9. Jealousy and Confessions
Chapter nine
Jealousy and Confessions
I slide into a booth, nerves tingling under my polished exterior. Ryan Davis, a sleek marketing exec with a smile that’s all business, takes his seat across from me. I flash my own PR-perfect grin, but my mind is a traitor, drifting to a certain arrogant quarterback and the taste of his rain-soaked kiss.
I clear my throat. “Thanks for meeting me, Ryan. I think we have a real opportunity here to-”
The café door swings open, and every head turns. Oh hell no. Jaxon Reid strides in like he owns the place, all tousled hair and predatory swagger. His blue eyes zero in on Ryan with laser precision.
My stomach flips as Jaxon slides into the booth beside me, his solid thigh pressing against mine. “Hey babe,” he drawls, draping an arm around my shoulders like it’s the most natural thing in the world. “Who’s your friend?”
I grit my teeth. What the hell is he doing here?
Ryan’s eyebrows shoot up. “Uh, Jaxon Reid. Wow. I didn’t realize you two were...”
“Dating?” He finishes the sentence for him.
“Yes, we are.” I chime in because I have no choice but to. I turn to Jaxon. Pretend time. “Babe, I’m in the middle of something. Can this wait until after I’m done?”
He says nothing.
“This is a lunch meeting.” I continue. “So, if you don’t mind-”
Jaxon cuts me off.
“You didn’t call last night.” He leans in, his breath hot on my ear. “I was worried.”
I shiver despite myself. Damn him. I paste on a smile for Ryan.
His hand squeezes my shoulder. “Aw come on, Tor. Can’t a guy surprise his girl at work?”
My cheeks burn. His girl.
I turn to Ryan, desperation clawing at my throat. “I apologize for the interruption. As I was saying-”
But Ryan is already gathering his things, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else. “You know what? I think we can pick this up another time.” He stands, nodding at Jaxon. “Nice to meet you.”
And then he’s gone, leaving me alone with the smirking devil himself. I whirl on Jaxon, ready to unleash my fury, but the heat in his gaze stops me cold.
“Alone at last,” he murmurs, his hand still claiming my shoulder. “Just the way I like it.”
I shake off his touch, blood boiling beneath my skin. “What the hell was that, Jaxon?”
He leans back, arms crossed, the picture of nonchalance. “What was what?”
“Don’t play dumb with me.” I hiss, mindful of the curious glances from other patrons. “You just crashed my meeting. On purpose.”
Jaxon shrugs, a muscle ticking in his jaw. “Like I said, I was worried.”
“Bullshit.” The word is acid on my tongue. “This is a job, Jaxon.” I lower my voice. “You are a job. This isn’t some twisted fairy tale where you get to play the jealous boyfriend.”
He leans forward, his gaze searing into mine. “Doesn’t feel like just a job. In fact, it feels pretty damn real.”
“That was a mistake,” I manage, my voice steadier than I feel. “One that won’t happen again.” I storm out of there, shaken and seething…questioning what in the hell just happened. Most importantly, how to make sure it never happens again. Because if there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that Jaxon Reid is dangerous. Not just to my career, but to my heart.
And that’s a risk I can’t afford to take.
***
The drive home is a blur, my mind replaying the scene at the cafe on an endless loop. Jaxon’s smirk. The possessive glint in his eye. The way my traitorous body reacted to his proximity, even as my mind screamed in protest.
I grip the steering wheel tighter, my knuckles turning white. Damn him. Damn him for barging into my life, for turning everything upside down with a single kiss.
A kiss that meant nothing, I remind myself firmly. A kiss that can’t happen again.
But even as I think it, I know I’m lying to myself. Because as much as I hate to admit it, there’s a part of me—a small, reckless part—that liked what happened today. That liked seeing Jaxon stake his claim, even if it was just for show.
I let out a frustrated groan, banging my hand against the wheel. This is insane. I’m a professional, not some starry-eyed groupie. I can’t let Jaxon get under my skin like this.
