Dirty Boss by Mia Ford (33)

“You said you were excited about it and they pay well, so I don’t know…” she said and met his gaze again. Jesse rolled his eyes and looked away from her, as though she had said something offensive.

“They don’t want to hire me, alright?” he said and stood up from the couch. Belle followed him into the kitchen area.

“Why not? What happened?” she asked and Jesse ignored her. He went over to the mini fridge and extracted a can of beer for himself. Belle looked at the beer in his hand quizzically. What was he turning into?

“Nothing happened. I went for the interview. They interviewed me and said that they don’t want to hire me,” he said and walked past her again towards the couch. Belle whipped around to follow him back to the couch. She had her doubts about whether he did actually go to the interview.

“What questions did they ask?” she asked, folding her arms over her breasts.

“General questions. Why are you grilling me?” he said, spreading his arms wide. Belle stared at him and realized that her nostrils were flared. She was losing her patience with him.

“What questions exactly, Jesse? I want to know what we can do to improve your interview skills,” she said, tightening her grip on her arms. Jesse was breathing hard and suddenly he dropped his arms and walked over towards Belle.

He placed his can of beer on the floor beside her and then his hands on her arms.

“Don’t worry about it, babe. I’ll find something else,” he said with a smile and leaned towards her. Belle didn’t move. She was fuming. She was doubly sure now that he hadn’t even gone for the interview. Why was he jeopardizing his career? Why did he assume that she could just provide for them both on her internship money? She didn’t even have the money to buy a coffee on her way to work. She was broke and miserable and feeling unloved and he just didn’t care.

Without saying anything, Jesse leaned towards her and tried to kiss her lips. Belle moved her face away. She felt nothing when he was close. No spark. No electricity. No attraction. And it was beginning to scare her.

“Hey,” Jesse whispered, a smile forming on his face. He kissed her cheek and then Belle sensed his hand reaching for her breasts.

Belle moved away from him with a jerk.

“What’s wrong babe? Isn’t this what you want?” Jesse asked and stepped towards her again. Belle froze as she stared at him. Jesse was beginning to disgust her. She felt like she was cheating on Devon now. Even though she was never going to see him again.

Jesse stroked her cheeks with his hands and kissed her forehead. Then the bridge of her nose and finally her lips. The kiss did nothing for her, except make her hate him a little more.

“Are you worried that I don’t know what I’m doing? Don’t worry babe, I’ve slept with girls before,” he said, looking at her with enthusiastic eyes.

Belle pushed him away and glared at him.

“You said you wanted to wait!” she screeched, now losing all control. Jesse looked surprised as he looked at her, trying to develop a look of innocence on his face.

“Yeah. I wanted to wait with you, babe. I think all those girls I slept with are sluts. I don’t want you to become like one of them,” he said and Belle’s mouth fell open.

“So why do you want to do it now?” she asked and Jesse took in a deep breath, like he was trying to explain something to a little child.

“Because I love you, babe. Because I want to do this with you. Because I know we’ll be together forever,” he replied and Belle could do nothing but stare at him in shock. Hearing those words coming from him made her sick to her stomach. She wanted to throw something at him. Punch the wall if she had to. Scream and make a run for it. Instead, she was frozen to the spot and felt like she couldn’t move a muscle. The guy she thought would make the perfect boyfriend in college had turned out to be her worst nightmare and she wasn’t sure how long she could go on like this.

* * *

Devon

Devon was at his office, working late again and the next time he raised his head to look at the time, it was already nine. He pushed his file away and shut down his computer and took in a deep breath. The lunch with Alisha had affected him in a big way.

It had been a week since he last saw Belle, and now he was beginning to recognize the heartache and loneliness settling in again. He didn’t want to arouse suspicion and hence hadn’t asked Susan or Jasmine how she was doing. He could only hope that she was happy at the Brooklyn office and that her life with her boyfriend was going well. He only wanted the best for her. He didn’t want to disrupt her peace of mind.

Alisha was probably right, he figured, to assume that he was capable of actual feelings. Even though he didn’t want to discuss those feelings with anybody else, he knew that they existed. Belle had stirred them in him and he felt protective and possessive towards her. Which was why it was wise to send her away before anything else happened.

The soft ping of the elevator outside snapped him out of his thoughts. His heart began to race because he couldn’t help but wonder if it was Belle again. A far fetched daydream, but he couldn’t help his mind from wandering.

There was a sharp knock on the door and instead of saying anything, Devon stood up and walked over to it. He took in a deep breath, trying to calm his mind, and opened the door. Belle was standing on the other side. Her face looked pale, her eyes were widened and by the looks of it, she had been running again.

“Belle!” he said her name aloud and she fell into his arms immediately.

“I’m sorry, I had to come and see you,” she said and he stroked her head. She was still in her formal office clothes and her hair was braided elaborately in that fishtail plait that he remembered. She was in a slim gray dress with a wide black belt at her waist. She looked professional and beautiful.

When she finally pulled away from him, she took a step back.

“Come in,” he said in a quiet voice and he walked back towards his desk. She shut the door behind her and he could hear his heart thumping out of his chest. It was exciting to see her again. He knew very well what the possibility of her being there could lead to. He wanted to touch her again, take her into his arms…but it was still inappropriate.

“I had to come, because I had nowhere else to go,” Belle was saying and he noticed that she looked nervous. She had clasped her hands together and was pressing her fingers tightly. Devon leaned against his desk as he looked at her.

“My door is always open,” he said and she looked up at him sharply. Her brown eyes were large and looked bloodshot. She could have been crying, he thought and immediately, he had the urge to take her in his arms again.

“I know you didn’t want to see me again. You wanted us to keep our distance. But I have nobody else in New York,” she continued and Devon shook his head. Her breasts were heaving, her lips looked as pouty and luscious as usual; and even though she seemed distraught, Devon couldn’t help but recall the moment when he first saw her naked.

“Don’t worry about it, tell me what’s going on,” he said in a soft voice. Their eyes met again and Belle looked like she was beginning to relax a little.

“You know how I told you that my boyfriend said he doesn’t want to have sex right now, that he wants to wait. He just told me that he’s had sex before. With other girls before me and he didn’t want to sleep with me because he thinks they are all sluts,” the words came tumbling out of her and Devon couldn’t help but go closer to her. He wanted to take her into his arms, hug her close to his chest…but he was still afraid of touching her.

“Belle, that is a horrible thing to say and do. I don’t know what to say to you, but it’s not unnatural that you’re upset,” he said, finding himself at a loss for words.

“I don’t know if I want to be with a guy like that. Who thinks like that. Who thinks sex is dirty,” she said and Devon shook his head.

“I know, I’m glad you came here,” he said and Belle rushed into his arms again.

“And he keeps ditching his job interviews. He stays at home all day and plays on his playstation. I can’t afford the rent by myself any more,” she continued, looking up at him and he could tell that she was on the brink of a breakdown.

Devon touched her face lightly and stroked her chin.

“I can’t tell you what to do, Belle. But he doesn’t seem like a supportive boyfriend to have,” he said, choosing his words carefully. The last thing he wanted to do was break up a relationship. He would have done anything to have her, but it would have to be her choice.

Belle gulped as she stared at him.

“I don’t think we’re good together. I feel like I did it too quickly. We’ve only been together four months, and I keep thinking that he deserves another chance,” she said and Devon nodded.

“I understand, but if he doesn’t make you happy, you can’t keep giving him chances,” he said and Belle drew closer to him. She was slowly raising her hand so she could touch his face. Devon stood still, breathing in her scent.

“I want to stop feeling guilty about what we did, Devon,” she said.

* * *

Belle

Devon didn’t look surprised when Belle said the words, instead he brought his face closer to her. His dark hair was neatly brushed to the side, she could see the gray at his temples, the firm set of his thin lips. He looked powerful and wise as he held her face. Their noses were almost touching now and Belle drew in a deep breath.

“I don’t want to feel guilty either,” he said in a heavy breath and Belle felt like she was going to melt away. She wasn’t sure why she came to his office again. She couldn’t even be sure if he would still be there. But she took the chance, and now she couldn’t help but be in his arms. She wanted to be close to him. He was the only one who could make her feel good.

Devon gave her a moment, to push him away if she wanted to, but when she didn’t he pressed his lips to hers. Belle opened her mouth, welcoming his tongue in. She gasped as they kissed and clung to his shoulders, her arms wound tightly around his neck. Devon’s hands went down from her face, to the back of her neck and she could sense his fingers on her back.

He was beginning to pull the zip down on her dress. Their lips were still fuzed together, and Belle reached down the front of his shirt to his belt. While the zip on her dress came slowly down, she unbuckled his belt and undid his pants. She was desperate to have him in her hands. Her dress hadn’t even fallen off her shoulders, but his throbbing growing cock was already in her hands.

Devon pulled away from the kiss, and she was panting for air. Neither of them could say a word, they could only communicate with their bodies. One week had been too long to be apart. Through his boxers, Belle stroked his cock. She could feel it growing stronger and harder in her hand. She couldn’t wait to have it inside her. She was wet between her legs for it. She felt like it was only Devon’s cock that could make everything alright.

