Ask Me Something (The Something Series Book 2)

by Aubrey Bondurant

  I was afforded a moment of satisfaction in watching Jamie blanch. Uh, yeah, sweetie, Catherine is a big deal, and you could take a cue from her about being humble.

  Jamie attempted to recover. “I, wow, yes, I guess you would. I absolutely love fashion.” She attempted to soften her approach, clearly impressed with Catherine’s title.

  Brian looked at me apologetically and took advantage of the other two women talking to each other. “It was never a bad thing, Sasha. We were talking about you in a pitch and how you’re fearless.”

  Giving him a tight smile, I endeavored to tamp down on the urge to storm out of the restaurant. Pride was a powerful thing, and I willed myself to stay where I was. “I’m not offended. I was merely taken off guard to hear about it from someone I don’t know rather than from someone I’d thought I was close to.”

  The direct hit registered on his face, and he swallowed hard.

  Our eyes were locked with a storm of emotions passing between us, and I didn’t give a damn in that moment if his little girlfriend was part of the audience or not.

  “What is everyone doing for the holidays?” Jamie asked, trying to change the subject.

  Halfway listening while everyone chatted a bit about plans, I was beyond the point of being very good company. Brian’s intense looks toward me weren’t helping the situation and neither was Jamie’s hand, which kept rubbing his thigh as if to remind him who he was going home with tonight.

  The waitress thankfully came along to check on us, which provided the perfect opportunity to get the hell out of here.

  “No more for me. Matter of fact, I need get home and get packed. Early morning flight tomorrow,” I explained.

  Catherine did the same. “I need to head out, too. Nice meeting you, Jamie. Will we see you at the wedding?”

  Damn, I hadn’t considered that possibility. Josh and Haylee were getting married down in Tortola on New Year’s Eve. Catherine, Brian, and I were traveling down as guests. Don’t look alarmed, don’t look annoyed and, whatever you do, don’t look devastated at the thought of him bringing Jamie.

  “Oh, you must mean Josh’s wedding. Talk about last minute and to a twenty-three-year-old. Makes you wonder, don’t you think?” Jamie mused in a conspiratorial tone.

  Before I could say anything, Brian lost his temper. “Actually, we all know and love Haylee, so we don’t wonder at all. In fact, Josh is damn lucky.”

  Jamie appeared taken aback by his response. “I didn’t mean anything by it. And in answer to your question, Catherine, that depends on if Brian invites me as his date. There’s still time, you know.” The last part was said with the first glimpse of vulnerability I’d seen from her all night.

  Averting my eyes from her fingers curled around his bicep, I glanced at my watch.

  “Oh, I thought you were a good friend who went way back with Josh. You weren’t invited?” Catherine threw out casually.

  I’d never witnessed a passive-aggressive comment leave my friend’s lips before, and yet there had been two in the last ten minutes. I was shocked.

  Brian must have felt the same, considering the amused look he shared with her across the table. I wondered if he realized that his friend had pushed the buttons of the nicest woman in this place.

  Jamie managed a strained smile. “It’s been a number of years. Anyhow, I hope you ladies have a good evening and a Merry Christmas.”

  I could’ve hugged the waitress when she delivered the check. “Yes, Merry Christmas. Take care.” Getting up, I attempted to shrug into my coat.

  Brian stood and, before I knew it, was assisting me with it from behind.

  Always the gentleman, I thought, watching him hug Catherine first, kissing her on the cheek and then turn toward me again. To say it was awkward wasn’t even scratching the surface.

  His eyes searched mine, and I looked away, unwilling to address the situation in front of Jamie, who was observing us closely.

  As I pulled out some cash from my purse, his hand touched my wrist, stopping my motion and making me flustered.

  “This is on me, ladies,” he insisted.

  I didn’t bother to argue as that meant I could get out faster. “Thanks, Bri.” I was so frazzled in trying to leave that it took his slight intake of breath for me to realize I’d used a nickname that I hadn’t called him in three years. If I thought for a moment that he hadn’t noticed, the heat in his eyes refuted that possibility.

