Chapter 5 #2
My vacation starts as soon as this party is over. Not that I have anything planned of course. I don't want to be an imposition to any of the guys.
I haven't even thought about leaving the city. I figure I’ll hunker down on the couch with some snacks and watch the snow while Christmas movies played.
As I pour myself a cup of hot chocolate, I feel someone step up beside me. I turn to greet the newcomer and tell them how awesome the hot chocolate is, but my voice freezes in my throat.
A familiar face.
The man is someone I have heard of and seen a picture of but never had the chance to be around.
Jerome Daniels stands beside me looking even better than the photograph I’d seen of him.
He's semi-formal in his attire with a really nice burgundy button-up and a pair of black slacks.
It all fits him perfectly, molding to his frame.
I don't take a chance to look down at his shoes because I've already been staring for far too long, but it's his face and the smile he's throwing my way that truly leaves me speechless.
"Hi there," he says. "I'm Jerome."
Thankfully he doesn't try to shake my hand. If he did, he'd feel just how sweaty it's become in the three-point-two seconds I've been standing near him.
This is the man I saw on Jim's screen and had inappropriate thoughts about. He is the man that I had delusions of being a perfect Daddy for me. He's the man that I can't have because I don't even know him. This is the first time we've ever spoken.
Dear brain, get out of the gutter or the Daddy-topia place. Whatever.
“What's your name?" he asks when I don't respond.
I try to speak, and it comes out as a squeak.
His lips tip up further as his hand moves to my lower back. "You okay there?"
I nod, then clear my throat. "Yeah, sorry, I'm… I'm Jared."
His thumb rubs softly against the back of my sweater.
I hate myself a little bit for wearing something so thick, but it’s basically a freaking blizzard outside.
If it wasn’t for the coat check that I found after dropping off the cookies while I was mingling, then even more fabric would be between us.
Jerome nods his head. "It's nice to meet you, Jared. What do you do here?" he asks. "Here at NightShade, I mean."
I stop the hot chocolate pouring in my cup before it can overflow and secure it with a lid. Then I take a quick bite of cookie because my nerves are still a mess. This only seems to amuse the man further. His eyes brighten as he steps even closer to my side.
"Why don't we move off to the side? I would love to speak with you more, but I think there might be some people who want hot chocolate too."
I let him lead me over away from the table because, sure enough, there was a line forming behind us. When it's just us off to the side he keeps his hand on me. I wonder how any of this is happening.
“Now then, can you tell me about what you do? I can go first if that helps. I’m the new assistant for Grant over in legal.
I used to be a cop but left that career and started over.
I’m forty-three. I'm an only child. Parents are both gone.
Love the city, and I'm friends with Chance. Still learning to be friends with Tank.”
That last comment gets me to grin.
“Tank can be a lot for most people,” I say.
Jerome chuckles. “Yeah, I've learned that. When Chance first spoke about him, I knew I had to meet the guy. He’s fun, but I definitely see how he built his empire here. I'm just thankful he's going to let me be a part of it.”
My brow dipped. “He's not letting you do anything. Tank doesn't bring anyone on that he doesn't believe in. As much as he has managers and teams to do the hiring, he still has the final say. I know because I'm his assistant.”
Jerome's smile shifts. It's almost as if he's studying me.
I can see now in his expression that I probably should have clocked that he was law enforcement before.
He's got that intense gaze that tells me that he's used to digging for answers.
I hope he doesn't dig too far here. I would hate to blurt out the word Daddy and really freak the guy out.
Then again, I can't make assumptions because I know some people who are Daddies who really don't look the part. You wouldn't suspect it at all. I think that's the greatness of diversity.
“You could be whatever you want to be as long as you're respectful and kind. Those things are important.” Jerome's hand presses more firmly against my back.
I don't know if it means he wants me to move or if he's just an affectionate kind of guy. If it were anyone else I might step away. This man is too tempting to do that just yet.
“You're an assistant too. That's good to know. I imagine working for Tank involves a lot. What do you do in your free time?”
Bake cookies, color, take naps with my stuffed animals, wrap myself in a blanket like it's a burrito, hang out with my best friend while he regresses.
Of course, I can't say any of those things.
Again, I can't just blurt out the Daddy stuff to people. It's not how this goes.
Instead, I tell him the basic answers. “I like to watch TV. Sometimes I read a book. I like drawing.”
“That's interesting,” he says. “Maybe one day we could catch a movie. The two of us.”
My eyes go wide at his suggestion. “Do you want to be my friend?”
His hand presses against my lower back, and I can tell he definitely wants me closer this time. He even takes a half step.
Our feet are touching as I face him. His hand, the hand not on my back, raises as his pointer finger traces along my jaw. His eyes watch the movement. “I really want to be more than that, but I think friendship is where we start though.”
I have to swallow because my throat instantly goes dry. “You want to be more?”
He sighs, that finger of his moving now down my neck and over my collarbone. His eyes rise to meet mine. The heat in them makes me want to melt.
“I would love to be your Daddy, but I'm not sure if you're ready for that.”
Holy Christmas miracle. Is Santa psychic?