The Next Play: Part Three Page 7

  She and Jonah had ended up spending most of the day in meetings with the lawyers who were working with them on the Fillmore deal, so there’d been little time when it was just the two of them. But the way he’d looked at her during the meetings… God. She’d barely been able to keep from squirming with arousal in her chair, her cheeks no doubt still burning hot and pink.

  There’d even been a few times when she’d caught him staring at his phone…and she just knew. Knew that he was looking at the photos he’d taken of her that morning before he’d left her apartment, and it’d made her even hotter. Made her so freaking hungry for him that by the time the lawyers had finally headed out at the end of the day, she’d been ready to come out of her freaking skin, even the soft touch of the cool air blowing in from the overhead vents making her nerve endings ping.

  The conference room had been booked by the HR Department for an evening seminar they were running, so there’d only been time for one quick, stolen kiss before she and Jonah had to follow the lawyers out. But he’d still taken a moment to tilt her head back and run the damp heat of his mouth against the sensitive under-curve of her jaw. Such an innocent touch, in the grand scheme of things, and yet it’d left her vibrating with need, her breaths quickening until she was all but panting.

  “We can’t do this here,” she’d whispered, blinking up at him as she clutched at his powerful, suit-covered biceps. “I can’t hide how strongly you affect me. It’ll be written all over my face when we walk out into the hallway.”

  “Baby, anyone who’s seen us together today already knows.” His blue eyes had gone heavy, his deep voice turning low and husky. “You’re different now. We’re different. All I have to do is look at you and you get hot, your cheeks turning pink and your lips getting full.”

  “Are you saying I’m obvious?” she’d asked with an embarrassed laugh.

  A sexy smile had tugged at the corner of his mouth. “I’m saying that what’s between us is impossible to hide.”

  “I don’t want to hide it,” she’d told him. “I’m just…”

  “Still scared?”

  “I’m trying not to be. But this is a complicated situation, and when we’re here, you’re my boss and I’m your employee.”

  “And everyone in this company knows how fucking brilliant you are. No one’s going to think you’re getting special treatment, and if they do, then they can fucking deal with me.”

  “You don’t think I should maybe work with one of the other owners?” she’d asked, even though it wasn’t what she wanted. But she’d thought it might help make things a little easier.

  “Fuck no,” he’d replied with a frustrated scowl. “I want you with me. I need you with me. And you’re by far the best person for this deal. Hell, you understand it even better than I do.”

  She’d had to smile at that. “Only because I’m such a tech geek, remember?”

  “You’re my little tech geek,” he’d murmured, getting that possessive gleam in his eyes again. “That’s all that matters.”

  They’d headed out then, thankfully to an empty hallway, but as she’d turned her head to the right, Jocelyn could have sworn she caught sight of the rude woman she’d nearly mowed down on Monday.

  “Did you see her?” she’d asked Jonah, grabbing his arm.

  “See who, baby?”

  “The lady with the long dark hair who just turned at the end of the hallway.”

  “No, I didn’t see her. Why?”

  “Never mind,” she’d murmured, feeling like an idiot. The woman was probably just someone’s girlfriend or wife visiting them at the office.

  But Jonah had stopped walking, and as he took her hand and pulled her over into a little alcove, he’d said, “Tell me about her.”

  “Um, it’s nothing, really. I just ran into this grumpy brunette yesterday when I came to visit you. I didn’t recognize her, and Julie didn’t know who she was either.”

  “Fuck.”

  Her stomach had instantly knotted. “Jonah, what’s going on?”

  Shoving one of his big hands back through his hair, he’d exhaled a harsh breath. “Yesterday, when I got to my building, the doorman told me that a brunette had just been there, trying to gain access to my floor. She used your name, but I hadn’t had a chance to put you on the pre-approved list yet, so they didn’t let her up.”

  “Ohmygod. Do you think it’s the same woman?”

  He’d taken his phone out, scrolled through his emails, and then shown her a grainy photograph. “The security camera in the lobby didn’t get a good shot, but this is her.”

