Careful not to disturb the arrangement, she lifted the heavy bouquet, carrying it inside before placing it on her kitchen island. The smell spread through her townhouse like wildfire, and her smile grew as she debated on how best to reply.
She knew she would accept his invitation, he was all she’d thought about. But she had to find a way to stay in control. Whenever she was around him she lost all will and fell under his spell. He was so powerful, his allure dominated every interaction.
Pulling her smartphone from her purse, she started and deleted a text four times before settling on a short and concise message.
Dinner would be nice. Let’s make it to the restaurant this time.
Kasey poured a glass of red wine as she tried not to stare at her phone. After her first sip she noticed the illuminated screen from across the room and made her way to the kitchen island with butterflies in her stomach. She felt like a teenager as she reached for the phone, beaming as she read his even shorter message.
☺
A smiley face. That was it. Somehow it was more romantic than the roses. It was official—Jay Canton knew just how to drive her crazy.
Chapter 33
Jay
It was just after six when Jay arrived at Kasey’s townhouse. Luckily, she wasn’t as prepared this time, and he was able to walk to her door. She answered before he could ring the doorbell, but he stole a glimpse inside, admiring what looked to be a quaint house. He smirked when he saw the roses he’d sent her sitting in a prominent location in the middle of a room in the back of the first floor.
“I was coming out. I just had to grab my purse,” Kasey rushed to close the door behind her, ending Jay’s snooping. He hoped she wasn’t insecure about her house after visiting his lonely mansion, but he couldn’t focus on that very long. Her curves stole his attention, hugged by a thin fabric that begged you to wonder what she looked like without it.
Jay’s blood rushed, and he had to turn his focus away to gain control of his body. Gazing into her eyes, he saw a softness he had yet to feel from Kasey, something he wasn’t prepared for.
Professionalism was his goal of the evening, and he’d gone over how to make sure it stayed formal several times. This was going to be a business discussion, because that’s what he thought Kasey wanted. He didn’t have time to oversee Jessica’s planning, but she never failed to pick the right settings, having one of the best rolodexes in the city. He told her to make it special, and also to give them privacy. In some ways, he felt a bit nervous for the outcome like he was the one being surprised.
“I’m glad I got to meet you at your door anyway. As always, you look incredible,” he complimented Kasey before leading her to the waiting Mercedes.
Careful not to allow her dress to rise too far, Kasey climbed into the backseat, greeting Danny. Jay followed her in, cautious about moving too close to her, knowing she was apprehensive about moving too fast with him.
“Where are we going?” Kasey asked, turning to face him as she pulled the seatbelt across her body, inadvertently drawing Jay’s eyes to her breasts. He instantly remembered running his tongue across her nipple, cupping her heavy breasts in his hand while she squirmed beneath him.
“Do you want me to ruin the surprise?” He answered, adjusting in the leather seat to accommodate his growing erection.
“Oh, it’s a surprise?” she quipped back quickly, bringing a smile to Jay’s face. He always appreciated her sass and banter.
“How was your work week?” he asked, changing the subject.
After a soft sigh, she leaned back against the headrest, turning in Jay’s direction before responding, “Draining, if you must know.”
“I’m sorry,” Jay wasn’t sure how to respond, but he fought the urge to touch her, to pull her into his lap and run his fingers through her hair.
“I’ve made the bed. I have to sleep in it,” she shrugged, and Jay admired her integrity, although he couldn’t stop the regret he felt building in his chest. It was because of him that she was suffering the draining experience of dealing with Renee.
It weighed heavy on him, and possibly her too. The two rode in silence for the rest of the journey to the restaurant. When they finally arrived, a set of men in tuxedos greeted the Mercedes, opening the back door.
“Good evening, Ms. Wright, Mr. Canton,” the men helped Kasey out of the backseat before leading them both into the restaurant.
Using a private elevator, they bypassed the busy dining room, ascending six floors as Kasey looked on with wonder. Jay knew his surprise was working well, and she’d yet to see the big reveal.
The elevator doors opened to reveal a completely empty rooftop. The entire dining room was cleared except for one round table, covered in a white tablecloth.
“Just us?” she all but squealed, turning towards Jay.
“Just us,” he smirked, feeling richer than he ever had in his life.
A new waiting staff greeted them, leading them to the lone table, which exposed an incredible view of the city. Kasey’s sharp inhale was all the validation Jay needed. Jessica had undoubtedly earned a raise, because her plan had won Kasey over.
“Would you like a drink to enjoy the sunset?” The blonde waitress asked. Kasey turned to Jay, awaiting his response.
“Whatever you want, Kasey,” he fought back the smile threatening to cover his face.
“Yes. Can we have champagne?” she asked, turning her head to Jay as if the question was also directed towards him.
