15. Have To Coax Her
15
HAVE TO COAX HER
“W hat’s wrong?” Garrett asked and leaned back.
“What?” she asked.
“You just let out a sound like you’re hurt. Did I do something to hurt you or upset you?”
“No,” she said. She hesitated. “I just had a random thought in my head. I didn’t realize that I made a noise with it.”
He laughed, but he was searching her eyes and her face.
He knew what he’d like that random thought to be but didn’t want to assume anything else.
“Anything you want to share?”
“Not really,” she said, smirking.
She didn’t seem upset or bothered so he was not going to press.
“I didn’t think so,” he said. “But you know, I’m here if you want to talk about anything.”
When tears filled her eyes he had a panic moment.
Oh shit, what did he do?
He went to pull her into his arms, but she jumped up and went to get a tissue and blot her eyes.
“What’s going on, Justine?”
“Nothing,” she said. “Ignore me.”
“I can’t ignore you. I don’t want to ignore you. There has to be something. I don’t picture you the type to cry for no reason.”
“I’m not,” she said.
“Are you missing your father? Grief hits people at the strangest of times.”
She laughed, but it wasn’t a funny sound, and she clearly forced it.
“I’m always going to grieve him. It’s hard not to. We were close. It’s nothing.”
“Justine,” he said, pulling her into his arms. “It’s something. If you don’t want to talk to me, then let me just hold you because I think you need that.”
When she cried in his arms, his heart not only broke for her but opened up to the possibility that he didn’t want to lose her.
He wanted to fix whatever problem she had and heal her but also knew that she wouldn’t let him in.
Not that deeply.
Not this soon.
After a minute, she stepped back and he was pretty sure that it took a lot for her to stay in his arms that long.
“Thank you. And I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” he said. “Do you want to talk?”
She shrugged and he took that as a yes, but he might have to coax her some. “How about a little wine or beer?”
“I’ll have a glass of wine with you,” he said. “If you want.”
“I’ll get them,” she said.
He let her go and she tried to compose herself while she did it.
He helped himself to some food and then grabbed a piece of the wrapped dark chocolate.
When she sat down, he put the foil-covered treat in her hand. “Have this, you’ll feel better.”
She laughed. “I might eat the entire bag in embarrassment over my meltdown.”
“It’s not much of a meltdown,” he said.
It’s not like she went to a place and screamed where no one could hear her like he did. He was just as guilty as her when it came to hiding how he felt.
“I’ve had worse but in private. Troy asked what was going on with us.”
“Oh,” he said. “And that made you cry?”
What was he missing here?
“No,” she rushed out. “That started things. I was walking out the door and he asked what was going on with us.”
He listened while she explained the conversation. “Do you have a problem if people know? I know you don’t want any talk since we both work there, but we don’t work together. I’m not your boss, you’re not mine.”
“I know,” she said. “And it’s not a secret and we are going out tomorrow too. I’m not going to lie. I didn’t. I said we were friends.”
He wasn’t going to be hurt over that. Or even annoyed.
Though he wanted to be both.
“I’d say we are a touch beyond that. Date five, you know.”
“I figured you’d be counting them all,” she said, grinning.
“Am I wrong?”
“Not technically,” she said.
“So you’re not bothered by what Troy said?”
“Not really. But it got me thinking. Not in a bad way. I come home and I’m putting the food together and my mother called.”
“You don’t talk about your mother much,” he said.
“Because we aren’t close.”
“I’m sorry for that,” he said.
“No reason to be sorry. It is what it is. The short version is, that she cheated on my father when we were younger. She left him for the man she’s married to. A much older wealthier man that could give her this fancy lifestyle that my father wouldn’t give her. She’s on the Riviera right now. She splits her time between there and the States and travels a lot too. Pierre has companies in several countries.”
“Something tells me you were just as happy to stay with your father,” he said.
“I was. So was Jordan. My mother brought up a few things about my father and it upset me. I tried to put it behind me, but guess I couldn’t.”
“I’m sorry if she upset you,” he said. He was rubbing his hand on hers.
She opened the chocolate and ate it, then took a sip of the wine.
“She annoyed me first and then upset me some. She said my father was controlling. He wasn’t.”
He had to play his words carefully here. “Was he with you and your sister?”
