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  “My phone crapped out on me last night, so I went to get a new one this morning first thing. Otherwise, you would’ve had me walking you to work while you ate one of your muffins.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I don’t care about the phone. I only care that you thought I was ignoring you. I would never ignore you. It’s impossible for me to do that.”

  I smile at his admission. I lean in, brushing my lips against his. I should have known better. My Jordan would never do that.

  “No, I wouldn’t.”

  “Crap. I said that out loud.” Heat hits my cheeks.

  “I liked it. So keep on saying it. I told you that you’ve been mine for as long as I’ve known you. Even if we weren’t together like this then. So trust me, I’ve been yours before you ever knew it.”

  God, I love that. “Did you get my email?” I ask.

  “Yes, and I responded, but you haven’t checked your emails in a while.” I’m not going to ask how he knows that, because I have a pretty good idea it has to do with breaking security rules. “Then I watched you drown yourself in work, getting lost in your head, so I waited for my moment.”

  “You waited?”

  “Yeah. I’ve been trying to get a chance to get you alone. Because we both know when I get my hands on you, your mind calms.”

  I melt even more into him. “I do, don’t I?”

  “I like it. It means you need me, and I fucking love the idea of you needing me.” He leans in, kissing me again. This time it’s soft and sweet, but he pulls back before I want it to end.

  “I better let you get back to your desk before someone comes looking for you.”

  “Oh crap! I forgot where I was.” I look around like my surroundings are new. My gaze darts to the camera in the corner.

  “I turned it off. No one saw anything,” he tells me, putting me back down on my feet.

  “About tonight...”

  “You’ll make it up to me. I get you all day tomorrow.”

  “You can come, too, if you want. Meet us there. I think the girls and I are walking over together. I’m not sure where we’re going. Skyler didn’t say, but she said work people are coming, and you work here, too.”

  “You want me to be there?”

  “Yes,” I say instantly.

  “I’ll be there.” He leans in, placing another kiss on my lips. “Until then, little bird.” He walks over, picks up the drink I’d forgotten about, and hands it to me. He opens the door for me and follows me back to my desk before giving me another quick kiss and exiting onto the elevator. I can’t help but watch him go, thinking how silly I was being and how I let myself get so worked up over nothing. I’m actually mad at myself for thinking he would do something like that. I’ve known Jordan for a while now, and he’s not that kind of guy.

  I shake my head and eat my lunch while clicking the email Jordan sent me this morning. It was sent long after I went into Miles’s office for our morning meeting.

  From: [email protected]

  Subject: RE: Cooking

  No worries, little bird. You can make it up to me by giving me your whole Saturday, and maybe even your lunch break today.

  I wanted to let you know I had to get a new phone this morning. If you texted me last night, there’s a chance I didn’t get it.

  I miss you, and I’ll be coming for the goodnight kiss I didn’t get last night as soon as I can.

  J

  I look down at my lunch, feeling guilty. If I had read that email this morning, I could be having lunch with him right now. But then I wouldn’t have gotten him in the break room just now. Something about him seemed a little different in there. That was a side of him I’d never seen before.

  My email pings again, and I see it’s a new email from Jordan.

  From: [email protected]

  Subject: Smile

  Smile, little bird. I had the best tasting lunch a man could ask for in your break room.

  I glance up at the camera and smile. Then I end up blushing, which is what I seem to do a lot around him anyway.

  I click out of my emails and get back to work. I’m glad that I have a stack of things to do today. It will keep me busy so time won’t pass so slowly until I see Jordan again. When the time nears five o’clock, I start packing up my desk. I go over my last emails to try to clear them out, answering the ones I can and forwarding the ones I’m unsure of directly to Miles.

  As I’m working, one pops up.

  From: [email protected]

  Subject: none

  Watch your step, you little bitch. Or you won’t be smiling much longer.

  I read the email and roll my eyes. For half a second, I think maybe I should send it to Jordan, but then I decide not to. I’ve been called worse and threatened before. Most of our corporate mergers piss someone off, and my email address is on our website. Disgruntled employees create fake accounts and send me hate mail at least once a week. This doesn’t even make the top fifty.

  “You ready?”

  I look up to see Mallory and Skyler standing in front of my desk, looking excited, with a brooding Miles standing behind them. His eyes never leave Mallory, and I shake my head. I delete the email and grab my bag.

  “Yep! Where we going? I want to text my boyfriend and let him know the place.”

  Both Mallory and Skyler make “ahh!” sounds, and Skyler grabs me by the arm, locking mine with hers. “So you and the big scary man are back on? I want the details before he shows up and becomes your shadow.” She looks over at Miles, whom she’s clearly taking a dig at. She’s trying to poke at him, but I like the idea of having a shadow of my own.

  Chapter Eleven

  Jordan

  When I get to the place Jay texted me, I see there’s a crowd already forming near the bar.

  “I’m going to the bar,” McCoy says, walking around me and making a beeline for it.

  “Grab me one,” I say and he throws his hand up and signals he heard me.

  I scan the place, and it takes only a second before I spot my chestnut beauty toward the back. She’s surrounded by several people I know by face, but not because I’ve met them. I probably know more about their lives than any of them would like, but it’s the nature of the beast.