Her dress fell from her shoulders and Devon pulled it down her torso. She had to let go of his cock and he watched as her body was revealed to him. Her red bra and panties made him stare. Her breasts were heaving from the anticipation and he stared at her with thirsty eyes.

He lunged at her again, tearing the bra off. She heard the clasp snap open and collapse to the floor, and her breasts were in Devon’s hands. He was sucking her right nipple, making loud smacking sounds with his mouth, while his other hand went down her belly.

Belle closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of having his mouth on her. She started unbuttoning his shirt, so she could feel the smooth muscles on his chest and his abs. She pushed the shirt off him, while his hand lifted her panties and his fingers went under it to her wet burning center.

Belle gasped again. He had pushed in two fingers without warning and she nearly stumbled back from the sensation. Devon caught her in time and pulled her back towards him. He kept his mouth on her nipples, alternating between sucking each one.

She could feel his cock between her legs now. She was so close to an orgasm. His fingers slid in and out of her, while he used his thumb to play with her clit. Devon lifted his face suddenly up at her, and their gazes locked.

Without a word he quickened his pace with his fingers. He was pumping into her, making her body shake and Belle couldn’t help but moan. She wanted him to keep doing it till she came. His thumb stroked her clit while his fingers pumped into her. He was reaching her deep inside, in that spot that made her body give up. She was about to come and she clung to him, closing her eyes tightly. She could sense that he was watching her, he wanted to see her have an orgasm.

Devon pulled out his fingers abruptly and Belle gasped. She wanted more. She wanted to come but he didn’t want her to just yet. A smile was forming on his face because he could see how badly she wanted it.

“Devon, please,” she cried, pleadingly. She wanted to have that orgasm, quickly.

“Yes, Belle. I’m going to make you come,” he grunted and whipped her around. Belle was facing his desk now and he bent her over it. Her butt was thrust out towards him and she felt him come up close to her. This was new to her too, but she could feel her wetness throbbing. She wanted his cock where his fingers had been.

Belle could hear herself panting as Devon ran his hands down her bare back. When she couldn’t take the wait any more, she turned her head to look at him pleadingly again. Devon smiled, before placing his hand on her shoulder. He arched her back slightly, just a little bit towards her and then she felt him sliding in.

This time he didn’t take it slow. He drove his cock into her and Belle screamed. Keeping a steady grip on her with her shoulder, Devon pumped into her with force. Belle moaned and groaned, being pushed to the brink of orgasm as he continued to slide in and out of her. His cock felt big and tight inside her, but that was the feeling she had waiting for all week and nothing else felt as good. Within minutes, she knew she was dangerously close to coming. Devon wasn’t slowing down and she could feel her body giving way.

When she orgasmed, he came with her and they both moaned loudly as they exploded into each other. She could feel him shoot into her, his seed oozing out inside her and it made Belle smile. She kept repeating how good it felt and Devon was laughing. There was nothing to be ashamed of any more, no more guilt, they could finally release and feel good about it.

Devon started to pull out of her and Belle collapsed on the desk. When he was out of her completely, she finally turned around to look at him. He looked even more handsome naked, she thought as he stood in front of her. He was staring at her too and they both had wide smiles on their faces.

“So, what now?” she asked and jumped up on the desk, her legs dangling off the edge. Devon walked closer to her and placed his hands on her arms.

“What do you want to do about all this?” he asked, his voice growing a little serious. Belle still couldn’t stop smiling. She couldn’t believe that he still wanted her, that he wasn’t just imagining everything.

“I told you everything, do you want to tell me something as well?” she said and he grinned at her and took his hands away from her.

“The truth is, Belle. I want to be with you and if there is a chance, I want to find a way to be together,” he said and leaving her on her desk, he walked to the toilet in his office. When he returned he had a bid wad of toilet paper in his hand.

“I wasn’t sure if you were interested in me seriously,” she said, and watched him as he walked over to her.

“You’re all I’ve thought about for the past week. In fact, since we first met,” he said and delicately, he dabbed the tissues between her legs. Belle couldn’t help but smile at that. She felt her limbs melting, she wanted to bury her face in his chest. She wished they could stay like this forever.

After Devon was done wiping her, he proceeded to wipe himself and Belle bit down on her lip.

“So, you sent me to the Brooklyn office because…” she began and he looked up at her and his eyes softened.

“Because I knew this would happen if we saw each other again,” he said and they both smiled knowingly at each other. It was amazing to her that they could be so comfortable with each other, she couldn’t remember the last time she had such an easy conversation with Jesse. And while they were both naked!

“In fact, Belle,” he said, a little more seriously now and placed his hands on her knees. She looked at him with questioning eyes. Her heart was thudding in her chest.

“If you’re okay with it, I think you should still work in the Brooklyn office. If we decide to give our relationship a chance. It would be healthier if you worked in a separate office. Like I said, I don’t like to mingle my work with my personal life,” he continued and Belle shook her head.

“I don’t know what Jasmine or Susan have told you, but I haven’t been able to concentrate on work since I moved there. I haven’t performed as well as I did in this office. But that was because I couldn’t stop thinking about you,” Belle explained and Devon reached over to pinch her chin playfully.

“I understand, and don’t worry about it. I want you to do well at your job. I don’t want to do you any special favors, but I also have complete faith and trust in you. You have immense potential and I know I don’t have to worry about you,” he said and Belle blushed. Her heart was fluttering, she felt like she was on seventh heaven and that none of this was really happening. How could someone be this perfect?

“So, you do want to give our relationship a chance?” she asked him and Devon looked at her, deep into her eyes.

“I do, do you?” he asked and Belle smiled and nodded her head.

“I just want to figure things out with Jesse first, and this time I want to take it slow,” she said and he laughed.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to ask you to move in with me tomorrow,” he said and Belle laughed too.

“I want us to get to know each other first,” she said, through her laughs and Devon nodded his head.

“You should know, that I’ve never seriously dated a woman before. So, I’m probably more inexperienced than you are at this thing,” he added and Belle laughed again.

“You’ve never been in a serious relationship before?” she asked and Devon shrugged.

“What can I say, I never had the time,” he said and Belle shook her head indulgently.

“And I never found the right woman, I wanted to spend the time with,” he added and she leaned towards him so they could kiss again. Every time Devon kissed her, she felt like she was falling deeper for him. Whatever this feeling was, she had definitely never felt it before.

When they pulled away, Devon started picking their clothes off the floor. He handed hers back to her and Belle held up her torn bra and they laughed again.

He started dressing himself and Belle watched him questioningly. She didn’t want to go back to the apartment yet. She wanted to spend more time with him. She wanted to start getting to know him right away.

“Do you want to call it a night then?” she asked, her words choking in her throat. She didn’t want to have to admit to him that she wanted to spend some time with him. Devon was in the process of buttoning his shirt when he looked up at her with crossed brows.

“What? No! I thought we could go get pizza or go back to my place and watch a movie together or something,” Devon said and Belle jumped off the desk to rush to him and kiss him again.

* * *

Belle

Devon dropped Belle to her apartment building the next day in his Mercedes and when Belle stepped out of the car, she looked up to their studio apartment on the third floor. The window was shut and Jesse didn’t seem to be at it, nevertheless, she didn’t care. She stood at the car door till Devon turned to her with a smile.

“I’ll see you tonight?” he asked and she nodded, before leaning in towards him and planting a kiss on his lips. They smiled at each other and she turned to walk into the building. At the door she looked at the car again, and Devon was still there. He hadn’t asked his chauffeur to drive off yet.

Belle was beaming as she climbed the stairs to her apartment. The situation needed to be dealt with calmly, she knew that, but all she really wanted to do was go in and tell Jesse everything and ask him to leave. She wasn’t quite sure what to expect, she had stormed out of the apartment the previous night, leaving him fuming after her.

Belle jiggled the key in the lock and finally pushed the door open. It was eight in the morning, which meant that he was probably still sleeping. Besides, it was a Saturday and Jesse never woke up before eleven on the weekends.

When she stepped inside, she was surprised to find that all their things had been turned over. It was like a tornado had hit their apartment. Jesse was standing on top of the mattress, still in the same clothes as the previous days and his eyes were bloodshot and he looked like he was about to scream.

“Where the Hell have you been?” he thundered.

Belle slammed the door behind her and slipped the keys into her purse.

“What happened here? Did you do this?” she asked, in an equally high pitched voice.

“Tell me where you were last night. I tried calling you like a million times,” he said and stepped off the mattress.

Belle remained standing where she was and glared at him, her own fury rising.

“I spent the night at a friend’s house because I didn’t want to see your face,” she said. The words came tumbling out of her. She had decided to be calm and gentle with Jesse when she broke the news, but she couldn’t control herself.

She had spent the night in Devon’s luxurious penthouse apartment on the forty-fifth floor of a Manhattan sky rise. But she wasn’t going to tell Jesse that.

