by Melody Anne
Derek quickly mellowed out as they made the commute home. He knew his cousin meant well and wasn’t trying to get a reaction but it made him think too much about what his intentions really were towards Jasmine. She was the one that got away and he hoped he was strong enough this time around to not let her break him.
He knew he was certainly more mature but he seemed to revert right back to his childhood when he looked into those sea green eyes of hers. She had a way of knocking his feet right out from under him. He’d harden himself back up by the time he returned to the office.
Hell, for that matter, he was only needed there for a few more days, before he could be sure the operation would be overseen by his competent staff. He could monitor the company from his main office and not have to see Jasmine much. That didn’t sound appealing. Damn, he was going to have to put some distance between them.
He decided he’d do that once he got her out of his system for the last time. He needed to take her to bed a couple more times and then he’d lose interest. He always lost interest once the chase was over.
He smiled to himself thinking he’d figured the whole thing out. He wasn’t in love with her still; he was just enjoying the chase.
Jasmine arrived at the school just in time to pick up Jacob. He came running down the hallway and gave her a big hug. She loved the rare moments when he let himself go and allowed her to hold him.
“How was your practice?” she asked him.
“It was really cool, I pinned Timmy in like three seconds,” he muttered excitedly.
“Good job, Little Man. Did you get up and give him a handshake afterwards?”
“Of course Mom,” he said with a roll of his eyes. She loved that she’d taught her son well enough that being polite was second nature to him. She hated when men, or women for that matter, gloated their victories. She’d taught her son having good sportsmanship was just as important as winning the game.
A few of his coaches had told her how impressed they were with him. They’d told her he was unusually respectful of his teammates and his coaches. She’d beamed with pride. She was a typical mother and thought her child could do no wrong but when someone confirmed that she floated on a cloud.
“Timmy asked if I could stay the night on Friday, he has a birthday party and they’re going to Skate World,” he asked her, with excitement pouring out of him.
“I will talk to Timmy’s mom and make sure it’s okay but I don’t see any reason why you can’t.”
“Thanks, Mom, you’re the best,” he said with one of his smiles that transformed his face into looking so much like his father, actually hurting her gut. The older Jacob got, the more he looked like Derek. She prayed they never met, because the resemblance was far too great to be passed aside as a coincidence.
It really didn’t help that Jacob liked his hair cut a certain way now, which was almost the mirror image of Derek’s hair-cut. She shook off her thoughts and ruffled her son’s hair.
They stepped outside and Jacob’s coach approached them. “How are you doing, Jasmine?” he asked.
“I’m good. And how are you, Chuck?”
“I’m doing great. Jacob forgot to grab one of these fliers. We have a tournament on Saturday starting at two,” he said, as he handed her a piece of paper.
“That sounds like fun. Is there anything I can bring?”
“I always know I can count on you,” he said with a laugh. “Would it be too much to ask you to bring a main course for lunch? I have some people bringing drinks and fruit but no one signed up for a main course. You can do sandwiches if you want but I know you like to get all fancy,” he said, with a flirty smile.
She was well known for her creative dishes and that’s most likely why no one else had signed up for the spot.
“You know me well,” she said with a laugh. “Of course, I will make something good. I have to make sure these boys get plenty of nourishment.” She could see he was trying to work up the courage to ask her out again and after her afternoon with Derek she had no desire for that date. She made her excuses and hurried off.
She really liked Chuck. He was a phenomenal coach but she wasn’t attracted to him. It was really too bad because he was such a great guy. She may have to get over herself and go on the date.
“It sounds like you’re going to have a very busy weekend,” she said to Jacob as they drove toward home.
“I know. I can’t wait for the party. Trevor said he was having an ice cream cake,” Jacob said, practically bouncing in his seat.
“Just remember you’re wrestling the next day so if you eat too much junk food you’ll get sick at your meet and throw up all over your opponents.”
“That would be so cool,” he exclaimed. Jasmine shook her head, really not understanding boys sometimes. She realized she had to let some things go.
“Okay, remember I warned you when you’re feeling sick come Saturday morning,” she said with her mom’s knowing grin. Jacob rolled his eyes but remained silent.
They arrived home and she made them both a good dinner and then tossed him a ball in the back yard. She loved when the weather cooperated and she could spend time outdoors with her son. Even though Seattle was a terrific city, sometimes the rain was a bit much.
She needed to save up some funds and take Jacob on a vacation in the winter, to get away from the dark skies. It got to be too much at times and she’d find herself starting to get slightly depressed. That wasn’t fair to Jacob or her.
She tossed the ball with him until they couldn’t see anymore and then finally headed in so he could take a shower and get ready for bed. She was dreading going into the office the next day but she’d do with her head held high.
Chapter Six
Jasmine walked through those doors once again and slowly made her way toward the elevator. She considered taking the stairs, just to delay the inevitable but she didn’t think she’d be able to breathe by the time she hit the twenty-fifth floor.
