Claimed: A For Her Novel

by Alexa Riley

  I can’t help feeling happy as I walk to the end of the block and flag down a cab. This stack of folders is going to make Jay’s day. And seeing her happy is the only thing that matters to me.

  Traffic is a fucking nightmare, so of course it takes me almost forty-five minutes to get to the other end of town. By the time I get back, lunch is long over and it’s just over an hour before Jay finishes her day.

  I go to the elevator, unable to wait a second more to give her the files. I reach down and scan the new pass I made for myself after giving Jay mine, and take it straight to the top.

  When the doors open, I see she’s not at her desk, but I can hear her voice in the distance. I place the files on her desk, neatly stacked, and wait a second to see if she’s close to finishing up her conversation.

  “That’s very kind of you, Mr. Spencer, but I’m afraid that wouldn’t be very professional.”

  I hear a deep voice mumble something, and then I hear Jay’s voice become louder.

  “Mr. Spencer, I will be sure to pass on anything you say to Mr. Osbourne, including the lewd comments.”

  I’m around the desk and down the hall so fast I nearly knock Jay over.

  “Jordan.” She says my name like I’m her walking savior come to save her soul. “Mr. Spencer, I’d like you to meet Jordan Chen. He’s head of our technology department and works in security,” she says proudly, and moves to stand beside me. “And he’s a boxing champion and knows seventeen types of illegal punches.”

  I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing, even though this scene is anything but funny.

  The guy in the suit looks me over, and then his face reddens with embarrassment.

  “Yes, of course. Forgive me, Miss Rose. I had a few cocktails while out with the board earlier. I think I’ve overstayed my welcome. If you’ll excuse me...”

  He ducks around me, because I refuse to move even an inch for him, and scurries to the elevator. He darts in, and I hear him hurriedly press the button several times before the doors close and he’s on his way down.

  “Seventeen types of illegal punches?” I ask, looking down at her and thinking she couldn’t be more adorable.

  She shrugs and smiles at me. “It sounded good in my head.” She slips her hand into mine, and I love the feel of her soft, delicate fingers against my callused, rough ones and how easily she took my hand without a thought. “What do I owe you for coming to my rescue?”

  She bats her eyelashes, and I want to pull her to me and kiss her until there’s not a breath left in her lungs.

  “I think I’ll snowball it into the thanks you’re going to give me after you see what I brought you.”

  “More pineapple muffins?” she asks brightly.

  “Even better.”

  We walk around the edge of the desk, and she looks down at the files I laid there.

  “Jordan Middle-Name-I-Don’t-Know Chen, are you kidding me? How did you get this?”

  “It’s Isaiah. And it’s probably better if you don’t ask. But I’m pretty sure that’s all of it. You can look it over and let me know if anything is missing,” I tell her, because I’ll go back and get anything she needs. “I’ll always get you anything you need, little bird.”

  She’s so happy I want to scoop her up in my arms and spin her around the room. But instead I play it cool and touch her cheek.

  “I’ve got to tie up some things before the end of the day. Meet me in the lobby?” she asks.

  “I’ll be the one with the red rose,” I say, winking at her and going over to the elevator.

  “Very funny. I don’t think I could miss you in a sea of people,” she says, and her cheeks turn pink at her own words. Fuck I love when that happens because I know I’m getting to her. Making her fall for me.

  Does she have any idea how fucking hot that is? Her soft sweetness is intoxicating.

  “Later, little bird.”

  The elevator doors close, and I lean back against the wall. After a moment, I look up at the camera and smile, flipping it off. I hope the team got a good look at me launching out of the friend zone.

  Chapter Eight

  Jay

  I stare down at the files with a smile pasted on my face. I can’t believe he got them for me. I open them and try to look everything over but my mind keeps drifting back to Jordan daydreaming. I keep getting lost in my thoughts about him, wondering how this date will go. This isn’t me. Normally I’d be focused but I can’t seem to make myself with all these butterflies dancing in my stomach. I kind of like it though. This is so new to me.