“No,” she said. “We had rules like every kid does and we obeyed them mostly. Me more than Jordan, but that is just who she is. My mother liked to spend money. It all came down to money with her. When she says my father was controlling, it’s because he only gave her a certain amount of money she had access to, but trust me, she wasn’t deprived.”
He laughed. “Okay, that makes more sense.”
“My father paid for all the living expenses. When my mother worked, she kept her money for herself. My father gave my mother a lot, but it wasn’t enough. That’s on them, not me or my sister.”
“No,” he said. “My parents are the same. My father takes care of it all. It’s just the way I was raised.”
And all the women he’d been with in his life expected him to do the same.
He didn’t have a problem with it as long as it didn’t feel as if he was being taken advantage of.
“My father raised us to be independent but open-minded. My mother is aware of what happened with his second wife. She said my father was probably controlling the funds with Elise. I know he was. She was a drunk. There was a reason he did what he had. When she was drunk she’d go on spending sprees and just buy whatever she wanted.”
“And it was between them,” he said.
“It was,” she said. “Garrett, I don’t know what we’ve got. Where we are going or anything. I don’t want you to think there are secrets or I’m withholding things. I’m going to have bad days.”
“I know how it is,” he said. “We all do. I don’t think it’s a secret if you do have bad days.”
“Thank you. I’m not going to get into specifics because it’s not who I am or what you need to know. But I don’t need you to take care of me. I don’t have your family’s wealth, but my father had a lot. He had two massive life insurance policies that he left for Jordan and me. They weren’t contested. He set them up when we were kids. The bulk of his money was in investments, and again, Jordan and I were the sole beneficiaries and set up prior to his marriage to Elise. Nothing contested there.”
He wasn’t shocked to find this out and she didn’t need to tell him either.
“That’s your business,” he said.
“I know. I’m just saying, I don’t need to work, but I am because I love what I do. Jordan the same. But I don’t need a man to take care of everything for me. I like a guy with manners, but if I want to pay for something, I don’t want to fight about it either.”
He laughed. “Understood.”
“I know you come from a long line of doctors and wealth and most likely trust funds. You probably didn’t even have to pay for your education and I didn’t have to pay for mine. But mine didn’t cost as much as yours.”
He didn’t deny anything but just smirked at her. She laughed. “I think we understand each other.”
“Good,” she said. “I’m sorry I was emotional. My mother rarely calls me. She normally just sends me a text or an email.”
“And when she called you felt obligated to answer?”
Justine’s shoulders dropped. “Yes. Jordan and my mother, even my father, always said I ran or avoided everything. I do. Most times. But I can’t be mean. I can’t live with guilt well either.”
“Instead you took that call and let it upset you?” he asked.
“I know my mother never tries to do it, but it just happens. Jordan doesn’t answer calls or texts and everyone expects that of her.”
“But they all expect you to be the nice one?” he asked.
“I’m not sure nice is the right word. As Jordan says, everyone looks at me and thinks they can intimidate me.”
“Oh, not me,” he said, laughing. “You scare me.”
Because she all but held his heart in his hands if he opened up his chest anymore.
“I doubt that,” she said, laughing.
“You’d be surprised,” he said.
“Anyway. That is what happened today. And you kissed me and I think that you’re right, I just needed a hug.”
“Maybe I need one now and again too,” he said.
“Then I’ll give you one,” she said, putting her arms around his neck.
Her lips went to his again and this time their kiss was anything but gentle and sweet.
There was a hunger there that he hadn’t experienced with another woman in years and one he didn’t expect her to share.
His dick was growing in his jeans rapidly and he didn’t have much control over it.
He didn’t think she was teasing him, but he was only human.
And the way she was almost crawling into his lap wasn’t helping much.
But she stopped kissing him before he was ready and sat back to fan her face.
“Wow,” he said.
“Yeah. I didn’t mean to do that. I’m sorry if I’m putting you in an awkward position.”
“You’re not,” he said. “Just trying to figure things out.”
She ran her hand down his arm. “I know I’m confusing you. I’m confusing myself. Do we have to put a name on anything?”
“No,” he said. “We don’t.”
“Good,” she said. “Maybe we can watch a movie now and then when we are done, kiss some more? I think you need a little break.”
Her eyes dropped between his legs. “That’s not helping me any,” he said, laughing.
“How about I’m the one that needs the break.”
He poked her in the side. “Glad to know I’m not alone.”
“Trust me,” she said. “You’re not.”