At least it was Friday. She could make it through one more day. The last couple had been filled with unbelievable sexual tension, for her at least. She didn’t think Derek had thought about their time on his table since he’d pulled up his pants. He barely even looked at her. She was trying to convince herself that was a good thing.
She lectured herself all the way to the top of the building. She could get through one more day. They were down to their last few files and then he’d most likely return to the head office and she could relax.
The bell on the elevator rang, which made her jump. The door’s opened and she walked out like she was on the green mile, walking her final steps to the execution room. She didn’t even bother going into her office. She knew the second she sat down, Derek would buzz her and demand she get to his office.
The strap of her bag slipped down her shoulder and her hands were full of coffee, so she could do nothing about it. She stepped into Derek’s office and sighed. Of course he was there, ahead of her. The man never slept late, or showed up even two minutes past seven in the morning.
She was used to being the first one to work but it was impossible with him around. She couldn’t leave any earlier, since she had to get her son sent off to school. She set the extra coffee cup down in front of him and then took her place in front of the much smaller pile of personnel folders.
“Thanks,” Derek muttered, as he grabbed the cup, without so much as looking up. She had only brought him one, because the other day she’d come in with a large Carmel macchiato and he’d thrown down a fifty and told her to bring him one too, since she was stopping anyway.
He hadn’t bothered to ask her if it would be inconvenient, hadn’t bothered to ask period, he had just assumed she’d do it for him. It hadn’t been a battle worth fighting, so she just picked him up the coffee. It wasn’t like she had to go out of her way. Besides, he was now paying for hers too and the morning boosts weren’t cheap.
She seriously would live off the coffees and nothing else, if she could get away with it.
She had done that a couple different days and by the end, she was shaking all over but her house had gotten incredibly clean.
“We have a couple more interviews to do today, with the last of the previous employee’s. I want you to go through the applications that have come in over the week and weed through them. Find the best candidates and schedule them for next week to come in for interviews. We need to get those positions filled as soon as possible,” Derek said, as he finally looked up.
Unfortunately for her, when he looked up, she was busy staring at his body in inappropriate places. His brows rose and she couldn’t stop the deep flush that stained her cheeks. She turned away from him, praying he’d just pretend it hadn’t happened.
She needed to get out of his office, because every time she looked at the table, she pictured herself sitting there with him between her thighs. She nodded her head and then pretended to be engrossed with the file in front of her.
Derek could feel himself tightening the second Jasmine walked into the room. No matter how subtle her scent was, he could pick it out, even if she was in a room surrounded by over scented socialites. He’d grown to crave her scent and wanted to bury his head in her shoulder and just draw the smell of her in. He wanted to bury himself in many other areas of her body as well.
When he looked up to see her eyes on the very body part he wanted to sink into her It took all of his many years of tightly reined in control not to grab her and have a repeat performance like the one earlier in the week. He found himself actually gripping the desk to keep from walking to her.
They called in the last four employees and only kept one of them on. The last interview wasn’t going well. “I appreciate your years of service with the former Freeman Corporation but Titan industries has a different vision of the future and I don’t think we will make a good fit together,” Derek said, calmly and professionally.
“You sorry bastard, you come in here with your corporate take-over and replace most of the people without even blinking. You’ll get what is coming to you,” the man shouted. He was so angry, there was spit flying out of his mouth. He stood up like he was going to come over and deck Derek. Derek stood up to his full height and narrowed his gaze at the man.
“I see you’re nice and cozy with the enemy, Jasmine. Your father would be so disappointed in you but that’s nothing new, he’s always been disappointed. He only allowed you to keep the job here because he was too embarrassed to have you out in the work force, sullying his good name. You have never done anything right. He’s complained many times about you and your bastard son,” the man continued shouting.
The second he turned on Jasmine, Derek lost his cool. He was going to deck the man and damn the consequences. He was walking over to do just that when the guy spoke his last line. Derek’s head whipped towards Jasmine with shock, as he realized she had a son. He had no idea. There was nothing in her files. He wanted to know how old the kid was and if she was involved with the father. He was far more interested than he should be. He felt like he’d been kicked in the gut.
His temper exploded again when he saw her face, though. She was as white as a ghost and looked like she was going to pass out. “My father wouldn’t have said that,” she whispered, sounding like she was going to break apart at any moment.
“He’s said that and so much more. He can barely tolerate you. You’re so unbelievably naïve,” he spat and took a step towards her.
Derek broke out of his trance and grabbed the man by his shirt. He physically lifted the man off his feet and then tossed him towards the door, where the man tripped and fell to the ground. “Get out of my building, now. If you set foot in here again or anywhere near Jasmine, charges will be filed,” Derek growled. He looked like a feral animal.
Jasmine looked from him to the ex-employee and then back again. She was in shock and frightened, all at the same time. “Security,” Derek yelled, which made her jump. Within two seconds two large men came in and didn’t have to be told a word. They took one look at the man and hauled him to his feet pulling him out of the office.
