Jameson
I walk into the apartment right at seven to the delectable aroma of gourmet food cooking. I smile, drop my laptop bag, and make my way to the kitchen to find Emily dancing with her back to me as she cooks. I stand at the doorway and watch her for a moment. She’s wearing a black skirt and a white shirt, her long dark hair is in a ponytail, and her naturally beautiful face is glowing.
A warm feeling of comfort runs through me at her obvious happiness.
All is right in my world when she’s here.
This is the weirdest thing I’ve ever experienced. I don’t want to be anywhere but here with her. From three o’clock every afternoon I start to watch the clock, waiting for the time I get to come home.
I watch as she picks up her wineglass and sips it; her burgundy lipstick marks the glass in a perfect lip shape, and I smile-even her lipstick on the glass does things to me.
I would never want to wash it again; I’m like a starstruck schoolboy.
Her behind moves sexily to the beat, and I watch her, transfixed by the beautiful woman in my kitchen. She turns and catches sight of me and smiles sexily. “Hello.”
She comes to me, and I wrap her in my arms.
“How’s my man?” she asks as she kisses me softly.
“Good now that I’m home.”
Our lips touch again and again, and I sit her up on the counter and stand between her legs as we kiss.
“Are we having an entrée before our meal, Mr. Miles?” she breathes against my lips.
I unzip my fly. “Looks like it.”
It’s Thursday and crazy around here. We are preparing reports for our board meetings tomorrow. It feels good to be back at it without the added pressure of all the other shit that’s been going on around here. Tristan and I are at my desk, discussing the new advertising budget we have set, when there’s a knock on my door.
“Come in,” I call. The door opens, and a familiar face comes into view. My face falls, and I stand immediately. “Claudia.”
Tristan’s eyes widen, and he looks to me as he stands. “Hi, Claud.” He rushes to her and kisses her on the cheek. “How are you?” he asks.
She forces a smile. “Good, thank you . . . and you?”
“Great.” Tristan’s eyes meet mine across the room. “I have some things to do. See you later, Claud.”
“Goodbye.” Her smile fades, and her nervous eyes come to me. “Hello, Jameson.”
“Hello.” I walk around and kiss her on the cheek; her familiar perfume permeates around me, and I frown at the memories it evokes. “How are you?” I ask.
She clutches her purse. “I’ve resigned from Vogue. I’m coming home to New York.”
I stare at her, lost for words.
“I’ve missed you too much, Jameson. I can’t live without you,” she whispers.
My heart drops. “Claud, no . . .”
Her eyes fill with tears. “You said it was distance.”
Empathy fills me. I can’t stand seeing her upset, and I take her into my arms.
“It’s not the distance anymore,” I murmur into her hair. The door opens, and Emily bounces in. Her face falls, and she stops on the spot when she sees Claudia in my arms.
“Oh . . . I’m-”
“Come in, Emily,” I say.
Claudia pulls out of my arms, and her crazy eyes go to Emily.
“Claudia, this is Emily . . . my girlfriend,” I introduce them.
Emily’s eyes flick between us, and then she holds out her hand. “Hello, Claudia. Nice to meet you.” She smiles kindly.
Claudia shakes her hand. “Hello.” She turns her attention back to me.
Emily looks between us again. “I’ll give you some privacy.”
“Thank you,” I whisper as my eyes stay fixed firmly on Claudia. I hate hurting her.
“Goodbye,” Emily says. “Nice to meet you.”
Claudia’s eyes fill with tears anew as the door quietly clicks closed. “Does she even know who I am?” she whispers.
“Yes.”
“And she found me in your arms and is happy to leave you here with me?” she mutters sarcastically.
My eyes hold hers, annoyed that she thinks Emily has reason to be insecure. “She knows where my heart lies.”
Claudia’s eyes fill with tears, and I internally kick myself for being an ass. “I’m coming home to New York, Jameson. We can get back together.”
“No, we can’t.”
Her eyes search mine.
“I’m marrying her, Claud.”
“Don’t say that,” she whispers. “She’s just easy for you because she’s no challenge.”
“You’re wrong; she’s the love of my life.”
She clenches her jaw in anger. “You bastard.”
“I’m sorry.” I step back from her. “But there’s no other way to put it.”
Her anger erupts. “So . . . what happens when I see you out?” she snaps.
“You say hello.”
“Do you think you can replace me so easily?” she stammers.
I stare at her, sad that she’s hurting.
“I love you, Jameson. Come back to me,” she pleads as she takes my hand in hers.
“You need to go, Claud.”
“You’re kicking me out?” she shrieks.
“No. I’m asking you to leave.”
“That’s the same thing.”
I exhale heavily; this isn’t going to end well. I need to end it before an all-out war begins. I kiss her on the forehead and walk to the door and open it. “Goodbye, Claudia.”
She angrily swipes the tears from her eyes and storms past me. I close the door and stare at the carpet for a moment as I feel the tectonic plates move another notch closer to goal. I go back to my desk and dial Emily’s number.
“Hi,” she answers.
“Hi.”
“I came up to see if you wanted to go out to lunch today.”
I smile softly. I love this woman-not an inch of insecurity.
“I do. Meet you in the foyer at one.”
Emily
It’s just around three in the afternoon.
I turn to Aaron. “Wish that damn cheesecake Uber would show up about now.”
“Ha, right?” he mutters.
“I’ll go make the coffees.” I stand and make my way to the kitchen. I make Aaron’s and then Molly’s, and then as I’m making mine, Jake walks into the kitchen.
“Hi, Emily.”
“Oh, hi.” I stir the coffee.
“Holy shit, get ready for a media storm tomorrow.”
“Why?”
He looks around and leans in as if not wanting anyone to hear what he has to say. “You should see what Ferrara is putting to print tomorrow.”
“What?” I frown.
“You can’t tell anyone,” he whispers.
“I wouldn’t.”
“They have new dirt on Jameson Miles. The shit is about to hit the fan.”
My eyes widen. “What? How do you know?”
“Our insider in their office has just called it through.”
“What is it?”
He looks around. “Apparently-”
Someone else walks into the kitchen, and we both step back from each other guiltily. The guy begins to make idle chitchat with Jake, and if I wait around, it will be too obvious that I am waiting to talk to him alone. Shit, I’ll come back in a minute.
I make my way back to my desk with my heart in my throat. What dirt do they have on Jay?
Oh hell, I need to find out what it is.
I keep an eye on the kitchen, and as soon as I see Jake go back to his desk, I make my way over to him, and his eyes light up when he sees me. “Hi.”
“Meet me in the photocopy room, please?” I whisper.
“Sure.”
I walk in and wait, and moments later he follows me in.
“What the hell is going on?” I whisper.
“I can’t tell you here; it’s too risky,” he says as he looks around.
“Just tell me,” I almost beg.
“Meet me after work, and I’ll tell you everything over a quick drink.”
I stare at him. “What time?”
“Six thirty?”