21. Jessica
JESSICA
Is he mental? I’m barely dressed for polite company, let alone here in his boardroom with his shareholders and company bigwigs. All I did was hang up the phone, and he went postal. How would he ever survive a strategic frontal attack?
I could feel the heat of everyone’s stare as he went on about his business, as if nothing happened.
I guess they’re accustomed to his antics because no one said anything.
I was too embarrassed to look any of those people in the face, so I kept my head down, pretending to be on the phone while gritting my teeth and plotting mayhem.
He was in the middle of some spiel when I texted him. I’m not sure how he knew it was me, but he looked at me before looking at his phone.
‘If you don’t let me out of here, I’m going to embarrass the hell out of you.’
‘You can try, but I hope you’re ready to bear the consequences.’
There was a shift in the air in the room, and I was certain everyone knew we were talking to each other. I looked up to find him watching me even as he spoke to his people; obvious, much? It’s like he was waiting for my next move, daring me even.
Okay then. I threw both legs onto the table and smiled around the room.
“So, what are we talking about? Hey, nice tie, it really suits your complexion.” I pointed at the oldest man at the table with a grin.
The poor man almost swallowed his face as it turned red, but there was no mistaking that gleam in his eye.
He probably hasn’t been complimented since The Flintstones went off the air.
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“Ma’am? Do I look that old? Hey, baby daddy, you didn’t pay me for last night.” I turned my attention back to Julius. He didn’t look embarrassed in the least. In fact, I think he smiled before he had the audacity to take out his wallet and throw a black card across the table at me.
I was stumped for two seconds, but I’m no greenhorn.
“Ooh, thanks daddy, I can do some damage with this.” An unlimited card in my hands is a recipe for all kinds of good things.
My own father refused to give me one because he knew I’d try to buy Europe, but if this one was willing to take a chance, who am I to stop him?
“Where do you think you’re going?” Dammit, I was halfway out of my chair when he stopped me.
“Shopping, of course, what do you think?”
“You can do that later, I’ll take you, sit down.” Why isn’t he even a little bit embarrassed, and why does it seem like his people are way too invested in my little show?
“I don’t wanna!” I pouted and stomped my foot.
“Jessie-Belle, be a good girl, okay.” Who the…. I knew from his smirk that he thought he won that round.
I was having so much fun with my little texting war that I almost forgot we were in a room full of people.
He was pretty smooth at leading the meeting while fielding my barbs, but since I didn’t want to embarrass myself and had caught on to the fact that he wasn’t easy to humiliate, I kept our little parry to the phone and kept my mouth shut.
There was a sweet warmth in my chest each time he took the time to text me back, even though he sat next to me.
That feeling that the two of us were alone in our own little world, even though we were surrounded by people, was a whole new experience for me.
It felt so much like a romcom, and that feeling spread throughout my body until it felt as though I had swallowed the sun.
I realized why that was, why I felt this way, and almost choked on my own saliva. It’s because this morning after was so different from the last. It’s what I needed and didn’t even know that I did. I was spooked because it was too easy, this falling back into a scenario that should not have been.
Didn’t I promise myself long ago that I would never allow this to happen?
That I would never trust, never, let anyone get this close again, especially not him?
How had he done it so easily? It was too late to pull back now, so I didn’t even try, and the only thing left to do was make his life a living hell.
I started critiquing his performance from the night before, doing my best to get under his skin while he was talking about some technology deal he was working on, and he just kept brushing me off with his answers as if I were just a pesky kid.
What man can take a hit about his lack of sexual know-how without batting a lash? I have to up my game.
I’d never done this before with anyone, this playful banter between lovers. It came close to what I’ve seen with my parents over the years. That ease between two people who were very in sync with each other. The more annoying I was, the calmer he seemed to be.
Like when I told him that his donkey dick was a waste on someone who didn’t know how to use it, and he had the nerve to reply that he’d do much better later when he got me alone, as if.
I hope no one was focused on me because my face was a dead giveaway that something was up, as red hot as it now was.
I instinctively knew when it was time to pull back and let him get back to what he was doing, and went back to playing on my phone.
It rang halfway through my slaughter of the enemy.
Of course, it was Dale. Don’t ask me how this one knew who was calling me, but he glared at me hard enough to give me a coronary.
I didn’t answer the call, but that didn’t stop him from ending the meeting and clearing the room.
His team had barely left the room when he pulled me up from my seat and planted a kiss on my lips that threatened to consume me. “Still sore?” My face became beet red at his words, and I tried burying my face in his chest.
“Why so shy all of a sudden?” Beats the hell outta me.
He was being so soft and caring, pushing my hair back behind my ear gently, kissing my forehead, all while keeping an arm around my middle as if he was afraid I’d escape.
I felt like curling up against his chest and falling asleep.
Alarm bells started going off in my head.
How the hell did I let this man slip under my guard so easily?
He seemed to sense my thoughts because the next thing I knew, he was swallowing my tongue again before feeding me his, and I forgot why I was supposed to be wary.
“Why haven’t you blocked him yet?” He asked while nibbling on my lip, and it took me a moment to understand his words because I was in the fog.
“Because I’m not done playing with him yet.” I looked at him defiantly.
“Whatever you’re doing, make it quick. I don’t like my woman having contact with other men, especially one she used to be close to.” I started to give him hell, but he covered my lips again, this time being way more forceful than before. Someone was jelly.