I tapped one earpiece of my headphones as the idea rolled around inside me. My immediate thought was to reject it. After all, there was too much to focus on here. Too many unknowns to imagine and respond to. I’d been getting carried away with Jessa, and I needed to apply the brakes.
But she looked so damn beautiful standing in my office, her hair pulled back in a slick ponytail. She wor black slacks and a black ruffled blouse today, one of the few times she hadn’t worn a dress to work, and I loved the look all the same.
I’d missed her in my four days of ultra-focus.
And realizing that made me more anxious.
“I shouldn’t,” I told her. “I’ve been slacking recently.”
She sent me an unamused look. “That’s bullshit. I’m here with you every day, and you are perfectly on top of your to-do list. I would know if you weren’t.”
I drew a deep breath, intent on disputing her words, but nothing made it past my lips.
“Just try it out,” she said. “We’ll get out of the city. If you hate it, we’ll come back. Simple as that.”
“What’s on the agenda?”
“One night in the woods.”
I smirked. It wasn’t my usual MO, but I’d do it if she wanted to. “Electricity included or no?”
“Of course. I’m not trying to go full survival mode. Look at me. Do you think I packed anything remotely survivalist? I have heels in my suitcase, Damian.”
I hefted with a laugh. “Okay. Fine. Let’s do it.”
She pumped her fist. “Victory! And listen, we’re driving ourselves, okay? I love Legs and all, but this is a trip just for us.”
I held up my palms in defeat. “Whatever you say.”
Jessa retreated with a big smile, and for a moment, things felt light again. After wrapping up a few things on my computer, I left my office to begin preparing for our getaway—whatever it would entail—and stopped by Jessa’s desk. Her sketchbook was out, showcasing a half-finished design for what looked like a winter coat.
She looked up at me as I approached. “You heading to get packed?”
“Yeah. Hey, do you have that list from the call logs that I asked you for on Tuesday?”
She blinked a couple of times, then her eyes widened. “Uhhh…let me get back to you on that. After you go pack. Okay?”
I nodded and headed to the penthouse, catching myself humming in the elevator. I made quick work of an overnight bag and slung it over my shoulder. On my way back to my office, I realized I was ready for a getaway. Jessa was right. Ineededit.
At her desk, Jessa worked on that bottom lip like it might try to escape.
“I’m ready.”
“Good.” She folded up her laptop and tucked it into her oversized purse, then grabbed a duffel bag from beneath the desk. “Let’s jet.”
“Why are you bringing your laptop?”
She shrugged. “Just in case I need to work on anything.”
This was odd, coming from the queen of the getaway. The enforcer of work breaks.
“Come on,” she said, hurrying me along. “I had Legs bring your car around. We’re ready to get the heck away.”
We exited the suite the requisite three feet apart, but from the way gazes lingered on us, I wondered if the entire office already knew we were together. After all, we’d canoodled in the hallway of the Rainbow Room. I’d given zero fucks in the presence of her corset—could anyone expect otherwise?—and I had to grapple with the very real possibility that all of my employees knew that Jessa and I were an item.
Did I care? Yes. Was I going to do anything about it? Doubtful.
Because when I had Jessa’s luscious booty in front of me and all these curves begging to be touched, I had a hard time caring about anything that wasn’t her. Even though the whole idea of being anitemwith someone drove me bonkers, when it came to Jessa, I just never seemed to get around to setting the record straight.