Page 9 of Finding Jacob
“You’re taking this very seriously,” I said.
“Everything I do, I do seriously.”
We were back to seduction and low tones…I hoped!
“I should write notes. Learn to dance, make a résumé for my parents, what else?”
“Your likes and dislikes. How do you like to be held?”
Now we were talking my language. “Held?” I asked, innocently.
“Yes. I don’t want your body to tense every time I touch you.”
“Perhaps we should practice beforehand,” I replied, and it was my turn to raise my eyebrows in challenge.
Jacob placed his glass on the small table between us. He stood and buttoned up his jacket before holding out his hand to me. My brow furrowed in confusion.
“You want to practice, let’s practice.”
My heart missed a couple of beats, but I was up for whatever he had on offer. I placed my glass next to his and took his hand. In silence he led me to the lifts, and I wondered where he thought we were going. I was about to ask when I noticed a porter acknowledge him. Perhaps he was also staying at the hotel. Although he’d said he had an apartment. A fleeting thought hit me, and I chuckled just as the lift doors open.
“What’s so funny?” he asked, keeping his back to me while he pressed a button.
“Oh, nothing. I thought you said you had an apartment in New York.”
He turned to face me, and I hadn’t realised just how close he was. Too close. My core clenched as his masculine scent wafted past me. I breathed in deep and closed my eyes.
“I do,” he replied, and his breath ghosted my cheek. “Here.”
My eyes flew open. “Here?” I started to take a step back and before I could complete the movement, he took hold of my wrist.
“Yes. Is that a problem?”
“No, this job of yours must pay well.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I was mortified. I covered my lips with my palm and my eyes widened. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say that.”
Jacob looked confused. “My job?”
“Oh, forget I said anything. Can we get back topracticing?”
CHAPTERTHREE
His apartment was in the hotel. As the lift travelled up and past the hotel’s floors, so I began to get nervous. There was no way I could afford an apartment at the hotel and my bank balance was more than healthy.
Ever the gentleman, he held his hand over the lift doors and allowed me to leave first. There were two doors, and by placing his hand on my lower back, he guided me to one. In total silence, he opened the door and we walked in. I had been to many plush and luxurious apartments in my time, but his was show-stopping. It was totally not what I would have expected, although it was totally what Ishouldhave expected. Beautiful landscape photographs adorned white walls and, although it should feel stark, there was a warmth given from a wooden floor.
I took a step towards one image. A villa on a hill with dramatic, rolling, dark clouds above it. A lone tree stood to one side. The villa looked derelict but so striking against the sky background.
“My childhood home,” he said, and I startled, not realising he was so close behind me.
I could feel his breath on my neck as I dipped my head slightly. “It looks….” I wasn’t sure of the words I wanted.
“Tragic,” he answered perfectly for me.
“Yes, tragic.”
“And sad.” The catch in his voice threw me. I wasn’t sure whether to say anything more. I felt, for a minute, I had lost him to a memory that wasn’t pleasant.
I could feel the heat of his body against my back and my mouth dried. I wanted to lean back into him, to feel his hands on my body, and have him kiss my neck. The thought brought goosebumps to my skin. I missed him immediately as he took a step back and I sighed. I turned away from the picture.
