Shadow Of Pleasure Part 5 - Jack/Grace Fanfiction
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Jack/Grace with implied Jack/Samantha
Summary: Pre-series. While attending the National Forensics Conference, Grace runs into her friend Jack, a successful thriller author who unknown to her derives his ingenious plots from his exploits as serial killer Jack-Of-All-Trades. Upset over her husband's infidelity, Grace decides to even the score and soon she takes the first step into Jack's world...
Author's Notes: Shadow of Pleasure is the first story in a series called, Gods and Shadows which will be Jack/Grace in parts and ultimately Jack/Samantha. This first tale which focuses on Jack/Grace is for my lovely friend, velvetwhip. This is part five of Shadow of Pleasure. Previous parts can be found: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4. The story is cross-posted at profiler_fans. Due to length, there are several more parts to come.
Caught up in the riot of sensation, Grace was tempted to move Jack's hands to the places where her flesh was aching for his touch. Given the skill with which he kissed, there was no doubt in her mind that his touch would be equally arousing. Her breathing came in shallow pants as he drew her mouth into another dizzying kiss. Grace ached to feel his bare skin against hers and her hand hovered over his shirt, she was clutching tenuously at the top button when Jack pulled away abruptly. She almost groaned in disappointment as he stopped kissing her and released her from his arms.
His expression was horrified as he apologized, "Please forgive me."
"Forgive you?" Grace asked dazedly. Her body aching with need, her mind was having a hard time catching up. What had happened? Grace wondered. One moment they were kissing, the next, Jack pulled away and looked all but ill. He didn't seem like the sort to drink to the point he was ill; but perhaps she was wrong. Unhappy with the turn of events but concerned about him, she asked, "Are you all right? You look like you're about to be sick. Is it too much alcohol?"
His voice was full of self-loathing as he responded, "I feel sickened by my behavior tonight. It was inexcusable. No amount of overindulgence in alcohol could excuse such ungentlemanly behavior."
Ungentlemanly behavior! Grace mentally groaned. The only thing he'd done wrong was stopping. Why did Jack have to be a gentleman at a time like this? She wanted to scream, but suppressed the urge as she looked at him. Sorrow marred his handsome face as he gazed at her and she forced her frustration aside. Maybe she could salvage the situation. Her breathing was still slightly ragged as she said, "I didn't exactly push you away. You didn't do anything wrong."
"You're mistaken. I did do something very wrong. It was reprehensible and I am ashamed of myself," Jack murmured almost to himself.
His expression was remote and she wished he would look at her. If only he could see how much she wanted him. Grace protested, "I liked it. You didn't do anything wrong."
"But it was wrong. So very wrong of me"
Moving towards him, she implored, "Jack, please we could-"
"Grace," Jack cut her off as he stood up. Taking her her hand, he gazed down at her and implored, "My dear friend, I've behaved shamefully and tried to take advantage of your vulnerable state. I had no right to do that."
"My vulnerable state?" Grace echoed in disbelief and pulled her hand away. Did he really think she let him touch her because of Morgan's infidelity? Her husband had been far from her thoughts in Jack's arms. Her body aching from his touch and release nowhere in sight, she snapped, "What happened to the man who sleeps with blonde after blonde? Tonight, you suddenly develop a conscience?"
Jack walked towards the fireplace and hung his head as he said barely above a whisper, "I'll understand if you walk out of here and never speak to me again. But please know how truly sorry I am."
Was he sorry because he felt he'd taken advantage of her? Or did he regret kissing her? She'd seen enough of his fair haired companions to know his tastes. Every last one of them had pale skin, blue eyes, and perfect figures. Even the pregnant blonde had been stunning. Even with blonde hair she wasn't his usual preference. Had he stopped because he felt she wasn't attractive enough? Unable to stop herself, Grace demanded, "Sorry because of what you did or because you did it with me?"
Jack turned around and looked puzzled. "I don't understand what you mean. I-"
"Is it because I'm not up to your standard? Not pretty enough," Grace interrupted, her voice breaking slightly as she finished.
Instantly, Jack was by her side on the sofa. She turned away but he gently reached up and took her chin in his hand. As he forced her to meet his gaze, Jack assured her, "I meant what I said earlier. You are lovely."
"Then why did you stop?"
"Because you deserve better than what I have to offer, Grace." Jack released her chin and ran his hand through his hair before lighting a cigarette. Shooting her an apologetic look, he inhaled deeply. Exhaling he explained, "My heart is permanently and irrevocably given to one woman. Until the day comes that she's ready to be with me, I indulge myself with the parade of blondes as you've referred to them. Each one is chosen solely on how closely she resembles Samantha. The reason I change paramours so frequently is because I don't want any of them to get attached me. Most of the time I don't even bother learning their names because I never really see them, I see Samantha. You don't deserve to be reduced to another blurred facsimile. I care about you too much to use you like that."
