by Nina Singh
Something told him yet another adventure awaited over in that part of the isle.
* * *
“Will this be on Mr. Jordan’s company account or his personal one?”
Jenna paused at the question.
Cabe had a personal account here? At a women’s boutique? The answer dawned on Jenna as she handed her purchases to the impeccably dressed saleslady who’d been helping her.
Cabe had traveled here with other women. Apparently, he had treated them to expensive clothing.
Well, she was not like them. Her situation was completely different. She was here to do a job and work hard to make Cabe’s life easier as the CEO of Jordan’s Fine Jewelry. Big difference. She did not need to depend on a man to buy her things. She was not like her mother. In fact, the outfit she’d found was quite sensible and quite a bit less costly than many of the other items in the store. Though it was still higher than what she could actually afford herself. But she had managed to find a pair of butter-soft leather sandals that had been drastically marked down. Those were going to be her one and only splurge on this trip as a way to treat herself.
“Definitely the corporate account, please.”
The woman began to ring her up and Jenna couldn’t help but let her eye travel to the gown sitting on display behind the register. A piece of art—that was the only way to describe it. A shimmery gold color that reminded her of the sand on the beach when the sun hit it just so. Draped over the mannequin like someone had sculptured it into place. The straps holding it up appeared impossibly thin and fragile. She imagined that was an optical illusion. Nothing about this dress appeared to have been left to chance.
She made herself look away. It probably cost more than she made in a year. The saleslady noticed.
“Would you like to try it on?”
Jenna blinked. The thought would have never occurred to her. “Oh, no. That’s okay.”
“You should. It would look so exotic on someone with your coloring.”
Jenna shook her head and took a deep breath. “I’m afraid I’m not in the market for something so glamorous.” Especially considering the price would make a nice down payment on a small house.
She smiled. “You’re just trying it on. Come, I’d like to see it on you.” She moved over to the mannequin and gently began removing the dress. “You’ll be doing it for me.”
Jenna gave her head a shake. “How so?”
“It will help break up the day and make my shift go a little quicker.”
Jenna’s heart did a little jump in her chest. Did she dare?
Why not? When would she ever get an opportunity to have an haute couture item actually on her body? She’d probably never even get a chance to set eyes on such a lavish garment again. What could be the harm in indulging in a little fantasy just this once?
And just like that, Jenna found herself in the dressing room, the dress hanging like a golden waterfall off a small garment hook. Her fingers trembled as she handled the silky, delicate material. Light as air and smooth, as though she were somehow holding liquid within her hands. Carefully, she put the gown over her head and gently tugged it down over her shoulders. She closed her eyes as it fell into place.
For several moments, she simply allowed herself to revel in the smooth texture of the material against her skin. Soft and airy, it must have been made from the finest silk.
When she dared a look in the mirror, her breath caught. It was like looking at a different person. A Jenna Townsend she hardly recognized stared back at her. One who belonged in a whole other universe. More magical.
She ran a hand down her midsection and couldn’t resist doing a small little spin. The dress twirled around her like a light, airy cloud. Reaching up, she released the complicated clip that held her hair in place and shook out her curls. Giddiness wasn’t usually a part of her personality but she felt that way now. She looked good. Better than good. If she had to say so herself, Cinderella had nothing over her in this dress.
She could have been a picture straight out of the pages of an international fashion magazine. Maybe even on the cover. Puckering her lips, she struck a pose in the mirror. Just like those haughty, glamorous runway models. The ones Cabe was always being linked to and seen with. The idea made her smile. It was silly, she knew, but her heart thudded in her chest at the vision staring back at her from the glass. Who would have thought that a girl from the fringes of South Boston could have pulled off a garment like the one she had on? It was such a far cry from the last formal gown she’d worn. The one she’d scraped and saved for close to a year in order to purchase secondhand for her high school prom. The one she’d stood out like a sore thumb in because it was clearly out of style and clearly used.
If only her former classmates could see her now. Suddenly she wished it with all her heart. Memories of the snickering and sideways glances she’d endured that night came crashing down upon her. No one had said anything, but their knowing, condescending stares communicated it all. She wouldn’t let those memories mar this moment.
They wouldn’t believe their eyes if they caught a look at her now. She hardly believed her own. Maybe a sneaky invisible little fairy had sprinkled some pixie dust her way and she had entered some kind of delicious alternate universe. And maybe, just maybe, she actually belonged there.
“Are you going to come out so that we may see it?” the saleslady asked from behind the fitting room door, pulling her out of her fanciful thoughts.
“Just one moment.” Jenna inhaled deep and straightened to her full length. Such a dress demanded the utmost proper posture. Lifting her chin, she yanked aside the curtain and stepped out of the dressing room then executed a flamboyant, exaggerated bow.
And nearly dropped to the floor when she realized the saleslady hadn’t been talking about a figurative “we.”
Cabe stood less than three feet away.
