Chapter 34

Kasey

It all felt like a dream as Kasey stood staring at Jay on legs that felt less than reliable. After his proposal for her to return to Passions Publishing, he’d led her to the balcony of the rooftop restaurant he’d rented out just for the two of them.

The city shined with lights as far as she could see, and Kasey looked around in awe of the effort and money Jay must have spent to prepare such an extravagant evening for her. It was by far the grandest gesture anyone had ever made, but her mind was cloudy with memories after all that had played out between them.

While she longed for his hands to roam her body, she knew he wanted more than she could offer. It had been years since she was in a relationship, and the idea of commitment seemed too much to bear. Kasey was all about her career, but Jay was complicating things by blurring the line between the two. Not only did he want her personally, he wanted Kasey to return to Passions Publishing, again blending business with pleasure.

“I don’t love working for Renee,” Kasey admitted, breaking the silence of the windy night. “But I do love the freedom she provides me. I’m working on my own, for the most part.”

Jay nodded slowly before responding. “Kasey,” he took her hand like he had repeatedly over the course of dinner. “I meant what I said, you can have whatever you want. I wasn’t only referring to the champagne. Name your ideal working scenario and I’ll make it happen. You’re worth the compromise, and I’m speaking from a strictly professional perspective when I say that.”

She tried to read him, but his eyes were too dark, too determined and she could not be sure what his goal was, so she backed away slowly.

“I need time to think about it, Jay,” she whispered.

“Come here,” he wrapped his arms around her before she could answer, and Kasey relaxed her shoulders, breathing deep as his arms draped around her from behind. “Whatever you want.” His words were so warm, and spoken through her hair so that she shivered as the vibrations trickled down her back.

“Would either of you like dessert?” The waiter appeared from nowhere, drawing their attention.

Kasey looked up, over her shoulder, and Jay returned her gaze. “I think we’re fine,” he answered for them, resting his chin on the top of her head as she continued to stare off at the city she loved.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said, before grasping her right hand with his left, and leading her to the elevator.

The elevator ride was as silent as the ride to her townhouse, as Kasey tried to think clearly beneath the spell she was certain Jay had over her. He sat closer on the ride home, and it was welcomed by her.

“Can I walk you to your door?” he asked like a gentleman as his driver pulled to a stop at the end of her driveway.

“Yes,” she answered with a smile before bidding Danny good night. He was a young man she was certain Jay overpaid for a simple service, but she could tell he appreciated the job, and she appreciated his professionalism.

Again, they held hands, and Kasey noticed how familiar it felt to relax within Jay’s touch. She didn’t want to separate when they arrived at her front door, but she knew she needed time to make her way through the labyrinth of thoughts in her mind.

“I had a wonderful evening, Kasey. I look forward to hearing your conclusion after wrestling through your thoughts,” Jay smiled, gripping two handfuls of her hair as he pulled her close, before planting a soft kiss on her cheek.

“Thank you.”

It was all she could manage, and thankfully Jay accepted it as enough, stepping back as he watched her safely enter her townhouse. She glanced over her shoulder, waving her fingers at him before closing the door behind her.

Through the peephole, she watched as Jay ran his fingers through his hair before walking down the few steps and making his way to the Mercedes. She waited until the car drove away before digging into her purse and sending an emergency text to Nicole. She needed her best friend’s ear, and thankfully she responded quickly, promising to be there soon.

By the time Nicole arrived, Kasey had already finished her first glass of wine, and on top of the champagne, that was enough to open the valves of filter-free girl talk.

“It sounds like you had a perfect date,” Nicole said, after hearing about her night out.

“Yeah, but it wasn’t a date,” she reminded her.

“Call it what you want, it was a date.”

“The night ended with a job offer, Nicole. I think that’s a little less than romance,” she scoffed, refilling their glasses with an unsteady hand.

“If I remember correctly, the night ended with a walk to your front door and a kiss goodnight,” Nicole poked her cheek with her index finger as if she was in deep thought.

“A kiss on the cheek.”

“My last job interview had no kissing on any part of my body.”

The two laughed in unison, their bodies leaning in towards each other until their shoulders bumped. Draping her arm around Kasey’s shoulder, Nicole pulled her best friend close.

“You like him, and it’s okay, Kase. He sounds like a good guy. You’ve been pushing people away since that dirt bag in college, but not all guys are cheaters.”

It was an honest, yet scary thing for Kasey to hear. She had written men off after having her heart broken, but she thought it was to protect herself. Work was less stressful than a relationship, or so she thought, so she threw herself into her career to avoid dealing with a man.

The professional aspect of Jay’s proposal was a no brainer. She knew when she left work Friday evening that she could no longer continue working for Renee. It was eating away at her conscience, and she knew she needed a change.

The personal aspect, however, was a bit trickier. Could she be someone’s girlfriend? The thought alone made her uncomfortable. Jay Canton was larger than life, she knew he had to have women flocking over him all day. How long could he really be interested in someone as normal and average as Kasey?

“He’s super hot,” Nicole said, interrupting her thoughts. Kasey glanced down, following her best friend’s attention, to see her iPhone displaying photo after photo of Jay.

“Those don’t even do him justice,” Kasey giggled.

If there was one thing she was certain of, it was that Jay was the most handsome man she’d ever seen. Everything about him seemed effortless, like he was always in control of every situation he encountered. She liked that.

After always being the leader in the relationships she fostered, whether at work or with friends, she enjoyed being around someone who handled things as well, and often better, than she did.

If their dinner was any indication of how Jay was prepared to take care of her, Kasey looked forward to more. No one had ever made her feel as special as she did when she had reached the rooftop of the restaurant, realizing it was all for her.

“I guess I could go back to work for him.” While she wasn’t being completely open with Nicole, she was sharing what she was certain of, which for Kasey was a start.

“Uh, ya think?” That was all Nicole said in response before the best friends giggled like school girls as Nicole held up her phone, displaying a flawless photo of Jay on a red carpet.