“Which friend? You don’t have any friends in New York,” he spat out, taking long strides towards her. Belle straightened her back and glared at him. Jesse was studying her, like he was looking for clues about where she had been. Belle’s makeup was off, her hair wasn’t tied in a plait any more and she was starkly aware of not wearing a bra. She had taken a shower in Devon’s place though, so at least she looked somewhat presentable.

“How do you know if I have any friends here or not? You don’t know anything about my life, Jesse,” she said and she folded her arms over her breasts. He had come up very close to her and now he was breathing down on her face, but she only glared back at him. She wasn’t afraid of him. She wasn’t even guilty any more.

“You were with some guy, weren’t you?” he snarled and Belle arched her eyebrows.

“So what if I was?” she said and Jesse grabbed her shoulders and shook her violently.

“You cheated on me!” he yelled and the door behind her slammed open. She hadn’t locked it but neither did she expect it to swing open either. They both turned their heads to look in surprise.

Devon walked in, more calmly than he had pushed the door open but his eyes were narrowed and the features on his face had darkened to a stormy hue. His blue eyes were piercing Jesse.

“Step away from her,” he said in a controlled voice.

“Who the Hell are you?” Jesse yelled, but he dropped his hands from Belle’s shoulders.

“That is none of your concern,” Devon said and Jesse looked sharply at Belle.

“Who the Hell is he?” he repeated himself. The last thing he was probably expecting was a man in his forties in crisp tailored clothes to barge in through the door.

“Jesse, I need you to leave my apartment,” Belle said, mimicking Devon’s calm voice. Jesse was still in shock.

“Do you understand what she’s saying?” Devon said and Jesse’s jaw dropped open.

“She’s my girlfriend. Who is she to you?” he asked, in a high pitched voice.

“I am not your girlfriend any more, Jesse. You have till the end of the day to pack your bags and leave,” Belle said and stepped in Devon’s direction. A knowing look came over Jesse’s eyes.

“So, this is the friend you spent last night with? Are you his girlfriend now?” he said, forcing a laugh in his voice.

“Go back home, Jesse. New York isn’t for you. You need to get a job or move in with your folks if you can’t find one. I’m not going to waste another penny on you,” Belle said and she walked over to Devon who wrapped an arm around her.

Jesse continued to stare at them for a few more seconds in silence, before Devon cleared his throat.

“You have till this evening. Six. I’ll be here with Belle to make sure that you’re nowhere in sight and then we’re getting the locks changed,” he said and gently, he tugged Belle away.

She didn’t look back as they walked with their arms around each other. She shut the door behind her and only then realized that she was shaking slightly.

“Why didn’t you leave?” she asked him, as they took the stairs down together.

“Because I wanted to make sure you were safe. From the stuff you told me about him, I was expecting him to act out,” Devon told her and Belle placed her head on his shoulder.

“I feel bad for uprooting him like this, but he’s depended on me for too long. And I don’t love him,” she said softly, as they walked back out on the street again.

“I understand, Belle. You’re doing what is best for you. Let’s spend the day together and after that we’re going to find you a new place to live,” Devon said as he opened the car door for her.

* * *

Belle

Eight months later

Belle was sitting at her desk with her legs crossed with a pen stuck behind her ear, as she typed away at her computer. She was engrossed in her work, and hadn’t even taken a lunch break today. When she looked at the clock on her screen, she noticed that it was seven already. The office floor was entirely empty and a lot of the lights had been dimmed down. Never before in her life, had she felt this fulfilled with a task. The Brooklyn office had a good effect on her work life balance, and she was grateful to Devon for pushing her towards it.

She suddenly remembered that she had to meet Devon at six thirty!

Belle tried to finish typing the last sentence as quickly as she could and when she was done, she sighed. Blowing a lock of her bronze hair away from her nose.

“Hello, there,” she heard Devon’s deep smooth voice and she turned in her chair to find him standing at the end of her cubicle. He looked handsome, in his black suit and crisp cream shirt. His blue tie matched his eyes, and a smile spread over Belle’s face.

“I’m so sorry, I lost track of time,” she said and got up from her chair to hurry over to him.

Devon took her into his arms and they kissed deeply. She pulled away from him when she remembered where they were. Nobody in either of the offices knew that they had been in a relationship for the past eight months.

“Don’t worry about it. I checked, nobody’s here,” he said and drew her in again, so he could bite her bottom lip playfully.

“So, this is your desk,” Devon said, looking around. In order to maintain secrecy, he had never visited the office and didn’t maintain any contact with her, through any official channels. Belle still lived in Brooklyn because that was the only place she could afford, and she was strict about not accepting any special favors from Devon.

“My little nook,” Belle said and bit down on her lip. Even though Devon owned everything here, and he was still her boss, to Belle it felt like her boyfriend was visiting her workplace for the same time. She had started feeling giddy with excitement.

“Susan sent me an email today to say that Jasmine has offered you a permanent position here?” Devon asked, smiling at her. Belle was gushing, she couldn’t keep her cheeks from burning up. She knew Devon was proud of her, she was proud of herself. And she had done it without any of Devon’s help. She had worked hard in the past months to impress Jasmine. Make herself indispensable. And Devon had kept himself out of it.

“And I’ve accepted it,” Belle said and Devon took in a deep breath and nodded.

“Congratulations, my love,” he said and swept her into his arms again. He kissed her cheeks gently and when she pulled away, he was staring deep into her eyes.

“I’m happy for you, and I only wish the best but I was also hoping that maybe we could be less secretive about our relationship now?” he said and Belle arched her eyebrows.

“How do you mean?” she asked and Devon took his time with his answer. Belle couldn’t help but smile at how nervous he was. This was evidently a big step for him. This was the longest relationship he had ever been in and they couldn’t be happier.

“I wanted to ask you to move in with me. I know you had a bad experience with your ex boyfriend, but I was thinking that maybe we’ve spent enough time together to know what to expect now,” he said and let go of her. She could see the anxiety in his eyes. To him this was as good as asking her to marry him. Baby steps.

Belle burst into a laugh, and when he looked wounded, she leaned over to kiss him again.

“You don’t have to look so afraid, Devon. Of course I want to move in with you. My living experience with Jesse…my whole relationship with him was nothing like what we have,” she said. Devon looked pleasantly surprised. For some reason, he hadn’t been expecting her to say yes.

“So you’ll move in with me?” he asked and Belle nodded her head.

“And I want to be a little more open about our relationship too, without letting it affect my work here,” she said and Devon kissed her forehead.

“Yes, I agree. We shouldn’t let it affect your work. Maybe we can think about that, and for now just work on getting you settled into my place,” he said and started leading her away from her desk.

They were walking in and arm towards the elevators on the floor. Belle was still blushing and Devon was still beaming like a teenager. It had been eight months since they first started seeing each other, and Belle knew that it was the best decision she had ever made.

“Where are we going?” she asked him, as the elevator doors pinged open and he led her in.

“Wherever you want to go, my love,” Devon told her. Belle pressed the button for the ground floor and turned to place her hands on his broad chest.

“How about we go to my new home?” she said and they were kissing again.

* * *

BLURB

Lena has always been a free-spirited woman. She’s traveled to every corner of the globe, searching for happiness. She managed to find it within her career as a world-renowned chef, but she’s still missing one very important thing. She’s missing love.

After nearly a decade abroad, something has called her back to the city where she first put down her roots. Now that she’s back in New York she’s ready to settle down for a little while and accepts a job at a brand new restaurant owned by a man named Jamison.

Jamison has a reputation as a playboy, but Lena is sure she can handle his swagger and charm. What she doesn’t expect, however, is the bond that builds between them and his genuine interest in her. She is the first woman to ever resist him and it only makes him want her more.

And she certainly never expected that this man, this womanizer turned gentleman, might actually come to love her and help her face the things she’s been trying so desperately to run from.

* * *

Lena

One hundred and twenty-two. What does that number mean? Well, it’s the number of countries I have visited in my lifetime and it is what I have chosen to introduce myself with. My name is Lena Patterson and I don’t think there’s a better way to impress upon people what kind of person I am than the number of countries I’ve visited. It doesn’t tell you how much I make in a year or what political party I belong to, but what it does say is that I have a deep desire to learn, explore and live life to the fullest. This wasn’t always the case, however.

I grew up in a small town in Alabama called Bellefontaine. It was the type of town where everyone knows everyone else’s business and people whisper cruel things behind their neighbors backs but smile at them on the streets. People who’ve never lived in a small town in America think of it as wholesome and some even want to raise their children in places like Bellefontaine. I understand the appeal to an outsider, but to me it was a cage.

People in Bellefontaine were born there and most of them died there. No one went college, people distrusted the ‘big cities’ and change was unwelcomed. I remember my mother talking about New York City like it was a stain that needed to be erased. It was a place to be avoided where children’s minds were corrupted. It was the Devil’s City and my mother would do anything in her power to keep me away from the sins and temptations of the world.

That’s why we never travelled. Anything outside my parent’s little bubble was terrifying to them. They didn’t want to be away from the church and the people that they’d grown up with. They wanted everything to stay the way it was when they were kids, even if that wasn’t the best thing.

