We eat a silent lunch, sparse with conversation about the food. It’s good…but I’m not as hungry as I was. I’m worried about Kiera.
Suddenly, she sets her napkin and a couple of bills on the table, then rises.
I shove her money back at her. “Lunch is on me.”
She refuses to pick it up. “I insist. Like you said, this isn’t a date. Thanks again for your patience. It was weird to spill my guts to you, but I’ll try to get used to it. I’ll see you back at the office.”
I watch her walk to her car and drive away, cursing under my breath. Running into Maya was a stroke of luck, and I’m thrilled she seems open to talking business again. That’s all falling into place in a way that feels almost too good to be true. I get to take the girl—temporarily—to my bed and hopefully arrange the collaboration that will take our startup from emerging player to superstar. Why do I suddenly feel like everything is going wrong?
Chapter Five
Friday, May 13
Kiera
Ireward myself for surviving the interesting turn of events this week with pizza, popcorn, a glass of wine, and a cuddlefest with Jalapeño and Sriracha.
Despite indulging in my favorites, my mind is still on my talk with Jonathan on Tuesday at the Mexican restaurant. Thankfully, he didn’t look at me like an idiot because of my inexperience. He was honest, straightforward, and understanding. When I’m with him, I feel at ease and more like myself. Usually when I’m around people I don’t know, I clam up. But Jonathan makes it comfortable to be myself around him, which is something I haven’t experienced in a long time. He brings out my best.
And what were the odds of us running into the very person he’d hoped to speak to at his ex’s wedding? I was happy to bail him out and end Maya’s assumption that Jonathan had no date. It was such a small way to help, and if it made him happy, I’m happy, too.
I finish eating and cleaning up the kitchen when I hear the knock at the door I’ve been waiting for. Jonathan. My belly tightens. My heart starts racing.
Girl, you haven’t even seen him yet. You better get it together before you make a fool out of yourself. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement, not a date. He said so himself…
“I’ll be right there,” I call through the front door.
I’m so nervous about tonight. It’s one thing to go out with your friends. But hitting the clubs with a man as gorgeous as Jonathan is like living out a forbidden fantasy. What will tonight bring? Will we dance? Drink? Kiss? Just have conversation? Or actually have sex?
It doesn’t matter. He’s taking you out so you can get experience, not to romance you.
Right. I can’t let my imagination run away from me. Sex is what I need from a man, nothing more.
After straightening the hem of my knee-length black dress, I take a deep breath and open the door. “Hi.”
I smile…but I can’t stop staring. With a glance, he makes me weak in the knees. He’s styled his hair into a barely controlled wave that makes me want to run my fingers through it. His forest-green shirt accentuates his golden skin and draws attention to his eyes. And his jeans? They cling to all the right things in all the right places. How am I going to manage speaking coherent sentences to him tonight?
Jonathan looks me up and down with a frown. “What is that?”
I glance down at myself. “What’s what?”
“Where do you think we’re going tonight, a club or to church?”
What kind of question is that? “Of course we’re not going to church.”
“Then why do you look like you are?”
“I don’t.”
“You absolutely do. And what’s with the tight bun?”
I rear back defensively. “You told me to dress nice, so I did.”
“I told you to look your best.”
“This is my best.”
“For church, sure. But we’re going to a club.” He gestures to me. “This won’t work.”