Mr. Arrogant: A Billionaire Romance (13 page)

Naomi didn’t want to tell him that she had fallen in love with him, and she promised herself that what they were; new lovers, would be enough. She knew that there was little chance it would ever be more than that, and she assured her heart that it would be alright to just have him as a lover.

She was grateful that the tension between them would be gone and that she could at last focus on her work and anything else that needed her attention, rather than her mind constantly straying to him. She felt she could move ahead and that things in her life were back in some sort of natural balance that would enable her to do what she wanted to do.

Jonathon slipped his finger beneath her chin and lifted it to kiss her once more, and then he rose to his feet and began to pull his clothes back on. “I want this again with you, but I think next time, I will at least get us a room somewhere; something with a little more class.” He laughed a little and looked at her with a shy smile. “It couldn’t be helped this time.”

She dressed herself and walked to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I don’t mind at all. We were here, and the moment happened here, and it was incredible, but… there is a lot more that could be done in a bed.” She winked at him and he groaned and pulled her tightly to him, kissing her deeply before he let her go.

“You’d better call your father back.” She said softly over her shoulder as she turned to walk out of his office. She gave him another wink and a smile, and closed his office door behind her, completely satisfied.

Jonathon watched her go and knew that he had just gotten himself in much deeper than he ever had been, and he wondered momentarily what would come of it.

Chapter7

Andrea and Naomi were enjoying a lazy Saturday lunch together in a quiet café, talking about various things, when Andrea brought up the subject of Jonathon; a subject that Naomi had been suspiciously quiet about for a couple of weeks. Her sharp dark eyes locked onto Naomi’s and she leaned forward across the small table between them, her elbows planted on it, helping her launch forward just a bit more.

“So what’s going on with you and Jonathon? Huh? You haven’t said his name once in a few weeks now. I know something changed. What changed? What’s going on?” Andrea asked intently.

Naomi could not stop the grin that spread over her face as she felt her cheeks warm, and she dropped her gaze to the berry filled muffin in front of her. She giggled a little and Andrea gasped.

“What happened? Did he come on to you or something?” Andrea asked eagerly.

Naomi slowly lifted her eyes and looked up at her best friend from beneath her lashes. “Well… we’ve kind of changed the nature of our relationship.” She began quietly, shooting a furtive glance around her and seeing that no one was in ear shot.

Andrea gasped and her mouth fell open as she looked at Naomi in amazement. “What? When did that happen?”

Naomi shrugged. “A few weeks ago.” She grinned again and sighed happily. “It’s been amazing.”

“How in the world did that ever happen?” Andrea asked, confounded.

“Well…. It just kind of happened. There’s a woman who is a friend of his family’s, and she came by the office to try to talk him into going on a date with her. I saw her once before at an event at the Cross Mansion, in fact, I met her. She’s horrible. So mean and hateful: like a little viper. Anyway, I guess she’s been after Jonathon for a long time and she keeps trying to talk him into being with her, but he keeps telling her no and she won’t take the hint.” Naomi rolled her eyes, thinking of the afternoon she had seen Susan in Jonathon’s office.

Andrea watched her, open mouthed, taking in every word that Naomi was telling her, her hand wrapped around her mug of tea, which was lifted halfway to her mouth, but was frozen in midair.

Naomi sighed. “Jonathon’s father called and insisted that I go interrupt him because Jonathon wasn’t answering his phone. I tried to tell him I shouldn’t do it, but he wasn’t listening, so I went into Jonathon’s office and walked in on Susan trying to kiss Jonathon. You should have seen it when he saw me; he pushed her away so fast, but I was really upset about it, and Susan was horrible.

"I left, but then he called me back in right after he kicked her out and I went in, thinking he was going to get mad at me for interrupting his visit with her, but he just grabbed me and kissed me, and I kind of melted right there on the spot.” She sighed and smiled, thinking of how incredible it was to be with him that afternoon.

“I never thought anything would happen between us; I thought it was only going to be our business relationship, right down the line, but things got really hot really fast between us, and it was the most amazing time I’ve ever had with a man. Ever. We’ve just kept going.  We’re like newlyweds… we just can’t keep our hands off of each other, and I’ll tell you what, I wouldn’t change what happened for anything. No matter what happens between him and me in the future, I’m so glad we have what we have had.” She grinned and lifted her mug to her lips, sipping on the hot tea in it.