I was happy to listen to them when I was young. I didn’t really have a choice. Our TV didn’t have cable and my access to the internet didn’t really begin until I was already a teenager and even then, it was limited. I knew very little of the world outside Bellefontaine.

When we were forced to go to Birmingham, my mother kept me close, keeping me from anyone who might want to compromise my morals. Birmingham is relatively small as far cities go, but to me it was a shining metropolis that was full of hope and promise. I wanted to live in a city like that. I wanted to get out of Bellefontaine.

I spent my teenage years rebelling against my parents like most teenagers. I would get rides with my friends and we would go to the city and stay with relatives or people we barely knew. It wasn’t the safest way to live, but it made us happy.

As the internet became more prevalent and smartphones put the power of information into people’s hands, I started to get more and more curious. I wanted to know more about the world and I was determined to find answers to my questions.

My mother was appalled when I was accepted to New York University. She pointed a bony finger in my face and told me that if I moved to New York, neither her nor my father would visit me. I accepted it and moved away to begin the best years of my life.

While I went to school I took full advantage of what the city had to offer. I explored every nook and cranny of the city, spending my weekends and days off crashing in people’s apartments, enjoying parties and all the things I’d missed out on growing up.

My first year was wild, and if I have to be honest, I don’t really remember much of it, but that doesn’t matter. I enjoyed being away from home, but soon realized that a college education wasn’t for me. I bounced around in several majors, but never really found my niche until I joined a study abroad program.

I spent a semester in France where I shacked up with a boyfriend who showed me my love of cooking. We would spend hours in the kitchen together, showing each other family recipes. The relationship didn’t last, but my love of cooking did.

I never went back to NYU and instead applied for a visa and started culinary school. I learned from some of the best chefs in the world and when I was done, I travelled world, taking various jobs to hone my craft. After my first three years working, I started getting recruited by five star restaurants all over the globe. I made a name for myself in the culinary world and soon everyone knew who I was. Magazines interviews me and some of the most powerful people in the world were hiring me to cater their events. I traveled the globe doing what I loved, feeding my wander lust and feeding people.

New York called me back, however. I missed the city lights and the bustle of the streets. I was ready to settle down for a while and continue my career in a more stable environment. I loved traveling, but I wanted to stay put for at least a little while.

That’s how I found myself in the apartment of my best friend, Miguel. He was from Bellefontaine as well and had moved to New York when I did, though he opted to stay in school and become a lawyer. Now he had a fancy pent house in the city and a handsome husband.

We stepped through the door and I toed my shoes off. It was a habit I’d picked up while traveling through Asia. “Thanks for picking me up at the airport.”

Miguel chuckled and nodded towards his black, patent leather couch. “Not a problem. I’m honestly just glad to see you face to face. It’s been years since we saw each other in person.”

“I know. I was just having a good time, you know? Enjoying the world.”

He poured me a glass of wine and handed it over to me, settling on the couch, sipping the pink bubbly liquid. “You were always a wild spirit. Are you sure you’re ready to stay for a while?”

“I think so. I’m an old lady now. I’ve sown my wild oats and I think I’m ready to stick around for at least a few years.”

Miguel rolled his eyes and snorted a little. “You’re an old lady, huh? At twenty-seven?”

I grinned and shrugged, took a sip of the thick, red liquid in my glass. Miguel had damn good taste in wine. He reclined back into the couch and started to undo his tie glancing at me out of the corner of his eye.

“Do you have a job lined up?”

“Mmmm!” My mouth was full of wine, but I waved my hand, showing him I had something to say. “Yeah!” I pulled my phone out of my pocket and scrolled through my messages. “So, I announced I was leaving Spain and the press got a hold of it pretty quickly and within like four hours, I had all these job offers.”

Miguel glanced at my phone, one eyebrow raised. “Impressive.”

“I know, right? I didn’t really expect to get this kind of response!”

“You are a world-famous chef.”

I beamed at him, my cheeks going a little red. I knew it was true. I knew I was good and I knew my talents were worth a lot to a lot of people, but I was raised in a humble family and sometimes I still struggled when it came to taking compliments.

“Thanks!” I sang, pulling up an email.

“I have an interview with this guy tomorrow.”

Miguel took the phone and glanced at it, crossing one leg over the other. “Oh boy. You’re gonna go work for this guy?” “I’m going to go interview with him. Why?”

Miguel chuckled and handed the phone back. “That is Jamison Whittle.”

“Yeah?”

“New York’s biggest playboy millionaire.” He put on a ‘rich guy’ accent and turned his nose up just a little.

“You know him?”

“My firm has done work with some of his businesses. He owns properties all over the world and his toe dipped in several industries. I guess he’s looking to get into the restaurant game now.”

“He has no restaurant experience?”

Miguel shrugged a little and finished off his glass of wine, taking it to the kitchen. He started to put it in the sink but then set it back on the counter, pouring himself a second glass. “I’m not sure. I don’t know him personally, but I think this is going to be the first restaurant with his name on it.”

“Perfect!”

“Perfect?” He asked, settling beside me again. “I would think that would be bad news.”

“Not at all.” I sang, grinning brightly. “If he’s never run a restaurant before, then that means he has no idea what he’s doing, right? It’s like getting a slab of clay thrown in front of you. I’ll get to mold that restaurant into what I want it to be and I won’t have to spend months trying to fix whatever the last manager fucked up.”

Miguel glanced at me and then looked away. “Unless the guy running everything is just as hard headed as you.”

“I’m not hard headed.”

“Right, and the pope isn’t catholic.”

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. “Anyway, if he gives me any push back, I’ll just fight him on it.”

“And he’ll fight right back.”

“You’re being very negative.”

Miguel held his hands up. “Look, I’m not trying to argue with you, I just don’t want you walking into the lion’s den uninformed.”

“Well, thanks for the warning.”

“Plus, he’s a notorious womanizer, so you might want to keep your guard up?”

That was a quick transition. I glanced at Miguel and cocked my head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you’re a pretty girl and he likes pretty girls, so watch out.”

Pretty girl. I’d heard that a lot in my life. My long, jet black hair and olive skin was a gift from my grandmother who was one hundred percent native American. My emerald eyes, however, were from my dad. The stark contrast often caught people off guard. I’d never really had a problem finding lover’s and flings. Men liked my wide hips, ample ass and toned arms. I didn’t really think about my beauty often, though. I wasn’t a vain person.

“I’m pretty good about not falling into the snake pit.”

Miguel chuckled and stood. “I know. If anyone can resist Jami, it’s you. Just be aware.” He stood and offered his hand to help me stand.

Once I was off the couch, Miguel led me to the guest room. It was a light purple and blue themed room with a large bed and en suite bathroom. “Man, this is a nice place. Especially for New York.”

“I got lucky.” He said, tipping his now empty glass my way. “Get some sleep. I’m sure dealing with Jamison is going to be exhausting.”

“I think I’ll be alright.”

Miguel smiled and pushed himself off the door frame. “Well, if anyone can handle him, it’s you.”

I smiled and blew him a kiss before he disappeared down the hallway. I sighed and went to the bathroom, closing the door and turning on the hot water. I’d had a long flight and I was looking forward to finally washing all the travel grime off me.

Right before I stepped into the shower, my phone went off. I glanced at the buzzing device I’d set on the counter and sighed. It was probably an email. I reached out to pick it up, but stopped short when I realized it was my dad texting.

‘U need to come home. Mama is sick.’

I set my lips in a thin line and deleted the text just like I had all the others before it. The text had dampened what was left of my evening, but I tried to ignore it. A part of me felt cruel for never answering, but there was still a burning anger in my belly. I remembered the day I told my mother I was leaving. She’d slapped me across the face and told me to leave and never come back. She’d never visit me in New York and I’d never be allowed back home. I did exactly as she asked and stayed far, far away from Bellefontaine.

I’d seen my father a few times since leaving home, but he’d always come on his own, trying to patch things up between me and my mother, but it never worked. She and I were both stubborn women and neither of us were willing to apologize.

The texts had started coming in about three months ago, but I paid them no mind. My mother had been the one to remove herself from my life and I wasn’t going to apologize for the radio silence. Maybe I should have bit the bullet and just let it go, but there was something in me that hung onto the sadness and anger from that day.

I fell into bed and was asleep before my head hit the pillow. It had been a long day and I had a feeling the next day was going to be even longer.

* * *

Lena

I’d expected to wake up to the urgent sound of my phone’s alarm, but instead I heard the sounds of birds singing and felt the warmth of the sun kiss my face. It wouldn’t have been a nice way to wake up, if I hadn’t had to be awake before the sun came up.

I sat straight up in bed, my long hair a tangled mess, curling around my face. I cursed as I kicked the blankets off and grabbed my phone to check the time. It was 7:30 and my meeting with Jami was at 8. I cursed to myself and jumped out of bed, running to my suitcase and pulling out the only real professional outfit I owned. I worked in a chef’s uniform and when I wasn’t working I could be found in sweaters and leggings.

