"Enter." Jax said to the gentle knock on his office door. "Good morning." he smiled at Keesha. "Hi." she grinned. "I need a favor." "Name it." Jax stood, taking off his jacket and hanging it on the back of his chair. Keesha arched her eyebrow, admiring. "Why are you smiling like that?" "That's a very good color on you...that light blue." Jax glanced down at his shirt. "Oh, thanks. What's the favor?" "I need to leave early, like right after lunch." Jax laughed. "She works for 3 days and is already asking for time off. You're in luck though, I'm leaving early myself. I have a dinner to get to." "Really?" "Yes. Mrs. Sellers friend, Chantel, called..." "Chantel?" "You know her?" "No, but she called me last night, about the birthday dinner. I take it you're going as well?" "As well? So you're going? Great!" Jax tried unsucessfully to contain his happiness and a giant smile grew across his face. Keesha had to break eye contact and glanced down at the ground. "So...I'll let you get back, to what you were doing." Keesha started to leave the office. "You know..." Keesha turned and looked back at Jax as he spoke. "I could give you a ride...I mean we're going to the same place." Keesha shifted somwhat nervously. "Yeah...yes, that would be nice. If it's no trouble." "No, it's no trouble at all. We'll leave at 1:00 or so?" "Okay." Keesha flashed Jax a smile. "Thanks." "Sure thing." Jax sat down, watching the door close behind Keesha after she left. He picked up the ringing phone. "Anders Enterprises, Jasper Jacks speaking." he sung. "He's just giving me a ride...ouch!" Keesha exclaimed, rubbing her arm where Hilary hit her. "Mr. Jacks is the guy you ranted about to me over the phone?!" "I did not rant, but yes, he's the guy who helped me." "The guy with crystal clear eyes as blue as the sea and a smile who sent your heart...and I qoute...*all a flutter*?!" "Shh! He's right across the hall." Hilary finished zipping Keesha's dress. "Oh I bet he's just giving you a ride." "There's nothing going on between Jax and me." "Jax? What happened to Mr. Jacks?" Hilary turned as there was a knock on the door. She opened it. "Hello Mr. Jacks." she smiled knowingly. "Hello. Are you ready?" he looked past Hilary over at Keesha. "Yes." Keesha grabbed the gift off the desk and they left. "Do you know who's going to be there?" Keesha glanced over at Jax as he took off his tie, tossing it in the backseat of his Jaguar. He undid the first two buttons of his shirt, not noticing as Keesha stared. "I beleive a few people will drop by, but dinner is just for us and Mrs. Sellers." he got off the main highway. The car phone rang and he pressed the speaker button. "What?" "How are things going along?" Jax picked up the phone, disconnecting the speaker mode. "What Jerry?" Keesha stopped looking at Jax as his mood changed. She stared out the window. "You didn't call me back." "I didn't have anything to say." "A couple of us are going out drinking tonight-do you want to come?" "Busy." "Doing what?" "Having dinner with friends." "You don't have any friends." "Right." Jax hung up and a second later it rang again. Keesha turned and looked at him. "Aren't you..." "He can go to hell." Jax took a deep breath. "Sorry. We haven't been getting along lately...WHAT?" he yelled as he pressed the speaker phone connecting to Jerry again. "Can't you take a damn joke?!" "Yes, ha ha it was really funny." "Don't forget that I can and will be glad to beat the s...." Jerry's voice trailed off in Jax's head as Jax glanced down to turn on the radio. His hand froze against the knob as his gaze focused, watching Keesha uncross her legs, before crossing them again. "...and don't forget that!" Keesha couldn't help but laugh as Jerry finished threatening Jax. "Who's in the car?" "Keesha Ward." Jax answered cautiously. "Hello Ms. Ward." Jerry sung. "Hi." "We're going through a tunnel..." Jax hung up on Jerry again, turning the phone off. Jerry picked up the phone, dialing. "Yes...I need a favor, and you have 24 hours to do it....last name Ward, first name Keesha..." he spelled the first name. "Anders Enterprises...what do I want to know? Everything." "Does he always threaten you like that?" "At least once a week...but it's okay, I'm bigger than him." Jax turned onto the road which led to the town right outside of Mrs. Sellers place. "We won't be there for a couple of hours yet, do you need to make a stop?" Keesha shook her head no. "Do you need a break? I can drive." "I let no one drive my Jaguar." Jax smiled. "Really?" "Not even Jerry." "That sounds like a good idea since he may just crash it to aggravate you." Jax laughed deeply, the warm, happy sound filling the car. "He actually did that once." "You're joking." Jax shook his head. "He wanted to teach me a lesson...and the best way Jerry teaches lesson is through physical violence of some sort." he glanced over at Keesha, a smile across