Chapter 17

ARIA

My mind untangles itself from the pull of desire as Jett slides out of me. The full weight of what I’ve just allowed to happen rains down on my shoulders, and I have the sudden urge to get out of here as soon as possible.

I immediately stand up, breathless and naked in my boss’s office. I turn around just as he pulls me against his hard, naked body and kisses me deeply.

He’s still out of breath. I can feel the pleasurable warmth both our bodies exude. I melt for a moment before I snap back to reality.

“I, uh, I should go,” I say as I separate from him and speed-walk to the wall he had me pinned up against earlier.

I grab my skirt and my shirt and then walk back over to his desk. Jett pulls his boxer briefs on as I grab my bra. I look around for my panties.

“Where are my—” I look up, and they are dangling off Jett’s finger; there’s a mischievous look on his face. Before I can grab them, he balls them up in his fist.

“These,” he says slowly, “are mine now.”

I narrow my eyes at him as I clasp my bra behind me and pull my skirt up.

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Not even remotely,” he says as he raises an eyebrow, baiting me to challenge him.

I roll my eyes and inspect my shirt. Three buttons are missing, and one is dangling loosely by a thread.

~Great, what am I supposed to wear out of here?~ I might be able to tie the ends together, but I’ll probably show a lot of cleavage.

Jett grabs the shirt out of my hand and wordlessly goes to the cabinet on the other side of the room. He pulls a clean shirt of his own out, comes back, and hands it to me.

“Oh, uh, thanks,” I say as I take it and put it on. Obviously, it’s too big on me, but I tuck it into my skirt and roll up the sleeves so it almost looks normal.

Jett is buttoning his own shirt when I finish.

“Okay, well, I’m going to go,” I say, trying to sound casual as I turn and walk toward the door.

“Stop,” he says as he crosses to me quickly and turns me around. He gently kisses my lips, then pulls back a few centimeters. “Come home with me.”

My heart skips a beat, but my brain immediately responds.

“I…can’t,” I say as I attempt to look anywhere but directly into his gold eyes.

“Why?”

“Jett, this was—”

“Amazing.”

“A huge mistake,” I say.

He tilts his head in confusion. He still looks impossibly sexy.

“I’ve had my share of huge mistakes, and that wasn’t even remotely in the same ballpark,” he says matter-of-factly. He kisses the space just below my ear; goosebumps cover my arm. “I want you.”

“Please, don’t make this harder.” I pull back from his grasp.

His lustful expression dissolves into disappointment.

“Then let me take you home,” he says. “Please.” His expression is filled with concern and something else that I can’t decipher.

I cross my arms. “Fine.”

The drive to my apartment is only about fifteen minutes, but it feels twice as long. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m staring at my phone, watching the clock, or maybe it’s because I know my panties are currently balled up in Jett’s pocket.

When we pull up, Jett gets out and holds the door for me. As I go to leave, he gently grabs my forearm.

“Aria, I…you are important to me. I want you to know that,” he says.

I look down at his hand, strong and reassuring on my arm. I look at him and nod. He releases me, then I walk up to my apartment and enter the building without looking back.

That night, I toss and turn all night, hardly sleeping at all. My mind swirls with the events of the last twenty-four hours.

Jett is trying to buy my company; he said I could work for him or not. I could walk away with five million dollars—and then what?

No, I’ve worked too hard to fine-tune my job to just go do something else. Plus, I’m good at it.

I could increase my salary when Alastair acquires DYAD.

But then, I’d work for Jett, someone who is so incredibly frustrating yet alluring to me. Would I be able to keep it professional? Would he?

Suddenly, my mind descends into memories of our tryst: hands, lips, tongues. My insides twist thinking about Jett’s bruising kisses, the snap of his hand on my ass.

I can’t deny that it was, at the very least, mind-blowing. Our connection is undeniable, but is it merely sexual or something more?

My stomach tingles as I think about Jett keeping my panties. What is he doing with them? What would’ve happened if I agreed to go home with him?

I sigh as I turn over on my back for the hundredth time. I check the clock on my phone and see a glowing 3:56 a.m.

I start to remember more from my time in Jett’s office as my hand slides under the waistband of my shorts and into my panties. Unsurprisingly, I’m wet again, and I start to rub and pleasure myself.

I continue thinking about Jett licking my nipples, my clit, sliding into me…before I know it, I’m cumming. Of course, it’s not nearly as satisfying as the orgasm Jett gave me, but I’m finally able to quiet my tired mind in order to get some sleep.

***

After visiting Louise again the next day, I invite Len over to my apartment. Katie is at a work function, but I can’t wait any longer to confide in someone about everything that’s happened between Jett and me.

When Len arrives, I pour two very large glasses of wine and then proceed to spill everything to him about the buyout, Jett’s admission, and my failed intention to distance myself.

