AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His long-legged stride quickly caught up.
I sighed. “What do you want, Jareth?”
His silence grated at me as we made our way to my car. He hesitated momentarily before the driver’s side door and held out his palm. The jerk could stand there all night. He was not getting my keys. I clutched them to my chest and shook my head. With a weary sigh, he shifted around the car to the passenger side.
I manually unlocked my door since the automatic lock stopped working last month. I likely needed a new battery for my key fob and didn’t have the money it cost to replace it. My gaze flicked to Jareth long enough to see the frown on his face.
Well, he could suck it.
Not everyone could afford a driver to take them everywhere they went. I opened my door and climbed in, only slightly surprised when Jareth knocked on the opposite window, his frown still permanently in place. I leaned over and unlocked his door. I couldn’t stop the snort-laugh that left my lips as he squeezed his six foot frame into the tiny seat of my car and fiddled with the car seat settings to give him more leg room.
He threw an exasperated glance my way, making me laugh harder. I hated being mad at anyone. Especially him. “What are you doing?”
He had finally settled in and drew the seatbelt across his lap. I couldn’t stop my gaze from following the movement of his hands, and the tightened shirt against his abs. It was like time slowed down. When he cleared his throat, my cheeks burned fire hot in embarrassment. I couldn’t believe I let him catch me checking him out. I jerked my head up to see him smirking at me.
“We are heading to my place.” He said it so matter-of-fact it took a minute to register his meaning.
I started the car, not yet pulling out of the space. “What? Why?”
“It would seem you need a place to stay, and I have plenty of room in my penthouse.” I almost expected him to tack on ‘obviously.’
“Your place?” Of all the places I thought I might crash tonight, his had never crossed my mind.
I backed out of the space, my mind going a mile a minute. A friend or partner would offer up their place to someone. Not an employer. And while he relied on me and acted more like himself with me, we weren’t exactly friends. At least it didn’t seem that way on his side. My heartbeat quickened as that fickle fiend hope sparked. Was this his way to hint that he wanted more?
“We work together and spend most of our time in the office. It’s convenient.”
I shoved hope into the tiny box she’d escaped from. Of course, that was all this was about. I tapped my fingers against the steering wheel. “I don’t need you to step in and help me. You don’t owe me anything.”
His silence had me glancing over. A heaviness permeated the car. Even without seeing his rigid jaw, I’d have known he was angry. “Explain.”
I waved my hands around, first gesturing at him, then at myself. “You feel bad rejecting me at the party so now you think helping me will get you off the hook.”
Jareth’s eyes narrowed. “Let’s get something straight. I’m helping you because I want to, not because I think I owe you anything.”
I refused to answer.
He sighed. “I was wrong.”
“What did you just say?” In the three years I’d known him I don’t think I’d ever heard him utter those words.
“I do owe you something.”
My heart skipped an unsteady rhythm. This was even worse. I dreaded whatever the next words were to come out of his mouth because I feared that what he had to say would destroy any hope I had left of us getting together. My stomach ached and my muscles tightened locking me in place. I wasn’t ready to hear whatever he had to say.
“I owe you an apology. For my behavior at the Christmas party and tonight. I didn’t handle myself well and I didn’t treat you with the respect you deserve. I acted like an ass.”
I turned my head to face him. Words escaped me. “Who are you and what have you done with my boss?”
“This is why I don’t apologize,” he muttered.
“No, wait. Don’t take it back. I kind of like seeing this side of you.”
His dark eyes bore into mine. Desire flashed in his irises, and I knew he was remembering our kiss. And now that he was, so was I. Heat pulsed through my core and raced through me. I bit my lip, wanting so badly to lean forward and place my lips on his.
A nearby car door slammed shut, and I jolted. This was a bad idea. Kissing Jareth would only lead to more heartbreak.
Jareth blinked as though coming back to his senses and cleared his throat. “Will you stay at my place until your home is habitable?”