  I get through a few pages before I finally give up. I’ll do it tomorrow when I can think straight. I don’t want to miss something because my mind isn’t focused and one more day isn’t going to kill anything.

  I dig through my desk, trying to find the dark red lipstick someone gave me last year for Christmas in the secret Santa exchange. Reaching all the way back, I lock my hands around the tube and pull it out, happy to see that it wasn’t another pen. I look down at it in my hand and stare at it.

  “I’m going to mess this up,” I mutter to myself. ChapStick or gloss, I can do, but a red like this?

  “Yeah, you are. That’s a lip stain. Let me do it.” I look up to see Skyler standing at my desk, her bag over her shoulder, looking ready to leave.

  “Really?” I ask, standing up and handing it to her. If anyone knows how to do makeup around here, it’s her. Hers always looks flawless, even when she does fun things.

  “Of course,” she says, twisting the capsule open. “Open your mouth a little.” I do as she says, parting my lips. After a couple of quick swipes, she’s finished like it’s the easiest thing in the world. “Color looks good on you.” She closes the lipstick and hands it back to me.

  “Thanks,” I tell her, slipping it into my bag, then throwing my other things in with it and sliding it over my shoulder.

  “You wanna walk down together?”

  “Sure,” I say, turning off my computer. Reaching under my keyboard, I grab the card Jordan gave me and grip it tightly. I’ve been playing with it all day. Or at least, I found myself slipping it through my fingers when I was working.

  “Is that what I think it is?” Skyler squeaks, shaking her head. “God, women who date men in this building get the best freaking perks. Not that I haven’t gotten to reap some of the benefits a few times.” She laughs as we make our way to the elevator. “Swipe that thing. You don’t have to wait for shit.”

  I laugh at how excited she is.

  “I know you have plans tonight. I’m guessing from the lipstick and those heels you were trying to walk around in this morning.” She smiles at me, and I wonder if office gossip is already buzzing and what they might be saying. I like the idea of people knowing Jordan is taken and mine.

  “Did it really look like walking?”

  She laughs. “I was trying to be nice. I’m a size seven, if you don’t want them,” she adds.

  “Top right drawer. They’re all yours.”

  I won’t miss those things, and I know she’ll wear the hell out of them. Even right now, she has on four-inch heels and can run around in them all day.

  “Another perk.”

  The elevator dings, and we both step on. I know she’s right. She and Mallory got moved up to the top floor because Mallory is my boss’s obsession. Skyler got to come along, leaving their small cubicles behind.

  “Anyway, some of us are going out tomorrow night. We do it most Fridays. You should come.”

  I turn to look at her. No one has ever invited me out from work. I know a lot of people go out at the end of the day for drinks, but not one invite has ever landed on my desk. I don’t even think a lot of people like me around here. It’s one of the downsides to being the wall between the boss and the rest of the world. Annoying is the word I hear myself being
called the most. I never thought I cared, but for some reason, in this moment, a trace of wanting to fit in slips through me.

  “Are you sure?” I question. Skyler hasn’t been here long, so maybe she doesn’t know the whispers about me being up here on the top floor. Also, I never have to bother her or Mallory for anything. They take what they do very seriously, and if I do bother them, it’s only to lend a helping hand.

  “Yes. It’ll be fun. Maybe we can talk Mallory into coming. You know, to poke at the boss man. That’s always fun to watch.”

  I should tell her that we shouldn’t poke at him. My job is to make sure he’s poked as little as possible. But I have to admit, watching him chase Mallory around is always entertaining.

  “I mean, we totally wouldn’t intentionally provoke the boss man,” she added, winking at me. Then her eyes go to the elevator camera before coming back to me. “Maybe you should have your new man delete this ride. Just to be safe and all.”

  “He’s not my man,” I toss back, thinking what it would be like if he were.