I expect Len to chime in with excitement or approval, but he remains silent, only taking his eyes off me to gasp and gulp his glass of wine. By the time I’m finished, Len is clutching his chest, and his mouth has fallen open.

“Wow” is all he says at first, blinking rapidly.

“I know,” I say. “I really fucked up, didn’t I?”

“I mean, no, it sounds like you followed your heart for once,” he says. “Something you could probably stand to do more often.”

“But he’s my ~boss~ and now he might become my permanent boss! Please help me, Len. Tell me what to do!” I say, my voice rising to a panic.

“Listen, if the friction is anything like you’ve described, working for him and allowing that sexual tension to mount wasn’t going to work either, right?” he asks as he places a steady hand on my arm.

I never considered the alternative.

“I…guess not,” I say.

“So, let go of the ‘should haves, could haves,’ because what’s done is done,” he says. “As far as what you want to do next, I guess the question you have to ask yourself is…do you want to be with him?”

I laugh sarcastically. “Be with Jett? Be with someone who has purposely disrupted my entire life for the better part of a month? I’d be better off getting back together with Gray,” I say as I take a drink of wine.

“I’m not saying that his behavior is one hundred percent okay, but when I look at it from his point of view, I can see why he might’ve felt justified when he found out about your true role.” Len holds his hand up like I’m pointing a gun at him.

“And when he caught us at his apartment,” he continues. “The trust was broken early on.”

I roll my eyes. “Len, are you honestly suggesting—”

“Let me finish!” he says as he playfully smacks my leg. I laugh.

“Now that it’s out in the open, you ~may~ consider giving him the chance to show you his true colors. But that’s totally up to you and how you feel. I would never suggest that you stick it out with anyone who doesn’t treat you right,” he says. “I mean, this is a unique situation, is it not?”

I sigh. “It is,” I say. “But what do I do about my professional life?”

Len shrugs. “I honestly have no fucking clue. Maybe take the buyout, make a big salary demand, and quit if it goes south? At least that’s what I’d do. And if he buys you any nice gifts, you can sell ’em,” he says with a mischievous grin.

I laugh again. Len is good at cheering me up.

Is he right, though? Is the real Jett someone I haven’t met yet? Is our chemistry strong enough to withstand the damage we’ve done?

I think back to the gala and the way Jett treated me. I felt protected and valued. I can’t help but wonder what things would be like if he’d never found out. I probably would be training my replacement and moving on right now.

Regardless of what Jett says, I don’t think he would’ve considered buying DYAD if it weren’t for me.

“How was the sex?”

I snap out of my train of thought. Len wiggles his eyebrows. I can’t stop the smile that slides up my face.

“It was…pretty amazing,” I say. “Fiery, intense, easily the best orgasm I’ve ever had.”

“Wooooooow,” Len says excitedly. “See, that would be enough for me right there, but I don’t have as many morals as you do.”

We both laugh, and I finally feel the knot in my belly loosen slightly. Jett’s words outside my apartment echo in my brain.

“~Aria, you mean a lot to me~.”

I mean what, exactly? And am I ready to find out?

“Speaking of higher morals, how is Joel?” I ask.

“Ruuuuuude!” he says at my insinuation. “He’s good, really good. Sometimes I wonder if he’s too ~nice~ for me.”

“Well, sometimes opposites really do complement each other,” I say as I prop my head up on my hand.

“Yeah, but we aren’t having ~the best orgasms I’ve ever had!”~ he says playfully.

I blush and cover my face with my hand. “I should not have told you that!”

“Well, I’ll certainly never look at Jett the same way again,” he says with a wink.

I sigh, smiling, and pick up my phone when it vibrates, expecting Katie has finished up and is on her way over. Instead, my insides squirm.

Jett

I can’t stop thinking about you.

~He can’t stop thinking about me?~

I consider all the possible responses—from blocking him to sending him a tit pic. Thankfully, Len is too distracted by pouring himself another glass of wine to notice my sudden silence.

While I’m deciding on what to reply, another text comes in, this time from a number I don’t have in my phone.

Unknown

Aria. This is your dad. I know we haven’t spoken in many years, but I saw your photo in the paper recently and wanted to reach out. I’d love to see you. Let me know when you want to meet -Manny

I suddenly hear my pulse in my ears as my heart picks up speed.

My father has been absent since before my mom died; I’ve never so much as received a letter from him.

Growing up, I heard Mom and Grandma say nothing but negative things about him, but I always hoped they weren’t true—that someday he’d come back into my life with a big hug and a good excuse.

But as the years went by, and he continued to be missing from the important moments in my life, I told myself I didn’t need him—that I was better off.

So, why is he reaching out now?

I don’t mention the messages to Len and ultimately decide not to respond to either one.