Given what she had observed of Jack in the past and what she had learned about Samantha, Grace knew he believed what he was doing was for the best. However, Jack's good intentions didn't ease the arousal that throbbed relentlessly through her body. Erotic need hummed insistently through her and she mentally sighed at her companion. Jack was sweet and he meant well by stopping, but why did he have to stop when he did? Couldn't he have felt guilty in the morning? In the wake of her unfulfilled need, she almost wished he hadn't kissed her, but not quite.
Her husband was caring and always had tried to please her, but Grace had never known what was missing from her marriage until Jack took her in his arms. Morgan's well intentioned kisses never had the effect on her, Jack's brief illicit kisses had. The light sensation she'd felt with her husband had always seemed pleasant enough, like a gentle breeze. Jack's kisses were nothing like her husband's. Each moment his sinfully skilled lips teased and explored, she reveled in the sweet torment. His passion was no light breeze but rather a dizzying vortex that consumed her and obliterated the world around them.
Frustrated and annoyed, Grace considered what to do. She didn't think she could walk out and never speak to Jack again. Despite her present agitation, she cared about him and didn't want to lose his friendship. Maybe one day she could convince him that she wanted him. Perhaps she could think of a way when her mind was a bit clearer and her body wasn't screaming with lust. Groaning she complained, "You had to change you mind after things started to heat up."
"Sorry," Jack apologized and gave her an abashed grin. Shifting slightly on the sofa he offered, "If it's any consolation, I'm not exactly feeling comfortable at present either."
Grace allowed her gaze to wander downwards and noted Jack's pants were pulled tightly across his thighs and the outline of his arousal was quite obvious. As he blushed under her gaze, she stifled a giggle. Only Jack would kiss a woman like that and then blush over an erection, she thought and smiled wryly.
Noting her change in expression, Jack hesitated, "Still friends?"
"Yes," Grace replied. His relief was visible as the tension left his face and she jokingly inquired, "So, think you're up for another round of drinks?"
Before Jack could answer, the phone rang. He politely excused himself, walked to the phone at the bar and picked it up. As he talked, Grace watched him a mixture of desire and regret. Although she regretted his ending their interlude, it was gratifying to know he'd not been unaffected by it. Her mind was in the process of undressing him when Jack yelled into the phone.
"What?!"
Something was clearly amiss.
"The plane crashed," Jack ground out angrily. "Yes I know it's not your fault, but that doesn't change how inconvenient this is."
Grace watched him worriedly. Whatever was wrong was serious. Her first thought was that something happened to a relative of his, but Jack seemed angry rather than upset. On the other hand, Jack wasn't much for emotional displays in general and she waited anxiously as he talked.
Running his hand through his hair, Jack sighed, "Okay. Yeah, I understand you have a deadline if we're going to make the Christmas rush. Uh-huh. All right. I'll have to go back to my place, print it out again- Christ that'll take half the day right there. Then I'll send it out again."
Go back? Jack was leaving? Grace wondered, disappointment washing over her.
"Okay. I'll get the first flight out in the morning. No, need. It's pointless to send someone for the manuscript, it's one of those things. I promise I won't exercise my option to go to another publisher over this. Acts of God happen. In fact gods are notorious for doing exactly as they like. All right, Ben. I'll call you when I send it out."
As Jack hung up, Grace inquired worriedly, "Bad news?"
Moving to the couch, Jack lit another cigarette and explained, "That was my publisher. Ben says, the Fed Ex plane my manuscript was on crashed and caught on fire, burning up everything inside. So, I have to fly home, re-print and re-ship tomorrow because we're aiming for a holiday release."
"Oh Jack, I'm so sorry!"
"It's okay. It's more of an inconvenience than anything else. The real bad news is I'll miss a day of the conference. But I should be back the day after tomorrow."
"At least it's only for one day," Grace said, as much to reassure herself as Jack.
Pouring a glass of whiskey, Jack offered, "You're welcome to use my suite while I'm gone. It's already paid for. I know Atlanta PD doesn't pay for lavish accommodations and it's the least I can do after my conduct tonight."
Grace hesitated before agreeing. She wanted to share Jack's bed, she'd just had in mind he would be in it at the time. Jack invited her to stay for the night, insisting he would take the couch. However, Grace needed some time to herself to take care of the tension Jack created inside her. Taking the key card to his room with her, she returned to her room. Undressing, she got into bed and caressed her heated flesh, imagining it was Jack's hands and not hers. Her eager body peaked quickly and she brought herself to climax several times. Sleep eluded her as she stared into the darkness and thought about Jack throughout the night.
