“Can I assume you haven’t eaten?”
He glanced at the taco makings spread out on the marble countertop. “Yes you can.”
She smiled and swept her hand toward the food. “If you like tacos, I made plenty.”
What was she doing? Inviting him to join her was not a good way to keep things on a professional level. Then again, it didn’t take a genius to figure out that she didn’t want to keep things on a professional level. No. She wanted to explore the reason he’d kissed her, wanted to explore what another kiss from him would feel like.
He stared at her like he was trying to figure her out, then he nodded. “Sure. I love tacos.”
Jake was slightly confused. Or maybe he was slow on the uptake. Had Chloe actually liked that kiss? Evidence seemed to be pointing in that direction. First, she hadn’t immediately had him fired, then she’d told him that she wanted him to continue to be her bodyguard, and now she was inviting him to have a meal with her.
Or maybe she was just being friendly, holding out a peace offering to let him know that she didn’t hold his indiscretion against him. Yeah, that was the more likely option. After all, she was a world famous pop star. What could she possibly see in him? Obviously, she was just trying to make him feel less awful about what he’d done.
Okay, he could handle that. And honestly, it only made him like her more. She was being thoughtful and sweet. And her cooking was pretty darn good too.
He put together a taco from the items she’d left out, then sat on a barstool near hers, keeping an empty one between them.
She tilted her head, her forehead creasing. “I don’t bite.”
Was she trying to say she didn’t want that space between them? All right. He moved to the barstool beside hers, which put about three feet between them. He picked up his taco and took a large bite. “Mmm. This is good.”
She grinned. “It’s the cilantro. I saw you add some from the bowl.”
He nodded. “You’re right.”
They were quiet as they ate, then Chloe said, “Can I ask you something?”
Jake looked at her, but when he saw her pensive expression, he swiveled the barstool so that he was facing her. “Yeah.”
She pulled in a deep breath before slowly releasing it. “Okay. I just…I need to know why you…why you kissed me.”
Oh boy. He’d thought they’d put the issue to bed, but apparently it was still alive and well in her mind.
Chloe had hesitated to ask, but it was a question burning a hole in her brain, one she couldn’t get rid of without a satisfactory answer. She watched Jake. He frowned, then rubbed a hand against the back of his neck before straightening. The man was uncomfortable, that much was clear. But that was too bad. He was the one who had kissed her. So, he was the one who was going to have to come up with a satisfactory explanation, although she wasn’t sure what explantation would satisfy her.
His lips—which she found herself staring at—tugged downward as he considered the question. Finally, he said, “I guess I got caught up in the excitement of the evening. You know, seeing you singing and…” his words trailed off, but Chloe was touched. He’d liked her song.
Not able to hold back a smile, she said, “Okay.”
He laughed. “Why are you smiling?” Then he narrowed his eyes. “You liked that kiss, didn’t you?”
Caught, but embarrassed by it, she couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “I’m smiling because you liked my song.”
A flush slid up Jake’s cheeks. “Oh.”
Okay, time to admit it. “But I did like the kiss.”
Now his eyebrows rose.
Okay, it was out there now. What would happen next? Wait. What if he’d only kissed her because he’d been caught up in the moment and not because he liked her? If that was the reason, she’d just made herself look like an idiot, because it wasn’t long ago that he had basically admitted that he didn’t like her.
Jake wasn’t sure what to do. He’d already committed to not ever kissing her again, but she’d admitted that she’d liked it. Still, that didn’t mean it was okay for him to kiss her. Or that there was anything between them, right?
“Aren’t you going to say anything?” she asked.
What was he supposed to say? I think you’re gorgeous, but you’re a superstar, so why would you want to waste your time with me when you could literally have any man in the world? And when you’re secretly dating Ethan Marsh. “What do you want me to say?”
The expectant expression on her face kind of fell. “I don’t know. How about, I wouldn’t mind kissing you again?”
While that was true, he wasn’t sure if he should admit it. But as he stared at her face, he thought, Screw it, and said, “All right. I wouldn’t mind kissing you again. But I can’t. I’m your bodyguard.”
Her lips twisted into a smirk. “What does that have to do with anything? We’re two people who want to kiss each other. What else matters?”
What else did matter? His job, for one thing. Then he thought again about the fact that she was a superstar. Was she just toying with him for the fun of it? If so, it wasn’t worth it to him. Even a simple kiss could get way too complicated. It already had, hadn’t it?
He gazed at her lovely face. “It’s not a good idea.”
What was Chloe supposed to say to that? If the man didn’t want to kiss her, she certainly wasn’t going to force him. Or beg him to. She didn’t beg. Not for anything. Especially affection. She could have any man she wanted at the snap of her fingers. Not that that helped, because at the moment she only wanted Jake. She could snap her fingers all day long and he wouldn’t budge. She could tell.
Pressing her lips together in frustration, she slid off of the barstool and lifted her plate from the island. “Fine.” Then she went to the sink and began rinsing off her dishes. “Good night, Jake.”
She didn’t even look up when he left, but she did listen to his retreating footsteps.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jake had trouble sleeping that night, tossing and turning and dreaming of what it would feel like to take Chloe into his arms and kiss her senseless. But he couldn’t do it. Not if he wanted to keep this job. And he did. For her, he was just a distraction from the everyday, but for him, this was his career and he wasn’t going to screw it up because of a gorgeous woman who filled his every thought—and she didn’t fill his every thought just because she was the job.
When the sun began to peek through the window, Jake tossed back the covers and got out of bed, throwing on his workout clothes before heading into the house and to Chloe’s home gym. Half hoping she would be there again, when he went through his entire workout without seeing her, he wasn’t surprised. Most likely he’d hurt her pride the night before. Of course she wouldn’t want to see him.
Feeling worse than ever, he showered and got ready for the day, then went back into the house to get to work. A short time later Beth approached him, her expression less than happy.
“Good morning,” he said, pretending like they hadn’t had an uncomfortable conversation the day before.