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Innocent Angel, Part 6

Jet shifted uneasily on his feet as Trowa looked at him. Ever since Veronica had announced that she was pregnant a week ago, every father, brothers, starting to watch their unmarried daughters like hawks. And for him, realization that, he couldn’t let something happen between him and Isabella, no matter how much he thought he was falling in love with her. Her age made it wrong, so for the past week, he kept her at arms length. Practicing with her was torture because now, Donavon or Miles would insist on coming and watching. He knew what they were there for. “To keep an eye on me. Like they had to,” he muttered under his breath. He looked up at the emerald eyes in front of him. “I promise, I’ll watch her while we’re there.”

“I know you’ll watch her,” Trowa said as he crossed his arms. “Middi and I will arrive tomorrow night before the competition.” He looked at Jet up and down again. “I can trust you, can’t I?”

He realized the enormity of the question posed by the man in front of him. Isabella was his seventeen year old, virgin daughter, an innocent angel in the eyes of her father, and him. “You can trust me,” he replied solemnly. “I’ll treat her like a sister.”

“That’s exactly what I want to hear,” Trowa said, a corner of his mouth quirking up slightly. He looked over his shoulder as Isabella and Middi came out of the house. “You all ready to go?”

“Yes, I’m all ready,” Isabella, answered, smiling at her father. She looked at Jet out of the corner of her eye. He had been keeping her at a distance and she knew why. In light of Veronica’s out of wedlock pregnancy, her father and her brothers were watching Jet with intent suspicion. She loved her dad and her brothers immensely, but the whole incident had set back her relationship with Jet by weeks because of their constant over protectiveness. “What time you think we’ll get there?”

Jet raised his eyes to her, careful to keep his gaze totally impassive and on her face. “It shouldn’t take too long. Four to five hours at the most.”

“That long,” she sighed as she shook her head. She glanced at her watch. “Well, it’s eight right now. If we leave now, we should be there between…twelve and two, adding some time in if we stop anywhere.”

“That sounds good.” Jet looked back at Trowa and Middi. “We best get going.”

“Drive carefully,” Middi said as she smiled at Jet. She kissed Isabella’s cheek. “We’ll see you tomorrow night, dear.”

“All right, mom.” Isabella pressed a kiss on her mother’s cheek before hugging her dad. “See you tomorrow, dad.”

Trowa nodded mutely and pressed a kiss onto her pale hair. “Love you,” he whispered faintly.

Isabella smiled against his shirt and hugged him tighter. She let him go and walked over to Jet’s Pathfinder. She climbed in the door he was holding for her. “Thank you,” she said, smiling at him.

Jet couldn’t help but smile a little in return. He looked back at Trowa over his shoulder. “You have my word,” he said again. He nodded respectively at Middi before walking around to the driver’s side. He hopped in and looked over at Isabella. “You have everything?”

“Yes, everything.” Her eyes went to her parents outside the car. She waved good-bye to them through the open window. “Bye!” she yelled as he pulled away from the curb.

Middi waved to her daughter, as she felt Trowa’s arm wrap around her waist from the back. She tilted her head back to look at him as the SUV disappeared from sight. “Trowa, what did Jet mean by, “you have my word?”

A slight smile quirked his lips again. “It was nothing, Middi.” His emerald eyes rose to the turn where the dark silver Pathfinder disappeared. “Nothing at all.”

Middi frowned slightly, but decided not to press further. She already had that sneaking suspicion it had to do with Jet’s interest in their daughter. “Men are so predictable when it comes to their daughters. Especially if they’re former Gundam pilots.”

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They had been driving for about an hour. Jet glanced at Isabella out of the corner of his eye. She was sleeping peacefully, the seat tilted back slightly. She was facing him, so he had a view of her face. Her soft pink lips were parted and her hair spilled in disarray over the black leather. It was a startling contrast, her almost white hair and the midnight color of the seat. A slight smile crossed his lips. “She looks like an angel when she sleeps.” A frown crossed his lips then “But I can’t think like that. It’s wrong. She’s too young. She needs someone her age…if a guy can get through her brothers to get to her,” he muttered as he returned his attention back to the highway.

