearly six months since Brenda had even been out with a man, and it had been nearly two years since she had actually had sex with a man - and that had been a disappointing experience, at best. Certainly nothing like last night!

Last night… Brenda nearly blushed at the memories of the things she had done with this man last night, and her body tingled from the feel of his touch on her skin now, as she lay wrapped in his arms. He had made her feel more alive in those few hours last night than she had ever felt in her life. And it was not just her body that had come alive with him, but her spirit as well. She had felt more happiness with him than she could ever remember feeling. Instead of getting angrier with her after she had told him about his family's business practices, as she had expected him to do, he had comforted her, concerned more about her feelings than his own at that point. Brenda had always been a fairly good judge of character, and she hadn't gotten the sense that his tenderness toward her was insincere in any way, despite the fact that compassion had quickly turned to passion.

Passion… Even that might not be the correct adjective to properly describe last night's explosion between the two of them. It was beyond passion, really; it was… it was… She was a journalism major, for heaven's sake, and words were supposed to be your forte - Why couldn't she find a word to accurately describe what had transpired between them? Had one night with this man rendered her ignorant as well as senseless? … No - it was simply that what they had shared was indescribable, she thought, smiling.

She turned slightly in his arms so that she could see him. He looked so incredibly handsome, and yet there was something so childlike and vulnerable in his face as well. She had this overwhelming urge to cover his sweet face with kisses, but she didn't want to disturb him. Last night had been an incredibly intense night physically for both of them, and she imagined he would be sleeping for some time to come. She, however, needed to be getting up, because, even though it was Saturday, she had a job to get to. Luckily she didn't have to be there until noon, and it was only… She struggled to see the clock from her position in the bed, but it was not at its usual place on the nightstand. Apparently it got knocked off at some point during the night's activities, she laughed to herself, as she gingerly disengaged herself from Jax's arms, being careful not to wake him.

She tiptoed around to the other side of the bed, and picked up the clock, which was lying, face down, on the floor. She turned it over and was shocked when she read the time: 11:08 a.m.! She set the clock back in its proper place on the nightstand, and ran to her dresser to grab her clothes for work, before racing to the shower. She had hoped that they could have had a little time this morning to talk about what had happened between them last night, but, unless he woke up in the next fifteen minutes, that was not going to happen. She hated to just leave him without talking to him, but she had a job that she needed badly, and she couldn't afford to be late.

She'd leave him a note, thanking him for last night and telling him where and why she had gone and when she'd be off work, along with her phone number, she decided as she raced into the bathroom, closing the door quietly behind her. She hoped that he wouldn't see this as a one-night-stand because, after last night, she definitely wanted more than one night with him. In fact, she could almost envision forever with him, she thought, smiling as she stepped into the warm caress of the water as it cascaded over her body, instantly reminding her of the warmth of his hands and lips that had traveled the same paths just hours before.

The sounds of children's voices from the street just outside the window brought Jax reluctantly out of the wonderful dream he'd been having. In his dream, he was in the arms of this beautiful, raven-haired angel, and she had just told him that she was the answer to all of his prayers. He had replied that he truly believed that she was his future happiness and was just about to make love to her when he was jolted awake by the playful shouts from below.

He moaned lightly and hesitantly opened his eyes, scanning the unfamiliar room, trying to get his bearings. But when he remembered where he was and how he had gotten there - and how it all tied in with his dream - he smiled. He looked at the other side of the bed, but found that he was alone. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand and saw that it was nearly noon. He couldn't believe that he had slept this late - he was a notoriously early riser usually - but then, reflecting on the previous evening's activities, he really shouldn't be surprised. He had spent the night in the arms of an angel, and they had done some heavenly things together. But they had had a devil of a good time doing those things, he grinned, as he stretched before climbing out of bed to look for his missing angel.

The bathroom door was shut, so he knocked lightly on it, assuming she was in there. No answer. He knocked again, and called her name, "Brenda?" Still no answer. He opened the door to peak inside. The room was empty, but he could see that the shower curtain was wet and the mirror on the medicine cabinet was still fogged up, indicating that she had been there recently.

Must be in the next room, he thought, as he grabbed his clothes from the floor beside the bed and pulled them on before heading to the other room to find Brenda. But when he opened the bedroom door that led to the outer room of the apartment, he found that it was empty, too. His shirt, which had been on the floor, was now on the table, and there was a note on top of it that read: "Jax… Sorry that I had to run like this, but I have to work the noon to 10 shift at McGinty's Restaurant. You were sleeping so soundly that I hated to wake you, but I did want to thank you for last night. It was unforgettable. Brenda (555-6776)"

"She thought last night was unforgettable, too," he murmured, smiling, as he grabbed his shirt and threw it on, "and she gave me her phone number, which must mean she wants to see me again…" Jax couldn't believe how happy he felt. The only thing that could have made him happier at this moment was if she were there with him. But she wasn't; she was at work at some restaurant called McGinty's.

