As Jax and Brenda exited the Port Charles Hotel, Brenda took a look back over her shoulder.

"What’s the matter?" Jax asked as he helped her into his Jaguar convertible. "Afraid Mr. Corinthos is hot on your heels to try his powers of romantic persuasion again?"

Brenda relaxed in the plush seat. "More like I was expecting to feel a dagger between my shoulder blades."

"From daddy dear?"

"No, from your date for the evening, Ms. Brent. The way she was looking at us when we left, I should be about 6 feet under by now."

Jax shook his head as he pulled out onto the freeway and rested his left elbow on the open window of the car. "I don’t know why she would be jealous. I mean, she invited me tonight, but we don’t have any kind of understanding or anything exclusive."

Brenda chuckled. "That’s not what I heard." At Jax’s quizzical look, she continued, "According to my "charming" dinner companion, you and she are just about ready to march down the aisle."

Jax gulped. "Now I know he’s nuts!! Ashley and I are no such thing! Why we haven’t even…I mean I never even….we…" he fumbled for words.

Brenda gave a stage gasp. "You mean, there is a woman in this fair city you haven’t slept with, Mr. Jacks? That must make her quite unique!"

Jax looked back at her devilishly. "Well, darling, now you know that there are at least 2 of you!"

Brenda realized that she had been out-maneuvered, so she eased back into the reclining seat and enjoyed the night air. After they had driven for about 10 minutes, Jax pulled into a parking lot and Brenda sat up straight.

"Jax, are you sure this is where you wanted to come? Fun Town?"

He nodded enthusiastically. Brenda looked around with her mouth wide open. Fun Town was an amusement park/family fun center with go-karts, arcade machines, and a huge miniature golf course. She looked back at Jax again, and he winked.

"Hey, golf is practically a requirement for us executive types. It just so happens that I personally prefer the miniature kind. Do you play, Ms. Barrett?" he asked with a wicked smile, as he helped her out of the low-slung car.

She came close to him, and he got that breathless feeling again. "Mr. Jacks, I can beat you at mini-golf any day of the week! I’ll have you know that I am an expert at those windmill thingies!"

As they were both laughing and making bets on who would win, a deep voice came over Jax’s left shoulder. "Don’t tell me they let Australians come to these places now!"

Jax spun around quickly with delight. "Jerry!" he said, and embraced a tall, dark, attractive man. Brenda peeked around Jax’s form to see Jax’s older brother trading insults with him. She poked Jax in the ribs to remind him that the two men were not alone on the parking lot. Indeed, there was a petite redhead behind Jerry Jacks looking on with interest.

Jax realized his oversight, and put his arm around Brenda and pulled her next to him. "Jerry, do you remember that little girl that would follow us around when we were kids?"

"The little one we always got sent to the woodshed for teasing?" Jerry did a double-take. "Jax, did you get looped at that charity shindig? This can’t be …"

"Brenda Barrett. Nice to see you again, Jerry," she smiled.

Jerry kissed her hand in abject humility. "You, my dear, have grown up to be a goddess." At that, Jerry got an elbow in his ribs from the redhead. "Oops, I did it again. After I take my foot out of my mouth, allow me to present Ms. Bobbie Jones, my fiancée."

Jax came forward and gave Bobbie a big hug. "Good to finally meet you in person after all this time, Bobbie. I heard the old boy was goners about someone and had agreed to the old ball and chain routine, but I had no idea she’d be this gorgeous."

After introductions were made all around, Jerry and Bobbie were delighted to hear that Jax and Brenda had come to try their luck at a round of mini-golf. Jerry promptly challenged Jax, and the game was on.

As they entered the course, Brenda and Jax got quite a few stares from other patrons. "Jax, are you sure you don’t think we’re a tad – overdressed – for this?"

Jax undid his bow tie and let the ends hang rakishly on his ruffled formal shirt. He took Brenda’s shawl from her shoulders, brushing his fingers across her bare skin in the process and giving her that disturbing tingle again. He wrapped it crosswise around the front of her and tied it in a big bow in the back, effectively disguising the daring neckline of the dress and giving Brenda the freedom to swing without worrying that something would come flying out of her dress – namely, her!!

They had a spirited round of golf, with the men spotting the women quite a few strokes. It turned out Brenda hadn’t played the game in a long time, and wasn’t quite as proficient as she thought at those windmills. As she took her turn, Jax would count the strokes aloud – sometimes as high as 12 -- and then shout with glee to Bobbie (who was keeping score), "That’s a 3!" Brenda could hardly keep playing because she was laughing so hard.

