Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 229(@200wpm)___ 183(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 229(@200wpm)___ 183(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Shut up, shut up, shut up, an instinct screams inside of me.
“I’ve seen how close you are, and—”
Jaxon interrupts me with a rumbling laugh, a laugh that takes me completely by surprise. It explodes out of him and sets off a chain reaction of blushes, first in my cheeks and then down my neck and all over my body, countless humming points of heat as I’m consumed painfully by his amusement.
“What's so funny?” I snap, ashamed to realize how close I am to tears. I can hear it in my voice. “Why are you laughing at me?”
My legs twitch. I’m on the brink of turning tail and making a crazy run for the door, ducking my head and sprinting until his laughter and the apathy in his captivating eyes are a distant memory.
“I’m not laughing at you, Jessie,” he says quickly. “It’s just… so you think Carmen and I are involved in some sort of romantic relationship?”
“I…”
My fingernails move to pick at the desk, then drop.
Picking my boss’s desk to pieces would be almost as bad as talking about his personal life when he clearly doesn’t want to discuss it.
“I…”
Words, words, where the heck are my words? They won’t come. It’s like there’s a big invisible sock stuffed in my mouth, stopping me from saying anything.
“Carmen is my assistant, that’s all,” he says.
“I’m sorry,” I finally manage to blurt out, feeling like I’ve just pushed a boulder up my throat. “It’s just that everyone…”
I need to shut up.
What is wrong with me right now?
“Everything thinks we’re romantically involved?” he says, raising his eyebrows.
I manage a nod, and Jaxon clenches his jaw like he’s holding back another laugh, his eyes spreading with amusement. “Carmen and I are friends, nothing more. She’s been in a relationship for almost fifteen years. And since she’s very open about this fact, I know she won’t mind me telling you… her relationship, it’s with a woman.”
“Oh.” I pause as the full significance of his words slam into me. “Ohhhh… So she’s not attracted to you, or any man.”
“No, she is not,” he says. “So you see, Jessie, she wouldn’t be pissed at all. She wouldn’t be jealous. Because we really are just friends. That’s all we’ve ever been. That’s why I laughed. The thought of doing anything romantic with her, it’s so alien to me, it’s funny.”
I have the vague idea that I'm smiling like a loon for no easily explained reason. That each corner of my lips is spreading like a crazy person’s grin all the way across my cheeks. I quickly correct it, nodding quickly, finding it difficult to settle on an appropriate response.
“So you’ll come to the party,” he says, in that gravelly firm voice, a voice that is accustomed to being obeyed.
“I don’t have anything to wear to that sort of function,” I murmur. “I’d stand out.”
“You’ll have your own stylist. They’ll meet with you in the coming week, take your measurements, and choose something that will…”
That will what? That will make me look beautiful?
But he doesn’t finish the sentence, instead leaning forward even further. It’s so freaking unfair, the way he’s aiming that massive body at me. It’s making me think of all the dirty things he could be doing to me right now.
“Something appropriate,” he finishes. “How does that sound?”
It sounds like it makes no difference. Even with a fancy dress, even if Carmen and Jaxon have never been intimate, it doesn’t mean I’m going to be able to magically become the party girl he needs to be.
But he’s staring at me so determinedly, with such fire in his eyes. Saying no feels impossible.
“Yes, okay. Of course. Whatever you want.” My hands are soaked with sweat as I squeeze them together. “Is there anything else, sir?”
He visibly winces when I say sir, and I wonder if he thinks I’m being sarcastic. If I’m mocking him in some way. I want to tell him I’m not and I never would, but I’m not sure I can find the words.
“That’s all for now. The stylist will come find you around lunchtime either tomorrow or the next day.”
I stand and turn away, walking across his vast office to the tall wide doors. With each step, I urge myself to turn back, to offer him a smile, a wave, anything. But then I’m out of the door and my chance has passed.
It’s funny.
For a second there, as I walked away from him, I was sure I felt his gaze on me.
My skin is tingling and my insides are pulsing and I was certain for a second there – despite the outlandishness – that Jaxon Walker was as attracted to me as I am to him.
But no. I need to stop letting myself think stuff like that.
I’ve got a new mission now.
Getting through this party in one piece.