McGinty's… He wasn't familiar with that particular restaurant… He glanced around the room for her phone and phone book, and remembered seeing a phone on the nightstand, behind the clock. He assumed the phone book must be near the phone, so he grabbed the note from Brenda and the pen that she had used to write it from off the table and ran to the bedroom. He found the phone book on the lower shelf of the nightstand, and began looking through the yellow pages for restaurants until he finally located McGinty's. He quickly jotted down the address and the phone number of the restaurant on the back of Brenda's note and was about to run to his car to drive the eight blocks to McGinty's when he remembered he didn't have his car. He had walked Brenda here from Malarkey's last night. He had hitched a ride to the bar last night with a friend, figuring he'd need to drive Mike's car back for him when he and Eric got too drunk to drive, so he had left his car at his townhouse, and that was way on the other side of town.

He sat there for a few seconds debating what to do next. He could walk to McGinty's, but he really needed his car for later in the day. Finally, he decided to call the townhouse to see if either Mike or Eric were there to come pick him up, and then he'd get his own car and take things from there. He dialed his home number, and Mike picked up on the third ring. "Malloy here."

"Mike, it's me…" Jax answered, his voice tinged with excitement.

"Jax, it's about time we heard from you! Liz has already called twice this morning, looking for you! I lied and told her you were out at the crack of dawn running, and then you were stopping by the law library to do a little research for a few hours. Where the hell have you been all night?!" Mike yelled, more aggravated that Liz had awakened him at the ungodly hour of 8 a.m. on a Saturday, than he was worried about Jax's whereabouts all night.

Liz - her name hit Jax like a ton of bricks. He had been so caught up in this wonderful whirlwind of excitement about Brenda and how he felt about her that he had forgotten completely about Liz - his fiancée… "Elizabeth called?" Jax asked, his voice suddenly subdued. What was he going to do about her? "What did she want?" he asked soberly.

"Oh, something about the wedding, I suppose. She wouldn't leave a message; just said to have you call her the minute you returned," Mike replied. "You never *DID* answer my question: where were you all night - and where are you now?"

"I walked a friend home, and we got to talking, and one thing led to another…" Jax said quietly, hoping that Mike would leave it at that, but instinctively knowing that he wouldn't let the matter drop so easily.

"Jax, you sly, old dog! You got lucky last night, didn't you?" Mike snickered, trying to imagine dependable, engaged Jax actually having a one-night stand. "So, who was she? I didn't see you with any women at the bar, and you left shortly after…" he left the sentence dangling as things began to click in his head. "Jax, don't tell me that you were actually able to thaw out the Ice Princess!" He felt a tinge of jealousy sweep over him at that thought.

"She has a name, Mike - it's Brenda Barrett - and she's not an ice princess. She's highly intelligent and very warm and charming - not that you'd ever notice anything about a woman beyond the physical," Jax pointed out.

"I just bet she *is* very warm and charming - and in all the right places, too!" Mike retorted crudely.

"Mike, shut up!" Jax replied angrily. "Can you just come get me? I need a ride home - NOW! And not another word about Brenda - to me or anyone, is that clear?" he warned, as he gave Mike the address and then hung up the phone, realizing that he needed to handle a few things quickly.

Atrip to Long Island had not been on his agenda for the day, but he knew now that it had to be his top priority. Subconsciously, he had known for some time that he and Elizabeth were not in love and that this marriage would be nothing more than a charade, but after last night with Brenda, he knew that he could no longer settle for a shell of a marriage, no matter how much everyone else - specifically Elizabeth and his family - wanted or expected it. Now he realized that when he married, he wanted it to be for love and he wanted his married life to be passionate and exciting. He knew that in all the years that he and Elizabeth had been together, they had never created the kind of passionate sparks that he and Brenda had in only one night. He wanted that kind of passion for the rest of his life. Suddenly it hit him with such clarity that it was almost overwhelming - He wanted Brenda for the rest of his life, and he was going to do whatever it took to get her.

