Читать книгу Captivated By The Millionaire - Нина Сингх - Страница 13

IF SOMEONE HAD told her forty-eight hours ago that she’d be back in this house at the request of the new owner to finish her painting, Jess would have asked them if they had a bridge they wanted to sell her. But here she was, outlining in charcoal pencil the rest of the scene she’d had in mind when she’d first imagined it in her head.

Jordan was in the mansion somewhere and she felt his presence fully, kept looking over her shoulder to the hallway in case he walked past. So far he hadn’t. She had absolutely no reason to feel disappointed by that. It pained her but she had to admit to never before being quite so aware of a man. Not even Gary when she’d first met him. It had taken time for her feelings for her former fiancé to develop. Her only other relationship after Gary could only be described as a summer fling, though she’d been woefully naive in believing it might have led to more. That particular gentleman had simply taken off without so much as a goodbye at the end of the vineyard’s tourist season. All the more reason to squash her current attraction to Jordan Paydan with haste.

Jess returned her focus to her artwork. She was simply here to do a job. Once she got lost in a project, the rest of the world would often disappear. She needed that phenomenon to happen right now. Regardless of the fact that a man she felt more aware of than she ever had anyone else happened to be under the same roof.

The sound of footsteps approaching in the hallway broke into her thoughts. She sensed him behind her and her heart did a small leap in her chest.

“So the moat, then. That’s what you needed to complete,” he said in a smooth, low voice that sent waves of electricity over her skin.

“And the drawbridge,” she told him. “That’s next.”

He walked into the room to stand beside her. A tremble suddenly developed in her hand and she had to force herself to steady it or her lines would be shot. She couldn’t even put her finger on why her attraction to him was just so notable, and there was no denying that was what she felt right now—pure, animalistic attraction. But this time was different, much stronger.

And what did that say about her previous long-term relationship? Had she ever actually felt a quake in her center when Gary had walked into the room? If so, she couldn’t recall. No, she’d admitted to herself long ago that Gary had simply been a grasp at some sort of stability. After the constant upheavals that defined her childhood, she’d been more than impatient to find a grounded life with some semblance of a routine and a steady anchor. So she’d rushed into a relationship that was doomed to fail.

Studying Jordan now, she realized the two men really couldn’t be compared. There really was no comparison. First of all, Jordan had apologized for being rude to her, even if he had done it in a somewhat overblown way by ordering half the flower selection at Bower’s Flowers.

Gary had never once uttered the word sorry, no matter how much in the wrong he’d been during their arguments. Arguments that had only grown more and more frequent after she’d made her decision to leave grad school.

Not to mention Jordan had been trying to protect his little sister when he’d confronted her. Jess couldn’t really take his reaction personally.

“I suppose that makes sense,” Jordan said. “You can’t have a moat without a drawbridge.”

“True.”

He stepped closer to examine her work and the scent of him reached her, a subtle woodsy scent that well suited him.

It was settled. She was way too distracted to keep trying to draw. She tucked her pencil above her left ear and turned to face him. He had on an ocean-blue T-shirt that brought out the dark hue of his eyes and fit him just well enough to see a hardened, muscular chest underneath.

“Do you mind my asking what made you change your mind? About the diorama?” she asked. A disquieting thought had been nagging at her about the whole turnaround since he’d asked and she’d accepted the other day.

He shrugged. “It’s quite a simple answer, really.”

“Which is?”

“You were right. She did like it. Her reaction upon first entering the room was one of pure joy and awe.”

The thought of that made her heart tingle in her chest. Yes! That was exactly why she felt such a calling to do such things, for the joy it would bring to others. Particularly when it came to little children.

“I’m so glad to hear that. And a little relieved.”

“Relieved?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I thought maybe you were just trying to make amends. Like with the flowers.”

He laughed. “No, the flowers were an apology. This was more of a mea culpa. To admit that you were spot-on that day. Sonya did love it when she saw it, exactly as you said. Sonya will be thrilled to see the artwork has been extended.”

“She’s not here?”

He shook his head. “No, Elise took her out to do some shopping.”

Elise. So she’d been right. There was a girlfriend, after all. Maybe she was even more than that. For all she knew, he could actually be married. Hardly surprising given the man in question. Handsome, successful, charming. Men like Jordan weren’t often single. Not for long anyway.

