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“It’s the truth. You’re a born organizer. Your attention to detail borders on the aggravating.”
She almost smiled. “Maybe you should be quiet now, before you spoil it.”
His soft laugh broke the simmering silence. “Paige, you have a checklist for movie night so that we don’t forget anything, even though forgetting something simply means walking down a couple of flights of stairs. You remember everyone’s birthdays and have a record of every gift you’ve sent every person you know since time immemorial. You probably have notes on what you cooked someone for dinner two years ago.”
“I do.” She frowned. “What’s wrong with that? Some people have food allergies. I like to make a note.”
“That’s my point. You take notes on everything. You miss nothing. You will be so good at this job your competition will give up and cry. I almost feel sorry for them.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to enjoy watching you kick their butts.”
“There’s a lot that could go wrong.”
“And plenty that can go right.”
Because her knees were unsteady, she gripped the railing in front of her, fixing her gaze on the shimmering lights of Manhattan. From here it looked glamorous and tempting, a world of opportunity. “I don’t know if I’m brave enough to do it.” The confession spilled from her and she felt Jake’s fingers slide over hers, the pressure of his hand sure and strong.
“You’re the bravest person I have ever met.”
His touch was so surprising that she almost snatched her hand away. Instead, she stood, her hand trapped by his just as her heart had been trapped all those years before.
“I’m not brave.” She turned to look at him. He was standing closer to her than she’d thought, his face right there, angled toward hers with attentive concern.
The urge to lift herself on her toes and press her mouth to the sensual curve of his was almost overwhelming, but she stayed still, her willpower sufficiently robust to stop her moving forward but not robust enough to make her step back.
Laughter drifted across from the far end of the terrace but neither of them turned.
Slowly, he disentangled his fingers from hers, but instead of putting distance between them he lifted his hand and brushed her cheek.
She stayed still, her gaze trapped by the molten shimmer in his. She couldn’t have looked away if her life had depended on it.
Usually he teased her, goaded her, drove her insane.
It was as if he’d tried to give her a thousand reasons to fall out of love with him.
This tenderness was something she hadn’t seen in him since she was a teenager, and seeing it now caused a sha
rp pang of pain.
She’d missed this. She’d missed this easy relationship, his wisdom and his kindness.
She swallowed. “When you have no choice, it isn’t brave.”
“Of course it is.” His mouth tilted in a half smile and she felt a twinge of envy for all the women he’d kissed.
Unfortunately she wasn’t one of them.
And she never would be.
Unsettled, frustrated with herself for spinning fantasies when reality was right in her face, she turned away. “Thanks for the advice.”
“I’ll give you one more piece.” He didn’t try and touch her again, but his voice held her captive. “Weigh up the pros and cons, but don’t overthink this. If you focus on the risks, you’d never do anything.”
“I feel as if I’ve lost my security.”
“Your security wasn’t the job, Paige. Jobs come and go. You give yourself security, with your skills and your talent. You can take those elsewhere. What you did for Star Events, you can do for another company, including your own company.”
