Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Katherine
“I am so sorry, Katherine.” Cora’s voice is grateful as she apologizes on the phone.
I’ve never heard someone sound so close to hysteria in my life, and I actually feel pretty sorry for her.
“I don’t know what happened. I thought I deleted the file, but I must have deleted the wrong one.
” She sounds like she’s ready to cry, and my heart swells for the old lady.
I’m grateful for her apologies, but I’m really trying to get prepared for the evening and want to concentrate on my appearance.
I’m hoping that Jack’s jaw will drop once he sees me.
Not because I want him to want me, but more so that he can see what he can’t have.
I know it’s a bit twisted, but I’m not going to question myself.
“It’s fine. These things happen.” I don’t really know what else to say as I reapply some red lipstick and slip my heels into a pair of Jimmy Choo’s that I’ve borrowed from Willow.
“The good news is we all still have our jobs.” I pat the powder against my face and stare at my reflection.
I look cute, sexy even. “But I have to go now, Cora. I’ll see you in the office next week. ”
“Yes, dear, and I’ll make sure to bring you my famous chocolate chip, pecan, and mushroom cookies.”
“Did you just say mushroom?” I ask, wondering if I’d heard her correctly. Was she losing it?
“Yes, portobellos. They add that special something. I’ll make two dozen just for you.”
“Oh, yay, thanks!” I hang up quickly before she offers to bring me red pepper and banana milkshakes, too. I hurry into the living room and spin around in the red dress, showing off my moves to Willow and Brielle, who are getting ready to go to a movie. “How do I look?”
“Stunning.” Brielle’s eyes widen in admiration as she gives me a once-over. “Actually, what’s a word that means more than stunning?”
“Ravishing,” Willow says as she looks me up and down. “Beautiful.” There’s a note of sincerity in both of their voices and I am so grateful that I am surrounded by women who lift me up.
“Thanks, girls. I guess I’ll keep you both as my best friends.” I grin at them. “You don’t think the dress is too slutty, do you? It’s a little short, and I know that the top is a little low. I don’t want Jack to think I’m trying to seduce him.”
“He’ll wish you were,” Brielle says with a laugh as she pulls out her phone and takes a photo of me. “And then he’ll try to seduce you.”
“He’ll be so lucky,” I growl. “I am off-limits to the likes of Jack Heathcliff,” I say with as much vigor as I can muster, though I don’t even believe the words myself.
There’s something about the way the man looks at me and makes my heart beat that tells me that I would be mere putty in his hands.
I hate that feeling. Knowing that he’s no good for me, yet still wanting to be taken by him.
There’s a part of me that hasn’t forgotten the very first time we met.
The way he’d made me feel seen. The way he’d made me feel like a woman.
The way I’d felt like I was a vixen. The way I’d wanted him.
“You’ll meet someone much better than him, anyway. We both will.” Brielle says wistfully and rolls her eyes as she stares at her phone.
“What is it?” I ask her, surprised by her expression. “Who’s texting you?”
“Levi. I guess he’s going on some trip soon, so I can’t stand working for him right away, but he says not to worry because as soon as he’s back, he’ll be ready for me.
” She sips her water and stretches her legs out.
“Like I’m just here waiting at his beck and call. ” She sounds pissed, and I wonder why.
“I mean, you kinda are,” Willow says and then presses her lips together after Brielle gives her a dirty look. I feel like there’s more to the story than she’s letting on, but just as I’m about to ask her a question, my phone beeps.
“It’s Jack. He’s here.” My heart races as I realize I’m about to spend the evening pretending to be his date.
At seventeen, this would have been a dream come true.
Now it feels like I’ve signed up for the worst decision of my life.
“Bye, guys,” I call out to my friends as I leave the apartment.
I have to remind myself that this isn’t a real date.
Jack Heathcliff is my boss. He’s a jerk.
He’s the last man I would ever be interested in.
“Get it together, Katherine,” I mumble to myself as I step into the elevator.
My heart is racing like I’m on my way to my wedding, and I know I need to get it together. Whatever happens tonight is not real.
“Hey, Katherine. It’s good to see you looking so ravishing and divine.
” Jack is waiting right outside the entrance as I walk out of the building.
He looks incredibly handsome in his gray shirt and dark pants.
The way his eyes light up when he sees me also makes me feel slightly giddy, and I’m annoyed that my body has this instant attraction to him.