Not that it was any of her business.

“In any case,” Jordan continued. “Thank you for giving up your Saturday to finish up. I know it has to be an inconvenience.”

“It’s my pleasure,” Jess responded, somewhat disheartened now that she knew another woman would be returning to the house soon. A woman that shared his house and his ward. And most likely, his bed. “I’m glad I got a chance to finish.” The best thing to do for her now would be to just finish up and then be on her way. Back to her ordinary, staid life where she had to pretend Jordan Paydan did not exist. She pulled her pencil back out. The sooner she made progress on the painting, the better. Then she could start the process of licking her proverbial wounds.

“You’ll have to tell me what Sonya thinks when she sees it,” she said as she went back to work.

“I’m sure she’ll love it. In fact, she’ll be thrilled. She’s a very exuberant little girl.”

Jess couldn’t help but laugh. That was certainly the impression she’d gotten of Sonya during their brief encounter the other day. “It definitely shows just by the sparkle she seems to have in her eyes.”

“I’d say that’s a perfect way to describe my sister. You’re very observant, Ms. Raffi.

“It’s why I thought to ask her about being in the school play.” Jess wanted to kick herself as soon as the words left her mouth. She wished she hadn’t brought the topic up again. Here they were finally enjoying some cordiality. Leave it to her to ruin it.

“Jess,” he began. The way he said her name sent a shiver through her she hoped he didn’t notice. “You have to understand why I’m against such an idea.”

“Perhaps you could let her make the decision.” She literally bit her tongue after the statement. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. There’s that impulsiveness again.”

“Don’t apologize. It appears we both seem to say things to each other that are perhaps better left unsaid.”

“Perhaps.”

He let out a deep sigh. “Well, I should get back to work. I won’t be able to get much done later today seeing as Elise has the night off.”

Jess blinked in surprise and turned back to face him. “She does?”

He laughed. “Don’t look so surprised. Contrary to the initial impression I’ve obviously given you, I do cut my employees some slack and give them time off once in a while.”

Employee.

She couldn’t help the thrill that seemed to suddenly lift her heart at those words. Sounded as if Elise was the little girl’s nanny. Not a girlfriend at all. And certainly not his wife.

Not that it made an iota of difference as far as she was concerned. She’d discovered the hard way that when it came to relationships, Jess still had a lot to learn about herself—between her spoiled engagement and her uncharacteristic fling. Something told her that when it came to Jordan Paydan, the third time would definitely not be the charm.

She gave him a small wave of goodbye as he walked out of the room. What he’d just revealed about this Elise didn’t necessarily even mean he was single. Still, the revelation made her giddier than she would care to admit.

* * *

The figures on his spreadsheet floated across his vision in a blurry mess of numbers. He’d never had this much trouble focusing. His mind kept wandering to the woman upstairs busily painting on his sister’s bedroom wall. He really should have planned this better. Every cell of his being vibrated with the awareness that they were alone in the house together. Elise and Sonya weren’t due back for several more hours.

There was no explainable reason he found himself so attracted to her. For all he knew, Jess was taken. Women like her weren’t typically found wanting of suitors. Though she was nothing like the women Jordan himself usually dated, not that he’d ever been terribly serious with anyone. Nor could he entertain such an idea now.

He’d just spent the better part of a year watching his father being utterly betrayed by his wife. She’d proven how disloyal she was when Jordan’s dad had gotten sick. His own most recent relationship had floundered as soon as the young lady had learned he’d become the guardian of a little girl. Though she’d used the term “saddled.” No, Jordan was in no place in his life right now to embark on any kind of relationship after the past several months.

Besides, his work and his little sister had to be the prime focus of all of his attention right now. With Sonya, there was too much at stake. He’d already done wrong by her on an astronomical level. He didn’t need any kind of distraction. Certainly not a distraction in the way of a perky, bohemian artist with olive skin and rich dark brown hair. He found himself wondering, not for the first time, how that thick luxurious hair would feel if he were to run his fingers through it. If he tugged it gently to bring her face closer to his, to finally reach for that kiss.

Whoa.