CHAPTER SEVEN
CABE FOUND HE could do nothing but stare. He couldn’t recall any moment in his life when he’d felt so completely frozen. No words came to his head, no thoughts he could formulate.
His mind zeroed in on one thing and one thing only: Jenna Townsend sheathed in a dress that hugged her so well, all he could do was imagine taking it off her.
She was something out of a portrait. An unearthly goddess who could command an army of men to live or die for her. At the moment, he himself would do anything she bade. The unusual color of the dress matched the golden specks in her hazel eyes. The effect was mesmerizing. He had to remind himself to breathe.
“Cabe.” She spoke his name on a whisper. It sounded like a verbal caress beckoning him. How would it sound if she were to cry it out in pleasure?
His jaw clenched tight. He couldn’t think of a thing to say. Here he was, the CEO of a highly successful private company who had to make multimillion-dollar decisions every day. And he’d been struck dumb by a woman in a dress.
She subconsciously ran a hand over her hair. Heaven help him. Her hair. A heavy cascade of dark, flowing curls curtained over her shoulders. He’d feared he’d never see it down. He’d tried to picture the way she would look if she ever saw fit to release it in his presence. But his imagination hadn’t nearly done the image justice. Heat raced along his skin. He had to fist his hands at his sides in order to keep from reaching out and running his fingers through the lush, silky strands. His mind may have gone numb but his body knew exactly what it wanted to do.
He swallowed, clenched and unclenched his hands in a strained effort to keep from reaching for her.
She was saying something. He had to force himself to focus. “...just for fun. I obviously had no intention of trying to buy this.”
“A shame.” The words came out hoarse, strained even to his own ears.
She narrowed her eyes, and an expression of confusion settled over her features. What didn’t she und
erstand? Couldn’t she see the effect she was having on him? Not just right at this moment but ever since he’d first laid eyes on her in Boston. He’d never behaved so irrationally. She’d dumped food on him and instead of firing her on the spot he’d promoted her! She teared up watching strangers get married. She attempted to buy a tray full of baubles she didn’t need, pretending she wanted every piece. She had an amazing head for business.
And looking at her now took his breath away.
Damn. This was bad. This was very, very bad. He had lost all control. It was totally unacceptable. He didn’t have time for this. His vast experience with women consisted of taking them to a few social gatherings followed by explosive breakups due to his lack of willingness to move things along to the next level. It had suited him just fine. Until now. Now he found himself thinking all sorts of thoughts about the future that he had no business entertaining.
Well, he had to grasp at some kind of sanity. He had too much to do.
Everything in his life was planned out, controlled. That was the only way to avoid regrets and mistakes. He wouldn’t allow himself either of those luxuries. He didn’t deserve to.
None of his plans included the kind of complications that would result from any kind of fling with a woman like Jenna Townsend.
He knew the best course of action would be to pivot on his heel right now and just hustle right back out of the store.
He couldn’t be what she deserved.
Cabe didn’t have time for any kind of a real relationship. He had to spend his time and every ounce of his energy proving himself worthy of the Jordan name. What kind of mate or partner would that make him? A lousy one.
The lady standing before him deserved so much more than he could give.
It was settled. He’d made his decision. From now on, he would make sure the relationship between the two of them remained strictly professional. He would keep her at arm’s length during the day, and he would make sure to stay off the cursed balcony at night. No more mistakes. He had to promise himself that. He had to guarantee it. All he had to do right now was turn around and leave.
So the next words out of his mouth surprised him indeed. “Come here, Jenna.”
* * *
Oh, boy.
Jenna took a hesitant step forward. The look on Cabe’s face was impossible to read. Was he cross with her? All she’d done was try a dress on. She’d tried to explain she didn’t actually intend to buy it.
That idea was preposterous.
He couldn’t think she would buy such an extravagant item on the company’s account. So what was with the look he currently had on his face? His jaw was tight, his eyes hard, his brows furrowed close together. She couldn’t venture a guess what he was thinking. Then again, she’d be hard-pressed to guess what Cabe thought at any given moment.
“I said, come here.”
She’d tried to ignore that command, hoping she hadn’t heard him right. Her breath caught in her throat, and her limbs didn’t seem to want to move. She’d never really seen him angry. Maybe he was about to chew her out and didn’t want to do it too loudly. The other woman had made herself scarce. That couldn’t be a good sign.
She took a hesitant step forward. “The salesclerk said she wanted to see it on me. I honestly wouldn’t even consider actually...”
The words died on her lips as he moved with sudden swiftness, breaching the distance between them. His hand reached out and for one insane moment she thought she might reach for him as well. A bolt of electricity shot through her chest. The room seemed to shrink, to just the small patch of space where the two of them stood.
She felt a rough yet gentle finger trail along her shoulder, up toward her collarbone. There was no way to even try to hide the shudder his touch elicited. Cabe leaned closer, his lips a mere hair’s width away from her ear.
She read clear, utter desire on his face.
When he spoke, his breath felt like a subtle caress over the skin on her neck. Her stomach did a flip, the feeling one got when just about to fall but caught herself just in time. Or someone else caught her.
