Without limits ssion and.., p.43
Without Limits: A BWWM Collection of Passion and Desire, page 43
He turned to look at Serissa and saw the stunned expression on her face. Did she feel it too? He had no time to analyze what had just happened between them but something had. After stepping out of the limo, he turned to help her out of the car. The bus had already arrived and the other women were getting out of it and looking around for a hotel. Once they were all off and their luggage had been unloaded, the limo took off and he knew the fun would start.
Well, he’d been complaining for years he’d been restless and bored. Something told him he would be anything but for the next month.
Kevin and his assistant had everyone including Serissa line up beside the bus and gave further instructions. Already briefed on this part, Jax waved at the women and got on the bus along with two of the cameramen who took up positions to capture everything. Another cameraman stayed outside to get footage of the women. They’d double-checked the mic on him.
Renee entered the bus to remind him the women would get on the bus one at a time and have five minutes to talk to him. During that time, they’d have to convince him about why they should stay and make the next part of the journey with him. He grinned at some of the thoughts screeching at him, mentally and verbally, when Kevin told the women that bit of news. At least one female unhappy about the situation voiced her displeasure loudly. She happened to be the first on his list to go. While she was beautiful to look at, she was simply after attention.
After Renee left but before they got started, Davis Richards hopped on the bus and discretely told him the names of two of the women they wanted to keep this round. He had five he could send back on the bus but he’d been warned the producers in the first few rounds might want to keep one or two of the contestants on there who were sure to generate higher ratings. Apparently they thought those two would.
No surprise one of the women he’d wanted to get rid of made the list. He shrugged understanding they’d want the drama queen. The other he hadn’t planned on letting go just yet. She was the other woman in the lineup who could have been the one he’d followed those months ago. His gut told him it was Serissa, but he had to be sure. While Jax could have changed Davis’s mind, he didn’t want to. He’d done enough manipulating to make sure he was the center of the show and it took place on his home ground by his rules. Mostly. For now, he’d play along for a while and get rid of the drama queen the next go around.
Jax didn’t make a habit of twisting people’s thoughts. He’d already convinced them to scrap their original show, which was supposed to have been set in London, and go along with what he wanted. But in truth, once he told them he was a wealthy Highland Laird, descended from such, willing to appear on the show, and had access to a manor and castle the show could lease, he didn’t need much manipulation. He’d only planted the thought that they’d agree to hear his proposal that day in the studio. Well, they listened and loved it. They didn’t need to know both the manor and castle they’d use toward the end were actually his homes. They thought they’d leased it. They had, from his Ma. The castle was their ancestral home.
After Davis left, the first woman got on the bus.
“Hello,” Jax said standing to greet her. “Avery, right?”
He’d always been good with names and faces, and if he wasn’t sure he could pull the thought from their minds, but Avery was one of those people you instantly liked. His smile when he looked at her was genuine. He led her to the third row of seats and she sat down and he sat next to her.
After talking to her for the five minutes allotted and finding out a little more about her—more from her thoughts than her words—he decided to keep her around for a while longer because she was best friends with Serissa and easy to be around. More importantly though, he would make sure their relationship stayed in the platonic realm. Kevin got on the bus to let them know their time was up.
The next two women were also very lovely and seemed to have nice dispositions. He’d keep them but the fourth was Karen, the one the producers wanted to remain on the show and wanted him to flirt with. She was also the one who he couldn’t get past her surface emotion.
“So tell me something about yourself,” he requested.
Her voice dropped low and husky. “I doubt I can do that in five minutes. But keep me around and I promise to…” she leaned forward so the low cut gown that barely contained her enhanced boobs threatened to spill them from the material, “…reveal all of my secrets to you.”
“Really?” He raised an eyebrow not falling for the bait, and kept his eyes on hers, still smiling. “So are you telling me you’re adventurous?”
“Oh yeah!” Two little words but packed with a lot of meaning. All that he picked up from her was lust, in spades, but it left him cold. He felt no immediate warmth from her like he had with that stray thought, or Serissa for that matter. He couldn’t envision this woman laughing for the sheer joy of it the way the woman whose thoughts he’d shared had. But he had to play along, even though he was pretty sure she was not the one. God, he hoped not.
Thank God it was only five minutes of flirting, but how was he going to make it through a month and some weeks? Karen blew him a kiss before leaving the bus. The cameraman behind him whispered, “Mercy. You got your work cut out for you with that one.”
“You can say that again,” the cameraman on the seat in front and across from him answered in his stead.
The next person on the bus was Serissa, and he had to smile. Yes, she could very well be the reason for everything. After that the rest were a blur. Then finally they were back outside and all the women were lined up in front of the bus again while he stood a little way from them. Kevin stood beside him and they had fifteen large backpacks on the ground beside them.
“Well,” Kevin said, patting him on the back, “now the fun’s really going to start. So do you have any idea of who’s staying and who’s going?”
Instead of answering right away, Jax turned to look over the women again. He found it interesting that while he was dressed in hiking pants and boots, with a short-sleeved t-shirt and the women were all dressed clearly for an evening out, none of them bothered to ask about the discrepancy in attire. Except Serissa. The last thing she said before their time on the bus came to an end was, “What’s with the hiking boots?” Smart girl. He’d just winked at her.
