Page 15 of Inevitable

And while I’d hoped my childhood crush had been stamped out, it was turning into a raging inferno. My attraction to this man was off the charts. And he was completely off-limits.

Breathe in. Out. In. Out.I chanted the words in my head like a mantra as I tried to steady my heart rate. I needed out. I needed space. In the past, Jonathan had always been a safe place to land. And I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed that—him—until I’d seen him again.

“I haven’t seen you in years, Sumner. I want to know what’s going on with you. Come on.” He stood, slipping a hand into his pocket. “I’d like to take my new intern to lunch.”

“It’s three o’clock in the afternoon.”

“I haven’t eaten since breakfast. Is it too early for dinner?” he asked.

I laughed, some of the earlier tension between us easing. “A little.”

“Drinks?”

I arched an eyebrow, surprised by his suggestion. Surprised by his insistence. He was different than I remembered. Or maybe he was treating me differently now that I was an adult.

“Don’t you have work to do?”

“It’s called theWolfeGroup for a reason,” he teased. “I’m the boss.”

“Yes, but I’m not sure it would look so great for you to be skipping out with your new intern in the middle of the day.”

“Oh. So, you’re staying now?” He typed a few things on his laptop and then flashed me a cheeky smile as he picked up the phone on his desk.

“Cody, please cancel my appointments for the rest of the day.” Jonathan was silent for a moment, then said, “It’s fine. Just do it,” before hanging up the phone.

His commanding tone had me clenching my thighs together, and he peered up at me as if he’d noticed. His nostrils flared, palms pressed against the top of his desk. He was glorious. Like a captain in control of his ship. A man certain of himself and his destiny.

He rounded the desk, and I stood as he pocketed his keys. “Let’s go.”

He placed his hand on the small of my back, and a bolt of lightning raced up my spine. How could such a simple, singular touch affect me so profoundly?

“Sumner?”

I shook my head as if to clear it. “Yes?”

“I asked if you were ready.”

“Ready for what?”

“Anything.” He grinned, and I liked the sound of that, reading more into his playful tone than I had any right to.

“But your clients and your—”

“It’s fine. I’ll introduce you to a few people you’ll be working with this summer. Then we can go check out a couple properties and grab drinks or dinner.”

Our eyes locked, and my breath caught.Holy shit.The way he was looking at me… He was looking at me as if he wanted me. Which was absurd, right?

“Deal?”

I nodded, completely under his spell. He could’ve told me to strip naked and run through the office, and I’d have agreed if it meant he’d keep looking at me that way.

“It’s settled, then,” he said, opening the door so I could step through.

I felt everyone’s eyes on us as we walked down the hall, but I told myself I was just paranoid. We headed toward the elevator, and he greeted every employee by name. For a man who owned one of the biggest full-service commercial real estate firms in Los Angeles, he really was very down-to-earth. I mean, I’d heard the gossip—that he could be demanding, a perfectionist, difficult to work with. But all of it had been said with the utmost respect, bordering on awe. My dad was right; I could definitely learn a thing or two from Jonathan.

“Eric.” He rapped his knuckles on the door to an office. “There’s someone I want to introduce you to.” Jonathan beckoned me over then said, “This is Sumner Gray. She’ll be interning with us this summer.”

“Great.” Eric smiled, and I immediately liked him. He looked like he’d be more at home on a skateboard than in the boardroom, with his long brown hair that he had to brush out of his eyes.