But he already has, a sly voice whispers in my head. He’s gotten further under your skin than anyone ever has.
I shove the thought away as I pull into my driveway, my movements jerky as I put the car in park. I need a shower. A cold one. And then I need to figure out how the hell I’m going to face Jaxon tomorrow without losing my mind.
Or worse, my heart.
I let myself into my silent place, kicking off my heels with a sigh of relief. But even as I go through the motions of my evening routine—hanging up my coat, sorting through the mail—my mind keeps drifting back to Jaxon.
The way his arm felt around my shoulders. The heat of his breath against my temple. The dark promise in his eyes when he said “I was worried.”
God help me, but I did. I liked it far more than I should have.
And that’s the problem, isn’t it? Because liking Jaxon Reid is the one thing I absolutely cannot do. Not if I want to keep my job, my sanity, and my heart intact.
But as I climb into bed that night, my skin still tingling from the memory of his touch, I can’t help but wonder if it’s already too late for that.
***
My eyes snap open in the darkness, the glowing numbers on my bedside clock mocking me. 12:47 AM. Sleep is a distant dream, chased away by the relentless pounding of my heart and the heat that refuses to leave my body.
“Damn it, Jaxon,” I mutter, throwing back the covers with a frustrated sigh.
Before I can think better of it, I’m grabbing my keys and heading out the door, the cool night air a shock against my flushed skin. I don’t let myself question what I’m doing as I drive through the quiet streets, the city lights blurring together in a haze of neon and shadow.
It’s not until I’m standing outside Jaxon’s door, my hand raised to knock, that the reality of the situation hits me. What the hell am I doing here? In the middle of the night, no less?
But then the door swings open, and there he is. Jaxon Reid, in all his shirtless, sleep-rumpled glory. His eyes widen in surprise as they meet mine, a slow smile spreading across his face.
“Couldn’t stay away, huh?” His voice is rough from sleep, but there’s no mistaking the smug satisfaction in his tone.
I push past him into the apartment, my pulse racing as I spin to face him. “What the hell was that today, Jaxon?”
He shuts the door and leans back against it, crossing his arms over his chest. “I told you. I missed you.”
“You can’t just go around crashing my meetings!” I’m pacing now, my hands waving in the air. “And acting like some kind of caveman boyfriend!”
He pushes off the door, his eyes flashing. “Why are you so scared of this thing between us, Tori?”
I freeze, my heart stuttering in my chest. “I’m not scared of anything.”
He takes a step closer, his gaze locking with mine. “You’re terrified. I can see it in your eyes every time I get too close.”
“Maybe I just don’t want you close,” I snap, but even I can hear the lie in my words.
Jaxon shakes his head, a humorless laugh escaping his lips. “Keep telling yourself that, sweetheart. But we both know the truth.”
He’s right in front of me now, close enough to touch. Close enough to kiss. The air between us crackles with tension, hot and heavy with unspoken desires.
“The truth is...” My voice comes out a whisper, trembling slightly. “The truth is, you drive me absolutely crazy, Jaxon Reid.”
“Thought so.” He steps forward, his hands braced on the wall behind me, caging me in. His blue eyes bore into mine, stripping away every defense I’ve so carefully constructed.
I swallow hard, my pulse pounding in my ears. He’s so close, his scent enveloping me—a heady mix of cedarwood and pure, unadulterated male. It’s intoxicating, maddening.
“But it’s not real!” The confession bursts from my lips, raw and honest. “It can’t be.”
His jaw clenches, a muscle ticking beneath the stubble. “Why not?”
“Because...” I falter, my resolve crumbling under the intensity of his gaze. “Because you’re you, and I’m me, and this...this is just a job.”
His eyes flash with something dark and dangerous. “The hell it is.”
And then he’s kissing me, hard and desperate, his lips claiming mine with a hunger that steals my breath. I melt into him, my fingers tangling in his hair, my body molding to his like it was made to fit there.
The fight dissolves, replaced by pure, scorching heat. Jaxon’s hands are everywhere, skimming over my curves, setting my skin on fire. My own hands are just as greedy, exploring the hard planes of his chest, the ripple of muscle beneath smooth skin.
