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Nadia released a frustrated breath. She honestly didn’t want to talk about that either. “No. Although I can go to the Westmoreland Foundation as a last resort, I prefer not doing so since they bailed this place out a couple of times before I began working here. The reason Pam hired me is because she believed I could keep sponsorships intact. I can’t disappoint her.”
“It’s not your fault that the Dunnings Financial Group went bankrupt.”
“I know, but I should have had a Plan B in place.”
“I disagree. Dunnings has always been one of the most prominent employers in the city. A company that could be depended on to fund community projects. It’s unfortunate they had to close their doors when they did. Just think of the number of people who lost their jobs. People who were making good salaries.” Rissa took a sip of her coffee then added, “At least I can admire them for giving everyone a nice severance package with enough funds to last them for the next six months. Everyone is hoping that by then another huge employer will come to town.”
Nadia hoped so, too. Rissa was right. Dunnings was one of the few corporations in Gamble to pay top salaries and who readily funded community projects. They had been sponsoring the Christmas play for years. No one had asked who the new sponsor would be. She figured most people thought she had one.
“Just so you know, Nadia, the mayor and Gamble’s Better Business Bureau had a meeting yesterday. Jaxon Ravnel’s name came up. They know he’s in town looking for land to expand his business. They’re hoping he likes the area. Ravnel Technologies is three times the size of what Dunnings was.”
“Although Jaxon is looking for land here, there’s no guarantee he’ll buy any,” Nadia interjected.
“I know, but we can all hope,” Rissa said standing. “It will certainly solve the unemployment crisis Gamble will be facing within a few months.” She glanced at her watch. “It’s time for me to skedaddle. I’ll see you again this time tomorrow.”
After Rissa left, Nadia leaned back in her chair and for the umpteenth time replayed in her mind everything that had transpired last night between her and Jaxon. He’d been the perfect gentleman the entire time. She’d been so busy fighting her attraction to him that she hadn’t noticed he’d been attracted to her.
Until he’d fed her that cake.
She had noticed him staring at her a number of times but assumed he’d done so because he had caught her staring at him. It now appeared they had been staring at each other. She figured the reason she hadn’t picked up on an attraction on his end was because he hadn’t been giving her any predatory, I-want-to-take-you-to-bed looks.
What had rocked her world more than anything had been that kiss. What she’d told Rissa was true. She hadn’t been prepared for it. She doubted any woman would have been. What man kissed like that? The way he had taken her mouth, locked his tongue around hers while he greedily mated with it had sent sparks escalating through every part of her body.
And talking about a body... While he’d held her tight in his arms, with her body pressed hard against his, she had felt him. Namely his arousal. Just knowing the intensity of his desire had matched hers sent a wave passion rushing through her. She was convinced if he hadn’t stopped kissing her when he had, she would have gotten her first orgasm ever, right there in his arms. His kiss had been hotter than any she’d ever shared with a man before. Just thinking about it sent sensuous chills through her. That was the last thing she wanted or needed.
A couple of hours later Nadia was working through the stack of papers her administrative assistant, China Evans, had placed on her desk earlier. She glanced up at the knock on her door. “Come in.”
China walked in carrying a huge vase of flowers. Nadia grimaced and sat up in her chair, having an idea who’d sent them. But that didn’t make sense when Jaxon had brought her flowers yesterday when he’d arrived for dinner. Why would he be giving her more flowers today? But if they weren’t from him, then who else would have sent them?
“These are for you, Ms. Novak.” The younger woman of nineteen, who was attending the local community college, smiled from ear to ear as she placed the a dozen red roses on the desk.
“Thank you, China,” Nadia said, not bothering to pull off the card that was attached.
“You’re not eager to see who they’re from?” China asked. “I’ve never known you to get flowers when it wasn’t your birthday or Valentine’s Day.”
That was true. She always got flowers from various people on her birthday, and Dillon had always sent his Denver Westmoreland female cousins—Megan, Gemma and Bailey—flowers on Valentine’s Day. After marrying Pam he’d added Nadia, Paige and Jill to his list. He was such a thoughtful brother-in-law. The best.
“I’ll read the card later,” Nadia said, turning her attention back to the stack of papers on her desk.
“I guess that means you know who sent them.”
“Maybe,” Nadia said and that was all she would say on the matter. China was at that impressionable age where she believed in love. The forever kind. Nadia remembered when she had been that way as well. Her parents, as well as Dillon and Pam, had been great role models. Then Benson had broken her heart and from that day forward she’d shied away from falling in love.
Seeing she was not getting any information out of Nadia, China said, “Well, I guess I’ll get back to my desk.”
As soon as China closed the door behind her, Nadia pulled the card off the arrangement and read it.
Thinking about you,
Jaxon
Nadia placed the card back in the envelope and slid it into her desk drawer. If Rissa was right and Jaxon was trying to wear down her resistance, first by feeding her cake, then the kiss and now with more beautiful flowers, she had her work cut out for her. She had to make sure he knew a marriage between them wouldn’t be happening.
She sighed deeply as she stared at the beautiful red roses. Of course she would thank him for the flowers. However, she would text him instead of calling him, not sure she could handle hearing his voice. And as far as his dinner invitation, she might as well decline that, too, while she was at it. Hopefully, in due time he would discover she would not participate in whatever games he wanted to play.
Jaxon drove to the airport, glad to finally be leaving Forbes. The trip had taken a day longer than planned due to a glitch in the data system of one of the firm’s top clients. He was glad the malfunction had been corrected and now he was on his way back to Gamble.
He wished he could say he’d been too busy to think about Nadia, but that had not been the case. He had thought about her a lot. Each time her face entered his thoughts, he felt emotions so profound that more than once he had to pause to pull himself together and refocus.
