Three stops and two and a half hours later, Wes was done for the day and he was glad of it. However, he wasn’t at all happy to think his time with Janet may be at an end. He sat in the car watching Janet savor every tiny bit of the first piece of baklava. He was starting to wish he was one of those sticky honey-drenched pastries.
Janet had her eyes closed as she allowed the sweetness to flow through her straight to her soul. At least, that’s what it felt like. Baklava had that big an effect on her. She sighed and opened her eyes with a satisfied smile on her face. That’s when she noticed Wes staring at her with an odd expression on his face.
“What?” she said, licking her lips nervously.
“I didn’t say anything,” he replied, giving her his sexy grin.
“These are so good it’s like…like going to heaven,” she said, feeling slightly embarrassed, licking her fingers.
“Don’t tell me, cuz they’re to die for, right?” Wes asked, smirking.
She giggled. “Yeah. I’m so selfish though. Here, you should try some,” Janet said holding out the last bit to him.
He shook his head. “No, you have it. I’m enjoying watching you enjoy it.”
“Huh?” she said, not at all understanding that.
He laughed. “Eat it. I don’t want it,” he told her.
“Are you sure? It’s really good,” she said. When he shook his head again she added, “You don’t know what you’re missing.”
“Hmm, that’s true. Okay then. I will try it,” he said. But instead of taking her offering of the treat still in her hand, he leaned over the middle console and kissed her. “You’re right, it is good.”
Janet’s heart did a back flip and her mind went blank as she stared into his eyes. “I, uh…I meant the…the baklava. You should try this.”
“No, thanks. It can’t possibly taste as good as my yenta,” he said.
See? It was stuff like that which utterly bewildered her. Wasn’t that the kind of thing a real boyfriend would say? But Wes didn't have to do that, not with her. She wasn't the one to convince, was she?
“Go on. Eat it,” he said, taking the pastry box off her lap and closing it over. He then placed it on the back seat and smiled.
She did have the last bit all the while watching him watch her. “Good idea taking them away. I was thinking of having them all.”
He chuckled. “You know, Janet, you never did answer me,” Wes said. “Maybe you didn’t want to hurt my feelings.”
“About what?”
“You didn’t say if you thought I needed practice,” he replied, now putting his arm behind her so he could play with her hair.
“Practice?” she said, utterly confused.
“If you’re willing to help me out, I’ll practice with you until you think I’ve got kissing near perfect,” he said, watching her expressive face for any clues. “I hate doing anything half-ass. So, what do you think? Am I any good? Do you think I need loads of practice?”
Was he kidding? She felt his kisses down to her toes, and everywhere in between! Wasn’t that how all the romance books described really good kissing? Of course, she couldn’t tell him this. For one thing, he’d get an overly inflated head and for another, he wouldn’t need to “practice” with her anymore if she told him the truth, that he was great. She really kind of liked kissing him and consequently didn’t want it to stop, but she couldn’t tell him that either. He’d think she was falling for him, and she definitely wasn’t doing that! At least she didn’t want Wes thinking she was. So, how was she going to say this without giving herself away?
“How would I know? You’re my first try. We could be doing this all wrong,” she said in a snippy voice.
“Believe me, we’re not,” he said seriously.
“And how would you know? You said I’m the first one you’ve kissed. So, how would you know? You’ve got nothing to compare it to, just like me.”
“I just know,” he said, staring fixedly into her big brown eyes.
“But how do you know?”
“Cuz it feels right,” he replied, his hand now caressing her cheek. Before she knew it, he was kissing her again.
Questions popped like bubbles in her head, gone before she got a chance to touch them. It did feel right, just like he said.
“How does it feel for you?” she whispered before she could stop herself.
“Awesome,” he said, putting his hand behind her neck and pulling her closer. The gear stick was digging into his ribs, but he didn’t care. He just wanted his moment to last forever.
Tap-tap-tap.
Wes heard it as a faraway sound and ignored it.
Rat-a-tap-tap-tap.
The sound was more persistant this time, but still he ignored it. Only Janet mattered right now. To hell with everything else!
“Wes! How about coming up for air?”
That did it. Wes pulled away and stared at Janet. She was breathing heavy, too and she had her arms wrapped around his neck so tightly he couldn’t move.
“Billy,” he said.
“What?” she said, loosening her grip on him.
“It’s my cousin Billy,” Wes said grinning at her. “We don’t have to convince him you’re my girlfriend.” He kissed her again, then straightened up, grimacing. The gear stick might have broken a rib.
Janet looked around Wes and saw peeking at them through the driver’s side window a very cute boy with dancing brown eyes and long wavy hair several shades lighter than Wes’.
“Billy, what are you doing here?” Wes asked, coming out of the car.
“Nice to see you, too,” Billy replied wrapping his huge gorilla arms around Wes and hugging him so tightly it surely hurt. It did knock the air right out of his lungs.
