Chapter 8: Chapter 8

After lunch, Jake took Leila and Emma ashore on the speedboat kept moored to the cruiser, any excuse to get that thing out on open waters and let rip. He hoped she wasn’t going to come back with some crazy short hair but what could he do? He had no right to say anything. He wasn’t her boyfriend, just her boss and as much as he invaded her life at times, he knew where the boundaries lay.

They met the car and driver he had waiting at the port and handed Emma his credit card. That immediate frown on her face and her mouth pouting to verbalize a refusal was shot down with his no-nonsense glare. She knew his looks all too well and seemed to think better than pushing her luck on this front. He had warned her enough times at work that this trip was being financed by him and if she argued about it, then there would be hell to pay. He had been raised that way, and it wasn’t just about taking care of her, it was about his ego too. Emma slid it into her bag gracefully, she had used this card for ordering things for him at work, so she was more than capable of using it now.

He pushed away the urge to kiss her on the cheek, with Leila hovering he knew that it would just raise more knowing eyebrows and he knew for a fact Leila was the type to point out to Emma that he had the major hots for her. He had kept his cool this far and thrown everyone off the scent, and he was sure as hell not letting Leila get her teeth into that little-known fact. Emma would run for the hills if she knew how he really felt about her.

He watched them go before putting the boat into reverse and backing away from the pier. She was in the red dress today and much as he tried not to look at her this way, he couldn’t help it. She was irresistible in every way and only so much more in floaty, girly clothes that had made an appearance on this trip. God, he would keep her this way all the time if he could. As much as he loved her office outfits, and he surely did, this much sexy was hotter than hell, he liked this far more. She looked like the kind of girl you married like this, perfect, angelic, soft, and he wanted nothing more than to walk around showing her off.

Back at the boat Jake headed to his room and pulled off his T-shirt. While Emma was on shore he was going to kick back, swim some, and spend some time with Danny and the twins, having a beer and catching up. He knew that Marissa and Miracle were afternoon nappers, unlike Emma and Leila, and wouldn’t show face for a while at this time of the day. He hated lazy women who partied late and then lounged all day with nothing else in their lives. Emma had more get up and go than that, even hungover she still dragged her ass to work and rarely complained. He could never imagine someone like her ever being happy with the lifestyle Marissa was effortless at. Spoiled rich bitch with nothing to do all day except work on a tan.

He made his way to the deck and found Daniel already on a lounger, topless with a beer in hand and the twins splashing around in the ocean trying to drown one another. Jake moved to the next lounger and sat down heavily, Hunter automatically grabbing a beer from the cooler beside him and tossing it to Jake. He opened it and downed half. Drinking in the sun was pretty dumb, but he had done it for years and it never affected him like it used to.

“So, the little women off to abuse your accounts?” Daniel smirked his way, and Jake just nodded his head at him.

“Probably.” He shrugged and sat back, easing his body onto the padded bed fully and lifting his legs, kicking his trainers off the side. Leila would definitely encourage Emma to abuse his credit card and he hoped she would.

“What’s the deal with you and her? Don’t give me that friends bullshit line again man … It’s pretty obvious she’s under your skin.” Daniel lifted his shades and looked at Jake pointedly, scrutinizing his face with that intense Hunter glare.

“I’ll be fucked if I know. As much as I tell myself I have a handle on this … I don’t.” He sighed. He had never lied to Danny, in all the years they had been friends, brutal honesty was always their thing, and he knew he could trust him to never breathe a word to anyone else. Hunter was a lot of things, but a loyal tried and tested best mate above all. Surprisingly wise when he saw fit and not against love despite his own aversion to it.

“Being honest here, mate … I’ve never seen you this way over any chick, what’s so goddamn special about this one?” Daniel frowned his way, genuine curiosity across his face.

“Everything … Nothing … Fuck knows. She’s her. I can’t pinpoint it—just from the minute she walked into my office I wasn’t me … No control, zero ability to function properly, and the longer I know her the worse it is.” Jake was stressed talking about this, he had never analyzed it, he tried not to.

“There must be something specific?” Daniel was maneuvering his position to stare at Jake more fully, going in for the shrink’s approach it appeared. He did seem genuinely curious.

“Which specific thing do I pick … How she looks? How she is? How she makes me feel? … She’s Emma, she’s not got anything about her that’s not great. Except maybe the not wanting me part.” Jake hunched his shoulders and scrubbed a hand down his face.

