by Claire Adams
It had been an amazing kiss—I'd been aware enough to realize that. It wasn't as if we'd been blackout drunk. Both of us had known what we were doing, we had just had our inhibitions lowered. I couldn't deny that I'd wanted him to kiss me at that moment and that I'd thoroughly enjoyed every second of it.
But still, I had my questions regarding his motivations behind it and his interest in me. I knew, of course, that he was attracted to me—he’d made that clear. There wasn’t a single doubt in my mind of that. But, rumor had it that he was quite a ladies' man, and since he had neither denied nor confirmed this, I also questioned whether or not I was just another conquest for him.
It was easy enough to believe. Someone with his prestige, dashing good looks, killer body, impeccable sense of style, and billions in the bank could have practically any woman he wanted. He struck me as a man who was used to getting what he wanted—in life and from women. He came across as a smooth enough talker that I figured he had plenty of experience with women. So what was to say I wasn't just another name to add to what could very well be a rather long list?
The whole situation, to be honest, had me a bit perplexed. I needed to sort through all the mixed emotions I was having. I needed to have a good, in-depth conversation about it with someone who could understand where I was coming from, if that was even possible. And Eddie, bless his heart, was a man, so he wouldn't really be much help in that area. I needed Meg.
Meg had been one of my closest friends since our college days. We'd met as freshmen when we were both business majors, but she had dropped out of business school after a year and decided to become a lawyer instead. We'd maintained a close friendship, nonetheless.
I pulled out my phone and went through my contacts straight to “M.” I pressed the icon next to her name and waited for her to answer.
“Lilah!” she exclaimed as she answered. “Hey, girlie! What's going on?”
“Hey, Meg! Oh, a bit of this, a bit of that. Have you eaten dinner yet?”
“Not yet, no. I'm just about to get out of the office.”
“Perfect. Would you like to grab a bite to eat?”
“Sounds like a plan. Do you have anywhere in mind?”
“There's that new sushi spot that's just opened up a few blocks from your office. You know the one I'm talking about?”
“Oh yeah, I know the place. I've been wanting to check it out for quite some time now. How about I meet you there in half an hour?”
“Sounds great. See you then!”
***
“I can't believe you kissed someone who's been featured in Forbes!” Meg exclaimed. “And he's a bona fide billionaire, for real?”
“That he is.”
“Holy hell. Well, that's not something you do every day, now is it?”
“No. I suppose it isn’t. But you know, I can't help but wonder about this whole thing. It’s throwing me for a loop.”
“Lilah, you tend to over-analyze things. I think you should just try to turn your brain off for a few weeks and just go with the flow. Do you know how many women would kill to be in your shoes right now? And I'm talking kill with their bare hands, batter someone into pulpy mush with bare knuckles kinda dead.”
“Meg! Ew!” I scrunched my nose at the mental image.
“I’m just trying to make a point. Seriously, Lilah. Just let this guy fly you around the world in his private jet, drive you around in his sports cars, let him wine and dine you in five star hotels—and for heaven’s sake have some amazing sex with a smoking hot guy, which he totally is from the sound of your description. Then, if he turns out to be a jerk, well . . . Hey, at least you had the kind of experiences that only a tiny handful of people in this world actually get.”
“I know. I know—but it's really not that simple or easy. I mean, for one thing, he's not only my boss, he's the owner and CEO of one of the most powerful and prestigious public relations firms in the country.
“I have a real shot at making a name for myself if I can stick with this firm for a few years and build a reputation. I want to be featured in Forbes one day, too, Meg—and not simply because I'm the arm candy of some big shot company owner. I want to get to the top of my own accord, with my own talent, and from my own hard work. Not because I'm the CEO's . . . I don't know . . . girlfriend, play thing, whatever.”
Meg took a sip of her sake and nodded, her expression becoming a bit more serious.
“I understand, Lilah, I really do. You know I was just joking . . . to an extent. I know you're not just some bimbo, and that you wouldn't sell your principles out for the sake of a few thrills and a little bit of fun—even if those thrills and fun were really, truly, Hollywood-style amazingness.”
I rolled my eyes and laughed. “Come on now, Meg, I thought you were actually going to get serious.”
“I am, I am. Ignore the last comment. But, and now I am being serious, don't shut out all possibilities of being with this man. Because maybe, just maybe, there's more to him than the billionaire playboy persona you’re imagining. Stop and think about it—he keeps such a low profile and there's practically no gossip about him anywhere online. Plus, it sounds like he's really into health and self-discipline. Those are all good qualities in a man. It’s possible he isn’t what your wild little imagination is conjuring up.”
“I know, but . . . I can’t help thinking about Jacob, you know.”
Meg cocked her head to the side and folded her arms across her chest. “It's been three years since that jerk did what he did to you, Lilah. At some point, you’re going to have to let it go.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You weren’t the one who’s fiancé abandoned you a month before your wedding.”
“Aww, Lilah, I didn't mean to be insensitive. I know how much he hurt you, and I know pain like that takes more than just a little time to heal. But you can't let the actions of one man ruin the rest of them for you. There are some amazing guys out there—not all of them are like Jacob.”
