“No. That’s all. Go away,” I said a little too sharply, making Chloe flinch.
Damn it. That wasn’t a good first impression. She slipped out and closed the door quietly behind her. The faint click of the latch silenced the room.
Jules looked uncomfortable and clearly not pleased with the way I’d talked to my assistant. Her hand shoved deep into her back pockets, and her eyes danced around, scanning the room. Then, finally, her gaze returned to mine. Her lips parted like she was about to say something, but nothing came out. It was enough for my eyes to flicker to her mouth before snapping back up.
Smooth, Chris. Real smooth.
She took a deep breath.
“Hi…”
“Hi,” I replied as softly, taking a step closer without realizing it.
Usually, I knew exactly what to say around women. I’d been the favorite of moms, first crush for half the girls in school, prom king, and hottest model at the agency. Smooth lines, ready to go like I had them scripted. But now? No charm, no quips, just… nothing. The silence took way longer than it should because all I could do was keep looking into her eyes.
Did I look like an idiot standing there? Probably.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Jones.” Her words tumbled out like they were trying to escape her mouth faster than she could manage. “I didn’t know it was your team back there. I thought?—”
Ah, she broke the silence. Thank God. I was relieved she’d said something instead of walking out the door and telling everyone who’d listened that Chris Jones was a complete weirdo.
“Call me Chris,” I interrupted.
She nodded, and when she said my name, “Chris,” it felt… weirdly comforting. I tried not to react, but damn, it sounded good coming from her mouth. It was something about the way her lips moved when she said it… Yeah, I was a total lunatic.
“Jules,” I said back, her name settling on my tongue like it belonged there. Like it always had.
How could someone feel comfortable and terrified at the same time? My heartbeat was slowing down with a sense of ease and safety, while my anxiety was carving a hole through my stomach, warning me that one wrong word could ruin everything. I focused on the first because there was no way I was letting the delicious feeling go away. I’d never felt anything like it before, and now I wanted (needed!) more.
I was an instant addict. My addiction? The stranger who stood in front of me.
A smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I stepped closer.She mirrored my movement, barely noticeable, but enough to feel an invisible thread pulling us together. My mind scrambled to make sense of it, but my body? It wasn’t waiting for permission to act. It knew.
“How do you know my name?” Her voice wavered as she asked.
“I’m not sure.” I wasn’t lying.
“We don’t know each other.” She sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than me.
“No, we don’t.” The words felt wrong in my mouth. “Do we?” I leaned slightly, searching her face for an answer. As I got closer, her scent hit me—chamomile. For fuck’s sake. It was like flipping a switch in my body, and suddenly, I was on autopilot, moving toward her.
We were so close now that I could see the golden flecks in her brown eyes.
“Chloe mentioned you needed something.” Her voice was softer, and her breath hitched a little. But I caught it. She was also affected. “How can I help?”
“Yes,” I answered, and none of us dared to break eye contact. It was… electrifying. “I’m leaving for a meeting in a few minutes. Traffic is insane at this hour, so it should take me about… an hour or more to get there.” She raised a brow, curious about where I was going with this. Daring me to keep talking. “I’d like you to accompany me.”
She tilted her head. “You want me to go with you to your meeting?”
“I want you to accompany me on the drive there, yes.” Yes, it sounded insane. I knew that. Still, I stood by it.
She grinned, and I knew that look. It was the one people gave me when they were trying really hard to say no, but already halfway into yes. This pretty boy face had a track record, and apparently, I still had it, even while being completely weird.
“I’m not doing that.”
Or… maybe not.
She said no, but she was still smiling.Okay, I’ll play.