“This isn’t over,” he was screaming, as they continued to drag him away.
Derek walked over to Jasmine and pulled her into his arms. She resisted for a moment and then buried her head in his shoulder as the sobs started racking her body. She threw her arms around him and sobbed for a while. He normally couldn’t stand hysterical women but there was so much pain radiating from her, he couldn’t do anything but comfort her.
The man said some really hateful things and Derek was sure her father had said them all. She was getting a taste of what a horrible man he was. Derek had to guard himself though, because she may have seemed to change from the woman she was ten years ago but she had once tossed him out, without a look back.
She was finally getting herself under control and seemed to realize she was wrapped in his arms. She pulled back and looked up at him with red rimmed eyes and tear stained cheeks. He was about to bring his hand up and wipe the tears away, when she pulled back.
“I’m sorry,” she hiccupped at him. She then pulled away and headed into the bathroom. She didn’t come out for a while. It gave him time to go to his computer. He had to do some research on her, to find out what he could about her life. He wanted to know if she’d been married when her son was born and if she was currently married. He needed to know what was going on in her life.
He knew it was going to take a while but he’d find the information he wanted. Jasmine finally walked out of the bathroom, looking much more composed.
“Derek, we’ve finished with all the interviews today and I can easily take my lap top home and go through the applications. I haven’t had a personal day in years and would really like to take one now. I wouldn’t normally ask but I would appreciate it if you would let me head out early today,” she asked, with her shoulders back and her head held high. She was expecting to have to argue with him.
“That will be fine. Just have those names ready for me Monday morning,” he said, barely taking the time to look at her.
Jasmine grabbed her things and rushed out the door. She swung by her office and put together what she’d need over the weekend and was out to her car within fifteen minutes.
Jasmine walked in the door of her home and calmly set her belongings down. She called her father’s number and waited for the voice mail to beep. “Dad, this is Jasmine and this will be my last call to you. Andy got fired today and said some things to me. If you said them then you’ll know what I’m talking about and you don’t even need to bother to call me back, because I will not want to speak to you again. If you didn’t say these vicious things, then you need to call me and explain why Andy would say you did. If I don’t hear from you tonight, then I guess that’s my answer,” she spoke unemotionally and hung up.
She let herself have a hard cry, hoping to hear from her father. She’d always thought he was a hero and the reality of her recent discoveries wasn’t pleasant. She was being crushed with the whole take-over business. Learning her father wasn’t who she always thought he was seemed unbearable.
The phone rang a couple hours later and she was reluctant to pick it up. She squared her shoulders and lifted the handle, quietly saying hello.
“It’s your father,” he said curtly.
“Dad, what’s going on? You haven’t called me. You just disappeared and now I’m hearing all this information that can’t possibly be true,” she said, trying to keep her tone normal. Her father hated displays of emotion.
“I heard you’ve gotten cozy with the new boss,” he spat at her, ignoring her questions.
“I’m trying to make the best of a bad situation,” she said, shocked by his coldness.
“Well, you were always good at adapting, weren’t you?” he said. He continued before she was able to say anything. “You don’t leave me a message telling me not to call you. If I want to call, I damn well will. I’ve put up with you for years but I’m done now. It’s because of you that I’ve lost everythin
g. You’re bastard of a boyfriend felt he had to take everything away and now you’re all cushy with him once more. I see where your loyalties lie,” he ranted.
“I’m not all cozy with him, Dad. I just need the job. I have a son to support,” she told him.
“You’re always just full of excuses, just like when you were a child. I’m done coddling you. If you can get that man to back the hell off me, then you can call me. Otherwise you can stay out of my life,” he shouted. The phone went dead. Jasmine stared at the beeping receiver not understanding what just happened.
She had no more tears left in her. She had to pull herself together for her son’s sake. She went to the bathroom and washed her face. She looked in the mirror and vowed she’d never get taken advantage of or be abused again.
Derek had all calls held and sat at his desk looking up information. He soon found that Jasmine had never been married. She didn’t even appear to have been in a serious relationship. It took him a while to find information on her son though, because he was thinking he’d be a toddler.
When he realized how old the boy was his world seemed to stop spinning. He was doing some major math in his head and no matter which way he looked at it, the date of his birth coincided with the time he’d been with her. He knew she’d been a virgin when they slept together and he couldn’t imagine she’d jumped from his bed into another man’s within a couple of weeks-time.
It was possible but very unlikely. He had no idea how many hours he sat there trying to figure everything out. If he was a father, why would she not tell him? Why wouldn’t she have come after him for child support? He was a very wealthy man and she could’ve tried to exploit that.
He’d been working with her for a week and she hadn’t said a word about her son. The only explanation seemed to be that he wasn’t the father. But he didn’t understand why she wouldn’t try to pass the kid off as his. She knew the time frame would work and she could’ve thought he wouldn’t demand a DNA test.
