Millionaire Romance: In Love With My Personal Assistant - A Contemporary Romance (Millionaire Romance, Contemporary Romance, Comedy Romance Book 2) (16 page)

Yet James didn’t want her to check out her room just yet. They entered the hotel and 15 minutes later, they were on an elevator to push their way to the upscale lounge resting 30 stories above Manhattan.

It had a dark, romantic décor to the atmosphere and screamed a place for lush and wealthy individuals to mix and bond over lowered inhibitions, soft music, and a breathtaking backdrop. Jennifer had lost the count, but her breath was gone, again, and she took in the incredible sight with an open mouth.

James gave her a moment, walking behind her leisurely as she toured the three different seating areas. They chose an outside lounge. In the distance, the Chrysler building towered, its incredible lights starting to glow confidently against the darkening skyline as the natural light slowly bled from the sky.

At a railing, Jennifer glanced over the side, and then around her at the looming skyscrapers. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in. If she didn’t know any better, she might have believed she were back in Chicago at the Terrance, minus the smell of Asian cuisine sizzling in the background.

Attending the auction within the Yankee Stadium was something incredible. It had only been a fine taste of the luxuries James basked in, though. He had never shown her anything like this. She couldn’t help but wonder why now? This couldn’t all be about business and killing time.

Jennifer opened her eyes and turned around, expecting to see James watching her coyly. Instead, there was no one there, just other patrons enjoying the black leather armchairs. She cleared her throat and looked around again.

Inside the lounge, she saw James heading towards her with two drinks in his hand. He stepped outside to join her on the terrace and nodded towards her, raising a cup majestically in her honor.

As he neared, he extended the crystal glass to her. Jennifer took it in her hands carefully and turned it about. It was definitely a cocktail, but nothing like she had ever seen.

“Are you going to try it?” James asked. He sipped on his and savored the taste.

“You realize I’ve had more alcohol on this trip with you than,” she paused, “Well, I’ve had a lot.”

James grinned at her. “It’s still not more than that night I had to come pick you up,” he teased. Jennifer’s face fell flat and she wrinkled her nose.

“I’m pretty sure we agreed not to talk about that night,” she said softly with furrowed brows.

With a lighthearted shrug, James took a deep breath and stood tall. “It’s been three years, good enough,” he took another swig from his glass. “What happened then anyway?”

Jennifer rolled her eyes and looked away. “I’m pretty sure I’d just been dumped.”

James scoffed. “What jerk would dump you?”

Turning, Jennifer looked over James and felt something prickle the surface of his skin along her neck. It traveled from the base of her spine and up towards her shoulders. Swallowing, she pressed her lips together and remained silent. James shrugged again and took another drink.

“I don’t always drink like this, I promise. But this is a signature mix exclusive to this lounge,” he gestured to her glass. “It’s called The Chrysler,” he grinned devilishly.

Jennifer lifted the glass to her lips and took a tiny sip. Her eyes budged with the flavor, a perfect blend of honey, lemon, and other citrus she couldn’t place over the champagne bubbles. James smiled and nodded.

“This can be your last drink if you want,” James offered.

Hesitantly, Jennifer went for another taste. It was  longer and deeper. It didn’t sting or burn, but slid, and it fell, molding against her insides and meshing into all the right parts. Her fingers felt loose and her body tingled with heat.

“Do you want to order something? I’m really hungry,” James pointed to a set of chairs as he spoke. Jennifer didn’t notice her own growling stomach, but she agreed they could have a snack.

“They only serve small dishes,” James informed her as he took a seat and crossed a leg man-style. His ankle rested on his knee.

Jennifer tried to just glance at him, but as she shadows fell from the smoldering sky, they hit the features of his face in a splendid way. He was absolutely gorgeous. James finished his drink with another sip and turned to Jennifer, his expression changed as their eyes met.

“You’re staring at me,” he said softly.

Jennifer shook her head. “No, I’m not—I wasn’t. No.”

James chuckled. “Okay. Well, you were looking at me for a really long time.”

Blinking, Jennifer nodded. “Maybe, a little bit,” she sighed suddenly. “I feel like I don’t even know you.”

“What?” James laughed. “Of course you know me.”