“Seriously. It’s whatever you want,” he reached across the table, placing his large hand over soft petite fingers. She blushed, but didn’t turn away.
“Bring your best bottle,” Jay instructed the waiter, who nodded and quickly scurried off to retrieve the champagne.
“I only asked because I know you’re going to refuse to let me pay, and I don’t want to run up your tab,” Kasey explained, but it only made Jay chuckle. Knowing how much money he earned per hour made the idea of Kasey worrying about a bottle of champagne laughable.
“This is very nice, Jay.”
The waiter arrived with two champagne flutes and a bottle of Moët & Chandon Bicentenary, working quickly to open the bottle before pouring two glasses and leaving them in privacy once again.
“Are you hungry?” Jay asked, when he noticed Kasey staring outwards towards the city rather than lifting the menu.
“I’m starving!” Her shoulders sunk as she turned her focus to look at the custom menu Jessica had worked with her former secretary to create. Her eyes lit up when she saw the options.
“See something you like?”
“How did you know this?” It was too much to be a coincidence, and Jay could sense it meant a lot to her.
“I do my research.”
“Do you know what you want to order?” The waiter arrived, breaking a gaze Jay didn’t even realize he was locked in.
“Do you want to split the oysters for an appetizer?” Kasey turned towards Jay. He couldn’t stop the amusement from creeping across his face.
Kasey knew as well as he did that oysters were a known aphrodisiac, this much he was sure of. “Whatever you want,” he repeated, again placing his hand over hers.
She smiled a genuine and happy smile before returning her attention to the waiter. Jay noticed she didn’t pull her hand away, and took this as sign that maybe she was open to more. Knowing he was possibly reading too much into it, he pulled his hand back, which halted Kasey’s words as she ordered the mushroom risotto. He always struggled to read her emotions, but for the first time, he was certain, that it was longing written all over her face. She wanted his touch, and the realization shot straight to his cock.
“Umm, yes. The mushroom risotto, please,” she repeated, catching his reaction.
“I’ll have the filet mignon, please.” Jay ordered when the waiter turned his attention towards him.
“With the seasonal vegetables?”
“Yes, please.”
“Very well,” the wait
er answered, taking the menus before refilling their glasses with champagne and leaving Jay alone with Kasey.
“So, how was your day?” she turned to ask him, taking a sip of the bubbly beverage as soon as the words left her lips.
“My day?” Jay was caught off guard. It was rare for anyone to ask about how his day went. As the boss, people just expected him to deal with stress regularly, or maybe they assumed he didn’t have to worry about much with so many people working for him. He’d never actually thought about it, but it had been a while since he answered the common question.
“Just another day,” he said, deliberately downplaying the agony he’d endured counting down the minutes to picking Kasey up, like he was a teenager heading to prom.
“Is that what the life of a powerful CEO has come to—just another day?” She mocked him with a gleam in her eyes that he felt in his groin.
“I honestly don’t know how to answer that question,” he revealed.
“I guess when you get to go home to a palace every night, a weekend is just another day,” Kasey was teasing now, and Jay decided to jab back.
“The palace must not be too comfortable, considering the way you bolted,” he sipped his champagne to hide the smirk on his face.
“Bolted?” Kasey asked, never one to be caught at a loss of words.
“That’s what it seemed like. You ran out of there like the house was on fire.”
Kasey was finally silent, simply staring at Jay. He felt she had the words on the tip of her tongue, but something was preventing her from sharing the truth. It unsettled him a bit, but the waiter arrived, disturbing his thoughts.
“The oysters,” he sat the large platter between them, as Kasey rubbed her palms together.
They exchanged flirtatious glances while taking turns squeezing the lime into the shell before gently sucking the oyster. Kasey bit her bottom lip while watching Jay and they both erupted in laughter. It was one of the most casual and comfortable dinner dates he’d ever had, but Jay refused to lose focus on his mission.
The two exchanged a few more pleasantries about their week, without sharing too many details about work, and soon their entrees were delivered. Kasey was more than pleased with her risotto, and Jay’s steak was cooked to perfection. Before long, the waiter returned to collect their empty dishes, returning with two cappuccinos.
“Are you trying to keep me up all night?” Kasey asked Jay’s cock, or at least that’s where he heard it.
“We haven’t even discussed the business at hand yet,” he changed the subject before his mind wandered too far.
“And what business is that?” Kasey turned to face him, her legs crossed beneath the table.
“I need you to come back to work for me.” His words were a declaration, far more than a request or suggestion.
“Need?” She picked up on the urgency, pushing him to expound.
“It’s not just about business, Kasey.” Again, Jay reached across the table, taking her hands into his as he looked deeply into her eyes and went on, “I miss having you around every day. I want that more than anything.”
