Page 27 of Obsessed Wolf Daddy

Terrance is still giving me puppy-dog eyes behind Jonah, and I can't help but chuckle. "We'll see. I've just got a lot going on—"

Jonah interrupts me, waving his hand. "Nonsense. I personally signed off on your project this morning. David gave you a glowing report, by the way. So, you need to celebrate."Stepping closer to me, he adds, "I'll make sure you get to celebrate properly."

I can feel the heat radiating from Jonah's body as he purposely moves into my personal space. The playful intensity in his eyes sends a shiver down my spine, making me feel like all the air has been pushed out of my lungs. Women always seem to be drawn to him like moths to a flame, and for the first time, I understand why. His magnetism is undeniable. But I have never found myself actually wanting Jonah. Probably because I only seem to have eyes for Cole, but also because there's a darkness to his playfulness, something bubbling beneath the surface.

I tear my gaze away from him and glance over his shoulder, surprised to see a dark look on Terrance's face. I know he's not thrilled with my indecisiveness about attending Jonah's party tonight. I just haven't been in the mood to think about it since Carmela arrived. Not that anything was actually happening between me and Cole, but it's only now that she's here that I can see how unrealistic my hopes were. To say that we're very different would be an understatement, and if that's the kind of woman Cole likes, then I really am deluding myself.

Terrance is always finding snippets of scintillating gossip about Cole, and if only half of them are true, then his behavior with me is probably nothing out of the ordinary. He's probably leaving women all over town drooling over him while he just moves on to the next.

Just the thought of Cole playing me for no reason makes me straighten my shoulders slightly. I suspect Jonah knows more than he's letting on, and I'm not going to let him think I'm pining over Cole.

I step back from Jonah a little as I reply. "Yes, okay, I'll be there."

Jonah looks satisfied by my answer, and I notice the intensity fading from his eyes as quickly as it developed. Heclaps his hands together. "Excellent," he says, slapping Terrance on the back. "I will see you both there."

As soon as he's rounded the corner, Terrance turns to me. "You want to watch that guy, Saf. I mean, I think he's great, but he's a real use-them-and-lose-them type."

I laugh. "I don't fancy Jonah, Terrance. Not my type at all."

The relief that flashes across his face is palpable, and I cringe for a second. I really hope Charlotte isn't right about Terrance having a crush on me. I just don't feel that way about him at all.

"So, we'll stick together, yeah?” I say. “You'll be my only proper friend there, and loads of people from the West Coast office are going.”

Hopefully, he noticed me emphasize the wordfriend.

"Sure thing, Saf,” he says with a grin. “You won't regret it. It's going to be a blast."

***

Pulling at the dress's fabric, I try to encourage it to stay closer to my knees. As soon as I move, though, it slides back up my thighs, showing a lot more leg than I'm used to.

"Stop fiddling with it, Saf," Tanya laughs as she hands me my coat. "I wouldn't let you go out in something that didn't look great. It's a little shorter than you normally go for, but I promise it's notthatshort. It's party-appropriate. Just be glad your brother's not here to see you go out."

I groan. Maybe it is too short. I look at my reflection in the hall mirror. The short black dress clings to my curves, accentuating every contour of my body. I almost never wear heels, but the extra height makes my legs look so much longer.

The dress is low-cut without being too revealing. I don't want anyone gawking at me. Tanya insisted on doing my makeup, and I must admit she's really enhanced my features, giving me perfectly smoky eyes and rosy cheeks that make me feel more confident than usual.

Tanya watches me with a mischievous grin, her eyes full of admiration. "You're going to turn heads tonight, Saf," she says, her voice filled with intrigue. "Anyoneinterestinggoing?"

I roll my eyes at her. I'm sure she knows I have a crush on Cole. "I don't think so. I really wish Charlotte was going, to be honest." I suddenly feel nervous.

"At least you have Terrance," Tanya says, then her eyes widen. "You two are still just friends, aren't you? This isn't a date?"

"No!" I exclaim. "Charlotte said the same earlier, but this is not a date. There is literally nothing between me and Terrance. He's just a friend."

"Mmm," Tanya teases. "Well, yourfriendis coming up the drive."

I look at the security monitor and see Terrance's car approaching. I feel almost sick with anticipation. I tell myself I'm just nervous about attending my first proper party. The rumor is that Jonah's parties are always really wild, and the worry of not fitting in hangs heavily over me. But that's not the main reason my stomach is in knots.

Will Cole be there? He's all I've been thinking about while getting dressed and doing my hair. I'd never have agreed to wear this dress if, deep down, I didn't hope Cole would see me in it.

Later, Terrance is practically bubbling with excitement as we ride the elevator to Jonah's penthouse. The building sits on the very edge of town near Brite Corp. It’s an old warehouse that was derelict just a few years ago. It now houses private apartments, most of which Brite Corp owns. I wasn't surprisedat all to discover Jonah has a penthouse with a hot tub on the roof. He just hasthatkind of vibe.

I take a deep breath as the elevator doors slide open. The penthouse entrance is nothing short of incredible. The luxurious interior takes my breath away, and this is only the foyer. As I step into the lavish space, my eyes widen in awe. I've never seen anything like this. Exposed brick walls, meticulously preserved from the original warehouse structure, stretch across the room, adorned with modern art pieces that add sophistication to the industrial finish. A sleek, black marble countertop stands against one wall, lined with bottles of expensive liquor and crystal glasses that shimmer under the dimmed lights.

Someone hands me a glass of something as soon as we step off the elevator. I accept the drink, not even sure what it is, and grip the glass tightly, feeling incredibly out of place already. Looking around, I notice the walls are filled with photographs capturing moments frozen in time—glamorous parties, exotic locations, and enigmatic faces posing with Jonah.

Terrance looks over my shoulder as I admire some of them, amazed at Jonah's lifestyle. He gives a low whistle of admiration as he glances back at me. "This guy is my hero."

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