by Bianca Vix
Did he really just say that? That was the way Kade used to talk to her. There’s no way that Mr. Ballard could possibly be flirting with her, could he?
“You know, our annual company picnic is happening next weekend. Would you like to go with me?” His dark eyes sparkled.
Was he asking her on a date? Or just to go together as friends?
Friends. It had to be.
Too bad.
Dex rivalled Kade in the looks department, that was for sure. Each man was just as sexy as the other, but in his own way. Kade was classically tall, dark and handsome, while Dex’s looks were striking. They’d take your breath away, while you were trying to concentrate on what he was actually saying to you.
They worked fairly closely before Kade had left. And they both got their share of female attention any time they came back together from a working lunch, or a meeting. Although Jen’s eyes were always on Kade, the sight of him and Dex together was impossible to ignore or miss.
She gave her head a shake. Focus, Jen. Dex was waiting for her answer. “Oh, yes. I’d like that very much.”
“Great.”
Surely he must have meant they’d go as friends, right? He was an executive and so that did mean he was one of her bosses, even though she didn’t work directly with him. Jen hadn’t exactly read the entire employee handbook she’d been given when she started, but it was pretty standard not to allow dating in a corporate environment these days. Most especially between bosses and employees.
Either way, it would be fun to go with him. Jen knew she had to put in an appearance at the event, but she was nervous about going without having any real work friends yet.
And if it somehow turn out to be a date, it’s not like Jen wasn’t free to go out with anyone she liked. She hadn’t heard back from Kade at all. She’d sent more than a couple of friendly texts to him, but not a word came back. Only total silence. He must have been busy with his new job, of course, but he didn’t have to work twenty-four seven. She couldn’t make excuses for him.
And why should she? She was doing just fine without him. Jen had a date, or something at least, with another hot guy.
Nothing wrong with that.
Chapter 5
Jen startled awake at the high-pitched ring of her alarm. Why hadn’t she turned it off last might? It was Saturday morning, damn it.
Oh. Right. Today was TW’s annual summer picnic out at Gavin’s lakeside cabin. She made herself jump out of bed instead of hitting sleep like she normally would have.
She managed to be ready half an hour early. So unlike her, but Dex was picking her up and she hadn’t wanted to take the chance of keeping him waiting when he arrived. Plus, she was more excited than she thought she’d be. She couldn’t wait, actually. When the buzzer sounded, Jen jumped up to answer.
“I’ll be right there,” she told Dex. Jen hurried down the stairs of her building, trying not to be out of breath when she got downstairs.
“You look nice.” Dex was waiting for her by the front door. He gave her a quick hug.
“Thank you.” He was looking pretty damn good himself. He was dressed in a white t-shirt and dark blue jeans, and his clothes looked like they were meant for him. He did casual very well. Jen couldn’t decide if she liked him better in a suit, or the way he was dressed now.
Although she was certain he’d look his very best without any clothes on at all. From what she could tell, Dex was in excellent shape.
Sliding his arm around her waist, Dex guided her towards his car. As he opened the door for her and she climbed in, Jen couldn’t help but wonder what he must think of her living in this old building.
It was in a great neighborhood. And while it was far from being an expensive downtown condo, Jen had lived in this building ever since she’d moved to Chicago. It was in her price range too. Still, even if she made more money, she’d probably stay here. She liked it a lot. The building and the neighborhood both had lots of character.
The parking area was nearly full when they arrived. It had been a nice drive, light traffic and not too far away, and they chatted about work. Dex filled her in on some of the people she might want to meet. Jen’s earlier nerves had disappeared almost instantly. Somehow she felt really comfortable with Dex.
At least when she wasn’t looking directly at him.
As they reaching the end of the long gravel driveway that led the way into Gavin’s property, Jen inhaled sharply at the spectacular view that greeted them. The sun shone through a beautiful groves of trees, reflecting off the sparkling, clear lake in the distance. A huge old house sat off to one side. What a gorgeous setting.
“It’s so beautiful here.” Jen couldn’t stop looking around. She hadn’t known this much green space existed so close to the city. “What a great place for a picnic.”
“Yeah, it’s pretty nice. The picnic’s held here every year. It’s a great spot for everyone to relax and get together outside the office.”
“I’ll say.”
Unlike back at her place, Dex didn’t put his arm around Jen as they walked down to join the others.
So, not a date then? She had to stop wondering and just go with it. Have some worry-free fun.
They walked towards a small group gathered at one of several picnic tables that were set up on the neatly-trimmed lawn. Jen didn’t recognize a single person, but that wasn’t the case with Dex.
After he’d greeted everyone, he started to introduce her around. Jen gave him a grateful smile. Date or not, he was being a total gentleman and a really nice guy.
It turned out to be a fun day after all. She and Dex didn’t spend the entire time together, but whenever they’d been apart for awhile, he came to join her again.
It had been dark for some time when people started clearing out. Dex found Jen. “Are you ready to go?”
“Ready when you are.”
“Then let’s get back.”
