"Thank you, Mr. Morgan." I feel my face flush and quickly take a breath and try to calm myself down before walking out of my office, handing Jackson a folder. "So is there anywhere special you would like to eat today?"
We walk past my team members, some who smirk, others looking on with longing at Jackson. He's looking extremely attractive today, his suit fitting him perfectly. His deep voice is rich and could make an ice queen melt for him as he replies.
"I could go for anything, Ms. Xenos. Where would you care to dine at today?"
"Is sushi agreeable with you?" I ask as we step into the elevator my gaze never leaving his, even though I could feel the eyes of everyone in my office. I only let my eyes scan them with a scowl as I press forward to press the button, making them all get back to work before the doors shut.
I sigh out a breath of relief and lean against the elevator wall.
"I feel like you just walked a gauntlet of sorts." Jackson smirks, hiding his smile behind the edges of the folder that he's suddenly engrossed in.
"The real gauntlet is when I come back." I groan as the elevator dings and other employees climb on. We make it to the ground floor and exit to find his Rolls Royce and driver awaiting us.
"Where to, Mr. Morgan, Ms. Xenos?" His driver asks as we approach.
"Yakato." I inform him as I step in.
"Yes ma'am."
Once we were moving the divider in the car already raised, Jackson turns to me with a smile.
"I missed you."
My toes curl in my shoes, butterflies are flying in me like crazy, making my heart swell in size. I gaze into Jacksons eyes and whisper softly, "Me too."
He leans closer and places a soft kiss on my forehead. He brushes a finger over my cheek and leans back his gaze full of care and gentleness that I find it hard to meet his eyes. I instinctively lean forward, placing my hand on his knee, "So how far did you get in the story before I fell asleep?"
He chuckles, his face coming closer to mine, "Would you believe me if I told you we were only at the part where she discovered how to make Kenet?"
I blush, "Really? At least we know where to start tonight then?"
His lips are closer to mine and they're all I can focus on as they move, "I would prefer an in person telling this time."
"Okay." I whisper, mesmerized by their fullness and they way they move.
I feel his hand grip the back of my neck, pulling me the last inch closer to him as his lips meet mine, in a tense long kiss, his heavy breath like a sigh as we don't move them, just keep them pressed together and then we part. Our foreheads are touching as he breaths heavily and I swallow hard.
"I wish I could do that all afternoon..." He breathes out, his hand cupping my face with his thumb brushing my cheek.
"Then we would accomplish nothing." I grin, biting my bottom lip, amazed how he is so enraptured with me. It's nice to hear that it is a mutual feeling.
Jackson lets out a hearty laugh that causes my heart to squeeze and my panties grow wet. I blush and clear my throat.
"So I spoke with Mr. Dornell this morning." I start, trying to change the subject. "He actually apologized. Stating that how he spoke to me and what he said was out of line and I did not deserve it. He claimed to be under pressure from the board and snapped, which does not excuse his actions, but he still apologized."
He lets out a aggrieved sound but still gives me a forced smile, "Well, at least he apologized. So you're going to stay?"
I nod, "For now. There will be a board meeting at three today I need to be at. I'll record that too, like I did his apology."
"Very well. Shall we go over the contract? I'd prefer to spend lunch with you, not the contract." Jackson takes my hand and lays a kiss on my knuckles and I swear he's trying to make wet on purpose the way his eyes are smoldering at me.
Fidgeting in my seat, his grin widens and his eyes take on a devilish glint as I take my hand back.
My voice comes out higher than normally, "Sounds like a good idea. Shall we?" I clear my throat and open the contract folder in my hand. I can feel his smile as I focus on the paper in front of me, as his eyes cause me to flush again, the heat rising to my ears.
I hear his soft whisper of a laugh, that he tries to cover with a clear of his throat, "Yes, lets."
By the time we arrived at the restaurant we were already kissing again.
His scent was intoxicating as we leaned closer to each other reading the contract and then suddenly, he was turning me in my seat and his mouth descended on mine and I've been lost in the sudden onslaught.
