Colliding With You

by Kelli McCracken

  To his surprise, Cori had on a cami that hid her breasts from his sight. He cursed the thin piece of fabric, wishing instead he’d been lucky enough to steal a glance of her.

  Nope.

  It was just as well too. Otherwise, he couldn’t guarantee that he’d let her out of the car. He’d rather tell the driver to take the freeway and keep going until Jesse told him to stop. The glass partition would provide enough privacy for him to slide between Cori’s thighs and fill her with his throbbing cock.

  “Jesse?”

  He jerked back at the sound of her voice. “What?”

  “Did you zone out?”

  “Maybe . . . Why? Did you say something?”

  Her brow creased. “I asked if you were going somewhere else while I attend class or are you coming inside.”

  Coming inside? Yeah, he’d like to come inside—of her.

  “Am I allowed inside?”

  She snickered. “Yes, on certain occasions. There’s a room off the studio where you can sit and watch us practice. They use it for the parents of the younger kids, but some of my peers bring their friends or boyfriends with them. I don’t think they’d object to me bringing my boss.”

  Her boss. Right. He’d rather be known as her boyfriend.

  “I haven’t made any plans, but if you don’t mind me watching, maybe I will.”

  Cori shrugged. “Suit yourself. After seventeen years of dance classes and too many recitals to count, I’m used to people watching me dance.”

  “Don’t forget your high school talent show performance. I haven’t.”

  Shit. He hadn’t meant to say the last part. Cori didn’t let it go unnoticed.

  “What do you mean by that?”

  The car began to slow down and veer into a parking space in front of a row of buildings. Jesse glanced at the window of one, noting the name of the dance studio. They’d finally arrived.

  “Looks like we’re here. You better get inside. I don’t want you to be late.”

  “I don’t care if I’m late. I want to know why you said what you did.”

  What the fuck was wrong with his mouth? He couldn’t seem to keep it shut when he needed to. Was his subconscious working against him? It had to be because deep down, he knew that he was attracted to Cori. More than that. He was interested in her.

  “I didn’t mean anything bad. I just remember your performance because it was spectacular. I think you became the most popular girl afterward. You had a group of seniors in dire need of a long, cold shower.”

  Cori’s lips curved upward. “Is that so?” She chuckled softly when he nodded. “Were you one of those seniors?”

  It felt as if a thousand needles were poking his skin. A burst of heat followed. “Uh . . .”

  He could be a damn good liar when he wanted to be. Right now, he didn’t want to. He wanted to know how the truth would affect her.

  “Yeah. I guess I was. I just didn’t make an ass out of myself about it.”

  Damn, he loved the rosy hue in her cheeks. It went perfectly with those strawberry locks he wanted to fist. So what if he made himself a little vulnerable. If it meant he would get a chance to be with her, how could he refuse?

  “Come on,” she motioned him to follow as the driver opened her door. “I’ll show you the stairs to the observation area.”

  He didn’t say anything else. Once the driver helped her out of the car, he moved so Jesse could exit.

  “Just wait here until we’re finished.” He gave his instructions to the driver then caught up to Cori. Before she could open the door, he swept in and gripped the handle. “This is still the South, Cori, and I still know how to be a gentleman.”

  As she sauntered past, he swore he heard her say, “But I’m no lady.”

  She was wrong about that part. Cori was every bit a lady, she just had a sex appeal about her men couldn’t resist. Jesse couldn’t, but admitting as much only meant the next few months of working with her would be harder than he imagined. Her most important rule was that he didn’t get cocky and assume she’d sleep with him. So he wouldn’t.

  But she never said he couldn’t give her a reason to change her mind.

  Chapter 11

  Cori pulled at the hem of her dress, making sure it wasn’t riding up. She didn’t mind a short skirt or getting a guy’s attention, but she didn’t want to do anything to embarrass Jesse. Hanging out with a group of local musicians, various foundation organizers, investors, and label reps already had her feeling out of place.

