Deny Jake Roma?
Not in a hundred years. I was sure no woman had ever denied this billionaire a single thing he ever wanted.
I clung to him, moaning against his hungry lips.
"Okay." I sighed, allowing him to hold me tight, "Whatever you want."
"Good." He responded, pulling back, his nose pressed to mine, "What I want, is you, Caroline."
"I don't understand." I responded, before I’d even realized I was talking, "Why would you want me?"
I was so plain, so boring, so damaged. How could there be another person in the world who thought that I was what they could want more than anyone else?
Was this a cruel prank or some sort of hazing joke?
A frown crossed my face as Jake's honey brow creased. His thumb grazed across my pouting lips, stroking my cheek.
"None of that, love." He whispered softly, "There will be no more unhappiness for you and I."
I almost laughed at his words.
As though that could possibly be the truth. We'd both suffered so much, we'd both lost so much, and he dared to say that we would face no more unhappiness?
That was almost tempting fate.
He silenced me with another kiss before stepping back once more.
"So where are you insisting on taking me tonight?" I asked, watching as he ran his fingers up and down my arms, goose bumps following the path of his warm palms.
"That's a surprise." He responded smugly, "One that you will just have to wait to discover."
I narrowed my eyes at him dangerously, poking a finger into his chest, "It better be good." I teased, half smile on my lips.
"Oh, it will be." He responded, invading my space to press his mouth to my cheek, "I can assure you of that right now." His voice rumbled into my ear, "It will be very...very good."
A shiver curled through me as he once again released me, "I also have one more surprise for you."
"You do?" I said warily, unsure just what kind of surprises the billionaire would keep up his sleeve.
"Yes, follow me, love." He said primly, opening his office door and guiding me out once more.
Had there been a purpose to taking me there in the first place, or had he only wanted to steal a few more inches of my heart?
Either way, I didn't find myself minding all that much.
Curious eyes of the staff followed after us as we walked down the hall, thankfully in the opposite direction of where Tessa's rage swarmed.
No doubt the entire building was gossiping about us at this point. I tried not to cringe too hard, but the way Jake's fingers danced just above the curve of my ass didn't leave much to the imagination.
He opened a door at the end of the hall, showing me into an office that was small, but larger than the tiny closet I'd previously been in.
"What is this?" I asked curiously, taking in the way the wide windows faced the overlook of the city.
"This is your new office." He responded, placing a plaque with my name on the front of the desk, "For all of your hard work."
I laughed, shaking my head and crossing my arms, "I've only been a here a week…" I responded, "What sorts of hard work could I have gotten done?"
"Those files you so kindly organized had been in disarray for over a year. We badly needed someone diligent and organized enough to both to go through them. This is your award, Caroline." He said, leaning against the cream colored wall behind his head, "Don't you like it?"
"I do." I admitted, running my fingers over the mahogany wood of the desk, "It's lovely. Really."
"I'm glad to hear." He said softly, "You do deserve it, you know."
I shifted away my shy eyes, turning back to the overlook of the city.
"You know we got a call to the office the other day." He said quietly, moving forward to slide his arms around my waist, his voice speaking gently into my ear.
"Oh?" I said, casting a glance his way.
"It was your mother." He held me as i stiffened, softly sighing, "She desperately wanted to make sure you were safe. She's worried, you know. You should call her back."
I didn't say anything, pursing my lips as I memorized the sharp lines of the buildings below us.
Try as I would to ignore his thoughts, he was right.
"I'll leave you alone then, to get settled." He finally spoke, pressing his lips to the back of my head, "But I'll check on you later."
"Of course." I responded, body suddenly cold as his arms left their embrace of me.
I turned around, almost trapping him, almost wanting to feel him against me once more.
He glanced over his shoulder, one hand reaching out to cup my cheek, "And tonight." He said, "Don't forget."
"I won't." I replied, once again shy, pink blush burning its way up my neck to my cheeks.