Isabella woke up slowly. She felt groggy and somewhat stiff. “Jet,” she said drowsily as she gradually managed to sit up. She ran a hand across her eyes.

He turned his head towards her when she said his name. Her eyes were half closed from sleep. She looked adorable with that sleepy flush on her porcelain cheeks. “You’re awake.”

She nodded her head. “Yes, I’m awake. How long was I asleep for?”

“About two hours.”

“So, how much longer?”

“I would say,” Jet replied glancing at the clock on the dash, “another three hours.”

“Oh,” Isabella said as she adjusted her seat to an upright position. Her eyes scanned the landscape outside as she turned to look out the window. She turned and looked back at him. “Want to stop so we can eat? My mom made stuff and it’s in the back.”

“Are you hungry all ready?”

“I’m always hungry when I first wake up.”

“All right than, we’ll stop at a place to eat,” he sighed as he began looking for a place to stop. It only took a few minutes before he pulled over at a picnic area. It overlooked the water on the one side of the coastal highway. He hopped out and stretched his arms over his head.

Isabella closed her eyes and let the breeze wash over her. “It’s so nice out here.”

Jet came around and stared at her. Her platinum blonde hair was blowing in the gentle wind. Her dark blue polo shirt conformed to her figure, as did the white cutoff shorts. He kicked himself mentally and tore his gaze away from her. “So what did your mother pack us to eat?”

She opened the back door of the Pathfinder and leaned in, pulling a large bag towards her. She began to rifle through it. “Let’s see…she packed a six pack of bottled water, a bag of potato crisps, carrots, two turkey sandwiches with lettuce, two packs of cupcakes, and…” she paused, pulling out the last items, “two cans of soda, and some of her oatmeal raisin cookies. The large and soft variety.”

“That’s a lot of food,” he commented as he looked at her. He walked over to her and leaned against the door. “You want to find a table and I’ll carry this over?”

“No table. I wouldn’t mind sitting on the grass.”

“You’re wearing white shorts.”

“So?”

A sigh escaped his lips. “All right, the grass it is. Just let me get a blanket from the trunk and than you can sit on the ground.”

A bright smile creased her lips and she nodded her head. She put the food back in the bag and held onto it as he got a blanket out and set it on the grass nearby. She set the bag down and grabbed onto his hand, pulling him down beside her. “Now, we eat.”

A pleasant chill ran up his arm from her touch. However, he scooted away from her so he was leaning against the lower part of the door on his Pathfinder. He had to keep distance from her for her father’s words echoed in his mind.

Isabella observed him carefully from behind her sunglasses she slid onto her nose. His eyes were out on the water. She took a bite of her sandwich, frowning slightly. He was keeping her at a distance again. She didn’t like it. She didn’t like it at all. “He’s so edgy now. Donavon and Miles really did it this time by coming to watch us practice. Jet could barely look at me when they were there. And now when he does look at me, he gets this guilty look on his face before looking away. This is so not fair! What’s a girl have to do to get the guy she wants!”

“I wish she didn’t have to look so good all the time. It would make it so much easier to keep my mind off of her. Donavon and Miles got perverse pleasure out of making me squirm. And I know she’s looking at me right now, wondering what the hell is going on. I can’t betray her father’s trust. I gave him my word that he could trust me.” Jet sighed and finished his sandwich before moving onto the cookies.

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It wasn’t long before they were on the road again. Jet turned on the radio this time as Isabella looked out the window at the passing scenery.

He glanced at her from behind his sunglasses again. Her hair was blowing in the wind from her opened window. The violet scent of her perfume drifted across his nose, making it twitch. A stray unchecked thought crossed his mind. “I wonder if she just puts that on her wrists and her throat or does she have it sprayed on every inch of her body.” His eyes went wide at what he was thinking and he mentally hit himself with a baseball bat this time. “Stop that! She deserves a little more to be thought of a…you know! This is the girl you’re half in love with, Chang! And even though you can’t have her, you can’t let thoughts like that race through your brain!” “We’re here,” he said quickly as he pulled out inn front of a hotel.

