Just One Night (The Kingston Family #1) - Carly Phillips Page 0,31
old grudge stand in the way of keeping it in the family.
“Linc?” She ran her tongue over her lips, moistening them. Tempting him.
“Yeah.” He glanced at Jordan.
She tipped her head to one side, her ponytail brushing her shoulder. “Maybe you can use your father’s dementia to declare the contract null and void.”
“No.” He shook his head. “We agreed to keep the news to the family. If it gets out, any deals he did in the last year, even legitimate ones I knew about, could be undone by someone with regrets taking us to court.”
She visibly cringed. “Okay, I understand. So what do you suggest?”
“Either I get Beck to be reasonable … or I find a way to pay.”
Jordan nodded. “So you have a plan.”
He shot her a grateful look, once again struck by how vital she was to him. How understanding even when he didn’t expect it or think he deserved it. How he couldn’t live without her in his life. “Jordan?”
She looked at him, concern in her gaze. “What is it?”
He drew a deep breath. “Thanks for not judging me.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t thank me. I know you, Linc. And there is no way you’d deliberately hurt a friend. Or cheat. Discussion closed, okay?”
He was dying to pull her into him and kiss those soft lips, in much more than gratitude. He leaned forward, unsure what he planned, and Jordan jumped up from her seat.
“I vote we go back to the city. I have a ton of laundry and cleaning to do.” Cheeks burning, she turned away.
God dammit. What did he need to do to ease her into being comfortable with testing the waters of a relationship? He couldn’t stop thinking about their night, their compatibility in all ways, and he wanted to see if they could make a go of things.
Had he done a one-eighty? Yes. But he couldn’t imagine another woman who understood him as well or who he desired more.
Chapter Six
Jordan arrived at work early on Monday with a Starbucks grande chai tea latte for herself and a tall dark roast with milk for Linc. She wasn’t surprised when he strode in a few minutes after her. He, too, always showed up before nine.
“Good morning,” he said, pausing by her desk outside his office.
She smiled. “Good morning to you. Coffee’s on your desk.”
“Thanks. How was the rest of your weekend?”
She shrugged. “Fine. Busy with the usual. Errands, straightening up, laundry. Claire came over Saturday night,” she said of her sister. “We ordered pizza and watched a movie.”
“How is your sister?”
Claire hadn’t spent as much time at Linc’s house when their mom was working. Being older, she’d had a job after school.
“She’s good.” She looked back at her computer screen.
“So I take it you were too busy to return my calls or texts?” He propped a hip on the corner of her desk.
His arousing masculine scent, woodsy cologne mixed with a hint of spice, reminded her of why she’d avoided him all weekend. “I answered you. I asked if you needed to talk about work and you said no.” So she’d dodged getting back in touch.
He braced a hand on the papers strewn across her desk and leaned close. “What’s going on, Jordan?”
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and released it. Big mistake. His gaze tracked the movement, his eyes darkening.
“I’m just making sure we have our boundaries set,” she said.
He raised an eyebrow. “You’re my best friend. My person. We have no boundaries.”
Before she could answer, he rose and adjusted his suit jacket. “Any messages?” he asked, back in boss mode after shaking her to her core.
“Not yet but it’s early.”
He nodded. “Well, you know where to find me.” He started for his office and turned back around. “Want to get lunch?”
“I’m going to ask Suzanne to go out to eat. See what else she could tell me.” Jordan pointedly didn’t discuss specifics in the office.
Approval lit his eyes. “Good. And if she isn’t free, we’re going to Ocean Prime. Make a reservation and use my name. And if not today, make one for tomorrow.”
Her eyes opened wide. Ocean Prime was not a typical business-lunch restaurant. It was a make-an-impression one.
At some point in the last couple of days, Linc had changed their MO, and he hadn’t filled her in on why. He was attempting to push beyond the friend zone they’d been in for years, after he’d said sex between them couldn’t happen again.
As much as she wished things were different, nothing