Billionaire Bear Shifters A Paranormal Romance Complete Series Boxset - Brittany White Page 0,105

and he felt caught in that moment, wanting it to go on and on. She let go of it again and sat back, the spell broken. “Anyway... I don’t get a lot of time to go to libraries or bookstores these days or... to read. That book wasn’t even that long and I only had time to read it over lunch.”

“Are we keeping you that busy?” Cody said, frowning. “Jessie, have you been working overtime? Because-”

“No, um... ” She shook her head. “Nothing like that. I just have um... other responsibilities?”

“Oh, pfft.” He raised his hands as if in defense. “Sorry, that’s none of my business at all-”

“No no!” Jessie said quickly. “It’s okay. Fair question. Anyway, I’d like to read more. I always feel better after curling up with a book for a while. I just wondered if you knew anything else I might like.”

Shoot. His mind was blank. He wished he had thought of something. He imagined the two of them starting their own little book club. He wondered if he could get her to meet him in the lounge sometime. They could drink whiskey and talk about books and one thing would lead to another...

“I’ll think of something,” he said smoothly. He winked at her and he could swear she blushed. He checked his phone and winced. He needed to be getting back to the kitchen and he was clearly holding Jessie up. “I’ll find you.”

“Okay.” Jessie pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. He wished he could twirl it around his finger. She got up from the table, having finished just half her food, and he stood there, leaning as she wrapped up her leftovers for later.

“Hey, Jessie,” Cody said softly. “It really isn’t my business but... if there’s anything you need help with? I mean, whatever it is that’s keeping you so busy, you can talk to me. I mean, I’d... help you however I can.” He couldn’t quite hold back the way his voice lowered. Something was wrong. He had a strong suspicion. But he couldn’t help if he didn’t know.

“Thanks, Cody.” She smiled and just as quickly looked away. He felt immediately like the boss again, or at least the quarter boss.

He wished they could just be two people, two bears, and not boss and employee.

“Right,” he muttered. “Alright, I’ll see you later. I guess.”

“Thank you for lunch,” she said, meeting his eyes once more. “Really.”

“Any time,” he said.

He left before things could become awkward and felt as if their friendship had taken a step back when he wanted it to take about ten steps forward.

Goddammit.

He left her there and out in the hall, his aggravation came out in the form of a low growl and he glared at employees passing by, who quickly skittered out of his way because Cody Strauss in a bad mood was bad news.

He was frustrated. He felt as if he could have something special with Jessie but something was holding them back and he had a feeling it was a problem that Jessie wasn’t willing to share.

And he wasn’t going to be able to drop it until he found out what it was.

36

Jessie

The trouble was that Jessie liked Cody and that was hard enough. He had quickly become one of the highlights of her day and as far as the workday alone went, he was the highlight of her day. When she was exhausted from cleaning for hours and yet more tired thinking about all the things she’d have to do as soon as she got home, Cody always seemed to show up. Or she would go visit him in the kitchen and he’d give her a snack or a soda and chat with her and she always felt better. Sometimes when she surprised him in the kitchen, she caught him while he was grumpy and grumbling at his kitchen staff or himself because he was unhappy with a dish or the state of the kitchen. He always seemed a little more cheerful when Jessie left too. Unless she was imagining it.

But Jessie had decided that her little crush would only remain that; a little crush. It could not be anything more. That was too big of a risk.

Jessie went back to work and allowed herself to pout as she made bed and stuffed laundry into a cart. The work was at least a distraction from thinking about what she could not have. Sometimes she didn’t mind it so much. Cleaning could be kind of satisfying.