  Jesse was in his element. He loved talking about the industry with his peers. Attending investors and foundation reps hung on his every word. The impression he was making on them would be lasting, and it was something he deserved.

  He was taking charge of his life and his career, unlike her.

  If this job with him didn’t work out, she would be lucky to graduate. She wouldn’t be able to afford it unless she wanted to grovel at her father’s feet. Forget pursuing her dreams. That’s all they would ever be. Dreams. Wishes. Disappointments . . .

  This wasn’t the time to focus on her problems. She was here for Jesse and refused to be responsible for ruining this party for him. He hadn’t stopped smiling since they walked into the ballroom of the hotel.

  All she could do is stand at his side and look pretty. These people had no interest in talking to her. She was his assistant, the one who kept his schedule in check, not the one that made his appointments.

  Their current conversation had turned to numbers, profits, and margins. Even though the tone of their voices held excitement, she had to feign interest. They lost her the moment someone mentioned Christmas being two days away.

  She couldn’t remember a time when she didn’t look forward to her favorite holiday. This year, nothing about it excited her. If anything, she dreaded it.

  “Cori?”

  Jesse’s voice chased away the disappointment consuming her. When she faced him, she noticed the people he was speaking with had spread out in different directions, mingling with other guests. Had she been that consumed by her thoughts?

  “You okay?”

  Nodding, she took in a deep breath when the warmth of his hand greeted her shoulder. “I’m fine.”

  “Are you sure? You got quiet, and don’t forget I have a little sister. I know the meaning of fine when spoken from a woman’s lips. What’s wrong?”

  “It’s nothing. I think I’m a little tired is all.”

  “Do you want to go?”

  She shook her head. “No. We’ve barely been here an hour. There are more people for you to meet. I just need to move around a little bit.”

  “Let’s go out to the terrace and get some air. I need a break anyway.”

  He wasn’t convincing. She was the only reason he was suggesting they take a break. This was not going the way she’d hoped. She was ruining his night.

  There was no time to argue. Jesse hooked his arm with hers and led her toward the double doors not far from where they were standing. The evening air had cooled enough that she regretted not grabbing her wrap. Hopefully, she could convince Jesse she was okay so they could go back inside.

  Once they stepped onto the terrace, she gazed at the city lights spreading for miles. The lower temperature, along with the vibrant holiday décor around the city, served as a reminder that winter had officially arrived. If she had the money, she would go someplace tropical until classes resumed in January.

  ‘If’ was a pretty big word.

  “All right, girl. We’re outside where no one can hear us. You gonna tell me what’s wrong?”

  Cori glanced at Jesse. “I already told you. I’m tired. I’ll be okay after a good night’s sleep.”

  “And I already told you, I’m not buying it. I haven’t noticed you yawning. If you were tired, wouldn’t you be?”

  She wanted to argue his logic but didn’t. Did everyone yawn when they were tired? She didn’t know the statistics, and she didn’t feel like debating it with him anyway. All she
needed was for him to believe that nothing was wrong.

  “Jesse, I have a lot on my mind, but I’ll be okay. It’s not worth your concern.”

  “I’ve known you a long time, Cori. More importantly, I know what you’ve been through lately. I have reason to be concerned.”

  “You’re doing everything you can to help me and I appreciate it, but I’m not your responsibility. You’re my boss, not my boyfriend. You don’t have to worry.”

  “What if I want to worry?” He moved closer. “What if I care enough that I’ve staked an interest in what happens to you?”

  His words had her stuttering for an excuse, but none came to mind. Maybe it was because her brain stopped working the instant he took another step and decreased the amount of space between them. Or perhaps it was the terrace railing, how it pressed into her back when she tried to move away.

  It was hard to say at this point. Jesse’s advancement left her confused about his intentions. Was he really just concerned the way an old friend would be, or was this something else? The way his eyes trailed up and down her body said there was more to it.