Andrea finally set her mug down on the table and eyed her friend carefully for a long quiet moment, and then she crossed her arms over her chest and frowned.

“You haven’t told him, have you?” she asked in an almost accusatory voice.

Naomi blinked and set her mug down. “Told him what?” she asked innocently.

Andrea leaned forward and sighed, her eyes piercing Naomi’s. “You haven’t told him that you’re in love with him, have you? You haven’t bothered to mention that this isn’t just a hot little fling for you.”

Naomi looked away from her friend, her eyes carefully studying the bottom of her teacup. She slid her spoon into it and began to stir her tea, swirling it around slowly as she pressed her lips together. “It’s okay, that it’s just a fling…” she said quietly.

Andrea clucked her tongue and shook her head, leaning back in her chair and frowning at her friend. “Naomi, you are going to have to admit it at some point. You can’t just go around having a torrid affair with him while you’re in love with him, getting so deeply involved on an emotional level, and then when it ends and he’s ready to see someone else or just stop seeing you, you’re going to have a huge heartbreak to deal with.

What are you thinking?” she asked incredulously. “You have to tell him. He needs to know how you feel so he can cool things down between the two of you or at least make some good decisions about what to do between the two of you.”

Naomi looked up at her in silence and watched her.

“I’m not saying stop sleeping with him; I’m saying put it all out there so he knows what’s going on. Don’t leave your heart in the corner like that while he has no idea how you really feel, and just wait for him to break it. You might be able to figure out a way to work it out so that you don’t get your heart broken when it ends; or at least broken as badly. Don’t risk that! Tell him! Be honest with him!” she insisted, shaking her head.

Breathing a long heavy sigh, Naomi set her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her palm, looking at Andrea. “I guess you’re right. I guess maybe I should tell him. It’s just that we are having such fun right now, and I don’t want to ruin it or change it.”

Andrea leaned closer to her. “He’s having fun. You’re falling more in love with him. I wish you could see yourself right now. Seriously. You’re completely enamored. You’re head over heels, and I know it feels good now, but if you don’t at least slow down, this is going to hurt you like hell later, and I’m just trying to look out for you, because I’m going to be the one there trying to pick up the pieces when it happens.”

Naomi pushed her lower lip out a bit and pouted slightly. “I know you are. I’m lucky to have you, and you’re right, but I just wish it could go on just like it is.”

Andrea shook her head again. “That’s not going to happen.”

“I know it.” Naomi sighed thoughtfully. “I just want to hold on to what we have going on now for as long as I can.”

“Honesty is the best policy.” Andrea said matter-of-factly as she picked up her tea and sipped it.

Naomi nodded and her shoulders dropped a little. Her best friend was right and she knew it. She and Jonathon hadn’t been able to keep their hands off of each other, whether it was in his office, his limo, in her apartment, or in the occasional hotel room. The two of them were like molten magnets for each other, the pull between them was powerful, and both of them were insatiably hungry for one another.

The physical aspect of the bond between them was passion driven, and their friendship was growing stronger, but she had no doubt in her heart at all that he was not in love with her, as she was with him. She knew it, deep in her heart, and she kept herself from thinking about it, always pushing it to the back of her mind and turning her thoughts to the good things between them.

Andrea was right in saying that it would hurt her later, and she hated admitting it to herself. The idea of telling Jonathon that she was in love with him seemed impossible to her, but bit by bit, she realized that it was a fact she was going to have to share with him. She knew it would ease the heartache later, when their bond changed and ended. She had no idea how or when she would tell him, but in her heart of hearts, she knew that she did indeed have to tell him.

***

Naomi and Jonathon shared a heated hour of passion in his office and were just redressing when there was a knock at his office door, and both of them panicked as they pulled their clothes back on and tried to straighten themselves up before opening the door to whoever was there. 

She was just fixing her lipstick when Jonathon opened the door and his father stalked in. Phillip’s eyes went to Naomi and he peered closely at her, eyeing all of her carefully before he turned his gaze slowly to Jonathon, who was straightening his tie. Phillip’s eyes narrowed and he glared hotly at his son for a long silent moment, and then the older man spoke to Naomi without so much as turning around to face her.

“Miss Bradshaw, you may go back to your office.” He spoke sternly and he gritted his teeth.

She nodded quietly and shot a nervous look toward Jonathon, who shook his head imperceptibly at her. She left, closing the door behind her, and the moment it clicked, Phillip took a good look at his son.

