Kisses From Jack (The Kisses 1.5)

“I have work, but what about drinks after? I’ll tell you all about my trip.”

Ashley beamed. “It’s a date.”

I fought to open the car door, the snow and ice blowing angrily around the heat of the car. I grabbed my bag and lugged it up the front steps, tucking my head like a turtle into the collar of my coat. The keys were freezing in my bare hands, but I opened the door and stepped inside, turning to wave at Ashley. No reporters yet at least.

Ashley waved back and slowly pulled out of the lot and off towards her house once she saw the front door unlock. A huge man in a black suit stood at the entrance to the hallway, but he made no move to stop me or take my picture, so I ignored him. The hall to my door seemed lonelier than usual, but my hands were too cold for me to care. I fumbled with the keys again and pushed open the door to my apartment, ready for a hot shower and some food.

Saltwater Kisses: Chapter 10

“You made good time,” an attractive woman said as I walked in the door. She stood gracefully, a fitted pinstripe suit accenting her tall frame. Her dark hair was pulled back into a tight bun, her stylish square glasses accentuating her jaw line. The door swung on its hinges behind me as I forgot to close it. The suitcase clattered to the floor and I stood there facing at the official looking woman in my living room.

“Who are you? How did you get in here? And what the hell is going on?” I wanted to scream. I wanted to run into my bedroom and lock the door. I was jet lagged and travel weary, and my head was still spinning from the airport; a stranger in my locked apartment was not something I wanted to deal with right now.

“My name is Rachel Weber. I’m Jack Saunders’ personal assistant. Your landlord, Mrs. Jenkins, let me in. She was very nice, though very eager to tell me she would call the police if there was any trouble. What ‘the hell’ is going on is that I am here to bring you to New York.” She said it as though it were all very simple and straightforward. I could feel my jaw hanging open again.

“You work for Jack?” Saying his name seemed to invoke some courage within me.

“Yes. He sent me here to come get you.” Rachel smiled, looking professional and calm. I, on the other hand, felt like a nervous wreck.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand,” I said slowly. Rachel guided me onto the threadbare couch. It looked very drab compared to her nice suit, but I collapsed into the chair anyway.

“Due to the publicity surrounding your ‘wedding’, the Saunders family would like you to come out to New York until the dust has settled. Mr. Saunders sent me to personally escort you.”

“But I can’t go to New York. I have work tomorrow,” I said. Rachel patted my knee gently.

“That has already been taken care of. Your employer was very understanding.”

“But how will I make rent? I can’t go. I don’t have enough saved up and—” Rachel cut off my panicked sentence, her voice full of patience.

“You will be compensated for your time. Besides, you are now the wife of a billionaire. I’m afraid this is non-negotiable.”

My mouth hung open for a moment as I took in what she was saying. I was going to have to leave again, but I was going to get to see Jack! A thrill went through me at the idea of seeing him again, followed quickly by a burst of fear. We had said our goodbyes. He had fallen for vacation me and I was now back to regular me.

“Oh. I guess I should go pack then,” I said, standing. I wanted to go into my room and pretend to put things in a suitcase to give myself a moment to think. The world was spinning too qui

ckly and I needed a minute to catch up.

“That won’t be necessary. I have already packed your bags with clothing I deemed appropriate,” Rachel said matter-of-factly. She inclined her head toward a small handbag by the door. It was only about the size of a plastic grocery bag. “The rest of your attire will be purchased for you in New York.”

“I guess that’s one way to avoid baggage fees,” I murmured looking at the small bag. I sat down again, overwhelmed. This was a lot to come back to after a long flight and the way things were looking, I had more travel time in my future. “Are you the secretary that went on vacation with him?” I asked, my brain skipping like a stone on water. I could barely keep two thoughts from running into one another.

Rachel’s dark brows pinched with disgust. “No. That was his secretary, Brandi. I’m his personal assistant.” She made sure to enunciate the words as though there were a very clear difference and that a personal assistant was much more important.

“Oh. Are you sure I have to go to New York?” I asked, suddenly feeling very nervous and tired. As much as I wanted to see Jack again, the idea of New York City was a bit terrifying. I really wanted to sleep for a little bit. This was all happening so fast. Rachel looked at me as though she were waiting for a child to realize that her parent’s decision was final.

“Yes. Here, Mr. Saunders asked me to give this to you. He said he promised you a copy,” Rachel said, handing me an envelope. I opened it carefully to find a 4x6 photograph. It was the wedding photo he had taken on his phone. I looked so happy, and he was so handsome. It was much better than all the tabloid photos. I touched his face and could almost feel his strong arms around me. For a brief moment, the joy of that moment surrounded me. I could do this. I could do this for him. I turned to Rachel and smiled, drawing strength from the photograph.

“When do we leave?”

Thank you for reading the first ten chapters of Saltwater Kisses!

If you enjoyed this part of the story, you might want to read the rest of the story.

Saltwater Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story

When small-town girl Emma LaRue won a vacation to an exclusive tropical island, a last minute cancellation meant she would be going by herself. Shy and studious, she never had time to fall in love, and often wondered if she was just meant to be alone. However, that all changed when a handsome stranger literally walked into her life while on the beach and sparks began to fly.

New York's most eligible billionaire bachelor Jack Saunders thought this vacation would be the perfect escape, one last hurrah, before taking full control of his father's company. When an innocent Emma didn't recognize him, he figured that he might get a chance to have a vacation from being rich. He didn't tell her about the cars, the yacht, or the penthouse. All he did was let her fall in love with him.