"Mr. Morgan, we've arrived." His drivers voice comes over the speaker and we pull apart slowly.
"I don't know if I'm hungry anymore...." I pant, biting my swollen bottom lip and watching Jackson pants as he stares at me hungrily.
"Oh... I am.." His deep and low voice has my insides screaming.
I clear my throat and try to fix my hair, twisting it back up into my hair clip and grab my purse and the contract. "We have to make an appearance somewhere." I remind him.
"Fine we will get lunch to go and eat it at my place." Jackson states as he climbs out of the car and opens my door for me. He instructs his driver to find a place to wait, that we won't be long.
Inside we order our lunches to go and wait for them at the bar area, sipping on a drink while we wait. It does not take long before we are back in the car, heading towards Jackson's place.
"You live in Highland Park?" My jaw drops, "You're only two miles away from me!?" I exclaim as the car pulls up into one of the mansions in the area.
"Yes, I had to have enough spaces for my cars and still be close enough to the office. It only makes it so much better that I'm so close to you." Jackson takes our lunch in one hand and takes one of my hands with the other. "Could you please grab Ms. Xeno's contracts and bring them inside?" Jackson looks to his driver who nods as he leads me inside.
The modern Tudor opens up in the foyer to reveal a dark swirling staircase leading upstairs, a dark gray painted office to one side and a hall towards the kitchen and rest of the lower level to the other.
"I'll give you the tour once we eat."
I grin as he directs me to the dining area and he starts setting our food up. The driver comes in and places the contracts on the table and quietly walks back outside. Jackson pulls the contracts towards him, signs all three and pushes them to the side. He then picks up a piece of fatty tuna and holds it out for me.
"Here have some."
"Okay." I giggle and open my mouth like a bird for him to feed me.
He pops it into my mouth and I smile as I attempt to chew and swallow the large bite. As soon as it's down Jackson holds a smaller piece out for me. I go to take it with my chopsticks but Jackson shakes his head and opens his mouth mimicking me earlier.
"I can feed myself.." I start to say.
With a playful grin and a matter-of-fact tone when he tells me, "I know. I rather enjoyed feeding you, so please indulge me."
I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding and resolve myself to be fed again, "If you insist." I open my mouth for him to feed me. He let's me feed myself after that, which I am grateful for.
We discuss how are mornings went so far other than my boss's apology. I informed him about my team member Anna and her situation.
"I'm thinking about letting her stay the night at my place. Let her do her laundry and get a good meal and shower. I don't know where she's been going at night." I let him know my thoughts.
Jackson sucks in a tight breath between his teeth, "How well do you know Anna? Outside of work that is?"
I think about it for a second and shake my head, "I don't really know her outside of work."
"She doesn't have family, friends or anyone to help her out right now?"
"She informed me that her little sister is all the family she has left. I know she's only been with me on my team for the past six months, so I believe her to be telling the truth if I take some of the rumors that have been going around too with a grain of salt. Some said that her boyfriend kicked her out, one person saw her walking out of a hospital crying, pulling a suitcase with her. It all seems plausible."
He seems to ponder the information I told him. "Do a background check on her. You don't want to allow anyone you don't know like that into your home. I'll pay for a motel for her to stay in for the next few months. That way she doesn't need to worry about living accommodations, give her some time to maybe find something." He offers, taking my hand as we finished lunch.
I'm taken aback by his offer to help her.
"Jackson, you are under no obligation to help her."
"Neither are you, but I would feel better with the arrangement I suggested more than her staying with you." His brows are furrowed in concern, "I just don't want someone to take advantage of you. Also, it would make us dating a bit more ... complicated. I saw how you reacted with me just calling you beautiful and the rest of your colleagues."
I grab my forehead and sigh, "Yes, you're right. I'm going to have to run some damage control regarding that too."
His hand comes to rest on my thigh, "Hey.." he lifts my chin up. "We know the truth about us. If anyone wants to assume or say otherwise, you're the boss now. You can nip that in the bud or we can just come out in the open about our relationship. It's going to eventually."
"Eventually?"