  “Cori, I know you’re a tough girl. No one can deny that, but it doesn’t mean you’re invincible. You’re human. You have a heart, and when it’s been hurt, it’s going to affect you. Don’t shut people out who want to help.”

  “I’m not shutting anyone out.”

  “You’re doing it with me.” Their eyes met. “Talk to me, girl. Tell me what’s wrong.”

  She couldn’t ignore the concern she saw. It made lying to him more difficult than it should be. “Why can’t you just accept the fact that I’m having an off day and that’s it? Why does it have to be something more?”

  “Because I know you better than you think I do.”

  “Just because I hung out with your sister and you hung out with mine doesn’t mean you know me, Jesse. We were in different grades. We had different dreams. You never paid me any attention unless it was to tease me.”

  He leaned in dangerously close. “I paid a lot more attention to you than you think.”

  The heat of his breath made her belly flip. So did its minty scent. She felt paralyzed by the weight of his gaze, and every second she remained the center of his attention, the more aware she became of how close they were standing.

  “It’s true, I did pick on you and Jamie quite a bit. I can’t deny that I took great pleasure in it, but I did it for other reasons.”

  “Like what?”

  Her question made him flinch. She didn’t mean to sound so cynical, but it was too late to apologize. Jesse took one last step toward her. The heat of his body warmed hers. So did his words.

  “I did it because . . .” He drew in a deep breath then exhaled. “It was a piss-poor excuse to get your attention, but that is the reason. I did it for your attention, and because I was too afraid to admit the truth.”

  “What truth?”

  The longer he took to answer, the more she feared he wouldn’t. He cast those fears aside a moment later.

  “I liked you, Cori. I wanted to ask you out.”

  Jesse waited for Cori to say something—anything—in response to what he’d said. He felt like an idiot for revealing something about himself he’d hidden from everyone. Not even Theo knew about his former interest in her. He spent part of his senior year denying it to himself.

  Hell, he’d spent the last few months denying it, especially after seeing her reaction to Theo. His pride took a hit on that one. Of course he was going to deny his feelings. It didn’t change the fact that the truth had always been there.

  Cori remained silent. Her eyes widened at his admission, but she’d revealed no other sign of emotion. Every second she held it in made him feel smaller. He wished he could shrink and disappear from her penetrating gaze. No such luck. He was stuck there, forced to live through an internal hell of not knowing.

  He couldn’t even ask her to respond. He didn’t trust his voice. Would it be steady or shaky? Would it crack from the thickness forming in his throat? Would she think this was all a show in some attempt to get her into his bed?

  Okay. So he couldn’t deny that he’d like to make her scream for mercy as he fucked her hard, but he gave a shit about her too. He’d always given a shit. Always would. He should have told her sooner. Now she wouldn’t believe him.

  Unless he proved himself . . .

  After an intense round of staring, he finally cleared his throat. “Cori, I . . .”

  The words caught on his tongue, despite how much he tried to force them out. When he failed, he trailed his fingers up her arm. Would she understand what he was trying to say? Would she know how much he cared for her from a single touch?

  “What the hell is going on?” The unmistakable sound of Theo’s voice made Jesse cringe. He stepped away from Cori and faced his oldest friend.

  “Theo? What are you doing here? I thought you said you weren’t coming tonight.”

  “No. I said if Cassie was feeling okay, we might come.” He advanced toward Jesse as Cassie brought up the rear. She gazed past them and set her sights on her sister.

  “Cori?” Confusion covered her face as her focus shifted to him. “What is going on, Jesse?”

  “That’s what I want to know,” Theo reiterated his previous question.

  Jesse didn’t understand the negative vibes he was sensing. Why would they be upset if he and Cori were together? Both had teased him about being paired with her after the wedding. He assumed they would be cool with them hanging out. It’s not like he was some strange guy she just met anyway.