He grinned at Kevin. “As a matter of fact, yeah, I do.”
Chapter Four
“Okay, ladies,” Kevin said as he stood several feet in front of the women and beside Jax. “Now onto the second part of your journey. For five of you, unfortunately, it ends right here, right now. As Jax calls your name, please step forward. If he invites you to continue onto the next phase and you decide to accept, then stand behind one of the backpacks spread out on either side of Jax.”
As expected, Jax thought, there were frowns and confused expressions on all of the faces of the women. Serissa’s friend, Avery, stood next to her and leaned over to whisper in her ear. No human could hear what she’d said, but Jax was no longer human and heard.
“What the hell!” Avery whispered into her friend’s ear. Serissa just shrugged her shoulders.
Kevin continued, “However, if you’re not invited then you will immediately take your bags and get back on the bus. You’ll be returning to the airport on the next flight back to the United States.”
Well, if Kevin’s first round of explanations brought frowns and whispered words from the ladies, this time there was outright cussing. Jax smiled knowing they’d have to bleep out quite a few of those loudly delivered expletives.
The producer on the set yelled cut just before the director did and approached the women while the director approached him. Jax was given last minute instructions to draw things out. Take his time choosing the women. He could take them in any order but mix it up so there was no pattern to the order of who was to stay or go. Then it was time.
“Avery,” he called out first.
There were gasps, but no one knew yet if Avery would be asked to stay or to go. Serissa smiled and hugged her friend, who hugged her back before dragging her suitcase and oversized purse over the grassy rocky ground toward him.
She continued to hold the handle of the suitcase, her purse strapped across her body. Jax lifted one of her hands off the handle and smiled. “Avery, I’d love for you to accompany me on the next part of this trip.”
There were gasps of shock from a couple of the women and a few squeals of delight from others. Avery had a huge grin on her face. “Of course I will,” she said and squeezed his hand.
After Avery stepped behind the backpack closest to his right, he called the next woman. She was also one he would keep around awhile longer. From the time Bridget stepped off the plane, she had a smile on her face like she was just happy to be there. The third one was Tina who, with her four-inch heels, had a hard time walking over the rough terrain. Most of the other women had taken their heels off. Taking a deep breath, he took her hand and gave her the bad news. From her thoughts he knew she had a volatile temper so he wasn’t sure how she’d react, but she had to go.
“Tina, I’m sorry, this isn’t an easy decision for me.”
Actually, in her case it was, and the smile on his face was because of that. She’d only come to further her career and get her hands on the million-dollar payola. Why these women thought he’d just hand over a million dollars to them was a mystery. He found it funny the ones who were there for the money didn’t bother to think in terms of half of it but all. The thought kept the smile on his face.
“But I have to make it.” She removed her hand from his.
Her face remained deceptively neutral but he read the anger behind those hazel eyes, and her shouting at him in her mind.
“Well, you don’t know what you’re missing.” Without another word, she picked up her bags and stumbled over to the bus and got on.
The next person he called was Karen. Unlike Avery who’d just squeezed his hand when he’d asked her to continue, Karen jumped forward, knocking her suitcase over and wrapped her arms around him. She pulled him tight against her while making damn sure she rubbed her ample breasts against his chest.
“Cut!” the director yelled. “Do it again but this time place the suitcase at your side instead of in front so it doesn’t fall over.”
The second time she hugged him even harder and whispered into his ear, “You will not be sorry.” Then she moved off and stood behind one of the bags.
Jax groaned, he should have told Davis no re-dos. He went through the rest of the women faster than the producers liked because they kept stopping and restarting him. Finally, it was down to Serissa and one other. He noted the other woman in heels was quite a few inches taller than Serissa, who’d stuck her shoes in her bag. Jax had them both step forward.
Serissa only came up to his shoulder and he smiled as he took both of her hands in his. As soon as he did, a spark traveled from where they touched to every dormant neuron in his body. His nostrils flared, his eyes widened and his ears strained, every facet of him reacted by reaching out to this female. His response to her could become a habit.
“Serissa, thank you for coming.” Then he looked over at the other woman whose name escaped him. “I’m sorry, but unfortunately I’ve got to let you go.” Then he turned to Serissa. “Will you take the next trip with me?”
“Yes.”
He didn’t wait for her to lean forward to hug him, he pulled her into his arms and gave her a quick hug. But his entire body shuddered at the contact. It took everything in his considerable arsenal to make the hug quick and not the long tight one he wanted. Not to hold her in his arms and place his mouth over hers. Instead, he simply let her go and stepped back.
The women chosen stood beside him and waved at the ones not chosen as the bus drove off. Behind the bus were five Jeeps. “Okay, ladies,” Kevin said. “Listen up. In the backpack, you’ll find a few things that you all are going to need for the next week.”
