But I shrank away from him. The heat radiating from his body was intense and I was so tempted to throw my arms around him, to bury myself against his chest and forget what I’d seen, savoring the feel of his arms. But I resisted. There could be no peace, not with this man who had chosen to hurt nameless others. Instead, I held myself as stiff as a board and dodged his lips, that hot flesh branding me on every inch of skin it touched.
“No, Jake, I can’t,” I cried, craning my neck backwards. His arms were like steel bands around me and I was pinned in place, unable to move an inch, my breasts pressed against his massive chest. An unmistakable hardness had begun to rise against my thigh, his hips grinding in small circles against my softness.
“No Jake,” I said more forcefully, struggling against his muscular body, trying to free myself. “I can’t, I can’t,” I pleaded.
“Why?” he growled into my throat. “It’s not like I haven’t seen this show before,” he muttered, finally capturing my lips with his.
The kiss was searing. It was so good that I almost gave in right there, throwing caution to the wind, letting my inhibitions go. His tongue tracing the seam of my lips, covering mine in sweet, hot release, was so compelling that it reminded me why this man was CEO – because he was used to getting his way. And that included business dealings, where difficult, ruthless decisions were made every day.
“I can’t Jake,” I said, finally succeeding in freeing myself, his arms dropping to his sides, a bewildered look on his face. “I can’t,” I said with finality.
“Is it because of your sister?” he asked, giving me a sharp glance, his arms crossed over his muscular chest. “Because I’ve already decided to take care of that. Jenna isn’t worth anything, and I’m breaking it off tonight,” he said dismissively.
“Yes, yes, it’s Jenna,” I said hurriedly, my cheeks flushing, my tone rushed as I desperately clung to the most obvious excuse. “Even if you break up with my sister, I just can’t go through with this,” I said.
“Why not?” he asked forcefully. “Yeah, things have moved fast, but who cares? If I transition from Jenna to you, it doesn’t matter. No one would dare say a thing, and it’s not like we’d have to go public immediately. We could keep our little romance in the background until the time comes.”
That stopped me short. He was willing to break off an engagement for a “little romance”? What the fuck? Suddenly, I was so angry I could barely see straight, the ground physically tilting in front of me until I steadied myself on the back of a chair. Clearly, I had misjudged this man. I’d thought he was the answer for my prayers after years spent celibate, a man who was an emotional, physical and intellectual match for me, but I was wrong. He was a heartless bastard, one who prioritized money and success over everything, and his dalliances with women were clearly insignificant.
“I’m sorry Jake,” I said coldly. “I’ve just realized this isn’t right for me, and it’s not right for you either. Our “little romance,” as you call it, never got off the ground. I can’t tell you what to do with your engagement but I can’t be a part of this three-way twisted love triangle either. And for your information Jenna doesn’t suspect a thing, I haven’t breathed a word to her.”
The storm clouds on his brows were ominous and frightful, but I forced myself to ignore them. However much my heart and body yearned towards him, I couldn’t come clean to a man recently dubbed “Most-Hated Man in the U.S.” by Time Magazine. There was no amount of money, no amount of physical attraction, that could persuade me to cross that line.
“I’m so sorry for taking up your time,” I said stiffly. And turning on my heel, I made my way out of his office.
10
Jake
What the fuck had just happened? I’d figured Tina was coming to Manning for a fresh start. The illicit, but one hundred percent satisfying tryst we’d had in the restroom had cemented my view that she was the perfect girl for me. The way her hips swayed, the way she sashayed off, leaving me to be discovered by a gaggle of old ladies? I loved it. I loved her sassiness, her clear intelligence, and most of all, her bold attitude.
So when Tina called for an appointment, I told my secretary to clear my schedule for a few hours in anticipation of some serious conversation. Not that I expected it to be painful. We just had major items that needed to be addressed. Namely, my engagement to her sister.
Jenna. The name still made me shudder. I was so over her. I was so over the bony blonde that I could barely even bring myself to think about her. But getting rid of Jenna was going to be a huge relief, and grimly I looked forward to breaking off our engagement.