Page 19 of Under the Mistletoe
I roll my eyes. “I bring my best employees to these things, you know that.”
“I do, but I also know that the women who come to these things are usually wives or girlfriends.”
I scoff. “She’s my staff member. That’s all.” I take a sip of the whiskey in my hand, immediately recognizing it as my favorite from a distillery in a small town called Whispers. It’s a place I should visit at some point; I’ve heard it’s where the money is now settling.
“She seems a little more than that?” Bentley eyes me suspiciously.
“She’s amazing at her job. You know I’ve wanted to grow York Enterprises. I have a feeling she’s my secret weapon,” I tell him honestly.
“Hmmm, well, I guess if she’s just a mere employee hired to grow your company, then you won’t care that Marcus Jasper is currently the man at her side?”
My head immediately swivels to where I last saw her, and sure enough, Marcus is at her side, standing too close, staring her down, and I get a feeling in my gut that I’ve rarely felt before.
Jealousy.
9
Jessica
The room is loud with chatter, and for an introvert, I feel like I’ve done pretty well tonight, even though I’m exhausted and craving my yoga pants. I’ve met some key people, putting faces to names, and while I would rather be home in my slippers and sweats, eating ice cream, I know that as Donovan’s advisor, stepping up into the industry like this is a requirement, and I want to make him proud. He’s given me an amazing job, one that I love, and we work so well together. I’m grateful.
I look over my shoulder, spotting Donovan. I’ve sought him out most of the night, kept count, unintentionally, of every time his gaze landed on me. We’re orbiting each other, and I have no idea what this is between us, but something is brewing. Slow, steady heat pools low in my belly every time he enters my line of sight. He sets a girl's heart on fire.
He’s talking with an older gentleman I met earlier. As they talk, my eyes rove over him. Strong stance. Confident. He has a whiskey in hand, and I watch the way his fingers wrap around the glass. His hands are huge, and my palm is still tingling from where we held hands on the way in. It was entirely inappropriate yet felt completely natural. I didn’t want to let him go, and by the way I felt his thumb strum my skin, he didn't want to either.
Snapping myself out of my staring, my eyes then canvass the room, seeing every man here watching him, too. Like they’re trying to learn from him or glean some insights that they can’t find anywhere else. They’re just as smitten as the females are, and pride rushes through me.
I hadn’t expected this. This ache. I thought it was a harmless crush. But I’m not inexperienced enough to miss what’s happening between us. The tension doesn’t just hum, it's electric. And it’s mutual. I feel it when he leans in a little too close. I see it in the way his gaze lingers before sliding away, sharp and reluctant. I feel at ease with him.
But… he’s my boss. I’m merely an advisor, a girl who works with lawn sprinklers on the weekends. A girl whose own parents don’t even want her. I have no idea why a man like Donovan York would.
I feel my cell vibrate, and I pull it out while I have a moment to check it.
Frowning, I see it’s Jimmy, asking me out for lunch. It’s the third one he’s sent this week. Monday, he was asking how my weekend went. Wednesday, he was asking me what my favorite flower was, and now, he tells me he wants to ensure that he beats Uncle Bobby to be my lunch date this Saturday. I think about what Uncle Bobby said, about how he doesn't like Jimmy. But as I see the smiley happy face emoji at the end of his text, I know he’s just being friendly. I’m sure as soon as he meets a nice girl, all this attention will go away.
“Here she is…”
I turn, smiling as I pocket my phone, ready to greet someone else as Marcus Jasper steps right up to my side. There are a lot of people here, so it’s a little crowded. He steps so close to me, I need to shuffle back, feeling cornered.
“Hi again,” I offer simply.
“So where did Donovan find you?”
My guard comes up immediately. It isn’t necessarily the words he says, although they are straight to the point. But rather the way he says it. Like Donovan’s name tastes bitter on his tongue. I also didn’t miss the way he looked at me when we first met. His eyes trailed down my body and made me shiver, and not in a good way.
“I’ve worked at York Enterprises for a little while now.” I keep my answer vague. I have all night. Although I’ve found that most people whom I’ve spoken to tonight haven’t actually talked business with me, but rather have been asking questions about Donovan. Clearly, his own business contacts want to know more about the man than the business. It’s a little unsettling and makes me feel empathy for the billionaire who seems to be lonely yet has people pulling him in every direction.
“Was it you who tipped off the media tonight?”
I frown, unsure what he’s getting at.
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, the women who usually flock to Donovan are always out to get their photo in the gossip pages. I just assumed you tipped them off to where you are tonight. You know, be the latest woman on his arm.” He takes a sip of his wine, and I frown. Does that actually happen?
“I’m here merely for work.” Because being photographed by the media is my idea of hell.
“And you’re his advisor…?” He raises his eyebrows like he doesn’t believe me. My back straightens, not liking him, my asshole radar pinging.
