possible. She's also close to Constantine and Alexander."
"Yes, although I thought Constantine treated her like a waitress when I met with him. He asked her to bring me a drink, like she was a server. I don't think she liked that."
"I'm sure she didn't. She definitely wants everyone to respect her and to toe the line, which is why—"
"You didn't want her to see us together. Not just because you were kissing me, but because I'm creating problems," she finished.
"Actually, you were kissing me, remember?"
She smiled as she met his teasing blue gaze. "I think it was mutual."
He gave her a sexy grin. "It was definitely mutual. But, yes, I don't want her to think I got the job at the club because I'm trying to help you dig up dirt."
"It didn't occur to me that she would think that, but you're right. I would have been very smart to get someone inside the club to feed me information. I guess I'm not that good of a detective."
"You're doing very well, and it wouldn't have been easy for you to plant someone at the club. I only got in because I speak Russian."
"You do?" she asked in surprise. "I didn't know that."
An odd shadow flitted through his eyes. "I didn't mention that?"
"No, you didn't."
Now he seemed a bit uncomfortable with the idea that he'd shared something he hadn't meant to share. He picked up his glass of water and took a sip. Then he said, "My parents were Russian. I'm a little rustier in the language now than I used to be, but I can still understand a drink order, and some of the older guys like to give their orders in Russian."
"Which makes you a valuable employee. Were your parents born in Russia?"
"Yes. My mother came to the States with her family when she was a child. She met my father at Georgetown when they were both sophomores. He was there on scholarship. They said it was instant love. They got married right after graduation and had me shortly thereafter."
"That's interesting. Have you ever been to Russia? Did you ever see where they were born, where they grew up?"
"No. They always talked about showing me their country, but we never got there. I have to say that being around all these Russians every day makes me want to go."
"Me, too. I want to see where my grandmother was born and walk the streets she talks about in her journals."
"You should do that before you make the movie."
"I will. Anyway, I want to reassure you that if I'm at the club when you're at the club, I will pretend not to know you."
"Thank you. I'm glad you understand."
"I get it. I'm happy that you explained. I thought I was reading you wrong last night."
He gazed back at her. "You weren't reading me wrong. But we need to keep anything personal away from the club."
"Does that mean we are going to be personal outside of the club?"
"I think so," he said, meeting her eyes.
Her heart skipped a beat. "Okay then." She paused as the waitress came over to ask them what they wanted to eat. She took a quick look at the menu and ordered a spinach and feta cheese omelet with hash browns, and a side of turkey bacon.
Jax handed his menu to the waitress. "I'll do the same but add a side of buttermilk pancakes."
"You've got it," the waitress said, moving on to the next table.
"So, what else do you do for fun?" she asked Jax. "I know you surf. What other passions do you have?"
"I like to bike along the beach, work out, pick up a basketball game every now and then, that kind of stuff."
She rested her arms on the table, giving him a contemplative look. "You don't talk much about your acting career. What was your last role?"
"I was in a play in New York last year for a few weeks."
"Really? What was it?"
"It was an off-Broadway show called Blue Moon. Very small theater. About fifty people would show up on the weekend nights, less on the weekdays."
"Did you enjoy it?"
"It was fun. But I've been trying to break into the business for a while, and I think I'm done. There comes a point when you have to accept reality."
"I don't think that's true. You don't have to accept it if you want to change it. Some people think I should give up my dream to make movies, but why should I? Maybe my road to