Twenty-Four
Joanna
As Jenner stared at my father, his chest rising and falling from all the deep breaths, his eyes didn’t even blink.
I held the air in my lungs, waiting for Jenner’s reply.
A trip to Utah was scheduled for later in the month, but my father hadn’t mentioned that he wanted me to go on this one as well. I certainly wasn’t disappointed by the news. I just wasn’t going to let Jenner know that, nor how excited I was about the potential of joining him.
“All right,” Jenner eventually responded. “Looks like we’re going together …”
I didn’t trust myself to turn to him, so I kept my focus on my father and said, “Will you be coming along, Dad?”
He clicked his mouse, reading what I assumed was his calendar. “Not this trip, pumpkin.”
Jenner and me.
Alone.
In the mountains.
I wanted to dance in my seat.
Instead, I said, “Walter,” to reprimand him for his unprofessionalism—the term of endearment needed to stay away from the office.
He smiled. “Joanna, I mean.” He glanced at Jenner. “One day, I’ll get it right.” When his eyes returned to me, he added, “I know we didn’t discuss this trip, and it’s coming as a surprise, but this project is your baby. You’ll be in charge of all the marketing. I want you present for every step, including negotiations and meetings with the architect, working hand in hand with Jenner. I hope you’ll be able to clear your schedule and go?”
Hand in hand.
Oh God.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket, pretending to check, knowing nothing would stop me from getting on that plane. “I’m going to have to shift some things around.” I finally gazed at Jenner. “But I can make it happen.”
He couldn’t possibly look yummier than he did right now in his navy suit, the light-yellow, almost-gold tie hanging to his belt buckle. A crisp white button-down hid his etched abs, defined like piano keys running down his stomach. His pants hugged him in all the right places, concealing that delicious, long, thick cock.
I was sweating.
But I made sure Jenner didn’t notice.
In fact, I kept my expression completely aloof as I stared at him and said, “How long will we be in Utah?”
He blinked.
Again.
“Three nights.”
“And the two of you will be extremely busy,” my father said. “There’s a lot of work to be done.”
“We can handle it,” I assured him.
This time, I kept my eyes off Jenner, but I felt his.
They were roaming my body, heating my skin even more.
“My assistant will reserve the plane and book your hotel rooms,” my father said. “Jenner, if you have a preference of where you’d like to stay, let her know.”
“Will do,” Jenner answered, lifting his briefcase from the floor and standing from the chair.
I slowly gazed up the length of him. He towered over me, making me feel so tiny.
“Let me know if you need anything in the meantime,” he said to my father. And when he looked at me, all the air left my lungs, the hunger in his expression instantly making me wet. “I’ll see you in a few days, Jo.”
Oh fuck.
Thirty minutes into the flight, and Jenner hadn’t said more than a few words to me. I’d already finished going through all my emails and every social media notification on my phone. No longer occupied, I was consumed by his presence.
What didn’t help was that I could smell his cologne in the air.
God, it was enticing. Spicy, sensual—if sex and lust had a scent, it was him.
He sat on the other side of the jet. His laptop on a table in front of him, his fingers hitting the keys. The only time he ever took a break from typing was to pick up the coffee the flight attendant had delivered or to eat a piece of fruit from the plate she had given him.
All I wanted was his attention on me.
I shifted in my seat and reached into my purse, grabbing the box that I’d taken out of the freezer this morning. I carefully unwrapped the twine and opened the lid.
“In the mood for something sweet?” I asked, holding the box toward him.
He gradually looked up, his eyes holding mine for several seconds before they dipped to my hand. “Gloria’s?”
I nodded. “I’ve gotten myself addicted, and fortunately, she ships.”
He stayed quiet.
I’d expected that.
But he took the desserts from my hand and searched inside. “Coconut fudge?”
“I asked her to put together some treats. I wasn’t specific.” I shrugged. “She must have thought I would see you … or something.”
“Interesting.” He took a piece out and handed the box back to me. “There’re half-moon cookies in there too.”
“Like I said, I wasn’t specific.”
I selected some blueberry white-chocolate fudge and took a bite. I was far from hungry. In fact, the thought of something sweet this early in the morning almost made my stomach hurt.
“I’ve missed this,” he said, holding the chocolate in the air.
He was talking about the dessert.
Part of me believed he was also talking about us.
“One of the negatives to living here,” I replied.
“The only negative.”
I laughed, placing the box back in my bag. “I can definitely think of a few more.”
He closed his laptop, his stare finding its way back to me. “Such as?”
I smiled, bringing the coffee up to my lips, keeping the cup there even though I wasn’t drinking. When I set it back down, still holding his gaze, I responded, “Jenner, you’re so cute sometimes.” I grabbed my phone from the table and hit the screen, pulling up something—anything—that made me appear busy.
But even though my attention had moved on, his hadn’t.
His eyes bore right through me.
And I felt their heat.
“The seller isn’t looking to negotiate,” the realtor said as we sat in her conference room.
Jenner was at the head of the table, the realtor and me on either side of him.
“Everything is negotiable,” he countered.
“But when there aren’t any comps in the area, we have nothing to use as leverage.” She pressed her fingers together, forming a triangle with her hands. “Not a single piece of land like the mountainside parcel has been listed for sale or sold in the last six months.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” He removed a piece of paper from his briefcase, placing it in front of her. He pointed at the center of the sheet, circling it with his finger. “This land right here isn’t identical, but it’s close.”
The realtor grabbed the paper, examining it. “This didn’t come up in my search.”
Jenner exhaled, crossing his arms over his chest. “Because it hasn’t hit the market yet. It’s a pocket listing.”
Her brows rose. “How do you know what they’re going to offer?” Her eyes returned to the sheet. “And how did you get this?”
“I spoke to the seller.”