His cheesy smile makes me laugh and I shake my head clear of the anger it’s been filled with. “Okay,” I breathe out.
“Thank you. You won’t regret it. I promise.” He releases my arms only to pull me against him, where his lips find mine. He kisses me softly, but strongly. Holding me against his chest causes my body to come alive. His heat sinks into me, and the beer on his tongue mixes with my mixed drink, creating a delicious blend that makes my senses sing for more.
He breaks the kiss and steps back. “I’ll see you tomorrow, and I promise, I’ll be my normal self instead of the jealous guy you met today. Okay?” He dips his head forward to see my face.
I smile. “Okay. See you tomorrow.”
I stand and watch him head back inside the bar before I turn around to find a cab. I wave my hand in the air several times, but no one pulls over. I’m about to give up and walk when I hear someone say my name.
“El?”
I turn around to find Griffin walking closer. I’m mesmerized by the confidence he exudes from something as simple as walking. His back is straight, his shoulders are pushed back, and his head is held high. His blond hair is blowing softly in the breeze, and his icy blue eyes are drinking me in like he’s been on a desert island and I’m a tall glass of water.
A smile forms on its own. “Hey. What are you doing out here? Coming to hang with the interns?”
He laughs. “No, definitely not. They don’t sell what I drink in there.” He looks over his shoulder. “I was catching up with an old friend down the street.” He quickly looks at the busy road and back at me. “You trying to get a cab? You need a ride home?”
“Oh, yeah. That’d be great. Apparently, I’m invisible to cab drivers.”
He holds out his elbow. “Right this way.”
He leads me down the road a few more feet, then stops at a black Mercedes. He pulls out the keys and hits the fob to unlock the door, then opens it and motions for me to climb inside.
Chapter 6
Griffin
“Is this yours?” she asks when I climb in behind the wheel.
I nod. “I usually don’t drive, but I had already sent my driver home for the night when I got the call asking me to come out.”
“It’s nice.” Her delicate hand runs gently over the sparkling dash.
“You drive?”
She shakes her head. “No. I mean, I can drive, but I don’t have a car. I just got out of college and my only income is writing blog posts from home. It was nice while I was in school because it fit into my schedule, but now, I’m going to need a full-time job until I start grad school.”
“You’re going to grad school?” I ask, quickly looking over at her as I pull out into traffic.
“Hopefully. I’ve been accepted to a couple already, but I’m holding out for Chicago. I love the city and don’t want to leave it just yet.”
“I hope you get it,” I say, not allowing myself to think about it further. A part of me hopes she leaves, because then I wouldn’t be tempted to fuck up everything by sinking deep inside her. On the other hand, I hope she stays, because I’ve only known this woman for one day, and already, I find myself needing to be around her.
I know she thinks I’m being nice to her because of her sister, but honestly, I’m being nice to her because I feel a connection to her. It’s a connection I never thought I’d feel again—a connection so fucking strong, I’m afraid to even touch her for fear I’d push her too far and scare her away. To her, I’m an old man. I’m her new boss—just a man she needs in order to achieve her dreams. Whatever I’m feeling is one-sided, and I need to remind myself to keep it in check.
Maybe I’m going about this all wrong. Maybe I shouldn’t be nice to her. Maybe I should avoid her to keep this body of mine in check.
“Here we are,” I say, pulling the car over to the curb.
“How’d you know where I live?” she asks with a smile.
“Your application,” I state flatly. I refuse to tell her that I’ve stared at that piece of paper all day and memorized all her info. Yeah, I admit, it’s a bit stalkerish.
“Oh,” she giggles, “I forgot about that.” She opens the door, places one foot on the road, then pauses to look at me. “Thanks for the ride.”
“Anytime.”
She offers up one last smile before climbing out and leaving me alone.
When I get home, I remove my tie and shirt and pour myself a strong drink before falling onto my white leather couch.
My phone is in my hand, and I’m looking at it, unsure.
I want to call her—tell her I have some work for us to do. Maybe she’ll come over and I’ll pour her a drink. Maybe we’ll get caught up and things will move forward between the two of us. I’d love to be buried deep inside her all night long. But then tomorrow, everything would be awkward and strained.
Instead of screwing up everything, I call Vince instead.
“Hey, what’s up?”
I let out a long breath. “You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you?”
“Not that I’m aware of.” He laughs. “What’s up?”
“Janelle! She’s driving me mad,” I admit, and it feels good to finally say it out loud—like a weight has been lifted off my chest.
“Why? I thought you said she was the best in her group? She can’t be screwing up already.”
A bitter laugh slips past my lips. “She is the best in her group. Hell, probably the best out of all the interns.”
“I don’t see the problem. Paint me a picture here, Thor.”
I shake my head and pinch the bridge of my nose. “She’s…” I take a deep breath. “Whatever I tell you stays between us, right?”
“Of course, man. What’s up? Talk to me.”
I take a long drink of bourbon. “She’s getting to me. She’s beautiful and talented. She knows her shit. She doesn’t act like the rest of the interns we’ve had in the past. And I just can’t get her out of my head. I know I have to keep my distance, but fuck, she makes it so hard. Every time she smiles at me, I just want to throw her down on my desk and, well…you know,” I laugh.
