He certainly had some strange power over her that made her feel weak whenever he touched her. No man had ever affected her like this before, just with a simple touch. But did he feel the same about her? Maybe he was just teasing her again, trying to see how shocked the "frigid" Brenda Barrett would be by the suggestiveness of his words. She didn’t want to make a fool of herself over him.

Brenda got up early the next morning to take extra time getting ready for her "date." She styled her hair in a loose ponytail on top of her head, and let a few tendrils of hair escape at her temples. She gave herself a full manicure and pedicure. She used her favorite body cream after a long shower, and applied minimal make-up since she knew it would be history once they hit the water.

Her real dilemma came in choosing a swimsuit. The blue bikini looked like an open invitation to a seduction. Out. She looked at the lime one-piece suit, and wondered again why she had even bothered to buy it. There was another hot pink floral, but that just didn’t seem right either. Then she found it – a dark red suit that enhanced the brown of her eyes. It was a one-piece suit, but had interesting cut-outs on the side that showed a lot of skin. She found a beach dress of black and beige terrycloth that matched perfectly. It was a full length cover-up, but had long slits up the sides that showed a lot of leg when she walked. She also packed a gauzy summer dress for after swimming. She had just inspected herself in the mirror for the last time when she heard the doorbell.

Jax was leaning on the doorframe, smiling when she opened the door. "You found it again!" she greeted him. "I was afraid you may have forgotten how to get here. It’s kind of remote and it was pretty late the other night when you brought me home."

He hadn’t noticed any of her ramblings. He was taking in her appearance, slowly looking her over from top to bottom. "Took it as a threat, huh?" he chuckled.

She looked at him in confusion, and then realized how covered-up and protected from his advances she must look. {If you only knew what’s under the cover-up, it’ll wipe that smart smirk off your face in a New York minute, buster.} He looked very comfortable, in blue swim trunks with a white racing stripe down the side, and a white terry-cloth shirt that he had left open at the collar.

After they grabbed her small beach bag with the extra clothing and the picnic basket, they were out the door and soon on the road. Brenda couldn’t help but be aware of his muscled thighs and powerful hands as they gripped the steering wheel of the Jag. She tried to think of something safe to discuss.

"So, have you spoken to your Grandma since the Nurses’ Ball? I was wondering if any of the handsome gentlemen of Port Charles had made inappropriate moves on her, too."

Jax laughed out loud at the thought of his grandmother fending off a masher. "I guarantee you, Brenda, if they did, she wouldn’t need someone like me to rescue her. Grandma took a self-defense class and got so intrigued that she takes karate now."

"Karate? Grandma Josie?" Brenda choked.

Jax was smiling broadly as he went on. "She keeps up with the class and has even broken a board with her foot, I think. Sometimes I think she got so full of spirit trying to keep up with my grandfather all the time." His eyes took on a wistful look as he drove. "You know, I’m named after my grandfather, her husband. I understand he was quite a figure in his day. Tall, blonde – I’m told I look a lot like him."

"Do you remember him at all?" Brenda asked quietly.

"A little," Jax said. "I remember one time Dad took us all to their house in Washington for a visit when Jerry and I were both pretty young. It was a big old house, and Grandpa took us up to the third floor. Jerry and I didn’t know what to expect, so imagine our surprise when Grandpa opened these big double-doors that led to a ballroom. It seems that the family that owned the house used to throw big parties on the third floor, complete with ballroom dancing. You know, ladies in big hoop skirts, masks, the whole thing?"

Brenda nodded silently as he went on.

"Well, Jerry and I were afraid Grandpa was going to teach us how to dance, but instead he pulled out these roller skates and the three of us had a great time! It was like a private roller rink in your own home! Grandma really got him for that one, though, because the skates made horrible black marks on the floors."

Brenda sat in thought, wishing she had great childhood memories like those. Jax read her mind, and covered her hand with his. "Sorry, sweetie, I know you didn’t have an easy childhood, what with your mom leaving, and Harlan for a dad. Then, add to that these mean neighbor boys who were always teasing you…" he said, trying to lighten her mood.

Brenda saw his plan. "Actually," she smiled slowly, "I have just a few childhood memories that I treasure, but they are thanks to your dear mother." At Jax’s surprised expression, she went on. "What you guys didn’t know was that every time you would tease me, I would go back home and sit on our front steps and cry my eyes out. Lady Jane would always hear me and come over and sit with me and hug me until I stopped."

Jax choked back his emotions. Thank God for Lady Jane’s sensitivity.

"Then, she would do the most amazing thing. She would tell me to get my dolls and bring my favorite two over to your house. When I knocked at your back door, she would take me inside and into this old room on the second floor where there would be the most amazing tea party set up! She even had these child-size china dishes complete with tea pot and spoons."

Jax realized what Brenda was referring to. "Oh, her dishes! Those were hers as a child. She’s been saving them for years, but when she didn’t have a daughter, she packed them away again." Jax’s eyes got misty as he turned briefly to Brenda. "I think you were about as close to a daughter as she got. Thank you."