I wiggled into the fitted black dress and stumbled into the bathroom, hastily applying the bare minimum amount of makeup. The dress as riding up as I ran through Miguel’s living room, grabbing my purse and waving to him as he told me good luck, seemingly confused by my rush.

By the time I got out of the house, it was 7:50 and I still had a thirty- minute train ride. I ran as quickly as I could in heels, stumbling through the crowds and brushing past people who gave me annoyed looks, but I didn’t really care. I had somewhere I needed to be.

When I finally got on the train I slumped into one of the seats and leaned my head back against the window, closing my eyes and panting as I tried to catch my breath. I had a few moments to relax, even though I knew I’d be stressed until I got to my interview. I knew this wasn’t the only job offer I had, but I just didn’t like being late.

I ran a hand through my hair, tapping my foot impatiently until the train came to a stop. I was the first one off and soon I found myself on the streets of the upper east side, looking for a restaurant called “Jamison’s Place”. The name was unoriginal, bland and said a lot about the man who owned it. How could a playboy be so boring and uncreative?

Finally, I turned the corner and laid eyes on the large, three story stone building. The sandstone was beautiful and the architecture had a touch of old New York, even though the building was brand new. The sign looked like something from an Irish pub and my curiosity was piqued. This certainly didn’t look like the postmodern monstrosity I’d been expecting.

I walked inside, checking my watch as I wandered through a tall archway that led into a dimly lit restaurant. 8:30. Shit. Was I really an hour late? I sighed and looked up, taking in the metal tables and industrial décor. This wasn’t what I was expecting, but it was nice.

“You’re late.”

I jumped and spun around when a voice spoke up from behind me. As I turned I came face to face with a tall man with sandy blonde hair and eyes the color of honey. He smirked and stared down at me as I took in his sculpted jaw, solid frame and fitted suit. He was…Perfect. At first I couldn’t speak. His full lips and well tripped beard made my knees weak and I had to clear my throat, to regain my composure. Maybe I should have been concerned with how familiar he seemed with my name, but then again, he had my full resume so it wasn’t all that alarming.

“Ah…Yes. My plane came in very late last night and I fell asleep without setting my alarm. I’m so sorry, Mr. Whittle” It was only a little lie, right?

He nodded and motioned towards one of the booths in the corner. “That’s perfectly fine. And please, call me Jami. Please, sit.”

I nodded and glanced over my shoulder before going to the booth he’d pointed at and settling in. I glanced at him, chewing my lower lip unconsciously as he slid in across from me. “I’ve read a lot about you.”

“Hopefully good things?”

“Only good things. You’re said to be the world’s best up and coming chef.” He had a light accent, though I couldn’t quite place it.

“Well, that was kind of the publication.”

“Luckily it’s a publication I trust.”

I nodded and sat still, glancing around and waiting for the questions to begin. He didn’t say anything, though. He just sat across from me, his meaty, but well-manicured hands threaded together and his eyes focused as if he were in deep thought.

“Are we going to continue with the interview?” I squirmed a little. I was afraid that if I didn’t say anything, neither would he.

“Oh, this isn’t an interview.”

“What?” I sounded more alarmed than I meant to.

“Well, I suppose it is, but I’m not going to ask you questions. Anyone who can read knows you’re a good manager and a good chef. I trust your reputation, but I wanted to taste your food for myself.”

“Oh?” I was intrigued again. I’d never had an interview where I was asked to cook. “And why have you decided to conduct this kind of interview?”

He smirked and leaned forward. “Because I want someone who can make good, southern comfort food.” His accent was stronger now, and I suddenly realized it was the same accent I’d fought so hard to get rid of.

“Comfort food?”

“Sure. This place doesn’t have anything like that. You ever try and get chicken and waffles in New York? It’s impossible.”

I was shocked at the request, but nodded. I could make comfort food. Hell, I’d been cooking it since I was a kid, but I’d never had anyone ask me to do it, especially not since I’d become a professional chef.

“Can you do that?”

“I could do it in my sleep.”

He slapped the table and grinned, standing and offering me his hand. “Let’s get crackin’ then.”

I paused but took his hand, my face heating up when he pressed a tender kiss to the back of it. What was this? Some kind of romantic comedy? I brushed the gesture off as a quirk and followed him back to the kitchen. It was one of the largest I’d ever been in and I couldn’t help but whistle as I walked through the swinging doors.

“This is swanky. You don’t see Southern food restaurants with kitchen like this.”

“If I’m going to bring Southern food to New York, I’m going to do it in a big way. Go big or go home?”

After doing some research about Jami on the train ride, I’d quickly learned that was his mantra. Everything he did big. He owned the biggest properties, the biggest stock shares and the biggest night clubs in New York. If I didn’t know better, I’d assume that he had something to prove.

“Do you have everything I need to make a full country breakfast?” I could see all the utensils, but I wasn’t sure about his food stock.

“I sure do.” He motioned towards the walk-in freezer and fridge and I grinned, ready to start.

It didn’t take much time for me to find everything I needed to make biscuits, gravy, eggs and pancakes. It was probably a bit much, but I wasn’t worried about calorie count. I wanted to show him some of my specialties. Now that I’d met him, I was suddenly very interested in working for Jami. I wondered if it had something to do with his beautiful, golden eyes.

I went to work right away, working with the same skill and finesse that I used when making French or Italian cuisine. My skill was not limited to exotic dishes and I put just as much love and effort into pancakes as I did in beef wellington.

It took me less than an hour to finish the meal from scratch, which should have been impressive since everything from the biscuits to the syrup was made from scratch. I put everything on a plate and turned to present it to Jami, who hadn’t taken his eyes off me through the entire process.

“Very good.” He hummed, taking the plate. He cut off a piece of the pancake and put it in his mouth, groaning softly. “This is heavenly.”

I grinned brightly, opening my mouth to thank him, but before words could come out, he pressed a bite of pancake to my lips. My eyes darted up to his, but I took the offered bite, my body flushing. Somehow, this seemed incredibly intimate.

“Ah…Thank you,” I murmured behind my hand as I chewed the sweet, maple covered treat.

“If all your meals are this good, I don’t see why we can’t work together.”

My heart leapt with joy and a grin pulled at my lips. “Really?!”

He chuckled and nodded, taking a bite of the biscuits. “Really.” He turned and set the plate on the table behind him, stepping forward. “But before you go, I have one last question.” He moved towards me until I was pressed up against the prep table, my hands resting on the metal surface. I laughed nervously, looking away, unable to hold his intense gaze. “And what is that?”

His fingers rested on my jaw and he guided my gaze to his meet his. “I want to take you out.”

“Out?”

“On a date.”

I laughed and put a hand on his chest, slowly pushing him away. “I don’t think so.”

I knew my answer was a lie, but he didn’t have to know that. I could hear Miguel’s warning loud and clear in my mind. I’d just gotten home. The last thing I wanted to do was mix myself up in some kind of whirlwind romance with my boss.

Jami seemed shocked, but stepped back. “You’re saying no?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

He smirked and wrapped his arm around my waist, but I managed to sneak out of his hold. “I could show you this city in ways you’ve never dreamed.”

I snorted and rolled my eyes at the cheesy line. “You’ll have to try harder than that.” Sure, he was my future boss, but if he was going to hit on me like this, I felt like I had a reason to be a little snarky.

He smirked and tucked his hands in his pockets. “Is that a challenge?”

“I suppose it is.”

He shrugged casually and started to walk by me, heading for the doors. He paused beside me, leaning in, his warm breath tickling my ear.

“I accept.”

With that simple declaration, he left me flushed and strangely aroused, only pausing at the door to offer one last comment.

“You start work on Monday. I’ll see you at noon.”

* * *

Jami

I couldn’t get her out of my head. Even as my daily routine went on, I couldn’t get Lena out of my head. She was a beautiful woman with a shapely body and a spark inside of her that ignited me as well. I wanted her badly, but I couldn’t seem desperate. That wasn’t how I did things. Normally, I wasn’t the type to go after women. I didn’t go after them because they flocked to me, but this time I was going to make an exception. Lena was a well-traveled woman with some world experience under her belt. She wouldn’t be as easily swayed as the women I’d courted before her.

Playboy was the word that was often used to describe me, but I didn’t really agree with that term. It sounded slimy and unappealing. I preferred to think of myself as a connoisseur of women. I loved women. I loved having them around, I just didn’t like keeping them around. I was always upfront with the women who came to my bed, but when morning comes around they always seem to forget the conversation and the request that they be gone by breakfast time.

Some are more persistent than others and some are so offended at the fact that I don’t want to give them a ride home, that they stomp off and never come back. I prefer the second type of woman, to be honest. I’m sure they told all their friends about me, but it didn’t stop the flow of women I saw in my life. My money and my charm were too much for them to resist. Hopefully, Lena wouldn’t be any different.

I placed a tooth pick between my lips as I walked through the doors of my towering office building. The marble floor clicked under the worn leather boots I wore every day. Most of my clothes got replaced when it came time to wash them, but it was hard to find a good pair of shoes. I hung onto my shoes until they were literally falling apart at the seams.