  “She’s wearing something different from the woman I saw, but I think it could be the same person.” Looking up at him, she’d asked, “Why didn’t you show me this before?”

  “Because I didn’t want to worry you,” he’d muttered with frustration, “when for all I know, this is just some crazy bitch someone paid to come by my building and snoop around for them. I still don’t have a fucking clue who she is.”

  “I wish I could tell you more about her, but I only saw her for a moment. All I remember is that she was a good three or four inches taller than me, had dark brown hair, and was reed thin. She was pretty, but I didn’t get her eye color or anything specific. To be honest, she seemed in a hurry to get away from me.”

  With a nod, he’d said, “I’ll talk to security and see if we can find her on the visitor’s log. She shouldn’t have been allowed onto this floor unless she had business here.”

  They’d set off down the hall again, and it wasn’t long before he was holding the door to her office open for her. Her co-workers had all been at their desks, so he hadn’t been able to kiss her goodbye. He’d just given her one of those crooked smiles that she loved so much, though this one had been a bit strained at the edges, and whispered that he’d call her when he got home as she walked past him. By the time she’d reached her desk, he’d closed the door and was gone, and she’d had to deflect her co-workers’ questions about what he’d said to her.

  And he obviously hadn’t wasted any time looking into the mystery brunette, since he’d texted her twenty minutes later, telling her that security had no record of the woman. It gave Jocelyn chills to think that she might have literally run into Jonah’s stalker—but it was even creepier that he had no idea who the woman was. And the fact that she’d gained access to the private floors at least twice now? To say that had pissed off Jonah and Gabriel would be the understatement of the year.

  On Tuesday night, Jonah had had plans with Nic, Jack, and Lucas to see the Giants in game three of the World Series. He’d wanted to bail on it, but Jocelyn had told him to go when he’d called her, just like he’d said he would, since it was important that his friends didn’t feel like he was suddenly ditching them for her. And she’d needed to give herself a little spa night at home in preparation for dinner at Gabe and Denny’s, which had included hitting her Pinterest boards for some inspiration on how to do her hair and nails, as well as conferring with Rey.

  He’d video-called her when he’d gotten home from the game, making it clear that he wanted to come over, but she’d told him Davey had fallen asleep in her bed because one of his ears was starting to flare up. He’d been concerned for Davey, and disappointed he wouldn’t be seeing her, but they’d talked for nearly an hour. He’d shared how his time with the guys had gone, though only Nic and Jack had shown, Lucas completely blowing them off without even texting or giving them a call. According to Jonah, that was completely unlike the guy, and she could tell that he suspected Lucas’s absence had something to do with their new relationship.

  On Wednesday night, after another exhausting day at the office, she and Davey had had dinner with her parents. Jonah had been bummed that he was going to miss another night with her, until she’d told him that she was planning to tell her mom and dad about him. Then he’d been adorably nervous, and she’d had to call him as soon as they’d gotten home to let him know how it went. Her parents had been surprised, and maybe
a little bit worried when they’d learned that Jonah was over a decade older than her, as well as her boss. But they’d also been happy for her, and excited, because they knew what a huge step this was for her after being on her own with Davey for so long. They wanted to meet him as soon as possible, so she’d promised that they would set a date for dinner soon, and Jonah had claimed he was already looking forward to it.

  And now it was the night, and her body was buzzing with nervous energy as she waited for him to pick up her and Davey. She’d chosen a special outfit for the occasion, a dark blue swing dress that was sexy while still being comfortable, and had pinned her hair up in a stylish twist that Rey had taught her how to do, the charm bracelet on her wrist her only jewelry. And Davey was dressed in his cutest outfit, complete with his little brown boots and bomber jacket that her parents had bought for him a few weeks ago.

  She’d just walked into her bedroom again to check her make-up in the mirror, when she heard Jonah knock on the door. They’d worked together again for nearly the entire day, and yet she was still giddy about seeing him, her heart fluttering like the rapid beat of a hummingbird’s wings in her chest.