  Telling them she was his assistant would only raise more questions, and he wasn’t about to break his promise to Cori. He swore he wouldn’t tell either of them about her short stint as an escort. Still, he needed to have an excuse as to why he hired her. Theo would find out from Josh or Joel eventually.

  Before he could say anything, Cori stepped beside him and faced her sister. “What the hell is the problem? I don’t understand why you guys seem so shocked to see us together.”

  “Because you two have never hung out. Now you’re at a party together. How is it you can talk to Jesse, but you can’t even call your own sister?”

  Was this the reason Cassie was upset? He thought she was assuming the worst of him. Instead, she was worried about her little sister. He wouldn’t deny her that right. They were family. She had every reason to worry, and she would be out of her mind if she knew what Jesse found in Miami.

  Cassie should be grateful Cori was with him instead of working as an escort.

  Then again, he’d just admitted his former interest in her little sister. How was he any better than the guy that took her to Florida? He wasn’t sure what intentions the guy had. Jesse knew his own. He wanted Cori. The more he was with her, the harder it was not to give in to his desire.

  Cassie interrupted his thoughts as she strolled closer to Cori. “Can we talk for a second?”

  “Why? You just want to lecture me about my choices.”

  “Just give me ten minutes of your time. That’s all I’m asking. I’ve been worried about you, Cor.”

  When Cori turned to him, she bit her bottom lip. He knew she didn’t want to see Cassie, much less speak to her, this soon after everything that happened with their father. Was she expecting him to step in and tell her sister no? He couldn’t. She wasn’t his girlfriend, and he wasn’t sure she wanted him to reveal he was her boss.

  It didn’t matter anyway. As soon as he saw her turn back to Cassie, Theo approached him. “Let them talk. They both need it. Besides, we need to talk too.”

  Confusion consumed him, but he didn’t say anything until Cassie and Cori were standing on the other side of the terrace. Once he knew she was okay, he refocused on Theo.

  “What’s up? What do we need to talk about?”

  “What I saw when we walked out here.”

  Jesse frowned. “What did you see? Cori and I having a conversation?”

  Theo folded his arms over
his chest. “Looked like more than a conversation, bro.”

  Anger burned inside Jesse. Where was this hostility coming from? Theo never questioned his motives about anything, but he couldn’t say the same right now.

  “I don’t know what you’re getting at, dude, but I think you saw something you didn’t.”

  “Man, we’ve been friends a long time. I know how you operate, Jesse. I know when you set your sights on a girl. I don’t normally give a shit about whom you’re messing with, but this time, I do. That’s my wife’s little sister.”

  “I’m well aware of that.”

  “Are you?” Theo’s voice grew higher. “You cannot treat her like you do these women who gather by our tour bus and hotels, waiting for a chance to fuck you. This is too close to home, bro. My home.”

  Jesse raised his hands defensively. “Now hang on. You’re making some assumptions, Theo. What makes you think I’m pursuing Cori? The girl has been sitting in her dorm room, spending her Christmas break by herself. No one deserves that.”

  A halfhearted laugh left Theo’s mouth. “Cassie has made several attempts to talk to her. Cori’s been ignoring her calls and texts. She has been worried sick.”

  “She’s avoiding her because Cassie keeps defending their father. I’m sorry, man, but there’s no excuse for what he did to Cori.”

  The frustration surrounding Theo seemed to diffuse a little. He pinched the bridge of his nose and then nodded. “You’re right. I don’t agree with how their old man handled the situation, but it isn’t my place to get involved in this family issue. It’s not yours either.”

  “I’m trying to be a friend. She needs one right now.”

  “Cori has friends, and you know it. I hate to say it, man, but I know what you’re doing. Allen told me what Josh and Joel suggested, about finding fake girlfriends to fight off the crowds.”

  Jesse glanced at Cori once more. He noted the crease between her brows, as well as her stiff movements. Whatever she and Cassie were discussing was intense. He wanted to be there to give her the support he knew she needed. Instead, he was defending himself against his friend.