  “Hey.” She pops up from her seat, all smiles and red cheeks. “This is everybody. Everybody, this is Jordan.” She waves around to the group of women, who all look at me with knowing smiles.

  I wonder for a second what she’s been telling them, but then the one to her right fills me in. “Yes, we know all about you. I’m Skyler.” She holds up her drink in toast before she smiles at me.

  “Nice to meet you,” I say, walking around and taking Jay’s hand. I’ve seen Skyler a few times, and I appreciate that she’s direct. She gives off a cold vibe, but that’s definitely not a bad thing.

  “Mallory,” I say, nodding to her as she sips her water.

  “Hey, Jordan. Is he outside?” she asks, looking over her shoulder.

  “Right by the door. Don’t worry. Paige and Captain are keeping him company.”

  I got to know Mallory a little when I was assigned to her security detail. But I’m not normally her protection and am usually a last resort. The whole team is trained in combat, and we all know how to use a gun, but I’m usually the one behind the computer when it comes down to it.

  “It’s fine. I think I’m ready to go.” She winks at Skyler before placing her empty plates on the table and standing up. She tells everyone bye, and before she can make it halfway to the exit, Miles is by her side. She shakes her head, but I see the look they give one another.

  “They’re kind of cute in a gross way,” Skyler says and then leans over to talk to the woman on the other side of her.

  “I think they’re sweet,” Jay says, and I lean over to be closer to he
r.

  “I think you’re sweeter.” I kiss her below her ear and savor her shiver under my lips.

  “Guess I’ll take this empty seat,” McCoy says, and hands me my beer.

  He plops down between two women who work in marketing and starts chatting them up. The redhead on his left is Lori. She’s recently divorced, and her supervisor is waiting to make his move. He’s over by the bar, pretending not to stare at her as she flirts with McCoy. The woman on the right is Corey. She works weekends at a strip club to help support her younger brother and sick mom.

  “What are you thinking about?” Jay asks me as she holds my hand and sips her wine.

  “Just how I know so much about these people, but none of them know me.”

  She frowns. “Do you think I know you?”

  “Better than anyone. Probably as much as my pop.”

  “Are we still going to see him on Sunday?” She brightens when she asks, like she’s genuinely excited.

  “There’s no way you’re getting out of it. I called him this morning and he’s beside himself.”

  I called him on the way to work, and he sounded like he’d been waiting for this call. He told me he’d make a special dinner and not to be late. I knew he was excited because he didn’t remind me to bring his scratch-off.

  “Maybe I’ll make something to bring. Does he like cake?” she asks, leaning into my side.

  I wrap my arm around her, and for anyone looking at us, it’s clear we’re together. There’s no hiding the look on her face and the one I’m pretty sure is on mine.

  “Little bird, every man likes cake made by a beautiful woman.”

  She beams at my compliment, and I vow to give her more of them.

  I look over to see the redhead McCoy is talking to flipping her hair and touching his arm. He doesn’t look to be enjoying it, but she doesn’t stop. In the distance, I see the supervisor getting worked up at the blatant flirtation. For a second I think she might not notice, but then I see her glance ever so slightly out of the corner of her eye at her boss.

  “Maybe we should get out of here,” I whisper to Jay.

  “Why?” A look of disappointment crosses her face, but before I have a chance to explain, all hell breaks loose.

  The boss must have had one too many drinks in him, because he clearly doesn’t see the size difference between him and McCoy as he lunges for him. McCoy reacts instinctively and blocks him, tossing him into the middle of our group, sending him crashing down on the table.

  Drinks and food go flying, and Skyler is on her feet, cursing a streak that would make a sailor blush. Lori covers her mouth, but I can see her shoulders shaking. She’s trying to cover her laugh as she goes to help the poor guy who just got laid out with an arm drag. McCoy always did love wrestling.

  Corey shakes her head and pulls out some bills for the drinks when McCoy stops her. They exchange some words, and she takes off, leaving him there with his mouth open.

  I look down and see Jay is in my lap and I’ve got her turned away from the wreckage. Without even thinking, I wrapped her up and protected her, and she came straight into my arms.

  “Ready to go?” I ask, tucking her closer to me.

  “I am now.”

  I stand her up on her feet as people from the restaurant come over and help clean up the mess. Lori and her boss are arguing in hushed voices, while McCoy has his eyes glued on the door Corey exited.

  “You okay to handle this?” I look around at the mess, and he finally snaps out of his trance.

  “Yeah, yeah. We’re good.”

  I nod to him as I tug Jay’s hand behind me, helping her out of the bar. I hear her say her goodbyes over her shoulder to a steamed Skyler and the group she was with.

  “I just don’t get it,” she says. “Why didn’t she just tell that guy how she felt instead of creating a scene?”

  “You caught all that?” I ask, feeling pride at how she paid attention to her surroundings.

  “Oh, I see more than most people give me credit for. It’s the reason I’m so good at my job. I can sit in a meeting and afterwards tell Miles about a hundred things he didn’t catch. And it’s how I’m able to get what I want from most people.”