********************
She finally dozed off briefly, only to be awoken by a knock at her door. Pulling on a robe, Grace answered. A smiling woman brought her a floral delivery that was engulfed in pink tissue paper. Taking the parcel and thanking the woman, Grace sat it down on the small table that was in her room. There was no card, but she was positive it was from Jack. Opening the paper, she was surprised by the contents. Instead of the vase with flowers she'd expected, there was a clay pot filled with soil that held several dark purple hyacinths that were blooming. For several minutes she stared at the pot and blinked in confusion. From the books she knew that roses were Samantha's territory but the pretty purple flowers seemed like an odd choice. Perhaps there had been a mix-up in what Jack requested, she wondered.
Forgetting about the strange flowers, Grace went into the bathroom to shower and dress. After getting ready, she went downstairs and went to her first forensics lecture of the day but found it was every bit as impossible to concentrate without Jack there as it had been with him there. Her mind wandered to thoughts of what he was doing and speculating about if he was thinking about her. He'd been affected by their kissing, had he taken care of his needs the night before? Thinking about the outline of Jack's cock in his pants and imagining him touching himself, made Grace blush and effectively distracted her for the duration of the speech on Contusion and Ligature Analysis.
When the lecture ended, Grace decided it was pointless to even pretend she would get anything out of the other lectures she had scheduled. She decided to wander through one of the hotel's gift shops and find a couple magazines and go up to Jack's room. Maybe she would order room service for lunch and hide away for the rest of the day. Inside the gift shop, Grace was about to select a couple magazines when a display in the book section caught her eyes. A cardboard cut out of the shadowy representation of Mack the Knife from Jack's books stood holding all the volumes of the Jacklyn Trades collection. Smiling Grace moved to the display.
"Don't you just love them?" a soft female voice asked behind her.
Turning slightly, Grace saw the blonde who'd been hitting on Jack the afternoon before. Uneasily she agreed, "They're really good. I haven't read them in ages but I was thinking of getting one to read."
"Do you think Jacklyn will ever go public?"
"I don't know," Grace replied casually.
"Maybe she's being stalked and is afraid to reveal her identity. I think maybe she's the Alexandra character."
"Or it could be Mack himself," Grace countered wickedly. She had no intentions of revealing Jack's identity, but she couldn't help enjoying the woman's ignorance.
"You sound like Sam," the woman laughed. "We went through the academy together. Sam is convinced that they're written by a man."
Forcing a laugh, Grace said, "Well, you know how men are. He probably likes the idea that they were written by another guy."
"Sam as in Samantha. She has all of Jacklyn's books. But then, she has a complete autographed set. Every Christmas the new one arrives, signed by Jacklyn herself," the woman told her in an awed voice.
"Probably a prank."
"I guess. Sam has had some high profile cases. It's odd, she says they're fakes and yet she keeps every volume. Not that she'll read them, she insists on buying a different copy to read, she just keeps them on a shelf. But I can't blame her, they'll probably be worth a fortune one day," the blonde sighed. Glancing at her watch she said, "It was nice meeting a fellow Jacklyn fan, but I think I'd better scoot past you her and grab my Vogue. I have to lecture in a bit."
"Nice meeting you too."
Alone once more, Grace considered what the woman had told her. A woman named Samantha receiving an autographed copy each Christmas? It was too much of a coincidence. Jack must have sent her the copies. Supposedly Samantha was convinced they were written by a man but perhaps Jack had told her his secret. She wished she could ask him, but decided against it. Samantha was dangerous territory to explore and Grace had no intention of pushing Jack. Although she did understand his reason for stopping the night before, she hoped to think of a way to address the matter when he returned. Even if he could only offer her a night, Grace wanted to know what it felt like to be made love to by Jack.
On a whim, Grace grabbed a copy of each book and headed to the check out. While she knew she wouldn't find all the answers she wanted in his books, it was a start. Mack was a conduit to Jack and she hoped into his bed as well. Grace had been intrigued by the idea of sleeping with Jack before he kissed her. After he kissed her, she was dying to experience more. Morgan's well intentioned fumblings were an ocean apart from the confident and expert caresses Jack had to offer. Maybe her future was with Morgan and maybe it wasn't. But Grace had to know what it felt like to experience real passion at least once.
Taking the books up to her room, Grace grabbed a couple items from her suitcase and tossed them into a small bag. Taking her bag and the books, she shook her head at the flowers and left her room. Heading up to Jack's suite, she felt a sense of nervousness and anticipation. The room was clean and neat, all evidence of their drinking the night before was absent. The suite was still beautiful, but it felt somewhat lacking without Jack's presence. On the bar was a large basket of snacks with a note attached. Pulling off the note Grace read it. Make yourself at home. There was no signature, save the letter J.
Sitting her bags down, Grace wandered through the suite into the bedroom. The bed was made so housekeeping appeared to have been through the room. Looking around the room as she sat on the bed, she imagined what it would be like to share the enormous bed with Jack. Trying to pull her thoughts in a direction that didn't involve Jack being naked, she tried to take in the elegance of the room, when she noticed the closet door was slightly ajar. Standing up, Grace went to the closet. She should shut it, she told herself. However, instead she felt herself opening the door and looking inside. Jack was so reluctant to divulge anything about himself and having the run of his rooms was too good an opportunity to miss.
