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The world around us fades into obscurity as she kisses me back, our tongues wrestling against each other as our breaths synchronize and our hearts race, and time itself seems to come to a standstill.
“Good night, Jayden,” she says in the most soothing voice when she eventually pulls away.
“Good night,” I respond.
I watch until she walks safely into her house, looking back at me at intervals.
I spend the next couple of minutes nesting in the car while I struggle to stay focused before driving off.
Chapter thirteen
CARISSA
I watch from across the opulent conference room as Jayden captivates the attention of everyone.
He is here to honor a client’s invitation to address his team about their ongoing project, away from Winchester.
From where I stand, I can see the ladies drooling over him, their eyes dim with infatuation as he speaks, and they giggle at everything he says.
I don’t blame them. Jayden is an easy man to fall in love with.
He is effortlessly charming, and it doesn't help that he is quite aware of that.
His tailored suit and charming features are like a magnet to women. They fall over themselves to get his attention. And yet, it’s impossible to keep it for as long as they would like.
I have very often been approached by ladies who want to know what Jayden likes in order to win him over.
I feel like an outcast in all of this, and it’s not my style to hunt a man down.
As the day unfolds, Jayden continues to lavish compliments, gestures and exclusive invitations.
He promises to take one of the ladies to an island on his yacht when she points out she has never been in one.
It’s meant as a joke, but my intrusive thoughts can’t let that fly.
Despite my undeniable feelings for Jayden, I can’t shake the feeling that beneath the surface, he is a man who believes money can buy anything, including women.
Especially women.
I find myself appalled by Jayden today. Perhaps it’s jealousy, but I don't want to be another conquest in his collection, won over by the many luxurious dresses he buys me and the flowers he leaves by my door.
For me, love is about connection, shared values, and genuine affection.
I can’t begin to imagine building a meaningful relationship with someone who can so easily throw money around and in people’s faces in return for affection.
It isn’t because I’m now immune to his charms, that’s almost impossible.
Jayden has me on a hook.
It’s precisely because I feel the pull of his charisma today, and do I feel the need to protect myself from getting entangled in a web of superficiality.
My heart yearns for a love that is authentic and not tainted by any factor including wealth, even as I recognize my feelings for Jayden, who can have any woman he wants.
“How did I do?” he asks once we’re in the car and on our way back to the hotel.
Unsure whether to tell him how I really feel or to tell him what he wants to hear, I respond, “You did great.”
“I need to have a good night’s sleep. I haven’t had one in days,” he says.