  When she opened the front door and found him standing there in the hallway with one arm braced high against the doorframe, the other already reaching out to curl around her waist, she got a little light-headed. And that feeling only got more intense as he tugged her close, brushed a tender kiss over her lips, and said, “I’ve missed the hell out of you these past two nights.”

  “But you’ve seen me every day,” she said with a shy laugh as she stepped back to let him in, drinking in the sight of him as he walked past her. His dark jeans fit his muscular thighs like they’d been custom made for him, his white shirt the perfect contrast to his golden skin and auburn hair. It was crazy, how he could be so brutally masculine and so beautiful all at the same time, and Jocelyn knew she probably looked completely dazzled as she shut the door and faced him.

  “I might have seen you at work,” he murmured, running his brilliant blue gaze over her so slowly it made her shiver, “but being with you in meetings and holding you in my arms at night are nowhere near the same thing.”

  “You’re right,” she whispered, stepping close enough that she could pull in a deep breath of his warm, mouthwatering scent. “And just so you know, I’ve missed you too.”

  He gripped her waist and took her lips in another tender, scalding kiss, before lifting his head and saying, “Are you sure he’s feeling up to this?”

  She couldn’t help but smile. He must have asked her if Davey was okay at least twenty times the last couple of days, and it was clear that he was concerned about him.

  “Yeah. He’s feeling a lot better and is really looking forward to it.”

  “Good. I want him to have fun tonight. But if he starts to feel rough, we can leave at any time. You just say the word, and we’re gone.”

  “It’s really sweet of you to worry about him,” she said softly.

  “I worry about both of you,” he husked, looking like he wanted to kiss her again, and then do a hell of a lot more than that. But he shook his head a little as if to clear it, then shot her a warm smile as he said, “Let’s grab the little guy and head out. The traffic was already getting heavy on my way over.”

  A few minutes later, Jocelyn was locking the front door with her key as she asked him, “Did you take an Uber over?”

  “Naw, I drove tonight.”

  “Oh. Well, it’s lucky you found parking,” she said, slipping her keys into her purse and then taking Davey’s hand. “The streets have been really crowded this week.”

  They got onto the elevator, and she shot him a puzzled look when he hit the button for the lobby, instead of the parking level. “We need to take my car because of Davey’s car seat. Remember?”

  Taking hold of her free hand, he kept his gaze on the lighted numbers over the doors as he said, “I actually picked him up a new one. Figured it’ll be easier than moving the one you’ve got around.”

  “But his car seat doesn’t fit in the Audi,” she said with a soft note of confusion, wondering what he was up to. But he just smiled at her question. And then that sly smile turned to a look of excitement as they walked out onto the street and he jerked his head toward the shiny new Mercedes SUV parked in front of her building.

  “The Audi’s in its space back at my place,” he said, taking the key fob out of his pocket and unlocking the car’s doors.

  “Ohmygod,” she wheezed, her gaze ping-ponging between the beautiful car and the even more beautiful man. “Jonah, what did you do? Did you…did you buy a new car?”

  “Yep.”

  “But…why?” she asked, terrified that she already knew the answer.

  “The little guy’s gotta have room in the back, right?”

  “Ohmygod,” she said again, unable to believe he’d bought a freaking luxury SUV just so there would be room for Davey’s car seat when he drove them around.

  “I can’t believe you did this,” she sniffed. “I’m just… I’m stunned.”

  He used his hold on her hand to tug her close, and pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. “Hey, it’s no big deal, sweetheart. Don’t be upset.”

  “I’m not upset. I’m just... You just…” She drew in a deep, shuddering breath, and then tilted her head back to look up at him. “You are freaking amazing, Jonah Cartwright. That’s what I’m trying to say. You’re just… You’re incredible.”

  His gaze got heavy and hot, and there was that sexy roughness to his voice when he spoke that told her she’d gotten to him. “You’re the amazing one, Jace. I’m lucky just to be standing here beside you.”

  They got Davey all settled into his new seat, and then Jonah opened her door for her, a wicked grin on his lips as he secured her in as well. His fingers managed to brush across her nipples at least three times while he fastened her seat belt, the friction turning them into hard little points that earned her a sexy, playful wink as he shut her door.

