Page 4 of Mr. Right Now
She nodded. “One last question.”
“What’s that?”
“Why isn’t your photo on either website?”
“Because neither the tech company nor this center is about me.”
It was refreshing to meet a man who seemed to leave his ego at the door. Unlike her sorry ex-boyfriend. “I can get with that. See you later.”
Back in her office, Jayana spent much of the afternoon going through the files of the students who had been counseled and found the information sorely lacking, and in a few cases, non-existent. The students had been documented as attending the session, however there were no corresponding notes for some of the days. She sighed heavily, closed the file and tossed it on her desk. Just as she reached for another one, a knock sounded on her partially open door. “Come in.” She smiled when Erika walked in.
“Hey, Jayana. Are you settling in okay?”
“I am. Have a seat.” Whereas she stood five-seven in her bare feet, Erika was a good three or four inches shorter and wore her hair in an elaborate braided updo. She’d met the woman briefly when Jayana had flown in for the interview.
Erika leaned forward and asked conspiratorially, “So, how long do you need to work here before I can ask what’s going on between you and my brother?”
She burst out laughing. “Oh, my goodness. I think we’re going to get along great.” Jayana was pretty outgoing and most often spoke her mind, and she sensed with Erika’s question, she might be the same way. The only thing that surprised her was that they were siblings. However, as she studied the woman, who looked to be about her age, she could see the resemblance. “There isn’t a whole lot going on. I met him on my flight home after the interview.” She kept the details to herself.
“Mmm hmm. With the way you two were sneaking those heated looks at each other during the meeting, I was afraid y’all would set the room on fire. I’ve never seen him look at a woman the way he did with you this morning.” She stood and angled her head thoughtfully. “I know there’s more. I also know Dante is going to try to put the brakes on anything that might develop. Don’t let him. You’ll be good for him. I love him and he deserves to be happy,” she added softly. “Let me know if you need anything.”
Still trying to process Erika’s last statement, Jayana nodded. Once the door closed, she leaned back in her chair.What did that mean?So lost in her thoughts, it took a moment for her to realize her cellphone was buzzing. Snatching it up, she smiled upon seeing Karina Hall’s name on the display. The two had been best friends since ninth grade. “Hey, girl. What’s up?”
“That’s what I called to ask you. So, how’s the first day going?”
“It’s actually going pretty well. I had a chance to introduce myself to a few of the teens and hang out in the preschool. If all goes well, it would be a dream job—less stress, no long hours.”
Karina’s laughter came through the phone. “Then you’ll have plenty of time to look for that sexy brother you had layover sex with. Man, I wish stuff like that would happen to me. Every time I fly, I end up sitting next to someone as old as my grandparents, or who talks incessantly about nothing I’m interested in hearing, then drops off and starts snoring.”
Jayana laughed so hard, she had tears. “I’m so glad we’re going to be in the same city again. I’ve missed this.” Karina’s company had transferred her from their hometown of Atlanta to Los Angeles a year ago. She had been the one to let Jayana know about the job notice at Impressions. “And I won’t have to go far to find him.” There was complete silence and she glanced at the display to see if the call had dropped. “Karina?”
“Wait. What…what does that mean?”
Smiling, she said, “It means that he’s founder of this youth center.”
“You. Have.Gotto be kidding me!” Karina screamed with excitement. “Oh, shoot. You’re going to get me in trouble. I’m sitting at my desk.”
“Me? Nobody told you to scream.”
“Hey, I wasn’t ready for that little announcement.”
With the way you two were sneaking those heated looks at each other during the meeting, I was afraid y’all would set the room on fire.She hadn’t been ready, either. Not for the intense chemistry that still burned between them. Not for the strange emotions that had bubbled up. Not the fact that, despite agreeing to a one-night-stand weeks ago, seeing him again made her want to pick up where they left off.
CHAPTER2
Friday afternoon, Dante stared out his office window at Jayana laughing with a group of teen girls. He marveled at how well all the kids had taken to her in the week that she’d been there. In just a few short days, she’d found a way to bond with the students in a way that the former counselor hadn’t been able to do in more than a year. Initially, he’d had some concern about Jayana working at the center, not because he didn’t think she couldn’t do the job—he trusted Ryan’s judgement. His problem was purely personal. She made him feel and want things he’d promised to steer clear of, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t erase her memory from his brain. Now, seeing her every day made it even harder. To her credit, she hadn’t mentioned anything about them indulging inanother round of right nowsince their conversation that first day, but the teasing sparkle in her dark brown eyes had kept him fantasizing and dreaming about the same thing. Dante had taken more cold showers in the past five days than he had in four years. No other woman had ever kept him tied in knots the way Jayana did, and he didn’t understand why. He’d never had a problem moving on from a woman, and he had yet to figure out what made her different.
“Obviously, you don’t have anything to do if you have time to just stand around staring out the window.”
Dante barely acknowledged Ryan, and continued to focus on the scene on the playground. Jayana now had her head thrown back and he could almost hear her lyrical laughter and the passionate sounds she made as he’d kissed his way from her mouth, neck and shoulder. Ryan came and stand beside him, and he reined in his thoughts.
“Ah, I see now.”
“You see what?”
“Everything you refuse to see. The reason I’ve been standing in your office for a good three minutes and you’ve yet to say one word. Jayana is a beautiful woman—tall, curves for days, and all that gorgeous hair. Makes a man seriously consider wanting to change his single status.”
Dante stiffened. The thought of his best friend with her sent a streak of anger through him.