Brenda squeezed his hand in return. Then she winced. "Needless to say, she always had a ready customer for the tea party, since I devoured every last cookie in sight. I guess it’s a good thing you guys don’t tease me anymore, or I wouldn’t be able to keep up my new figure."

Jax turned back to concentrate on his driving. Her figure was too intriguing to think about right now. Leave that one for later.

#####

The Jacks’ home in the Hamptons was simple compared to some of the other estates, but still private and plush. Jax and Brenda arrived in the early afternoon and immediately headed for the water.

When they were out on the speedboat and Brenda stripped off her cover-up, Jax’s eyes widened. "That’s a considerable improvement over before," he said appreciatively.

Brenda at first didn’t understand, but then she looked down at herself and she turned a little pink. Jax helped her apply the sunblock, exerting tremendous self-control not to explore every inch of her body there and then. They had a lazy afternoon swimming and sunning, and headed back to the compound as it got close to 5PM.

Brenda showered first while Jax took care of securing the boat. She applied a little light make-up, but left her damp hair loose over her shoulders. The dress was a pale beige gauzy thing with a drawstring neckline and flounce at her ankles. As she heard Jax come into the house, she went into the great room and began getting the picnic basket to set up their food while he showered. As she did, she noticed some pencil sketches on a table near the wall of windows that looked out over the ocean. Some were of the sunset, some of sea gulls and wave caps, and some just of boats and clouds.

Jax came into the room to find her investigating the drawings. When Brenda looked up, she saw his hair was still damp and curly from the shower, and he had changed into some denim cut-offs and a short sleeve pale chambray shirt that he had left open, exposing his tanned chest.

"Jax, these are terrific! Who drew them?" Brenda asked.

Now it was his turn to look embarrassed. "Oh, they’re nothing. Come on, aren’t you hungry?"

Brenda realized the truth by looking at his face. "YOU drew them, didn’t you? Jax, they really are good! I didn’t know you could draw!"

He stammered and shuffled his one foot on the floor. "Well, I’m really still a beginner. My executive assistant, V, is a really great artist and she’s teaching me how to draw. I’m still in the pencil stage, but she’s good. I’ve only been at it for a few months. I don’t know – it just seems to help me relax and brings me peace sometimes."

Brenda continued looking at the drawings when she realized Jax was staring at her. She looked up at him as she put them down, and she could hardly bear the intensity of his gaze. He moved closer to her and gathered her damp hair in his hand.

"You remind me of a water nymph in that dress. Or maybe one of the sirens from Greek mythology." He massaged the back of her neck under her hair. He pulled her into him and whispered, "I could easily drown in your eyes, or follow your song to my death." His lips closed over hers, and she turned into his embrace. There was nothing tentative about this kiss. His tongue immediately demanded entrance to her mouth, and she complied with a little moan. His hand moved around to her front and there was no groping or fumbling about it. It closed over her breast with a mastery, and she felt her world begin to spin.

He broke the kiss for an instant and looked deeply into her eyes. "I want you, Brenda."

Brenda realized that this was proceeding far too quickly into dangerous territory. "Jax," she tried to say lightly, "what about supper? I thought we would have that picnic now."

He pulled her back again. "Later. Right now I’m hungry for you." As he kissed her again, he pulled on the drawstring at her neckline and then started to ease the dress off her shoulders.

She somehow used super-human strength to back away. "Jax, come on, pick on somebody else, OK? You just want me because I’ll be another notch on your ….well… whatever it is you notch!"

Jax looked shocked. "You really think that’s why I want to make love to you?"

"I saw how you looked at me the other night. It’s another challenge – like a mountain peak you haven’t climbed yet, or the biggest wave that none of the other surfers have been able to ride." Brenda backed away from him again.

Jax snagged her arm in his firm grasp. "OK, I’ll admit that I’ve always been attracted to a challenge. I’d like to be the one to break through that wall you throw up when a man tries to get to you."

His eyes were deeply blue and glittering in intensity as his gaze almost burned her. "I’d like to be the one that touches you until you burn with desire, or makes you soft with passion. I would love to feel you beneath me, melting into me, feeling your hands on my back digging into me when you reach ecstasy."

Brenda’s legs almost gave way at his intense suggestions. "Wouldn’t you like to find that side of you, too?" he whispered gently, stroking his finger up and down her arm.

Brenda could barely whisper her reply. "How do you know I haven’t already …that I’ve never experienced that …"

Jax tipped her face up to his, shaking his head at her bluff. "Brenda, never play cards with me. You have a lousy poker face. I can tell you’ve never really been satisfied. Why don’t you want to try? What are you so afraid of?"

{Falling in love with you.} She couldn’t tell him that, and she swallowed hard.

He began to caress both of her arms with his strong, tender hands. She desperately tried to think of some retort. "And what makes you so sure that you’re the one to melt me?"

Jax rubbed his thumb over her lips, causing them to tremble. "Because you respond to me, love. You can’t deny it. Your body can’t stop how it reacts when I touch you. Don’t you want me to touch you?" His hand slowly went lower, just skimming the first swell of her breast.