“You need to take this off.” Barely a whisper, his command sent a shiver of excitement down her spine.
This couldn’t really be happening. She’d obviously fallen down some kind of rabbit hole. Cabe Jordan was not standing in the middle of a chic dress shop with her, telling her to undress.
She swallowed the hard lump that had formed in her throat and licked her suddenly dry lips. “Like I said, it was just in fun.”
“Jenna?”
“Yes?”
“We have to go.”
“Go?”
Every inch of him was tense, his jaw clenched, his hands fisted at his sides. He looked like he wanted to throw her over his shoulder. The thought had her cheeks burning. She thought of the way he’d almost kissed her and wondered if he would do it again. Heaven help her, she wanted him to. Very much.
“We have to go,” he repeated through gritted teeth. “Or we’ll be late for our meeting.”
* * *
If Jenna thought their walk this morning to breakfast had been awkward, their stroll after leaving the shopping center was downright torturous. The fierce blare of the late-afternoon sun didn’t help. They passed a lazy-strung hammock slung between palm trees and all Jenna wanted to do was collapse in it for a while. And try not to replay the scene in the dress shop over and over in her head. The way the touch of Cabe’s finger had sent a tingling rush over every inch of her skin. She couldn’t think about any of that. Instead, she had to somehow focus on a business meeting.
Next to her, Cabe cleared his throat. “That was a smart choice.”
She had no idea what he could be referring to. Her brain seemed to have ceased functioning.
“The dress,” Cabe added.
What? Was he seriously going to bring it up?
“I mean, you know, the one you have on. Right now. Not that other one.” He pointed at her. “This one.”
Oh. She could only nod in his direction.
“I don’t mean to say that other gown wasn’t flattering.” He rubbed a hand over his forehead and cursed under his breath.
“It’s okay, Cabe. I know what you mean.”
He let out a long sigh, his frustration palpable. She fully understood. Life, and this trip, would be so much easier if they had a smooth, uncomplicated relationship. “That makes one of us.”
“You’re saying this dress I’m wearing now works well for an important meeting that’s being held in a casual, outdoor atmosphere.”
“Yes. That’s exactly what I’m saying. The light color works well in this heat.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He hesitated. “I like your shoes, too,” he said after a beat, somewhat wryly.
Jenna glanced down at the strappy, low-heel leather sandals she had on. She’d bought them somewhat impulsively, using her own money, of course. Her navy, thick pumps were not handling well in all this sand. Despite the awkwardness between them, she felt downright giddy that Cabe had noticed.
How schoolgirlish of her.
He suddenly stopped and turned to her. “Jenna, listen—”
Oh, no. No way. He was not going to do this to her. He was not going to try to discuss the dress shop fiasco. Did he want to totally scramble her brain before this meeting?
She didn’t break her stride, forcing him to resume walking and catch up.
“So tell me about Sonny,” she asked, before he could finish his sentence. Cabe got the hint and followed the change of topic.
Thank heavens for small blessings.
“Sonny is in charge of the retail establishments in the resort’s shopping center. He can help us with the latest zoning issue.” They turned a corner on the path and Cabe pointed to t
he distance. “There he is now.”
Jenna looked up to see a stout, thick man sitting at a picnic table at a cabana, pounding away at a laptop. Introductions were made when they approached and the three of them wasted no time before getting to the business at hand.
Jenna even managed to focus on taking notes rather than the magnetic pull of the man sitting next to her. No small miracle after this morning and last night.
At the conclusion of the meeting two hours later, she was actually pretty impressed with herself. She’d held her own and even made some useful suggestions.
Now she just had to get through the rest of the day.
After Sonny left, she looked up to find Cabe staring at her. Like a specimen he couldn’t understand. She suddenly felt a nervous hitch in the middle of her chest. Perhaps her performance in front of the retail manager hadn’t gone as well as she’d thought. Had she done or said something wrong?
“Sonny seems very efficient,” she commented, by way of fishing.
“You impressed him.” Cabe’s answer surprised her. The other man had shown no outward signs of any such thing. In fact, he’d been very matter-of-fact throughout the whole two hours.
“Why do you say that?”
“I’ve dealt with him quite a bit over the past several months. Trust me, you impressed him.”
Jenna swallowed. “I was just trying to get all the details covered.”
“You did well.”
Her heart thudded at his words. It was one thing to impress Sonny, but to hear Cabe was pleased with her performance sent a lightning bolt of pleasure through her core.
“You’re truly one of a kind, Jenna Townsend.”
She looked up at him then and realized instantly that this was one of those moments she would never recover from. She was lost—lost in Cabe’s steady blue gaze, transfixed by the silky smooth sound of his voice. She’d never find her way again.
She grasped for some kind of response but none would come to her lips. Several seconds went by—she couldn’t guess how long. Suddenly, the unmistakable sound of a camera shutter snapped her out of her daze and broke the spell.