Breathless: In Love With an Alpha Billionaire (Breathless 1)

I went back out to the foyer and wrapped my arms around Jacob’s neck. "I don’t want you to go," I whispered huskily.

"I know, babe, and the last thing I want to do is leave here tonight. Do you see what just your hug has done to me?” I trailed his gaze down to the growing bulge in his slacks.

“Oh my.”

“That’s putting it mildly,” he said as he adjusted his pants. “I don’t want to confuse the kids and have them thinking more than they should right now," he admitted.

I loved the fact that he considered their feelings. I looked down at the floor thinking, but then felt his finger underneath my chin. "Chin up, beautiful. The next time the kids are with their father, I’ll spend the night doing things to you that you’ve never had done before. I promise you that." His lips pressed against mine, and his tongue owned every corner of my mouth. I was his, as his hand slowly inched up my shirt—a sign of what we both wished could take place. After he had his feel, he removed his hand and slowly tugged away from our embrace. "I better go," he whispered.

"Yeah," I said, knowing exactly what heat level we were ascending to, if he kept seducing me. But I couldn’t hide my disappointment, when he turned away from me and walked to his car, no matter how hard I tried.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

JACOB

Going Back to Miami

I boarded my jet headed back to Miami. I had pressing business to handle, but for the entire flight I kept thinking about how much fun I had with Montie Jr. and Montana. I hadn’t laughed that much in quite a long time. Then visions of the way Destiny smiled the other night when I carried her to her bedroom and put on her pajamas assailed my mind. Her pretty, brown face was so peaceful and happy. I could see her in my life forever. I couldn’t wait until the day I could make things official between us. My hope was to keep her that happy for a very long time. I hated putting so many miles between us, but after receiving a call from Brian in accounting, I had to take this trip.

Brian informed me that the twenty-two million dollar bid we placed had been green-lighted by the Department of Defense. I had no doubt the DOD would award us the contract, and we would execute it with top-notch ability. My team of A1 vice presidents could handle it, but I was personally popping into the office to get the ball rolling. I always got my hands dirty when we had developments with over ten million in capital. These projects had to go off without a hitch.

So, I begrudgingly called Destiny to tell her I would be gone at least a week. She said she understood, but I could hear the disappointment in her voice. She wished me luck with the project, and to be frank, that’s all I needed to hear. I planned to have a couple board meetings about the Delaware office’s grand opening, too, while I was in Miami.

"Good morning, Mr. Turner," two of my staff members said as I walked through Turner Enterprises, reminding me how much I thrived off being in the center of the action. After all, Miami was where my family business began, and I was proud to be at the helm. I came from a long lineage of men who garnered the respect I was receiving. I stepped right into the shoes they left me and worked savagely hard to fill them.

"Good morning," I said to Jalisa Jeffers, my Vice President of Operations, when she approached me

in the hallway that led to my office.

"Good morning, sir, and welcome back to Miami. Are we still on for the meeting at nine?"

"Yes, and bring the estimates for the DOD and a printed draft of this month's financials with you. Ask Tom to bring whatever figures you don't have available. He was working on them for me, too," I said. It used to drive them crazy to know that I had two people working on the same task, but now they’re used to me being thorough, and they know I expect the same from them.

"Yes sir. I'll see you in a few," Jalisa said as she walked toward her office.

"Howdy Wanda," I addressed my long-time secretary in the same way my father did during his tenure. Wanda wore a purple jacket with matching pants and shoes. Her hair was in a bun with a purple ribbon tied around it. My father hired her because she brightened up the place all those years ago, and at seventy she still remains vibrant and full of life.

"Why good morning, Mr. Turner! I left some notes for you on your desk. Since you were planning to come in today, I didn’t email them to you. I hope that's okay."

Wanda was used to memos and sticky notes. I had gotten her into the digital world with emails, faxes, and even a little social media, and she complies with my request to be emailed, most of the time.

"That's perfectly fine, Wanda. Thanks." I unlocked my office and went in. The smell of fresh mahogany from my unique, handcrafted desk and bookcase impaled my senses. I flipped the light switch on and stared around the large room that had become my second home. I sat down in my Design Toscano chair behind my desk, and began going through the notes on my desk. One name stood out like a thorn: Justine. She’d left three messages in the past thirty minutes on my office’s voicemail, begging me to call her when I got into the office. When she called again, I buzzed Wanda’s desk.

"Yes sir?"

"How did Justine know I would be here today?" I huffed out, allowing my frustration with my ex to be evident.

"Sir, she called and asked for you early this morning, and I told her you would be in later. You didn’t tell me to screen her calls, so I hope that’s okay."

I looked at my watch. It was only 8:30.

"What time did she call?"

"Eight a.m. on the dot." She paused. "Actually sir, she calls every morning at eight a.m. to see if you are here. Today was just the first day she called that you were scheduled to come in."

“Thanks, Wanda, but from now on I don’t want you to give her any information as to when I’ll be in the office. Just take a message and that’s all.” I hung up the phone and sighed. Not only had Justine been blowing up my cell, she was calling my office every morning.

At one point, I longed for our old friendship to be intact again, but she only wanted to talk about us getting back together as a couple. No matter how many times I told her it wasn’t going to happen, she couldn’t bring herself to believe me. What was it going to take to get it through her head that it was over?