In Love With My Personal Assistant(26)

"So if I understood your hunk boss right, he gave us an open tab," Nicole wet her lips and rubbed her hands together.

"He sure did," Jennifer agreed.

"Well, I've never stepped foot Upstairs before, so let's get this party started!"

They caught the attention of a passing waiter and placed their first  round of cocktails and appetizer orders. They began the evening sharing  an order of stuffed mushrooms with goat cheese and pesto and moved to  grilled chicken skewers and a dish called Scallop Crudo with hazelnuts,  chili, and pea shoots.

Jennifer didn't realize how hungry she had been until the first order  arrived. They devoured their food with old memories, laughs, and new  tales from their unshared lives. Nicole explained how she came to get  her first show on Broadway. It was an unpaid gig she managed by working  two other jobs on the side and rooming with one other actor and two  starving actresses. Together, they pinched pennies and clawed their  dream out of stone to become their reality.

From there, she started receiving first hand invitations to low paying  plays and family dramas, which led to her first big Broadway hit. She  was currently working on her second Broadway show, Aladdin, as an  understudy for Jasmine.

"I can't believe you," Jennifer said, cutting off a portion of the  yellowfin tuna that had just arrived. She dipped it into the grilled  pineapple salsa and placed it in her mouth, pausing to savor the burst  of excitement dancing across her tongue.

"You're really doing it," Jennifer managed after she finished the bite.

Nodding, Nicole grabbed a forkful too. "I am. And what about you? You're still with Mr. Freaking Hot!"

Jennifer laughed, much harder than she thought she should. She was on  her third cocktail. They kept serving them with their orders. The  current one was called something she couldn't remember. All she knew is  that it tasted sweet, spicy, and delicious.

"We should keep our voices down," Jennifer lazily looked about her. She  didn't see James anywhere, but didn't like the idea of him potentially  overhearing their conversation. She wondered if she would see him again  before she made it to her room later that night.

She had her room key in her purse and her briefcase was somewhere …  She  glanced around the small lunge section they occupied and saw the  briefcase resting against the first chair she had sat in. Still safe.  She grinned.

"You didn't see it, girl, but when you took off your jacket, his eyes  were all over you," Nicole nodded quickly, and then paused. "You know  this lounge is hella uppity right? I've heard they won't even let you in  if you're not wearing good enough shoes."

"Good enough shoes?" Jennifer laughed and looked down at her striped  open toe stilettos. Her nails were manicured to perfection. Nicole  looked down at Jennifer's feet as well.

"I think yours are good enough," Nicole commented. They shared a girlish cackle. "I'm serious though. Is he just your boss?"

Jennifer groaned. She didn't want to get into this conversation. She  would have much rather ignored the kiss he gave her, and the fact that  she technically kissed him back. She didn't want to think about that,  how she betrayed Andrew, because that's totally what it was, right? She  cheated-she was a cheater!         

     



 

"Oh my goodness," Nicole covered her mouth and eyed Jennifer carefully.  The awestruck in her tone caused Jennifer to sit straight and finally  meet her friend's eyes.

"Oh my goodness what? Did I drop something on me?" Jennifer glanced down at herself. Still perfect. She sighed out with relief.

"You two have something going on, don't you?" Nicole asked; but, it was really more of a statement.

Blinking repeatedly, Jennifer closed her eyes and shook her head. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

"You totally do. It's written all over you," Nicole gasped and looked  around before she leaned in close and lowered her voice to a decibel  above faint. "Are you two sleeping together?"

"Oh my god no," Jennifer groaned. She rubbed her hands over her face,  and then braced herself to meet Nicole's eyes. She had decided to blow  everything off, but when she met her old friend's dark eyes, her breath  suddenly began to shake and emotion crashed against her ribs.

No, she and James weren't sleeping together, but that was just right  around the corner from how the day was going, wasn't it? With all the  flirting, the smiles and giggles, isn't that what they were working up  towards? And what would happen if that day came and passed?

