Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 102479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
“Wonderful.” He smiled. “I think I’ll leave my cell phone in the City for that weekend, so I can be present for a change. I’ve had a busy year so far, and even when I’m home, my head doesn’t always get the message it’s supposed to relax. I owe your mom more than a weekend.”
I smiled at how thoughtful he was. “That sounds amazing.”
He nodded and rose to his feet. “Consider it done then. I’ll let you know about the boat, but bring your swimsuit either way. Now why don’t you get out of here and go enjoy your Friday night in the City? Last time you lived here you weren’t old enough to take advantage of the nightlife.”
Out in the hall, I managed to turn right and head straight for the elevator. But as I waited for the car, footsteps approached and I knew. Without needing to turn around, I had no doubt who it was.
Jagger came to stand next to me. Up close, I could see how tired he looked. His normally bright blue eyes were dimmer and reddened. Stubble peppered his angular jaw, and a piece of wayward hair fell over his eyes. None of it took away from his undeniable attractiveness, though. If anything, it gave him a more genuine and approachable look.
“You look younger when you’re tired,” I said.
“That’s funny because I feel much older, about eighty at the moment.” He rubbed the back of his neck and stretched it right, then left. “I’ve never grown proficient at sleeping on planes.”
The elevator doors in front of us slid open, and Jagger put a hand on the small of my back, steering me inside. I’d observed him with other women in the office. He had impeccable manners, always opened doors and gestured for them to go first, but he didn’t touch them the way he did me. Like always, the contact caused a zap, an electric current that jolted my tired body to life.
He positioned himself behind me in the elevator, close enough that I got a whiff of his sinfully delicious scent, yet shy of actual touching.
“Plans tonight?” he asked.
Remembering what Jack said about him living in the building, I decided to dangle a carrot and see if he’d bite.
“I was thinking about going to the office happy hour—the one at the Copa bar.” I was glad I was facing straight ahead and he couldn’t see my face because my smirk was impossible to contain.
He was quiet for a beat. “I see.”
The doors slid open at my floor. I still had to shut down for the day and grab my purse, so I stepped off. Jagger stayed firmly inside, unmoving. I had no idea what the hell possessed me, but I suddenly got a wild hair and met his eyes. “Maybe I’ll get lucky this time and find someone willing to take care of my little problem.”
Jagger stared at me with an unreadable expression, though the muscle ticcing in his cheek gave me a good idea that he was less than thrilled. I held my breath as the doors slid closed, half expecting him to stop them. When he didn’t, a strange mix of relief and disappointment hit me. I really must be tired because clearly I’d lost my mind, saying what I’d just said to the CEO. Thinking about it, I started to laugh.
At first it was just small chuckles, but eventually it turned into a full-belly cackle that probably made me sound like I’d lost my mind. I kept laughing all the way to my desk and through locking my laptop away and taking out my purse. It was strangely freeing, and I felt a lot better after I’d gotten it out.
Outside on the street, I took a big gulp of the New York City air. I looked around at the people walking in all directions, the bumper-to-bumper cars honking even though there was no room for anyone to move, and realized how much I’d missed the endless energy. The feeling was contagious, and I found myself no longer wanting to go home and dive into my bed. Instead, I headed to the same place I had last week—the Copa.
Maybe this time, I wouldn’t leave alone.
CHAPTER 10
* * *
Sutton
My phone buzzed as I walked up the stairs from the subway, a block away from the Copa. I answered with a smile on my face.
“I know you’re calling at seven PM on a Friday night to make sure I’m not home alone wallowing, and you’ll be happy to know I’m on my way to a bar.”
“Shit,” Miles said. “I guess you saw the post?”
“What post?”
The line went quiet. “Wait, why are you going to a bar instead of going home to wallow?”
“Because it’s a work happy hour and I was invited?” I left off that the bar was the place I’d met Jagger and almost hooked up with him—and also happened to be the building he lived in.