Mike Malloy discreetly handed the hostess a folded $20 as he slid into the back booth of McGinty's, unnoticed. "Here's the booth you requested. Enjoy your meal, sir. Your waitress will be with you shortly," the hostess said cheerily, flashing him a bright smile as she handed Mike his menu and then pocketed her $20 tip, before heading back toward her station at the front of the little restaurant. Mike gave her a passing glance. She was fairly attractive, probably mid-twenties, tall, blonde, and willowy, and normally he would have gone into full-charm mode, trying to get her phone number, but today he was after much bigger game, and he needed to concentrate on the task at hand.

He picked up the large menu and opened it, using it to shield his face as he surveyed the interior of the restaurant, scanning the faces for the one face he was after - Brenda Barrett. The restaurant was nearly full, which surprised him for this hour of the day and for this location. He glanced down at his Rolex; it was 5:45 p.m. - a little early for dinner, in his estimation, but he imagined in this neighborhood that this was considered fashionably late. From the outside, this place looked like a little hole in the wall, but inside, the place actually was rather charming, with a retro-fifties look and feel to it. He had to admit that the smells permeating the place were tantalizing, although he doubted that there was much on the menu that he'd want to eat too often. But food was not his reason for being here. In fact, the dish that he had in mind for this evening wasn't even on the menu - it was revenge, and he knew that getting it would be so sweet and most satisfying.

He had just spent the past couple of hours debating whether or not to do this, but then his baser instincts - along with the several bottles of Corona - had won out, and he knew that he needed to come and do this. He had watched from the sidelines all of his life as "Golden Boy" Jax had gotten anything and everything he'd ever set his sights on. Even those things that he hadn't set his sights on - like this Brenda Barrett - seemed to easily fall into his lap. It wasn't fair, and it had never been fair, so Mike was here to even out the playing field a bit.

He thought back to the events of the afternoon, which had planted the seeds for this little excursion…

"So you're really going to do this - fly to Long Island to break up with Liz and then fly back here to *her*?" Mike asked, still incredulous that Jax was acting so impulsively. "Couldn't you at least hold off on this until Eric gets back from the gym, so he can try to talk a little sense into you, Jax? Think about it: you dump Liz, and you dump your entire future - the guaranteed partnership in her father's law firm; the bright, political career; the whole shebang!"

"There's nothing to talk about, Mike - and it's really none of your business,"' Jax said as he stripped out of his clothes and headed for a quick shower before his 1 p.m. charter flight to Long Island. "This has to do with me and what I want, and for the first time in my life, I'm very clear as to what I want - and it's not Liz, or making partner in her father's firm, or even politics. Those have never been my goals in life, Mike. They've been everyone else's goals for my life, and I just was going along for the ride, not wanting to rock the boat or make any waves. But not anymore - I want to be the captain of my own ship," he shouted from the bathroom, over the roar of the pulsating shower.

"It's fine to be captain of your own ship, Jax, just so that ship isn't the Titanic," Mike rebuffed, as he leaned against the frame of his friend's closed bathroom door. "You're throwing away your future because of a one-night stand, Jax. That is something *I'd* do, not you!"

Mike heard the water shut off, when his eyes caught sight of a scrap of paper on the floor by Jax's hastily discarded clothes. He walked over and picked up the paper and saw that it was a note from Brenda. He read it, then flipped it over to see the address and the phone number of McGinty's on the back. Just then the bathroom door flew open and Jax came out, dressed in a pair of khaki Dockers, and towel drying his hair. Mike immediately pocketed the note before Jax saw that he had it.

"Mike, drop this, will you? Last night was not just a one-night stand for me, and I don't think it was for Brenda either," Jax said as he walked to his closet and pulled out a navy, button down shirt and put it on. "We connected last night, and it wasn't just a physical connection either. I don't know where this thing with her will lead, but I want to at least follow it to see where it goes. I can't do that if I'm engaged, so I'm breaking it off with Liz today. I'm not telling her anything about Brenda though - no need to hurt her like that. I'll just tell her that I've had my doubts for a while now - and that really is the truth." He sat down on the bed, donning his socks and shoes, then grabbing his wallet off the bed and his keys from his dresser, he headed toward the door.

"Where's your bag?" Mike asked as he saw that Jax was leaving without any luggage. "Surely you're not planning on spending the entire weekend in that?" Mike nodded toward the clothes that Jax was wearing.

"I don't need a change of clothes - I'm not staying more than a few hours. I plan to be back here no later than 10 tonight," Jax answered as he walked from his bedroom, through the hall of the townhouse, and toward the front door, with Mike following behind.

"What's at 10 tonight?" Mike asked, although he was pretty sure he knew the answer: 10 p.m. was the time Brenda mentioned in her note that she got off work. Jax evidently planned to be with her again tonight.

