Babysitting a Billionaire #3 - Taking Control(22)

She'd thought that she could have him, at least up until the trial, and then their lives would naturally go different ways. But if he was going to try and delude himself there could be more to this that just sex, then she had no choice.

He was an addiction and the only way to deal with addiction was a clean cut.

So no more sex with Declan.

 …

Jess was wrong. He always got what he wanted.

But she wasn't wrong about everything. In fact she was spot-on with certain things. It was scary how clearly she saw him. It was true he'd never had to think about what he wanted before, because he'd always known exactly what he had to do. Except for that one glitch with Jess, he'd done everything his family had asked of him.

And look what that had gotten him.

He was bored. He admitted it-to himself at least. These days the job was all too easy. There was no challenge. And sometimes he felt as though he would explode if he had to sit through one more meeting.

But with Jess in his life, it didn't seem so bad. Except she was hardly in his life. He hadn't seen her over the weekend, and she hadn't answered his calls. She'd popped in briefly this morning to go over his schedule and then promptly vanished again. She was driving him to distraction.

She made him feel alive as he hadn't felt in years. Since he was eighteen in fact. And he wasn't ready to let that go yet. Was pretty sure he would never be ready. But she was fighting the obvious attraction.

He'd hurt her ten years ago when he'd walked away, but he hadn't realized how much. He'd believed her so young that she would get over it quickly. But she hadn't. A core of bitterness was wrapped around her heart, and she was running scared. He'd seen flashes of fear in her eyes when he'd suggested there might be more between them than sex.




 

 

She didn't trust him, and she didn't want more. Or at least that's what she was no doubt telling herself.

And could he blame her?

Maybe not, but he wasn't letting her go. She'd said it was good to face your fears. So it was time she faced this one.

He picked up his phone and pressed her number.

"What is it?" She sounded annoyed.

"I thought I might come over and we-"

"Sorry, no can do. I'm getting ready to go out."

He went still and his hand tightened on the phone. "Out where?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but I have a date. A date with a 'nice' man."

Keep cool. He was pretty sure this was just her running scared. But scared or not, no way was she running into the arms of another man. "Anyone, I know?"

"I doubt it."

"Give me a name."

She was silent for a few seconds, then he could almost hear her mental shrug. "Harry Cantrell. He's a lawyer."

"Sounds boring. Stand him up, and I'll come over instead. You can introduce me to your vibrator. I've been having these amazing fantasies ever since we had phone sex." That was no lie; just the thought made his cock stand to attention.

"Never going to happen. But maybe Harry would like to meet my vibrator."

He gritted his teeth. "Don't even think about taking him back to your place."

"Or else what?" She didn't wait for an answer just disconnected.

He stared at his phone, while he thought about calling her back. But he had a suspicion she wouldn't pick up and that would piss him off even more. He needed a plan.

Actually though, he did know Harry Cantrell. He'd met him at one of his father's parties and Harry was not "nice." A criminal lawyer, he had a number of his dad's old mates among his clients. Declan actually liked the man and maybe it was his duty to warn him about Jess. And Jess about Harry. Warn them of what he wasn't sure, but he'd come up with something. Because if Jess thought she was playing around with someone else right under his nose, she was mistaken.

It didn't take much digging around to find out where Harry would be that evening. He just hoped-but somehow couldn't quite convince himself-that Jess would be pleased to see him.

 …

As she stepped into the ladies' room, Jess pulled out her cell phone and hit speed dial. Kim picked up straightaway.

"What the hell did you put on that form?" Jess whispered as though she might be overheard.

Kim giggled. "I just described Jake. Why, what's he like?" 

"Maybe not Jake, but he's gorgeous, and he's hot, and I haven't fallen asleep yet."

"That's good. You better let me know how it goes. And if you go to his place, remember-safe sex."

"Ha. And this from the woman who got pregnant the first time Jake touched her."

"Well, I'm obviously in the perfect position to give advice. And if you do go to his place, let me know so-"

"I'm not going to his place. Look I have to go. Talk to you later."

