Page 19 of Loved By You

Harry steps forward, his deep voice booming. "Welcome everyone. We’d like to thank you all for being here and for all your hard work preparing for tonight…”

I can see Jack smiling at his new employees. I keep my head down, praying he doesn't notice me.

I can avoid him forever, right?

Memories of the last time I saw him hit me like a freight train and my heart all but stops in my chest.

Oh fuck, I need a new job. I cannot let anyone know I licked my boss!

Jack's voice fills the room next and my stomach flutters with a herd of butterflies.That voice. His presence does things to me. I lift my head a little, checking to see if I can sneak out without him seeing, but no such luck.

The second I look up, dark blue eyes lock with mine and I swallow...hard. I don't hear the first part of what he says. I’m too busy trying to regulate my breathing.

I know he's addressing everyone in the room, but the way he’s looking at me, he may as well be giving me a personal introduction. I shake my head, forcing myself to focus on what he’s saying, but I only catch his final words.

“...I’m so happy you’re here.” A slow, sexy smile forms on his face as he continues to stare directly at me.

Chapter Nine

Jack

“...I’m so happy you are here.” A spike of adrenaline pulses through me.She’s here. Ria is here and working for me? This is both the best and worst news. It's been a month since I saw her. I wanted to pick up the phone and text her or show up at her door so many times, but I know she’s going through a lot right now and I want to respect that.

She looks as stunning as ever. Ria is a natural beauty and even under the dim light of the club, her blue eyes are hypnotizing. It’s only when Harry gives me a nudge that I realize I've stopped talking and I'm just staring.

I clear my throat. “All of you, I mean. We are so pleased all of you are here and together we can make this a fantastic opening. As Harry said, we want to thank you for your hard work anddedication thus far. We have every faith this will be a successful opening and we look forward to the future of The Boardroom.”

The room erupts into whooping and clapping and I glance out to see Ria still looking stunned. As happy as I am to see her, this has just complicated things. She's now my employee, I am her boss. We can't blur those lines. I have one rule… don't date employees. Been there, done that and it always ends messy.

But she's notjustan employee, she's Ria. The woman I haven't been able to stop thinking about for the last month… who am I kidding? I’ve had a thing for Ria since high school. Her lips on mine, her tongue on my body, the way I heated at her touch, how her eyes sparkle when she laughs…

Jesus Christ, I am simping hard.

The staff disperses and our front-of-house manager, Annabelle, comes over to take us to the VIP area. Tonight we will be experiencing the club from a guest and members' perspective as well as doing interviews and photo ops for the press and entertaining our VIP guests.

“Bro, did you see who's working for us?” Harry asks, slapping me on the back, grinning like he is truly enjoying my obvious discomfort.

“Ugh, yeah I did,” I say, pulling my phone from my pocket, pretending I'm not bothered.

“So, what are you gonna do? It's going to be awkward knowing your staff sucked a slice of lime out of your mouth.”

“Fuck off, Haz. And if that gets out and you embarrass Ria, I swear to God, you will regret it.” I’m shocked at my tone towards Harry, but the wave of protectiveness for Ri is far greater than my guilt for snapping at my best friend.

“Woah, easy now. He was joking. What the fuck is wrong?” Brad steps between us.

I let out an exasperated breath. “Shit." I rub my hands down my face, a tornado of emotion shuddering through me. I likeher, I've spent many years liking her, and now? Now she’s here, working for me, and it's complicated, in more ways than one.

When we were kids, she was always Noah's little sister. We hung out on weekends and I always enjoyed her company. Noah never knew, but when I stayed over, I'd sneak out of his room when he was sleeping if I heard Ria up. We’d stay up till the early hours and talk about everything and anything around her kitchen table. She would make pancakes with whipped cream and M&M's. No one made them like she did.

I went off to college, and when I came back one summer, I knew my feelings for her were more than friends. I started to look at her differently. Wished she was mine, that I was the one holding her, making her laugh, and taking her away from her shitty life. Noah and Ria had it bad with their mom. I can't relate, thankfully. My parents were the greatest growing up and even now, if I needed anything, they would be there for me.

Noah and I eventually joined the Marine Corps. I only lasted a few years, like Brad and Harry. I only joined for the simple reason that I wanted to follow in my dad's footsteps; to make him proud, but I couldn't handle the long tours and when we lost a friend on tour in Afghanistan, that was my wake up call to leave. I came back to the news that Ria was marrying Alex. I was devastated.

But I had no right to be. Can you really feel that deeply for someone who was never really yours?

Believing her life was everything she dreamed of—the husband, kids, the house—I didn't interfere. I packed up and moved to Miami, and I've only seen her twice since. Had I known what was going on, I would have dropped everything and come back; saved her, told her how I felt, and hoped she felt the same.

Now she’s single, back in my life, and working for me. The possibility of exploring my feelings for her is now within my reach, but can I really have her the way I want her… the wayI’ve always wanted her? And not to mention, how do I have that conversation with Noah? How do I tell him I’ve had a thing for his sister all this time?

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