  The car drove like a dream, and she had a stupid smile on her face the entire way to Denny and Gabe’s. Davey stood between them as they rode the elevator up, holding each of their hands, and while she was nervous, she was also excited. And Jonah had warned everyone to be careful about what they said in front of Davey, since they still hadn’t told him they were dating, so she didn’t need to worry about constantly monitoring what everyone was saying. She knew she couldn’t wait much longer to tell Davey, but she wanted it to be the right moment, and figured she would just feel it in her gut when it was time.

  “I’m so happy you guys could make it,” Denny practically squealed, rushing over the second Gabe opened the door for them. She threw her arms around Jocelyn, giving her a big hug, then gave Jonah a quick kiss on the cheek, before kneeling down and introducing herself to Davey.

  “And you must be Davey Brenna,” she said, holding out her hand to him. “I’m Denny Abbott, a good friend of your mom’s, and it’s so nice to meet you.”

  Davey gave her a shy grin as he shook her hand, then did the same with Gabe as he followed Denny’s lead and crouched down to introduce himself to her son. When he straightened back to his full height, he gave Jonah a knowing smirk and shook his head a little. “I never thought I would see this day, man, but it looks good on you.”

  “Feels good too,” Jonah rumbled, slipping his arm around Jocelyn’s waist and tugging her into his side.

  “Are you nervous about meeting Denny’s parents?” she asked Gabe, giving him a friendly smile, hoping he didn’t sense any lingering awkwardness she felt over what had happened between him, his fiancée, and her boyfriend.

  “I’m looking forward to it,” he admitted with a lopsided grin that reminded her so much of Jonah. “But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared shitless.”

  He’d mouthed that last word, because of Davey, and she gave a soft laugh. “I’m sure they’ll love you,” she told him. “Every parent just wants to see their children happ
y and loved, and it’ll be obvious to them that you’re crazy about their daughter.”

  “I’m most definitely that,” he rumbled, pulling Denny closer and kissing the top of her head. Then he shot Jocelyn a grateful smile. “And thanks for making me feel better, Jace.”

  Jack came over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, before introducing himself to her son. Then Nic came in from the kitchen with a beer in his hand, and she was surprised by how talkative he was with Davey as he crouched down and started asking him about his favorite books and movies. The next thing she knew, Nic had produced a thick pad of art paper and a pack of colored pens from the brief case he’d set by the fireplace, and he sat down on the floor with Davey and started to draw with him.

  Though Jocelyn had always sensed that Nic had a darker edge than the other Atlas owners, she’d known he was charming. Still, she’d have never guessed that he would be so good with kids, and she couldn’t help but smile as she watched Davey’s little face light up when Nic started to show him how to draw an elephant.

  The spacious, beautifully decorated apartment smelled delicious, and since Denny and Gabe were both looking comfortable and relaxed, she had a feeling someone had been hired in to do the cooking. Gabe got her a glass of white wine, some apple juice for Davey, and a soda for Jonah, since he said he wasn’t going to drink because he was driving. While Nic and Davey stayed on the floor by the fireplace, the rest of them took seats on the plush leather sofas Denny said had only just been delivered earlier that day. There was a delectable array of nibbles laid out on thick wooden platters that were arranged on a large, square coffee table, and she could hear Fleetwood Mac playing softly from what must have been a hidden sound system, since she couldn’t see any speakers anywhere.

  The group knew each other too well for there to be any awkward silences, and Jocelyn quickly found herself relaxing and joining in. By the time Lucas arrived with his date nearly a half hour later, they were already in the midst of a lively discussion about their favorite Game of Thrones characters, and she was having a really good time. But a bit of tension started to creep in when she felt Jonah stiffen as he got a good look at the pretty, golden-skinned, dark-haired woman hanging on Lucas’s arm. Jocelyn had a feeling that Jonah and the woman already knew each other, since Lucas didn’t bother introducing them (though she heard him say her name was Jenny Velasquez as he introduced her to Denny).