She slipped the phone back in her pocket and returned to the bar. She'd told the truth; Harry was hot, and he was interesting. But disappointingly, she felt absolutely no urge to leap on him and rip his clothes off as she always did when Declan was close. She wanted to want Harry, really she did. But there was no tingly skin, no insistent pulse between her thighs, and her heartbeat remained irritatingly slow and steady. Maybe she just needed to persevere.

She sat down opposite, took a sip of her martini, and smiled brightly. Harry was blond, his hair immaculately cut and his dark eyes held a wicked gleam as they wandered over her. She tried to imagine him in a compromising position, down an alley or in the back of a limo, but the image refused to gel in her brain.

"So tell me, Harry, why does a man like you use a dating site?"

He grinned. "A man like me?"

She studied him for a moment. He really was quite gorgeous. "You're good-looking, have a great job"-she waved a hand around their surroundings-"excellent taste."

"My job takes up most of my time. This is a good way to meet women who want the same things. And what about you? You're beautiful. I'm betting you have no problem getting dates."

She twirled her olive. "Actually, I tend to intimidate most men."

He smiled. "I'm not most men. So tell me what you like to do in your spare time, Jess."

She opened her mouth to answer something romantic and totally untrue, like walking hand in hand in the rain, when ice trickled down her spine and she snapped her lips together. She'd felt the exact same thing when she'd been in the sights of a sniper's rifle in Afghanistan. She stiffened, ready to dive for cover. Then Harry looked at someone over her shoulder. He frowned, then relaxed and smiled in welcome.

"May I join you?"

No.

The word hovered on her tongue.

"Of course," Harry said.

Traitor.

Shifting in her chair, she twisted around so she could see the man standing at her shoulder. He was wearing his usual suit, but his tie was loosened and faint stubble shadowed his jawline. Not so perfect. She liked it, and hated that she liked it. Declan's expression was bland but his eyes held humor, probably at her disgruntled expression. Behind him, Steve shifted from foot to foot, and she gave him a narrowed-eyed glare.

Declan turned and spoke quietly to him. A look of relief flashed across his face and he backed away. Taking a seat beside her and opposite Harry, Declan gave them both a charming smile. "What a coincidence. Do you come here often?"

"No," she snapped.

Harry glanced between the two of them, a small frown forming between his brows. "Do you two know each other?" She could add "not blind" and "not stupid" to Harry's list of accomplishments.

"Actually, Jess is one of my bodyguards." Declan smiled. "Dedicated to preserving my safety at all times."

"I'm off duty," she growled.

"Of course," Harry said. "I heard that you'd been shot. Have they not caught them yet?"

"Not yet. But I'm confident Jess will keep me safe." He shifted his chair a little closer, and Jess gritted her teeth.




 

 

A waitress placed a glass of scotch in front of him, and Jess took the opportunity to order another martini. She had a feeling she'd need it. Sitting back in her seat, she sipped her drink while Harry and Declan chatted about the shooting, the business, his father's birthday party, which apparently Harry had been invited to.

She jumped when Declan's free hand came to rest on her thigh and shot him her dirtiest glance, but left it there, hidden under the table. The hand slid up until it hovered at the top of her thigh and need flashed through her.

A cell phone went off. She jumped as Harry reached into his pocket, pulled out a phone, and read the screen. "I have to take this."

"What a pity," Declan murmured. "I'll look after Jess for you."

Harry cast him an amused glance. "I'm sure you will. I'll be right back," he added to her, and she watched as he strolled out of the bar, phone held to his ear.

Declan squeezed her leg.

"Did you arrange that?" she asked.

"The phone call? No, that was purely good luck."

"But you admit this is no coincidence. And how come you didn't mention you know Harry?"

"I thought I'd surprise you." He shrugged and looked around them. "At least Harry's got some class."

"What are you doing here, Declan?"

"Just passing."

"Yeah, right."

He removed his hand, and turned in his chair so he was facing her. Beneath the amusement, anger flickered in his eyes. "Absolutely nothing is going to happen between you and Harry. So don't pretend otherwise."