But I know I won’t be able to get Jodi off my mind, probably not all weekend. She’s only been gone for a short while, and I miss her already. Her spark is dangerous—it could ignite a fire that spreads rapidly. There’s no telling where this is going to end, but I’m excited to find out.
Chapter 2: Jodi
“How did the interview go?” Millie crosses her fingers hopefully. “Did the guy seem nice? Is the job good?”
“Oh my God, Brock Stanton is everything.” I flop down onto her couch and mock-swoon. “He’s handsome. Honestly, he’s even better in real life than he is in pictures. I fell for him hard.”
“He’s not a blind date. He’s a potential employer! I more mean
about the job anyway.”
Millie laughs as she hands me a steaming mug of coffee. Then she sits opposite me and smiles, but I can see the worry there behind her eyes. She’s scared that this will be another temporary mess that leaves me with no financial security. Little does she know that I kicked ass and I’ve sorted out something epic.
“I know, and not potential. He gave me the job already.”
“He did? That’s incredible news. Oh wow, I’m so happy for you.”
“Yeah, so I’ll be out of your place before you know it. I have a deposit saved up anyway, so it won’t be difficult for me to get a place now that I’ll have a regular income. But thank you for the room. You’ve been a star.”
“It’ll be weird with you gone! I don’t know how I’ll cope.”
“At least we’ll be in the same state again. I’m not going back to New York.”
“Thank God. I wouldn’t be able to relax knowing you’re in the same city as him.”
“You can say his name, you know. It doesn’t bother me as much as it did. I’m away from Thomas King, the asshole I used to work with at the stock market, the guy I went on one date with after my relationship with Harry broke down, and who decided it was a good idea to stalk me when I didn’t want him.”
Maybe I can talk about it with ease now, but it was a dark time. He hacked into my computer, he would leave me a string of psychotic messages, he often broke into my home . . . it was a nightmare. It took me a while to build up enough evidence to get a real case against him too, during which time it took everything I had not to crumble. But even when I got the restraining order against him, it didn’t feel like enough, so I came to Vegas to stay with my high school best friend for a while, just for a break. I didn’t think it’d end up permanent.
“I think it’s time you find a new guy. It’s been a long time since things ended with Lucas.”
“Ah, Lucas. My ill-advised fling when I first arrived in a poor attempt to make myself feel real and alive again. What a mistake that was. Not that he’s a bad person, I suppose. Just very damaged.”
“You both were. That’s why you were attracted to one another. You could relate to one another’s darkness. But anyway, not him. Someone who can unleash something new in you. Something exciting and fresh.”
That’s exactly how Brock feels. He’s got that hot, strong alpha side to him which turns me on immensely. Even thinking about him creates a deep and powerful stirring in my core that needs to be sated. All through the interview, I wanted to grab him, kiss him, hold him, but I didn’t. I may have flirted way more than I should have, but I resisted actually touching him. I’m proud of myself for that.
However, it might be impossible to do it on a day-to-day basis while I’m working with him.
“You aren’t ever short of attention from guys. You should be with someone, you know.”
“I don’t know, Millie. I don’t know if I’m ready for something serious.”
“I’m not saying it has to be serious. Just have some fun. Sometimes fun becomes serious.”
“Yeah, maybe you’re right. I don’t know, though. For now, I just want to focus on getting into my new apartment and starting my new job. Anything else can come afterward.”
“Okay, that’s fair. Do you have your eye on a place?”
“I do actually. Do you want to come and see it with me? I can sign up for it now. There’s still time.”
“Yes! Let’s do it. Then we can go out for drinks afterward. Celebrate.”
“Celebrate you finally getting rid of me? Sounds good.”
“Oh, come on.” Millie pulls me in for a giant bear hug. “I don’t want you gone.”
“Oh, but you do, because your own bit of fun is getting serious, isn’t it? Mike will be moving in soon, I know it, and I’m over the moon for you. He’s a good guy, and he treats you really well.”