Inside were several light colored suits hung at even intervals and several crisp white shirts that were also spaced evenly. Beside them were four padded satin hangers from which hung white peignoirs. Each still with the tags attached, Grace knew they were for if he had company. There was also the thick white robe he'd been wearing the night before when he went to the door. It wasn't the sort the hotel provided with their suites, it was too think and expensive, she decided. Pulling the hanger out of the closet, Grace brought the robe to her face and inhaled. Sandalwood, roses and tobacco clung lightly to the fabric and underneath was the faintest trace of male scent that made her wish the robe's owner was with her.
Returning the hanger to the closet, Grace cast a brief glance at the expensive masculine shoes which were lined up meticulously on the closet floor, then shut the door. Her curiosity piqued, she moved to the dresser. Leaning down she decided to work her way from the bottom upwards. The bottom two drawers were empty. The third drawer up contained several pairs of silk pajama bottoms. Reaching out to touch the soft fabric, she felt there was something underneath. Carefully lifting the stack of pajama pants out and sitting them on the bed, Grace returned to examine the contents of the drawer.
There were several black velvet bags. Picking one up and opening it, Grace found a pair of handcuffs inside, the silvery metal cool in her hands. Blushing she put them back and picked up another bag. The second bag yielded what looked like a silver bangle bracelet but something told her it wasn't. She'd read about cockrings in a magazine once but had never imagined anyone actually owning one, however apparently Jack did. Running her finger along the smooth metal, she tried to imagine how exactly it fit over his cock. Her mind supplying several interesting possibilities, she returned it to the velvet pouch.
Another pouch yielded a strange gold colored tin that read Kama Sutra Honey Dust. Opening it up she found it was filled with a very fine milled powder with a sweet scent and a small feathered applicator. Closing the tin she returned it to it's resting place. Most of the remaining bags contained objects that Grace could only guess what they were for, all were things she'd never seen before. The final bag was filled with condoms and small bottle that had a sepia toned picture of a couple holding one another that read Embrace Personal Lubricant. The condoms had printing in a foreign language on them, but her fingertip traced over the two letters that she understood, XL. Her imagination only too happy to supply an image of Jack naked, Grace turned red and quickly pulled the drawstring on the bag. Shakily, she picked up the stack of pajamas and returned them to the drawer.
Nervously she opened up the second drawer from the top. Inside was a polished wooden box that she opened hesitantly. Lined in black velvet the box held several very ornate knives. Lifting one out of the case, Grace touched the edge of the blade, it was sharp. Returning it to the case, she turned her attention to the stack of file folders that were beside the box with neatly mated socks on top of them. Taking one cautiously she opened it up and saw crime scene photos. Inspection of the other folders yielded more crime scene photos as well as detailed information about victims and modus operandi. It must be research, Grace thought and shut the drawer. All that was left was the top drawer.
Most people kept underwear and socks in the top drawer. However Jack's socks were in the second drawer and he didn't seem to wear underwear. Opening the drawer she was surprised to find a yellow legal pad with notes scrawled on it. Skimming over it, she realized it appeared to be notes for his next book. There was also an opened carton of Marlboros and a half eaten bag of Cheetos. Looking at the bag she smiled. The orange puffs seemed and odd fit with Jack but it was nice to find out what was apparently one of his secret vices. Closing the dresser drawer, she noted there was some melted candle was on top of the dresser.
Turning her attention back to the bed, Grace checked the night stands. The first was empty except for a the standard bible and phone book. However the second yielded a mystery. Crimson rose petals filled the drawer and framed the contents. Inside was another bottle of Embrace Lubricant, the flip top was slightly open as if it had been used recently. Imagining what Jack had used it for made Grace's pulse race and her face turn almost as red as the petals. There was plastic zip lock bag which held a black pair of panties. Opening the bag, Grace smelled a distinctly feminine scent and quickly closed it and slid it back into the drawer.
Underneath the petals was a large photo. She pushed the petals to try and get a better look but only got a glimpse of one blue eye, some golden hair and a bit of a mouth. Instinctively she knew the woman in the photo was Samantha. If she dared she would pull out the petals and get a better look, but she didn't want to risk Jack knowing she'd looked through his things. But clearly the drawer was some sort of odd shrine. She would bet her next month's pay the panties had been Samantha's. Jack would never bother keeping such a personal item from one of his former paramours.
Having finished looking through the bedroom, Grace went into the bathroom. There were bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and bath gel in the shower that appeared to be his. On the counter was a tube of toothpaste and a bottle of mouthwash. There were no signs of any toothbrush, razor or comb, so Jack had probably taken those with him. After the bathroom, the made a quick perusal of the living room that yielded little information about Jack. Picking up the bag of books, Grace sat on the sofa and pulled them out. Her best bet for understanding Jack would be to brush up on Mack, Grace decided.
