The Date

Chapter 21

"Can we talk?" his deep voice hummed over my head and I could feel the line of his suit hitting my back. My heart was thumping so hard I'm sure he could hear from behind me. I turned my head slightly to see his face dangerously close to mine as he looked down at me with his serious look. The look I was more than used to this week, the look that made him look as sexy as hell and terrifying at the same time.

I turned away from him to look at the party of gamblers. I couldn't see Jay or any of his family anywhere to run to for help. I didn't want to talk or be alone with this man anymore. He said everything he wanted to say in town.

"I don't know can we? Or are you planning to scream at me some more about what a horrible person I am?" I replied with a sarcastic tone. I felt his hot breath of my shoulders as he sighed, sending what felt like sharp pins and needles flying up my arm to my chest.

"Kate, I don't think you're a horrible person" he said moving to stand in front of me so I would look at him.

"You did earlier today and from the first moment you met me for that matter" I said trying to look everywhere else but at him. I was still angry at him for what he said earlier. He didn't know a thing about me and yet he was making up a story about what he thought my life was like.

"Just go away Jake" I said moving away from him to only to pulled outside on the terrence by my arm, once again by the great big alpha man that was Jack Minster! I swear to God if he pulls me around one more time like a rag doll I'm going to... not be happy about it.

He took me to a quiet area where we were surrounded by hedges. There was a great view of the property and the sky was just turning twilight and the stars had started to show themselves. At any other time I would be enjoying the view.

"Listen I know you're pissed at me but I didn't... let me explain" he said as he let me go. I stormed to the other end of the Terrence and turned back to him.

"Fine go ahead, explain" I just wanted him to leave.

"I'm sorry" he yelled. Ok I didn't expect that.

"What?" I asked confused. Jake didn't seem the type of guy that apologised, which is what shocked me more than anything that he did so, so easy.

"Look... when I started playing rugby at Uni I loved it and when I made captain I thought everything was perfect but over the years I've seen things, things that make me think about people very differently" he said walking over next to me leaning on the stone wall. He looked out on the garden as he spoke and I knew he was finally showing apart of himself that rarely came out so I just sat back and listened. "I've seen what people are willing to do for money, fame, anything they can get their hands on. I've seen what all that does to a person once they've got what they've ever wanted. The sacrifices they've made, the costs, the blood sweat and tears that people around me... my friends, my teammates have created in their lives. Mistakes that I never want to make in fear of losing the very things, the very people that others have sacrificed for money and fame" he was so far away in this moment.

"It's so easy you know... it's so easy to fall into that spotlight for what the press post for everyone to see. It's everywhere around people like me, women throwing themselves over anyone with money, whether it's to get their hands on some money or having their name plastered in the papers. Alcohol being given freely at every turn with numbers of parties where people are trying to hand you drugs. Hundreds of 'friends' that vulgar round feeding freely off anything they can but when trouble hits they would sooner fly away leaving you as alone as you felt when they were even around." He spoke with such passion in his words. I knew in that moment that there was something much more to the great Jake Minster that everyone else thought there was, maybe even his family.

"I've seen it all, played my part as many know with the ladies and the bust-ups with idiots that feel the need to start a fight. I've drunk my way through thousands of parities, never touched the drugs but still have done things I've regretted in life but do you know how I've managed to say standing? My family" he smiled looking at me and I felt the wind knock right out of me at his handsome face. "They've been there for me in ways no other friend or person could be and I thank them for that every day. My friends that I have around me are ones I know would never fly away when I need them and I see them all as my family. That's why I'm a little too protective of them all. My family have always been in high society but it was me that made them in the spotlight. It is my responsibility to make sure that no harm comes to any of them. That's way I... panicked when I found out about you and Jay. I was just trying to look after my family as they've looked after me and for that I judged you harshly and in the heat of the moment, I went too far. I'm sorry, I was wrong about you."

I couldn't do anything other than just look at him. Was this another trick or was he being serious? I never imagined Jake being so open about this life to me like that. It made me look at him like a completely different person. I looked at his face as he waited for me to say something back; it was really turning purple as the waiting lingered on.

"That was hard for you to say wasn't it? Saying you were wrong and sorry" I joked still a little shocked at him apologising.

"More than you'll know" he let out a nervous laugh.

"Well, apology accepted" I pushed away from the wall rubbing my hands around my arms nervously. "And I'm sorry too, for making you worry and for Jay putting you through this"

"You don't need to apologise" he said standing in front of me again. He rose to his full height as he looked down at me again and I suddenly felt light headed. Now the angry was gone from the two of us it still felt tension, mountains of it that made my heart and stomach do summersaults.

"Does this now make us friends?" I let a nervous smile make its way around my face. He was just standing there looking into my eyes with such emotion I thought I would melt to the floor. God if he only knew what he was doing by looking at me like that. He shook his head a little, like he'd just come out of a trance.

"No... Not friends, allies" he said taking a step back and looking everywhere but my eyes. There he goes again. Just as he was starting to open up he just goes back to his rude insufferable self. "I won't say or do anything to stop this fake relationship for the rest of the trip and after this week I hope you understand that you are not to see my family again. Agreed?" he pulled out his large strong hand for me to shake. For a moment all I could do was stare at him again shocked by how quickly his personality changes.

"I guess that's the best I'm getting from you" I say quickly shaking his hard hand before walking speedily back to the party.

That's weird, I thought. That must have been the first serious conversation we've had alone that hasn't ended with his lips to mine. Ah... With that thought in mind I couldn't begin to understand why the rest of the night I felt disappointed.