The afternoon flew by, as I got lost in my work. Creative thinking was my specialty and I could lose track of everything when really digging into a project. When my phone rang that evening, I jumped in surprise.
“Hello?”
“Hey,” my father voice came through the line. I frowned.
“What do you want?” I asked, glancing at the clock and realizing with a shock that the day was just about over.
“I’ll be in town next month. I’d like to see you.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Come on, J.D. Can’t you just have dinner with us?”
“Us?”
“Trudy and I,” he replied. I assumed that was his wife. I had never bothered to learn her name.
“I’ll pass.”
“Why? Hayden has agreed to come, you can’t be busier than he is, you work together.”
“Oh, rest assured, it’s not because I’m busy.”
“I want to see you. I want to hear about how you’re doing.”
“Then ask Hayden.”
“Don’t you think it’s time you got over the past?” he sounded irritated. Well, too bad.
“You know, this is all very cat’s in the cradle and I don’t have the patience for it. Bye, dad.” I hung up the phone without waiting for his reply.
What a bad end to a good day.
Chapter Five: In the Rain
I parked my car and pulled a compact out of my purse to check my makeup. I tried not to think about the fact that I was wearing slightly more makeup than usual or that I had used the perfume I knew J.D. liked.
That doesn’t mean anything, I told myself as I put the mirror away.
It was when I was zipping my purse shut that a loud bang sounded next to my head, making me jump and let out a scream. Whipping my head around, I was met with J.D.’s laughing face on the other side of my car window.
“Damn it, Justin Daniel!” I shouted as I threw the door open, causing him to leap backwards and out of the way. I had used his full name to annoy him, but he just chuckled and shook his head. “You scared the shit out of me!”
“Really? Gross,” he said, wrinkling his nose. I rolled my eyes and grinned in spite of myself.
“You’re such an ass,” I said, but with no harshness to my voice. I gave him a quick once over. He was wearing weathered jeans, probably bought that way, tennis shoes, and a blue sweater that accentuated his lean build. The man could wear the hell out of a suit, but I preferred him like this. The casual clothing made him seem so much more relaxed and comfortable in his own skin.
“You love it.”
I didn’t respond, just started walking toward the small brick building in front of us. It was a charming little bakery known as The Sweet Stuff.
“What are we doing here?” J.D. asked as we neared the building.
“It’s a party, we have to feed people.”
“And we’re starting with dessert?”
“Of course, we are! You should always start with dessert and build the meal around that,” I said seriously. J.D. stared at me.
“You’re so weird.”
“Thanks,” I quipped.
We entered the bakery and a small bell above the door chimed, announcing our presence. The smell of cinnamon wafted through the air. I inhaled deeply and felt my mouth fill with saliva. Whatever was currently in the oven smelled amazing. Glass cases were set up along the counter to our left, while small wrought iron tables and chairs were arranged to our right. There was an older man seated at one of the tables with a piece of coffee cake and his eyes glued to his newspaper. We were the only other customers.
“Judy! How lovely to see you,” Monica said as she walked out from the kitchen and caught sight of us. She was the sole proprietor of The Sweet Stuff and made all the desserts herself. A woman in her early forties, Monica was as sweet as her desserts and always had a warm greeting for me.
“Hi, Monica. This is my friend J.D.” I gestured to him. As they shook hands I got right down to business. “We’re here to place a big order.”
“Let’s get to it then!” She clapped her hands together briskly and brought out a binder full of dessert options. Catering was a huge part of her business.
Half an hour later, J.D. and I were seated at one of the tables laden with small cake samples. I didn’t hesitate to plunge my fork into a white cake with raspberry filling and buttercream frosting. A small moan escaped my lips as the flavors exploded in my mouth.
“Oh my god, it’s like an orgasm in my mouth.”
“I can’t believe you just said that,” J.D. said, chuckling.
“Try it,” I said, filling my fork once again and holding it out to him. “It’s amazing.”
J.D. leaned forward, wrapping his lips around my fork. His eyes met mine as he started to pull back slowly. The atmosphere inside the bakery, which had been harmlessly comfortable a second ago, now seemed charged with electricity. I couldn’t seem to look away from J.D.’s eyes as he tasted the cake, letting out a low moan of his own.
“It’s good, right?” I asked, my voice soft. J.D. nodded.
“It might be the best I ever had.
I exhaled in a rush. The fire in his eyes gave that statement weight and I didn’t know how to respond. The sudden crinkling sound of a newspaper reminded me of where we were and that there was another customer in the room.
Clearing my throat, I finally broke eye contact. J.D. picked up his own fork and sampled the double chocolate cake. I dove into the spice cake. We needed to get back on track. I wrecked my brain for something innocent to talk about.
“Do you think you’ll ever get married?” I asked him without thinking. I knew the answer was no and that it was definitely not a safe or innocent topic between the two of us. If I wanted a return to the casual air we had been enjoying moments ago, this was certainly not the way to go about it.
“I don’t think I’ll ever have a traditional wedding,” I continued, not giving him a chance to answer. No point in letting things get awkward. “I could see myself as one of those people that say their vows while skydiving or underwater in scuba gear. Something like that.”