“No,” Jennifer’s headshake grew stronger. She gestured around them and then tried to form words, but couldn’t.

“You mean all the things you didn’t know about me?” James asked. Jennifer shrugged.

“Yeah. Maybe,” she sat her drink down in front of her. “I mean, I’ve just worked for you and I feel like you’ve had this double life, sneaking off to Jersey to help youth with sports—”

“I haven’t done that in years. I just set up the scholarship,” James interjected. “Still,” James swallowed, “there’s quite a bit that I don’t know about you,” he countered. “I didn’t know you raced. And where are you from? Have you always lived in the city?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m from Beloit, Wisconsin. It’s on the border between Illinois. I moved like you. As soon as I was able.”

James nodded, and then grew serious. “Why haven’t you seen your friend in so long?”

The question startled Jennifer and she began to stutter. “Well, I. You know, she and I,” Jennifer cleared her throat with a forced cough. She didn’t readily try to spit out an answer afterwards, instead, she just considered the question silently. She could have blamed it on the money, but the truth is, she had the money. She had the time. She just didn’t because she chose to work instead.

“Well, I guess out of the two of us, I was the one who should have traveled to see her,” Jennifer said softly. James nodded.

“Why didn’t you?”

Clearing her throat again, Jennifer took a moment to run her hand along her neck. She had just over half of her cocktail left. Condensation beaded on the crystal and slid down to the clear glass where it perched, a stout, long coffee table that connected the small groupings of outdoor seating.

The air had a nighttime chilling bite to it, but with the sudden rush of heat to her skin, she didn’t feel cool enough. She needed to take off her jacket, but she didn’t move. She just breathed.

“You don’t have to answer,” James countered.

Lowering her eyes, Jennifer reached for her cup and drank until it was empty. She avoided looking at James and sat the cup down, and then stood abruptly.

Across from the two armchairs was an open leather love seat with one flat cushion and a sectioned back. Jennifer moved to it absently and let the backdrop of the specular budding nighttime skyline steal her interest.

One day, Jennifer hoped to live in New York. As someone with an interest in fashion, it was really the only logical choice. Except at 28, it really didn’t seem like her life was going to be headed in that direction any time too soon. She took a deep breath. At her side, the cushion dimpled with James’s weight as he joined her on the loveseat. She didn’t bother acknowledge his presence.

“Jennifer,” James began by calling her name softly. Reluctantly, she turned towards him. “I never asked you to work late, or after hours.” The softness in his voice drew Jennifer’s eyes to his own.

No, he never asked that of her, but it was something she did of her own free will. She wondered then if James ever knew how she felt about him. Her question back at the Hyatt in Denver was the closest she had gotten to disclosing her feelings, and even then, it didn’t even come close to revealing how she had really felt about him for the past three years.

Then again, she thought those feelings were just a fluke. Maybe she was just a delusional assistant in love with the man because he had money. She thought she was over him, but the entire day had done nothing but make her think otherwise.

Jennifer took a deep breath and finally forced herself to meet James’s soft blue eyes. She loved those eyes. So beautiful and kind. Swallowing back something hard on the back of her tongue, Jennifer positioned herself squarely in front of James and searched his face intently.

“I always thought I’d work for you for a couple of years and then move on,” her voice was but a vanishing whisper on the wind. She wet her lips and hoped the cocktail would give her strength where her own flesh was bound to be weak.

“I didn’t realize I would love it as much as I did, though,” she smiled weakly, drawing a grin from James. “I loved the traveling, the events,” her smile grew wider at the thought. “I really liked the events. The banquets, the awards,” she giggled. “I really liked seeing this side of the world I never knew existed until I came to work for you.” Her smile fell again.

“The more I learned about you, the programs you started and funded, the more I really came to like who you were and what you stood for,” Jennifer took a moment to breathe. “I always thought you were a pretty incredible man,” she chuckled, “even now, I still think you’re simply amazing. You’re heart,” she smiled, “it’s beautiful.”

James searched her face, the smile and tease gone from his lips. Instead, he reached for Jennifer’s neck. She tensed, but didn’t recoil. He touched her skin with a single stroke of his index finger and she drew in a breath.

“But why did you work so much?”