Pairing: Jack/Grace with implied Jack/Samantha
Summary: Pre-series. While attending the National Forensics Conference, Grace runs into her friend Jack, a successful thriller author who unknown to her derives his ingenious plots from his exploits as serial killer Jack-Of-All-Trades. Upset over her husband's infidelity, Grace decides to even the score and soon she takes the first step into Jack's world...
Author's Notes: Shadow of Pleasure is the first story in a series called, Gods and Shadows which will be Jack/Grace in parts and ultimately Jack/Samantha. This first tale which focuses on Jack/Grace is for my lovely friend, velvetwhip. This is part five of Shadow of Pleasure. Previous parts can be found: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4. The story is cross-posted at profiler_fans. Due to length, there are several more parts to come.
Caught up in the riot of sensation, Grace was tempted to move Jack's hands to the places where her flesh was aching for his touch. Given the skill with which he kissed, there was no doubt in her mind that his touch would be equally arousing. Her breathing came in shallow pants as he drew her mouth into another dizzying kiss. Grace ached to feel his bare skin against hers and her hand hovered over his shirt, she was clutching tenuously at the top button when Jack pulled away abruptly. She almost groaned in disappointment as he stopped kissing her and released her from his arms.
His expression was horrified as he apologized, "Please forgive me."
"Forgive you?" Grace asked dazedly. Her body aching with need, her mind was having a hard time catching up. What had happened? Grace wondered. One moment they were kissing, the next, Jack pulled away and looked all but ill. He didn't seem like the sort to drink to the point he was ill; but perhaps she was wrong. Unhappy with the turn of events but concerned about him, she asked, "Are you all right? You look like you're about to be sick. Is it too much alcohol?"
His voice was full of self-loathing as he responded, "I feel sickened by my behavior tonight. It was inexcusable. No amount of overindulgence in alcohol could excuse such ungentlemanly behavior."
Ungentlemanly behavior! Grace mentally groaned. The only thing he'd done wrong was stopping. Why did Jack have to be a gentleman at a time like this? She wanted to scream, but suppressed the urge as she looked at him. Sorrow marred his handsome face as he gazed at her and she forced her frustration aside. Maybe she could salvage the situation. Her breathing was still slightly ragged as she said, "I didn't exactly push you away. You didn't do anything wrong."
"You're mistaken. I did do something very wrong. It was reprehensible and I am ashamed of myself," Jack murmured almost to himself.
His expression was remote and she wished he would look at her. If only he could see how much she wanted him. Grace protested, "I liked it. You didn't do anything wrong."
"But it was wrong. So very wrong of me"
Moving towards him, she implored, "Jack, please we could-"
"Grace," Jack cut her off as he stood up. Taking her her hand, he gazed down at her and implored, "My dear friend, I've behaved shamefully and tried to take advantage of your vulnerable state. I had no right to do that."
"My vulnerable state?" Grace echoed in disbelief and pulled her hand away. Did he really think she let him touch her because of Morgan's infidelity? Her husband had been far from her thoughts in Jack's arms. Her body aching from his touch and release nowhere in sight, she snapped, "What happened to the man who sleeps with blonde after blonde? Tonight, you suddenly develop a conscience?"
Jack walked towards the fireplace and hung his head as he said barely above a whisper, "I'll understand if you walk out of here and never speak to me again. But please know how truly sorry I am."
Was he sorry because he felt he'd taken advantage of her? Or did he regret kissing her? She'd seen enough of his fair haired companions to know his tastes. Every last one of them had pale skin, blue eyes, and perfect figures. Even the pregnant blonde had been stunning. Even with blonde hair she wasn't his usual preference. Had he stopped because he felt she wasn't attractive enough? Unable to stop herself, Grace demanded, "Sorry because of what you did or because you did it with me?"
Jack turned around and looked puzzled. "I don't understand what you mean. I-"
"Is it because I'm not up to your standard? Not pretty enough," Grace interrupted, her voice breaking slightly as she finished.
Instantly, Jack was by her side on the sofa. She turned away but he gently reached up and took her chin in his hand. As he forced her to meet his gaze, Jack assured her, "I meant what I said earlier. You are lovely."
"Then why did you stop?"
"Because you deserve better than what I have to offer, Grace." Jack released her chin and ran his hand through his hair before lighting a cigarette. Shooting her an apologetic look, he inhaled deeply. Exhaling he explained, "My heart is permanently and irrevocably given to one woman. Until the day comes that she's ready to be with me, I indulge myself with the parade of blondes as you've referred to them. Each one is chosen solely on how closely she resembles Samantha. The reason I change paramours so frequently is because I don't want any of them to get attached me. Most of the time I don't even bother learning their names because I never really see them, I see Samantha. You don't deserve to be reduced to another blurred facsimile. I care about you too much to use you like that."
