ESTHER

Chapter fifteen

Jack Rhodes booked a fancy hotel for our date. It was the VIP area, which makes my heart thump faster at the thought of being alone with him in a comfy room. Not that we haven't been alone in a room before, but his office was much wider than the one we were in.

We sat down on opposite each other in the comfy couches. The room was small but luxurious, dutifully designed according to the customers taste. When our water arrived, Jack Rhodes ordered for both of us. I was grateful because I didn't know half of what was written there. Our waiter left the room and finally, my boos looked at me.

     "Isn't it to fancy for a business date, sir?" I asked, trying to stop the sizzling tension in the room. He raised an eyebrow at me as if what I was asking of him was not plausible. I realised why immediately. I was dealing with Jack Rhodes.

     "Never mind," I said, looking down at my fingers seated on my laps.

     "Nothing is too extravagant for me" I looked up at him, noticing his searing gaze curiously searching mine. My eyes locked on his, and k found it hard to move away. I was intrigued that despite how dark the room was, his eyes were still shining like emeralds. Something was lurking in his eyes also and whatever that was made the butterflies in my tummy dance.

I laughed, removing my eyes away from his gaze as I felt the heat creeping into my cheeks. My boss was handsome, so what? That doesn't mean I have to develop any kind of feelings for him. It's a total 'no go area'.

     "About Kingsley and Duke..." I uttered as the waiter returned along with the food he ordered.  Letting the waiter do his job, I continued after he was done.

     "You don't sound surprised about it." I picked up my cutlery, trying to remember my manners as I was dining with my boss. I took a bite out of my food and was astounded at the flavour of the food.

     "I'm not." He mumbled. I looked up at him just at the exact moment he put food in his mouth. His actions made heat to travel all around my body. I lowered my head, lest he caught me staring.

     "Why is that?" I whispered, taking another bite.

     "I had always suspected their reasons for working here. The twins didn't study anything close to the business. I was suspicious when they finally showed interest in it. They claimed that they had a right to the company just as their father had, year's after the company grew larger. I couldn't stop them, so they resumed their work, continuing from where their father left off or so I'm told."

I let the silence swallow us a bit, preparing myself for the next question that I want to ask.

     "About their father," I looked up at him. He was already starting at me. I didn't know for how long but I decided not to let that bother me.

     "Is what they said true?"

     "No" he replied immediately.  He was looking at me with such intensity and I could see he was telling the truth.

     "So what happened?" I asked, curious.

     "No one knows. My father and theirs argued the day before he died. I would understand why they would assume something like that but for them to go about spreading something that even they know isn't true, is too much.  My father was devastated the day their father died. He couldn't eat and was bedridden for a month. It was around that time that the company was then passed on to me."

I nodded my head in understanding, finally getting around the whole scenario.

     "So do you know what their aim is for coming to work in the company?"

     "They think that their father is the true owner of the company, not mine." He answered back.

     "One would wonder why their father didn't tell them in the first place." Jack Rhodes gave a small response, silently agreeing with me as he shook his head. I noticed that he had finished his food while I was almost done with mine.

     "I think about that all the time." He affirmed. Looking up at me, he smiled. My heart almost jumped out of my throat.

     "Thank you, for telling me. Now I'm a hundred per cent sure that I can trust you."

     "You never trusted me before?" I blurted, trying to understand why he hired me in the first place.

     "Once I saw you on the ramp walk, I knew immediately that you could be some trust. All the other girls looked like they had an agenda." His voice was low and husky, while his eyes deepened as he looked at me. I could tell that he was remembering the day of my interview.  Suddenly feeling very conscious I countered.

  "What makes you think I don't have my agenda?" I praised my self for my outward bravado, not sure though how I could calm the nerves running rampant in my body.

     "Whatever your agenda is, I'm sure it's not as bad as the rest." The tension was sizzling in the air, both our eyes rested on the other. I was finding it hard to look away from his and I suspected that he had the same problem too.

He suddenly moved over to where I sat, and I jumped, ready to fly out from my seat. The look he gave me made me comport myself. He moved a little closer to me with such grace and elegance I felt a kick of jealousy so hard it almost felt real.

     "Sir?" I whispered. I realised that I was trembling.

     "W...why did you move, sir?" I questioned. He remained quiet, looking at me with such heated passion and just like a light bulb, I finally recognised the tension between us for what it was.

  No, it couldn't be. I refused to believe it.

He roamed his eyes all over my face and lingered on my lips. His gaze darkened and I gulped, as I felt the scorching heat of desire take over my body.

No, he couldn't he wouldn't.

He leaned in, angling his face towards mine, then looked up at me as if asking for permission. I was so shocked I couldn't move. Whether it was because of the action he was about to take, or because he asked for my permission, I didn't know.

He wouldn't I thought, even as I closed my eyes, inviting him.

Then he did it.