I greeted my employees in the hall way, waving and nodding my head politely. Sandy blonde hair fell into my eyes as I approached my secretary. Rachel was one of the only women who’d worked for me that I hadn’t fooled around with. Don’t get me wrong, I’d tried like hell to get her on a date, but she was the first and only woman to ever rebuke my advance completely. It was part of the reason I kept her around as my personal secretary and assistant. There wouldn’t be anything weird in the way of our working relationship.

“Rachel!”

“Mr. Whittle,” she said, tipping her head in my direction, her eyes not leaving the computer screen.

I put my hands flat on her desk and leaned over, grinning brightly. “How many times do I got to ask you to call me Jami.”

She cocked a perfectly sculpted brow and I could see her trying to resist rolling her eyes at me. “You know I prefer to keep our relationship professional.”

I grunted a little and stood back up. “To a fault.”

She shrugged her slender shoulders and went back to typing. God, I loved the way she ignored me. There was something thrilling about it. Powerful women were such a rare find. It was the reason I was so interested in Lena.

“What do I have going on today?”

“You have a meeting at 1:30 with the housing committee, but that’s about it.”

“Gotcha.” I started to walk away, heading for my office.

“Oh, and you ought to know that there’s a woman named Marie waiting for you in your office. She said she knew you, so I thought I should let her in.”

Rachel didn’t agree with my playboy ways and had a habit of retaliating by letting the women I slept with into my office. I think she got a kick out of seeing me try and confront them. She was lucky she was such a damn good secretary.

I groaned but made my way towards the elevator, taking it up to the thirteenth floor. Many people thought it was strange I put my office on such an infamous floor, but I’d done it on purpose. I didn’t believe that some number had a supernatural power over the universe. I’d made my own luck and I believed in that whole heartedly. It only seemed appropriate to flaunt my beliefs by putting my office in the thirteenth floor.

The long stretch of hallway was filled with the sound of muffled voices making deals and making money. It was music to my ears. When I finally reached my office, I could see the outline of a tall, busty woman through the frosted glass. The name Marie sounded familiar, but I couldn’t put a face to it. It was a fairly normal thing for me to not quite remember what my conquests looked like.

I stepped into the office and the woman’s face swung around. Her too-thin brows were pulled together and her bright red lips were twisted into a frown. She stood up, black dress clinging to every curve and line of her body, not leaving much to the imagination.

“Why didn’t you call?” she demanded.

God. Her voice was a little too high and her Brooklyn accent thick. It was like nails on a goddamn chalkboard. I winced and held my hands up, sighing softly. “I don’t call back, babe. We talked about that.”

“Don’t call me ‘babe’! You’re a sack of shit! My friends warned me about you! They told me about how you use women!”

I rolled my eyes and brushed past her, settling in my high back, leather chair. “Don’t start with this bullshit, Marie. You knew what this was. You knew what it was every time you came home with me. You use me just as much. Don’t pretend you don’t like the drinks and dresses I buy you.”

Marie was a returning customer. Now that I saw her face, I knew that I’d been with her at least twice. Both times we’d gone to restaurants outside of her price range and I’d treated her to clothes shopping, explaining to her that these little trysts weren’t signs of affection. They were obligations that I had accepted a long time ago. I wasn’t a total asshole, I wanted to give these women something in return for their time.

“I’m not a fucking hooker!”

“I never said you were!”

She stared at me, her hands balled into fists at her side. “You think you can pay me off with dresses and food! That’s not how relationships work!”

My eyes flashed with anger and I slammed my hands down on the table. “Look here, Marie! I was very straightforward with you! I told you what I wanted and I gave you what you wanted! It was a fucking exchange! I don’t play these dating games and you knew that from the start! You had every chance to walk away and you stayed exactly where you were!”

“I wanted you!”

I leaned back in my chair, my golden eyes narrowed, staring at her in slight disbelief. Did she really think she was going to pull the wool over my eyes? Did she think I was born yesterday? I’d been doing this for a long time and I knew exactly what women like her wanted.

“You wanted money.”

“That’s not true!” She argued, walking over to my chair. She reached out and touched my cheek, her cold fingers running along my unshaven jaw. “I want you, Jami…I want to be with you.”

“What’s my real name, then? What is Jami short for?” She looked confused and just stared at me. “Come on. I told you on our first date and all you’d have to do was a quick internet search if you forgot.”

“Well…It’s a trick question,” she murmured, her face going red. “Jami isn’t short for anything.”

I stood up and grabbed her arm, tugging her towards the door. “I could handle the fact that you’re annoying. I could even handle your disgusting begging, but what I can’t stand is fucking liars.” I opened my office door and pushed her out.

She stood there, shocked and just staring at me. I was angry now. At first, I’d just been annoyed, but now I was pissed off. “Get the fuck out of here, Marie! And don’t every come to my offices again.”

“But—“

“Don’t ‘but’ me! My fucking name is Jamison!” I snapped, slamming the doors closed.

The office was silent for a moment before the muffled dealing resumed. I fell into my chair and put my head in my hands for a moment, taking a deep breath through nose before letting it out through my mouth.

People who knew me always asked why I didn’t date. They asked me why I’d rather just sleep around. I was thirty-two now and most people assumed that I would have settled down by now, but the truth was that I didn’t want to settle down and I had no real intention to. Women like Marie were the reason I didn’t settle down. For some reason, people thought that only men were able to be knaiving assholes, but the truth was that women were just as capable. I didn’t want to end up trapped in a relationship with a woman who couldn’t care less about me.

For a long time, I just sat there, trying to relax and get over the anger rushing through me. I needed to just let it go and continue on with my day, but I was struggling a bit. Encounters like the one I’d had with Marie got under my skin more than I liked to admit.

There was a knock at the door and I lifted my head, grunting softly. “Come in.”

Rachel walked in, a stack of papers in her arms. She set them on the desk and glanced at me. “You look sour.”

“Don’t ever let that woman in this office every again.” I sounded a lot sharper than I meant to sound, but I couldn’t help it. Marie had put me in a bad mood.

“Mmmm…Did she piss you off?”

“Damn right she did. And I mean it, Rachel. If you let her in here again, you and I are going to have some words.”

She held up her hands as if to silently say she understood. That’s one thing I could always count on her for. She made me deal with my shit, even if I didn’t want to, but she always listened when I said enough was enough.

“If she tried to come back on the premises, I will make sure she’s removed.”

“Thank you,” I murmured going through the files. “What are these?”

“It’s the paper work on the cook you hired for your new restaurant.”

“Oh?” Wonderful Maybe it had her home address, not that I was going to do anything sketchy. “Perfect. Would you take down her address and have flowers sent over.”

Rachel looked at me, confused. “Flowers?”

“Yes. I want her to feel welcomed.”

“I don’t think It’s a good idea that you get mixed up with a new employee, Jami.”

I offered her a smile. “I ain’t getting tangled up with anyone. Just send her some flowers, alright?”

She rolled her eyes and took the paper. “When this comes back to bite you in the ass, I’m not cleaning up your mess,” she called as she leaved.

Once she was gone I closed the door and sat back down, glancing at the smiling face on the paper. Lena was gorgeous, and despite Rachel’s loving advice, I wasn’t going to give up until she was in my bed.

After all, it had been a long time since someone put up such a good fight.

* * *

Lena

There was nothing like the smell of freshly brewed coffee in the morning. Especially when it was brewed in your own coffee maker in your own apartment. I’d finally found a place and was eager to get settled into a routine. I’d never really had one before, but I wanted to try and ground myself. I was starting to get tired of running around without any kind of plan.

I settled onto my couch, folding my legs and staring blankly at the TV. It was weird having one of those again. I’d spent a lot of time in countries where the average family didn’t have a TV. Besides, I was often too busy running around exploring to stop and watch TV. Things were going to be different now that I was back in the States.

I sipped at my coffee and picked a book up off my coffee table, thumbing through it and humming softly to myself. Soon I was so engrossed in my reading and had tuned the world out completely. It was just me and my book. So, when my phone suddenly rang I jumped, spilling my coffee all over my lap and book.

“Fuck!” I picked the book up, trying to shake the access coffee off the pages, even though I was only making it worse.

I grabbed my phone and held it to my ear, sounding more annoyed than I meant to. “Yes?”

“Bad time?” It was Miguel.

I sighed and sat the book down on the coffee table, trying to blot the liquid off the pages. “No. The phone ringing surprised me and I spilled coffee all over myself.”

“You okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine. What’s up?” I asked, settling back on the couch after setting my book on the windowsill to dry.

“Well, I think I got some of your mail.”

“Some of my mail? Who the hell is sending me mail? I haven’t been here for a month yet! Are they already trying to send my credit cards? I swear, some people just—“

“It’s not credit cards. It’s flowers.”

That took me by surprise. I hummed softly and cocked a brow, leaning against the wall. “Flowers? Who the hell is sending me flowers?”

“Beats me. Just thought I’d let you know.”

“There’s no name?” I asked, brows furrowing together as I tried to think of who might send my flowers.

