Brenda thought her face would break if she had to smile much longer. The birthday bash was in full swing.

Harlan Barrett had been appropriately humble and thankful for all these wonderful people coming out to honor him on his birthday. Brenda secretly knew that most of them just came for the free food and booze. Harlan Barrett was not one of the most beloved of the Port Charles city fathers.

As she stood in the receiving line, Brenda secretly slipped off one of the designer heels that were killing her feet. It wasn’t like anybody would know. Harlan had picked her dress, and it was boring, sophisticated, and covered every square inch of her body, as usual. It was a blue brocade suit, with a ballroom length skirt and short Chanel jacket. The blouse was a halter top of stunning gold lame, but Brenda knew Harlan would keel over if she took the jacket off during the party.

There had been some anxious moments in the receiving line when Brenda saw the Jacks party enter the room. Jax was dressed in a midnight blue double-breasted suit, with a light blue silk tie. It brought out the blue in his amazing eyes. John and Jane looked marvelous, even though Brenda hadn’t seen them for over a year. There was another elderly lady with them, a sprightly little woman with white hair, and the same sparkling blue eyes as Jax.

"Harlan, you old dog! And you really are an OLD dog now! Happy Birthday!" John said jovially. Brenda smiled at John’s diplomacy. She knew he disagreed strongly with some of her father’s business tactics, but he would put on a good face for the evening. "You remember my wife, Jane, and my mother, Josephine Jacks."

The white-haired tornado punched him in the arm. "Of course he doesn’t remember me, you goose! I just moved here from Washington. Josephine Jacks, Mr. Barrett. Happy Birthday. Pleased to meet you."

John looked appropriated chastised, and both Jane and Jax stifled giggles. Brenda extended her hand to the elderly Mrs. Jacks. "Hi, I’m Harlan’s younger daughter, Brenda. It’s so nice to meet you, Mrs. Jacks."

"Hell’s bells, honey, call me Josie, that’s what all my friends do." She began to stare at Brenda with narrowed eyes, and Jax immediately inhaled sharply, hoping his grandmother wouldn’t make any comment to hurt her feelings. Sometimes Grandma Josie’s honesty had to be taken in small doses.

Brenda pushed on, realizing that Josie was sizing her up. "And this is my older sister, Julia, and her husband, Bill Eckert. They’re here visiting from San Francisco in honor of my father’s birthday." She saw the pain in Jax’s eyes as he saw Julia and the man that came between them.

"Julia, you look marvelous," he said quietly.

"Jax," Julia breathed, looking shaken for a moment, and then regained her composure. "I want you to meet my husband, Bill Eckert." She pulled him forward, since he had been hanging back in the receiving line. Bill could immediately read people just by watching them. Pressing the flesh was not his idea of fun.

The two men shook hands respectfully. "Nice to meet you. I understand you and Julia were best friends growing up." There was still an unspoken rivalry between them, although Julia put her hand possessively through Bill’s arm as he spoke.

The receiving line was starting to back up now, and Brenda got an elbow from Harlan to move things along. She grimaced at her job as "terminator," and said, "Well, make sure you get some food and something to drink. So happy you all could join us tonight."

As the Jacks party moved away, Brenda had to giggle as she overhead Grandma Josie talking to Jane Jacks. "Is that her? That sallow, insipid thing? That’s the one Jasper’s got a broken heart over? Good lord, Jane, we have enough blondes in the family already! Can’t he pick the spunky brunette?"

"Mother, she’ll hear you!" Jane said. At that moment, Josie spied Lila Quartermaine across the room.

"Look, Jane, it’s Lila! I haven’t seen her since my dear departed Jasper and I came to visit when the boys were little!" Jane heaved a sigh and followed her mother-in-law towards the Quartermaine table. Meanwhile, Jax moved toward the bar and John saw a business acquaintance he needed to schmooze.

Brenda sighed in relief, and the receiving line torture was soon over. As she made her way to the head table, she heard her father’s voice again.

"Brenda, over here. Look who’s dying to have the first dance." Harlan Barrett was standing with his arm around a short, dark man. Brenda looked at him and shivered. What was his name? Scummy?