{Remember to breathe. I have to remember to breathe.} "How do you know I would be such a push-over?" {Stupid question, Brenda. You’re just about to melt into a puddle on the floor just from the man talking to you.}

Jax finally relaxed, seeing her resolve crumbling. He gently stroked his fingers across her shoulders and open neckline while holding her eyes captive. "Tell you what. Let’s see if you’re really right about that. I’m going to make love to you now, and you can fight it if you want. The choice is yours. You can either relax and enjoy every delicious moment, or you can tense up and make me work for every moan and whimper. But either way, you’re going to be mine, and I’ll enjoy every inch of that bewitching body of yours."

"Jax," Brenda managed to whisper, before his mouth covered hers again in a scorching kiss. His tongue swept possessively into her mouth, and her hands curled unwittingly into his damp blonde curls. He began to trail moist kisses from her cheek to her ear and down the side of her neck, and then as he pulled the gauze dress down to her waist, he followed his fingers with those magic lips. He pulled back briefly to gaze at her, and then pushed the dress down to the floor so that she was standing before him in just her beige lace panties. She heard his ragged breathing, but kept her eyes downcast, afraid to look into his and see the raging passion she had awakened. He swept her into his arms, and briskly went down a hallway into the bedroom.

Brenda knew that if she really wanted Jax to stop, he would never force her to do something against her will. This wasn’t about force or strength. She hated to admit it, but he was right. She knew she should stop him, but she really didn’t want to. She wanted to feel the full force of his passion, and feel things she never thought she was capable of.

He gently laid her on a soft satin bedspread, and then before she could draw a breath, he was kissing her again and working magic with his fingers. Her panties soon found their way to the floor, and he was unlocking places in her that Brenda hadn’t realized existed. As his mouth and fingers moved lower, Brenda felt a longing beginning to build in her loins and spread through her legs. She soon was returning kiss for kiss, and pushing the shirt off his back to explore his well muscled torso. But it wasn’t enough.

"Jax," she moaned with eyes heavy-lidded with passion, "Jax, please. I want you."

He stood quickly and shed the denim shorts and his boxers, and then was back bringing her to the brink of ecstasy again. He made them one, and Brenda sighed with contentment. He began to bring her to the edge again until Brenda suddenly arched against him. She shuddered at the force of her pleasure, and then Jax joined her in his own explosion of fulfillment.

Brenda was stunned at her own feelings, and felt her own heart beating as rapidly as his. As he gathered her into his arms next to him, he took a piece of her hair and inhaled its fragrance. Kissing it reverently, he chuckled. "Brenda, Brenda, you should be reported for fraud."

She lay completely still at his words, not knowing exactly what he meant. {What if I didn’t please him? Was he disappointed?}

He took her chin between his fingers and looked deeply into her questioning eyes. "Pretending to be the ice queen of Port Charles! Ms. Barrett, you are about as frosty as the tropics!"

She blushed into his bare chest, and traced little circles there with her fingernail. "I never said I was. But actually, that …" she stopped in embarrassment.

"What?" His blue eyes caught and trapped her deep brown ones. "Surely you can’t pull the shy routine on me now."

"I don’t know how to say this to you," Brenda stammered. "That’s the first time I … I…I ever felt that nice," she finished, still too shy to say the words to him.

Jax smiled in understanding and pulled her close to him again. "The pleasure was all mine, love." After an extended period of cuddling, Jax suddenly sprang up off the bed and grabbed his shorts. "Are you hungry now? Just exactly what did you bring in that picnic basket?"

He left the room to find their supper, and Brenda felt a sense of melancholy as she slowly dressed. She smoothed the bedspread, and sadly reflected on a future where she would never know the heaven of Jax’s lovemaking again.

#####

After they cleaned up from their picnic supper, Brenda went to the windows to watch the glorious sunset. Jax came up quietly behind her and put his arms around her in a big bear hug.

"So I was thinking," he said slowly into her ear, "do you have any early meetings or appointments tomorrow morning?"

Brenda turned to face him. "Not a one. It’s Saturday, and I usually sleep in till noon."

Jax liked the sound of that. "I was thinking that since I don’t have anywhere to be first thing tomorrow, we might stay here tonight and head back to Port Charles later. We might be able to get in some more swimming tomorrow, if the weather holds."

{Or something else if it doesn’t!} Brenda was shocked at her wantonness.

"Sounds good to me," she said shyly. He swept her up in his arms again and headed for the bedroom. He set her down and after lighting candles in the room, came back to stroke her shoulders softly. He had wanted her ever since the night of Harlan’s birthday party, and today his libido had overruled his good sense. But rather than quenching his thirst, it only made him want her more.

"You are so beautiful," he said as he slipped the dress from her shoulders again. "Your mouth is so provocative. I knew it would bring us both great pleasure." Their lovemaking that night was slow and exploratory, not quick and explosive like it had been that afternoon. But it brought them both to the heights of ecstasy again …. and again…. and again.

To be continued……