So not where he needed his thoughts to wander toward. Not when said artist was literally a floor above him. It would be so easy to come up with an excuse to go check on her again. And he was tempted. Oh, so very tempted. He forced himself to look back down at the spreadsheet, knowing full well he wasn’t going to be accomplishing much.

An hour later his assumption proved correct. He’d barely made a dent in his workload. A soft knock sounded from the other side of his office door.

Jess. No one else was home. He stood and opened the door for her.

She granted him a small smile. Saints above. How did a woman manage to look so tempting in paint-covered overalls and a do-rag bandanna wrapped around her head? Not that the rag was doing much to maintain any control of her unruly locks.

“Sorry to interrupt,” she said. “I just wanted to let you know that I’ve finished.”

Jordan hadn’t been expecting the feeling of disappointment that meandered through his gut at the announcement. Nor did he anticipate wondering when he would see her next.

“Oh. Well, thanks. Let me just grab my checkbook.”

But she stopped him with a hand to his chest before he could turn away. The contact sent a surge of heat through his core. As if reading his errant mind, she pulled away in haste.

“No, don’t do that.”

“Do you prefer an electronic transfer of funds?”

She shook her head. “No. I mean I won’t accept any money. It was a labor of love. Truly. I’m happy to know Sonya liked it and hopefully she’ll enjoy it even more with the additions made today.”

Jordan felt a moment of uncertainty. Should he insist? He’d never had anyone turn down a fee for rendered services before. The original artwork was one thing, but he’d asked her to come by this afternoon and add to it.

She smiled at his confusion. “It really isn’t necessary, Jordan. You needn’t waste another thought on it.”

What manner of sorceress was this young lady? She beguiled him. Did something to his senses he wasn’t familiar with nor prepared for. Under any other circumstances, despite their clear differences and incompatibility, he might have asked her out. Maybe something as simple as having her show him around this new town he found himself in. And then at the end of the day, they could share a bottle of wine over a cozy candlelit dinner. Then see where things led.

Just. Stop.

Mere moments ago he’d been reminding himself of all the reasons he shouldn’t entertain such thoughts about Jess—or any other woman for that matter.

“I don’t know what to say. I feel like I should pay for all the time and effort you put in.”

Her eyes narrowed on his face. “I assure you, it isn’t necessary in this case. Like I said, I refuse to be paid for a task I initiated and loved doing.”

He’d never actually thought about it that way; wasn’t sure if it even made much sense. “If you’re certain,” he said, giving her a chance to change her mind once more.

“I am. I wouldn’t cash a check if you gave me one.”

Several awkward moments ensued. Neither one of them seemed to know what to say next. Though he felt like kicking himself, he desperately didn’t want her to walk out the door just yet.

“Do you need help gathering your things?” He finally managed to speak a coherent question.

“Uh... Thanks but I’ve already loaded everything into my car.”

“Oh. I guess—I guess you’re all set, then.”

She glanced away, a rosy glow appearing on her cheeks.

But then they both spoke at once, over each other.

“I can see myself out.” Just as Jordan said, “I’ll walk you to your car.”

Okay, now the air felt really awkward. He was a successful, accomplished businessman for heaven’s sake. He gave professional presentations and delivered talks to some of the most prominent people in the industry. And here he was stammering, trying to talk to a woman he’d just barely met.

He had to get a grip. And he had to stop focusing on how her curves filled out what should have been a completely unflattering denim outfit. Or how her nose seemed to have just the perfect number of light freckles that he only just now noticed.

This was getting ridiculous. He shook off the wayward thoughts. There was no use for them. He was bound to run into her from time to time. Especially considering Sonya would no doubt participate in many activities at the community center where Jess worked. But he would leave it at that. He owed it to his little sister to make her the number one priority right now. After all, if it wasn’t for him, that precious little girl could still very well have her hearing intact.

“I should probably get back to work, then,” he told her then watched her walk out without another word.

* * *

She certainly was leading a glamorous, adventurous life, Jess thought with sarcasm as she settled onto her couch and pulled her tablet out to find a movie to stream. Unlike her mother.

Martha’s Vineyard had its fair share of pubs and restaurants. There was plenty to do to socialize, particularly in the summer. She’d been invited to head out to one of those spots with a couple of friends in her apartment building. She’d declined. This suited her just fine. Lately, she was getting tired of the weekend routine of staying up all night then missing half the next day sleeping in. Anyway, she needed some downtime. Her emotions had been on a proverbial roller-coaster ride since Jordan Paydan had stridden into town.

