An Honest Kiss

Chapter 7

"So bunny slippers, are those the latest style?" Jack asked as he caught his breath from laughing so hard.

"Haha, I'll be right back," she said, a smile still on her face.

When Rachel got back into her room she quickly closed the door and leaned against it for support. He was downright sexy in his uniform, but when he laughed... he had a dimple in his cheek. Rachel gave a little shiver as she raced to her closet and quickly changed her shoes, cursing herself again for the mistake.

This time as she went down the stairs he wasn't there, so the grand entrance she had hoped to make as a stunning woman was gone. She eventually found him in the study looking at the pictures on the mantel.

"You were a cute kid." He turned smiling at her. She noticed his dimple was missing from the smile.

Rachel could only smile back, not wanting to talk about her youth. She was hoping Jack would forget about the age difference. "Are you ready?" She asked more for something to say than because she wanted to leave.

"Whenever you are," he escorted her to the hallway where he took her coat from her to helped her into it. His hands brushed her shoulders and the simple touch covered her whole body in goosebumps.

"You look lovely even with the slippers," he whispered in her ear. His warm breath on her cheek made her knees weak.

"Thanks, you look good yourself."

He gave a smile but there was still no dimple as he followed her out the door and to the car, holding the door for her. Rachel was at a loss as to what to say next. She was all nerves. This was not a date for goodness sake she reminded herself harshly. Her father had asked him to pick her up and deliver her safely to the party. "Thank you for the lift. I hope it wasn't too far out of your way."

"It's never too far to pick up a pretty lady."

Rachel was trying to keep a straight face at the corny line. "I hope you don't use that line too often because I hate to break it to you, it's not very good."

He paused, startled, and then started to laugh again. This time the dimple was there. She felt another thrill chase up her spine because she had made him laugh again. She felt that she owned the world at that moment.

They didn't talk much during the ride, and Rachel could feel her heart pounding and her energy levels rise just by sitting next to the man. She had never been so aware of another human's body. His breathing his every movement were almost in slow motion to her.

She looked over at him and saw his chiseled jaw and short army regulation hair. Loving the look of him, she wanted to reach out and touch him. Her heart rate rose a notch just thinking about it. She looked at his large strong hands on the wheel wondering what it would be like to feel those hands on her. Rachel shivered at the thought.

"Are you cold?"

"Hmmmm," was all she could say. Forming a word at that moment would have been impossible.

The car ride was too short and soon they were at the party where lights blazed from the house welcoming them into the warmth. Jack had his arm linked with hers to keep her from slipping on the ice as they moved up the front walk, and for just a moment she pretended that they were a real couple.

Ava Schroder opened the door greeting them as they reached it and the warmth beyond.

"Look at you two. The Colonel's daughter and the Major, I have never seen a better looking couple, so young and so beautiful." Rachel gave a pained smile, but Jack gave his polite charming laugh that she was quickly coming to recognize. He never seemed to be uncomfortable.

"Ava, you know better, you should be more careful or you'll start a rumor."

"Tonight might be the night you want a rumor started. Debbie is here with that little bore of a man. I swear she's here to try and get back at you Jack."

"I'm a big boy now Ava. I can take care of myself."

"Your mother would want me to help, and my advice to the two of you is to stick close together because you'll need each other soon."

"Come on now Ava, you're not trying to have one of your prophetic visions are you?" Jack shook his head as he helped Rachel out of her coat.

Ava Schroder was filthy stinking rich, and people clamored to get into her parties. She had been a mainstay of Washington's society for years, and she happened to be very good friends with Rachel's father as well as Jack's. She had a husband, Bob, who adored her. She also had kooky since of humor, and she just knew she had a sixth sense.

"Aunt Ava, Jack has known me since I was a child. I doubt that anyone would buy that he all of the sudden had an interest in me now." Rachel kissed Ava on the cheek.

"Child, any man would have an interest in you no matter how long they had known you." She let her gaze travel up over Rachel's body making her blush.

"Isn't that right, Jack?" Ava turned to Jack, purposely putting him on the spot.

Jack, not one to hide from an uncomfortable situation, laughed his polite and charming laugh again as he put his arm around Rachel's waist pulling her close.

"Is that what you want to see Ava?"

Rachel's knees just about gave out as his hand rested on her one hip while her other hip rested against his thigh. The left side of her pressed against his chest as his arm curled around her and drew her close. He shot Ava one last glance before he took Rachel's chin in his hand and tilted her face up towards his.

"You look very lovely this evening," he said before dropping a toe curling kiss on her lips. When he pulled away he took his time looking in her eyes and brushing her hair behind her ears. "Lovely," he said one more time.

Rachel was too stunned to say a word, and luckily Jack didn't pull away as he had taken her entire weight and was holding her up at that point.

Ava looked over her shoulder and grinned. "Here comes Debbie now to check out the competition."

Rachel felt as if someone had dumped ice water on her head. Had he kissed her because Ava had dared him, or because Debbie had been watching? Either way it was a reality check for her. He hadn't done it because he had wanted too.

Rachel moved to pull away but he held her fast, having no interest in releasing her. She cursed her body as it felt every inch of his that was pressed against her.

"Jack, won't you introduce me to your new friend." A short curvy blond woman said as she approached him, towing an equally short curvy man behind her.

She was attractive if one went for the super feminine female fatal type. She had blood red lipstick and cold blue eyes, and she was wearing a low cut tight sequined dress that glimmered in the light.

Rachel looked at Jack, asking him with her eyes if he had really dated this woman, and he shrugged as if to say it wasn't that bad. Rachel would bet it wasn't that bad, she would bet Debbie was just as pushy in the bedroom as she was on the party scene.

"Debbie, this is my old friend Rachel, Rachel this is Debbie."

Debbie held out her hand and Rachel took it in hers. She tried to wriggle free of Jack, but he just clutched her tighter. He had to feel the racing of her heart since her chest was pressed so tight against his.

The bulldog of a man behind Debbie watched them uninterestedly before turning his attention back towards the party, not the least bit concerned that he had not been introduced.

"Debbie, will you please excuse us, I see a few friends of ours that we really must greet." And with that he pulled Rachel along with him through the rest of the party, not allowing her budge an inch from his side all night.

Rachel was finally the one. She was the young girl on the handsome Major's arm that night, and what a thrill it was even if it was at the request of her father.