“Because I like you, Juliette. And I’m not about to ruin this by not being one hundred percent up front about everything.”
Where in the world did this guy come from? And why the hell did just the word “ex-girlfriend” make me feel all kinds of jealous and possessive? I stare at him for a second, trying to work through my confusing thoughts and emotions, before turning to the note in my hand and sucking in a breath as I unfold it.
Moose,
I’ve been trying to reach you for a couple days to apologize about our last phone call. I didn’t mean anything that I said and I want to talk to you. Please reach out when you get back from your trip.
T
“Um… I, uh… I don’t know what I’m supposed to say here. You don’t owe me any kind of explanation…”
“I know,” he says, squeezing my hand. “Remember earlier when I said I picked the wrong women? Well, she was one of them and I’m showing you this note because I meant what I said. I like you, Juliette, probably more than I’ve ever liked anyone and I know Tawny well enough to know that this probably won’t be the last time we hear from her but I’m telling you now, nothing is happening there and it never will again. I don’t want her.”
“Okay…” I breathe, still unsure of what to say. “I’m not… You don’t have to… We…”
He turns to me and unlaces his fingers from mine before taking my hand and pressing it to his chest. “Look, I’m not crazy, okay? I know this is happening fast and I’m sure your head is spinning just as much as mine is but more than anything I want to explore this feeling…”
My fingers flex against his chest as his heart thunders against my palm, almost matching mine in its intensity and I nod, struggling to breathe.
“Is that something you want, too?”
I nod again. “Yes.”
He flashes me a brilliant smile that lights up his entire face and his blue eyes sparkle as he stares down at me and closes the distance between us, his other hand cupping my cheek as he leans down and presses his lips to mine tentatively. My entire body comes alive and I melt against him as a soft moan slips out of me. He releases my hand but I don’t move it, gripping his shirt to pull him closer as his large arms wrap around my waist and pull me into his body and his tongue flicks against my lips. I give in, allowing him to take all of me as a hand slips into my hair and grabs a chunk of it. He doesn’t give it a tug or use it to control me like most men but just holds it almost like he’s saying that he’s got me and if we fall, we’re going down together.
Chapter Thirteen
Juliette
I walk into the office of Champagne Dreaming, the blog Mercedes told me she started when I spoke to her on the phone last night and marvel at the marble floors and sleek furnishing. Not that I’m all that surprised. Mercedes has always been just a little… extra when it comes to her work and home spaces. She used to say that our apartment was a retreat so it should look like one.
“Can I help you?” a young woman with bright red hair asks as she glances up at me from behind the large oval shaped desk. I smile and nod.
“I’m here to see Mercedes Richmond.”
She nods. “Your name?”
“Juliette Shaw.”
“And is she expecting you?” she asks as she picks up the phone and I nod.
“Jett!”
I whirl around as Mercedes struts into the lobby, looking every bit the successful, sexy mogul she is on her way to becoming in her pale pink pencil skirt and black v-neck shirt. Her honey blonde hair hangs in waves around her face and I swear, she hasn’t aged a day since the last time I remember seeing her.
“Oh my God, Mer!” I exclaim, abandoning the girl behind the desk as I close the distance between us. “Look at you! You look incredible.”
As soon as I’m within her reach, she reaches out and pulls me into a hug, squeezing me tightly to her body and a wave of relief washes through me. My life may be a complete mess right now and I may not be able to remember anything since I moved away from this city but at least this, our friendship, never changes.
“Me? Look at you,” she parrots as she pulls away and grips my shoulders to inspect my face. “You’re fucking glowing, babe.”
I fight back a smile as heat rushes to my cheeks and the kiss Sawyer gave me last night plays through my mind. Her brow arches.
“Oh, I definitely want to know what that look was all about.” Her gaze drops to the bag in my hand. “Is that lunch?”
I nod. “Yeah. I stopped by Nina’s and picked up our favorites.”
“Oh my gosh, I haven’t been to Nina’s since you moved away. Let’s go eat in my office,” she says, looping her arm through mine as we walk into a large room with a long oval table right down the middle of one side and individual cubbies on the other side. Along the walls on either side of me are doors and windows leading to more private office spaces and at the very back of the room is an office decked out in gold.
“Gee, let me guess which one is your office,” I tease and she grins at me.
“Good taste never dies, Jett.”
I laugh, shaking my head at her as she leads me into the office and clears off one of the chairs for me. After handing her the bag of food, I sit down and turn to look out the window at the hustle and bustle in her office.
“This place is amazing, Mer. I’m so proud of you.”
She beams at me as she passes me my sandwich. “Thank you but I want to hear about you.”
“Oh? What about me?”
She shakes her head as she points a finger at me. “Don’t play with me, Jett! You call me three days ago to tell me that you don’t remember any part of your life and now you’re sitting across from me eating lunch plus I’m certain that there’s something going on between you and Sawyer and I need every single detail.”
“Okay.” I laugh. “What do you want to know?”
“Start at the very beginning.”
My eyes widen. “Waking up back in the hospital?”
She nods enthusiastically as she takes a bite out of her sandwich and I sigh as I launch into the story, telling her how I heard Gavin’s voice calling out to me but it felt like I was just floating through darkness.
“That sounds terrifying.”
“It wasn’t, really. It was actually kind of soothing, like falling to sleep, except for when I did want to communicate and couldn’t.”
She flashes me a sympathetic look. “What did you do when you woke up and there was a stranger beside you?”
“Honestly, I think I just stared at him. It was so disorienting, Mer. I mean, I knew I was in a hospital but I couldn’t figure out how I got there and then trying to piece together the last thing I remembered…” I shake my head. “And then they told me my dad was dead and I was engaged to the man next to me.”
“It’s so crazy,” she whispers. “Why do you think that night we went out to celebrate your move is where your memories cut off?”
“I have no clue. Maybe I was unhappy in Miami and I wanted to be back here.”