Page 44 of Burn With Me

Hanging up the phone, she looks at me with a mix of annoyance and surprise. “Top floor, on your right.”

Giving her a smile so saccharine it could cause cavities, I say, “Nikki, it’s beensucha pleasure. I’ll be sure to put in a good word.”

During the elevator ride to the top floor, there’s time to reflect on where my sudden attitude came from. I’ve never been this way with men before—especially not men who are known for sleeping with half of New York. Not only hasJackson gotten under my skin, but it’s becoming easier to think of him asmine.

Only, he isn’t.

Once the thirty days are up, when he gets what he wants…

I’m not sure I want to go down that thought road right now.

Jackson is waiting for me as soon as the elevator doors open, his greeting sending a possessive thrill through me. “Aww, honey. You brought me lunch?”

“Only if you agree to walk it off with me in the park after,” I say, holding up a bag with paninis from Zaid Gourmet.

There are people at desks who watch us curiously as we interact, as if this isn’t normal for Jackson to be out amongst them. Some look at each other with grins, and some raise their phones to snap photos.

Where I once would be terrified of Chris finding out from a random gossip column about me and the billionaire spending time together, now I’m beginning to feel like there’s no problem of mine Jackson can’t handle.

He puts his hand on his chest as if he’s surprised. “I’m sorry, Red. Did you just ask me on a date?”

Pushing my way past him with a roll of my eyes, even though I have no idea where I’m going, I tell him, “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thought you were in abig important meeting?”

“I was.” His tone is deadly serious.

Spinning around again to face him, my lips stretch into a grin, but his expression makes me stop as I realize he’s not kidding. “Shit. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

He prowls toward me as though I’m the only one in the room as he reaches out to cup my cheek. The first time he ever tried to touch me, I flinched. Now, his touch is welcome and has me thinking dirty, dirty thoughts of all the things we can do in his office.

His thumb caresses my cheekbone as he reaches for thefood bag with the other hand. “You never have to apologize for stopping in for a littleafternoon delight.”

Laughing at his joke, I relish the genuine smile he shines down on me as his hand drops away from my face to grab mine. “That’s a dessert, right? Ilovedessert.”

As he pulls me through the maze of desks and down a hall, he replies huskily, “Yeah, sure, Red. It’s a dessert. One I’ll eat right on my desk if you let me.”

A lady scrutinizing a file looks up sharply at his words as we pass. We try to muffle our laughter as we look at each other, almost running straight into his secretary because we’re paying more attention to one another than where we’re walking. She’s standing in the middle of the hall as if she saw us coming and wanted to stop us.

“Jackson, you realize that you just walked out of the meeting that could make or break this deal with WhirlTech, don’t you?” she chastises.

Stacey makes me feel extremely inadequate. She’s tall, beautiful, and can command the attention of any man in any room with a simple look. If Jackson hadn’t told me she was married, I don’t think I’d be able to handle how close their relationship is.

“Sorry, it’s my fault. I didn’t know he was really in a meeting. I thought the girl downstairs was just being difficult,” I tell her while guiltily looking down at the carpet.

“No,youdon’t apologize for anything.Heshould have sent me out for you while he finished up in there. Hi, by the way. I’m Stacey. We haven’t been properly introduced.” She holds her hand out under my line of vision. My eyes lift to her hand before moving to her face to see her smiling warmly at me.

Reaching out, I shake her hand and return her smile. “Ginny.”

Her eyes find Jackson’s again. “I get it. I do. But can we please just get through this deal first?”

The way she speaks to him sounds more like a workpartner than a secretary. It kinda makes me wonder if most big businessmen’s secretaries are the ones pulling the strings all the time.

“Probably not the best time to tell you I’m leaving for the day after we eat lunch—but that’s what I’m doing,” Jackson tells her.

He steps around her, pulling me along with him. Disappointment crosses her features as she blows out a breath and hangs her head back. Digging my feet into the carpet, I pull him back. “Why don’t you go finish your meeting? I’ll just wait in your office for you.”

Jackson looks annoyed as Stacey turns around and nods, walking past us as she says, “I think that’s a great idea. I’ll show her where it is. Follow me, Ginny.”

“Go do your job. Such a slacker.” Making a tsking noise with my tongue, I take the food from his hand and start walking backward in the direction Stacey went.

---