Jen was glad he was the one driving. She’d had a fair bit to drink, and even though it was spread out over several hours, she could feel the effects of all the alcohol she’d consumed.
She was relaxed and wanting to chat more as they pulled onto the expressway. “So, how long have you been working at TW?”
Dex kept his eyes on the road. “A couple of years now. Probably getting closer to three, now that I think about it.”
“You must like it then?”
“It’s a good company. I’m planning on staying for the foreseeable future. The only way I’d leave is if I got a really exceptional offer, one that I couldn’t refuse. You know, like Kade did.”
“Have you heard from him lately?” Jen shouldn’t have asked about him. She knew it. But Dex had brought him up, so it didn’t count. She was just showing some polite interest in his friend. That’s all. Not obsessing over a guy that was ignoring her.
“Sure. He’s out of town right now, but we’ve spoken a few times.”
Spoken?
Ouch.
That stung more than it should have. So Kade was in touch with Dex and not her? And with phone calls, not even a lazy text or two.
Okay. So there it was. Definitely, unquestionably over between her and Kade. If there had actually even been anything between them in the first place that could end. Maybe there wasn’t. At least now, Jen could push him out of her mind completely.
And focus on the sexy guy driving her home.
Would it be wrong to invite him up to her place?
Probably. Look at what happened with Kade. Hooking up with someone you work with is always a bad idea. Her best friend had told her that often enough from what she’d seen at her own work. It was time that Jen paid attention.
And anyway, she should be focusing more on building a career for herself. This wasn’t like college, where random hookup guys could easily be avoided afterwards. She had to get serious about her life sometime. Might as well start now.
“He asked how you were doing.”
“What?” Dex’s question derailed Jen’s tr
ain of thought. “Kade asked about me?”
“Yeah, he said it’s been pretty crazy over in Europe. It can’t be easy, being thrown into the deep end like that. Starting a new job and being sent off to several of their branches right away, before he’s even got his bearings. But he’s been thinking of you.”
The spark of hope that rose up inside of Jen was the very last thing she needed. No. Kade asking Dex about her didn’t count. It meant nothing, when he could have called her and asked her himself. Forget Kade. Right now.
“Right.” Jen scrambled for a way to get the conversation away from herself. “So, how long have you guys known each other?”
“We met at TW. The two of us were hired at the same time, so we got to know each other pretty quickly while we were figuring it all out. It was the first real job after college for both of us, so we helped each other out.”
“That’s nice.” She should have taken the opportunity to ask him more about the company for her own information. But Dex was more than a little distracting. It was hard to focus on what he was saying as it was. He was really hot.
The music Dex had playing was now the only sound in the car, but the silence between them wasn’t awkward at all. It was comfortable. Peaceful, like they’d known each other a long time and didn’t have to force a conversation between them. It was like the opposite of being with Kade, who always seemed to have her jittery and self-conscious. Somehow Jen could relax and be herself with Dex.
They got back to her place way too soon. Jen was trying to figure out a way to let him know she was into him when instead of just letting her out, he pulled the car into a tight spot just down the block from her building.
She gave him a quizzical look, and he grinned at her. He had a very sexy grin. How had she not noticed before? Maybe because she’d been paying attention to the wrong man.
“Jen, would you like to go out with me sometime? Just the two of us, and not at a work event.”
She blinked. “Um. Yes. Yes, I would.”
“Great.” And then his hand was on the back of her neck, gently turning her to face him. Caressing her cheek, he traced his thumb under her eye. Leaning in, his lips met hers.
The kiss started out softly but in seconds Dex’s slow exploration became more insistent, like he was claiming her.
Chapter 6
Even as she got ready for her date with Dex, Jen couldn’t get the kiss they’d shared out of her mind. Every inch of her body had been tingling as they said goodbye and she went up to her place.
Alone.
Dex hadn’t tried to come up with her, and as much as she’d wanted to, Jen hadn’t invited him to. She wasn’t going to make the same mistakes she had before. She wanted to see what Dex was all about, and where this could lead. He was a great guy. No need to rush into sex before they got to know each other.
Not this time.
And now they were going out tonight. With a small shiver of anticipation, she dug her favorite eyeshadow out of her purse for a touch-up.
An after-work drink. It was great mid-week date. At first he’d asked her out for dinner on Saturday night, but first thing on Monday morning, he’d called her into his office.
“I don’t want to wait until the weekend. How about drinks after work tomorrow night?”
“That works for me.”
And ever since, Jen couldn’t stop thinking about Dex. After a quick fix of her hair, she left the bathroom and went to Dex’s office.
It was getting late, and there was hardly anyone left in the office. Dex was on the phone when she got there. She was about to turn away but he gestured at her to come on in.
He gave her a smile after he finished his call. “Ready to go?”
“I am.”
“I was thinking Valym, unless you prefer somewhere else.”
“Sounds great.” It was a new lounge that had just opened, and it was just down the block from their building. Perfect. She’d been wanting to check it out. And bonus, it wouldn’t take any time to get there. She didn’t think she could stand to wait any longer than she had been already today.
