Owned by Fate (Serve #1)(15)

“Ro?”

Her head jerked up, upsetting her glasses. She steadied them on her nose, pretending not to sense Jonah’s amusement. “Sorry. I was just thinking.”

“And?”

Caroline stood. Asher and her brother followed suit, but Jonah remained seated. “I, um…I need to think it over. I’m definitely not ready to commit at this point, though.”

“We need a decision soon.” Oliver pushed a frustrated hand through his hair. “Asher’s company is growing, and he wants to take us with him. Don’t let the clock run out.”

She nodded once. “If we’re finished here?”

Oliver fell back into his chair. “Asher and I have more to discuss.”

“Fine.” Caroline flicked a nervous glance at Jonah. Leaving him alone in the room with her brother was at the bottom of her list, but it appeared she didn’t have a choice. Praying he wouldn’t reveal her secret, she turned to leave just as Jonah rose from his chair.

“Which way to the restroom?”

“Down the hall to the right, next to Caroline’s office.” Oliver gave her a half smile, probably trying his best not to hate her guts. “Can you show him?”

Her heart pounded loudly in her ears. “S-sure.”

Jonah followed her from the room.





Chapter Six


Jonah stepped past Caroline into her office. They hadn’t wasted a moment pretending he honestly needed a trip to the bathroom. God, he found a woman who knew when to pick her battles refreshing. Even in the meeting with her brother and Asher, she’d been concise and honest about her opinions without appearing the least bit condescending. She kept her emotions well hidden, but he’d seen how badly she wanted to make her brother happy. At one point during the meeting, she’d seemed to be in physical pain over disappointing him, successfully tapping Jonah’s protective instincts. He’d seen her distress and wanted to do away with it. Even as she spoke openly about her dislike of his chosen lifestyle, it still hadn’t swayed him.

He’d made the decision in the meeting to lay out his ulterior motive for being here, wanting every encounter between them to be honest. What he had planned for them wouldn’t leave an ounce of room for deception. Now, he’d have to deal with the fallout.

“Miss me, sweetheart?”

She flipped the lock on her door and moved quickly out of his reach. “Kind of like I miss having braces.”

As she began to pace nervously in front of her desk, he stifled a laugh. “Braces and glasses, huh? You didn’t by any chance go to Catholic school, did you?”

“St. Ann’s in Brooklyn Heights.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “And before you ask, no, I didn’t hang on to the old uniform for kinky purposes.”

“It was worth a shot.”

Caroline leaned against her desk and blew out a breath. “So am I about to be blackmailed? Is that what’s going on here?”

He’d anticipated her assumption, but it still rankled. They may have only spent a too-brief time together, but he hadn’t imagined what had passed between them. Enough for her to know he wasn’t a bastard, at the very least. Instead of denying it outright, he decided to hear how she’d arrived at that conclusion. “Blackmailed?”

“I write a favorable article, depicting Serve as a fine, upstanding pillar of the community. Maybe even vote for your friend’s merger. Or else you’ll tell everyone what I…what we…” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “What we did in that room. It’s the only explanation for you being here a mere three days later with Young Michael Douglas.” She stomped her foot. “Damn. I have to stop doing that.”

“You really do. He’s more of an aging David Duchovny.”

“Huh. Maybe.” Caroline tilted her head, as if considering his observation, before snapping back to reality. “So, am I right? Because if I am, you’re wasting your time. I’ve already decided to vote against the merger, and my article will be unbiased. Not even the threat of public humiliation can sway my integrity or change my mind.”

“Really? You didn’t seem so sure of your decision in the meeting.” For a split second, distress blanketed her expression. Jonah was surprised to find himself taking an involuntary step forward. When he realized what he’d done, he stopped abruptly. “Or was that just for Oliver’s benefit?”

Caroline’s expression closed off. “Please stop trying to figure me out.”

“You make that exceedingly difficult, Caroline.”

Their eyes stayed locked together for a heavy moment. She broke away first. “So what’s with the newsboy cap? What are you, like, the Jaunty Dom?”

His mouth edged up. “I don’t usually get up this early. I had bedhead going on.”

A laugh escaped her. “You never say what I think you’re going to say. I hate that.”

“No.” Jonah couldn’t stop himself from moving closer. “You love it.”

She shook her head and leaned back farther onto the desk to keep the distance between them. “And licorice. Why the hell do you always smell like licorice?”

He kept coming. “Who’s trying to figure whom out now?”

“Answer the question.”