The Proposal: Chapter 5

Keesha knocked softly on Jax's chamber door. No answer came and she knocked a little louder. Again, no answer, and Keesha felt a rush of panic go through her body. She pushed open the door quickly, and didn't see him. She shut the door, calling his name.

"Yes!" Jax came running in from the bath. "Is everything all right?!"

Keesha closed her eyes, leaning against the door as her panic subsided. "I...I did not know where you went to."

Jax chuckled. "Good Lord, woman. I only went in there," he smirked, glancing to the bath.

Keesha shook her head, trying to figure out exactly what could have come over her. "I have not had any sleep," she reasoned softly.

"I kept you awake?" Jax walked back over to his bed, climbing in as Keesha watched.

"I needed to make sure you were doing fine."

"You did not sleep at all?"

"No. Why does that amuse you?" she asked of his smile.

"I am not amused. Yes...amused is definitely the wrong word to be used." Touched was a word he would use again. Amazed. Wondering....

on how someone who had been awake all evening could be more beautiful than the last time he saw her....

"Then, why are you grinning at me?"

"Am I not allowed to grin at you my lady?"

And as always when Jax called her that, Keesha felt her heart skip. "Why do you call me that?" She wished it would stop.

Jax groaned. "You have many questions this morning. All right, I will never call you that if it makes you..."

"No..." Keesha found herself interrupting him. "I just...it is very...nice," she admitted. "I just do not understand why you use the term, given that you soon insisted I call you by your given name."

"I never asked you to call me Jasper." Jax smiled once more. "I despise that name."

Keesha sighed. He was in a teasing mood for some reason. He was so baffling to her.

Jax sat up in the bed, running his fingers through his hair as he glanced over at the food on the tray.

Baffling...and lovely...

"You know which name I mean." Keesha tried to focus once more.

"Ah...yes." Jax's voice dropped. "That is merely because I like the way you call my name..."

Keesha dropped her gaze from his.

"Even in some misguided panicked tone." Jax laughed again, pouring himself some tea.

"The doctor is coming."

"I do not need a doctor, as you can see, I am perfectly fine."

"Jax, Garcia..."

Jax's eyes darkened and once again his mood switched suddenly. "I thought I told you I do not wish to hear that man's name from your lips."

Keesha sighed. "Then what am I to call him when we discuss him?"

"We will not be discussing him."

"Never?"

"Correct."

Keesha walked over to the edge of the bed. "That is...unacceptable I believe."

"I did not ask you what you believed."

Keesha groaned. "You are so very maddening."

"I have been told. Tonight we have to go into town, for an enagement gala."

"Jax, you cannot go anywhere..."

"I will not stay here and have Garcia think he has bested me!" Jax snapped.

"Bested you?"

Jax groaned. "If I do not show, Garcia will take it as a sign of weakness, and he will use that against me."

"For what?"

Jax was quiet for a moment. Then he said simply, "For Jules."

Keesha blinked. "Jules...Gar..." She closed her mouth at Jax's stare. "...that man is Jules'..."

"Yes. Now do you understand why I require you to stay away?"

"Of course."

"He is not above using women to get what he wants. He is not above many things." Jax's voice trailed off. Keesha was quiet, afraid that if she spoke, he would not continue. Jax stared into Keesha's eyes, and despite himself, the words started to flow. "He bedded my cousin and left her with child, to marry a woman with higher social standing in his native Spain. I told Jasmine that he was a scoundrel...I had told her, but she did not listen...I wish I had given her the proof...but I did not want to hurt her. Yet, obviously my silence was misguided. Then again, it likely would not have changed her mind. Garcia has a...way about him that women are drawn to."

Jax continued to look at Keesha, watching as her eyes grew sad at his words.

He wanted, as always, to touch her.

For some reason, it was almost as if he needed, to touch her.

Jax reached out, touching the edge of Keesha's curls absently.

And as he did, his words repeated in his mind.

Garcia has a...way about him, that women are drawn to and he remembered the way Keesha smiled when Garcia kissed her hand.

"Bloody hell..." Jax let go. His wife would be the ruin of him...

"Are you in pain?" Keesha touched his shoulder lightly.

Jax looked down, staring at her small hand against his body. Keesha glanced down as well, concern being replaced with...some sort of butterflies, she reasoned...as she found herself staring at Jax's bare torso.

"No."

His voice brought her out of her revelry and she looked into his eyes once more....in the blueness there was a hint of green and her heart raced so fast she thought it would explode.

"Where are you going?" Jax asked as Keesha stood from the bed, walking away.

Keesha crossed her arms, rubbing her shoulders. She walked over to the window. She could not even look into his eyes anymore, without feeling...

That thing she could not name. Because it had never happened to her before. "I just needed to look out the window."

Jax arched his eyebrow, confused, yet saying nothing.

"Who bandaged your wound?"

"That would be my lovely bride." Jax smiled.

"Did I do an adequate job of it?" Keesha walked over to the other side of the bed.

"More than adequate. Were you a nursemaid?"

"No."

"No, she is just full of...hidden talents."

Once again Keesha was thankful she did not blush as Jax turned his large grin to her.

"I need to teach whomever, how to change the dressing." Keesha waited for Jax to insist he would be doing so himself.

"Keesha?" Jax waited. "I believe the doctor is speaking to you."

Keesha blinked. Jax expected her...she would have to...see him and touch him...

What happened to her plan to avoid the man all together.

"Of course." Keesha walked over to the other side of the bed.

"Before you leave, doctor. Please tell my wife it is safe for me to venture outside. She tends to worry about me."

Keesha was starting to wish Jax was angry over something again-this light teasing, accompanied by his wide smiles and the sparkle in his crystal clear eyes, were beginning to rattle her nerves.

"Lord Jacks is free to leave the chamber."

"Yet, not to go into town." Keesha added.

"You want to go into town?" the doctor looked back at Jax.

"I am going into town. In fact, it is getting rather late...my lady. Might I suggest a light slumber, for soon you will need to be getting ready."

"Yes my lord." Keesha stated quietly, realizing she should not argue with Jax while there was company. She gave the doctor a small smile, thanking him-before leaving.

Maggie was quiet as she worked, tightening Keesha's corset as some woman named Christina fussed over Keesha's hair. Jax had left a couple of hours prior, sneaking away as Keesha napped, realizing she would now have to come, to take care of him. "Where is Jules?" Keesha spoke the first words Maggie had heard once she found out Jax had left. Maggie was sure that her quiet anger at being left was the only reason Keesha had not insisted, yet again, on getting ready on her own.

"Here. Would you like to see him?"

"When I am ready. When will that be?"

"Not long, Madame." Christina spoke, her voice thick with a French accent.

Not long.

Which was exactly the length of time Keesha expected to stay at this gala. She was going to go, get her husband, and bring him home. No matter what method she had to resort to to do it.