Chapter 18: Chapter 18

JETT

Aria James is cemented in my mind. She consumes nearly every thought I have, whether I’m wondering what she typically eats for breakfast or how her lips would feel wrapped around my cock.

Sometimes, I lose interest after some of the mystery is gone, but with Aria, it’s only grown.

I can see her constantly struggling with decisions; she’s always weighing the pros and cons. But something I said or did convinced her to throw her reservations away, and I am incredibly grateful.

I ache to be with her again, to have her in my bed, to touch her and kiss her whenever I want. I didn’t expect her to agree to come home with me, but if she had… I groan at the painfully hard erection I’ve given myself just thinking about it.

After indulging for a few more minutes, I get up to shower and relieve myself—temporarily, I’m sure.

I spend the weekend doing whatever my mom asks me to do, whether it’s going to the flower market or furniture shopping. I’m struggling to stay present as I’m dragged all over Manhattan, but it makes her happy, which is all I want for her.

The real challenge comes the next day.

I pick her up from her hotel, and we sit down to brunch at a café. As we’re browsing the menu, I look up and see Lena, my ex-fiancée, approaching us.

“Eleanor! Hi! I’m so glad you called,” she says as she hugs my mother and kisses her cheek.

“Hi, dear. So glad you happen to be in town.” She looks at me. “You don’t mind that I invited Lena, do you?”

This is typical Eleanor, a master manipulator. She could make enemies become friends; lovers become enemies. All she needs is a target and time. She knew not to tell me she invited Lena until Lena was in front of us.

I plaster a smile on my face and stand up to hug Lena.

“Of course. Please, sit,” I say, pulling out her chair. “What brings you to town, Lena?”

“I have a product launch at Ulta and a billboard going up in Times Square, so I’m making an appearance and grabbing some photos for social media,” she says as she sits.

I nod and smile despite my burning irritation with my mother.

“That’s so exciting. What else have you been up to?” my mother asks.

“I have a lot of product launches, as I’m sure Jett knows, since he’s still an investor in my make-up line,” she says as she gives me a smile.

“That’s great. What products should I try?”

“I’ll send a care package to you! Are you still in Croatia full-time?” Lena asks.

As my mother and my ex-fiancée play catch-up, I pick up my phone to check my messages and consider texting Aria.

“Jett doesn’t care for it here, either, I don’t think.”

I look up. “Hmm?”

“New York, dear. I think you need a change of scenery,” my mother says.

Lena looks at me with quiet interest.

“I’ve lived here for ten years,” I say.

“Oh, I know, but don’t you get tired of the cold winters?”

“He and I had so much fun in Bali when we went in January. Have you ever been?” Lena asks.

The rest of brunch is more of them discussing my life and what I should be doing with it—and me wishing I was almost anywhere else.

Finally, as brunch ends, I give Lena a hug.

“It was great to see you again,” she whispers in my ear.

“I’d love to say the same,” I say.

Her eyes flick to mine, apprehensive, before my mother sweeps her into a hug. We go our separate ways.

After picking up Eleanor’s luggage, we head to the airport so she can go home.

Outside the terminal, she turns to me and puts her hand on mine. “Thank you for spending the weekend with me,” she says.

I smile. “It was great to see you.”

“I do have something else I wanted to tell you, Jett, but…I never found the right time.”

My irritation flares again as I think of the multiple times we were alone and she was telling me what she didn’t like about my personal decisions.

“I’ve started seeing someone,” she says.

My eyebrows go up.

“His name is Leon, and he’s a wonderful human.”

I shrug. “That’s…uh…great, Mom. You happy?”

She smiles. “I am,” she says. “Of course, no one will replace your father, but I felt it was time.”

I nod. “Then, that’s what matters to me.”

I almost see the weight lift off her shoulders. She’s been holding this in for some time.

As we hug goodbye, she asks me to come visit her and Leon in Croatia soon. I tell her I’ll find a time to make that happen, and she leaves.

***

The next day in my office, my perpetual distraction continues.

Aria is sitting in front of me, looking impossibly sexy.

She’s avoiding eye contact with me as she stares down at her planner and phone. She’s pretending nothing happened between us, even though the giant desk that we fucked on seventy-two hours ago sits between us.

“You have a meeting with your financial team at 10 a.m. It says DYAD is the main subject. Do you want me to be present for that?” she asks.

It’s a normal question, but because of the subject, it hangs in the air between us.

Aria looks up at me, and my heart skips a beat.

“No, that’s okay,” I say.

She looks down and begins writing a note to herself.

Right as I’m about to ask her if she’s okay, we hear Vivian’s voice through the intercom on my landline.

“Mr. Abrams, I’m sorry to bother you, but your nine a.m. is here,” she says.

Aria and I make eye contact again.

“I’ll check in with you later,” she says.

I barely see her for the rest of the day.

After Vivian goes home, I decide to go confront Aria directly. I’m not sure where her head is at, but I know what I want, and I hope to find out how she feels.

Aria’s facing away from her office door when I approach. She’s bending over, looking for a file in a cabinet.

I lean against the doorframe and wait for her to notice me. She stands up and jumps when she finally does.

“Jett! You scared me,” she says, clutching her chest.

“You’re avoiding me,” I say.

“No, I—” She suddenly closes her mouth as she changes her mind.

I approach her and put my hands on her upper arms.

“Talk to me,” I say softly.

“Jett.” She steps back before folding her arms across her chest. “I guess I’m just embarrassed. I had a moment of weakness.”

“Aria,” I say. “I want you, and I have no regrets. I’m sorry if something I said or did made you think this was a mistake, but I assure you, I think of it as anything but.”

She blinks at my admission.

“I only wish,” I say as I close the gap between us, “I could’ve made you feel secure enough to give me a chance. I know I haven’t earned it, but I plan to change that.”

“I am more than a casual hookup. I deserve more,” she says.

“Yes, you do,” I say.

She looks surprised, then her features harden again.

“How many PAs have you hooked up with before?” she asks accusingly.

“None.”

Again, surprise registers on her face.

“It will risk too much. I have too much to lose,” she says just above a whisper.

I cradle her face with my hands; my thumbs stroke her soft cheeks. “I have no intention of letting you fall,” I say as I feel her relax into my touch. “I will catch you.”

“I…can’t be with you—and be your PA,” she says.

“That’s fine. Take the buyout, set your own hours, do whatever you want, but don’t ignore this,” I say.

“I—I don’t know if I’m ready for the spotlight,” she says. “In fact, I know I’m not.”

I shake my head.

“Take as long as you need, but rest assured, when you’re ready, I’ll scream your name from the rooftops,” I say.

I have no idea where these words are coming from. I didn’t even know I felt as strongly as I clearly do. I guess I feel like I owe her some honesty after weeks of holding back.

Aria sighs, then leans into me, resting her head on my chest. It feels so fucking good, and I encase her in my arms, resting my head on hers.

After a minute, she pulls her head off my chest and looks up at me. I can see what she wants, and I take full advantage.

I lean down and kiss her deeply. It feels different—amazing but different. The intense fireworks we had on Friday melt into a smoldering passion.

I need her.

I want her.

I must have her.

And suddenly I feel like I’ll do anything to make that happen.