Janet tentatively came around the car and stood next to Wes taking his hand.
“I’d ask how you’re doing, but I can see for myself,” Billy said with a devilish grin. “You’re Janet. You’re even prettier than Dad said. I’m Billy. Really good to meet you.” He then stuck his hand out.
Janet shook it and smiled.
“Are you coming or going?” Billy asked. Wes and Janet exchanged puzzled looks before turning back to him. “Of the restaurant...are you going in or coming out? It’s a simple question.”
“Oh, coming out. They’re a client of mine. Just finished up. How about you?” Wes said.
“Going in. Just waiting for Jo-Jo. I guess you wouldn’t know, but we finally hooked up. We’re getting married, too...someday,” he said ruefully.
“What?” Wes said shaking his head. “I thought it was Becky getting married.”
“She is. Mom and Dad are going nuts about it, but we don’t care,” he said, unperturbed. He grinned at Janet. “Hey, you can come to the wedding...if there is a wedding. We might just elope. We’ll let you know.”
“You're not serious. You’re still in high school,” Wes said needlessly.
“Now you sound like our parents,” he said dismissively. His face suddenly lit up as he gazed over their heads. They turned to see a very pretty and tiny girl with long curly hair and startlingly blue eyes bouncing towards them. When she saw Wes she gasped and she ran to him.
“Wes, I can’t believe it’s you!” she said jumping into his arms and hugging him tightly.
“Hi, Joanne. It’s good to see you. Pretty as ever,” he replied as he let go of her and put his arm around Janet. “This is Janet,” he said proudly.
“Oh, I’ve been so anxious to meet you,” Joanne gushed.
“Eager,” Wes interjected.
“Huh?” Joanne said.
“I think you meant to say you’re eager to meet Janet not anxious, unless you’re nervous,” he replied.
Billy and Joanne exchanged dumbfounded looks.
“He’s just like his mom,” Joanne whispered, although quite audibly.
“Tell me about it,” Billy retorted.
Janet giggled.
Joanne shook her head as if shooing away an annoying fly and continued. “I’ve so wanted to meet the girl that has Wes all smitten. How did you manage it?” Joanne asked excitedly.
Janet suddenly looked like a deer in the headlights. “Uh, I got a virus on my computer,” she said, shrugging.
They all laughed.
“Have you asked him yet?” Joanne said to Billy.
He shook his head. “I’m starved! You know I can’t think when I’m hungry,” Billy said.
“That would mean you never think, cuz you’re always hungry,” Joanne said pouting.
“Ask me what?” Wes asked suspiciously.
“Just a favor and cuz I’m your favorite cousin you’ll do it for free,” Billy said. He then grabbed Wes by the arm ushered them all into the café.
“But we just had lunch a couple of hours ago,” Janet said.
“Billy, we’re not eating,” Wes said.
Billy ignored them and forced Wes onto a tall stool. Almost before the waitress could even tell them her name, he ordered enough food for all of them and then turned to the others saying, “So, what do you guys want?”
“We already told you. We’re not hungry,” Wes said.
“Come on, share a smoothie of something. It’s on me,” Billy said.
“You suddenly rich or is this a bribe?” Wes asked. “Whose computer is down?”
“No one’s. We want you to design a website for Joanne,” Billy said.
“Yeah? Selling naked pictures of yourself, Jo? You’ll be a millionaire by next week,” Wes told her smirking.
“No, wise guy. Billy has convinced me to sell my clothing designs online. Amy’s my first customer. I’m designing a wedding gown for her. Oh, you probably don’t know! She and Marc are getting married possibly before they graduate, but we’ll see. It’s all in the planning stages,” Joanne said happily. She smiled at the shocked faces staring at her. “No, I’m not kidding,” she added.
“Amy didn’t mention any of that, did she?” Wes asked Janet. She shook her head. “I’ve missed a lot.”
“What I want to know is what in the world have you guys been smoking?” Janet asked, almost angry.
“You’ve got your entire lives ahead of you, so why would you want to ruin it by getting married?”
Billy and Joanne stared at her, astonished. “It’s called love, Janet. You know, fireworks and hearts ablaze, never wanting to part. Love. I love my Billy,” Joanne sighed, gazing lovingly at him. He leaned forward and kissed her softly.
“Love my Jo-Jo,” he whispered.
Janet felt faint. Fireworks? Hearts ablaze? That sounded dangerously close to what it felt like to kiss Wes. No-no-no! Love, sickening, crazy, mindless love like she saw between Troy and Jasmine and now Joanne and Billy wasn’t going to do happen to her. This thing with Wes was just make-believe, a ruse, just pretending. Yes, she told herself calmly, she had nothing to worry about. Nothing at all.
Just then, Wes grabbed her hand, smiled and her heart did a tumble.
Or did she?
