Owned by Fate (Serve #1)(44)

She met his gaze, determination coupled with a touch of excitement shining in her eyes. “I’m going to blow the roof off the biggest story of the year.”

For a moment, Jonah couldn’t breathe. Her confidence and energy practically hummed between them, filling him with a pride he had no right to feel. Or did he? Despite their differences, their connection was a tangible thing, thickening the air around them. He knew she felt it, could see the pulse racing in her neck, her shortness of breath.

“Do you believe me?” Her gaze was locked on his mouth.

“Anyone would be a fool not to.” Jonah let his hand coast up her neck to disappear into the wealth of her hair. When he began massaging the back of her head with methodical fingers, her eyelids drooped on a quiet moan. “You’re going to be a force, Caroline. The magazine will only get bigger and better. You have the ability to accomplish it in your little finger.”

“What if it hurts my relationship with Oliver?” she whispered, laying her head down on his shoulder, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “He’s the oldest…been there longer. It should have been him.”

Jonah understood now. He pulled her closer, as if it were possible with her curled around him. “It might be hard at first, but you’ll make it right somehow. You won’t rest until you do.”

They sat quietly for a while, letting the smooth, smoky sounds of the music drift over them. When Caroline spoke again, her voice was so quiet that he could barely hear her. “Jonah, you should hate me. I kind of wish you would.” She sat up, and Jonah immediately missed her head tucked against his neck. “How can you sit here and pep-talk me when I had the power to help your case with the article and didn’t? When I continue to push you away because of who you are?”

The misery on her face softened the blow of her words. He kissed the frown off her forehead. “Maybe I don’t think your heart is in it.”

“It is,” she insisted. “It has to be.”

“Possibly.” Jonah rubbed their lips together, tugged her top one with his teeth. “But you still want me. If it makes me weak to hope you keep breaking down and coming back, so be it.” He drew her into a kiss before she could respond, sinking his tongue into her mouth to memorize her taste. Knowing they were safe in their dark corner, he cupped her breast, savoring her whimper when he teased her nipple through the fabric. On his lap, she began to circle her bottom, in what he suspected was an unconscious move. Jonah released her mouth but stayed close. “I haven’t spent nearly enough time with my mouth on your breasts, baby. I’m sorry for that.”

“Um…” Her body shuddered on an exhale. “The night is still young?”

Jonah’s soft laugh ended abruptly when Caroline’s teeth skated up the side of his neck. “Ah, sweetheart, you’ll have to stop that for now. We’re underground. Not a deserted patio in sight.”

Caroline pressed shaky fingers to her swollen lips as she pulled back. “You started it.”

“I did,” he agreed, tracing her cheekbone with his thumb.

For a few moments, they made a pretense of watching the musicians, although he suspected they both needed the time to reel in their desire. Caroline sipped her drink, which left shining liquor coating her lips. Jonah had to force himself not to lick away every drop. When the song ended, she turned to him as if an idea had occurred. “Has anything changed with Gabby? The visitation…”

“You remembered her name,” he murmured, mostly to himself. For some strange reason, hearing another person say his daughter’s name out loud made her all the more real. Even his lawyer never referred to Gabby by name, usually calling her “the child” instead. Sometimes Jonah wondered if he was dreaming the entire situation, and he didn’t have a daughter at all. Not unusual, considering his entire acquaintance with her consisted of a single photograph. Caroline simply releasing it into the atmosphere, however, brought Gabby to life.

Now, she looked away uncomfortably. “Of course I did.”

Her reaction told Jonah to keep his overly sentimental thoughts to himself. “No news yet. We’re waiting for Renee, her mother, to agree to a meeting.”

“Is that going to happen?”

Jonah shook his head. “I don’t know,” he said quietly. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask Caroline if she thought he deserved visitation, given his lifestyle. But he didn’t want to hear her answer, was afraid it would condemn him. He suspected her negative opinion would score deeper than anyone else’s had thus far.

“Do you have any family helping you pursue this?”

“No. It’s just me.”

A small sound escaped her, filling the scant space between them. She looked pensive for a moment before staring him in the eye. “You’ll be a great dad, Jonah. I really believe that.”

Before he could manage a response, she leaned back on his shoulder and tucked her head into the crook of his neck. Part of him was grateful she couldn’t see his face after the gift she’d so unexpectedly given him, because he was fairly certain he looked shell-shocked. Was it possible she could be right? Could he be the father he’d never had?

Jonah lost track of the time as they sat there, Caroline’s body intertwined with his, their easy breaths mingling together as the music let them drift, forget about the factors keeping them apart. In the dark, unknown to anyone around them, they weren’t Caroline Preston, the Ivy League graduate, heir to a legendary financial publication, and Jonah Briggs, controversial BDSM club owner.