“Really?”
“Oh yeah. I want it to be memorable. And I want my reception to be fun. Forget all that formal stuff. I want to split into teams and have a paintball fight!”
“Wow.”
“Too much?”
“No, actually. I think it sounds great.”
“How are we doing over here?” Monica asked, appearing behind us.
“Amazing!” I exclaimed. We had tried all the cake while talking, easily finishing off the delectable samples. “I’m thinking we should go with the chocolate caramel and the raspberry vanilla cake. Is that okay with you?” I asked J.D.
“Perfect. And let’s do cupcakes. It makes serving easier.”
I smiled. He was really getting into this party planning. I was surprised at how interested he seemed in the process. I was sure most guys would be bored stiff.
“You heard the man. Cupcakes it is,” I told Monica. She made notes in her binder.
When we left the shop ten minutes later, it was with full stomachs and smiles on our faces. The day was looking cloudy, but the temperature was comfortable. We walked toward J.D.’s car, deciding to ride together and leave mine behind until later.
“Do you come here often?” he asked, inclining his head toward the bakery.
“That sounds like a bad pick up line,” I giggled.
“You know what I meant.”
“Yeah, I stop in every few weeks at least. Monica is a genius in the kitchen and I have a sweet tooth,” I shrugged. The Sweet Stuff was a hidden gem in downtown San Francisco and I happened upon it by mere chance a couple years ago, right after it opened.
“Where to now?” he asked, opening his car door for me. I slid into the leather seat and relaxed.
“Well, that depends. I have tons of party ideas, but what do you think of setting up a wine tasting for the party?”
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“I think that sounds like something Gigi would love.”
“Right you are. Might be pricey though. I assume money is no object?” I asked him with a raised brow. He just shot me an amused look and started the car. With someone as rich as J.D., money was hardly even a consideration until you got up into the millions.
I directed him to a wine shop on the edge of the city. It was a bit of a drive, but my research had told me this place was the best for events, and they had a great selection. By the time we arrived, it had started to rain.
“Oh, hell. I don’t have an umbrella with me,” I said, peering out the window.
“I have one in the glove compartment. Can you grab it? We’ll have to share.”
Without further ado, we got out of the car and huddled together under the umbrella. I could feel the lines of his firm body pressed against my side and the warmth he was exuding through my clothes.
With quick steps, we hurried to the small cottage that housed the alcohol. It was a rustic-styled, squat building that looked like something you would find in the Italian countryside. It was, in a word, charming.
As we neared the entrance, my eyes were trained on the winery. I didn’t see the rock in my path until was too late. I stepped right on it and lost my balance. It was too unexpected to recover from easily and I started to fall forward. My eyes squeezed shut and I thrust my arms out in front of me, hoping to break my fall.
A strong grip abruptly wrapped around my upper arm and stopped my descent to the ground. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding. J.D. pulled me upright again and steadied me, looking at me with concern. His brown eyes searched my own blue orbs. I didn’t know what he was looking for, but the worry on his face, combined with the relief when he realized that I was okay, made my heart skip a beat.
We were standing so close that I could feel his breath on my face. My gaze flickered down to his lips quickly before returning to his eyes. His tongue darted out to wet his lips and he shifted toward me a fraction of an inch.
Heart racing, I tilted my head slightly and closed my eyes. Slowly, I leaned forward and sensed him doing the same. Our lips were nearly touching when the sound of a door opening reached my ears, sending me crashing back to my senses.
Simultaneously, we stepped away from one another, avoiding eye contact. Clearing my throat, I turned away from J.D., greeting the man waiting in the doorway of the shop.
I tried to act normal after that, but our almost-kiss shook me to the core. I didn’t scare easily, but I wasn’t sure what would happen between us if we went down that road again. I was worried it would ruin our friendship altogether, making me lose him completely. That was a scary thought, but I was starting to get the feeling that it was inevitable.
Chapter Six: Friends and Lovers
I was sitting in my office, staring at my computer screen without really seeing it. My mind was stuck on Judy, despite my best efforts. Ever since we nearly kissed two days ago, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I had an almost insatiable craving for the woman.
It didn’t help that I knew exactly what I was denying myself. We had been lovers for nearly two months, and there were plenty of memories to torture myself with. The ability to close my eyes and conjure her naked form was both a blessing and a curse.
What confused me was the desire to revisit the past. I had never experienced it before. I had tomcatted around plenty in the past. Once I moved on, I never looked back. Could it be just because I still saw Judy on a regular basis? Whatever the reason, she was under my skin.
So, why was I denying myself this? Reestablishing our physical connection would surely scratch the itch.
I knew the answer, of course. Things were more complicated now. When we had been together before, I had barely known her. She had started working as my brother’s assistant and I was attracted to her. It was simple, and uncomplicated; which is how I liked it. Then, I got to know her. Her vivacious personality and caring nature drew me in. That was when I ended it, under the pretense of concern for SXz.
If I were honest with myself, I ended it because I was getting too attached. All relationships end eventually, and I’d never seen myself getting into a long-term one. They had never made logical sense to me. Feelings change over time and I had never had an interest in getting emotionally invested.