"Just talk to me," Nicole whispered softly. She touched Jennifer's knee.  "You don't want to burden me, is that it?" She smirked, "Like Amanda?"

"Oh, gawd, Amanda," Jennifer chuckled loosely. Amanda was someone they  had all fallen out of touch with years ago with no regret. That woman  was an emotional viper. She swooped in like a hurricane, destroyed  happiness and good days with her negativity and chaotic problems, and  dissipated into vapor just as quickly with her ever dramatic flares for  attention. Anyone caught in the residual wake was left dazed and  confused.

"Look, you're no Amanda," Nicole comforted. "Just talk to me," she patted Jennifer's knee.

After another deep breath, Jennifer shrugged loosely. "We're not  sleeping together," she said calmly. Nicole eyed her carefully, holding  her gaze steady. After a moment, she looked her over, and then smiled.

"Okay. I believe you. Then what's up? You're into him? I can tell he's definitely in to you."

Jennifer nodded. "Yeah, I know that," she flipped hair over her  shoulders and contemplated dumping the skinny of her situation on her  friend. "The problem is that I just met someone. His name is Andrew-"

"Oh my gosh, your smile!" Nicole grinned and pointed at Jennifer  playfully. She was right, just saying his name made her smile brighter  than anything she had done that evening, even with the excitement of  having seen her friend again after so long.

"Okay, so is this guy Mr. Awesome too?" Nicole asked, reaching for her near empty cocktail glass.

Jennifer wet her lips. She was unable to stop smiling as she thought of  Andrew's strong arms around her waist. She remembered the last kiss he  had given her. He didn't want to leave. That much was evident; and she  didn't want him to go.

"He's Superman," Jennifer said absently.

Nicole laughed. "Seriously?" Her voice had fallen flat with skepticism.

Jennifer leaned towards her friend and giggled. "Seriously. This guy has  a chest harder than granite marble," she paused, "wait, that's two  different things."

"How much have you had to drink?" Nicole teased, "And which is it? Granite or marble?"

Rolling her eyes, Jennifer searched for the straw in her glass with her tongue playfully. "Both. Anyway, the man is gorgeous."

"Does he work with you too?"

The direct question took the smile from Jennifer's voice. She lowered her glass and Nicole only nodded.

"So let me get this straight. You work with two incredibly handsome men that are both into you. Is that right?" Jennifer nodded.

"Alright. You'll have to correct me if I'm wrong on this, but judging by  some of your reactions, there's something going on with both of them.  More than just being into to each other," she marked the end of her  sentence with quotation marks.

Taking a deep breath, Jennifer nodded. "Two weeks ago Andrew joined the  firm as a partner," she sat her cocktail glass down and turned towards  Nicole to get serious. "He's pretty serious about dating me, and I  thought I was about him too, but," she paused and sighed. "I've always  had a thing for James."

"How come you and James never worked out?"         

     



 

Shrugging, Jennifer tousled her hair lazily. "He never showed me that I  was anything more than his assistant." She hesitated, "Well, at least he  didn't until this past Friday where he told me he loved me."

"What?" Nicole's jaw dropped.

Jennifer nodded. "I know right?"

"Wait a minute," Nicole shook her head vehemently, "What?"

Again, Jennifer nodded. "I know right?"

"I'm confused," Nicole stammered. "So how long have you worked for this guy?"

"Five years."

"And you and Andrew are getting together-"

"And he finally tells me he loves me and just a second before I saw you  this evening, he kissed me," the words tumbled out of Jennifer's mouth  like a cascading waterfall. She couldn't stop the truth, or herself from  saying more, so she blurted it all out. "He kissed me, I liked it, and I  kissed him back."





Chapter Fourteen

Sweet Seduction





If anyone had ever gotten the chance to know Jennifer well, they would  have called her a strong, talented individual. She had a good head on  her shoulders and carried herself well.