AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I didn’t want to do that with Jack. I hadn’t before. But I was so off kilter with seeing him like this. Out of nowhere.
He was different. At least, I thought he was. Then I hadn’t heard from him. Same as Cal. “Kiss and ditch” was becoming my motto, and somehow, it left me feeling like the bad guy. It also took a toll on the faith I’d had in Jack.
No. I didn’t have any ties to either Jack or Cal. If I had, I wouldn’t have kissed Cal, rather, let him kiss me. Just like now, I had no ties to Cal. He was gone. Kisses weren’t contracts, no matter how hot.
Too bad I kept thinking about Jack’s front door, and the way it felt against my back. The way he felt against my front. He’d read and tapped into my emotions and somehow let me feel in control. All the while exercising his own intensity over me.
“Now, about this notion that you can’t work for me?” He took another step and I could already feel the heat radiating from him. It was everything I could do not to get swept up in him again. “I want to clarify that I’m the owner of the resorts, but I don’t plan on interfering with your job.”
I bit my bottom lip, thinking it over. Surely, the owner of the entire resort company had better things to do than to monitor one small payroll branch. Edith had just said he didn’t stop by much.
Yet, he was still here. And if I were totally honest, my pride hurt a little. I was getting the sense that I was easily discarded. I just wanted to work in peace, save for grad school, and not be reminded what a sad sack I was.
“I still don’t think it’s a good idea,” I said, trying for an authoritative tone.
He took another step, his expression like stone. Reaching out, he traced his fingertip along my cheek bone. “I don’t hear much confidence in your voice.”
That’s because there was none. Not about this. When it came to Jack, I didn’t know what was rational or normal. He made me feel things that made a professional relationship difficult. If he wanted me, I wanted him to see me. Not because I worked for him. Not because he had some arbitrary title like “my bosses boss” kind of hierarchy, but because he simply wanted me.
Which he didn’t. Because, if he did, I would have heard from him before now. If he’d been thinking about me the way I had been him, then he would have reached out.
My eyes met his. The building shaded us just enough to hide us from the few passersby on the street only ten yards away.
“I’m happy I got to see you again,” I admitted. It was the only truth I could say with confidence.
His eyes were like two smoking volcanos—dangerous, smoldering. “Are you?”
I nodded.
“And have you seen anyone else?” His tone was steady. Not accusing or angry. Simply asking. My mind flashed to the night I met Cal.
“That’s none of your business.”
“So, you have.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You don’t deny it.”
“You didn’t call!” I finally said, feeling defeated. “I haven’t heard from you. I didn’t know what to think.”
“I told you I’d see you again.”
I shook my head, and a humorous laugh escaped. Looking at him, it was clear. He knew the game, hell, he probably invented it, when it came to women. I wasn’t the kind that could keep up. Harper was right, I wasn’t a “drill” kind of girl. No pun intended.
“You’re right, you did say that. You also made no promises or shed any clarity on what to expect. So, yes, I kissed someone. But that—”
“Just kissed?” he asked sharply, like he had a right to be jealous.
“Yes, just kissed. What about you, huh?” I crossed my arms. Maybe Jack brought out the fire in me, maybe I was just irritated and frustrated, and staring down his perfect face and dark eyes was too much to handle all at once.
“I’ve kissed no one since you.”
I swallowed hard. “Oh. So, you don’t have a girlfriend?” Something I should have asked before, but right now, it just seemed like I needed all the clarity I could get. Plus, it gave me more info.
“No.”
I glanced at the ground and threaded my fingers.
