“I don’t know.” She crossed her arms, covering her breasts. “This week has gone well, so let’s go for another week.”
Jason flopped back on the mattress. “I’ll have to think about it.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Seriously?”
“Yeah, I’m serious.” He laced his hands behind his head as nervousness raked through his muscles. “I’ll tell you tomorrow night.”
“Tomorrow night?” she repeated in a squawk. “What is there to think about? It’s a yes or no answer.”
“There’s that assertiveness I wanted,” he said proudly. “But it’s not going to give you an answer any sooner.”
He had to meet Max Blair first. Jason needed to be sure that this job, that working for this guy, was the best thing for Claire. If he didn’t feel good about it, then he had to protect her. Jason would do everything in his power to keep her in Woodinville. If it turned out that this was the opportunity of a lifetime for Claire, then he’d decide whether he was prepared for a short-term fling or a long-distance romance.
Claire flattened her hands on his pillow. “Jason, you can’t hold me in suspense.”
“See, you don’t need any help being assertive,” he said with a lopsided smile. He liked the way she surrounded him, caged him. “You’re very capable of telling me what you want and when you want it.”
“It’s different with you,” she explained as she bent her head toward his. Her blond hair fell like a curtain around them.
“Why is that?” he asked as he focused on her mouth. Was it different because he would do anything to make her happy? He would give her what she wanted even if it left him hurt and alone. Did she suspect that already?
“Jason,” she said in a warning growl, “You’re not getting out of this bed until you give me an answer.”
“Ah, there’s something you should work on—how to give a threat,” Jason said as he reached out and cupped the back of her head, his hands threading through her hair. “Because I have no interest in leaving. I don’t want to be anywhere else but here.”
11
BY FRIDAY NIGHT, Jason had grown quiet and tense. He stood by the desk in his office as the darkness of the night gathered. For the next three hours he had to be the genial host for his party while watching Claire gain the attention of one undeserving man.
He reached for the wine bottle on his desk. Cradling it with both hands, he poured a small amount of the merlot into a wineglass. This time he didn’t care about the bouquet or heavy oak aging. All he could think about was Claire. This night was about her. For her.
When he heard a knock, Jason set the wine bottle to the side and glanced at the office door. “It’s open.”
The door cautiously opened and Claire peeked around the corner. “Jason, you wanted to see me?”
“Come on in.” She walked into the room and closed the door behind her. Her blond hair was swept up in a soft and romantic style that emphasized the graceful lines of her neck. The dark purple dress complemented her pale skin and pale pink lips. At first the halter dress appeared casually elegant, but once she moved, it clung to her curves like liquid silk.
“You look stunning.” His gaze rested on her short hem before lingering on her bare legs and metallic high-heel shoes.
“Thank you.” She smiled widely as she patted her hair. “This night is costing me a fortune. The dress did not come off the sales rack and I had my hair done. Oh, I also got a manicure,” she announced as she splayed her fingers for his inspection. “This will get ruined the next time I’m near a keyboard.”
He stared at the palest of pink colors covering her fingernails. It instantly reminded him of the bra she had worn when he’d first made love to her. Jason clenched his jaw as heat washed over him. The last thing he needed to remember was unclasping the bra and her breasts spilling into his hands.
“All this to impress your future boss?” he asked gruffly.
“No way, this is all for me.” She placed her hands on her hips and the movement caused her dress to pull in some interesting ways. “I sent a picture of this dress to Kim. I was going for something that says, ‘eat your heart out.’ Kim assures me that it’s a killer dress. Just what I need tonight.”
Jason met her gaze and saw that her dark blue eyes gleamed with joy. She had a vibrant energy pulsating through her. She was breathtaking.