"Brenda, you remember Sonny Corinthos, don’t you?" Ah, yes. Sonny. Her father’s newest business protégé, and his own personal choice for a boyfriend for her. He had on a dark grey sharkskin suit, and his hair was slicked back and looked like it wouldn’t move if she touched it.

"Miss Barrett, lovely party. Would you care to dance?" he said in a low, oily voice.

Her father was looking daggers at her, so Brenda knew it was expected. Thankfully, the song was a fast one, so Brenda wouldn’t have to endure being held in his arms. She took his hand and made her way to the dance floor as slowly as possible. Maybe the birthday cake would explode – any crisis would do, just to give her an excuse to get out of dancing with him.

Meanwhile at the bar, Jax had joined a small group of Port Charles’ eligible bachelors discussing the merits of the women assembled. Currently, the topic for discussion was Brenda’s new figure.

"She really looks great now," Jason Quartermaine said to the others. "I think she worked out with some personal trainer to get those new abs."

"It’s a shame none of us will get to appreciate them up close," A.J. said sadly.

"Why? Are she and the short, dark guy a couple or something?" Jax asked innocently.

"Nah," A.J. replied. "She’s not a couple with any man. That’s the snow queen of Port Charles out there dancing. She could hop up on the table with one of the other ice sculptures. You’d think she’d be some sexy babe, but she’s not interested in any romantic involvement with anybody. Take it from me. I took her out once. One little kiss goodnight at the door and she vanishes into thin air."

"Yeah," Jason continued, "and I heard her dad keeps her hopping down at Barrett Industries to keep her too busy to have any kind of social life. He even picks her clothes. Guess you can tell, huh? Boring – from the high neck down to the floor length skirt."

"You know, Junior," Ned said to A.J. as he came up to the bar, "you’re discussing my wife’s best friend and business partner. I really don’t feel comfortable with this."

"Brenda and your wife are partners?" Jax suddenly interrupted.

"Yeah," Ned nodded, "they have a small record company and Brenda is the business brains behind it. My Lois does the talent end. You should come down to the gatehouse sometime and see their operation."

Jax was just taking in all the information. Brenda seemed warm and sexy to him – not some unapproachable goddess. He watched as she appeared to be dying a slow death on the dance floor with her partner.

Thankfully, the music was ending, and Brenda was anxious to get away from Sonny. "Thanks so much for the dance, but I really must …"

Just as Brenda was backing away from Sonny, she was spun around and into the arms of a tall, blonde, blue-eyed god. "Jax!" He twirled her under his arm and into a dance position as a slow song started. He noticed Sonny’s sour face as he led Brenda away from him.

"I saw you and I thought you could use some rescuing," he smiled down at her.

"Thank you SO much," she replied. "I think my feet are black and blue from dancing with Mr. Greaseball over there. Thank goodness it was a fast dance. It’s so nice to dance with somebody who knows how." Jax pulled her closer and Brenda noticed a funny tingling feeling in her body as she could feel his breath on her hair. She looked up at him carefully, since she could also smell that he had frequented the bar.

"What’s the matter?" he asked. He then realized what she was suspecting. "Don’t worry. I did visit the bar, but just for one social drink. I’m not drunk. If I were, I couldn’t do this!" and he spun her around in a dizzying turn.

"I know," she replied. "I just was worried about how people would … get along … you know, different personalities…"

"I think what you’re trying to diplomatically say is that you were worried I would start a brawl over Julia with her new husband." Brenda was again dismayed when Jax’s hand crept up under her jacket and started rubbing her bare back. Everywhere his hand touched, it felt like the skin was on fire. "You know I would never do anything to hurt Julia. And that Bill guy seems like a nice fellow. So, my hopes that he would be a cad and dump her after a few months are dashed."

They continued to dance, and Brenda was beginning to feel strangely flushed. She could feel Jax’s heart beating, they were dancing so close. "So you see, I don’t intend to ruin Harlan’s party. I just intend to have one respectable dance with Julia and that’s it."

So that was his game. He was flirting with her to try to make Julia jealous. Brenda was about to light into him when a waiter interrupted them to ask her about arrangements for the cake. When she returned, she saw Jax out on the dance floor with Julia. She scanned the room, and saw Bill sitting on the side, fuming. Damage control time again.