“It’s just an internship. Ask her out. If it doesn’t work out, no big deal. Alison said she’s going to grad school, so it’s not like she’ll be working for us. This is just something to write down on her resume.”
I laugh. “Shouldn’t you be telling me to keep my shit in check? That this girl is like family to you and that I shouldn’t fuck it up?
He laughs. “Yeah, I probably should, but I know you, and I know you don’t have random hookups. If something about her is calling to you, it’s probably for a reason.”
Fuck. Now I have his blessing?
“Before I do anything, why don’t you talk to Alison and make sure she doesn’t have a problem with me asking her out. I’d hate to get you into trouble.”
“All right. I’ll talk to her. I’ll let you know.”
“Thanks, man.”
“See ya,” he says, hanging up the phone.
I let the phone fall from my hands onto the couch, and I finish off my glass before pouring another. Hours pass, and I find myself doing nothing but thinking about her and all the different directions this could go. Finally, I stand and place my glass in the sink, heading for the shower.
I strip out of my clothes and turn on the water to let it heat up while I examine myself in the mirror. My face is already covered in a five o’clock shadow. I quickly pull out my beard trimmers and shave it back down to a short stubble. My eyes are bloodshot from the whiskey, but they’re shining bright, like just spending the day thinking about her has brought life back to them. I lean in and look at myself closer, noticing the fine lines at the edges of my eyes. It only makes me realize how fast time is passing for me. I lose myself in work every day, just trying to survive.
For years now, I’ve told myself that this is the life I want, but now, I see it’s just the life I’m living until I find what makes me happy. I thought I could find that happi
ness in work, but now I’m wondering if I could find it in her. Not that any of this matters. If Alison doesn’t like the idea of us being together, then I won’t ask her. And even if I do ask her, she may very well turn me down. I’m much older than she is, and I’m her boss.
Either way, I don’t see this turning out in my favor. And to be honest, I don’t even know what my favor would look like. Do I want marriage, kids, and the whole nine yards? I never have before, so why am I questioning it now?
I shake my head—hoping to get rid of the headache that’s now forming—and step into the shower. The hot water beats down on my back, instantly relaxing me. I let my head fall forward, and the water washes over my hair and pours down my face. I close my eyes and all I see are blonde curls and emerald green eyes. Those green eyes remind me of the summer days I spent lying in the cool grass, looking up at the sky and dreaming about how my life would turn out. I never envisioned becoming this bitter old man who lives for work and has nothing else going for him. I’m a long way from happy, as it turns out.
But just the thought of giving up what I always thought I wanted, and pursuing something I never thought I wanted—marriage and kids—causes anxiety to build in my chest. When I think of marriage and kids, I think of nagging wives, screaming babies, shitty diapers, and spit-up. I shiver with disgust. But what about having a family to spend my life with? Seeing your baby for the first time? Tiny hands and little feet? Big smiles and long giggles? I’m not heartless. All of those things appeal to me. Now, I guess, I just have to weigh the good against the bad and decide if it’s worth it—if she’s worth giving up my life as I know it and trading it in for the unknown.
Would it really be worth it if I risked everything and took a chance with El?
Chapter 7
Janelle
When I get to the office in the morning, Chase meets me in the lobby of the conference room with a dozen roses.
My mouth drops open as my eyes grow in size. “What’s this?” I ask, surprised.
“They’re ‘I’m sorry for being an ass’ roses.” He hands them to me. “I hope you can accept my apology.”
“I already did. You didn’t have to buy me flowers.” I cup them to my nose and inhale their sweet scent.
The elevator behind me dings and I turn around to see Griffin. At first, he’s smiling, but then his eyes move to the flowers in my hands, then to Chase, and back to me. His smile falls.
“Time to get to work,” he clips out as he brushes past us.
Chase and I both look at each other and he motions for me walk ahead of him. When we step into the room, Griffin starts before we’ve even taken our seats.
“Today, we’re going to go over to the corporate building, and you’ll each be paired up with an employee who’s been exactly where you are. Everyone ready?”
We all stand and follow him out of the room and into the elevator. Standing this close to him, I can feel anger radiating from him in waves, but I don’t know why. He was smiling until he saw me there with Chase and the flowers. Is he upset that Chase and I are getting closer? Whenever I look at him, his jaw is flexing and he’s looking straight ahead at the elevator doors, but when I turn away, it feels like he’s staring a hole in the back of my head. It causes goosebumps to prickle my skin and a shiver runs up my spine. I’m confused about his reaction, but something inside me feels a pull to him. I want to reach out and take his hand in mine—be there for him and ease his stress away. I have no idea why I have this urge, so I push it deep down inside me, opting to stay professional. I remind myself that he’s my boss, not my friend.
The elevator dings and we all exit, following him across the street. Everyone but me has been partnered up with someone. He turns to me and looks me up and down. “You’re with me today, Ms. Ryder.”
Ms. Ryder? What happened to first-name basis?
I follow him down the hall, into another elevator, and up to the top floor. There’s a lobby section with an older woman sitting behind a desk.