“There’s a note, but it just says ‘looking forward to a very long, happy working relationship’.”

“Oh God.”

“What?” he asked.

“They’re from Jami.”

“Why is he sending you flowers?”

I grunted and leaned back against the couch. “Because he’s delusional and he thinks I’m going to go on a date with him or something.”

“Ahhh…Is he trying to butter you up?”

“I guess he is, but it isn’t going to work.”

“Good for you, girl. I’ll just throw these away.”

I struggled to keep my mouth shut when he said that. I didn’t want him to throw them away, if we were being honest. I wanted to see them. No one had ever sent me flowers before. I hadn’t stayed in one place long enough for someone to want to send me flowers. Most of my relationships up until this point had been one night stands. I was over with one night stands. That’s why I was avoiding my new boss at all costs, even if he was gorgeous and just my type.

“Sure.” I said, shrugging and silently hoping it might make me sound disinterested.

“Keep fighting the good fight, Lena. He’s not going to give up until he’s bored or until you say yes.”

“I’m always up for a good fight.”

“Atta girl. I’ll see you later, yeah?”

“Absolutely.”

The line went silent and once I knew he was gone, I groaned softly and ran my hand over my face, shaking my head and sighing. This was not good. I was already starting to feel him tugging at me. I already wanted him. Now, my feelings were far from romantic, but they were physical. I wanted to feel his strong hands on my hips, tangling in my hair as his hand came down on my ass…

My cheeks went red and my eyes widened as the thoughts came into my head. What in the world was I thinking? Why was I suddenly wanting him so badly? I’d managed to push these thoughts away up to this point and now they were coming in strong.

I slammed my book closed and jumped to my feet, walking towards the bathroom. I needed a cold shower…

__________

It was finally opening night and I was ready to do what Jami had hired me to do. I was going to cook some really good food for a bunch of rich people who had no appreciation for the food I was cooking. I’d done that a million times before and it went just as well as it had all the other times. The food we put out was the best damn southern comfort food this town had ever seen, and by the time it was over, I was left feeling tired and satisfied. It was almost as good as sex.

I could have left clean up to my staff, but once the majority of it was done, I sent them home and decided to finish it myself. My fingers were sore and my ankles popped with every step, but I was used to it by now. The kitchen was still hot from all the cooking so I’d taken off my uniform, leaving me in a black tank top and the leggings I always wore underneath for situations like this.

When the door opened, I glanced over my shoulder. The rubbing scuffing sound was loud enough to hear through the entire kitchen.

“Hello? The kitchen is closed!” I called, my hand on a large butcher knife, just in case.

Jami came around the corner and smiled softly, tilting his head to the side. “If it’s closed then why are you still here?”

I put my hands on my hips and smiled, trying to be pleasant. After all, he hadn’t tried anything funny. Maybe I needed to go easier on him.

“Someone has to clean up, don’t they?”

He slid out of his blazer and my cheeks flushed when his strong, muscular arms pulled at the fabric of his shirt, showing off just how toned he was underneath. He rolled his sleeves up his powerful forearms and I cleared my throat, turning away before he could see the blush on my cheeks.

“You alright?” He asked, starting to pick up bowls and other items.

I never expected him to come in here and help me. Rich guys didn’t normally like getting their hands dirty.

“I’m fine.”

I could practically feel his smirk burning into my back as we moved around each other, picking up pans and dishes. We worked together silently, though I could feel his eyes on me. He was being completely transparent and I wasn’t sure how to deal with it, especially because I wanted him just as badly, even though I was holding it back.

When everything was finished, I wiped my hands on the apron around my waist before taking it off and tossing it aside. “I think that’s it, Jami. Thanks for your help. It really— “

As I turned around to thank him, I was silenced when his lips pressed against mine. I would have stumbled back, but I found myself trapped between Jami and the stainless-steel prep table. My fingers curled into fists as I tried to resist the warmth in those lips. He tasted like whiskey and fine cigars. He tasted like what I imagined a cowboy might taste like. He didn’t have the scent of a real estate mogul, he had the scent of a man who’d worked with his hands and dug into the earth. It was absolutely intoxicating.

I finally threw my arms around him, embracing him and scrambling to pull him closer. I couldn’t resist it. Now that it was right here in front of me, I couldn’t resist it. I wanted him so bad I couldn’t deny it anymore. Maybe this would get it out of my system and I could move on with my life. So much for resisting temptation.

He put his strong hands on my waist and lifted me off the ground, settling me on the cold steel prep table. The kiss deepened and I felt his tongue run along my lower lip, silently beckoning me to let it enter. I parted my lips and our tongues met in an eager dance, tangling and struggling for dominance. I finally let him take over, his hands wandering over my barely dressed body.

His thumbs hooked underneath my shirt and he pulled it up, exposing my small, but perky breasts. Calloused thumbs ran over my rosy nipples, eliciting a moan from me. He pulled away from the kiss and grinned up at me, his hand pressed into my lower back. He ducked his head and took one of the nubs into his mouth, suckling eagerly, teeth grazing the tender flesh. I cried out and tangled my fingers into his sandy hair, holding him in place.

Warmth washed over me and every inch of my body came awake. It was like being on fire and I loved every second of it.

“Fuck!” I threw my head back, my toes curling as he pressed his fingers into my thighs, forcing my legs apart. I wasn’t going to fight him, either.

He pushed me back and soon I was staring up at the sterile cooking light, being bathed in the warm light that radiated from it. His hands ran over my body as his lips made their way back to mine. He’d pressed one powerful thigh between my legs, rocking it so it caused the most delicious friction. I whimpered and tugged at his hair, enjoying the way he grunted when I did.

A warm coil of pleasure was forming in my belly and I found myself hoping that we went all the way tonight. I’d spent so much of my time thinking about him lately, and I wanted it to stop. Maybe if I finally got what I wanted, I could push him from my mind and move on with my life. After all, I didn’t want to get mixed up with a guy like him. He’d only break my heart.

He was rocking his thigh faster now, and I could feel the heat rising in my body. I was seconds from wriggling out of my skin-tight leggings when he pulled away, stopping completely. He grinned at me, panting softly. His own face was flushed and his hair was falling into his eyes. Oh, God. What was this? Was he going to tell me to get undressed?

“So how about that date?”

All the heat in my body turned ice cold at those words and I rolled my eyes, finally coming to my senses. I put my hands on his shoulders and gave him a solid push. He stumbled off the table and watched me, his hands tucked into his pockets.

“You’re a damn creep!”

“Huh?”

I spun around and looked at him, my lips twisted into a snarl. I pushed him again and he stumbled back. “I don’t want anything to do with you!”

“Sure, didn’t seem that way a minute ago.”

I could have screamed with frustration but instead I picked up a knife and pointed it at him. “Get out of my kitchen!”

He seemed to realize he fucked up and held his hands up, taking a step forward. “Hey. I didn’t mean to— “

“I said get out!”

He paused and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck before turning and walking out of the kitchen without another word. Once he was gone, I leaned against the prep table and put my head in my hands, letting out a muffled scream.

Now I was going to have to sterilize the damn prep table all over again.

* * *

Jami

I wasn’t the type of guy to apologize often, but when I did, it was because I really fucked something up. Blindsiding Lena was not the best decision I’d ever made, but I was going to try and make it right, if she would let me.

I’d tried sending candies, stuffed animals and all manner of presents to her door, but it turned out I had the wrong address. The man who I’d been sending things to finally called my office and told me he appreciated the gifts, but that I should stop wasting my money.

Once I got off the phone with the man, I realized that it was probably better she didn’t get my gifts. I was quickly discovering that Lena wasn’t the type of woman to be swayed by material things. When I came to that conclusion I was even more eager to take her out, though for the first time in my life, the goal wasn’t to just sleep with her. I wanted to get to know her.

That’s why I showed up early to the restaurant, asking her to meet me for an executive meeting. She seemed hesitant, but agreed. I knew that she doubted me, and she had every right to. I even felt a little guilty about the lie, but I could only hope that the outcome would be good enough to out weight the lie.

I was sitting at one of the empty tables with a bottle of wine and two glasses. Lena came through the door, her white sundress fluttering in the wind, kissing her smooth thighs. She wasn’t wearing any make up and her curls were loose and wild. I was taken aback by her, shocked at the way my heart was beating so quickly.

“Lena.”

“Jami.” She gave me a curt nod and slid into the seat across from me, putting her hands on the table.

I paused and poured us both a glass of wine. “Look…I know I lied to you, but I hope you’ll hear me out.”

She sighed and rolled her eyes. “I’m not stupid, Jami. I know you were lying. I don’t know what you want to talk about, but I know it’s not work.”

I nodded and cleared my throat. “I want to ask you on a date.”

“I already told you no.”

“I know, but I wanted to try again, and this time there’s no funny business.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed. “I don’t believe that for a second. I know all about you, Mr. Playboy. I’m not going to be another notch on your bedpost.”

I held up my hands and sighed. “That’s not why I’m here, alright? I know I have a reputation, but if you dug a little deeper, you’d find out that I don’t chase women.”