Pamela bent over and opened up the flap on the backpack at her feet, withdrawing a water bottle, a small first aid kit, energy bars, rain parka, bug repellant, and sunscreen. She continued to pull things out taking inventory when Kevin’s assistant and one of the cameramen came up behind them pulling two large trunks on wheels.
“Ladies,” Kevin said and held up his hands to quiet the questions. “We weren’t kidding when we told you to pack light and for long walks because you’re going to be doing a lot of that.” He nodded and the trunks opened to reveal hiking boots, caps, visors, and what looked like rugged military style shorts. “We have boots for all of you in your sizes. I’d advise you to put those on as well as more suitable clothing. You can take turns dressing in the camper.”
They all looked up as two campers pulled up where the bus had been. “The campers will house myself, the producers, and the rest of the production team during parts of this trek.” There were already two other Range Rover SUVs present the cameramen had driven out on. Jax knew from there they’d keep pace with him and the contestants in the Jeeps.
“And you’ll need to unpack,” Kevin continued. “Only take what can fit in the backpack.”
“What?” Karen shrieked. “You have got to be fucking kidding me.”
“Nope, ‘fraid not. You’ll be spending the several weeks, if you’re still here, exploring the Highlands. This is a walking tour so pack accordingly.”
“Well, what about the rest of our stuff?” Bridget asked, holding up a pair of tiger stripes pointed tipped shoes with skinny heels that would last all of a nanosecond some of the places they’d be walking and hiking through.
“I think you’d best leave those behind,” Jax said and grinned. “I wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.”
Avery snickered and Serissa grinned at him. He’d noticed both women had already begun going through their things.
“Whatever you don’t take will remain in your suitcases, which will remain in one of the campers. At the next hosting in a week, if you’re not chosen, it will be returned to you. You’ll get to keep the backpack and you’ll be driven straight back to the airport. Now as soon as you all are ready, go ahead and choose a Jeep.”
“Hey, Jax…Jax.”
Karen had to call him twice before he replied. He’d been busy checking out Serissa’s perfectly heart shaped ass as she bent over her stuff, the material of her dress stretching across her rear and outlining it nicely. He could just imagine himself cupping those rounded cheeks as he pushed into her from behind. Reluctantly, he shifted to look at Karen. “Yes, darlin’ what is it?” He didn’t need to be able to read her mind to know she was pissed. Like he gave a damn.
“Which Jeep will you be in?”
“Whichever one still has room for me.” Jax winked at her and grinned, but he mentally added, and whichever one you’re not. He’d decided next round he’d send her packing. No way was she the one he’d followed that day.
They had a two hour drive over rough terrain before they made the first camp stop for the evening and he did not want to be anywhere around Karen. He’d kept her on like the producers wanted because at the time, he hadn’t been sure. Now he was but he’d spend as little time with her as he possibly could. He didn’t need to be a mind reader or even touch her surface thoughts to know resistance on his part to stay away from her would be futile because she wanted him, and clearly men didn’t say no to her. Still, he was a 500-year-old vampire and other than his Ma, there wasn’t a female who could wrap him around her finger.
His gaze suddenly shifted to Serissa. She must have felt him staring at her because she glanced up and looked right at him. Something about her called to him. Yeah, she had natural barriers and that alone set her apart from the others and intrigued the hell outta him, but there was something else about her he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He’d learn though, oh yes, he’d discover all of her secrets. He just hoped she would understand his.
Chapter Five
Serissa was glad when everyone finished repacking after a lot of grumbling and cussing. Kevin finally told the women to get into the Jeeps, but none of them moved. They all waited to see which one Jax would head for.
“Come on,” she said rolling her eyes while she grabbed Avery’s hand. She headed over to the second Jeep in line, took her backpack off, and put it in the small rear. Avery did the same. Serissa hopped into the driver’s seat, Avery took the passenger seat, and they grinned at the other women.
Bridget shrugged, walked over to their Jeep, and hopped in the back. Serissa liked Bridget. She had a beautiful sunny aura to match her disposition. She was a romantic at heart and had read one too many of those romance novels she had on her Kindle. Some of the other women moved off and grabbed the other Jeeps. Karen, of course, didn’t budge, and she wouldn’t until Jax moved.
And Serissa hoped one of the cameras captured the look on Karen’s face when Jax picked up the pack at his feet and headed straight for Serissa’s Jeep. He lowered his shades and winked at her as he passed by the driver’s side.
He had his dark shades back on again, but on the bus he’d finally had them off. She’d had a chance to see his eyes, the color of a sapphire she’d seen once in a magazine. The color had been photo-enhanced of course, to make it deeper, richer, but Jax’s were real. Serissa watched him as he got into the last available seat in her car right behind Avery.
As he glanced around at the women staring at him, his mouth curled up into a satisfied grin. “I always did love a woman who wasn’t afraid to take charge.”
After that the remaining women scrambled to the other vehicles.
“The Nav system in the SUVs are programmed with your next location. We’ll see you there in about two hours.” Kevin waved and walked over to the nearest camper. Meanwhile, the cameramen surrounded them in their SUVs, making sure to get shots of them all in the open Jeeps. They had also been fitted with mics at their backs so not a word would go unheard.