Some strange sorcery must have come into play just then because her tablet lit up with a notification of an incoming call. To her surprise, it was Jordan. Probably calling to give her feedback on Sonya’s reaction to the completed diorama. Her mouth went dry and she took a quick sip of water before she could answer.

“Hello,” she spoke into her phone.

“I hope I’m not calling at an inconvenient time,” his smooth, baritone voice asked over the tiny speaker.

Jess glanced down at the capri sweats she wore and her thinned-out ratty T-shirt. Then she glanced at the pint of mint chocolate chip she planned on as her dinner.

“No. Not at all.”

“We were wondering if you were busy later. If you had plans for this evening?”

They were? It took effort to keep her voice from stammering when she answered. “Nothing terribly exciting or urgent,” she managed to say. Quite an understatement that was. Her date with the streaming service notwithstanding.

There had to be some explanation for this phone call. Perhaps it wasn’t even happening. Maybe she was just dreaming it. It was the only theory that made sense.

“Excellent. See, you and I were sort of wrong about Sonya’s reaction to your artwork.”

Jess’s heart sank. That explained everything. He was calling because his sister was less thrilled, apparently wanted something changed.

“Uh, we were?”

“She wasn’t just happy with it. She was thrilled.”

“Oh!” Relief surged through her chest. “I’m so happy to hear that.”

His amusement at her reaction was clear in his voice when he spoke again. “She asked to thank you in person. Like immediately. Any chance you can join us for dinner?”

The offer was so unexpected, Jess was glad she’d put her glass down on the coffee table. No doubt she would have dropped it. “Dinner?”

He hesitated. “We’ll understand if you’d rather pass—”

“No! I mean, I didn’t have any plans for dinner at all. Other than the ice cream. Mint chocolate chip. Which isn’t really a dinner, but sometimes a girl just needs to relax with a creamy frozen treat. Plus, it’s from Bimby’s down the street. Have you been there yet? The best ice cream this side of the Atlantic. And they have all sorts of fun activities. Mini-golf, bumper boats. You should really go. Even a petting zoo!” Oh, dear Lord, now she was rambling like a madwoman.

Thank goodness he couldn’t see the redness that was sure to be coloring her cheeks. He’d just so completely thrown her off guard. Not that she ever felt fully calm or collected when it came to this man.

He chuckled once more. “We’ll be sure to check it out. As for tonight, I’ve just fired up the grill, then Sonya’s going to help me throw together a salad. It should all be ready by the time you get here.”

Jess knew she should decline, knew that graciously turning down his invite would be a good idea. An even better idea would be to resolve to try and avoid Jordan Paydan as much as humanly possible.

And it wasn’t like she was in any state of dress to be seen out in public, in a ratty T-shirt with even rattier capri sweats and fuzzy socks. Why on earth couldn’t she be one of those women who stayed dressed and ready for anything? Rather than one who threw on any old top and a pair of sweats at the first opportunity? Again, so unlike her mom. Jacinda was always ready to go, no matter what the situation called for. Not this again. How many times a day did she have to remind herself not to compare herself to her mother? She’d learned long ago that no one really compared to the woman, least of all her only child. For one, Jacinda wouldn’t dream of living full-time on an island off the Massachusetts coast where most people only came on vacation.

In the end, her self-will utterly failed her. “I’m looking forward to it,” she replied into the phone on a resigned sigh then made her way to the small bathroom of her apartment. “Thanks for the invite.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s the least we can do. Especially considering you refused any sort of payment for all your hard work.”

There it was. A reminder that she couldn’t read too much into this invite. Jordan was simply being polite and trying to find a way to thank her since she’d refused his offer of payment. Nothing more than that.

“I can be there in about half an hour if that works.”

“Great. I’ll let Sonya know. She’ll be happy to see you.”

He’d just told her that Sonya would be happy to see her. Not Jordan. Again, it would be silly of her to think otherwise, even for a moment.

“Oh, and Jess?” he asked before she’d disconnected.

“Yes?”

“Bring the ice cream. I’ve always loved mint chocolate chip.”