  I practically tripped over myself to get out of the restaurant and into the night air.

  ***

  Catherine joined me at the curb and didn’t say anything until her car pulled up. “Come on, I’ll drop you by your place.”

  I didn’t protest. At thirty-two years old, I couldn’t believe I was fighting tears over a guy.

  “I take it that was the girl from the text message?” Catherine asked softly, bringing me out of my daze once we were in the backseat.

  “Yeah, it sure was.” I exhaled, staring straight forward. “I’m being stupid.”

  “If it helps, I think he was absolutely stunned she showed up. It was obvious that he didn’t invite her.”

  “I figured as much. It’s not his style, and we’ve sort of had this unspoken agreement that we don’t bring people we’re dating around one another.”

  “So you’ve known each other for almost eight years and neither one of you has ever brought a date around the other?”

  Turning toward her, I shrugged. “I’m not really a relationship kind of girl, and he’s never been serious about anyone that I’m aware of. But considering he’s known Jamie since college, maybe he’s been seeing her for years.” The very thought made me want to throw up.

  “I’m not criticizing your lack of long-term relationships. I’m only mentioning the fact that neither one of you wants the appearance of one. Or even a casual date. Almost like you’re waiting for the other one to make a move. That kind of speaks volumes, don’t you think?”

  Sighing, I realized a good friend to confide in would be nice, and so I came clean. “We, uh, almost slept together three years ago down in Miami. But let’s just say fate intervened, and it didn’t end up happening. After I got promoted last year, I practically patted myself on the back for not crossing that professional line because he became my boss. But when I moved up here to New York, I missed him much more than I ever thought I would. All this time, and I didn’t say anything. Now it’s too late.”

  Catherine shook her head. “Who says? Remember you’re fierce, which means nothing intimidates you. The only reason that twit brought it up was to try to undermine what you do have with Brian. She noticed something from the moment she sat down. It’s one hundred percent certain she came tonight because she knew he was most likely blowing her off for you. Clearly, he’s talked about you enough that she perceived you as a threat. She may have known him longer, but it’s evident who knows him better.”

  I was grateful for her loyalty. “Thanks. I appreciate you taking her down a notch. I get enough shit about my natural tendency to be overly reactive, and you saved me from saying something I shouldn’t have. It was impressive, Catherine.” I cracked a smile at how smooth she’d been.

  She laughed. “It was my pleasure. Believe me, you don’t get to where I am without having to deal with plenty of catty women. And it was good that her little comment about Haylee irritated the crap out of Brian, so there’s that.”

  The car pulled up in front of my building. “Thanks for being supportive and listening. I, uh—” I took a deep breath before I admitted, “I don’t have a lot of female friends. Chalk it up to my RBF or the fact that I forget how nice it is for someone to have my back.” Or maybe being fierce really meant I was too much of a bitch to sustain any real relationships. “Suffice it to say I’m glad we’re friends Catherine.”

  She looked like she might tear up and squeezed my hand. “Me, too. Now go have a nice bath and a Merry Christmas with your family. I’ll see you in a few days, and we’ll spend a nice New Year’
s in paradise.”

  ***

  After entering my apartment, I poured a large glass of wine, took that relaxing bath, and checked my phone way too often. What was I hoping for? A message from Brian telling me that he wasn’t going home with Jamie? God, what I needed was more liquor and my vibrator.

  With two more glasses down and my suitcase packed, I was feeling slightly less anxious and ready for bed. Thinking back to that night in Miami three years ago, I sighed.

  Brian and I had won a major campaign and our flow in the presentation had been amazing. We’d gone out for drinks later that night to celebrate in South Beach. Before we knew it, we were in the middle of a dance floor, hot and heavy. We shortened one another’s names, as if we could be Sash and Bri for the night and thus shed any thoughts of our professional relationship. The sexual attraction over the prior four years had been building up to that moment. We’d gone back to the hotel in the cab with his hand inching up my thigh and had arrived impatient to get naked. He’d promised to meet me in my room in ten minutes and I remembered my eagerness to have him in my bed. And then the worst thing possible had happened. And I’d texted him that we couldn’t.

