Chapter 22
Jeremiah
Ididn’t know what urged me to say yes to joining Sadie.
Maybe it was the fact I had nothing better to do.
I had just secured a deal with one of my biggest clients to date.
The whole point of coming to Dallas was to fish for the mackerel, and boy, did I ensnare the prize-winning fish.
I was eager to get home and get the deal going, to show off my catch to the office and press.
Yet, a part of me wanted to stay here with Sadie.
Because besides this morning’s meeting going superbly well, it was the only matter of business we had tended to since arriving in Dallas yesterday.
We might as well have been on vacation between last night’s rooftop dinner to giving her a little show just outside the closet this morning.
I was well aware of her eyes taking in every inch of me, a quivering hunger growing inside her.
I would have taken her right then and there, but we had the meeting.
And I was still wondering if anything had happened last night.
It was an embarrassing question to ask just now, thinking I should full well remember the feeling of taking her in every which way.
I woke up to her scent in the sheets, warm vanilla and something else I had come to realize was just her very essence, but the bed was empty.
It left me with so many questions. Questions I was an idiot for asking, making me regret the bottle of wine I had all to myself.
Maybe part of me saying yes to getting back in that car was to make it up to her.
I remember her telling me about her asshole of an ex-boyfriend who I was ridiculously jealous of without knowing much about him, other than him being a drinker.
And I took that information, pocketing it inside me, and still continued to drink myself into oblivion.
I was such an ass.
As I searched her eyes and saw a rare glimpse of hopefulness in them as she looked at me from the car, every molecule in my body was screaming “yes” to her simple invitation. I gave her a nod and strode back to the car, sliding into my still-warm seat as the driver closed the door behind me.
Sadie bit back a smile before asking, “I don’t really know where to go…”
“Me either.” I shrugged. “But we’ll find our way.”
I leaned forward and told the driver to take us to the best shopping mall in the city.
He gave a nod, knowing the way, and pulled away from the curb.
We talked a little about the meeting with Mr. James, and Sadie excitedly talked about the chart-topping records of triumph that hung on his walls.
Her excitement made the deal that much more sweet.
Soon, we arrived at the Galleria Dallas.
The large glass entryway loomed over us as we walked up the stone walkway surrounded by black and white awnings of restaurants.
Sadie looked up at the glass arch above us, sunlight trickling through and warming our skin.
She really looked stunning today. The cream suit she wore hugged her perfectly, and I gave myself an internal pat on the back for sending her shopping before this trip.
“Where to first?” I asked, as we entered the main length of the mall, stores surrounding us on either side, above and below us.
“I don’t even know.” She turned in a slow circle before facing me again. “I suppose now that I have my work wardrobe, I could use some non-work clothes.”
“Like some more sneakers?” I asked with a raised brow, remembering her stark white sneakers she strode into the airport wearing yesterday.
“No,” she said sarcastically. “Like some dresses or something.”
I knew just the place. I gestured to a nearby map of the mall and glanced over it, looking for the particular store that I had unabashedly taken a few past flings to back in New York. I spotted it on the map and started walking in its direction, gesturing for Sadie to follow.
We walked into the well-lit store, a crystal chandelier hanging above casting rainbow prisms across the white marble floors. We were immediately greeted by an associate, who, judging by the way she looked at us, saw us as an opportunity for a high commission day.
“How may I help you?” she asked, her voice dripping with sweetness.
“My assistant here is looking for some dresses. Not for work. More for leisure,” I said.
The associate simply nodded and led us to the nearest rack, sizing Sadie up, suggesting what would look best with her fair skin and red hair.
I stood back and watched them talk, the associate’s fingers running over the hangers, pulling various dresses of different sheens and colors.
Soon her arms were overflowing, and she led us to the fitting rooms. She set us up in the largest room in the very back, hanging the dresses neatly on the bars.
I couldn’t help but look around the room and think of every place I could have Sadie.
I couldn’t wait for the associate to leave.
“We can take it from here,” I said, taking the last pile from her arms.
She looked taken aback, but simply gave me a curt nod before exiting the room, closing the cream velvet curtains behind her. Sadie looked at me curiously, crossing her arms.
“What?” I asked.
“Are you going to let me change or just stand there?”
“Oh,” I said, realizing she was asking me to step out of the room. “Right.”
I slipped out of the room, not letting the defeat show on my face, and took a seat in a nearby armchair. I heard the hangers click against each other and the swoosh of fabric. Soon, Sadie stepped out in a silk forest green dress that hung off her shoulders.
“This is a winner,” I said with little hesitation.
“You think so?” she asked, doing a turn and looking at herself in the mirror.
My eyes immediately fell to her ass. “We’re taking it.” I said firmly.
She laughed before going back into the fitting room, coming out in a red strapless floor-length dress next.