She went over to Bill and coyly asked, "Would my brother-in-law like to take me out for a spin?" Bill scowled at her. "Not a dancer, huh?" She sat down next to him. "You know, they grew up together and were so close as kids. It’s just for old times’sake – nothing else."

Bill looked at her with a fiery glare. "Brenda, I trust my wife. It’s *him* I don’t trust." Brenda looked up to see that the music had ended and the band was now playing another slow song. Jax had pulled Julia into his arms, and they were dancing again, quite close. Bill was seething.

Super-Brenda to the rescue again, she thought. She dashed out on the dance floor and tapped Julia on the shoulder. "Julia, my turn," she said brightly.

Julia seemed starry-eyed, and Brenda could’ve decked her on the spot.

"Julia Barrett Eckert, if you don’t want your husband to come over here and start World War III with Jax, you’d better go dance with him or soothe his feathers or something NOW!" That snapped Julia back to reality, and she made her excuses to Jax and went over to Bill. Brenda overheard her say she wanted Bill to come and meet her father’s old friend from college. As she sighed with relief, Jax looked down at her and smirked.

"Guess I’m not the only one in the rescue business tonight," he drawled.

"You call that one respectable dance? You, Jasper, don’t know the meaning of the word respectable."

He was holding her close again, and she felt the laughter rumble in his chest. Why was his closeness affecting her so and making her feel like she was having a hot flash?

"OK, I see we’re pulling out the big guns now, if you’re calling me by my dreaded first name. The only one allowed to do that is Grandma Josie, and only because it was my grandfather’s name. Now, why don’t we just enjoy each other’s wonderful dancing capabilities and have a good time?"

So they did, although Brenda was still disturbed by the effect he was having on her senses. They managed to discuss business, too, and she invited him to visit her office the next day to see the new computer system she had designed and installed to keep track of insurance payments.

She was also still a little worried that he had visited the bar without having enough dinner. As the evening wound down, she saw John and Jane Jacks leave with Grandma Josie in tow.

"Aren’t you all leaving together?" she asked with surprise.

"You must pay attention, Miss Barrett," Jax said, tweaking her on the nose. "I told you I had rented a penthouse here in the hotel until I decided where I wanted to live. I just don’t think I could stand being around Mum, Dad, and Grandma again full time."

Since many of the guests were leaving now, Brenda had to say goodbye as her father’s official hostess. Soon, Jax too was coming to say goodnight.

"If you’re so concerned about my inebriated state, why don’t you walk me up to my suite?" he asked innocently.

Brenda looked around. The ballroom was mostly empty, except for her father and the dreaded Mr. Corinthos. "Glad to," she replied honestly.

They discussed time and place for their meeting in her office the next day on their way up in the elevator. She watched him pull out the key to the penthouse and insert it in the lock with no problem, so she judged he was as sober as he protested to be. He turned back to her and ran his hands up her arms and pulled her close to him. She realized in amazement that he meant to kiss her.

Check that. He didn’t kiss her. He made love to her mouth. The moment his mouth closed over her lips, she knew she was in big trouble. He tasted of aged Scotch, and sweet birthday-cake frosting, and Jax. He pulled her even closer to him when she moaned a little, and she felt his hands go under her jacket to caress her back. One hand slid all the way up her back to tangle in the hair at the nape of her neck. The kiss got even deeper, and his tongue teased at her lips.

He pulled back for just an instant, and she opened her eyes to see his, boring into her soul. "Open for me, Brenda," he said softly, and before she could catch her breath, he was kissing her again. When his tongue swept into her mouth and tangled with hers, she felt a warmth beginning to build deep inside of her, and she felt her grip on reality beginning to fade. She knew then that it was time to end this madness.

"Jax, stop!" she panted, pulling away.

"You are so damn gorgeous," he murmured, nuzzling her neck.

Exercising what little will power she had left, she pulled back again and said to him, "You’re drunk, and you’ve got the wrong sister, remember?"

He pulled back and stared into her dark brown eyes with his sparkling blue/green ones. "Not drunk. And I know exactly what I’m doing."

With that, he placed a perfectly chaste kiss on the tip of her nose, and went inside the penthouse and closed the door. Brenda stood there for a long time, then took a deep breath and went back down on the elevator.

To be continued….