Given what she had observed of Jack in the past and what she had learned about Samantha, Grace knew he believed what he was doing was for the best. However, Jack's good intentions didn't ease the arousal that throbbed relentlessly through her body. Erotic need hummed insistently through her and she mentally sighed at her companion. Jack was sweet and he meant well by stopping, but why did he have to stop when he did? Couldn't he have felt guilty in the morning? In the wake of her unfulfilled need, she almost wished he hadn't kissed her, but not quite.
Her husband was caring and always had tried to please her, but Grace had never known what was missing from her marriage until Jack took her in his arms. Morgan's well intentioned kisses never had the effect on her, Jack's brief illicit kisses had. The light sensation she'd felt with her husband had always seemed pleasant enough, like a gentle breeze. Jack's kisses were nothing like her husband's. Each moment his sinfully skilled lips teased and explored, she reveled in the sweet torment. His passion was no light breeze but rather a dizzying vortex that consumed her and obliterated the world around them.
Frustrated and annoyed, Grace considered what to do. She didn't think she could walk out and never speak to Jack again. Despite her present agitation, she cared about him and didn't want to lose his friendship. Maybe one day she could convince him that she wanted him. Perhaps she could think of a way when her mind was a bit clearer and her body wasn't screaming with lust. Groaning she complained, "You had to change you mind after things started to heat up."
"Sorry," Jack apologized and gave her an abashed grin. Shifting slightly on the sofa he offered, "If it's any consolation, I'm not exactly feeling comfortable at present either."
Grace allowed her gaze to wander downwards and noted Jack's pants were pulled tightly across his thighs and the outline of his arousal was quite obvious. As he blushed under her gaze, she stifled a giggle. Only Jack would kiss a woman like that and then blush over an erection, she thought and smiled wryly.
Noting her change in expression, Jack hesitated, "Still friends?"
"Yes," Grace replied. His relief was visible as the tension left his face and she jokingly inquired, "So, think you're up for another round of drinks?"
Before Jack could answer, the phone rang. He politely excused himself, walked to the phone at the bar and picked it up. As he talked, Grace watched him a mixture of desire and regret. Although she regretted his ending their interlude, it was gratifying to know he'd not been unaffected by it. Her mind was in the process of undressing him when Jack yelled into the phone.
"What?!"
Something was clearly amiss.
"The plane crashed," Jack ground out angrily. "Yes I know it's not your fault, but that doesn't change how inconvenient this is."
Grace watched him worriedly. Whatever was wrong was serious. Her first thought was that something happened to a relative of his, but Jack seemed angry rather than upset. On the other hand, Jack wasn't much for emotional displays in general and she waited anxiously as he talked.
Running his hand through his hair, Jack sighed, "Okay. Yeah, I understand you have a deadline if we're going to make the Christmas rush. Uh-huh. All right. I'll have to go back to my place, print it out again- Christ that'll take half the day right there. Then I'll send it out again."
Go back? Jack was leaving? Grace wondered, disappointment washing over her.
"Okay. I'll get the first flight out in the morning. No, need. It's pointless to send someone for the manuscript, it's one of those things. I promise I won't exercise my option to go to another publisher over this. Acts of God happen. In fact gods are notorious for doing exactly as they like. All right, Ben. I'll call you when I send it out."
As Jack hung up, Grace inquired worriedly, "Bad news?"
Moving to the couch, Jack lit another cigarette and explained, "That was my publisher. Ben says, the Fed Ex plane my manuscript was on crashed and caught on fire, burning up everything inside. So, I have to fly home, re-print and re-ship tomorrow because we're aiming for a holiday release."
"Oh Jack, I'm so sorry!"
"It's okay. It's more of an inconvenience than anything else. The real bad news is I'll miss a day of the conference. But I should be back the day after tomorrow."
"At least it's only for one day," Grace said, as much to reassure herself as Jack.
Pouring a glass of whiskey, Jack offered, "You're welcome to use my suite while I'm gone. It's already paid for. I know Atlanta PD doesn't pay for lavish accommodations and it's the least I can do after my conduct tonight."
Grace hesitated before agreeing. She wanted to share Jack's bed, she'd just had in mind he would be in it at the time. Jack invited her to stay for the night, insisting he would take the couch. However, Grace needed some time to herself to take care of the tension Jack created inside her. Taking the key card to his room with her, she returned to her room. Undressing, she got into bed and caressed her heated flesh, imagining it was Jack's hands and not hers. Her eager body peaked quickly and she brought herself to climax several times. Sleep eluded her as she stared into the darkness and thought about Jack throughout the night.
********************
She finally dozed off briefly, only to be awoken by a knock at her door. Pulling on a robe, Grace answered. A smiling woman brought her a floral delivery that was engulfed in pink tissue paper. Taking the parcel and thanking the woman, Grace sat it down on the small table that was in her room. There was no card, but she was positive it was from Jack. Opening the paper, she was surprised by the contents. Instead of the vase with flowers she'd expected, there was a clay pot filled with soil that held several dark purple hyacinths that were blooming. For several minutes she stared at the pot and blinked in confusion. From the books she knew that roses were Samantha's territory but the pretty purple flowers seemed like an odd choice. Perhaps there had been a mix-up in what Jack requested, she wondered.
