She pulled away. “I wish I weren’t so hungover. I feel like I’d have all the words, but right now, I’m just trying not to throw up.”
“Don’t worry; this isn’t the last time we’re going to talk about him.”
She went to laugh and held her head with both hands. “Maybe we should miss our flight on purpose. What time is he leaving?”
“No.” I shook my head as I thought about her offer. “We said our good-bye, and it has to end sometime.” I took a breath. “Why not now, right?”
“Babe …”
But there was nothing she could say.
Nothing either of us could do.
We were headed back to Miami, Jenner was going to LA, and that was just the reality of our situation.
But I knew one thing for sure.
Feelings that developed in Vegas … didn’t stay in Sin City.
Nine
Jenner
“Jenner, it’s Ralph,” my client said as I held the phone to my ear, not two minutes into my Monday.
The leather on my seat was still cold, my coffee untouched.
“Ralph. Good morning.” I cleared my throat, reaching for the mug my assistant had just delivered. I was tempted to start the ticker on my computer to track the length of this call, billing Ralph for the time. The software was so precise that seconds were rounded up to minutes. But Vegas was still running thick in my veins, and I just didn’t have the energy yet. “What can I do for you?”
“I’m interested in building a warehouse, totaling upward to a million square feet. Whatever I don’t use, I’ll subdivide for rental income until I can utilize the whole space.”
I took a sip of the hot, dark drink. “An excellent way to generate revenue. Based on the price per square foot you can get for a rental in both Malibu and Marina del Rey, you’ll more than cover your nut.”
Ralph, a longtime client, was a boat dealer, specializing in yachts, cabin cruisers, and center consoles. Since I was so familiar with his business, I knew the warehouse would store the overflow of his inventory and allow him to expand his service department—something he wanted to do more of.
“Except I won’t be building in either of those spots, Jenner. I have news. I’m expanding.”
“Fantastic to hear. Whereabouts?”
“Miami Beach.”
I shook my head, silently laughing.
Out of all fucking places.
“Great spot,” I told him, picking up a pen and tapping it against my desk. “A paradise for boating, and now, you’ll have real estate on both coasts.”
“I need you to weigh in on the land and build-out, handle the zoning. There’s going to be some red tape involved with this one.”
“That’s my specialty.”
“And that’s why I keep you on retainer.”
I turned my chair, facing the windows, squinting at the sun as it burned the sleep from my eyes. “Send me the paperwork. I’ll take a look at everything and let you know what I find.”
“My secretary will email you in the next hour.” He paused. “How quickly do you think you can meet me here?”
“Here?” My brows rose as I stared down at my coffee like it was spiked. “You’re in Miami now?”
“Standing on the lot as we speak. I’d like to make an offer in the next few days before someone else scoops it up, which means we have to move fast. You know how hot Miami real estate is at the moment.”
I exhaled, clicking my mouse, waking my computer. I pulled up my calendar, quickly reviewing the next few days. Each was packed with meetings along with a trip to Seattle on Friday. I was sure I could take several of those calls from the plane and have my assistant rearrange the rest.
“It’s going to take some heavy lifting to pull this off. Give me an hour, and I’ll get back to you.”
“I appreciate it, Jenner. In the meantime, I’ll make sure the paperwork gets sent.”
“Sounds good,” I said and hung up, immediately calling in my assistant.
As she stood in my doorway, I explained the situation with Ralph, letting her know I’d need at least two days in Florida, possibly three. As she left to work on my schedule, I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes.
The coffee wasn’t giving me the energy I needed to get through this day, never mind this morning. I hadn’t even been home for twenty-four hours, and that sexy, beautiful girl was still so present in my mind.
A mind that should have been cleared of her the moment I stepped on the plane.
Just because she had owned my thoughts and occupied my hands while I was in Vegas didn’t mean that had to continue.
I was home.
I was back to my lifestyle.
Thousands of miles separated us, and so did far too many years. Years that were important, that were full of development, that put us in different stages of our lives.
It didn’t matter that there was a chance I could be flying to her city this week. Seeing her would only delay the inevitable. It would only tease me.
And the best thing for me—the best thing for both of us—was to push our time in Vegas far out of my fucking head.
“Jenner,” my assistant said, returning to my doorway. “I worked a miracle. I don’t know how, honestly, but I did. I have you on the company’s plane tomorrow morning and then flying straight to Seattle on Friday.”
She closed my door, and I stared at the black screen of my phone.
That gave me three nights in Miami.
Goddamn it.
I wasn’t going to call her.
I sure as hell wasn’t going to see her.
Yet I found myself searching for her name in my Contacts and holding the phone to my face, listening to each ring.
There were only two before she picked up and said, “Hello?”
“Jo …”
She took a deep breath. “God, that voice. The last time I heard you say my name like that, you were moaning it.”
I chuckled.
That fucking mouth.
One of the many things I liked about her, whether words were coming out of it or it was swallowing my cock.
“Do you want me to moan it again?”
There was silence on the other end and what sounded like movement and then, “You’re into phone sex, Jenner? How naughty of you.”
I pushed my chair away from my desk, leaning back as far as I could go. “Not that I’m opposed to it, but I think it would be much hotter if I was moaning it against your lips.”
I could hear her smiling when she voiced, “Tell me how you’re going to make that happen.”
“I’m coming to Miami tomorrow for business. I’ll be there for three nights.”
She exhaled, the sound almost sinful. “Does that mean I get you all to myself for those nights?”
I stared out the window, the LA skyline almost glittering under the morning light. “I’m sure I can make that happen … and possibly even a few days.”
“I like that answer even better.”
I held my coffee against my lips. “So, you’re telling me you’re available.”
“For you, I’ll make it happen, although I might have to squeeze in a class or two and a tiny bit of homework.”