Wilt and Wither

Chapter 9

I stayed in the guest house until it was time to leave and met Jackson by his truck. He looked upset and I tried to act like everything was fine.

The silence in this small confined space is so thick I could stab it with my knife. I can feel him glancing over at me from time to time. I try to ignore it, ignore all of it but after almost ten minutes the heat of his gaze is too much and I crack.

I sneak a look as our eyes collide I hurry them back staring straight ahead.

"Can we cut the bullshit Lu I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I don't know what came over me. I just... I'm sorry okay." His voice pleads.

I turn to him and then realize he's stopped the car. His brown eyes plead with mine. It's in that moment I realize I can't do it, I just can't kill him. I hate it! I hate all of this whole damned situation, it's slowly driving me crazy. All of the hate is spreading through my veins like poison making me weaker by the minute.

Why did Landon bring me here? I mean there obviously is something sinister happening here that I need to stop but beyond that. Jackson being here is too much of a horrible coincidence.

"It's not you Jackson okay, it's just I can't do this. I'm here to solve whatever is going on and break the barrier so I can leave to my next job okay. I just can't do this." I look down unable to meet his eyes. "I can't stay put alright."

He nods and starts the truck thankfully. "Where are we going?"

I snap out of it and get my business face on. "The lake, I want to check on Rory." He smirks traces of himself coming back. "What?" I snap amused.

"Cole said she's naked." His boyish grin is stupid and I want to slap it off.

"Boys are so dumb."

"We're men."

"Hardly." I scoff. His eyes look like he wants to say something and the quirk in his lips tells me it's something dirty.

He pulls up to the lake and I leap out the car still rolling and make my way towards the lake before he can stop. He yanks the car in park and walks after me thankfully not saying a word.

We stand by the edge of the lake thankfully it's still lush with life. I never thought I would be so happy to see boring green grass. "Rory." I call out. Jackson looks nervous. "Don't look at her rack or I will be slicing vital organs."

After a tense moment I see a flicker of silver and Rory pops out of the water... Or at least parts of her pop out of the water. I mean seriously couldn't she fashion a bra out of seaweed. "Was starting to think you forgot about me." She said in that low husky voice that turned even me on.

I look at Jackson who thankfully is keeping his eyes away from the girls. I had to admit even I couldn't help looking. She had all the grace and beauty of a fifties pinup. Curves in the right places. She was gorgeous.

Her hair was amazing dark teal spread lightly towards the ends framing her heart shaped lips that held silver eyes like mercury. Her lips were dusty pink that were striking against her brown skin.

Rory pulls herself out of the lake and sits looking excited and then seeing Jackson her eyes fill with disappointed. "Where's the hot one?" She asks disappointment dripping from her words.

Jackson looks offended even though he shouldn't be. Where Cole was supermodel movie star sexy Jax was more boy next door wholesome kind of hot.

Who knew I suddenly preferred the later.