In Love With My Personal Assistant(24)

Jennifer nodded. "So you fly in helicopters instead." James nodded in reply. His grin grew wider by the second.

"You think that's funny?"

"Amusing," Jennifer replied. "So, what else do you do that I don't know about?"

With a smirk, James ran a hand over his left brow. "There's quite a bit I do when I'm not working that you don't know about."

"So you have a life," Jennifer mused.

"I should hope you have one too," James nodded. His smile fell when he  watched Jennifer's face darken. She broke their contact and looked down,  to her nails. She didn't know why she kept looking at them. They still  looked the same as they did earlier that day. Perhaps it was the glossy  finish of the no-chip paint that kept teasing her eyes for another look.  She ran a thumb over one of her fingernails. Slick and sleek, just as  she imagined chrome would be.

"I used to race my car," Jennifer offered softly. James nodded.

"That I wouldn't have pegged you for."

"A racer?"

"Yeah," James looked over Jennifer casually. "You raced for money?"

"Do you race for anything else?"

"Always the smart ass," James grinned. "I own a vineyard in Virginia. I  go there sometimes to help harvest." He laughed. "Well, I don't really  harvest. I go there to drink the wine." He and Jennifer chortled  together. Their eyes lingered on the other's. If there was one thing the  both of them loved, it was drinking wine. They had done a lot of that  over the past five years. In fact, it James's fault Jennifer came to  crave the taste of finer wines, aged and blended to perfection. He  didn't do cheap wines, so she learned to raise her standards-but like it  was very hard.

"Looks like we're here," James breathed softly, looking past Jennifer's  head through the window. She gripped her purse and looked outside.

"Wow."

"Wait until you see your room."

"I thought we were going to a lounge," Jennifer began.

"We are. Upstairs is located on the roof," James smirked as Jennifer's mouth fell open again.





Chapter Thirteen

All Is Fair in Love and … Lust





Yet James didn't want her to check out her room just yet. They entered  the hotel and 15 minutes later, they were on an elevator to push their  way to the upscale lounge resting 30 stories above Manhattan.

It had a dark, romantic décor to the atmosphere and screamed a place for  lush and wealthy individuals to mix and bond over lowered inhibitions,  soft music, and a breathtaking backdrop. Jennifer had lost the count,  but her breath was gone, again, and she took in the incredible sight  with an open mouth.         

     



 

James gave her a moment, walking behind her leisurely as she toured the  three different seating areas. They chose an outside lounge. In the  distance, the Chrysler building towered, its incredible lights starting  to glow confidently against the darkening skyline as the natural light  slowly bled from the sky.

At a railing, Jennifer glanced over the side, and then around her at the  looming skyscrapers. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in. If  she didn't know any better, she might have believed she were back in  Chicago at the Terrance, minus the smell of Asian cuisine sizzling in  the background.

Attending the auction within the Yankee Stadium was something  incredible. It had only been a fine taste of the luxuries James basked  in, though. He had never shown her anything like this. She couldn't help  but wonder why now? This couldn't all be about business and killing  time.

Jennifer opened her eyes and turned around, expecting to see James  watching her coyly. Instead, there was no one there, just other patrons  enjoying the black leather armchairs. She cleared her throat and looked  around again.

Inside the lounge, she saw James heading towards her with two drinks in  his hand. He stepped outside to join her on the terrace and nodded  towards her, raising a cup majestically in her honor.

As he neared, he extended the crystal glass to her. Jennifer took it in  her hands carefully and turned it about. It was definitely a cocktail,  but nothing like she had ever seen.

"Are you going to try it?" James asked. He sipped on his and savored the taste.

"You realize I've had more alcohol on this trip with you than," she paused, "Well, I've had a lot."

James grinned at her. "It's still not more than that night I had to come  pick you up," he teased. Jennifer's face fell flat and she wrinkled her  nose.

"I'm pretty sure we agreed not to talk about that night," she said softly with furrowed brows.

With a lighthearted shrug, James took a deep breath and stood tall.  "It's been three years, good enough," he took another swig from his  glass. "What happened then anyway?"

Jennifer rolled her eyes and looked away. "I'm pretty sure I'd just been dumped."

James scoffed. "What jerk would dump you?"

Turning, Jennifer looked over James and felt something prickle the  surface of his skin along her neck. It traveled from the base of her  spine and up towards her shoulders. Swallowing, she pressed her lips  together and remained silent. James shrugged again and took another  drink.

"I don't always drink like this, I promise. But this is a signature mix  exclusive to this lounge," he gestured to her glass. "It's called The  Chrysler," he grinned devilishly.

Jennifer lifted the glass to her lips and took a tiny sip. Her eyes  budged with the flavor, a perfect blend of honey, lemon, and other  citrus she couldn't place over the champagne bubbles. James smiled and  nodded.

"This can be your last drink if you want," James offered.

Hesitantly, Jennifer went for another taste. It was longer and deeper.  It didn't sting or burn, but slid, and it fell, molding against her  insides and meshing into all the right parts. Her fingers felt loose and  her body tingled with heat.

"Do you want to order something? I'm really hungry," James pointed to a  set of chairs as he spoke. Jennifer didn't notice her own growling  stomach, but she agreed they could have a snack.

"They only serve small dishes," James informed her as he took a seat and crossed a leg man-style. His ankle rested on his knee.

Jennifer tried to just glance at him, but as she shadows fell from the  smoldering sky, they hit the features of his face in a splendid way. He  was absolutely gorgeous. James finished his drink with another sip and  turned to Jennifer, his expression changed as their eyes met.

"You're staring at me," he said softly.

Jennifer shook her head. "No, I'm not-I wasn't. No."

James chuckled. "Okay. Well, you were looking at me for a really long time."

Blinking, Jennifer nodded. "Maybe, a little bit," she sighed suddenly. "I feel like I don't even know you."

"What?" James laughed. "Of course you know me."

"No," Jennifer's headshake grew stronger. She gestured around them and then tried to form words, but couldn't.

"You mean all the things you didn't know about me?" James asked. Jennifer shrugged.

"Yeah. Maybe," she sat her drink down in front of her. "I mean, I've  just worked for you and I feel like you've had this double life,  sneaking off to Jersey to help youth with sports-"         

     



 

"I haven't done that in years. I just set up the scholarship," James  interjected. "Still," James swallowed, "there's quite a bit that I don't  know about you," he countered. "I didn't know you raced. And where are  you from? Have you always lived in the city?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm from Beloit, Wisconsin. It's on the border  between Illinois. I moved like you. As soon as I was able."

James nodded, and then grew serious. "Why haven't you seen your friend in so long?"

The question startled Jennifer and she began to stutter. "Well, I. You  know, she and I," Jennifer cleared her throat with a forced cough. She  didn't readily try to spit out an answer afterwards, instead, she just  considered the question silently. She could have blamed it on the money,  but the truth is, she had the money. She had the time. She just didn't  because she chose to work instead.

"Well, I guess out of the two of us, I was the one who should have traveled to see her," Jennifer said softly. James nodded.

"Why didn't you?"

Clearing her throat again, Jennifer took a moment to run her hand along  her neck. She had just over half of her cocktail left. Condensation  beaded on the crystal and slid down to the clear glass where it perched,  a stout, long coffee table that connected the small groupings of  outdoor seating.

The air had a nighttime chilling bite to it, but with the sudden rush of  heat to her skin, she didn't feel cool enough. She needed to take off  her jacket, but she didn't move. She just breathed.

"You don't have to answer," James countered.

Lowering her eyes, Jennifer reached for her cup and drank until it was  empty. She avoided looking at James and sat the cup down, and then stood  abruptly.