  My phone rang, interrupting my trip down memory lane. After looking at the caller ID, I tried not to appear anxious and let Brian’s number ring twice. “Hello.”

  “Hey, do you mind telling me what the hell that was about?” his voice came through.

  “Excuse me?” I could hear the sounds of the street on his end and had a sick feeling that he could be leaving Jamie’s place now.

  “The fact that you called me Bri for the first damn time since Miami.”

  My stomach clenched and I fought my irritation. “It wasn’t intentional, and if we are seriously fighting about names, how about the fact that I had to find out from your girlfriend that you and Josh, my boss and the owner of the company, have a nickname for me behind my back?”

  He sighed audibly into the phone. “That was not how it was meant. It was only ever a compliment and it wasn’t done intentionally.”

  “You’re telling me that she meant it as a compliment and let it slip unintentionally tonight?” Unbelievable.

  “No, not Jamie.”

  The sound of her name on his lips made me cringe.

  “I meant that Josh and I didn’t purposely call you that in front of her. It slipped and was in reference to the Allied Airlines pitch four years ago where you were grilled by that jerk. Remember? We said that with one arch of your brow you had him regretting his tone. And for the record, she’s not my girlfriend.”

  I tried not to analyze the relief that hit me with his last sentence. “So where are you that you’re calling me right now?” I hoped my tone was non-accusatory.

  “Getting into a cab.”

  “And leaving Jamie’s place?” The words fell out of my mouth before I could stop them.

  “Would it bother you, if I was?”

  The wine was a hell of a truth serum. “I know I may regret saying this later, but yes.”

  He muttered a curse. “We’ve been down this road. You turned me down. Remember Miami?”

  He was right, we had been. “I know. Look, I’ve practically inhaled an entire bottle of wine tonight which has me all out of sorts and I’m traveling home tomorrow for the holidays which always makes me feel weird. I’m sure by the morning I’ll be back to my senses, and we can return to normal.” The thought made me sad, but I was starting to overthink the situation and become anxious. Normal. I needed the normal routine without thinking about him with another woman.

  Silence greeted that statement.

  “Brian, are you there?”

  “Call down and tell your doorman that I’m coming up. I’ll be there in five minutes.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  I hung up the phone stunned. Brian hadn’t left much room to argue. He was coming over. The thought of this being a potentially bad idea, given our working relationship, was replaced with overwhelming relief that he was on his way to see me instead of spending the night with Jamie. I quickly called down to the doorman.

  Less than five minutes later, he was knocking on my door.

  I opened it feeling my heart rate spike with the sight of him. “Hi,” I breathed.

  “Hi, yourself. Can I come in?”

  “Oh, yeah. Sorry.” I moved out of the way, not realizing I’d been standing there like a deer in the headlights.

  His eyes roamed over me from head to toe.

  I was suddenly self-conscious in my cashmere tank set. “I didn’t have a lot of time to change.” I turned around and quickly fetched a silk robe from my room.

  After I walked back out, tightening the belt, his head shook slowly with a smile tugging at his lips. “Your robe is almost as short,” he pointed out huskily.

  “If you wanted a long fuzzy robe and bunny slippers, you have the wrong girl.” I crossed my arms, feeling defensive.

  He quickly closed the gap between us. “I’d never picture you with the words fuzzy or bunny.” He was standing so close that I could practically feel the chill of the outdoors rolling off his coat.

  “So what happened with Jamie?” I sucked in a breath when his hand cupped my chin and he put his thumb on my bottom lip.

  “Why don’t we run through the scenarios, and you give me your honest reaction to them?” His eyes held an intensity that had my legs trembling. The pad of his thumb rubbed seductively over my lip before sliding to the side of my face.

