“What do you want out of life, Jenna?” I asked gently.
“To be good at my job,” she whispered, smirking slightly.
“What else?” I couldn’t help prying when she finally seemed to have dropped her walls, hopefully letting me in.
“A sweet man who listens,” she murmured, her words drawling slowly. “Who takes care...of me when...I sometimes need...”
Her breathing became soft as she drifted off and her hold on me grew limp. Feeling her let loose completely as we made love was incredible, but as she lost consciousness, trusting me to hold her, every puzzle piece in my overworked brain snapped into place.
Jenna was mine. She was the one.
I could be better for her. There were dozens of ways I could ease up and make room in my life for this amazing woman. She’d help me, as she’d already helped me so much.
There were boundaries I could create between my work and my life, making time for her. I could take her to fancy restaurants, and be her date to any event where she needed to meet people for her work.
The thought of changing for a woman had never crossed my mind before, but she deserved more. I could be her perfect man.
My frantic mind spiralled for at least an hour, holding her gently while I tried to think of everything I wanted to do with my sweet girl. Eventually I matched my breathing to hers, drifting off while clutching her to my heart.
11
_____
Jenna
“Good morning, gorgeous,” a deep voice rumbled from what seemed a mile away. “I love the feel of you against me, baby, but I need my arm back so I can get up. Okay?”
Opening my eyes slowly, there was a close-up view of the chiseled chest I was resting my head on. Pushing myself up, I turned to catch Andrew’s gaze. The dreamy look in his eyes was absolutely touching. Romantic.
From across the room, I heard a phone beep. Quickly rolling me aside, he lunged to grab his pants from the floor. “Hello?”
I sat up, pulling the sheet around me as he spoke to someone that I guessed was probably Terry.
Grabbing my clothes, I snuck into the washroom to freshen up and get dressed. My mind was racing through the events of last night, unable to believe what had actually happened. I’d been trying so hard to get my career started, and I slept with my first solo client? Who was I?
By the time I came out, Andrew was down in the kitchen, looking obscenely sexy in just a pair of black shorts that clung to his tight ass perfectly.
“Did you want some coffee?” he asked.
“No, thanks. I have to drive home to change, then get to work. It’s officially your launch day now, so can I have my phone back?”
In a flash, he had me up against the wall. “Not until you kiss me enough that I can survive without you for a few hours.”
Oh god. I wanted to melt, to give in to him. But the heat between us was instantly chilled by my spine turning to ice. How was I supposed to act normal around him at the event tonight? Andrew seemed totally unable to keep his hands to himself. If he tied me up with ribbon in his office, and made out with me at Saturday’s party, what was he going to do this evening?
There were going to be media people everywhere, and I would have to treat him like a client while I schmoozed everyone. Although I’d been to a few events with Jeremy and other coworkers, and watched them closely, I was going to be on my own this time.
No matter how strong my feelings for Andrew were, I had to put them aside. He was unpredictable. There was no way that I could trust him to act appropriately if I encouraged this sort of behavior.
For a moment, I couldn’t speak as every dark thought crowded my mind.
Andrew leaned in to kiss me, then backed away. “What’s wrong, baby?”
“I’m not your baby,” I choked. “I’m your PR person. You’re my client. This has been amazing, but I know that this is all just…circumstantial.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“I was just in the right place at the right time. You’ve been stressed with all of these details about the launch. I was feeling unsteady about taking on my first big client.”