Page 27 of Body

We settle in and head out onto the highway. He waits for me to say something, knowing I won’t share openly with him unless it’s on my terms. Damn him. It’s annoying that he knows me so well.

“Phil, I don’t know what you want me to say?”

“How about telling me about the man who had his tongue down your throat and his hands all over you?” he says with a twinge of anger.

A quick look out the window shows the grey misty skies of downtown San Francisco. The streets are teaming with cars as we crawl towards our exit. “Chase and I met at the meeting. He’s, uh, he’s the Chairman of the Board for the Foundation,” I admit.

“Are you kidding me, Gigi? You’re fucking your boss?” He frowns and shakes his head.

“Hey, that’s not fair and you know it. And I haven’t fucked him!” I cringe and look over my shoulder to make sure Anabelle isn’t listening. She is happily nodding along with the movie, eyes glued to the screen.

“Yet. You haven’t yet!” he confirms.

“You’re right, Phil. I haven’t yet. But Iwantto, and I will!” I admit without apology. Who does he think he is anyway? Questioning the men in my life. He’s not my boyfriend or my father.

“I’m sorry.” His tone softens and I take a deep breath. “I just…I don’t want you to get hurt. A man like that? He’s insanely rich, and very powerful.” I nod in understanding. He doesn’t want me to lose myself in a man again.

With a shake to my head I try to explain. “Phil, this is different. There’s something about him. I know it’s wrong to date your boss, but he’s never at the office. This is the first time in two years of working there that I’ve seen him.” I’m grasping at straws. We both know that dating one’s boss isn’t a good idea.

“You know what’s funny, Gigi?” He laughs and I wait. “He’s my boss, too.” He snickers and I know I must look like a fish out of water.

My head starts to pound. “What do you mean?” I rub at my temples. It’s as if I can feel the thud of my heartbeat at the site of my wound. Between the flight and now an annoying conversation with my brother-esque best friend, I’m exhausted.

“He owns the architectural firm I work for. He even has a big office on the top floors of the building, which he also owns.” I have trouble comprehending this new information. He continues, “Chase Davis is a billionaire many times over. He owns the fucking skyscraper and every company in the building I work in. You know that big shiny sign outside of my building.” I nod. “It says, “Davis Industries” on it.” He laughs, and I cringe.

“I had no idea. Jesus, this is getting complicated.” That’s the trouble with liking a man. My radar on men hasn’t always been trustworthy. They either beat me, call me a whore, or love me and leave me. One way or another they all seem to want to own me. Chase is no exception. I just wish the connection between us wasn’t so strong. It would be easier just to blow it off as a little fling.

Phil brings his hand up to his face and worries his thumbnail. He always does that when he’s about to tell me something I don’t want to hear. He looks at me sideways then takes a deep breath. “He’s also known for being a player. Bedded a couple of the girls at my firm and never called them back. He uses women and throws them away like trash. I don’t want that for you.” It’s sweet how he’s genuinely concerned. I’m lucky to have him.

“I’ll be careful. I know he has a history. He told me as much.” He’s looks surprised Chase admitted his philandering to me. “I’m okay. I don’t even know what is between us but I can say that I’m intrigued and fascinated by him. Not to mention, the man is hot.” Phillip laughs loudly as I pretend to fan myself.

“I’ve heard that a lot,” he admits. “Just promise me you’ll safeguard your heart and be careful. That’s all I ask,” he says and grips my hand in a reassuring squeeze.

“I’m a big girl, Phil. I can handle this,” I say with all the confidence I can muster. It’s a total lie.

Chase is an enigma. One that has me tied, twisted and feeling uncertain about my surroundings. All I know is that I want to be near him. Want to be with him. Want him in whatever capacity he’ll have me.

Phillip drops me off at the apartment after I present Belle with a glittering snow globe from Chicago. It has a few skyscrapers and Navy Pier alongside Lake Michigan. She’s instantly fascinated by it. I wave Phil off. He doesn’t need to walk me up. I tell him I’ll call him tomorrow and we’ll meet for dinner later this week. He agrees, and I head up to my building.

I enter the apartment and hear bare feet slapping the wooden floor as Hurricane Maria comes barreling down the hall and captures me in a fierce hug.

“Dios Mio! Are you okay?” Maria studies my features, moving my hair to the side to check out the damage. She clucks her tongue and shakes her head. A look of deep concern mars her brow.

“Fine, I’m fine. Though I’ve missed you, girl.” I mean every word. She gives me a sad smile and traces the bruise along my cheek. Her eyes mist up. “I’m okay, really. Chase took excellent care of me.”

With the strength of her dancer arms, she drags me to the puffy, eggplant colored couch and we plop down, still holding hands. I grip one of the sari covered throw pillows to my chest. “Tell me, did you?” she asks. I know what she’s dying to know. Maria is laser focused on sex most of the time. She’s our resident nympho.

“No,” I say miserably and rub my temples.

“What the hell? Is he gay?”

I laugh. “He’s most certainlynotgay.” My face heats as I recall our rendezvous in the restaurant. My sex clenches at the memory of his long fingers piercing me. “You’re never going to believe this.” She waits patiently, her ice blue eyes focused on me. “He wants to wait until I’m healed to have sex.” Her head imitates whiplash.

“Como?” she says in her native tongue.

“I know, doesn’t make any sense,” I blow a breath over my hair, moving the wisps out of my eyes. “And I’ve made it very clear that I want to be with him.” I pout and cringe, once again annoyed that things didn’t go further in Chicago.

“Estúpido,” she says. “He has a willing hottie and he’s being chivalrous?” She shakes her head. “Estúpido, Cara Bonita.”

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