Surrender Your Love (26 page)

And that
’s when her intentions became clear. She wanted to party. Of course.

“
Oh.”

She nodded
, and a huge smile lit up her big blue eyes. “Yeah.”

I shook my head, laughing.
“No, Sylvie. I can’t. Not today.”

“
Just one drink. I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer.” She pursed her lips and scrunched up her face to give me a puppy look worthy of an Oscar. I knew her tricks. One drink never ever literally equaled one drink, but she was my friend, and I hadn’t seen her in two weeks. Vowing to stick with soda and be back before nine, I grinned at her. “All right. But if you get drunk, I’m not helping you home.”

“
You won’t have to. You know I’m not a lightweight. Unlike you. I should text Jett to join us, just in case you need a hot guy to tuck you into bed.” She winked. “Like last time.”

“
You
texted
him?” My cheeks flamed up.

“
Someone had to invite him to join our crew. After your hot night together, I thought I was doing you a favor,” Sylvie said, sheepishly.

Oh, god.

“As my best friend, it’s your duty to ask me before making such a huge decision.” I pondered whether to be grateful, angry, or downright mortified. In the end, a mixture of all three won. “And you should have told me you got his number.”

“
Well, someone had to get it for you since you didn’t have the guts to ask him about it. Thank me later.”

I stared after her
, open-mouthed, as she rushed out of my room sporting a self-satisfied smirk.

Manhattan was abuzz with life at any given time of the day, but this morning it seemed as though half of it had gathered in the elevators of Trump Tower, waiting to be beamed up into the corporate world. Waving my temporary security clearance card, I swooshed past security, and fought my way through the crowd of expensive haircuts, tailored suits, and high-fashion accessories. At eight
a.m.
sharp, I pushed through the heavy glass double-door to enter the Mayfield Realties lobby, holding my head high and my back straight, even though the throbbing pain in my temples was nearly strong enough to make me puke. Of course joining Sylvie in her quest to get hammered had been a mistake, and I shouldn’t have trusted she’d stop after one drink, but as usual I had let her persuade me. And while I stayed true to my conviction to stay away from alcohol, the jet lag and subsequent lack of sleep had pretty much the same effect on me as an all-night bender. It had taken me an hour to shower, dress in one of my best suits, twist my hair up in a presentable knot, and apply makeup—enough to cover the dark circles around my eyes and the unnatural pallor of my skin, but not so much I would look like I was trying to woo the boss.

The brunette
who had greeted me on my first visit was standing behind the reception desk, whispering into a sleek silver device I assumed was the newest and probably one of the most expensive phones on the market. Soft music intermingled with the sound of splashing raindrops echoed in the background, giving the impression I was entering my doctor’s office. I swallowed hard and neared the brunette receptionist, not really expecting her to recognize me. To my delight, instant recognition sparked in her eyes, and she rewarded me with a pearl-white, warm smile.

“
Miss Stewart—”

“
Please call me Brooke,” I said, figuring I could use a new friend at work.

Her smile widened.
“Brooke. I’m Emma. Mr. Townsend hasn’t arrived yet, but I’d be happy to show you to your office.” Not waiting for my answer, she led the way down the corridor, and then turned the right corner at the huge plant I admired the last time. I followed a step behind her, through a broad corridor with see-through offices on both sides. The glass walls provided no privacy from prying eyes. It didn’t bother me in the slightest. Since my desk at Sunrise Properties had been situated in the middle of a wide, open space within James’s shouting range, I was used to having people around me at all times.

“
Did you have a nice trip?” Resuming her small talk, Emma shot me a glance over her shoulder. My face caught fire as countless memories flooded through my mind. It had been a great trip, definitely one I’d never forget.

Grateful she couldn
’t see me, I nodded. “Yes, thank you. Italy’s beautiful.”

“
That’s true.” Her brief chuckle and sudden bounce to her stride made me avert my attention from my surroundings to gawk at her. She was tall with slim legs, a well-defined waist, and glossy brunette hair that reached down her back. She was pretty, and I wondered whether she was Jett’s type. The thought of Jett kissing her sparked an instant pang of jealousy.

“
Have you been?” I asked, focusing hard to keep the bite out of my tone. Even if Jett took her with him to Italy, it was before we met. His past was none of my business, and I wouldn’t concern myself with it, just like he wouldn’t meddle in my affairs.

“
Last summer.”

I swallowed hard to get rid of the sudden choking sensation in my throat. I was over analyzing. A few friends of mine had been to Europe, so what? Her statement
didn’t have to mean anything.

“
Lake Como was divine,” Emma continued. “And even though it’s just a lake and doesn’t really have a proper beach, I liked the privacy of it.”

Shit. She was there—
at Jett’s private place, which meant they most certainly spent the night in the same house rather than in a hotel. Bile rose in my throat, and the throb inside my head turned up a notch, as I imagined her in his bed.

“
His place is heavenly, isn’t it?” she gushed. “He showed me everything.”

My stomach twisted into tiny knots as pangs of jealousy hit me with full force. Emma stopped in front of another glass office and turned to face me, unaware of the hurricane wracking havoc with my insides. Her smile was still in place
, and a tiny glint played in her eyes as she continued down memory lane. “Did you get to visit the beach?”

“
Once.” I blushed again at the memory of Jett perched between my legs, lapping at my lady parts for the first time. He had such a gifted tongue, it couldn’t possibly be an innate talent. He must have gained the experience from somewhere, which drew my attention back to Emma, and my initial fondness for her began to dissipate into thin air. Maybe being friends with her wasn’t such a bright idea after all. I walked past her into the room, suddenly intimidated by her infectious smile and her perky ass.