After things ended with Judy, we not only stayed in contact, we became good friends. The attraction to her had always been there, but lately it seemed to be on my mind constantly. I needed to be with her again, for my sanity.
Dating was not a good idea, it wasn’t what I wanted. Could we handle casual sex, though? Friends with benefits could be the perfect answer to my problem. I clearly needed to get it all out of my system without worrying about emotional attachment on either end. Yes, it was the logical solution.
Bringing it up could be a problem, though. How does one ask a friend for a roll in the hay?
The phone on my desk beeped and the voice of my assistant came over the speaker. “Mr. Stallworth, Keith Lowry is here for your ten o’clock.”
I leaned back in my chair and rubbed my eyes. I had completely forgotten about that. Man, I was really off my game.
“Send him in, Geri,” I said, locking my computer screen.
The door of my office opened a moment later and Geri led Keith in, holding a cup of coffee in her hands. He took a seat in one of the chairs in front of my desk without waiting for me to offer it, then held his hand out to Geri for the coffee mug. She handed it over with a polite smile.
“Thanks doll,” he said, taking a sip.
“Is there anything else I can get for you, sir?” Geri asked. Despite her young age of 23, she was always the embodiment of professionalism.
“This’ll do just fine,” Keith said, without looking up from his coffee.
“Mr. Stallworth?”
“I’m fine, Geri. Thanks,” I said, and she turned to go. Keith finally looked away from the cup in his hands to watch her walk out the door, his gaze lingering on her ass the whole way. I frowned.
“What can I do for you Keith?” I asked as soon as Geri shut the door behind her.
“Well, for starters, you can tell me where to get one of her,” he said with an easy laugh. “I wish my assistant looked like that.” He shrugged, “At least she’s good in bed. The girl doesn’t have much else going for her”
I tried not to look too revolted at his words. Judy worked for SXz when we slept together, I reminded myself. I didn’t have too much room to judge.
“Geri has a boyfriend,” I said, not knowing how else to respond.
I had met Keith in college but hadn’t seen the man in years. I primarily remembered him as a womanizer that left a trail of broken hearts behind him, having no regard for the feelings of others. I may have slept around quite a bit over the years, but I always laid my cards on the table. I didn’t lead women on and then fled as soon as I got a new notch in my belt. Keith didn’t appear to have changed much at all.
“So, how have you been? This is great, man,” he gestured to the office around us, “SXz, wow. I remember you leaving college to pursue this idea. I’m not gonna lie, I thought you were crazy. And then Hayden followed! What a thing to do.”
I nodded, saying nothing.
“I really thought that you were ruining both your lives, man. And look at you now. Owners of one of the biggest tech companies in the world.”
“Yep.”
“And I’m the schmuck that actually finished with a degree!” he laughed. I was beginning to wonder where this was going.
“I hear you started a nonprofit,” I said, trying to move the conversation along.
“Yeah. I mean,” he once again gestured around the office, “this is great. Really, good for you. But I wanted to give something back. You know, help people.”
“No offense taken,” I said drily.
“Oh, no. I didn’t mean it like that,” Keith said, keeping a winning smile on his face the whole time he spoke. I
felt like I was talking to used car salesman. “We just walked different paths.”
“Yet, here we both are. What can I do for you?” I asked, suspecting that he was going to ask for money.
“I want you to arrange a meeting with the owners of So Good,” he said, smiling so big that I felt like I could see all his teeth.
To say I was surprised would be an understatement. I didn’t see this coming at all. I got hit up all the time by charities and various nonprofit organizations. It came with the territory when your bank account was a certain size. I hadn’t realized my connection to So Good was the reason Keith wanted to meet.
“What do you want with them?” I asked warily. I was feeling defensive of So Good, not wanting Keith anywhere near them. Call it a gut feeling, but I didn’t trust the guy.
“They match people with nonprofits. I run one. It’s a match made in heaven.”
I hesitated, but I couldn’t deny his logic. So Good was meant to make a difference, to use technology in a way that really mattered. I knew that they were looking to establish more of those connections. After all, they were getting new members every day. The idea was that their clients would have a wide selection of causes to choose from.
“What does your foundation do?” I asked.
“Promotes the arts in the community. We produce plays and music events, sponsor art shows for aspiring artists, that kind of thing.”
“How did you get into that?” I asked. He didn’t seem like the artsy type.
“I come from old money and I had to do something with myself after college. This fit my lifestyle nicely. Besides, women love that crap.”
“How noble of you.”
“Hey, now. I ‘enrich the community through the arts’,” he said, using his fingers to make air quotes as he spoke. “I’m a humanitarian.”
“Indeed,” I replied, leaning back in my chair, considering his request. Judy loved art and it was a smart move for the company. I didn’t have a logical reason to refuse him.
“I’m just asking you send an email to one of the owners,” he said, his smile faltering slightly for the first time since he started talking. “What’s the problem?”
Hard Copy: A Billionaire Second Chance Romance (Tech Titans Book 3) Page 3
