The Carrero Effect - Falling for the Boss (Billionaire CEO)
Chapter 56

"Eww, hell no. That's gross. Jake is like a brother to me, there's literally nothing there at all. No spark-there never was. I mean; I appreciate he's good to look at, but I just don't get any butterflies from it, from him. He's just Jake, and he knows how to annoy me on so many levels, just like my brothers." She squeezes my arm, as though trying to reassure me and there's only honesty in that sweet face. "You've nothing to worry about from over here! I'm all like eww, no. Jake is not someone I would ever go there with ... And I'm like, totally hot for Richard right now." She grins, and I bat her away playfully.

"You know that's not how it is with him. He told you that already." I try and defend our relationship, a slow rise of heat hitting my cheekbones.

"I know, so did you ... Three times already. Thou doth protest too much." She bursts into a childish, but adorable giggle and I try for a subject change instead.

"I can't imagine you being anything other than you are now." I'm trying to steer back to our pre-Jake conversation.

...

"Jake introduced me to all his friends, he would let me hang out with them and come away on trips. He really took me under his wing I see him doing it with you, and I guess, Sophie, because my mom says she raves about both of you." Leila's smile is infectious, but this makes me stop and take note.

Is that what Jake does with me? Protects me like a little sister? No! He kissed me ... He touches me in ways that would be wrong if I was his sister ... "Jake and I are just friends, and co-workers... He doesn't need to take me under his wing." I respond over brightly, but she gives me a knowing look.

"Whether he does or doesn't, I know him. He's very protective of you. It's really kind of sweet."

"We have a weird relationship ... forced together, I guess, and it's made us really close." I know I'm trying to sound nonchalant, but truth is, I'm fluttering from her observations.

"It's more than that. You forget, I've known him since I was seven. His flirty little remarks, his almost aggressive protectiveness of you, and the way he just had to butt in over your hair. Jake doesn't do stuff like that with girls he isn't invested in." Leila stops me with a hand on my arm, turning me to face her. Even though I'm small, I stand taller than her curvy little frame.

"You're reading too much into things. I've been his PA for a year now, we really are completely platonic in every way." I can't help the creep of blush at the little white lie; platonic didn't involve sleep kissing in the slightest. "He flirts with every girl he meets; he can't help himself. It doesn't mean anything."

"No, he doesn't. He doesn't have to make any verbal effort at all. Girls tend to throw themselves at him, literally. Jake is all about the hot looks and quick smiles, he never has to try; it's boring to witness. He rarely breaks out the cheesy come ons, or fast lines, for any girl. Until you ... with you he uses so many cringe worthy lines, he's so obvious. Emma, I think the boy has it bad. You gotta trust me on this." Leila can't stop beaming at me, but I shake my head.

"I know Jake better than you think; he's funny and he's over-sexed. The flirty lines are just his humor at play because he seriously does not look at me that way. It's our banter, our friendly to and fro." I sound a little sterner than I intend.

Who am I trying to convince her or myself?

She needs to stop with this crazy notion already.

"When you guys finally get over this weird denial, you're both going through, I want to be maid of honor." She winks at me and wraps an arm around my waist, ushering me onward again.

"Leila, it's never going to happen." Even though the words sound true, a little hard jab in my heart betrays me.

"Jake will figure it out, or you will. Then we'll see." She smirks cheekily.

My cell vibrates and it's a welcome distraction. I don't like how this conversation is going anymore and would love an end to it. The text is from Jake, informing us that they're heading to the mainland so to mee them at the bistro for dinner. Leila knows where we're going, so we go off in pursuit of our driver and car.

***

Leila chatters non-stop while touching up her make-up in the car. The journey is short, and before we know it, we're stepping out onto a scene from the movie Cocktail.

The restaurant is nice and private, it has a beach theme with little palm roofs over each table which spill out onto the sand, near the shore, strung with fairy lights which are twinkling now that the light is fading. As we approach from the entrance, we spot our party immediately and make our way across the crowded sands of the outer part of the bistro. Jake has picked us an almost shore-side table. He stands up as we approach, unaware that we've arrived.

He's gorgeous in a white shirt and blue designer jeans over sneakers, while talking to Daniel in a rather animated way as Daniel hops about beside his chair, demonstrating something ridiculous. They're both laughing heartily, Richard shaking his head at whatever they're reminiscing about and his twin crimson with sheer embarrassment. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that he's the source of the joke.

Jake glances our way absent-mindedly, then does a double take, his eyes coming to lock with mine in recognition. His mouth almost drops open as he runs his eyes over my hair then back to my face. A spark of static flashes across my stomach and almost makes me gasp.

Holy hell.

He's never looked at me in that way before and it sends a shiver through my abdomen, heating my pelvic floor instantly.

Jesus, Emma.

He smiles and walks toward me, his hand impulsively straight to my hair and pushes a strand back off my face gently. Runs his fingers through it lightly, the motion tingling my scalp seductively; his face is close enough to feel his breath on my low neckline of my dress, and I almost stop breathing with this intimacy. He knows how to command attention anyway; I can see why he doesn't need to make much verbal effort.

"I like this. A lot," he utters softly, his piercing eyes suddenly heavy, his pupils dilated. I guess they've already been drinking before coming to the mainland, he looks intoxicated. The overall effect is devastating on my hormones.

My body is on high alert to him, like it has been since Chicago and I inhale slowly, trying to not to openly react to his proximity. Every part of me trembling at his contact.

"Thank you." I blush and pull the hair from his hand, tucking it back with the rest of my short waves, shyly. He leans down, planting a gentle unexpected kiss on my cheek causing a sensation of warmth and stomach fluttering with the brief graze. I quell the urge to moan at the contact.

What the hell is going on? Leila planted seeds in my head, and now I'm all out going cuckoo.

Grasping my hand, he motions, "Come on," and leads me back to the table; Leila throws me a wink and grin. She looks mighty pleased with herself and all I can do is follow weakly, momentarily knocked limp with his reaction to my hair. I'm over analyzing everything, from the reaction, the cheek kiss, hand holding, and the way I'm almost falling over myself, to the look in his eyes as he turns to me to guide me to a chair. Leila has messed with my head big time and I'm uber aware of him, sexually stirred and I try to shake it off as I sit down.

We sit outside under palm frond umbrellas and the food is amazing; we're drinking cocktails and it's helping me unwind and relax. Fruity, decorated drinks that taste like tropical juice and soda.

All three of his male friends have whistled and complimented my hair and I keep catching him looking at me as though he's seeing me for the first time. I try to ignore the frequency in which I catch his eyes on me. A small ripple running through me, with both warning, and thrill.

Why does Jake have to be so good-looking, with eyes that can strip you bare?

It's unnerving.

I'm starting to warm a little to Daniel Hunter now he's stopped leering at me, that is. Well, in such a sleazy way, now it's more of a male flirty glance every now and then.

"What motivated this?" Daniel reaches out, scooping a strand of my hair and Jake bats his hand away aggressively.

"No touching." The scowl is somewhere between funny, and serious; Daniel just raises an eyebrow and grins. "Sorreeeee, big man. You have to admit though, your girl does look extra hot with this new do." He winks at me. "Ummm, thanks." I cut in blandly, watching the way Jake glares at Daniel, then punches him lightly in the shoulder.

"She's not going to sleep with you, so you can cut out the compliments, and the flirty crap." Huffy tone, alpha male stance going on and sulky boy brewing.0000000