****
The first tip off that something fishy was going on should have been that fact that Natasha was all smiles when in the past the very sight of me was enough to make her physically ill. Regardless, I'd taken a deep breath and rapped on Jacob's door, running over the speech I'd been practicing all weekend.
After the bucketful of awkward with Cade's tweet and my mother's overshare at dinner, we both agreed to take a few days apart to get our heads right. Truth was even after taking the weekend, my head was anything but. Even though I thought my exchange with Cade was totally innocent, Jacob's reaction and Cade's tweet had me replaying the conversation, wondering if anything I said could have been misconstrued. At any rate, I'd come up with a list of reasons why Jacob had nothing to worry about.
1.) He was, well, Jacob. No one else could rob me of the ability to function with just a look. No one could make everything else fade except for the drum of my heart and the ache between my legs. And no one else could make me want to simultaneously do them physical harm and kiss their lips off.
I smiled when the door was pulled open with number two on the tip of my tongue and when Missy, one of the staff publicists and ringleader of Operation Leila Sucks, was the one glaring back at me instead of Jacob, I forgot what number two was.
"Missy? What are you-"
"Jacob wanted to see me bright and early so we could go over Wallace's plan of action." She made sure she said every word like they'd been up to a lot more than business. But when I spied Jacob over her shoulder, he gave me a smile that dashed right through her transparent efforts. As soon as his eyes glittered deliciously, I knew that he was mine.
He tapped the bluetooth at his ear and rose to his feet. My mouth watered at the thought of running my fingers over the buttons of his slate blue shirt and diving to the muscled abs beneath. I was sure it must have been all over my face because his brow arched with interest.
Missy turned back to him, ignoring me altogether. "So where were-"
"That'll be all," Jacob said abruptly. "I'll see you in the conference room in a little bit."
When she slowly turned on her heel, her brown eyes round with disdain, I just couldn't help myself. "Jacob and I have lots to discuss. I'm sure you understand."
Once we were alone, Jacob shook his head even though he was still grinning. "Marking your territory?"
"Damn right," I took a step toward him then hesitated, remembering our argument. "About Friday night-"
He perched on the edge of his desk and beckoned me with a finger. "Come here."
I closed the distance between us, standing in front of him. "I just want to apologize-"
"You have nothing to apologize about, Leila," he interrupted. "I'm the one that owes you an apology."
I cocked my head to the side, feigning shock. "I'm sorry, I must have misheard you. It sounded like you said you owe me an apology."
"Haha," he said sarcastically. He reached out and locked his fingers with mine. "Am I really that callous that you think me incapable of apologizing?"
I scratched my chin, pretending to think about it. "I guess stranger things have happened." I moved closer, looking up into his eyes. "Like, who knew Jacob Whitmore could get jealous?"
He traced my jaw, sending tingles up and down my spine. "You seem to have forgotten Tall, Dark, and Italian."
I laughed, remembering taking Allegra's drop dead gorgeous to dinner and seeing Jacob's eyes boil with anger. This was different though, and we both knew it.
"I was a dick," he said softly. "Just the thought of any man thinking about you, touching you..." His jaw flexed. "It's still no excuse."
I leaned in and pressed my lips against his. I pulled back, fingering his buttons demurely. "Apology accepted."
He murmured with approval and I was close enough that I could feel the stir of his arousal. "And I plan on calling your parents and apologizing for my behavior as well."
"Not so fast," I said as I unbuttoned the first one. "You're still apologizing to me."
He took my face between his massive hands and brought my lips back to his. I dropped my hand to his fly, but he ended our kiss and gently unhitched his belt from my fingers.
“Make no mistake—I want you,” he said huskily. “But we have a meeting.”
I pouted, not wanting to rein it in even though I knew he had a point. "After the meeting then?"
He stood up and buttoned his shirt. "It's a date."
I gave Natasha the biggest shit eating grin I could manage as I walked out at Jacob's side and she returned it with her own. I let go of it once we got to the elevator, instead, focusing on my game face. I'd never admit it out loud, but hearing that I had an impact on someone I'd pretty much idolized was confusing. The action loving fan in me wanted to shout it from the rooftops but my heart felt like a rag being wrung and twisted in my chest. Jacob was giving me sidelong glances and I looked down and realized I'd been tapping my foot.
"Everything alright?"
"Of course," I swallowed the golf ball sized knot in my throat. "Why wouldn't it be?"
I followed him out the elevator, feeling the sweat explode at my temple and trying to regulate my labored breathing. Jacob pushed in the conference room first and I followed him, pulling on a brave face.
When Cade's eyes met mine and his mouth broke into a grin, I felt ill. I stole a look at Jacob and watched every muscle in him tighten.
Cade wore a red and black checkered shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a tribal tattoo peeking out at the arm cuffs. When he completely ignored Jacob and shook my hand, I could have died right then and there.
"Miss Montgomery," Cade’s voice rumbled, deep and smoky. "It's good to see you again."
I just stood there, my lips parted but nothing coming out. The rational part of me screamed that it wasn't confirmation and meant nothing; he was just being friendly since we'd already met. But the other traitorous part of me was jumping about, staring at this celebrity who was looking at me like he was star struck.
Jacob cleared his throat and I pulled my hand away. "Uh, Mr. Wallace, this is Jacob Whitmore."
The two men exchanged a hearty handshake and then Cade pivoted back to me, winking. "I thought we decided you'd call me Cade."
I felt the fire blazing from Jacob's eyes, turning both of us to ash and I looked down at the floor, feeling warmth rush to my cheeks.
"I'm surprised that you fit me into your busy schedule Mr. Whitmore," Cade said, the bite in his voice ringing through the tension filled air. "Being CEO and all."