Jax opened the door and turned to look at Mike. "Hopefully, the beginning of the rest of my life," he smiled as he shut the door behind him.

That little episode had grated on Mike for the next few hours. It's not that Mike was ever attracted to Liz or anything - and he certainly didn't care if Jax dumped Liz because he had never thought that Jax and Liz made a great love match anyway. But the thought of that cushy job in her father's firm and a near guarantee at a political career by marrying into that family had always held a certain appeal for him. And here Jax was, throwing it all away after just one night with this Brenda Barrett - the woman whom Mike had seen first and who should, by all rights, have been in his bed last night, not Jax's.

Jax was once again getting something that Mike wanted - and Mike was angry that it all came so easily to Jax. Mike had worked hard to try to even buy Brenda a drink, and she had had the nerve to slap him in front of the entire crowd at Malarkey's. But Jax smooth talks her, and she invites him home and into her bed! This really was the last straw, and Mike was going to make sure that Jax was about to lose something for the first time in his life. Mike knew that he had no chance of ever getting Brenda Barrett, and he accepted that - he just wanted to make sure that she never wanted to lay eyes - or anything else - on Jax again either.

The clatter of dishes as they dropped to the floor brought Mike's mind back to the present. He looked in the direction of the ruckus and saw Brenda scurrying to help the young man whom Mike had seen bussing the tables earlier. Evidently he was the one who had caused all the commotion. Mike looked on appreciatively as Brenda stooped to help the young man clean up his mess. She was dressed like the hostess and all the other waitresses in the place - in tight, white jeans and a navy tee shirt, with the name "McGinty's" embroidered in white across the front - but she seemed to fill out her outfit a lot nicer than the rest of the crew did.

Mike smiled, imagining what she looked like without the clothes, and then his smile flattened as he thought of Jax already knowing what her body looked like naked. "Well, I hope you have a good memory, old buddy, because you are never seeing her au naturel - or any other way - ever again, if I can help it," he muttered under his breath.

He saw the hostess tap Brenda on the shoulder and point in the direction of his booth, evidently reminding her that she had a new customer. He saw her nod and then head in his direction, so he ducked once again behind his menu. He smiled as he heard the approach of her footsteps and then her voice, "Hello, welcome to McGinty's. My name is Brenda, and I'll be your server tonight. What can I get you this evening?"

Mike dropped his menu down and smiled at her leeringly. "Now, that's a leading question if I've ever heard one…" he said, gazing at her slowly from head to toe, his eyes lingering at the restaurant's name that was stretched tightly across her full bust line.

Brenda inhaled sharply as she recognized him from the previous night in Malarkey's and folded her arms across her chest to block his view. "What are *you* doing here?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"Why, I'm here for the special of the day," Mike said, continuing to leer at Brenda, knowing it was making her uncomfortable.

"I'm surprised that you even know that this place exists, let alone what its special of the day is," Brenda answered sarcastically, wondering what he was up to. "It's not exactly the kind of place that someone like you would normally frequent."

"Actually, a friend of mine recommended a certain dish here. He said it's the finest he's had, considering…" Mike started, enigmatically.

"Considering? Considering what?" Brenda asked, quickly tiring of this game he seemed to be playing.

"Considering the part of town it's in," Mike answered. "Of course, my friend clarified that by adding that it's fun to go slumming once in a while, because after that you really appreciate what you normally have."

"Listen, are you here because you're hungry - or are you just wasting both of our time here?" Brenda asked impatiently, trying to hold her voice down, as she could see her boss watching her from the front of the restaurant.

"Oh, I'm hungry all right, but what I'm hungry for isn't on this menu. Although my friend did assure me I could find what I wanted here," Mike said, watching as Brenda visibly blanched as she understood his innuendo. He decided that now was the time to play his trump card if he was going to get her where he truly wanted her - as angry at Jax as she was at him.

He pulled the note she had written Jax out of his pocket and placed it on the table so that she could see what it was. "My friend was adamant about the place - as well as the dish. In fact, he gave me this as a sort of a coupon, I guess. He wanted me to at least get a little taste. He said he enjoyed it as a one-time dish, but he said his taste is really far more refined, and he needed something with more substance to satisfy him in the long run." He watched as tears began to form in the corners of Brenda's eyes, her humiliation evident, and then he went in for the kill. "In fact, he couldn't wait to get back to Long Island today and to a woman who was far more to his taste and his liking - his *fiancée,*" he announced, with a satisfied smirk.