Isabella nodded her head. “It’s almost two now. You had good timing,” she said as she climbed out of the passenger side.

“Would you expect less?” he laughed as they walked into the lavish lobby of the hotel they were staying in.

“No, a Chang is always on time,” she said, laughing as well.

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Soon enough they were both ensconced in their rooms. Jet stared at the connecting door. It was only a single door. He scowled at the simple lock and chain. “Even the door is mocking me.” He sighed and raked his hands through his light brown hair. “This is going to be one hell of a weekend.”

Isabella looked around her room before returning to the connecting door. A slight smile crossed her lips. “How convenient.” Her smile turned to a slight frown. “But what am I thinking? He won’t dare use it.” She shook her head and slid open the doors that looked out onto the water. The sparkling waters of the Mediterranean created a melodic sound as they lapped against the walls of the terrace. “How beautiful,” she breathed as she lay her hands on the railing.

He could see her standing outside on the balcony. He slid open the door and stood beside her. “You chose a good place.”

“I like seeing the water. And this is a breathtaking view.”

Jet looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “You’re a hundred times more breathtaking than the view.” “It’s wonderful,” he commented as he rested his hands on the railing next to hers.

For a moment, neither one of them said a thing, but they continued to look out at the water. “We have to go to the place we’re performing tonight,” Isabella said as she turned her head to look at him.

“Practice, I suppose?”

“More or less. Plus, we’ll learn when we’re to dance and how we’re being judged. We’ll also get to meet the judges at the dinner they’re holding later at the restaurant downstairs.”

“I see,” Jet said slowly as he turned his eyes towards hers. “So, this dinner is kind of important.”

“Very,” Isabella said as she stared into his deep coffee brown eyes.

He couldn’t take his eyes off hers. They were staring at him with such intensity. He didn’t know how he managed to tear his away. He cleared his throat. “Maybe we should both rest up before tonight,” he suggested quickly.

A frown tugged on the corner of her mouth, but she didn’t let it show. “That sounds like a good idea,” she replied reluctantly. She turned away from him. “I’ll see you in a few hours than. Knock on the connecting door when you’re ready,” she said softly as she turned and went back into her room. She closed the soft linen drapes behind her and sighed. “This is going to be some weekend.”

A frown crossed Jet’s face as he watched the drapes close behind her. He had seen the interest in her eyes. “Too bad it can’t be,” he said softly as he went back into his room.

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The practice went well. Right now, Jet straightened his tie. The dinner would be starting in twenty minutes. His eyes went to the connecting door again. The temptation to use it was great, but he looked himself in the eye in the mirror. “You’re the perfect gentlemen. You will not use that door under any circumstance if you have any sort of…intent in mind,” he told himself sternly, leaving out the word for his particular feeling. “Now, to see if she’s ready.” He left his room and knocked on hers.

Isabella misted the violet perfume over her freshly showered skin before letting her delicate sundress slide down her body. The pale blue voile conformed to her slender frame. She heard the knock on her door. “Wait a sec,” she called out as she hastily slipped on her low-heeled white sandals and slid on the fragile looking silver bracelet. She picked up her necklace and went to the door. She smiled brightly. “I see you’re all ready.”

He could smell the violet wafting off of her glowing skin. “Never takes a guy too long.”

Laughter bubbled past her lips. “So typically male.” She held out her necklace. “You think you could put this on for me. My fingers are a little slippery from the hand lotion.” She walked back into the room.

Jet followed hesitantly, closing the door behind him. His eyes traveled over the room, the wrinkled bedspread with the clothes strewn across it. A hint of lace spilled from the top of her suitcase. A faint flush worked its way across his face he averted his eyes and went over to her. He took the necklace from her proffered hand. The silver chain with a small heart shaped aquamarine had a tiny clasp. “This is pretty,” he commented as he undid it.

“It was a gift from my parents on my sixteenth birthday,” she replied as she watched him in the mirror. The feel of the cool metal and the warm brush of his fingers made her skin tingle.