She cocked a brow and crossed her arms over her chest. “What are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying that I want to take you out on a date so that I can get to know you better.”

“And you’re being honest?”

“Entirely.”

She snorted a little and leaned back in the booth. “Are you trying to impress me?”

“If you’ll give me the chance,” I said with a grin.

She hummed and tapped her fingers on the table. “And there’s not going to be any funny business?”

“None at all. Everything is on your terms.”

She paused and sighed. “If I agree to go on this date with you, will you leave me alone?”

I couldn’t stop the grin that crossed my features. “Swear it.”

“Alright. We’ll go on a date then.”

“Great! I’ll pick you up later tonight? It’ll give us a chance to get ourselves in order.”

“Sure thing.” She smiled as she stood, walking by me and pausing to put her hand on her hip. “Don’t let me down, yeah?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

I watched her ample behind as she left, grinning brightly. Nothing I’d said was a lie. I still wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to pursue a relationship with Lena. My interest would probably fade, but I knew I need to get to know her. She had wounded herself in my brain and I couldn’t get the thought of her out of my head. Every time I tried to ignore my desire for her, she was right there, forcing me to confront these strange feelings that I hadn’t had since…Well.

My lips pulled into a frown as I thought about what had brought me to this point. There’s a reason for everything and my playboy lifestyle was no different. I cleared my throat and slid out of the seat, ignoring the nagging thoughts that were scratching at the back of my mind. I just shook my head and sighed, walking out of the restaurant. I didn’t want to linger on those thoughts.

Besides, I had a date to plan.

* * *

Lena

Miguel watched as I spun around, the bright red dress fluttering just above my knees. My hair was half up, small tendrils falling in my face and tickling my neck. My lips were painted the same color as my dress, offsetting the black pumps on my feet.

“You look amazing, Lena. I’m surprised you’re so dressed up. I thought this was just to get this guy off you’re back.”

His words hit a chord. I was trying awfully hard for someone I wasn’t really interested in. I waved my hand, dismissing his words. “He’s a rich guy. He’s probably going to take me to a fancy restaurant where the cooks can’t cook half as good as me. I might as well dress up for the occasion, right?”

He cocked a brow and shrugged. “It just seems like you’re setting the poor guy up.”

“Poor guy? Since when are you on his side?”

“I’m not on anyone’s side, love. I’m just pointing out the fact that you might be playing unfairly.”

I turned to face him, hands on my hips “I’m not playing a game. Just because I want to dress up nice doesn’t mean anything. Look, I haven’t been on a date in years and even if this is just a charade, I’m still going to have fun with it. In the meantime, maybe he’s telling the truth. Besides, between you and me, I kind of hope I end up going home with him.”

“What?”

I smiled a little and glanced over my shoulder. “I’m an evolved, sexual woman and I can admit when I’m attracted to a man. I don’t want to get mixed up with him, but maybe if I just sleep with him and get it out of the way, I won’t be so distracted by him.”

“So, even though you told him you aren’t interested in sex, you actually are?”

“Look, I’m a prideful woman. I’ll admit that upfront. I don’t want him thinking he’s won, you know? I just want to go on this date, go back to his place and call it a night.”

Miguel didn’t look convinced, but he also didn’t look like he was going to argue. He held his hands up and shrugged. “Do whatever you want, just don’t get yourself in a mess you can’t get out of.”

The knock at my front door ended the conversation and I grabbed my purse. “Don’t worry about me. Make sure you lock up before you leave.” I’d given him a spare key in case I needed anything.

“Sure thing. Have fun.”

I walked to the door and threw it open, beaming brightly at Jami. He wore a fitted suit without a tie, the first few buttons undone. I had to resist the sigh that was pushing at my lips. He looked amazing. He really did.

“Hey!”

Jami smiled and waved, his long, thick hair pulled back out of his face. “You look nice.”

“So do you.”

He smiled and offered his arm to me and I felt the heat rush back into my face. I put my hand in the crook of his elbow and he guided me down the steps of my apartment complex. He even opened the door of the expensive sports car.

“Aren’t you the gentleman.”

“Mama taught me right. That’s one of the many perks to dating a southern boy.”

“Mmmm. I see.” I settled in the car and waited for him to get inside as well. I glanced at him and smiled. “Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise.”

I was still fairly certain he was going to take me to a fancy restaurant. Wasn’t that the status quo for dates? He’d buy me a nice meal, order a bottle of wine and then take me back to his place. It wasn’t an exciting prospect, but I was alright with it. I just wanted to get through the night so my life could go back to normal. I just wanted to stop thinking about him.

We drove through the loud streets and I took in the multitude of people filing along on the side walk. The mix of culture and influence in New York was part of the reason I was drawn to the city. It was something different, something wild and full of hope. It was the place I’d always dreamed of being. My phone was buzzing in my purse, but I wasn’t going to answer. I already knew who it was. It was my dad and I just didn’t have it in me to deal with it tonight.

“Aren’t you going to answer that?”

“Nah. I’ll take care of it later. I’m on a date right now. Isn’t that kind of rude?”

He smiled and turned his attention back towards the road. “I think you’ll really like where we’re going.”

“Well, I trust you know what you’re doing. I’m sure you’ve taken lots of girls out on dates, hmmm?”

He smirked a little. “Well, I’m not one to brag.”

At least he wasn’t trying to lie. We made small talk until the car rolled to a stop at the opening of a small alley where people had gathered. “What is this?”

“This is little Italy. Haven’t you ever been here?”

“Not really,” I murmured, standing and closing the car door.

Jami tipped the valet and offered me his hand, which I took surprisingly quickly. He pulled me along the alley until we came out on the other side, underneath the neon lights that announced the name of the small alcove. The light radiated down onto us and when I looked around I couldn’t help but smile, watching children run through the streets with sparklers, giggling and squealing with joy.

“What is this?”

“This is the Italian light festival. It’s something a little different. I thought you might enjoy it.” He said with a soft smile.

“Wow, Jami. I didn’t think— “

“You thought I was going to take you to a fancy bar and get you drunk.”

My cheeks went hot and I nodded, smiling a little. He shrugged and squeezed my hand. “That’s alright. Given my current track record with women…I don’t blame you.”

At least he was self-aware. He gave my hand a tug and I followed him into the street. We spent the evening sampling food from various restaurants. The people who spooned pasta onto our plates were dark haired man and women who’d owned their restaurants since they immigrated from Italy. Lively music played in the streets and every hour, on the dot, a flock of paper lanterns were released into the sky. I watched them in wonder, my heart beating faster.

I hadn’t expected a date like this. I hadn’t expected something so wonderful and unique and I certainly hadn’t expected to end up in his arms at the end of the night, build close to his strong body as we swayed together to the sounds of Italian instrumentals.

The cool wind blew through my hair, tickling my shoulders and neck. I looked up at him and smiled, putting my head on his shoulder as we moved in perfect sync. “This is nice.”

“You really think so?”

“Yeah. I’d say you knocked the ball out of the park.”

He chuckled and pressed his hand into my lower back. “I didn’t think a fancy restaurant or bar was a good date for a chef. Besides, you can cook better food than any restaurant I could have taken you to.”

He spun me round and I was grinning when I faced him again. “You know how to butter a girl up, don’t you?”

“It’s one of my many talents.”

Damn this guy was charming as hell. Everything he said and did caught me off guard. I hadn’t expected myself to be so happy to be here. I had expected a lackluster date and instead I got my first taste of culture since being back home.

The veranda was filled with other couples, moving to the sound of the music and I couldn’t help but feel like we were just like them. There was just as much hope and promise in our budding relationship.

As the music ended, Jami pulled away and smiled, nodding towards the inside of the building. I followed him through the ornate structure, brushing past hand painted murals and rich, oak tables. We finally came to the other side of the veranda where a single table sat with a bottle of wine. I crossed my arms and chuckled to myself.

“Mmmm…So you did pull some strings.”

He smiled and pulled one of the chairs out so that I could sit. “Just a few.”

I rolled my eyes playfully but settled in the seat, looking up at him. “This has been really nice. It’s better than I expected.”

“I’m glad I could exceed your expectations.” He poured us both a glass of wine and sat down as well, holding a glass up.

I clinked mine against his before taking a long drink of the sweet, pungent liquid. This was good wine. “So, what is with this whole playboy persona, huh? I mean, when I told Miguel about it, the first thing he told me was to beware of the big bad wolf. He said you were going to try and seduce me and then run off.”

“He wasn’t wrong to warn you. That is my calling card around town.”

“Why?”

He glanced up at me and sighed, sipping his glass. We were both already tipsy from the drinks we’d had earlier in the night and our lips were already loose. I figured now would be the best time to really get to know him.

Jami sighed and leaned back in the wrought iron chair, inspecting the drink in his hand. “Why? That’s a good question,” he mused. He set the glass down and looked at me for a moment. “Because I never wanted to get attached. I didn’t want to end up in a situation where I’d fallen in love with someone only to realize they didn’t want anything other than my money,” he said bitterly.