his face. And her heart went "all a flutter" as usual. "What was the lesson?" Keesha cleared her throat to keep her voice from shaking. Jax's smile faded and he looked at the road again. "It's not important...what are your musical tastes?" he opened the case of compact disks. "Go on and pick something to your liking." Keesha stared at Jax for a moment, and then quietly shifted through the items. "I'm sorry." she finally said. "For what?" "Obviously I asked something I shouldn't have." Jax took a deep breath. "No...there's no way..." he glanced over at her. "He wanted to teach me that certain people, no matter what you felt for them, no matter what they promised, could not be trusted." "So he wrecked your car?" Keesha found herself asking before she could think. Jax shrugged. "He wanted to make sure I got the point...besides, he bought me another one." "That's awful..." "He bought me another one..." Jax repeated. "Not just that, but that he wanted to teach you that you couldn't trust people..." "Certain people. It's difficult to explain. Besides, it's a lesson he keeps swearing I never seem to have gotten." "Thank goodness." Keesha said emphatically. "Thank goodness?" "You can't go around not trusting "certain people." I mean, yes you should be careful, but if you build a wall up around yourself and just wait for someone you care about to break a promise, what kind of life is that? You deserve much more than that. You're...wonderful." she admitted. "And you deserve better than to live your life closed off from people." Jax continued to stare at the road ahead of them. "Thank you." he answered slowly. He glanced over at Keesha, but she was already looking out the window. "Why are you smiling like that..." Mrs. Sellers turned around as Chantel went to her door. "How many more people are coming?" "Just two. But they're staying for dinner, I hope you don't mind..." Chantel opened the door, as she continued to face Mrs. Sellers. "Surprise!" Jax, Keesha and Chantel exclaimed. Mrs. Sellers stared, shocked. Jax and Keesha walked into the house. "Don't you have anything to say?" Chantel asked. "Close the door before they catch their death, I can't beleive you, having them standing near the door in this weather...where's my hug..." Jax laughed as Keesha went over to give her a hug. "So...you two came together?" Mrs. Sellers asked Jax non-chalantly as they sat in the living room after dinner. "We kind of...work together." "Really?" "It...it's a long story. I took a job where she works, but she probably won't be staying long. In any event, right now we work together and so I gave her a ride." "That was sweet of you." Chantel smiled. "That's our Jax." Mrs. Sellers agreed. Jax began to blush slightly. "You know, some people would say that's some sort of sign..." Mrs. Sellers looked at Jax again. "Ready?" Keesha came out from down the hall. "Yes." Jax said quickly, standing. "We have work tomorrow." "Sure thing." Chantel nodded, trying to contain her laughter. Mrs. Sellers was on a mission, these kids didn't stand a chance. "Do you need a ride back to your place?" "Oh, no." Mrs. Sellers answered him. "Just because I've lived longer than you doesn't mean I always need more sleep." she joked standing. "Goodbye Keesha..." she hugged her. "Take care...how's work?" Keesha pulled back. "He's my boss, so I can't say." she winked back at Jax and Jax laughed. "As if that would stop you from speaking your mind..." he answered. "Bye." he reached over, hugging Mrs. Sellers. "Take care." she waved, watching as Jax held the door open for Keesha. They left and Mrs. Sellers went to the door. "Okay, I need a ride home." "Why didn't you just take it from Jax?" Chantel groaned. "Because..." "Oh never mind. You know you can't control what they do." "No, but why should I get in the way." Jax looked over at Keesha as she slept. He turned onto the expressway as he smiled, staring at the road again. Nothing had changed. She would fall asleep in an instant, and he would have to fight the urge to just watch her slumber. How could someone be so mesmorizing even while sleeping. He reached over, turning down the radio. Keesha stirred, her eyes opening. "I am so full." Keesha yawned as she sat up in the passanger seat. "I know...what is it with people always trying to stuff me." "You're too thin..." Keesha laughed, repeating what Chantel and Mrs. Sellers had told them both. "I think it's some sort of motherly thing. You know, you can just take me back to the office and I can drive home from there...that should be easier." "No, I can take you home." "You don't have to..." "I can take you home." "There you go again, trying to do all for me." "Well, I have a reputation to live up to when it comes to you. Since you think so highly of me." Keesha laughed. "I knew I never should have told you that. Your head is going to just swell to massive porportions now, isn't