Forgetting about the strange flowers, Grace went into the bathroom to shower and dress. After getting ready, she went downstairs and went to her first forensics lecture of the day but found it was every bit as impossible to concentrate without Jack there as it had been with him there. Her mind wandered to thoughts of what he was doing and speculating about if he was thinking about her. He'd been affected by their kissing, had he taken care of his needs the night before? Thinking about the outline of Jack's cock in his pants and imagining him touching himself, made Grace blush and effectively distracted her for the duration of the speech on Contusion and Ligature Analysis.
When the lecture ended, Grace decided it was pointless to even pretend she would get anything out of the other lectures she had scheduled. She decided to wander through one of the hotel's gift shops and find a couple magazines and go up to Jack's room. Maybe she would order room service for lunch and hide away for the rest of the day. Inside the gift shop, Grace was about to select a couple magazines when a display in the book section caught her eyes. A cardboard cut out of the shadowy representation of Mack the Knife from Jack's books stood holding all the volumes of the Jacklyn Trades collection. Smiling Grace moved to the display.
"Don't you just love them?" a soft female voice asked behind her.
Turning slightly, Grace saw the blonde who'd been hitting on Jack the afternoon before. Uneasily she agreed, "They're really good. I haven't read them in ages but I was thinking of getting one to read."
"Do you think Jacklyn will ever go public?"
"I don't know," Grace replied casually.
"Maybe she's being stalked and is afraid to reveal her identity. I think maybe she's the Alexandra character."
"Or it could be Mack himself," Grace countered wickedly. She had no intentions of revealing Jack's identity, but she couldn't help enjoying the woman's ignorance.
"You sound like Sam," the woman laughed. "We went through the academy together. Sam is convinced that they're written by a man."
Forcing a laugh, Grace said, "Well, you know how men are. He probably likes the idea that they were written by another guy."
"Sam as in Samantha. She has all of Jacklyn's books. But then, she has a complete autographed set. Every Christmas the new one arrives, signed by Jacklyn herself," the woman told her in an awed voice.
"Probably a prank."
"I guess. Sam has had some high profile cases. It's odd, she says they're fakes and yet she keeps every volume. Not that she'll read them, she insists on buying a different copy to read, she just keeps them on a shelf. But I can't blame her, they'll probably be worth a fortune one day," the blonde sighed. Glancing at her watch she said, "It was nice meeting a fellow Jacklyn fan, but I think I'd better scoot past you her and grab my Vogue. I have to lecture in a bit."
"Nice meeting you too."
Alone once more, Grace considered what the woman had told her. A woman named Samantha receiving an autographed copy each Christmas? It was too much of a coincidence. Jack must have sent her the copies. Supposedly Samantha was convinced they were written by a man but perhaps Jack had told her his secret. She wished she could ask him, but decided against it. Samantha was dangerous territory to explore and Grace had no intention of pushing Jack. Although she did understand his reason for stopping the night before, she hoped to think of a way to address the matter when he returned. Even if he could only offer her a night, Grace wanted to know what it felt like to be made love to by Jack.
On a whim, Grace grabbed a copy of each book and headed to the check out. While she knew she wouldn't find all the answers she wanted in his books, it was a start. Mack was a conduit to Jack and she hoped into his bed as well. Grace had been intrigued by the idea of sleeping with Jack before he kissed her. After he kissed her, she was dying to experience more. Morgan's well intentioned fumblings were an ocean apart from the confident and expert caresses Jack had to offer. Maybe her future was with Morgan and maybe it wasn't. But Grace had to know what it felt like to experience real passion at least once.
Taking the books up to her room, Grace grabbed a couple items from her suitcase and tossed them into a small bag. Taking her bag and the books, she shook her head at the flowers and left her room. Heading up to Jack's suite, she felt a sense of nervousness and anticipation. The room was clean and neat, all evidence of their drinking the night before was absent. The suite was still beautiful, but it felt somewhat lacking without Jack's presence. On the bar was a large basket of snacks with a note attached. Pulling off the note Grace read it. Make yourself at home. There was no signature, save the letter J.
Sitting her bags down, Grace wandered through the suite into the bedroom. The bed was made so housekeeping appeared to have been through the room. Looking around the room as she sat on the bed, she imagined what it would be like to share the enormous bed with Jack. Trying to pull her thoughts in a direction that didn't involve Jack being naked, she tried to take in the elegance of the room, when she noticed the closet door was slightly ajar. Standing up, Grace went to the closet. She should shut it, she told herself. However, instead she felt herself opening the door and looking inside. Jack was so reluctant to divulge anything about himself and having the run of his rooms was too good an opportunity to miss.
