Over a week had gone by in a crazy, manic blur. During the week Jennifer had thrown herself into work, and at the weekend she’d thrown herself into her family. But in between she’d thought of him.
They’d exchanged messages regarding work and she’d asked after his grandmother. And as time had gone on she’d started to doubt what she thought she’d seen in his face, what she thought she’d felt change between them, and her hope had slowly died. Even the ‘x’ had become a distant memory.
It was now launch night and here she was, supposed to be getting ready, but her tummy was in knots. She knew that he would be here soon, that she would see him again, but she didn’t know how to react, how to feel.
She frowned into her bathroom mirror, her unmade-up face staring back at her. She was going to have to do something. The shadows beneath her eyes spoke of sleep deprivation, and her pale and hollow cheeks were the result of her non-existent appetite.
‘It’s not going to make itself look good, you know,’ came Anna’s softly spoken remark through the open doorway, and her smile was one of concern. ‘You want me to help?’
Jennifer ignored her question and tightened the belt on her dressing gown. ‘How long do we have?’
Anna glanced at the mobile in her hand. ‘Taxi’s due in an hour.’
‘Have you heard from Marcus?’
‘Not recently, but he—’ She broke off as her mobile started to ring. ‘Ah—one sec... Hello?’ she said wandering off, phone to her ear.
Jennifer looked back to the mirror and took up her foundation as if on autopilot. She made a start, trying not to think and wondering all the same how things could have changed so much. It was launch night, and it was a huge deal, but she no longer cared enough. Somewhere between falling in love and fearing her love could never be returned, work had lost its shine.
She gritted her teeth against the pang that had become oh, so familiar and forced her hand to do its work, finishing off her make-up with meticulous care. She pulled her hair over her shoulder, threading it into a loose braid that would work well with the black dress she had chosen to wear.
Shrugging off her dressing gown, she hooked it on the back of the bathroom door and took the dress off the hanger alongside it. Dropping it to the floor, she stepped inside the pool of fabric and shimmied it up over her hips, pulling the sleeves up her arms before reaching behind her for the zip.
‘Need a hand?’
Her fingers froze over the clasp, her heart hammering in her chest, her eyes hitting the doorway as she turned to face—
‘Marcus?’
He leant against the doorframe, dressed in his dinner suit, his bow tie hanging limp in a sexy, I-don’t-give-a-fuck kind of way as his rich, dark gaze raked over her and her stomach drew tight, her legs weakening beneath her.
‘Jennifer?’ he said thickly, and the emotive ring to his voice teased the walls around her heart.
The pulse working in his jaw told her he wasn’t as relaxed as his poise suggested.
She searched his face, his eyes, their rich chocolate depths almost wild, and asked, ‘Is everything okay?’
He nodded slowly. ‘Or at least I hope it soon will be.’
She swallowed. What did that mean?
‘The launch is going to be perfect,’ she said, remembering her fingers were still poised over her zip and attempting to fasten it.
‘Let me.’
He closed the distance between them and she started, her already insane pulse tripping out. She had to reach for the sink to stop herself tumbling as she turned around.
‘Steady,’ he said, concern deepening his voice and the heat of his body radiating down her bare back.
He curved his hands around her hips, the heat of his palms forcing a small sound from the base of her throat—Please don’t notice that.
‘Jennifer...’ It was a warning, and instead of taking up the zip he turned her into him, pressing her body against the hardness of his own. ‘You need to start taking better care of yourself.’
His forceful command disturbed the hair atop her head. ‘Yes, Mum!’
‘Look at me.’
She couldn’t raise her eyes from the pulse beating in his neck. She felt his comforting, heady scent wrapping around her. He hooked his fingers beneath her chin and gently coaxed her to obey. She felt her lashes fluttering until she had no choice but to meet his eyes.