The men played mini-golf the way they did everything in life – all or nothing. They began to make side wagers on individual holes, but these were wagers like Brenda never had heard in her life. A Swiss chalet, a yacht, a diamond necklace. As she thought they had to be kidding, Brenda suddenly began to envy Julia for the first time in a long time. Julia had this kind of companionship with them during their childhood, and she had taken it for granted.

At Brenda’s wistful look, Jax leaned over to her and said, "A million dollars for your thoughts."

Brenda smiled up at him. "The problem is, you’re serious about it!"

She waved off his concern and attempted to line up her next shot. Suddenly she felt strong arms enfold her. "Try to keep your arms straight as you follow through," Jax whispered in her ear. {Right, try to keep my insides from turning to liquid when you hold me in your arms, you mean.}

They managed to complete all 18 holes, and Bobbie diplomatically announced that the score was tied. "Now you know why I’m marrying her, Jax," Jerry announced. "She’s not only beautiful, she’s brilliant!"

Jax fumed at the results, but Brenda convinced him that they just needed to schedule a re-match. Brenda was secretly pleased when he agreed, because it would mean that she would get to spend more time with him. As they walked to their cars, Jax turned to Jerry.

"So why weren’t you guys at the Nurses’ Ball tonight, Jerry? I know you hate getting gussied up in a monkey suit, but since Bobbie here is a nurse, I thought …well…"

Jerry nodded. "Lord knows I’d do just about anything for this woman, Jax, including putting on a tux. But she ended up pulling duty for tonight when somebody called in sick and there was nobody to watch Lucas."

"Lucas?" Brenda asked. "Who’s Lucas?"

"Lucas is my new buddy," Jerry smiled. "He’s Bobbie’s son, and he’s an absolute gem. We spent some "guy time" together until the babysitter was finally free to come watch him."

Bobbie snickered to herself. "Yeah, you two are spending so much guy time together that the other day he told me he would clean his room "when he was bloody well ready!""

Jerry looked sheepish. "Oops, guess I have to watch my tongue around him, not to mention my attitude about cleaning."

Now it was Jax’s turn to laugh. "Now I’ve GOT to tell Mum that one. You always did pull extra trash duty for that dirty room of yours when we were kids."

When they reached their cars, the foursome decided that the hungries had set in, and Jax followed Jerry to an all-night restaurant, similar to a Denny’s or Shoney’s. The waitress looked askance at the four of them, two dressed formally, two dressed in jeans, but they were having too good of a time to notice. After carefully checking out the menu, Jerry and Bobbie decided to split a burger and fries, Jax got an omelette, and Brenda couldn’t resist the deluxe hot fudge sundae.

After the waitress brought their food, Brenda took a taste of her sundae and offered some to Jax. She got that warm, tingly feeling again when she fed him some gooey, sweet ice cream and watched him lick every last drop off the spoon. But after a few more spoons herself, she was shivering, and it wasn’t from the nearness of him.

Jax noticed her discomfort. She smiled at him weakly. "Guess I wasn’t so smart after all, wearing this daring dress and ordering ice cream."

Jax put his arm around her and felt the goosebumps. "Let me run out to the car and get my tux jacket. It might help keep you warmer than that thin thing you call a wrap."

Brenda watched him go to the car. "He’s the best, isn’t he?" Jerry inquired softly. Brenda just nodded, and got uncomfortable with where this conversation might be going, so she shifted gears.

"I met your grandmother at my dad’s party the other night. She’s quite a rare treasure herself. She even helped me find this dress yesterday at Windom’s."

Jerry laughed out loud. "Grandma Josie? She’s a hoot! The only woman I know who says exactly what’s on her mind, and doesn’t give a rat’s rear what other people may think."

Bobbie chimed in. "She’s taken a real shine to Lucas, you know." At Brenda’s surprised expression, Bobbie elaborated. "She goes grocery shopping with Lady Jane now to make sure she buys the right kind of sugar-free cookies for when Lucas visits. Lucas is diabetic, you know." Brenda nodded with understanding as Jax returned with his jacket and draped it around her shoulders. Bobbie started to laugh. "And the other night, she and Lucas teamed up against Jerry and John in a game of Monopoly."

Jax looked panic-stricken. "Oh, no! Not Grandma! Not Monopoly! She once almost won my Jag from me playing Monopoly!"

"Yep. Needless to say, Lucas came home with a broad smile and a promise from Grandpa John to take him to the next three movies of his choice. Josie drives a hard bargain."

They passed the rest of the time eating sharing favorite stories about Grandma Josie’s exploits. When it was time to leave, the brothers promised to set up the mini golf re-match for the near future.

Jax and Brenda drove in comfortable quiet back to her cottage, Brenda giving Jax directions as they went. The sound of the radio was almost lulling her to sleep, but Jax’s hand sneaking over to pat hers every once in a while kept sending shock waves through her that kept her awake. She began to wonder whether he would keep his promise about not making any serious moves on her at the door.