Inside were several light colored suits hung at even intervals and several crisp white shirts that were also spaced evenly. Beside them were four padded satin hangers from which hung white peignoirs. Each still with the tags attached, Grace knew they were for if he had company. There was also the thick white robe he'd been wearing the night before when he went to the door. It wasn't the sort the hotel provided with their suites, it was too think and expensive, she decided. Pulling the hanger out of the closet, Grace brought the robe to her face and inhaled. Sandalwood, roses and tobacco clung lightly to the fabric and underneath was the faintest trace of male scent that made her wish the robe's owner was with her.
Returning the hanger to the closet, Grace cast a brief glance at the expensive masculine shoes which were lined up meticulously on the closet floor, then shut the door. Her curiosity piqued, she moved to the dresser. Leaning down she decided to work her way from the bottom upwards. The bottom two drawers were empty. The third drawer up contained several pairs of silk pajama bottoms. Reaching out to touch the soft fabric, she felt there was something underneath. Carefully lifting the stack of pajama pants out and sitting them on the bed, Grace returned to examine the contents of the drawer.
There were several black velvet bags. Picking one up and opening it, Grace found a pair of handcuffs inside, the silvery metal cool in her hands. Blushing she put them back and picked up another bag. The second bag yielded what looked like a silver bangle bracelet but something told her it wasn't. She'd read about cockrings in a magazine once but had never imagined anyone actually owning one, however apparently Jack did. Running her finger along the smooth metal, she tried to imagine how exactly it fit over his cock. Her mind supplying several interesting possibilities, she returned it to the velvet pouch.
Another pouch yielded a strange gold colored tin that read Kama Sutra Honey Dust. Opening it up she found it was filled with a very fine milled powder with a sweet scent and a small feathered applicator. Closing the tin she returned it to it's resting place. Most of the remaining bags contained objects that Grace could only guess what they were for, all were things she'd never seen before. The final bag was filled with condoms and small bottle that had a sepia toned picture of a couple holding one another that read Embrace Personal Lubricant. The condoms had printing in a foreign language on them, but her fingertip traced over the two letters that she understood, XL. Her imagination only too happy to supply an image of Jack naked, Grace turned red and quickly pulled the drawstring on the bag. Shakily, she picked up the stack of pajamas and returned them to the drawer.
Nervously she opened up the second drawer from the top. Inside was a polished wooden box that she opened hesitantly. Lined in black velvet the box held several very ornate knives. Lifting one out of the case, Grace touched the edge of the blade, it was sharp. Returning it to the case, she turned her attention to the stack of file folders that were beside the box with neatly mated socks on top of them. Taking one cautiously she opened it up and saw crime scene photos. Inspection of the other folders yielded more crime scene photos as well as detailed information about victims and modus operandi. It must be research, Grace thought and shut the drawer. All that was left was the top drawer.
Most people kept underwear and socks in the top drawer. However Jack's socks were in the second drawer and he didn't seem to wear underwear. Opening the drawer she was surprised to find a yellow legal pad with notes scrawled on it. Skimming over it, she realized it appeared to be notes for his next book. There was also an opened carton of Marlboros and a half eaten bag of Cheetos. Looking at the bag she smiled. The orange puffs seemed and odd fit with Jack but it was nice to find out what was apparently one of his secret vices. Closing the dresser drawer, she noted there was some melted candle was on top of the dresser.
Turning her attention back to the bed, Grace checked the night stands. The first was empty except for a the standard bible and phone book. However the second yielded a mystery. Crimson rose petals filled the drawer and framed the contents. Inside was another bottle of Embrace Lubricant, the flip top was slightly open as if it had been used recently. Imagining what Jack had used it for made Grace's pulse race and her face turn almost as red as the petals. There was plastic zip lock bag which held a black pair of panties. Opening the bag, Grace smelled a distinctly feminine scent and quickly closed it and slid it back into the drawer.
Underneath the petals was a large photo. She pushed the petals to try and get a better look but only got a glimpse of one blue eye, some golden hair and a bit of a mouth. Instinctively she knew the woman in the photo was Samantha. If she dared she would pull out the petals and get a better look, but she didn't want to risk Jack knowing she'd looked through his things. But clearly the drawer was some sort of odd shrine. She would bet her next month's pay the panties had been Samantha's. Jack would never bother keeping such a personal item from one of his former paramours.
Having finished looking through the bedroom, Grace went into the bathroom. There were bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and bath gel in the shower that appeared to be his. On the counter was a tube of toothpaste and a bottle of mouthwash. There were no signs of any toothbrush, razor or comb, so Jack had probably taken those with him. After the bathroom, the made a quick perusal of the living room that yielded little information about Jack. Picking up the bag of books, Grace sat on the sofa and pulled them out. Her best bet for understanding Jack would be to brush up on Mack, Grace decided.