When I get home, I’m surprised to see Grayson’s car in the driveway. Getting out, I stomp inside. He’s left the door unlocked and is just lounging on my couch.
“What took you so long to get home?” he questions.
“I stopped at the store,” I answer with a pointed look at the bag dangling from my hand. Ignoring him, I go into the kitchen and put the ice cream away in the freezer. “I would offer you something to drink but I don’t keep much here,” I reply, stepping back. Crossing my arms over my chest, I ask, “Why are you here?”
“I needed to talk to you without Nichole around,” he answers simply. Oh God. Please don’t let him be here to fuck me. Nichole pushing him on me is one thing. Him being an active participant is a whole other problem.
“What about?” I ask warily.
“Don’t you want to sit down in the living room?” he asks.
“No, I’m fine right here.” These boots were killing my feet but I wasn’t about to admit that to him, but this is Grayson we’re talking about and with a growl, he stalks over to me and gathers me in his arms, bridal style. I shriek and try to push him away but my effort is futile; he’s way stronger than me.
When we get to the living room, he sets me gently on the couch and takes a seat in the love seat. “Now that’s better,” he replies and I glare over at him.
“Tell me why you are here and then leave,” I retort. I hate that Grayson can ruffle my feathers like a stressed out cockatoo.
“There’s a function coming up at the law firm. I’m sure you've heard about it.”
“Yeah, so?” I reply.
“So, Garfield’s son wants to take you to it. When he asks, I need you to turn him down.”
“So that’s why you’re here,” I laugh. “Someone is interested in your favorite toy and you want me to steer him away. If you don’t want him to go with me, why don’t you just tell him yourself?”
“I can’t,” he says, frustrated as he wipes his palm down his face. "Even though I’m a partner, his father is still technically my boss as he owns the majority of the votes in the firm. If I piss his son off, I could lose my job.”
“Well, Grayson, looks like you got yourself in quite the bind,” I taunt. I may be skirting the line of Insaneville by riling him up right now, but for once, I don’t feel powerless in this arrangement.
“Don’t play with me, Jade,” he growls.
“Jade? What happened to Raven?” Yep, I’ve seriously lost it.
Standing, he bends and places a firm grip on my neck. Not tight enough to choke me but enough for me to feel he means business. His grey eyes are swirling with anger, and I can’t tell if I’m scared or aroused by his possessive behavior. “This is the last time I’m going to tell you this. Until you spit this kid out, you’re mine. I own you. If I say turn him down, you will. Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal,” I spit out and he lets me go.
“Good. Have a good weekend and don’t eat too much junk,” he replies before straightening to his full height and walking out the door. As soon as I hear his car start, I run to the door and lock it, not like it’ll keep him out since he obviously has a key, but it makes me feel a little better.
Maybe I have gone crazy but I have this need to defy him. To prove I haven’t completely sold myself to the devil. If Tyson asks me to be his date to the event, I won’t be turning him down. I’m Jade Cooper and no one owns me.
13
Jade
I’m at my desk typing up depositions when a delivery man carrying a huge fruit display comes in and sets the arrangement on my counter.
“I have a delivery for a Jade Cooper,” he says in a cheery voice.
“I’m Jade Cooper,” I reply, eyeing the arrangement. Who the hell would send me this? This thing had to cost a fortune.
“Cool, sign here,” he says, pushing a small tablet in my hands.
I sign quickly but before he leaves, I ask, “Do you know who sent this?”
Shrugging, he says, “Sorry, I’m just the delivery boy.” Turning on his heel, he leaves the way he came and I watch him until he gets into the elevator.
Eyeing the arrangement, I look for a card, anything that says where it came from but I find nothing. Maybe Nichole sent it as some kind of apology. I wouldn’t put it past her. Grabbing a piece of pineapple shaped into a star, I munch on it as I finish up the depositions I was working on before the distraction.
I’m so engrossed in my work, time flies by and soon it’s time for me to get ready to go home. McHottie hasn’t been back to the office, having been in court all day and I didn’t expect to see him either. I don’t have a workout planned and am looking forward to a nice hot soak in the standing tub at home. Gathering my things together, I don’t notice Tyson until he’s tapping his fingers on the counter.
“What do we have here?” he asks with an easy smile.
“A fruit arrangement someone sent me,” I reply as I place the last of the paperwork that needs to be filed in a folder for me to file when I first come in tomorrow morning.
“You mean to tell me you don’t know where it came from?”
“No clue,” I answer.
“What if I told you I sent it?”
Laughing, I answer, “I’d tell you you’re full of shit.”
“You know, Jade, I love how you don’t tiptoe around me. You say exactly what you mean, not at all caring that I’m your boss.”
“Would you rather I do everything you say?” I ask, raising my brow.
“No. At least, not on the day to day basis at work, but at night, in my bedroom...yes, I do expect you to do as you’re told.”
“Well, seeing as I’ll never be in your bedroom, we don’t have to worry about that,” I tell him.
Unfazed, he walks around the counter and completely takes over my personal space. “That’s where you’re wrong, beautiful, you’ll be in my bed begging me to let you cum, but until then, I was the one to send you the fruit arrangement.”
“Why?” I ask as my skin heats from his words.
“To soften you up. I wanted you in a good mood when I asked you to attend the ball with me. Besides, a beautiful woman like yourself should get things like this all the time.” He moves closer until he’s mere centimeters from my lips. His blue eyes were swirling with mischief, and briefly, I wondered what it would be like to kiss him.
“What if I tell you no?” I reply. My voice comes out low and breathy. I can’t deny that Tyson Garfield has woven some kind of spell over me. He’s charming and the total Casanova I heard about, but he’s also a heartbreaker.
“You won’t,” he answers confidently.
Too confident. I want to knock the cocky look off his face, but he’s right. I’m not going to turn him down, but it doesn’t mean I won’t make him work for it first. “I don’t know. I think you can do better than a bunch of fruit,” I tease.
“Right you are,” he says before filling the space between us and kissing me deep. I’m shocked at first and I don’t react, but quickly I get over it and open my mouth to him. His kiss is just as cocky as he is as he transports me to another world. I stop questioning any of this insanity and just go with the flow as I circle my arms around his neck. Our tongues battle it out, but it’s all too clear he’s going to be the winner. I had already lost before he kissed me.