I smiled gently. “Thank you,” I murmured, passing him on my way into the impressive lobby. I inhaled deeply as I walked to the security desk. There were two attendants behind it. One male and one female, both dressed in dark, impeccable uniforms.
“Good evening,” the woman greeted me. “Who are you here to see? I’ll announce you.”
My face felt hot and my heart began to pound. He probably wasn’t home anyway. “Jaxon Michaels.”
“Yes, ma’am. May I say who is visiting?”
“Addison Tomms.” My voice all but cracked on my response. I was shaking and I wasn’t sure if I was afraid that he’d be cold and reject me again, or whether I’d fall completely under his spell once more.
“Just a moment.” She picked up the phone and pushed a few of the buttons. “Dr. Michaels, Ms. Tomms is here to see you. Yes, sir. Have a good evening.”
She smiled. “It’s the penthouse. 60th floor; 6004. Go on up.” She pointed to the elevators. “Use the far-right elevator.”
“Thank you.” I wasn’t going to say that I already knew the way. I walked across the marble floor toward the elevator, remembering it had a card key entry. Magically it opened when I reached it. Inside, I tried to calm my nerves; building up my bravado. I was here to tell him he could take this assignment and shove it up his arrogant ass. I inhaled a deep breath, filling my lungs and exhaling slowly as the elevator raced into the sky.
Ding. The doors slid open when it arrived on the sixtieth floor. This was it.
I forced myself to walk toward his door and ring the doorbell.
You can do this, Addison. You can. My own voice ran through my brain over and over to the point I wanted to smack myself in the head to quiet it. He knew I was coming, so the door would probably open immediately so I’d have no time to prepare. I steeled myself for the confrontation that was ahead of me. But when the elevator opened and the door to his penthouse was still closed; I bristled. Didn’t he even care at all?
Well, fuck him and the horse he rode in on. I gave his door the finger. If he was going to ignore me, then fine. I huffed indignantly and started to turn back to the elevator when his door finally opened.
“Addison!” he commanded as I reached for the elevator button. That voice behind me stopped me in my tracks, my hand dropping back to my side. “Get in here.” The last was said much more softly.
I told myself to keep my face stoic even though my heart was hammering inside my chest. I didn’t want him to know I was dying inside. I turned slowly, my hungry eyes roaming over his rumpled appearance. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other as I hovered in the landing.
Jax was still dressed in the shirt and slacks he’d worn that day to class, but his tie was gone, and his shirt was unbuttoned and hanging open; his magnificently muscled chest and six-pack abs were in full view. The sleeves of the shirt were rolled up to the middle of his corded forearms, and my mouth went dry. He was probably drunk, if the glaze over his expression was anything to judge by, but he was still so devastatingly attractive. It was a sin for someone to be that handsome.
One of his wrists casually rested on the door frame, and the other held a fine crystal tumbler one-third full of an amber liquid. His hair was beautifully mussed in a sexy mess, his strong jaw a bit darker by the full days’ worth of stubble, and his deep blue eyes heavy lidded and brooding.
Without a word he pushed the door open, letting it swing wide, but didn’t move an inch. In order to enter, I had to come within a hair’s breadth of his body. God, he was so incredibly sexy, and he smelled so good; an intoxicating mix of cologne, scotch, and spicy soap.
I moved past him into the foyer but went no further. I turned, my eyes examining him more closely as he closed the door and then turned to face me. He shoved the hand not holding the glass into his left pocket and waited for me to speak. He wasn’t going to make this easy. Our eyes locked in a challenge.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded
“I wanted to talk to you,” I began.
Dread filled my heart. What if he wouldn’t listen? “Really? Your actions have already made your position clear.”
I huffed out my angry surprise. How dare he? Yes, I ran, but I’d come to his office and basically groveled. He was the one who’d been cold.
“Oh, right. Because it isn’t as if I’d already asked you to forgive me, or anything. That action?” I didn’t bother to hide my annoyance. It didn’t matter how fucktastic he was, my effort deserved to be acknowledged.
Jax’s eyebrow cocked, and his face took on a wry expression as he shrugged.
He moved further into his apartment, leaving nothing for me except to follow. It was dimly illuminated by an understated chandelier positioned high in the center of the large room. The warm amber light leaving much of the room in shadows and creating a calm and romantic ambiance. There was soft music playing in the background on what I assumed was a central audio system. The place oozed masculine sexuality.
I was able to take in the vastness of the space, made more spacious by the tall windows. There was a wet bar along one wall, sparsely furnished with classic modern leather furniture. The art on the walls was minimalist, but each one had a small light illuminating it. There was a shiny black grand piano by one of the windows that had completely escaped me on my first visit. Musical talent only made him even more devastatingly attractive.
Of course, I thought, disgruntled. He had to play piano, too. He didn’t already make women pass out in his wake. I shook my head and looked at the ceiling.
He went to the bar to refill his glass. He reached behind the bar and took down another glass from it. He held it up.
“Drink?” he asked. He didn’t seem surprised that I’d abruptly showed up at his door. A part of me was upset that he didn’t immediately pull me close and kiss me. Didn’t he feel the incredible pull between us? To me, it was physically painful just to be in the same room with him and not have his hands on me. What the fuck was I thinking coming here? Clearly, he wasn’t interested.
“Yes… I mean, no,” I stammered. “Thank you. I only came here to tell you I can’t do the assignment. I’ve tried several times. I just can’t write about us. Like that. It’s too personal.”
He set the empty glass on the mahogany bar and picked up his own glass again, taking a swallow of his drink. I felt like a sacrificial lamb unable to move, paralyzed and mesmerized by a predator about to pounce.
Jax huffed impatiently. “Writing is personal, Addison. Sometimes you have to dig deep. If you do end up with a career in publishing, you’ll have deadlines. Some insipid whining that you can’t deliver won’t cut it and you’ll be in breach of contract.”
“Well, thanks for the lesson in publishing contracts 101, but I can’t write about our night together.”
“You have your assignment. Don’t think because we fucked, you’ll get a pass.” He smiled arrogantly. “If you came here for more inspiration, I’m inclined to oblige.” Jaxon’s eyes burned into me. “Provided you promise not to run away again.”
The book-bag hanging on my right shoulder felt like it weighed a hundred pounds as I stood frozen to the spot where I was standing. I swallowed at the tightness in my throat, even as I began to feel my traitorous body begin to respond. He could arouse me without even touching me. There was something behind his eyes as they glinted darkly in the low light. “This is too difficult. I’ve apologized already. Why are you being such a dick?” I said, my voice cracking on the last words.