Kasey didn’t pull away. In fact, he could feel her hands relax in his grasp. She was comfortable with him, he could literally feel it. For the first time since he met her, she was speechless, staring back into his eyes in that way that made him feel naked.
Refusing to back down, Jay remained silent, waiting for her response as he allowed his mind to run wild with ideas regarding her thoughts. Could she have been thinking the same thing? Or was he completely off-base, misreading her every move? His heart raced as he waited for her to confirm or deny his feelings.
Was Kasey interested in returning to Passions Publishing? Or was she unwilling to forgive Jay for his betrayal? The wait was unbearable, but the deepness in her eyes made it easy to get lost, as time passed with ease.
“What do you think?” he finally asked, biting his bottom lip as he awaited her response.
Chapter 34
Kasey
It all felt like a dream as Kasey stood staring at Jay on legs that felt less than reliable. After his proposal for her to return to Passions Publishing, he’d led her to the balcony of the rooftop restaurant he’d rented out just for the two of them.
The city shined with lights as far as she could see, and Kasey looked around in awe of the effort and money Jay must have spent to prepare such an extravagant evening for her. It was by far the grandest gesture anyone had ever made, but her mind was cloudy with memories after all that had played out between them.
While she longed for his hands to roam her body, she knew he wanted more than she could offer. It had been years since she was in a relationship, and the idea of commitment seemed too much to bear. Kasey was all about her career, but Jay was complicating things by blurring the line between the two. Not only did he want her personally, he wanted Kasey to return to Passions Publishing, again blending business with pleasure.
“I don’t love working for Renee,” Kasey admitted, breaking the silence of the windy night. “But I do love the freedom she provides me. I’m working on my own, for the most part.”
Jay nodded slowly before responding. “Kasey,” he took her hand like he had repeatedly over the course of dinner. “I meant what I said, you can have whatever you want. I wasn’t only referring to the champagne. Name your ideal working scenario and I’ll make it happen. You’re worth the compromise, and I’m speaking from a strictly professional perspective when I say that.”
She tried to read him, but his eyes were too dark, too determined and she could not be sure what his goal was, so she backed away slowly.
“I need time to think about it, Jay,” she whispered.
“Come here,” he wrapped his arms around her before she could answer, and Kasey relaxed her shoulders, breathing deep as his arms draped around her from behind. “Whatever you want.” His words were so warm, and spoken through her hair so that she shivered as the vibrations trickled down her back.
“Would either of you like dessert?” The waiter appeared from nowhere, drawing their attention.
Kasey looked up, over her shoulder, and Jay returned her gaze. “I think we’re fine,” he answered for them, resting his chin on the top of her head as she continued to stare off at the city she loved.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said, before grasping her right hand with his left, and leading her to the elevator.
The elevator ride was as silent as the ride to her townhouse, as Kasey tried to think clearly beneath the spell she was certain Jay had over her. He sat closer on the ride home, and it was welcomed by her.
“Can I walk you to your door?” he asked like a gentleman as his driver pulled to a stop at the end of her driveway.
“Yes,” she answered with a smile before bidding Danny good night. He was a young man she was certain Jay overpaid for a simple service, but she could tell he appreciated the job, and she appreciated his professionalism.
Again, they held hands, and Kasey noticed how familiar it felt to relax within Jay’s touch. She didn’t want to separate when they arrived at her front door, but she knew she needed time to make her way through the labyrinth of thoughts in her mind.
“I had a wonderful evening, Kasey. I look forward to hearing your conclusion after wrestling through your thoughts,” Jay smiled, gripping two handfuls of her hair as he pulled her close, before planting a soft kiss on her cheek.
“Thank you.”
It was all she could manage, and thankfully Jay accepted it as enough, stepping back as he watched her safely enter her townhouse. She glanced over her shoulder, waving her fingers at him before closing the door behind her.
Through the peephole, she watched as Jay ran his fingers through his hair before walking down the few steps and making his way to the Mercedes. She waited until the car drove away before digging into her purse and sending an emergency text to Nicole. She needed her best friend’s ear, and thankfully she responded quickly, promising to be there soon.
By the time Nicole arrived, Kasey had already finished her first glass of wine, and on top of the champagne, that was enough to open the valves of filter-free girl talk.
“It sounds like you had a perfect date,” Nicole said, after hearing about her night out.
“Yeah, but it wasn’t a date,” she reminded her.
“Call it what you want, it was a date.”
“The night ended with a job offer, Nicole. I think that’s a little less than romance,” she scoffed, refilling their glasses with an unsteady hand.
My One and Only: A Bad Boy Secret Baby Second Chance Romance Page 42
