Chapter 16

Jessibelle

“Atherton?”

“Yep.” Zach nodded, and I stared at him with my mouth hanging open as I tried to process what he’d just told me.

It had been weeks since the court case, and I was starting to feel good about our relationship, starting to feel as though we’d moved past that awkward stage where I wasn’t quite sure he could contain himself and more into something solidly professional. In fact, he’d thrown himself head-first into figuring out what we were going to do about the case, and I was impressed at the conclusions he’d come to.

He’d drawn a comparison between three of the complaints brought against him by the shareholders. The wording was similar enough—and far removed enough from the kind of language they had used in separate communications—that there seemed to be a common thread between them. We weren’t quite sure what it was yet, but it was certainly there. Now, if we didn’t figure it out, we’d lose the case.

This was the man I’d heard about. It was something I hadn’t been able to shake from the back of my mind. The Zach I’d first met was far removed from the powerful, intelligent, and in-control man everyone had described to me. I liked this Zach a lot better, the Zach who worked his ass off and threw crazy but half-plausible ideas in my direction and stayed up late to read through old case files in the hopes of finding something we could use to win in court. We were on a mission, and I suppose I let the little flutterings in my chest get the best of me once in a while. I hoped he didn’t notice those moments when I looked at him and my heart flipped and my palms grew sweaty. There was just something about a guy who was completely dedicated to getting the truth, to getting justice, that did something to me.

He hadn’t put the moves on me since the limo, and part of me was glad because it meant we could stay focused on the task at hand. Another part of me was sincerely disappointed that he seemed to have gotten over me so easily. Did the sex mean that little to him? Maybe he had a dozen other women at his beck and call, ready to satisfy his needs at will. The thought made my stomach twist. Was I disposable to him when it came to sex? Because our encounters were smoking-hot, the kind of sex even I knew didn’t come around often. Maybe that was what it was like with every woman he slept with.

I did my best to keep those thoughts out of my head. They wouldn’t serve me well, and my focus here was to make sure Zach got his company back under his control without interference from his shareholders. We were inching closer with every new discovery. I could feel it, and when he produced the emails showing connections between the three shareholders’ complaints, I knew we were getting somewhere. I just didn’t expect what he’d ask next.

“Atherton? Seriously?” I repeated, the name sounding odd and out-of-place on my tongue.

“Yeah, have you been before?”

He cocked an eyebrow at me, and I shook my head.

“I got a place up there a few years back.”

“I’ve heard it’s amazing,” I remarked, trying to keep my voice steady. I’d heard a hell of a lot more than that over the years. Atherton was the kind of place people like my stepfather spent their entire lives trying to land a house in, the kind of place that seemed specifically constructed to flatter the egos of the people with the money and status to earn their way in. South of the city in a heavily-wooded residential area, it was made up of a handful of luxury estates owned by some of the richest and most famous people in the country. It was news when someone bought a place in Atherton.

“Just the two of us?”

“Just the two of us,” he nodded casually, as though he’d forgotten about what had happened the last time the two of us had spent time together, alone. “I don’t want anyone else poking their noses in on what we’re doing right now. I feel like we’re close, and I don’t need someone blowing it for me at the last minute.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re right,” I muttered, half to myself and half to him. My mind was racing as I tried to figure out just how bad an idea it was and how bad it would look if I turned him down.

I wanted to go. I wasn’t sure I’d ever have a chance to stay in Atherton again, and part of me was curious to see what the hell all the fuss was about. The other part of me—one that was far more pressing—wondered about being alone together so far from the city and everything that tied us to the office would lead to something happening.

But, he’d been keeping me at arm’s length the last few weeks, treating me with nothing but complete professionalism. Maybe nothing would happen. Maybe he was over it and just wanted to get the case handled.

“Sounds like a good idea.” I managed to nod my acquiescence, straightening my back and looking him in the eye as though challenging him to prove something different to me. “I’ll pack tonight.”

“Give me your address, and I’ll come pick you up in the morning,” he suggested.

I texted him the info then glanced down at my watch. “I should probably be getting home. So, I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Bright and early.” He grinned at me, and for a split-second, I remembered what he’d looked like the very first time we’d met. His hair had been long and wild, his eyes sallow and expressionless, his mouth turned down into a practically comical half-moon of sadness. But so much had changed since then. The man standing before me was about as different as could be, and I wondered what other hidden depths he had yet to show me.

I packed that evening and headed to bed for an early night, but ended up lying awake and staring at the ceiling, wondering what the next few days were going to bring. I was jittery and excited in the best way possible, but also kind of panicked that I was going to be alone with him again. I could deal with a few hours in the boardroom here and there, but spending a few days in one of the most beautiful and exclusive towns in the country with him was a whole other deal.

I woke up early and had a cool shower in the hopes of dimming my excitement and keeping my professionalism front and center, though I wasn’t sure it had actually worked. He arrived on time as promised, and I hurried downstairs as soon as I heard him at the front door. I felt like a teenager being picked up for the prom by her crush.

Except most high school boys didn’t have a ride like this one. My jaw dropped when I saw what he was driving. It was a gorgeous sports car, a deep burgundy that gleamed even in this dull morning. The top was down, and his arm draped along the door as he waited for me. I’d expected the limo, but this was so much better.

“Are you ready to go?” He leaped forward, grabbed my bag and slung it into the back seat.

“Whenever you are,” I replied, feeling a flutter in my chest. We both got in the car and soon enough, we were out of the city.

I couldn’t take my eyes off his hands on the wheel. I should’ve been paying attention to what he was talking about, but the way he took control of the car made my heart flutter. I’d never been the kind of girl to get swoony over fancy cars, but I loved the way he took the car up through the hills and around the twists and turns that would take us to Atherton. Heat grew between my legs, and I cursed myself for it. I closed my eyes and let the wind whip through my hair, hoping it would wipe the naughty, unprofessional thoughts from my head. The next few days were going to pose a challenge far bigger than I had first anticipated. For now, I’d enjoy the car ride and the fresh air and not give too much thought to what I wanted to do to the smoking-hot beast sitting next to me.