  We get to the ground floor, and the elevator doors slide open. Straight ahead I see Jordan standing twenty feet from the elevator with a single red rose in his hand.

  “You sure about that?’ I hear Skyler say, but I can’t take my eyes from Jordan. The elevator doors start to close, and Skyler reaches out, stopping them. “This is the part where you go to him.” I hear her whispered laughter as she shakes me from my shock.

  “Sorry,” I mumble as I step off. I don’t know why, but seeing him holding the rose makes this feel like a real date, something I’ve always wanted.

  “Think about the drinks, and have fun,” Skyler says as her goodbye and walks in the direction of the exit. Jordan moves toward me, and we meet in the middle.

  “My rose.” I can hear the excitement in my voice. God, I should be playing it cool, but I’m too happy.

  “Your rose.” He hands it to me. “I took the thorns off, so it should be fine. I would have gotten you more than one, but I know you wanted a carriage ride tonight and I didn’t want you to have to carry them around and worry about them.”

  His words trail off, and I don’t know if he’s nervous or shy, but I can’t focus on what he’s saying. I can’t stop staring at the rose. No one has ever given me flowers before. I look up at him, unsure of what to say. It’s then I realize I’ve never been on a real date. Sure, maybe I’d grab a burger or pizza after studying with someone in college, but that was because everyone was hungry and had no choice when we had a project together.

  I think back to the romance novels I love to read and write and think what would they do. Then it comes to me. I take the rose and break off the stem and try to slide it next to my ear. But the smooth move is screwed up when my glasses get in the way and it flutters to the floor, dropping a few petals along the way.

  “Oh my God, I ruined it!” I try to bend down to pick it up just as Jordan does the same, and our heads knock together. I step back, feeling my face turn red, but Jordan leans down and picks up the rose. “I’m sorry, I thought...”

  My words trail off when Jordan straightens and his hand comes to my breast. My eyes snap down, and I see he’s putting the rose in the little pocket on my blazer.

  “Wait, no—” I jump back from him once again. “I was supposed to take the blazer off!” I start to remove it, but I don’t even get it halfway down my arms before Jordan stops me once again, pulling the small jacket back up my arms. “Maybe I should go back up the elevator and come down so we can start over. Or maybe I should just go. This is all a mess. Everything I—”

  I’m cut off when his lips come down on mine. He softly brushes his mouth against mine but doesn’t deepen the contact. I close my eyes and feel myself start to calm down as I relax into him. Letting everything else melt away as I fall into him. Just enjoying the closeness of him.

  “Do me a favor, little bird. Keep the blazer on. I’m going to have a hard enough time keeping my hands off you as it is,” he says against my lips.

  “She’s not kissing him back, so that’s definitely still in the friend zone.”

  My cheeks warm as I remember we’re in the lobby of our office building. I look over to see three men standing just a little ways away from us. I’ve never really met them, but I know their names are Sheppard, Grant, and McCoy. I try to know everyone who works for Miles.

  Jordan growls, sending a look that could kill their way. They all chuckle, completely unfazed, before walking off.

  “You growled,” I tell him, as if he didn’t know.

  The deadly look drops from his face as he fixes his attention on me again. He finishes placing the red rose in my blazer pocket.

  “I promise you, Jay. This is the best date I’ve ever been on and we haven’t even started. Now come on.” He grabs my hand and pulls me from the building.

  I stop in my tracks when I see what’s parked right outside. A horse-drawn carriage is there, waiting for us. I gasp at how pretty it is. I’ve never seen one like this in Central Park before. The whole thing is completely white, from the carriage to the horses; even the suit the driver has on is a snowy white. Both horses are wearing white feathers on the tops of their head, and I feel my face hurt from how big I’m smiling. I look back to the carriage to see thin rods radiating toward the top, forming a ball around the carriage itself. Lights are wrapped around them, creating Cinderella’s perfect fairy tale.