I sighed before responding. “Maybe not, but Jacob had most of those qualities, too. Besides, it's not just about the pain and the need to protect myself. I mean, yes, there is that, but there's also the fact that . . . Well, I kind of enjoy being single.
“You know how it was when I was growing up. Dad was always out, I never had a mom, Eddie was gone half the time, and my other brothers either ignored me completely or pushed me around. I learned to be independent and stand up for myself at a fairly early age, and after surrendering that independence to another person—which is what happened when Jacob and I got engaged—I felt as if I'd lost a very important part of who I was.
“As much as it hurt when Jacob left me, on another level, it was actually a good thing because it gave me the chance to get that independence back. And while it was a terrible struggle to get through all of the hurt, it also forced me to get reacquainted with myself, to really develop and hone the strength I've always had inside me. It made me tap into the power to not just exist, but to thrive entirely on my own. And the thought of surrendering that to be with a man again is kind of, well, I don’t think I can do it. It almost makes me angry, in a way. I'm not so sure I could give up that part of me—even if Asher turns out to be some amazing guy.”
Meg chewed thoughtfully on a piece of sushi as she considered everything I'd just said. After taking a drink of her sake, she replied. “Did it cross your mind that maybe that's what he sees in you, and maybe that's what he's finding so attractive about you?
“I'm guessing the kind of women this guy is used to dealing with are models, bimbos, and other such types. All looks—jaw-droppingly gorgeous, most likely—but no substance whatsoever. Any intelligent man with any kind of integrity will get tired of those types eventually.
“And so, along you come, and you've not only got smokin' hot looks, but you're smart as hell, fiercely independent, and intensely motivated too. A guy like him, well . . . I'm guessing a girl like you is everything he's secretly dreamed about finding in a woman. How old did
you say he was again?”
“He's 32.”
“Ah. Young enough to still be after fun and good times, but also old enough to want to start getting serious and thinking about settling down. If I were you, I'd give him a chance.”
“But my career, Meg. I have to think about what this would mean to my career. It's honestly the most important thing in the world to me aside from my family, and if anything went wrong and I lost my position in The Sinclair Agency—that would be career suicide and I don't know what I would do.”
“Yes, careers are important, Lilah, they are. But to make your career the end all be all of your entire existence while shutting everything else out . . . do you think that's healthy? Do you think that's a wise decision? There's a whole lot of life out there to be lived and experienced, and if you get too obsessed with one thing you might end up missing out on a lot of it. Think about it.”
I nodded as I finished off a slice of sushi. “I'll think about it, Meg, I will definitely think about it.”
Chapter Seven
Asher
I was hopped up on too much caffeine and feeling a bit like a caged animal. After working like a madman all morning, the walls of my office—as large and expansive as it was—were starting to feel as if they were closing in on me. I was in dire need of fresh air around me and open sky above me.
I saved my work, got up from my desk, and strode out of the office. It was time for lunch, and I intended to spend it outside. My personal assistant Jade looked surprised as I almost stormed past her.
“Are you all right, Mr. Sinclair?”
“Yeah. I'm just feeling, ya know, a little cooped up and frustrated. It's been a long week, and I've been burning the midnight oil every night. Between that and having too much damn coffee, I need to get outdoors for a short while.”
“All right. I was just about to order your usual Friday lunch from the Lebanese place—”
“No, don't worry about that. I'll pick up something myself.”
“Yes sir, Mr. Sinclair. See you shortly,” she said with her trademark cheery demeanor.
“Enjoy your lunch break, Jade.”
I hurried off and, as I rounded the corner before the elevator, I almost collided into someone.
“Lilah! We have got to stop bumping into each other like this,” I said with a grin. “I'm sorry, I almost knocked you over there.”
She looked up at me and smiled. “That you did! Good thing I have the reflexes of a cat, now isn’t it?”
I chuckled. “You do seem to have ninja skills!”
Her smile widened. “Where are you off to in such a hurry, Asher?”
“Oh, I'm not really sure. I’m just going a bit stir crazy in my office. You know how much work we've been putting in the last couple of days, and I don't think I've been getting enough sleep, and I definitely had too much coffee this morning and . . .
“Ah, see, I'm even rambling now. That’s a sure sign I need to get out of the office. I just need to get outdoors to walk around and try relax a little. It's a lovely day outside, and there are a few quiet, picturesque spots nearby that usually help me refocus and rejuvenate.”
“That sounds really nice. I was thinking earlier about taking a little stroll during lunch. I'm still trying to explore the neighborhood a bit, you know, find good lunch spots and such.”
“Well, would you like to come with me? I could show you a few places that are kind of off the radar. There are definitely a few hidden gems located in a back alley or two around here.”
Lilah smiled. “Back alleys, huh?”
“You’d be surprised,” I offered with a wink.
“Sure. Let me take these papers back to my office and get my purse. I'll be right with you.”
“Excellent. I'll wait by the elevators.”