“
Is this my office?”

When she nodded, I tossed my handbag on the desk and slumped into my swivel chair. Booting up the desktop computer, I figured she
’d get the hint and leave. Unfortunately, Emma seemed to have taken an instant liking to me and harbored no such plan. She popped into the leather guest chair opposite from me and crossed her sky-high legs, triggering another pang of jealousy. It wasn’t her fault she was so gorgeous, and I sure couldn’t blame Jett for being attracted to her. Heck, even I liked what I saw, when I had never been one to show bisexual tendencies.

Emma leaned forward and lowered her voice conspiratorially.
“Between you and me, Mr. Mayfield has hinted he might be taking me again this summer.”

My breath caught in my throat.

Over my dead body.

I smiled a saccharine smile so sweet I felt sick just imagining it.
“Isn’t he generous?”

“
Yes.” Sighing, she brushed her hair back. “The house belongs to his son though, and he’s not so keen on Mr. Mayfield popping over.” She trailed off, letting me fill in the blanks.

Son?

My eyes narrowed on her as my head put two and two together, and a flash of relief washed over me. She was talking about Jett’s father.

“
Isn’t Robert Mayfield married?” I was vaguely aware of the idiotic grin on my face, but I couldn’t help it. Jett wasn’t a whore—his father was, which was perfectly acceptable as long as he hadn’t passed that trait to Jett.

“
He’s been divorced for a few years. Told me he was heartbroken because his wife cheated on him, and this is the reason why he won’t remarry so soon again,” Emma said, probably believing every word that womanizer told her. She didn’t even know he was the cheater and not his ex-wife.

I nodded, playing along, because having one Sylvie in my life was enough. I didn
’t need more friends who’d drag me to the local bar whenever yet another unfaithful guy broke up with them. But she was the only person I knew here and, most importantly, she wasn’t sleeping with Jett, so I figured I wouldn’t mind her tagging along. “Do you drink?”

“
Not often.”

An evening in Sylvie
’s company and that would change in a heartbeat.

“
I’m meeting a few friends for after-dinner drinks on Friday night. You should come. You and my friend Sylvie will have lots in common.”

Her smile beamed back into place.
“Thanks. I’d love to.”

We chatted for a few more minutes
, during which Emma introduced me to my working schedule before she returned to the reception desk. At eight-thirty, the hall began to fill with people. Some walked past, ignoring me. Others peered in to introduce themselves, eyeing me up and down as though to determine whether I was fit for the job. These were the big players in real estate. While the prospect of meeting them had scared me two weeks ago, I found them no more intimidating than Sylvie’s hair stylist, who kept pursing his lips in sheer horror every time he caught a glimpse of my unruly locks.

By nine
a.m.
the soothing background music was replaced with the shrill ringing of phones. I began to skim through Jett’s meeting schedule for the day, officially starting my first day of work at Mayfield Realties as Jett’s personal assistant, when a tall figure appeared at the periphery of my vision.

“
Brooke, a word please.”

My head snapped sharply in Jett
’s direction, and my heart jumped into my throat.

H
oly cow.

He was steaming hot. With that disheveled bedhead, broad sh
oulders, strong chest, and moss-green gaze of his—he belonged on the front page of a fashion magazine. He was dressed in a black well-tailored business suit, white shirt, and a black silk tie. His trademark upper button was undone, allowing a glimpse of bronze, smooth skin. Skin I had licked and trailed with my fingertips all the way down his smooth torso to the narrow line of dark hair that—

“
Brooke?” His tone was detached, but the flicker in his eyes betrayed his amusement.

He knew I found him attractive
, and he made no secret of it. Damn him and his inflated ego. Somewhere in the back of my mind, it registered that I was still staring. But as much as I tried, I couldn’t peel my eyes off him. The way his slacks rode low on his hips, emphasizing a bulge and strong quadriceps, reminded me I had rode on those thighs merely twelve hours ago
.
I could still taste his skin on my lips as we moved in perfect unison. Damn! Why couldn’t I get the picture of him naked out of my head?

“
You want me to come to your office?” Stupid question since he’d already said so.

He nodded slowly.
“Only if you don’t mind.”

“
Okay.” I jumped to my feet and wiped my clammy hands on the front of my skirt nervously. Jett held the door open and motioned me to walk past, not moving an inch. I squeezed myself between his towering body and the hard doorframe, my ass brushing the front of his slacks, sending my dirty mind into a frenzy.

“
This space is cramped. No wonder people can’t wait to get the hell out of here for an early release,” Jett whispered.

My gaze flew up to meet his. His poker face was still in place
, but his eyes seemed to poke fun at me.

“
I like cramped places,” I muttered through gritted teeth, and headed down the corridor into what I hoped was the right direction.

“
Shame,” Jett whispered behind me.

Trying my hardest to ignore my acute awareness of him, I inhaled a sharp breath and held it as I slowly counted to five. It was my way to keep my calm in the face of a storm, only this storm was raging right inside my panties.

“Next door to your right,” Jett said.

Even without his instructions, I would have been able to distinguish his office from his co-workers because it was the only one bo
asting blinds that were half-drawn.

Amazed by the design, I stepped into the large room and stopped to admire his workspace. His office resembled the one in his house in Bellagio, minus the mountain views, expensive art
, and personal touch. A polished wood desk and swivel chair were set up in front of the window overlooking New York’s skyscrapers. To my right was a huge sofa in chocolate brown leather and a glass table. To my left was a closed door that blended in seamlessly with the light gray wall. Two large palm trees and a minibar gave the impression of a laid-back attitude which, given Jett’s reputation, couldn’t be farther from the truth.