  “And what do I want?” I bring our joined hands up to my mouth and kiss hers.

  She bites her lip as she takes her hand from mine and waves for a taxi. “I think you want to come back to my place.”

  “I think you’re on to something.”

  As soon as we’re in the back of the cab, she’s on me. She climbs on my lap, straddling my legs, and I give her the kiss she’s after. It’s burning hot, and when she tastes my tongue, I grip her hips tighter.

  “Fuck,” I grit against her lips, rubbing my hands over every part of her.

  Her hands are in my hair, and she moans just as the cab driver is beating on the glass and yelling at us to sit in our seats.

  I pull her off of me—I don’t want an audience for this—and sit her beside me, not touching.

  “You stay on your side and behave,” I say, trying to catch my breath.

  Jesus, that was like a tornado. One second I was sitting in a cab and the next I was about to fuck Jay to within an inch of her life in the middle of Times Square.

  “I’ll be good if you stop being hot.” Her smile turns into a laugh, and I reach out, touching her cheek. “Hey. No touching,” she chides, pointing a finger at me.

  “Fine.” I cross my arms, and she glares at me.

  “Okay. Maybe a little touching.” She places her hand on the seat, palm up, ready for me to hold it.

  I’m not strong enough to deny her, and so I place my hand in hers. Then after a moment of hesitation, I bring it to my mouth and start to kiss her knuckles.

  “I can’t help it,” I say when she gives me a look. “I like having my mouth on you.” I run the tip of my tongue between two of her fingers, and I feel the pulse on her wrist quicken. “I can’t wait to see what you taste like everywhere.”

  The cab comes to a stop right outside Jay’s apartment, and I throw some money at him as we jump out.

  “Quick, let’s get inside,” she says, nearly running into her building.

  “What’s wrong?” I’m confused, looking around for potential danger.

  “Are you kidding me? I’m just waiting for something to go wrong. Hurry up!”

  I scoop her up in my arms, and she squeals with laughter. I carry her to the elevator, and she puts in her key and enters a code to go to her floor.

  “I like the safety you’ve got here.”

  “I thought you might. Too bad there’s not a doorman twenty-four/seven. He’s only here from lunchtime until ten. Anything after and we’ve got to trust the automatic locks.”

  “Hmm,” I say, wondering if I can look into that for her. I’m already thinking about the next time I’ll be here. Or better yet, I could just get her to come to my place. And stay. Forever.

  Chapter Twelve

  Jay

  Jordan puts me down on my feet as we enter my little apartment. I don’t want to be out of his arms. I like when he carries me because it makes me feel small and precious to him. He closes the door, and I melt into his body, placing my head on his chest. He rubs firm hands along my back, and I love how he’s always wanting to touch me. It’s like he can’t get enough, and I want to roll around in that kind of attention.

  “It’s cute,” he says, glancing around my living room.

  It’s then I realize I’ve never had a man in my home before. I turn in his arms and glance around the room, trying to see what he sees. My walls are a soft lavender—an attempt to make the place appear more spacious. But there isn’t much space. It’s Manhattan, so I guess that’s kind of expected. A white sofa sits up against one wall, with a couple of windows behind it. If there was a blank wall anywhere in the house, I’ve
put some sort of shelving or bookcases on it. All the notebooks that I’m constantly writing in are piled on them, along with some of my favorite books. Off to the right is my tiny eat-in kitchen, where I spend most of my Saturdays baking. Making sweet things has always calmed me and helped clear my mind. Well, that was until Jordan. When he’s near me, I’m always calm, and even baking couldn’t do that for me the way he does.

  I can picture him sitting at the breakfast bar on his computer while I move around the kitchen, making us both treats and having him test them. The thought makes butterflies dance in my stomach.

  The short hallway leads to a bathroom and my small bedroom. My place is simple, and everything is always tidy, because at this size the tiniest mess makes the place seem cluttered. I don’t like needless things lying around either. It drives me crazy keeping things I don’t need. It’s a habit I picked up after living in a home that was always in disarray and overrun. I like order. It brings focus to my busy mind. When things start to get messy, I get uneasy.

  “It’s small.” He glances down at me, still rubbing my back.

  “You make it seem even smaller,” I add.

  Normally it’s just me. I don’t need a lot of space, but now with Jordan standing in my living room, the space is definitely tight.

  His movements stop, and he tightens his hold on me. “Guess we’ll just have to cuddle.”

  “You’re a cuddler?” I tease.

  “I think I could be.” He leans down, taking my mouth in a soft kiss. It’s slow, but it only takes a second before it turns into something more. Jordan deepens the kiss, and I taste his flavor as his tongue touches mine. I moan, wanting more. God, I didn’t know kissing could be like this, that you could feel so connected to someone and so easily get lost.

  “God, I love when you do that.” My eyes flutter open to see him looking down at me.

  I don’t want to talk. I want to kiss. I grab the back of his neck and pull his mouth back against mine, wanting that connection.

  His strong arms pick me up and carry me a short distance before my back hits the mattress. I’m so far gone that even through that, I don’t break the kiss. He’s on top of me, and the heavy feel of his body on mine is making my body crave more. I know that kissing alone isn’t going to be enough.