JENNIE
I woke slowly from a deep sleep, my eyes opening to a room gray with broken dawn. Across the bed, Lisa slept facing me, lying on top of the comforter in a white t-shirt and heather-gray sweatpants. At rest, with tousled hair, she almost looked relaxed, except that her arms were crossed over her chest. She was so far away that she was almost falling off the bed.
Was it out of respect that she kept her distance? Or had our new arrangement gone into effect at the stroke of midnight?
I could reach out and touch her, pull her close. Snuggle into her chest. Desire welled in me, less urgent than in the past, but deeper. I couldn't help but think of what she might do if the circumstances were different. Lean over and finish the kiss she'd started in my office, letting her hands wander over my t-shirt. Reach between my thighs and feel my want, my need . . .
She shifted and opened her eyes. "Morning."
I cleared my throat. "Morning."
"How do you feel?"
"Good," I said and meant it. "I slept really well once you stayed with me."
She nodded and stretched her long limbs before leaning over me to see the clock. "Five to seven."
"I'm going to be late," I said.
"Call in sick." She turned back with a smile far too tempting for my tenuous, early-morning willpower. "You can stay here today if you want."
"That's a terrible idea." I sat up, grimacing as my sore muscles protested. "Setting aside the fact that we agreed to end this, the big party is tonight."
Lisa sucked in an inhale, and I caught her cringe. "You're a little black and blue," she said, also getting up and scooting across the bed. She took my chin in her hand again—something I enjoyed far too much. "The cut looks all right, but your cheek is bruised." She shook her head and swept the hair from my face. "Poor girl."
We looked at each other, her hand lingering. The memory of our kiss swept over me again, more vivid with her vicinity. I pushed the dangerous thought from my mind but a sound escaped my lips.
"And what about the wounds I can't see?" She asked. "We should talk about what happened. What Alvarez almost—"
"Stop." I set my jaw. Why bring that up? I'd managed to temporarily forget the terror of Mark's hands on me, on what could've happened if Lisa hadn't returned. Surface scrapes and bruises were easy—once they healed, it was done. But knowing I'd come close to being . . . I couldn't even bring myself to think of the violation.
I glanced at the comforter between us. "I'm fine."
"You have to talk about it."
"I will." I raised my eyes and ended the conversation, even if it was with a lie. "With Taehyung."
"Right." Lisa glanced away, then lifted herself off the bed. "Let me at least save you a trip home. I can have an outfit sent up from one of the boutiques downstairs," she said and plucked at her shirt collar. "I've got great taste."
As a new day began, last night's shock wore off and left no excuses to hide behind. To stay and spend more time with this intriguing, sexy girl—who wouldn't want that? To let her dress me as she would her girlfriend and send me off to work?
It definitely broke the rules of our non-existent relationship.
I pulled the covers off and climbed out of bed.
"Jesus, Jennie," Lisa said, raking her eyes over me.
I glanced down to find my legs bare, and her long t-shirt grazing just below my underwear. "Shit," I said, tugging down the hem. "I must've taken off my pants in the middle of the night."
"I'm trying to behave," she said, "but you're making it nearly impossible."
I smiled, waving her off, though I understood. She exaggerated shielding her eyes as she left the room.
After a hot shower, I came out of the bathroom to find a shopping bag on the bed. God, that was quick. Normally, I would've left it where it was, but with my blouse destroyed, I couldn't exactly show up to work in a t-shirt and slacks. I unfolded a simple, forest brown dress conservative enough for the office. I knew why Lisa had chosen the brown. It matched my eyes, and it was also Taehyung's favorite color on me.
I attempted to make myself presentable by twisting my damp hair into a loose chignon and breaking into the makeup essentials I carried in my purse. I lingered over the bruise, dabbing the area with cover-up, but eventually gave up trying to look good to go meet Lisa in the kitchen.
She still wore a faded t-shirt and gray sweatpants that hung dangerously low. I glimpsed skin when she pulled two mugs from a cupboard.
"Thank you for the dress," I said, looking around her place one more time. "How much do I owe you?"
"Just a quick breakfast," she said, quickly scanning my outfit. "What do you eat in the mornings? Want coffee? OJ? Both?"
I sighed, half-longing to spend my morning ogling her over a coffee mug. "I need to get going."
"You should eat first. I'm not a great cook, but I can whip something up."
Not wanting to be rude, I nodded to a bowl of fruit behind her. "How about a banana?"
She swung around and grabbed one to offer it to me. "What else?"
I narrowed my eyes and smiled at her. "You're kind of persistent, aren't you?" I said, mocking how she'd called me "a little stubborn" the night before.
She grunted. "When I want something, yes."
"What do you want, Lisa?"
She flexed her hands in her pockets, inadvertently tugging her sweatpants lower. "Just to feed you, Jennie."
Was Lisa this attentive to all her overnight visitors? She must've run up quite a tab on breakfast foods. With the irritating thought, I turned away. "The banana will suffice."
"At least let me get you a cab, too," she said, walking me to the door.
"You're in your pajamas," I pointed out. "What's it like living in a hotel anyway? Don't all the people disturb you?"
She gave a short laugh as we passed into the entryway, where she hit the elevator call button. "That's not usually the first thing people ask when they find out I live in a hotel. But no. Last night we used a private entrance and elevator. So unless I come through the front, I'm generally spared from people-ing."
I turned to face her. "You're still coming to tonight's Meet and Greet, right?" I asked. "Beman will kill me if you don't show. The press will be there to debut the list, starting with a red carpet out front of the hotel as people arrive."
"I'll be there," she said. "But all I have to do is ride the elevator one floor up to the rooftop. Looks like I'll miss the red carpet."
"But you're the most sought-after person in the feature—" I stopped myself. Clearing my throat, I tried shifting from teenage fangirl to a more professional approach. "We need you for the press you'll bring. You're walking the red carpet—even if I have to come up here and drag you there myself."
Lisa paused a beat, then reached up to lift my chin. I assumed she meant to inspect my injury again, but instead, she leaned in, her mouth nearly at my ear. "I can almost assure you that plan would backfire," she said levelly. "Next time I get you willingly alone in my apartment, even the gentleman in me will step aside."
My eyes hit the marble floor as my warming cheeks gave way to a furious blush. Any joking left her demeanor. Was she serious? Did she think I could respond to something like that?
"Good grief, you're red," she said, drawing back. I peeked up to see her lips spread into a devastating smile. "And go easy on that poor banana."
I loosened my death grip around the fruit just as the elevator dinged.
Saved by the bell.
"I'll see you tonight," I said.
"Tonight." She nodded once and slipped her phone from her pocket when it rang. "Shit," she said and answered the call. Her molten-brown eyes stayed on me as I boarded the elevator and leaned against the back rail, soaking in every last second with her.
She nodded once and said into the phone, "Got it."
I could've stared at her all day. It shouldn't have been anything remarkable, her on a phone call in pajamas, but her beauty, even like this, took my breath away.
The doors started to close, stealing her from me inch by inch.
Until she shot her hand between them, stopping the elevator. She hung up her call and met my eyes.
"Cooper wants us at the station as soon as possible."