She smiled again and hurried off toward her office. I couldn't help my eyes from lingering on the way her hips swayed as she walked away in her beige business suit. I tried to force my eyes off of the exquisite curves of her ass which moved so sensually as she went.
I shook my head to snap myself out of the trance I'd fallen into. I hoped there wasn’t anyone who had seen me staring. Luckily, nobody else was around.
After a minute or two, Lilah rounded the corner and smiled as our eyes met. A tingle rushed through to my nerve endings as her gaze met mine. As many times as I had seen her, her striking eyes still managed to stir something in me every time she looked at me.
“I’m ready to go,” she said.
I resisted an impulse to take her hand in mine. “Great, follow me.”
After we exited the building, I pointed across the street. “See that little alley over there?”
Her head tilted and she studied the direction in which I pointed. “Yeah?”
“We're gonna head down that way. We're going to Chinatown.”
“Chinatown? Isn't that a couple of miles away?”
“If you drive, yes. If you walk through the alleys, though, in a straight line it's only about a mile from here. You do like East Asian food, don't you?”
“I'm a huge fan of Asian food in general.”
“Excellent! You'll be spoiled with choices where we're going then.”
“Are we really going to be able to get there, eat, and get back all within an hour, Asher?”
I paused and thought about this. My initial plan had just been to get out of the office, have a peaceful walk, relax in the Japanese Zen garden a couple of blocks away, and then grab some takeout that I could snack on during the afternoon. But having Lilah with me changed my train of thought in an instant. Getting all of that done wouldn't be possible in just an hour. Still, I was already feeling recharged and somehow I thought perhaps it was the idea of merely being in her presence.
“You know what, Lilah? We're not going to be able to do that in an hour.” My philosophy was that one hour of inspired, energized work was worth far more than three hours of moping, uninspired drudgery in which one was just waiting for workday to end.
She suddenly looked disappointed. “Yeah, I didn't think so. It's all right, we can head around the corner and grab a bite at that little cafe. The bagels are great there and—”
“Well, hold on a sec now, you didn't let me finish. Don't you find that you work more productively and more efficiently when you're feeling well-fed, relaxed, energized, and inspired?”
“Of course. I can get way more done and do a much better job in general when I'm feeling that way.”
“Well, then, as your boss—and as my own boss—I'm recommending that we take a two-hour lunch break.”
“Asher!” she exclaimed. “Come on, we can't bend the rules like that.”
“Listen, it makes more sense when you really think about it. It's been a long, hard week, right? We've both been slogging away relentlessly, haven't we? Spending way too many hours in the office.”
“I am feeling a little burned out, to be honest.”
“As am I. So, if we go about lunch in a rush, we're not really giving ourselves the opportunity to recharge properly, are we?” I inquired using my best defense lawyer voice.
“I guess not.”
“If we rush lunch instead of relaxing, we’re going to be thinking of the time ticking away and then have to hurry back into the office feeling frazzled and burned out. And then, we're going to be fighting off sleep while we try to get work done and our minds will be all over the place. The amount and quality of work we get done in the three hours until it’s time to go home will be poor and not so productive at best.”
She looked at me and grinned, almost conspiratorially. “I see what you're getting at.”
“Right?” I said encouragingly.
“So, what you’re saying is, if we take two hours instead, and we relax, eat a good meal, calm our minds, and enjoy our time out of the office without constantly checking our watches, we'll go back into work feeling refreshed and recharged, and get four hours' worth of work done in two hours, as opposed to one-hours’ worth of work
in three?”
“Precisely. See? It makes perfect sense,” I assured her.
“Well, I won't tell the boss if you don't,” she declared as she winked at me playfully.
“My lips are sealed. The boss will never know. Oh wait, he already does,” I replied, winking back.
A thrill rushed through my veins when she laughed. I liked the feeling it gave me—making her smile, making her laugh. It had seemed like she’d been deliberately distant and cool the last few days. Whether that had been as a result of our drunken kiss that night, or simply because she was so focused on work, I couldn't tell, but it had been quietly tormenting me the whole time.
The truth was, since that kiss, I'd found it hard to get her off my mind. And, her aloofness over the past few days had made me think about her even more.
Nonetheless, I decided to play it cool and keep a bit of distance of my own. As much as she’d been on my mind, I wasn't sure if trying to get closer to her was the best course of action at that point. But those were thoughts I had when she wasn’t in close proximity. The moment she was close enough to touch, all logical thinking went out the window.
And so, for the next two hours, I just let things flow naturally. I felt so at ease in her presence, so calm and happy with her, that I simply wanted to enjoy the moment without analyzing or over-thinking our interactions.
“Come on,” I said. “Let's go to Chinatown.”
***
“It is remarkably peaceful here,” Lilah remarked as we strolled through the Zen garden.
We paused to watch an old, Japanese man painstakingly raking sand into a number of intricate patterns. Then we strolled across an ornate wooden bridge that crossed over a koi pond.
“The patterns in the sand will be destroyed in a few hours,” I said. “All of those hours of intense concentration and work will be erased.”