“Meet me at the docks tomorrow morning. 5:00 AM sharp.” Jacob didn’t bother asking her if she was free on a normal workday. He wanted her to hear the expectation in his voice and besides, he knew she had time to kill. Jane only dropped by her studio at nine or ten in the morning.
A pause. “Can I ask why?”
She didn’t outright refuse him. A good sign.
“Turn up tomorrow and find out. Oh, and wear something warm and comfy.” Jacob was about to end the call, but he changed his mind. “Sweet dreams, Jane.”
“Goodnight, Jacob.”
Chapter Seven
Jane saw her reflection on the window of a passing bus. She’d followed Jacob’s orders and had dressed in a thick, green sweater, a pair of comfortable jeans, and fashionable boots. She put minimal makeup on and gathered her hair into a single ponytail. Like this, Jane was virtually unrecognizable and that suited her just fine. When she went to the studio, her clothes were always carefully chosen, professional. It was nice, she realized, to sometimes dress down.
A chill came from the busy docks, making her shove her hands into the pockets of her jeans. She came here fifteen minutes early because that was how she was. She hated to be late. Even as a teenager, she arrived early for a date with a girlfriend or a boyfriend.
A tingle of excitement shot down her spine. After Jacob’s call last night, sleep proved elusive. Jacob was shaking things up—a good or bad sign, she no longer cared. Her confidence level was at an all-time low after watching Swan’s interview yesterday. Jane knew she should keep off social media for the next few days, but she took a sneak peek earlier and immediately regretted it. Jane didn’t know what she did to piss Swan off, but the supermodel seemed to love bashing her and her dresses.
Jane could use a distraction and this mysterious trip might be the solution.
“You’re early. I should’ve expected that,” said a familiar voice behind her.
Jane turned around. She’d never seen Jacob out of his apartment before and he looked better than nice. Sexy. He wore a battered brown leather jacket over a white shirt with a cartoon pig holding a knife printed over it, and a pair of well-used, faded jeans. Jacob leaned in close and kissed her on the cheek. It was brief and quick, but the contact of his lips warmed her up immediately.
“You look perfect,” he murmured, eying her up and down. That naked want in his eyes sent a shudder down her spine. They weren’t in the privacy of his home, but that look didn’t feel out of place.
He slid his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him. She breathed in his familiar scent, his cologne, and closed her eyes for a moment. Jane felt the change in his breathing and she opened her eyes again. She realized she was resting the palm of her hand against his incredibly warm and solid chest.
“I’m sorry, Sir,” she whispered, about to pull away, but he grasped her fingers.
Jacob leaned in by her ear. “You don’t need permission to touch me in public. I’m just Jacob this morning.”
It took her a second to understand what he meant. Today, Jacob wasn’t her Master. Jane needed order, rules, distinctions, but today, she could be flexible. Curiosity got the better of her. She wanted to know what he had planned for them.
Jacob squeezed her hand. “Let’s go before all the good fish are gone.”
“I don’t understand,” she said.
They walked further into the market. She looked around, perplexed. Despite the ungodly hour, there were a lot of people. Jane didn’t like crowds in general and avoided them if she could, but with Jacob right next to her, her anxiety became non-existent. The smell of raw fish bothered her a little at first, but she got used to it. Fishmongers were yelling prices at passing customers.
She glanced at Jacob. He had an intense look on his face as he entered a bidding match with a tuna seller. Jacob looked pleased when they settled on a price. She was seeing him in his element, she realized. He looked completely at home. Today, he’d given her a precious gift. He was showing her a part of himself she’d never thought she’d ever get a glimpse of.
They moved to another stall.
“Can you hold this for me?” he asked.
She nodded, taking his bag of purchases. They were now browsing a stall that sold nothing but different kinds of crabs. They all seemed the same to her.
“How do you know which one to pick?” she asked him.
Jacob showed her how to identify which crab was male or female, what to look out for. He was patient with her and only smiled when she grew brave enough to ask him for questions. An hour later, they wandered off to a pier. Jane glanced at the fishing boats floating in the sea.
“You do this every morning?” she asked.
“It’s the part of the day I enjoy the most.” Jacob slid his hand down the line of her back and settled it over the curve of her ass. She leaned closer into his embrace, loving the feel of the wind on her face. It was a little cold out here, but Jacob was better than any coat or blanket.
“You being here means a lot to me.”
His words took her by surprise. “Didn’t I get in the way?” Jane bet he’d be more efficient if she wasn’t tagging along.