Come To Me | Jerrie

Chapter 17

After one of the best mornings I've had in a long time, I kicked Jade out so I could get ready. We're heading back to New Jersey late in the evening and I needed to get some work done. I managed to get some emails sorted and check my voicemails. All in all, I've been pretty damn productive. I don't think I've stopped smiling, and my cheeks are starting to hurt.

I hear a ding on my phone.

Jade: Hey, I need to go to the office. We need to leave in 30 min.

Me: Okay. No problem.

There must be something serious going on. She's been on the phone several times, has gone in to the office, and seems tense when it comes to anything regarding her security firm. I start to pack my bags and close my laptop. Luckily, there isn't too much stuff to pick up. I close my eyes, remembering how Jade was so reluctant to leave this morning, how she melted another part of my carefully constructed wall. It's so easy to be comfortable around her.

Twenty minutes later, there's a knock at the door. Grabbing my bags and giving the room a once over, my trepidation soars. What do I say or do? I'm not good at this crap, which is why I've always been in a relationship. I don't know what this is, so I don't know how to act. Another bang on the door. I can't hide since she's my ride home. I channel some inner strength and head to the door.

"Hey, gorgeous." She smiles and leans in, pressing her lips to mine.

Maybe this won't be so awkward.

"Hey." I look her over and grin. Now that I know what's underneath those clothes, it's virtually impossible not to stare. Her eyes narrow and her smile reappears.

"Are you mentally undressing me?"

Cocky ass.

"No!" Damn her and her ability to read me. "What time is our flight?"

She smiles and grabs my bag—always the gentlewoman. "We leave around six, but I may have to push it back depending on what I find out when I get to the office."

Letting my curiosity get the best of me, words tumble out of my mouth as we head to the elevator. "What's going on? Can I help?" She looks over with her head cocked to the side. "I'm not trying to pry." And here I go with my overstepping. I swear one day I'll keep my big mouth shut.

"You're not prying." Jade's fingers interlace with mine and my heart skips a beat. Just the small physical touch she gives me is reassuring. "I told you we have contracts, but our contracts are very different. Basically, my company trains men and women to go to a war zone. They get paid a lot of money, but it's hazardous. We get funded by the government and we send a team to do various missions or security details."

"Wow, sounds dangerous."

"It can be, but we make sure our people have the best equipment, training, and anything else they could need while they're out there. It's why most of my team are former SEALs or prior military."

It's insane to think people volunteer to go to Iraq and Afghanistan when they aren't in the military. Ice shoots through my veins, freezing me in place. What if Jade has to go? I'm sure she's been before and it's obvious she's trained, but still. Would she spend long periods of time there?

Jade stops and cups my face. "What is it?"

Unable to articulate my sudden anxiety, I shake my head and smile. "Nothing. Sorry. I'm trying to understand why anyone would do that voluntarily." I'm not going to bring up that it's her I'm worried about. For all I know this relationship—or whatever it is—could be done next week. I break her hold and head toward the elevator. I need to shake this dread from the pit of my stomach. Otherwise, this thing we have might be over before it actually begins.