Gentlemen Only

Crossroads

Confusion clouded Jet's blue eyes as he observed her features for a moment, then brightened with harsh clarity as he realized something. "You're wearing cosmetics." He quirked a dark brow, quizzical. "Is that lipstick?"

"Oh my gosh!" Meredith flushed, hands frantically rubbing the foundation from cheeks. "Does it look horrible?"

"No." Jet replied with trepidation. "But you look fine without it." His playful gaze caught Meredith's eye, the contagion of his crooked grin painting a similar one on her own face.

"Sure." Meredith's lips twitched. "Freaked out, insecure, neurotic and-"

"Emotional." Jet finished, flashing a winning smile. "That's the Meredith I know."

"That's not normal, Jet."

" I wouldn't want it any other way." He grinned, holding out his hand. "That was a requirement for the secretary position, remember?"

Meredith grasped his hand and allowed him to pull her up to the top of the stairs, grinning. "I remember. You had spilled coffee on your shirt that day, and I happened to have an extra in my bag."

"Not only were you smart and funny, you carry clothing in your purse large enough to fit a man." Jet chucked in an amused manner. "Just one of the many great qualities that led me to choose you."

"That's even more abnormal." Meredith groaned, hiding her face in her hands.

Jet grabbed her fingers and prodded them away from her eyes, tilting her chin to look at him evenly. "Unique." He said firmly, eyes serious and deep. "You're wonderfully unique, Mer."

"Thank you." She whispered, eyes flicking toward the club door. "That might be enough to impress my boss for a job, but I'm sure it isn't a speck in the radar of those men in there."

"What do you mean?" Jet frowned, giving her a once over. "You look beautiful."

"You have to say that because you're my boss."

Jet flinched visibly and averted his eyes, dropping his hands limply at his sides. "I shouldn't say that because I'm your boss."

Meredith ignored the comment: it caused a fresh eruption of goosebumps to run up her arms.

"It's not enough for men like that." She sighed wistfully.

"What?" Jet whipped his head around, shock evident on his features. "You want a man like that?"

"Not necessary one of them specifically, just someone like them." Meredith blushed, thinking about Corrigan. "I can't believe I'm talking to you about my non-existent love life."

"So you want a self absorbed, workaholic fitness buff that reads the Times every day?" Jet gawked in disbelief.

"I'm sure they aren't that bad."

"You'd be surprised." A hardened expression crossed Jet's handsome features.

"You're a decent guy." Meredith offered truthfully.

"You think so?" He cocked a brow.

"You're different." Meredith blushed hotter, turning her head away. "I can behave almost normally around you." She admitted. "I normally fall apart around handsome men." Her heart pounded harder when he cast a hot, appreciative look her way.

"Am I?" His voice lowered teasingly, and suddenly he was much closer, hands braced against the wall beside her, toned arms pinning her in.

Meredith felt her throat dry up instantly. "Which one?" She stammered, forcing courage that she clearly didn't feel. Her arms were trembling uncontrollably as he brought his face closer. "Decent, or handsome?"