Beating Hearts (A Contemporary and Paranormal Valentine Anthology)
Page 9
Jessica ordered another drink. “So you meet this guy on Valentine’s Day and just decide to fuck him?”
I ordered another drink. I was going to need it. “Well, why the hell not? I didn’t think I was ever going to see him again, and it was a good way to spend Valentine’s Day. I think.”
Jessica laughed. “Yeah until he walked into your office this morning. I still can’t believe you hired him.”
“He was the best.”
“I bet he was.”
“Damn it, Jessica. Can we let this go?”
The waiter put two drinks in front of us. “No charge ladies.”
My head snapped up.
The waiter nodded towards the end of the bar. “It’s on that guy sitting down there. Enjoy ladies.”
I looked down at the other end of the bar.
Jessica gasped. “Oh my God Sam! That’s the guy you just hired from this morning!”
“Fuck me.” I whispered under my breath.
“That’s what he said.” Jessica giggled like a little school girl.
“You are not helping.”
She downed her cocktail and then stood. “Of course I am. And I’m going to help more now by leaving. You two have fun.”
Jessica started away just as Drew stood up. I tried to grab for her arm but she was already too far away. Shit!
“Good evening. Shall I call you Dawn or Ms. Johnson? Or Samantha? I’m unaware of the protocol outside the work place.”
My cheeks burned. He sat down in the stool next to me. “Samantha is fine.”
“So Samantha, did you give me a fake name last night or…?”
I sipped my martini, letting the alcohol burn its way down my throat. “Dawn is my middle name.”
“Ah. Do you always give your middle name when you pick up men at the theater?”
“I didn’t pick you up.” I gave the quotation hand gesture. “You picked me up I believe and you told me Drew when your name is Andrew.”
“My friends call me Drew.”
“So what would you like for me to call you?”
He leaned into me, his smell was more intoxicating than the vodka in my martini. His nose was against my ear as he whispered, “You can call me whatever you like, boss.”
Chills ran down my body. I already wanted him and it had only been five minutes.
“I love how your body responses to me Samantha. I can already sense your pulse racing.”
He was right and I hated it. I wasn’t sure what hold he had over me but I didn’t care for it. It was causing me to blur the lines between co-worker and lover.
“Why do I make you so tense Samantha?”
God even the sound of my name on his lips caused me to cross my legs. I sighed as I downed my martini. “I’m tense because it’s been years since I’ve been in this type of situation.”
He glanced over at me as he finished his drink. “Situation meaning?”
“Meaning this.” I motioned between the space between us. “My husband died a few years ago and I poured myself into work. I never thought of being with another man or dating again until I met you. For some reason you make all my common sense fly out the window!”
He placed his hand at the small of my back. It caused me to jump slightly before relaxing again. “I’m sorry. I do understand how you feel about our situation however, I can’t help it. I’ve never been this attracted to someone before. When I saw you standing in your office this morning I was terrified yet overjoyed at the same time.”
I smiled as I looked down at my hands folded neatly on the bar. “I know what you mean.”
He scooted his stool closer to me. “Last night was the best Valentine’s I’ve ever had.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“You want to get out of here?” I wanted him now.
“Yes.”
Connors Pub was just a few blocks from the hotel, but it seemed to take hours to reach my door. I slipped my key card in and opened the door only to find dozens upon dozens of red roses filling the rooms of my suite. “What the?”
Drew slipped in right behind me and closed the door. He placed both of his hands on my shoulders and rubbed them slightly before dipping his head down to my ear. “I may have had a little help from your friend/assistant.”
“We barely know each other. Why would she help you?”
“Once I talked to her, she was pretty open to the suggestion. At first I believe she thought I was crazy, but I persuaded her.”
“If you can persuade Jessica then I’m sure I hired the right man for the job. What did you say to her anyway?”
He slipped from behind to stand in front of me and pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “I told her last night meant the world to me and that fate had a hand in our meeting. That is the only explanation I can come up with. I told her that I wish I hadn’t been so scared or nervous to get your number the first night we met.”
“You were nervous?” I managed to choke out between the tears threatening to fall down my cheeks.
He placed his hand against the side of my neck. “Yes. I was nervous. I can tell you’re a guarded person. I could tell that from talking with you for ten minutes last night. So I was nervous to press you for anything more. But now.” He turned to gesture around the room. “Now, I want you. I know it’s fast and you have no interest in starting a relationship especially with a man you just hired to work for you, but Samantha, I promise you won’t regret it.”
He bent to kiss me again, only with more passion this time. His kiss was one I could feel from my lips down to my toes. I let the smell of roses and his cologne flood my nostrils as I kissed him. I couldn’t deny I felt the same.
I wanted more. I knew I wouldn’t get tired of this. We would have to work a few things out. I was prepared for that. At least I thought I was.
He broke our kiss and stepped back placing a foot length of space between us. “What are you thinking, Sam?”
I looked around the room then back at the handsome man in front of me. He wanted me and I wanted him, and somehow we could do this. I smiled at him. “I think I’ve never been so happy I grabbed a stranger’s arm in a scary movie.”
He lifted me off my feet and into his arms. “We can do this Sam.”
“I know, Drew.” I was scared to death, but something was telling me to go for it.
He lifted my legs and carried me toward my bedroom. “Now Ms. Johnson. Let’s see what fun we can have before work tomorrow.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jinni James lives in her beloved state of Alabama with her amazing husband, her two precious girls, and her awesome stepdaughter along with her lazy cat and her hyperactive dog. She works during the day as an administrative assistant with her characters talking in her ear all day as she answers phones, works on spreadsheets, and files. As soon as the day winds down Jinni goes home to her family, gets everyone settled, then finally sits at her keyboard and aspires to becoming the author that lives in her head.
Jinni has two books in her Immortal Shifters series, Shifting Hearts and Immortally Torn. Secret Cravings Publishing just published her novel Business and Pleasure. She also has a short series, Erotic Encounters that is out now as well. All of her books can be found on Amazon and other online retailers.
https://www.facebook.com/JinniJamesAuthorPage
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6471779.Jinni_James
www.authorjinnijames.com
www.jinnijames.net
We hope you enjoyed the collection! If you did, please remember to leave us a review!
If you are looking for more books, visit our Author Websites for lots more choices…
Krystal Shannan
Jennifer Kacey
Natalie Gibson
Jinni James
hive.