“Jaxon…we…”
“Shhh.” The heat of his breath on my skin sends a jolt of electricity through me. I try to steady myself, but it’s no use. My body was betraying me; every nerve on fire with a need to stay as close to him as possible.
We stumble backwards, a tangle of limbs and gasping breaths, until the back of my knees hit the couch. Jaxon lowers me down, his body covering mine, and I surrender to the delicious weight of him.
“Tell me to stop,” he says. “Tell me you don’t want this, and I’ll stop.”
Fuck no. I do not want it to.
Clothes hit the floor, piece by piece, until there’s nothing left between us but skin on skin. His mouth trails hot kisses down my throat, my collarbone, lower still, and I arch into his touch, a moan escaping my lips.
In this moment, there’s no more lies, no more pretenses. Just two people, stripped bare in every sense of the word, finally giving in to the irresistible pull between them.
He lays me down gently on the couch, his eyes never leaving mine. And as he moves over me, inside me, I know with bone-deep certainty that this is more than just a job, more than just a fling. This is real. Terrifyingly, thrillingly real and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to go back to the way things were before.
“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this,” he murmurs against my collarbone.
“Jaxon, we can’t. We…”
“Shhhh.”
I gasp as his mouth finds my nipple and his tongue swirls around the sensitive flesh.
When I finally surface from the depths of oblivion, the room’s bathed in soft morning light. The sheets are tangled around my legs, and the other half of the bed is empty. Relief and confusion warring in my dazed mind.
Sitting up, I take in my surroundings, memories of the night before flooding back in a hot, blush-inducing rush.
Jaxon’s place.
Jaxon’s bed.
Jaxon’s satisfied, sleepy grin as he’d collapsed next to me hours ago.
Oh, shit.
I swing my legs out of bed, wincing as my muscles protest. I glanced at the red imprints on the pristine white sheets, evidence of our passionate night.
This is bad. No, scratch that. This is career-endingly, life-alteringly, epically bad.
Checking the bedside clock, I see it’s much later than I thought.
Crap, crap, crap.
I scramble into my discarded clothes, tripping over my heels in my haste. I can’t be here when he wakes up. I cannot believe I actually slept with my client. Tossing a wad of cash on the nightstand, I scribble a hasty note, my hand shaking:
Jaxon –
I’m so sorry for sneaking out. Last night was…amazing. But it can’t happen again. This is why we had the no-strings rule, right? I’ll see you at practice, and we’ll pretend this never happened.
- Tori
Heart pounding, I creep to the door, sneaking out as stealthily as possible. The cold air slaps my flushed face as I race to my car, keys shaking in my trembling hands.
Yesterday, my life was simple.
Today?
I have no freaking clue what just happened or how I’m going to face him tomorrow, let alone fake my way through another day of PDA and sexy glances.
But one thing’s for certain: This just got a whole lot messier.
The door clicks shut behind me with a soft snick, and I lean against it, eyes closed, pulse still racing. I can feel Jaxon’s touch lingering on my skin like a brand, can still taste him on my lips.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, jolting me out of my reverie. I fish it out with shaking hands, already knowing who it is before I even look at the screen.
You felt incredible.
My heart stutters in my chest, a dizzying mix of panic and longing.
I push off the door, my legs unsteady as I make my way down the hall. The plush carpet muffles my footsteps, the cool marble of the walls a sharp contrast to the heat still thrumming through my veins.
I step into the elevator, my reflection in the mirrored walls a stranger—hair mussed, lips swollen, eyes bright with a cocktail of emotions I can’t even begin to untangle.
My phone buzzes again, insistent. Another text from Jaxon.
We need to talk about this, Tori. About us.
Us. Is there an “us”? Can there be, when this all started with a lie?
The elevator doors slide open, depositing me into the sleek lobby of Jaxon’s building. I stride across the gleaming floor, nodding to the doorman as I push out into the crisp morning air.