“Yeah,” I chime in, wanting to support her. “What’s wrong with chick-flicks?”
“I prefer my movies with a little more action,” Jonathan says.
Nick nods.
“I’m sure I must have something in there that you guys would like,” Emily says.
They rummage around for another minute before coming up with one they want to watch. Nick puts it in the Blu-ray player and turns on the TV, then dims the lights. Nick and Emily snuggle on the love seat, and Jonathan and I sit on the couch.
He puts his arm around me, and I lay my head against his shoulder. The movie begins and I remember the last time I watched a movie. It was Lord of the Rings, and it was with Drake. That was the first time he made love to me.
When I remember the text he sent, I wonder what he wants to talk about. Then I think about the way he made me feel two days before, when I quit, and decide not to respond to his text.
Let him wonder what’s going on with me. Let him be the one who’s obsessing. At my decision, a feeling of lightness flows over me, and I focus on the here and now.
Twenty minutes into the movie, Jonathan pulls me closer to him, and I wonder what his expectations are. I don’t even know what mine are. Yes, I’m drawn to him, and yes, I like him, but deep down I know my heart is still with Drake.
Even though Drake really hurt my feelings two days before, and even though I know he has no desire to get into a relationship, I can’t deny the connection I felt with him when we were at his cabin. Even when I was playing the role of housekeeper, I enjoyed flirting with him and I know he enjoyed it too.
“Ashley,” Jonathan murmurs, pulling me back to the present.
I turn and look at him.
“What are you thinking about? You seem so far away.”
No way am I going to tell him what I was thinking about. “I was just watching the movie.”
He looks at me like he doesn’t quite believe me.
“What about you?” I ask. “What are you thinking about?”
A smile plays around the corners of his mouth. “I was thinking that I’d like to do this.” He puts his hand behind my neck, then he leans closer and presses his lips against mine.
Heat from his body radiates towards me, and I get caught up in the moment. His hand moves from my face to my shoulder, then to my waist, and he pulls me against him.
My arms go around his neck and I let myself get lost in his kiss.
Then I hear Drake’s comment—You certainly get around—and it stings.
His kisses become more passionate, and I think, I don’t want to do this right now. Not with you.
“Wait,” I whisper. Then louder, “Wait.”
He looks at me, his eyes heavy with desire. “What’s wrong?”
I gently push him away, then say, “I’m not ready for this.”
He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair, then frowns. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push you.”
I nod. “I know.”
He sits beside me, but doesn’t put his arm around me as we focus on the movie.
Relief and guilt mix within me, but I decide it’s not up to me to make Jonathan happy.
After we sit there for several minutes, he turns to me and takes my hand. “I like you, Ashley. I want you to know that.”
I smile. “I like you too.”
“Good.” He smiles. “Do you want to go dancing tomorrow night?”
Although I don’t want to get physical with him, I still want to have a good time. “Yes. That sounds like fun.”
He nods, and I can tell he’s over my rejection.
Thirty
ASHLEY
After the guys leave, Emily smiles and says, “You and Jonathan seemed to be getting along.”
Grimacing slightly, I shrug.
Her eyebrows pull together. “What?”
“I like him okay, but…” I let my sentence trail off.
She purses her lips. “It’s your boss, isn’t it? You’re still stuck on him. Did you ever answer his text?” Her eyes narrow. “You’re not going to see him, are you?”
I sigh at her litany of questions. “No, I haven’t texted him back. And I’m not going to.”
Her face brightens. “Good. He doesn’t deserve you, Ash.”
I don’t respond, not sure if I agree with her. I’m not sure what I would do if I were to see him face to face. I know that’s when my weakness for him will manifest itself. His magnetism is so strong—at least for me—I can’t guarantee I won’t cave in to the demands of my heart if he’s right in front of me.
“About Jonathan,” she persists. “What’s the deal with you two?”
“We’re going dancing tomorrow night.” I hope that will satisfy her curiosity. It doesn’t.
“But what about tonight? I know he really likes you.”
I wonder how much I want to confide in her about my feelings for Drake, but decide I could use a sounding board. “It’s hard for me to think about Jonathan like that sometimes.”
She frowns. “It’s because of your boss, isn’t it?”
I glare at her. “Stop calling him that. He’s not my boss anymore. Besides, I knew him before that.”
“Fine. It’s because of Drake, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Okay? Yes, it’s all his fault.” I frown. “Happy now?”
“Uh, no. Not even a little, Ash. I want you and Jonathan to get together. That would make me happy. I want you to forget you ever met this jerk named Drake. That would make me even happier.”
I can’t help it. I laugh. “Well, you can’t always get what you want, Em.”
She rolls her eyes. “Don’t I know it.”
“As long as we’re clear on that.”
She sighs loudly. “Maybe what needs to happen is, I need to talk to this man who is keeping you from finding happiness and I need to set him straight.”
My eyebrows rise. “Oh, really? And what would you say to him to set him straight?”
She taps her mouth with a manicured fingernail. “Well . . . I would tell him that if he doesn’t stop harassing you, then your only recourse will be to get a restraining order.”