  “That’s an advertising strategy, not one to use in this situation,” I murmured.

  He shook his head. “Oh, I think we both need to understand your motivation before we can gauge what will or won’t happen next, Sash.”

  Heat flashed through me. He’d abbreviated name like in Miami. “Go on,” I whispered.

  “First scenario is that I went back to Jamie’s place but afterward came here to ensure you’re okay with us as we’ve always been.”

  His voice was hypnotic, and I was completely under the trance until his actual words sunk in. My temper flared. “Maybe you should let go of me if that’s the case.” I didn’t want to picture that scene in the slightest.

  He shook his head. “It isn’t, and you know it.” He moved his other hand up and positioned it at the nape of my neck. He was seducing me one touch at a time. “The second scenario is that I came here to you instead of going home with her.”

  His fingers started massaging the tender muscles in my neck, and I had to bite back the small moan threatening to escape. “I think I like that one better than the first.”

  He smiled, searching my eyes. “The most important question I have for you though is whether you’re interested because you’re being competitive with Jamie or whether it’s because it’s me that you truly want.”

  I tried to move back, offended that he would suggest that idea, but he wasn’t having it. He tightened his grip and brought his hands on either side of my face, meanwhile stepping into me with the fabric of his slacks brushing against my bare legs.

  “No you don’t. It’s a fair question.”

  Hesitating, I thought a moment. “The feeling hit me when I saw the text, not when I met her. I didn’t like the idea of you with anyone. Her showing up only rubbed salt in the wound. If it had been about the competition, then I would have challenged her instead of leaving.”

  I knew that he appreciated my admission when his eyes softened. “I didn’t invite her, but I did make the mistake of telling her I where I was.”

  “But you had every intention of going there tonight after drinks?”

  He let go of me, stepped back and ran a hand through his hair, looking frustrated. “I won’t stand here and apologize for having plans. Did you think over the last few years I haven’t been with anyone else? Or that I would think you haven’t?”

  “That’s not what I meant. I’m being honest about my reaction, but I haven’t figured it out any more than you have. All I know is that the thought of you leaving here to go to her
makes me sick, but I don’t know what to do with that.” I was overthinking it, but with our history and the fact that we were in uncharted territory, I was paralyzed in place.

  He stood there staring at me for the longest time. “What if I told you that I’d rather be here at this moment talking with you then doing anything with her? That I called you for dinner and met you out for drinks because you’ve always been the priority?”

  I let out the breath I’d been holding. “Do you mean that? You two have a longer history than we do.” I hated that fact probably the most.

  “I’m trying very hard right now not to be turned on by your jealousy, Sasha.” He moved close again. “I want us both to be certain, though, before we go down a road from which we can’t return. If she hadn’t shown up tonight, how would the conversation have gone after Catherine left?”

  It was time to put up or shut up. “I’m hoping I would’ve been brave enough to ask you if you ever think about more.”

  His fingers stroked my cheek. “Every fucking day.”

  My lips were so close to his mouth that I could feel his breath with that admission. “Are you going to kiss me?”

  His eyes darkened. “I want to so badly it hurts.”

  “Then what’s stopping you?” Suddenly I didn’t want to think about any repercussions.

  “Things have changed since Miami. There are items we’d have to discuss before we could even consider sleeping together.”

  “I get it. You’re my boss and—”

  “There’s that, but we’d need to come to some sort of agreement on things.”

  “Agreement, huh? What happened to just having sex?” I was both intrigued and amused with this serious side of him.

  “Not that simple, gorgeous. Not with me. You’d have to agree to my rules, and we’d have to establish boundaries.”

  What in the hell was he talking about? This was fun-loving Brian, not some guy who had rules and limitations about sex. “I don’t understand. Are you saying you’d turn me down tonight if I asked you to stay?”

  “It might appear that way, but the last thing I want is a one-night stand with you. I need you to think about if you want to enter into a sexual relationship rather than simply react.”