Pearl kicked off her shoes and curled up on the sofa, closing her eyes and putting her head against the cushions she'd just fluffed. She only needed a minute.
She'd finished a session with Sahara and she was feeling off. The athlete had been very polite and even spoken about her husband admitting that he'd been very disappointed in her. Pearl had taken time to reassert the fact that as her performance coach, she was there for no one but her. Sahara had then admitted that she was used to girls hitting on her husband and Pearl had just said she wasn't a part of that group.
Pearl felt that they'd genuinely reached an understanding. She wasn't interested in Mr Cortiz and didn't want Sahara wasting time and energy worrying about it when she could be focusing on recovery and improvement. She knew the easiest way to get injured again was for Sahara not to be paying full attention during practice. All it took was one misstep and she would be back out of the game and in for longer recovery. Pearl didn't want that to happen to her client.
The moment he saw her, Jesse stopped in his tracks and took a careful look at Pearl. Her feet were tucked in underneath her, she was leaning to one side and her face was a serious mask.
He knew almost immediately that she wasn't sleeping before her hand reached up and rubbed her forehead. That's when he moved over to where she was and stroked the stray hairs from her face, his hand resting on her head.
Her hand jerked a little but she put it back on her lap and smiled just a little. "Do you give this attention to all your patients?" she asked, eyes still closed.
"Almost none of them," came the soft response. "Just… my dad. And the few children I've had to treat for addictive behaviours." Pause. "But I've already said. You're not a patient, Pearl."
He leaned over the back of the sofa, next to her head. She opened her warm brown eyes and they met his hazel green ones.
"Yes, you have said that before."
"I still mean it," he said in a low voice, eyes never leaving hers.
"Okay, then. I'm lucky to have a friend like you." Jesse's eyes twinkled but he was paying careful attention to her. She could see it. "I'm alright Jesse."
"Good," he smiled, "because keeping you prisoner isn't my idea of a good time."
She chuckled and nodded slightly. "Mine either."
"What is your idea of a good time?"
"Well…" she thought for a moment, "there has to be delicious food, some nice music and… laughter maybe?" She looked up into his face, a little curiously. "But mostly it's the people. Great people make for great times."
"You are absolutely right," came charming response. "So we have all the ingredients for a wonderful time right here in the house." Pause. "Food aside, you're a great lady and I'm downright awesome," he grinned.
"Jesse!" she groaned, laughing. "You're hopeless."
Eyes shining, he asked innocently, "What?"
She covered her face, smothering her laugh, "That Teab-Murray vanity…"
"It's not vanity," he protested, "my mirror tells me all the time."
Pearl's eyes widened and she reached up and covered Jesse's mouth. "No more!" Jesse chuckled in his throat and nodded.
"Promise," she insisted with a small smile. Rolling his eyes, he nodded. Pearl didn't move her hand. "How are we supposed to appreciate how God made you if you keep beating us to it?"
His eyes still sparkled but Pearl could see something else light in the green depths.
Slowly she removed her hand.
Jesse gave her a slight smile. "If I never joke about myself again, it's because I'm waiting to hear it from you."
"That's alright with me." Pause. "So what were you saying about a good time?"
Jesse smiled down at her. "I'm going to make you dinner."
"You know how to?" she teased.
"Even if I don't, I can treat you for food poisoning," came the wicked reply. He watched her smile falter and his laughter rang out again as he stood up straight. "Come on Pearl, give me some credit here. I can cook." He rounded the sofa and stood right in front of her, his hand outstretched.
She took it and he pulled her up. "You go take a nice long bath or whatever it is you do to relax and come out in a bit. I'll have supper started and you can be my lovely kitchen companion."
"Kitchen companion?" she echoed dubiously.
"That'll be you." He pushed her gently toward her room and then headed to the kitchen.
When Pearl came out, Jesse was busy working in the kitchen, chopping red and yellow peppers. He had changed into a form fitting long sleeve t-shirt and dark blue jeans and he was already working on the food. From where she watched, he seemed sure of what he was doing.
Jesse smelt her before he saw her. He figured it would be a good idea if he finished cutting the pepper before he looked up and lost any of his ability to function. It was already taking half his energy not to think about her in the bath or in any state of undress. The other half was focusing on cooking, something that usually came naturally to him. It was just something Pearl did to him- she made him want to focus all of him on all of her.
The only problem was there wasn't anything he didn't notice. And the more he noticed, the more he wanted to look at her. Like how her eyes sparkled in the sunlight, they were like magnets that pulled at whatever light was left within him, calling him to be better, greater and closer.
He always noticed the way her hair curled around her face when she let it loose and the little tendrils that tickled her cheek and followed the curve of her jaw and caressed her throat. Her smile was enough to make his mouth go dry when she directed it straight at him, because that was when he knew she was really looking at him.
As he picked up the onion, his mind focused on a picture of her leaning her head back on the sofa earlier, her throat exposed, her chest slowly rising and falling, the soft material covering-
"Jesse!" Pearl called out in alarm.