Page 27 of The Hot Mess

“I don’t think you’re listening to us,” Lucas growled. “This guy, Trent Maddox, has been at the company for a while and itching to move out of the finance department up the ladder. I could easily give him the same offer I extended to you, and I bet he wouldn’t need three months to think about it. The best part is he wouldn’t try to sleep with our sister.”

“Trent?” I smirked. “He doesn’t want Jada because he’s too busy lusting after your wife, Veronica.” His face twisted up, and now he was just as close to punching me in the face as Joshua was. “Sorry,” I put up my hands. “That was uncalled for. I’m just…You’re ambushing me over lies and rumors. I feel put on the spot.”

“Good,” he scowled.

“Why don’t we sit back, have some drinks, and watch the game?” I proposed. I wanted to get the hell out of there, but that wouldn’t do much to smooth things over. “I’ve heard everything you two had to say. Really, I hear you. I get it. And I assure you, you have nothing to worry about. And there’s no reason to go to Trent with my job…yet.”

Things remained tense for a while, but after a few drinks they started to loosen up and act cool with me again. Meanwhile, on the inside, I was feeling more torn than ever. They made no secret of their disappointment in my hesitation about their offer. Rejecting it would only upset them more. But the biggest bonus in me sticking around for the job would be to see where things went with Jada. And in order to keep the job and stay, she was the one thing I couldn’t have.

14

Jada

The next week went by in a blur. Every time I saw Jack, I geared myself up for it being the last time. Each time made it harder not to fall for him, but I wasn’t complaining. The way I was starting to see it, I was a desirable vixen for the first time in my life, and if he couldn’t resist me, other men, maybe even some who were more available, would feel the same.

As unlikely as I thought it was that we would ever sleep together in the first place, I kept reminding myself that it was even more improbable that it would turn into some “happily ever after” with us being together forever.

That didn’t stop the fantasies entirely. Part of me still wanted to believe that if I was having to work so hard to keep a deeper attraction at bay, one that extended far beyond the bedroom, maybe he was struggling with the same thing. That was easier to believe every time he called or asked to see me.

But it wasn’t paradise. His behavior was becoming increasingly strange. One afternoon as I was leaving his place, his phone dinged with a message. I had no clue who it was from or what it said, but it inspired a horrible expression on his face.

“Everything okay?” I asked.

“Just work stuff,” he murmured.

“I meant…with you, in general. You seem…off.”

“Everything’s fine.” He forced a smile. “I need to get going.” He vanished into his bedroom and emerged a few moments later with a suitcase in hand. “I’ll walk you out.”

I knew everything wasn’t fine, and I knew there was more to these trips he was taking than he wanted me to know. It was starting to bug me. If we were going to be sleeping together regularly, didn’t I deserve to know some things? Like where he was running off to all the time?

I puzzled over the admissions he had given about not being able to stop thinking about me…how he craved me and couldn’t get enough of me. It certainly didn’t sound like just casual sex to me, but what did I know?

He left with just a quick peck to my cheek and a promise to call when he was available again. I never asked for that, but I wasn’t going to turn it down either. My phone rang as I watched his car pull out of the parking garage of his building.

“Isabella,” I answered. “What’s up?”

“I thought your newly waxed body could use a little tanning,” she replied. “I’ll send you an address.”

“No way. I don’t want one of those fake orangey spray tans.”

“I mean the real thing,” she argued. “Come lounge by the pool with me. I went on a date last night through the app. I can tell you all about it.”

“Oh, well in that case…okay. Send me the info and I’ll be there in an hour.”

I hung up and waited for the ding. After running home for the proper attire, and to sadly wash Jack’s scent off of me, I headed over to the country club where Isabella was waiting.

I was starting to feel more confident and less intimidated by the comparison between us. Her almost painful flawless perfection didn’t get to me anymore. I approached her chair and slipped out of my cover, showing off my bikini.

She slid her sunglasses down to her nose to look me over. “Looking good, Jada.”

“Thanks,” I shrugged. “I’ve been working out.” She didn’t need to know my “work outs” consisted entirely of having sex all night long with her brother.

“So, tell me about this date of yours,” I said, pulling out my pen and paper for notes.

“I will.” She nodded, sipping her cocktail. “But first…I need the scoop on something you might know about.”

“Something I’d know about?”

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