  “Oh. My. God,” I whisper, stepping closer. Jordan helps me up into it, taking the seat next to me. He pulls a soft white blanket over our laps, and I see a picnic basket under it. “You’re right. This is the best date ever.”

  I look up at him. His face is soft, and I never get why people think he looks scary. I don’t see it. He always looks sweet to me. Handsome.

  I drop my head to his shoulder, and he pulls me closer. “Not that I really had a lot of dates to compare this to. Have you ever done this before?”

  I don’t know what pushes me to ask the question, but sometimes things pop right out of my mouth when I need to know. I ask without thinking, and I’m not sure that’s how you’re supposed to do dating.

  “Well, I’ve never had a girlfriend,” he tells me. I glance back up at him as the carriage begins to move.

  “Isn’t that different? We’re dating.” I don’t know why I want this to be clear. I know dating is more casual. I think people even date multiple people at a time. The idea of Jordan dating someone else makes my stomach turn. But if I was his girlfriend that would mean he was only mine.

  He tenses a little next to me. Maybe I spoke wrong. Maybe he’s thinking I’m pushing to be his girlfriend or something. Moving too fast. But Skyler’s words about him being my man linger in my mind.

  “I don’t mean we have to label this or anything, I was wondering, you know, because—”

  His mouth comes down on mine again, but this time it’s not as soft as before. My body melts into his, and I moan when I feel his tongue trace the seam of my mouth. Just as I open to touch mine to his, he pulls back fast. I want to chase after his mouth and make him put it back on mine.

  “I love how soft you become when I put my mouth on you,” he says.

  His mouth is still close enough that I can feel his breath on my lips, but not close enough that I have the courage to move in and take control. Definitely not after the whole girlfriend comment. My train of thought totally slipped my mind when he kissed me, and I got all flustered.

  “There you go again,” he laughs. I’m so close to him his laugh moves though my body. “Thinking too much. I don’t want you to think I’m moving too fast, Jay. I’m terrified I’m going to scare you off. It’s taken me a while to get you here.”

  “How long has it taken?” I ask, truly puzzled.

  He stares at me for a moment, as if he’s debating his words. “Since the moment I saw you, I wanted you to be mine. And on
ly mine.”

  I smile at him and lay my head back down on his shoulder. I like the sound of that. Because I’ve wanted him just as long.

  Chapter Nine

  Jordan

  I hold Jay close as the horses weave their way through the street and into the park. I’ve planned for us to ride down to the lake and have a picnic dinner.

  But after only a short time, I start to smell it.

  “Oh, that’s pretty strong,” Jay says, covering her nose.

  I laugh it off and try not to let it bother me. “Yeah, nature of the beast, I guess. If you’re going to sit behind horses, I guess you expect it to smell.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure the wind will change once we’re closer in,” she says, smiling at me.

  I go to lean down and kiss her again, unable to control myself. But another waft of horse shit lands between us, and the mood is ruined.

  Jay begins to cough. “God, I think I swallowed some of the smell,” she sputters, her eyes watering.

  “Let me see if there’s a problem.” I try to comfort her as I get up from the bench seat and sit forward, getting the driver’s attention. “Hey, is everything okay?”

  He looks back at me, and I see he’s got a half mask over his mouth and nose. “Sorry, one of the horses is having a bit of a rough go of it,” he says in a thick British accent. “Musta got in something.”

  Just then I can hear the sounds of the horse relieving himself, and I don’t look down to see the aftermath.

  “Just take us straight to the lake,” I say as he picks up the pace.

  Leaning back, I look over at Jay, who still has her hand over her nose. “I’m sorry,” I say, hating that tonight isn’t going perfectly. “Guess our horse has the runs.”

  She starts to laugh, and pretty soon I’m joining in with her. I guess sometimes that’s all you can do.

  We grin and bear it as we get close to the lake, and blessedly, when we get there, the smell is gone. I jump down out of the carriage and hold out my hands, taking Jay by the waist and picking her up. Slowly, I lower her to the ground, letting her rub against my body as I do.