“I seriously hope that you weren’t just in any kind of a compromising position with that young woman.” His eyes were like steel on his son.

Jonathon gulped and took a fast breath, shaking his head fervently. “No, of course not. We were just… working. It was a little warm in here, that’s all. She is an employee, and nothing more.” He hoped that he sounded much more convincing than he felt.

Phillip did not look away from him or even blink. “Why do I find that almost impossible to believe?” he asked accusingly.

Jonathon shrugged and walked over to his desk, trying to make light of the situation while remaining calm. “I know I don’t have a great track record, father, but I assure you, there is nothing going on between Naomi and I. You just worry because of a few other regrettable mistakes I’ve made in the past. That’s all. Please don’t trouble yourself over it.” He took a seat in his chair behind the desk and looked up at his father with a light expression.

“What can I do for you today, father?” he asked casually.

Phillip walked toward him, his eyes locked on his son. “You can be honest with me for once. That would be a great start. I’m not stupid, Jonathon. I know a tawdry scene when I walk in on one. I told you that if I found out that you were screwing any more of the staff here, that I would fire you.”

Jonathon watched him quietly, though his heart was nearly pounding out of his chest.

“I was serious about that!” his father shot at him angrily.

Jonathon nodded subtly. “I know you were father, and that’s why I’m not taking any chances with anyone here, especially Naomi.”

His father walked to the front of his desk and leaned down and gave him a treacherous glare. “I’m not taking any chances with you. I have not worked this hard all of my life to build up the dynasty that I have created with every intention of handing it over to you, just to have you blow it. You’re not going to risk your future or a lifetime of my hard work any longer. You and I are going to have dinner with Vincent and Susan tomorrow night at home, and you are going to seriously consider making Susan a permanent part of your life. Do you understand me?” his father nearly growled at him.

Jonathon knew that his father wanted him to date Susan, and he knew that Susan’s father wanted it as well. He sighed and nodded, knowing that there would be no other acceptable response other than an acquiescence.

“Of course, father. I’ll be sure to be there for dinner tomorrow night.” He said quietly, lifting his eyes to meet Phillip’s.

Phillip stood back up and looked down at his son. “Good. See you at six tomorrow night. You had better be there, and you had better not be late.”

Jonathon nodded and watched as his father walked out of his office. When he was alone, he closed his eyes and covered his face with his hands. He realized that as much as he wanted Naomi, and as hungry as he constantly was for her, he might have to change things between them, or keep them as far undercover as he possibly could. He would not risk losing his job at Cross Corp.

Jonathon could not get his father’s angry eyes out of his mind all afternoon, and things between him and Naomi were quiet and businesslike the remainder of the day, and into the next morning, until she came back from lunch and walked into his office to give him a file he needed.

She had been quiet and a little withdrawn since his father had practically walked in on them, and her silence and distance bothered Jonathon immensely. He watched her as she set the file on his desk and turned to walk away. She was wearing a skirt that he loved to see on her; it was full and loose, and it swirled around her thighs when she walked. She had paired it with a button up sweater and heels, and the innocent and sexy look she gave off in the outfit drew an ache to his groin that he could not control.

“Naomi…” he called out to her. She stopped and turned to look back at him. Her light blue eyes looked clouded with deep emotion and she drew in a breath and sighed.

“Yes?” she asked in a light tone.

He tilted his head slightly as his eyes stayed on hers. “Come here, please,” he asked gently.

She walked toward him, and all the while he held their shared gaze steady. He felt as if he was looking into her, through her, and he didn’t want to look away. “What’s troubling you?” he asked as she reached the corner of his desk, standing there looking down at him with a slight pout of her lower lip.

She shrugged. “Nothing… I just…” she hesitated.

“Tell me.” He said, reaching his hand out to take hers and closing his fingers around it, drawing her closer to him.

She bit her lower lip. “It’s your father. I feel like he knows what’s going on between us and I’m uncomfortable with that. He looked so angry yesterday. I felt awful about it.”

Jonathon gave her a little smile and drew her up beside his chair. His eyes slid slowly over the curve of her breasts, her narrow waist, and her hips that were so near his face. His heart began to beat faster and he felt the ache in him grow stronger as his body heated. He let go of her hand and placed his fingers on her leg, just beneath the hem of her skirt.