Another keeper. With each dress she emerged in, my desire for her grew, along with her confidence.
I could see it in her eyes as she asked me if I liked each dress.
My answer was always a resounding “yes.”
Sadie stepped out in a silky champagne dress that hung from tiny straps over her shoulders.
The color was so close to her skin color, and the thin fabric clung to her so tightly, she looked almost naked.
I couldn’t stand not being able to touch her.
I stood up and walked toward her, holding out my hand.
She looked at it questioningly before placing her hand in mine.
I spun her around, and she let out a little giggle.
When she was facing me again, I pulled her in a little closer, a hand trailing the zipper along the back of the dress.
“Hmm,” I said thoughtfully.
“What?” she asked.
“I’m just not sure if this is structurally sound.” My fingers pulled the zipper with ease, slowly, slowly down her back. “Much too easy to take off.”
I could feel her body tremble at my touch.
“We should definitely take it.” I smiled. “And you should wear it out of here.”
She shook her head and playfully pushed me away before heading back into the fitting room. She came out of it, still wearing the skimpy dress, carrying only two other dresses to the counter.
“Just this, please,” said Sadie, placing the dresses in front of the associate.
“Of course.” The associate nodded, beginning to scan each tag.
Sadie placed her credit card on the counter. I huffed a laugh and shoved it back toward her, placing my own on the counter.
“You’re not buying me clothes again.”
“Yes, I am. In fact, miss”—I turned toward the associate—“please retrieve all the dresses from the fitting room. We are taking them all.”
The associate’s eyes lit up and she quickly left us to go get the dresses.
“Jeremiah…” said Sadie sharply.
“Argue all you want, but you’re not winning this.”
She rolled her eyes and put her card back on the counter.
I quickly picked it up and pocketed it. “You can have this back later.”
“You’re insufferable.”
“I know.” I grinned at her.
Once we were back in the car, the trunk filled with bags, silence settled between us, filled with a trickle of tension slowly bouncing back and forth in the inches that separated us. Tension of words unspoken. Skin left untouched.
I cleared my throat, garnering her attention. Curiosity swam in the depths of her green eyes.
“I wanted to apologize,” I said softly.
“For hijacking my credit card?” she asked.
“No,” I said softly. “For last night. For thinking I could finish an entire bottle of wine and somehow have a memory that was functioning.”
She let out a breathy laugh.
“Was I that bad?” I asked.
“Not at all.”
“But after everything you told me about your ex…”
“You’re not him. Not even close,” she said assuring. “In fact, it was kind of fun…”
“What was?”
“Seeing you that way.”
“What way?” I raised a questioning brow.
“Vulnerable.” She shrugged, finding my eyes.
I let that word settle into me, not quite mad at it.
Not quite happy about it. It wasn’t a side of me I liked to show to people, but Sadie wasn’t just people.
I let that thought wash over me as I looked at her, a small smile on her perfect lips.
A smile that felt like an embrace. I let myself feel its warmth just for a moment.
“You know…” I started, my eyes leaving her perfect smile and running over her body looking delectable in that dress. I leaned in a little closer.
She didn’t back away, but I felt her body grow tense and her breath catch.
“You could have easily taken advantage of me last night,” I whispered.
She closed her eyes at my quiet words that sounded against the most delicate parts of her ear. “I know you slept in bed with me.”
Her eyes opened and narrowed in on me. “You asked me to.”
“To what?” I asked, my face inches from hers.
“Stay,” she whispered and her eyes fell to my lips, where they remained until I pressed them against hers softly.
I felt the tension release from her body as it sunk into the seat, tilting her head up just slightly to give my mouth better access to hers.
I ran my tongue against her lips, parting them slightly so I could slip inside and meet its waiting partner.
I grew hard at the taste of her, eagerly needing more.
I turned and pressed my body into her, massaging my tongue against hers.
She let out a quiet moan as her hands drifted up my back to the back of my head.
Her fingers moved desperately, matching the rhythm of her mouth entwined with mine.
As if remembering we weren’t alone, she quickly pulled away and looked toward the driver, who was keeping his eyes on the road like his life depended on it.
“Why don’t we give him a little show?” I asked, a mischievous smirk on my lips as I ran my fingertips across the low neckline of her dress.
“Jeremiah…” she whispered loudly, giving me a playful shove.
I laughed out loud. She just shook her head at me, but a smile slid across her lips. A smile that let me know that we weren’t done yet. I leaned in and nipped her bottom lip, making her gasp. Again, I leaned in close and whispered, “I can keep it quiet, if you can.”
It was a challenge. One I hoped she would take me up on because I couldn’t stand being in this car for another twenty minutes without touching her when she looked as good as she did.
She pulled away from my whisper and glanced at the driver once more before her eyes found mine.
She placed her hand dangerously close to the growing bulge in my pants, before finding my mouth with hers. Challenge accepted.