I gasp in mock outrage, but only because I know she’s kidding—at least I hope she’s kidding. “He isn’t harassing me, Em.”
“Uh, I beg to differ.”
I give her a look, like Explain.
She holds up her fist, then lifts a finger as she numbers her reasons. “One, he slept with you when you were his employee. His direct employee, I might add. Two, he demanded that you meet with him after you quit in shame. Three, he’s a jerk and just deserves the grief.”
With her outrageous comments, I find my mood lightening. “I can’t argue with your first point, but I did not quit in shame. I quit because of what he said. And he did not demand that I meet with him. It was a simple request.”
“Says you.”
“Yes, says me. And I should know.”
She doesn’t argue the point, and we go to bed a short time later.
The next day we run errands together, and when we pull in to the parking lot near our apartment building I see Drake heading up the stairs to our apartment.
I gasp.
“What? What?” Emily says, my reaction obviously startling her. “What’s wrong?”
“I just saw Drake going to our apartment.”
Her head pivots in the direction of the stairs that lead to our apartment. “Where?”
“I don’t see him now,” I say as I crane my neck. What’s he doing here?
Emily pulls into her space and shuts off the engine. “I’m going to talk to him,” she states in a voice that shows she’s not kidding.
My eyes widen. “No.”
She nods with confidence. “Oh yeah. I’m going.” Then she jumps out of her car and strides to the base of the stairs before I can stop her.
“Em, no,” I say, but it’s too late. I watch her vanish from sight as she climbs the stairs, and I slide down in my seat, my heart
pounding with worry about what she’s going to say.
Thirty-One
DRAKE
When I reach Ashley’s door, I lift my hand to knock, surprised that I’m here. I have no idea what I’m going to say to her, but I just need to see her. Since she didn’t respond to my text, I decided to take matters into my own hands.
My fist raps on her door with three loud knocks, and I wait. Silence is all that greets me.
“Can I help you?” a voice says from behind me.
I turn to see a slender woman with short black hair gazing at me, her arms folded across her chest. “I’m looking for Ashley Spencer.”
Her expression is less than friendly. “And you are . . ?”
“Colton Drake. Ashley used to work for me.” My eyebrows draw together in question. “Are you a friend of hers?”
She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “You could say that. I’m her roommate. Emily.”
I smile to show I mean no harm. “Do you know where she is?”
She hesitates, then says, “She’s out with Jonathan.”
It’s like I’ve been punched. She’s out with the man who sent her flowers, the man who held her so possessively at the dance club. My jaw tightens as I bite back a nasty remark, then I say, “Really? If I may ask, how serious are they?”
“I’m not sure that’s any of your business. I mean, you’re just her ex-boss. Why would you care?”
It’s clear that this woman does not like me, and I can only guess that it’s due to whatever Ashley’s told her. “Never mind,” I say.
“No, I’ll answer.” A smug smile curves her mouth. “Now that you’re out of her life, they’re getting more serious.”
I’m surprised by how upset this makes me, and my next words are out of my mouth before I have a chance to stop them. “Has she said anything about me?” I sound pathetic, but it’s too late to take it back.
“Besides that you’re a real jerk and she’s glad to be rid of you? No.”
I have been a jerk. I see that now. Maybe Ashley is better off with Jonathan than with me, but I can’t let her go that easily. “Thank you,” I say, which makes no sense at all since Ashley’s roommate just called me a jerk.
“Uh-huh.”
I turn and walk away, a torrent of feelings swirling inside me—anger, jealousy, desire. I don’t like feeling so out of control.
ASHLEY
Since I’m ducking, I’m just able to see over the dashboard of Emily’s car, and my gaze is glued to the stairs. I wait for what seems like forever, but eventually I see Drake’s legs come into view as he descends the stairs. A moment later I see his whole body, and he looks pissed.
I’m several cars away from the walkway that leads to the parking lot, so he doesn’t see me. As I watch him, I’m inexorably drawn to him, and I nearly throw the door open and call his name, but I hold myself in place and watch as he walks to his truck and climbs inside.
I watch, waiting to see him drive away, but he just sits there. A moment later my cell phone chimes a message, startling me. With my gaze still riveted on Drake’s truck, I dig my cell phone out of my purse, then I glance at the message. It’s from Drake.
Drake: I stopped by your apartment to see you, but you weren’t there. I spoke to your roommate and she told me how you really feel. I hope she’s wrong. But if she isn’t, I’ll respect your wishes.
My thoughts race. What the heck? Why does he hope she’s wrong about the way I feel? What did Emily tell him?
When I look at his truck again, I see that he’s already backed out of his parking space, and I watch as he drives away from my apartment building. I stare at the text he sent and wonder how he even knew where I lived.
You worked for him, dummy. He had your address right in his employee files. And at least he admitted going to your place. Unlike you, who showed up at his house and walked right in, uninvited.
My face reddens as I remember my indiscretion, but that feeling is quickly replaced by panic and I’m desperate to know what Emily said to him. I climb out of the car and hurry to the apartment, throw the door open and storm inside.