He didn’t dare raise his eyes to their reflection in the mirror, too afraid that he would say to hell with it and kiss her. “ Her skin felt smooth and silky against his fingers as they swept lightly across the back of her neck.

“Thank you,” she murmured when the necklace was secure. She turned to look at him. “You look very handsome.”

A pleased smile dawned on his face. “Thank you. You look lovely in that dress. It suits you.”

“Why thank you, Jet.” Her blood warmed from his compliment.

He needed to get out of this room. The space was too confining and she looked so incredibly alluring for him to trust himself alone with her. He had a feeling that she knew that he really liked her. “She has no idea how much I feel about her. I feel more than I should. She looks too good for words.” “Well, shall we go?” he asked as he offered her his arm.

“Yes, let’s go,” she replied as she picked up her small handbag and slipped her arm through his to go down to dinner. “This feels like it should be a date, but it’s not. There’s going to be other people there. He’s so attractive and I think half the time he doesn’t even know it. I know I’m half in love with him. I wish I really knew how much he liked me, but at the rate we’re going, I’m never going to know.”

Later…

Jet stretched his arms over his head. The dinner had been beyond compare. “And she glowed like a jewel,” he said, thinking of how she was at dinner. She had everyone smiling. “Her presence lit up the entire room.” She was unique. He had to grant her that. The way she made people talk and open up. That was part of his attraction to her. She drew him out the first time she dragged him out onto the dance floor at David’s and Kellie’s wedding. Her beauty and the rare purity that he found in her was another part of his attraction. He chuckled to himself, thinking about all the times she managed to get him to dance at the wedding. “Let’s face it, I couldn’t help it than. She almost rivaled the bride that night. There would have been no way for me to say no and I wouldn’t have said it if I could’ve.” He glanced at the clock and back at the door. “Maybe I should see if she wants to be woken up at all?” He tapped his bare foot on the carpeted floor before walking over and knocking on it. “Izzy?”

Isabella looked up from her position on the floor. “Come on in,” she called out.

He mentally steeled himself as he opened the door. His eyes fell on her immediately. He made sure his mouth didn’t fall open as he observed how she was. She was in a straddle spilt in front of the bed, leaning on her elbows as she read a book. The other thing that registered in his mind was that she was dressed in white tank top and matching shorts, edged in fine lace. Very innocent. Very sweet. Very sexy. He couldn’t help but flush. “I…I wanted to know…if you wanted to be woken up tomorrow morning,” he stammered.

“No, I’ll be fine,” she replied, keeping her expression neutral. She could see how he was trying not to look at her. “I wake up on my own fairly well. If it were Carin or Miles, it would be a different story. You have to bang pots and pans next to their heads to wake them up.” She raised herself up, her palms bracing against the thick rug.

His eyes went unerringly to the hint of cleavage about the lace edged neckline of the tank. He mentally hit himself and yanked his eyes away from her exposed flesh. “Well…I’ll say good night than.”

“Good night, Jet. I’ll see you for breakfast downstairs?”

“Sure,” he replied, shaking his head rapidly. He closed the door fast and chained it and locked it swiftly. He took a few deep restorative breaths as he took steps back. “That can’t ever happen again. Make mental note to self; always say good night to her before she gets changed. At least than I would have a better chance of not thinking how delectable she looked.” He fell back down on his bed, staring at the ceiling. “I wished I didn’t have to notice,” he groaned as he flung his hand over his eyes.

Isabella sat up completely, drawing her legs in. She rested her chin on her knees as she regarded the closed door thoughtfully. She heard the lock and the chain from his side. An amused smile flitted across her lips. “It’s good to know that I’m such a temptation that he doesn’t trust himself.” She stood up and went over to the door. She latched the lock, but not the chain. “I’ll indulge him a little, but who says a child of a Gundam pilot doesn’t know how to pick a lock if they really want to.” She climbed into the full sized bed with its sinfully soft pillows. “Hopefully this will turn out well in the end. I don’t know how much more I can take of this,” she sighed as she finally turned off the lights.

A/N: Another installment is here! I hope you enjoyed! Stay tuned for more coming soon! XOXO!!