She’s still the kick-ass girl from the interview, the woman who caught me in her web with her sass, but there’s a vulnerability there too, and it makes me want to protect her. I want to be her knight in shining armor.
I shoot her a look out the side of my eye, smiling as she relaxes into the conversation too. Despite what I promised Jodi, I don’t know if Mom will be able to resist bringing up marriage and babies. She’ll want to lock Jodi down, a bit like I do. She’ll definitely be bugging me about it later on.
8
Jodi
“Your mother is an amazing woman,” I say as I lean against the car window watchi
ng the strip go by. “She’s so inspiring. Bringing you up all on her own while holding down two jobs . . . incredible.”
“Yeah, well that’s why I wanted to do something with my life, to pay her back.”
“Well, you did a really good job. I take it that isn’t the house you grew up in?”
“No. It was so much smaller than that. It was nice, but Mom deserved more.”
“You really are a nice guy, aren’t you? I mean, I know you are, but you really are.”
He turns to give me a smile before fixing his eyes back on the road again. “I suppose so.”
“Well, I think I’ve learned a lot about you. I’m glad I got to meet your mom. Thank you for taking me.”
“That’s okay. Thank you for coming. It was awesome to have you. And she loves you.”
That makes me feel good. It’s nice to know his mom took well to me. That came out of nowhere. It hit me by surprise, but in a good way. Brock doesn’t seem to do things in a normal way, which is okay. It leaves me off kilter, perched on the tips of my toes, but it’s okay. I don’t mind too much. It’s exciting.
“Do you want to come and see my place? Or is that a bit forward of me to ask?”
“I don’t think anything is too forward at this point, do you?”
“Is that a yes?” My breath catches in my throat as I nod, unable to form any words. “Okay, great.”
The car fills with the thick sexual tension I’m extremely accustomed to these days. I already know where tonight will lead, but it feels very different. Everything about today isn’t the same, but that’s because we’re taking it out of the office and turning it into something new. It’s always been more than a sordid fling, but this is another level. He’s inviting me in, letting me see his life, peeling back another layer.
He’s giving me way more than I’m giving him, but he seems to understand and is giving me time and space. It makes my heart swell with gratitude and emotion. I’m reminded again that I’m still falling for him.
“Okay, this is my place. At least, it is behind those gates. Hold on, I just need to open them.”
“Whoa . . .” This blows my mind. I barely know what to say. It’s the opposite end of the scale to my tiny, bare white home. It’s grand, massive, luxurious. “That is—”
“Yeah, it’s a bit ostentatious, I know that, but I fell in love with it at the time.”
“No, I’m not saying . . . It’s nice, it’s really nice. I like it a lot. It’s . . . it’s just . . .”
“A bit big for one person, I know that much. But I’ve fallen for it now, so I’m staying.”
“I don’t blame you. It’s lovely.” I dart my eyes everywhere, trying to see it all. “I love it.”
He pulls his car up at the edge of his driveway and scurries out of his side to open the door to let me out. I step out feeling more like a princess than just a personal assistant who’s been through the strangest day ever. I half want to message Millie, just to let her know what I’m doing, but of course, she doesn’t like this.
I should take that on board, let it influence my decision, but as Brock slides his fingers into mine, I can’t. He feels so good clinging to me, his touch sending a jolt of electricity racing through me.
“Wow, this really is a nice place.” I can’t stop gushing as we get inside. “Are you going to give me a tour?”
“Of course I am. If that’s what you want. I don’t know how interesting it will be.”
But I find it fascinating as he takes me from room to room, showing me more of him. I learn that he has an old baseball card collection that he started when he was a kid, lots of old records because he prefers the sound of vinyl to digital music, that he seems to like the blues and greens of the ocean since his place is decorated like it.