“What took you so long?” Emily asks, her feet propped up on the coffee table.
“What did you tell him?”
She grins. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
I want to throttle my best friend. “Uh, yeah.”
“Did you know he’s way hotter in person than he is in the company picture?” Her smile grows. “I mean, way hotter.”
“I’m well aware of how hot he is, Em.” Oh boy, am I.
“Okay. Just wanted to make sure we were on the same page.”
She is so ridiculous that I can’t help but laugh.
She smiles, then pats the couch beside her.
I sit next to her, curling my feet under me. “Okay. Spill.”
Sighing dramatically, she begins. “When I got to our apartment door he was waiting for someone to answer. I asked him who he was and I told him I’m your roommate. Then he asked where you were.” She pauses dramatically and I want to strangle her.
“He didn’t look for me in the parking lot,” I say, “so what did you tell him?”
She giggles. “I told him you were out with Jonathan.”
“What? Why did you tell him that?”
“It was the first thing that came to mind. I could have told him you were hiding in my car in the parking lot, but I didn’t think you’d appreciate that.”
“No. You’re right.”
“Of course I am.” She smiles smugly. “Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah. So when I told him you were out with Jonathan, he asked how serious you two were.”
“Oh no,” I say, knowing this is not going to be good.
A grin creeps over her mouth. “Oh yes. I said, ‘Now that you’re out of her life, they’re getting more serious.’”
I drop my head in my hands, but after a moment I look at her. “What did he say to that?”
“I have to admit,” she says. “I almost felt sorry for him.”
“Why?”
“He looked kind of sad.”
“Really?” That surprises me. Especially after he made it clear that he wasn’t interested in being in a relationship.
“Yeah. So then he says, ‘Has she said anything about me?’ So I said, ‘Besides that you’re a real jerk and she’s glad to be rid of you? No.’ He thanked me, if you can believe it. Then he turned and stalked away.”
I’d seen the look on his face when he’d come down the stairs after talking to Emily, and he had looked very unhappy. Was it because Emily told him I was glad to be rid of him? Or because he thinks I’m getting serious with Jonathan? I think about his text and wonder if I should clear things up. But what would I tell him?
I thought I was in love with you, but then you treated me like dirt and now I’m not so sure. When I think about the time we spent at your cabin I want to be with you, but then I think about how you said you were not my friend and I want to hate you.
Yeah, that would clear things right up. My feelings are too complicated and I decide to ignore his text.
“When’s Jonathan picking you up?” Emily asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“In a couple of hours.”
“How about I give you a mani-pedi?”
Getting pampered sounds nice, so I agree, and try to force thoughts of Drake out of my head.
Thirty-Two
ASHLEY
When Jonathan and I arrive at the dance club I see that it’s the same one we went to the week before and I begin to worry that I’ll run into Drake since I saw him there with Patrice the previous Friday. Jonathan leads me to the dance floor and we begin dancing. Half an hour later I haven’t seen Drake and I begin to worry that I won’t see him.
When a slow song comes on Jonathan draws me against him. I lay my head against his shoulder, and as we sway to the music his arms tighten around me. I like the way it feels to be close to him and I tighten my arms around him.
“Mmm
,” Jonathan murmurs by my ear. “You smell good.”
“Thanks,” I say in reply, enjoying his obvious attraction to me. When the slow song ends, we dance some more, then Jonathan asks if I’m thirsty. I am, and he leads me to a table and says he’ll be right back.
The moment I’m alone I sense someone standing behind me. I know it’s Drake before I turn around, and my heart begins to pound.
“Hello, Ashley,” he says after he comes around to face me.
“Drake. Hi.” My mouth’s gone dry and I know I could use a drink. Which reminds me that I’m with Jonathan, who will be back any minute.
“I’d like to talk to you a moment.” He sits in the chair next to me.
He’s inches away, and his nearness makes me feel disconcerted, yet I feel drawn to him—like a bee to honey. The nickname Emily gave me pops into my head and I have to hold back a wild giggle. “I’m here with Jonathan,” I blurt. I’m not sure why I feel the need to tell him that, but the words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.
A pained expression crosses his face. “Yes. I know.”
“Why are you here?” I glance around. “Where’s Patrice?”
He sighs. “I’m not here with Patrice.”
“Oh.” Of course not. Why would he be with the same woman twice in a row?
“I came here to talk to you.”
What? My face must show my confusion, because he continues.
“You’re ignoring my texts and I need to talk to you, so I thought I’d take the chance that you’d be here again tonight.”
He came here just to see if I would show up? So he could talk to me? Who is this man, and what has he done with CEO Drake?
I look in the direction Jonathan went, not eager for him to see me sitting here talking to my ex-boss—at least that’s all Jonathan knows him as. What would he think if he saw me in an intimate pow-wow with the man for whom I just stopped working? And I realize that I do care what he thinks. “This isn’t a good time,” I say, torn between wanting to know what Drake wants to talk about and fearful about what Jonathan will read into this.
Drake and Ashley: The Complete Story Page 24