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“Yeah?”
He smiles at me. “This was incredible.”
I chuckle because that’s the understatement of the year. “Yeah. It was. Not as incredible as actually being with you will be, but this was pretty amazing.”
“Mmmm.”
He sounds sleepy and wrung out in the best way. Kind of how I feel, and a warmth blooms in my chest because I did that. “You okay, baby?”
“Mmm. I like when you call me that. And very. You?”
“Never better.” And it’s true. I can’t remember the last time I felt this content.“And for the record, I love it when you speak French. It’s very sexy.”
“Noted.” Jocelin groans and forces himself into a sitting position. “I think I’m going to shower and go to sleep. Will you text me tomorrow?”
“I’ll text you when I wake up. We can make plans for the clinic and maybe grab lunch or something.”
He smiles and strokes a spot on his phone screen, where I assume he can see my face. “Sounds good.”
Before I fall asleep on the couch, with my jeans around my thighs and my coat still on, I need to get upstairs and into the shower. I force myself to my feet. “Night, babe.”
He smiles and blows me a kiss. “Night,mon chéri. Sleep sweet.”
We hang up, and I pull my clothes together enough to make it upstairs. I shower and slip into bed, exhausted but happily sated, and drift to sleep with my last conscious thoughts of Jocelin and his beautiful smile.
17
Jocelin
Withatapofthe keys, I save the final draft of the Hansley contract to the server and email Alistair, letting him know it’s ready. Leaning back in my chair, I rub my tired eyes. Cramped muscles and a growling belly remind me I’ve been sitting at my desk far too long and need to get up. Shoving to my feet, I slip into my suit jacket and head for the elevators. It feels incredible to be done with the project. It’s been intense but rewarding to work on, and collaborating with Alistair has been a dream, but it’s very different from my usual contracts. There’s visibility working on big projects like this, but I love the personal aspect of smaller ones, and I’m not sure which I prefer.
By the time I make it to the lobby and push out into the crisp fall afternoon, the stress of the project lifts from my shoulders, and I walk to my favorite Chinese restaurant with a spring in my step.
I’m barely seated, just beginning to scan my menu, when I hear my name spoken in a voice I’ve come to dread. “Jocelin.”
I frown at Victor as he crosses the restaurant, sliding into the seat opposite me. “Victor.” It’s rare to see anyone from work here. I come to this particular Chinese restaurant because it’s far enough away from the office to deter most of my coworkers. Plus, they have amazing egg rolls. “What are you doing here?”
Victor looks around and then back at me like the reasoning is obvious. “Ordering lunch?”
“Yes, but whyhere? I never see you here.”
I don’t even try to keep the disdain from my voice, and he doesn’t hide his grin. “I asked around and found out you like this place. I thought we could have lunch together.”
I have had enough of this man and his aunt. “No.”
He blinks, clearly surprised. “What?”
“No. N-O. I do not want to have lunch with you. I want time to myself to eat in peace. If I had wanted to have lunch with you, I’d have accepted any one of the other dozen invitations you’ve given me.”
He leans back in the booth and tilts his head to the side. “Come on, Jocelin.” I can tell his smile is supposed to be charming and flirty, but it’s more creepy than anything. Or maybe it’s this situation that is starting to get creepy. “Say yes.”
“I don’t want to say yes.” Maybe Gunnar was right. Maybe no one has ever told him no and stuck to it. Victoria obviously indulges him at work. It’s probably the same with everyone else in his life. “You’ll have to accept my no and move on.”
His brows draw down, and he crosses his arms over his chest like a spoiled, angry child. “Why don’t you want to have lunch with me? I’m a great catch.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose and beg the universe for patience. “Because I have an amazing boyfriend, whom I adore and who adores me. I don’t want anyone else.” Having an actual boyfriend in this situation is loads better than pretending to have one. If push comes to shove, I can prove he exists. “But even if I wasn’t dating anyone, I still wouldn’t say yes to you. You’re pushy, arrogant, and a bit of a bully.” Given how he followed me here, I could add stalkerish to the list, but I don’t really want to go there. “I’m not interested in socializing with you in any way.”
Victor narrows his eyes and leans into my personal space. “Are you sure? You might want to reconsider, given that my aunt is a partner in the firm.”