it?" "Whatever do you mean?" Jax grinned. "I think you should tell me again how wonderful I am, I seem to have forgotten..." "See...this is why we can't work together." she teased. "Oh, I bet we could work together. We've done it thus far." "And how many times have I wanted to strangle you...you want me to count them off?" "Hey, I've already told you, you are extremely hard to understand yourself. So don't look at me as if every problem is my fault." "I can be rather argumentative I suppose." Keesha stated quietly. "What did I do? What's wrong?" Jax's tone grew concerned. "Nothing...it's not important." "Whatever bothers you is important." "There you go again..." "Keesha? What's wrong?" "I know I can be difficult to get along with, but...it's usually necessary...you have to stick up for yourself or people will walk all over you. I guess I just go too far sometimes, I have to remember not everyone is..." she struggled. "Out to control you?" Jax finished for her. "Yes." "Independance is a wonderful quality. You shouldn't beat yourself up for wanting to be independant, you know. I'd much rather you get angry at me sometimes...okay...all the time..." Keesha laughed. "Better." he looked over at the sound. "But seriously, you aren't that difficult to understand...it may be hard for me to deal with sometimes, but you always make yourself really clear on why you say the things you do. I just wish you wouldn't think the worst of me sometimes. But I have 7 days to work on that." "What if I don't quit. Are you firing me after that?" she smiled. "Maybe...we'll see." he grinned. Jax unhooked his seat belt, about ready to get out of the car. He looked down as Keesha touched his arm. "I can make it from here." Jax looked at her building. "I can walk you to the door." "That's okay. Thank you for the ride." If Jax walked her to the door, she knew she would do something stupid like invite him in, and that was not a good idea. Not while they worked together. And probably not in any event. "I can..." "That's okay..." Keesha called as she got out of the car. Jax watched her get to his side of the car. He looked at her quizically as she knocked on his window. "Yes?" he rolled the window down. Keesha bent down, kissing Jax softly on the cheek. "Thank you." Their eyes locked and they stared at each other. Jax touched her hand and the warmth made the blood rush to her cheeks. "Bye..." she finished quickly and walked away. "Bye." Jax whispered, watching as she went into the building. Jerry would kill him. Jerry would kill him if he knew how much Jax found himself caring for Keesha. How badly he wanted to trust her. How much he already did trust her. Like he had admitted to Keesha back at Mrs. Sellers, he never really knew anyone, yet he felt...he *knew* that he knew Keesha. Yes, there were things about her he wasn't sure of, of course. But instinctively, he *knew* Keesha. And for the first time in his entire life, Jax didn't feel alone. Keesha finished her drink, stepping away from the fireplace. Jax was the first person who ever told her that her "independance" was a "wonderful quality." Everyone had always either tried to change her, or tried to get her to change herself. But Jax, despite the way she would snap at him sometimes, didn't seem to want her to change. He just wanted her not to think the worst of him sometimes. And she knew she did that. Of course she did that, because doing that allowed her to do just what she didn't want him to do, keep a wall around herself. No one had ever gotten past that wall. Including Cameron. But in some ways, Jax had already gotten further than Cameron ever could. Keesha glanced over at the knock. She went over to the door. "Is something wrong?" Keesha stopped speaking as Jax placed his finger upon her lips. He stared into her eyes, tracing the outline of her mouth softly. Without a word, Jax bent down, brushing his mouth across hers. Her eyelids fluttered shut and her mouth parted with a sigh. Jax kissed Keesha cautiously at first, carefully, and slowly, a very small part of him trying to hold back. Keesha stepped closer, closing the remaining space between them. their bodies touched. She slid her tongue into his mouth, meeting his. With a small moan, he surrendered, kissing her passionately. As they kissed, Jax lifted Keesha and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He walked into the apartment, balancing her on one arm as the other reached out, slamming the door shut. He enclosed her in both arms again, moving to the sofa and sitting down, resting her on his lap. Jax kissed Keesha hungrily, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her towards him. She returned his kiss fiercely, trying to satisfy a need for him, yet finding that each kiss only made her desire grow. Jax reclined back, pulling Keesha on top of him as his hands found the zipper to her dress, yanking it down. Shani