“I would say it’s good to see you as well, but I would be lying.” I tease Jack as he looks me up and down, making my heart flutter at the intense way he is gazing at me.
“Ouch, I guess I should feel offended by that.” He grins like he’s anything but offended.
“I mean, seeing as you technically blackmailed me to go on this dinner date with you tonight, I wouldn’t expect me to fawn over you with compliments. You didn’t really think I’d be like, "Hello, Jack, you look handsome and muscular tonight.”
“Oh, so we’re calling it blackmail now?” He chuckles slightly as he takes a step closer to me, and I can smell his expensive, earthy cologne. “So, in a court of law, saving your job for doing something that would be an otherwise fireable offense is blackmail now?”
“Well, I mean…” I mumble and look down at the ground. He grabs my hand, and I look up at him in surprise.
“If you don’t want to come, I’m not going to make you. Katherine, I would never make you do anything you don’t want to do." His voice is surprisingly sincere, and it takes me aback so that I barely notice the two dogs walking past with huge bowties on.
“But you’re going to fire me if I don’t, right?”
“No,” he says. His blue eyes gaze into mine, and I feel like my heart is going to stop. He really is the most handsome man. Ugh!
“I’ll come. You obviously need help with all the women in your life.”
“All the women?” He chuckles. “Plural, huh?”
“Well, I don’t know how many women are going to be there tonight trying to jump your bones.”
“I don’t know how many women will be there tonight, but there’s only one woman who’s after me, and her name is Raquel.”
“Raquel. Sounds fancy.” I sound like a jealous bitch and I hate it.
“Well, just remember, Katherine with a K, not to be confused with Catherine with a C or Agnes, that your name is just as pretty,” he says as he pulls me into him. My body presses into his, and I squeal slightly as he runs his fingers all the way down the middle of my back.
“What are you doing?” I pull away reluctantly.
“We’re meant to be together. Remember? We’re dating. We’re boyfriend and girlfriend, and as such, we’ll be touchy-feely.” He grins. “Just practicing before we get to dinner, and you act crazy in front of Raquel.”
“Really? We have to be touchy-feely for this?” I make a face like he’s just given me the worst news I’ve heard in a long time. “Like really?”
He licks his lips slowly and winks at me.
“I mean, aren’t you normally touchy-feely with your boyfriends?
” He touches the side of my face lightly, stroking my cheek tenderly.
My heart skips a beat. “I’m guessing touch isn’t your love language, but it is mine.
I like to touch what is mine. I like to feel it. Consume it. Devour it. Possess it.”
“Possess it, like a car?” I roll my eyes. “I’m a human being and not an item to be possessed.”
“If you were really my girlfriend, you would know that is not what I meant.” His breath is warm against my lips. “I would possess your heart and your mouth and your lips and your skin.” He whispers into my ear. “I would own your pussy.”
“Jack.” I gasp, my body trembling at his words.
I don’t really want to tell him that I haven’t had a boyfriend in a long time, nor do I want to bring up the fact that touch is my love language.
Nor do I want him to know that my panties are soaked and in need of being taken off.
Shit, this was not how I wanted the evening to begin.
“Your chariot awaits, my lady.” He brushes past me and leads me to the awaiting Mercedes. He opens the car door, and I slide inside. “You don’t have to slide over. I’ll get in on the other side,” he says as he slams the door behind me.
“Good evening, miss,” the driver says from behind the wheel. I’m so out of it that I hadn’t even realized he was there.
“Good evening, sir,” I say, not knowing what to call him. I watch Jack get in and look over at me with laughing eyes. I stick my tongue out at him, and he winks at me.
“Katherine, this is Eric. Eric, this is Katherine—my date.”
“Nice to make your acquaintance, Katherine. So we’re off to the Champagne Bar?”
“Yeah, we are.”
“Wait, what? I thought we were going for food.” I look at him in surprise. “I didn’t eat tonight. If I drink and only drink, then I’m going to be acting like a fool because I have an empty stomach.” I rub my stomach. “And I really don’t want to act like your foolish girlfriend.”
“Oh, so that's the excuse for being goofy?” His tone is serious as he gives me a once over and I don’t even bother to respond.
I give him my best contemptuous glance, and he continues.
“Don’t worry, we’re just starting at the bar for one drink, and then we’ll head over to dinner at the restaurant next door.
You may have heard of it. It’s called Pinnacle Steakhouse. ”