They finally arrived and he walked her to the door. The cottage was in a secluded woodsy area, and there was little lighting, so Brenda was fumbling in her purse for her keys. Suddenly, Jax took the purse from her, found the keys, inserted them in the lock and opened the door, and then handed purse and keys back to her.

"Jax," she said wistfully, "you really are a throwback to another era sometimes, you know that?"

He shrugged his shoulders in embarrassment. "What can I do? Lady Jane raised me to be Cary Grant." He smiled that dimpled smile at Brenda, and she felt her heart sink even deeper into that warm place of safety and security she had always yearned for.

His eyes turned a deep shade of blue again, and he pulled her to him and kissed her. The kiss was soft but thorough, although not hot and driving like the other night. He tapped his fingers on the tip of her nose. "I had fun tonight. I’ll call you."

She watched him disappear into the dark, and heard the roar of the engine as his car backed away from the cottage. She floated inside and slept the sleep of the angels, dreaming of a man with beautiful eyes, strong arms, and a loving touch.

*~*~*~*

Two days later, Brenda and Lois were again trying to get through L&B business, but Brenda was distracted. She had been making excuses to stay around the cottage, hoping that Jax would call as he promised. She slept like a baby after getting home from the Nurses’ Ball, but the next night had been fitful with anxiety about the absence of a call, and by last night, she was downright crawling up the walls with frustration.

"Hello --- Earth to Brenda …." Lois said diplomatically.

Brenda shook off the trance she had been in, and tried to concentrate on the papers before her.

"Brenda," Lois said, taking the papers from her, "you are no more fit to look at these today than the man in the moon. What’s the matter? Did your father try to get you set up on another date with that slimy Sonny from the Ball?"

Brenda relaxed back on the couch in the gatehouse and sipped her diet cola. "No, thank God. I don’t think I could stand another minute with the man right now." She had told Lois all about her nearly disastrous encounter with Sonny on the terrace and her rescue by her blue-eyed hero.

"Mmmm…" Lois thought, tapping a long fingernail against her temple. "Then it must be about Captain Blue Eyes. Hasn’t called yet, huh?"

Brenda got defensive. "Lois, I am not some giggling, hormonal teenager who is heartbroken because her guy didn’t call." {Yeah, sure.} "It just so happens that the pipes in the cottage were making a lot of noise last night, and I didn’t get much sleep. I really need to call the plumber and get him to come out and fix things."

Lois chuckled to herself. "OK, Bren, if you’d rather call him the plumber it’s OK with me, but I personally think Captain Blue Eyes is a better name for him!"

Brenda punched Lois in the arm, amazed that her friend could see through her easily. And, to herself, she said a prayer that he really would call tonight.

*~*~*~*

Brenda was watching the video "While You Were Sleeping," and almost nodding off to dreamland herself, when the phone rang.

"Brenda," a low voice commanded. "I didn’t wake you, did I? Surely you can’t expect me to believe you lead a sizzling social life if you’re asleep by 9PM."

Brenda sat up straight on the couch and was immediately awake and alert. "Jax, how nice of you to call."

She heard him smile through the telephone. "Well, love, I told you I would. Just got tied up with some important negotiations at the office and I didn’t have a spare moment before now."

{Don’t sound eager. Don’t sound eager.} They continued to make small talk about the weather and her cottage.

"So, what would you think about going on a day trip with me? Mom and Dad have a place in the Hamptons, and I thought we could drive out there tomorrow and do some swimming and sunning."

Brenda had to control herself when she wanted to jump up and down on the couch. "Sounds great to me. What time would we be leaving?"

"Well," Jax replied slowly, "it takes a couple of hours to get there, so how about if I pick you up around 11? That should put us there in the early afternoon and should give us plenty of time in the sun."

Brenda was pleased. Plenty of time to get to know him better, too. "Sounds great. How about if I bring a picnic basket we can raid for supper? That way we won’t have to worry about stopping somewhere to eat on the way home."

"I love it when we think along the same lines." Then Jax’s voice became very low and intimate. "Oh, and one more thing. Why don’t you wear something sensuous and inspiring. I think I’ve decided I want to seduce you tomorrow."

Brenda had to remind herself to breathe. She tried to think of just the right comeback, and thankfully something occurred to her. "Well then, I think YOU’D better be the one to be sensuous and inspiring, don’t you?" she purred.

Another silent smile came through the phone lines. "You never cease to amaze me, Miss Barrett. I’ll be counting on that for tomorrow."

The line went dead and Brenda held the phone to her chest. {OK, Miss Barrett. Here’s your mission, should you choose to accept it. You have 13 hours to try to figure out how to be amazing.}

To be continued……