As they left the building, the butterflies in Jen’s stomach that had just settled down woke up instantly. It had been awhile since she’d been this excited to go on a date. Not that she hadn’t tried since her last boyfriend, but not a single one of the men she’d met online had stirred anything up inside of her.
Definitely not like this. She couldn’t wait to be alone with Dex. They’d chatted here and there over the last couple days, but it wasn’t easy to take the time with the constant hum of activity and people everywhere all over their floor. And being a manager, Dex’s time and attention was constantly in demand.
Once they were settled in the busy lounge with their drinks, Dex leaned forward in his chair.
“You look like you’ve got something on your mind. What’s up?”
Jen sipped at her cocktail. “There’s something I want to ask you. Is this okay?”
“What? Us having drinks together?”
“Yes. Seeing each other outside of work, I mean. I’m not really clear on the company policy.” Jen sounded more formal than she’d meant to. And not that she was going to tell him, but the moment they’d parted after the picnic, she’d hauled out the handbook from where she’d hidden it after they gave it to her and poured over it. The section that was supposed to cover employee dating was a lot more vague than she’d expected it to be. No matter how many times she read it over, she couldn’t figure out what it was actually supposed to mean.
“There’s a policy on us dating?” Dex grinned. God, he was sexy.
“I just want to be clear. I wouldn’t want to accidentally risk either one of our jobs. I’ve had a couple of friends who found that kind of thing didn’t end well for them.”
“Fair enough. It’s a good question, especially since you’re in my department. I certainly don’t make a habit out of dating people I work with.” Dex leaned closer, brushing a strand of Jen’s hair away from her face. “I’m glad you’re concerned. Since I’m not supervising you in any way, us seeing each other will be fine. And while we don’t need to hide anything, we do need to keep it out of the office. Act like coworkers only while we’re at work.”
“That makes sense.”
“And now that we’ve got that clear, I want to know everything about you.”
Jen laughed. “There’s not much to tell.”
Dex gazed right into her eyes. She blinked at his intensity. “I’m sure that’s not true.”
As they stepped outside of the lounge together, Jen had to admit the evening had been really nice. One of the best dates she’d had in a long time, actually. If not the best.
“Jen.” Dex had stopped them on the sidewalk. He ran his hand through her hair, gently pulling her closer to him.
And the kiss he gave her made their first one look tame. By the time their lips parted, he’d left her breathless.
Dex gazed into Jen’s eyes. If he wanted her to come home with him, there was no way she’d be able to resist.
“I can get you a cab if you like. I’d offer you a lift home, but I have to get back to the office. I’ve got to take a call from our London branch and I won’t be able to get there and back in time for it.”
Jen exhaled. It was for the best. “That’s too bad. Don’t worry, I’m fine to get myself home.”
“Then I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
It was getting harder to resist inviting him back to her place, but somehow she’d managed. This one goes slow, Jen. Don’t forget.
After another lingering kiss, they went their separate ways. Jen wasn’t halfway down the block before it started to rain. Ducking under an awning, Jen shifted from foot to foot, impatient to see if it would let up.
After only a couple of minutes, it started pouring. She didn’t want to wait it out.
Of course, she’d left both her jacket and umbrella back up in the office. At least she hadn’t gone far. The night guard said nothing as
she flashed her pass at him.
On the ride up, it occurred to Jen that showing up at the office right after Dex had said he was going there might look bad. Should she seek Dex out to explain, or avoid him altogether? She didn’t want him to think she was stalking him. But wouldn’t it be stranger if she didn’t find him, and then they ran into each other?
There was no good solution. Jen decided it would look a lot worse if she avoided him and then got caught, so it would be best to stop by his office.
Besides, another quick kiss or two wouldn’t hurt.
After collecting her things, Jen walked the long way back around to the elevator so she could go by Dex’s office.
Through the glass walls, she could see he wasn’t alone. Funny, he hadn’t mentioned having to meet anyone else. As she got closer, Jen squinted at the figure beside him. He looked familiar. Very familiar.
But it couldn’t be.
Could it?
Jen’s blood was pounding in her ears as she took a small step forward, wanting to get a better view without being seen herself. The sight of who was in Dex’s office stopped her cold.
It was Kade.
Kade. Obviously back early from his work trip. Had he even been away? And anyway, what was he doing here? With Dex?
They were talking in low tones, low enough that she couldn’t hear what they were saying. She was about to turn and walk out, heading back around the long way out so they wouldn’t know she was even here, when a sharp movement caught her eye.
Damn it, were they leaving? She turned her head back automatically just as she was about to hurry off.
And once again, she froze in her tracks.
The movement she caught hadn’t been them leaving. No. Nothing like that.
They were hugging. Okay, that wouldn’t be unusual for a couple of friends. But the two men were clasped in an embrace that was far beyond friendly.
Jen’s eyes were glued to them. Kade’s hands had disappeared under Dex’s suit jacket. She blinked. Was she imagining it? Surely it was the shadows playing tricks on what she thought she saw. The ceiling lights were turned off, leaving only the desk lamp to illuminate the scene in front of her.