“Good morning, Mr. Karlsson,” she says as he walks past. He then opens a door and leads me into a big office.
I walk to the desk and set my bag and flowers on a chair; I’ll put the blooms in a vase in my cubicle later. “Is this your office?”
“It is,” he answers without looking at me, then walks to the table in the corner where papers are stacked up.
“It’s nice—big.” I walk to the floor-to-ceiling windows and look out over the city.
“We need to start on the magazine,” he clips out, straightening papers. He turns to face me, and he looks like a statue—standing so still.
I let out a long breath. “Is everything oaky?”
“Everything is fine. Let’s get to work, shall we?” He sits down on the sofa and starts going through the papers.
I don’t mention it again. Instead, I sit down and listen as he tells me what needs to be done and how he wants it done. He shoots down every suggestion I offer. It’s obvious he’s upset about something, but I refuse to play games or guess. If it’s important, he’ll tell me when he’s ready.
The workweek drags by, and while Griffin seems to have gotten over whatever upset him, he hasn’t been overly friendly like he had been on my first day. I’ve come to the conclusion that this is just him: short, cold, and to the point.
It’s finally Friday and I’m happy to have the weekend to catch up on my writing assignments and make a little money, but the interns decide to meet up at the Joker Club once again, and Chase has asked me to go with him.
Things have gotten back to normal between us. We’ve talked on the phone several times, and he’s even listened to me complain about how Griffin went from being welcoming and friendly to cold and professional in the blink of an eye. We’ve talked about what it is we’re working on at the hotel. Since being separated, we haven’t been put back together, but we meet for lunch every day. We’re growing closer, and now that Griffin isn’t giving me special treatment, his jealously has fallen away.
Someone knocks on the door, and I rush to answer it. “Hey,” I say with a wide smile as I step out into the hallway and join him.
“Hey,” Chase replies, backing me up against the wall and pressing a long kiss to my lips. This kiss feels different. It’s soft and slow, and full of passion and yearning. Maybe tonight is the night we take things to the next level?
“Are you ready, or should we just skip out on the interns and go back inside?” I ask against his lips.
He grins. “As good as that sounds, I could use some dinner, and a drink. This week has been tough. I swear, I think Mr. Karlsson has it out for me,” he says, taking my hand and leading me down the hall. “He’s taken every opportunity to put me through hell. He’s given me so much grunt work.”
I run my hand up and down his arm. “I’m sorry. I don’t think this week has been easy on any of us.”
When we get to the club, a pitcher of beer is already on the table, and we all take turns buying the next refill. The twelve of us have gone through ten pitchers already. We all talk and laugh and have a good time.
“Want to dance?” Chase whispers in my ear.
I smile. “I’d love to.”
He takes my hand and leads me out onto the dance floor. He spins me around quickly, catching me in his arms. He pulls me close and starts moving against me to the beat of the fast-paced song. I spin around and dance with my back to him. His hands find my hips, and they hold firm as he grinds his hips into my ass. I can feel how excited he is, and it make my skin feel hot and sticky as a layer of sweat clings to my skin.
“You’re so sexy. Do you know that?” he whispers in my ear.
A smile takes over my face and I spin around, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling his lips to mine. “I can’t wait to take you back to my place tonight.” I pull away enough to see the fire burning in his eyes.
He grins slightly. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for that invitation.”
I laugh. “Since the firs
t night we met?”
He nods and laughs, but doesn’t stop moving against me.
We dance, touch, and kiss for another song before leaving the dance floor for a drink. The bar is crowded—packed full of sweaty bodies, making it so hot my clothes are clinging to my every curve.
I reach for the pitcher to pour another beer when I realize it’s empty. “Next round’s on me!” I head to the bar with the pitcher in hand.
“Hey,” Carolyn says, coming to stand at my side.
“Hey.” I smile. Carolyn and I have gotten close since we’ve all been hanging out so much. It’s too bad we’re not in the same group. She’s in the art department, so we rarely see each other at the hotel.
“You and Chase seem to be getting pretty friendly.” She nods toward him talking with Dominick at the table.
I glance over at him, and seeing him brings a smile to my face. “Yeah. We were in a lot of the same classes in school, and we ran into each other at the end-of-year party and hit it off. I was happy to find he’d landed the same internship.”
“Look,” she says, eyes falling to the floor between us. “It’s really none of my business, but I wanted to tell you—well, because I would want to be told…”
“What is it, Carolyn?” A heaviness settles over me.
“I’ve known Chase since grade school. And I don’t know if he’s told you or not, but he’s engaged.”
Shock washes over me. “What?”
She nods. “He’s engaged to his high school girlfriend. She didn’t go to college here though. She’s been in Florida. So maybe they have an open relationship or whatever, but even if it’s cool with her, I thought you’d like to know. They’re supposed to get married this summer.”
I can’t believe this. If he’s about to get married, then why has he been spending so much time with me?
I shake my head. “I don’t believe this. Why? Why do all of this—bring me flowers, make up after our fight, talk on the phone for hours?”
Claimed By Him: (Contemporary Romance Box Set) Page 62