Jennifer pressed her lips together and held in a breath. After a few seconds, she exhaled deeply. It took her a moment before she could answer.

“I think I wanted you to notice me.”

James frowned. His fingers still lingered against the side of Jennifer’s creamy neck. He took his thumb and stroked the line of her jaw. His eyes fell to her lips and lingered. His thumbed followed where his gaze had turned and he ran it across her waiting lips.

“I’ve always noticed you.”

Her heart could have shattered. Within a second, James closed the distance between his lips and hers and she finally felt the man who had occupied the majority of her thoughts for the past three years. He tasted wonderfully. Strong and powerful, and yet still gentle with her. Her hand moved and found his, but her next thought wasn’t of feeling her tongue against his. It was of Andrew.

Of all the things to remember, she remembered him, helping her along the mountainside. She recalled his gorgeous brown eyes and loose hair she had come to love running her fingers through and stopped.

She pulled away from James and squeezed her eyes shut.
What am I doing?
A second later and she caught James’s eyes again.

“I’m sorry,” she stammered, her voice a mush of shock and shame. She pushed her body from his and moved to the edge of the loveseat. She was too busy trying to regain her breath to try and decipher the look on his face when she met his eyes a third time.

Something caught her eye to the left of his body. Dark skin and dark hair. Jennifer leaned to the left, her eyes growing wide as recognition dawned.

“Nicole!” She called, waving her hand high. The woman, a lanky 5’9” black beauty with dark, wavy hair excitedly waved back. She was being escorted by a doorman, but immediately broke away to head straight for Jennifer.

“Oh my goodness, child,” Nicole cupped Jennifer’s face in her hands, turning it to the left and right, “you look amazing,” she drew her into a hug, and then froze. “Who’s that?” Nicole whispered, pulling away from Jennifer. “Oh my, Mr. Delicious, are you here with my friend?” James laughed, and struggled to clear his throat.

“Yes, she’s my,” he coughed.

“He’s my boss,” Jennifer said in a calm tone. She met James’s eyes and held his gaze briefly before turning to Jennifer. “Mr. Delicious?”

Nicole wiggled her fingers at James. “You’re beautiful,” she said outright. His sexy grin was back in full force.

“Nicole, please, control yourself. What has the city done to you?” Jennifer asked, laughing. She never remembered her friend being so blunt.

“Sorry,” Nicole said with a smirk and half-hearted shrug. “The city changes you,” she winked at James and wet her lips.

Jennifer buried her face in her hands and James stood. He stretched out a hand to Nicole and grasped it firmly. Nicole stared him down with a widening grin.

“Goodness, you’re strong,” she commented.

James grinned and glanced towards Jennifer. “You told me it’s been awhile so I’m going to let you two catch up,” he released Nicole’s hand and sought to make eye contact with Jennifer, but she avoided him, and chose to tousle with her suit jacket instead. She finally start to unbutton it and slipped it quickly, revealing the chiffon blouse beneath.

“I’m going to the bar for another drink,” James said softly. “I’m really hungry too. Don’t wait up to order something for yourselves ladies,” he finished the last bit in a rush and excused himself seconds later. Only then did Jennifer lift her head and watch him walk away. She touched her lips, remembering his kiss, and felt a wave of guilt crash over her.

“You should have seen the way he was eyeing you when you took of your jacket, Jenn,” Nicole commented quickly. She too stared after James and tilted her head to the side for a better look. “Goodness, he is gorgeous. He works with you?” Nicole turned back to Jennifer and watched her friend take her seat.

Jennifer sighed and closed her eyes. “He’s my boss, Nikki. He’s the same one I worked for when you were last in Chicago.”

“Oh,” Nicole nodded her head with understanding and slipped into the loveseat next to Jennifer. She placed a hand on her thigh and squeezed. “You look good, too,” she said with a grin.

Opening her eyes, Jennifer smiled weakly. “You look amazing,” she sat up then and reached for her friend’s hair. “Is this natural?” She asked with curiosity. Nicole was Haitian but was born in America.  Her exotic beauty often had many men pining for time alone with her, but she never entertained them, at least in Chicago that was the case. Jennifer had no idea how the city might have changed her friend when it came to love and men.