“Maybe that’s it … Maybe because she’s probably the first woman in the history of Carrero to actually not want to jump your bones?” Daniel said smugly, and Jake considered it for a moment.

“I genuinely used to tell myself that exact thing.” He sighed.

“You’re suffering from some sort of bruised ego, man, chick turned you down flat and doesn’t want the great Carrero boner. It’s reverse psychology or some shit. If she was all over you, then maybe you wouldn’t be interested.” Daniel grinned but Jake knew this was wrong, as much as he wanted to tell himself Daniel could have a point. Maybe in the beginning but not now. He knew that having her once wouldn’t take away this need. If he was right, he would want a one-night stand, and he didn’t. He wanted something meaningful with her.

“I wish you were right.” He grimaced, at least Daniel’s idea had some sort of resolution.

“It’s a crush, something you don’t ever get … You obviously think she’s beyond hot and your picky ass self doesn’t normally find that in a girl,” Daniel said.

“She’s beautiful. Perfect even.” Jake shrugged this time, he meant every word.

“Okay, bit strong on that front, she’s cute, I’ll give you that, but she’s not really like mind-blowingly beautiful.” Daniel waved an airy hand his way and Jake instantly growled back.

Daniel had to be kidding right now.

“Are you blind?” Jake was defensive, skin prickling with almost instant aggression at anyone tearing Emma down.

“Come on? I mean she’s hot, I get it … She’s … She’s not Leila hot. Leila is my idea of a beautiful girl.” Daniel averted his eyes to the rail of the boat, evasive anytime his own emotions came into play.

“Don’t even go there, you know that subject just pisses me off because you’re an asshole.” Jake frowned a warning and the hostile change of tone rendered them both silent for a moment. Daniel finally shifted uncomfortably. That topic was a long-done deal and history had proven they couldn’t talk about Leila without a heated fight soon after.

“You know, maybe you just need to get laid, this isn’t like you at all … How long has it been? I’m sure your balls are probably blue by now and it would account for the moody assed nature.” He laughed, and Jake just threw him an amused frown. Daniel was a dick.

“I lost count, it all became pretty mind-numbingly painful after a week and now it seems like years.” He sighed and drunk more beer, pulling his shades down to cover his eyes when facing the sun this way.

“Just fuck someone and at least release some tension. Marissa is giving you the all hot and ready signs and as much as I’m against you going down that route again, I am not against you abusing her body. It’s still fucking fit … Miracle wouldn’t say no either, and that chick takes it in every way. Her ass is pretty fine too.” Daniel laughed dirtily, and Jake only sighed again. He wasn’t in the mood for picturing sex right now, his body was barely holding on.

“I think not … On both accounts. I don’t need to complicate this shit more than I am.” He sat up agitated, a stirring in his groin at the sex talk and for a moment contemplated heading down to Miracle’s room and seeing what she could do with her mouth. Emma’s mouth came into his mind’s eye and he slumped back down in irritation, all urges of any other woman evaporating.

For the love of God, she was infiltrating every part of his head nowadays.

“So, fuck it, put the moves on her properly. This pussy shit you’re doing is not the Carrero I know and love. You’re wimping out big time over this chick. Just swoop in like you always do and get her naked and screaming in under five minutes.” Daniel hauled another beer out and threw a second to Jake, he caught it swiftly and propped it against his short-covered hip.

“I can’t … She’s not like that. She doesn’t do one-night stands and then what? I still have to work with her.” Jake was starting to feel agitated, the tight ache in his lower stomach growing and he couldn’t decide if it was irritation or something else. He had the horn, he needed to fuck someone. Daniel was right on that front. He was a hot-blooded guy with a high sex drive and he had never put himself into self-inflicted celibacy in his life.

“The way you’re acting, Jake, I don’t think one night would be your goal … You’re totally pussy whipped over this chick and you know it. Suck it up and just go all in for her.” Daniel was smirking his way again, and this time he needed a moment to just think. Daniel was right. He wouldn’t be happy with a onetime thing with her, he knew the second he had her he would want more. He knew it so painfully that it had stopped him ever trying. She didn’t want this and, to be honest, having her outright reject him would be agony.

He looked out over the water at the ripples on the surface from the twins and sighed.

“Unrequited … That’s a word I never thought I’d hear myself using … Especially in terms of it being me on the painful side.” He smarted and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb, avoiding Daniel’s eyes.

“Jesus, man, what girl could resist you? You’re a handsome fuck and way too sexy for most women to handle. Have you ever just asked her?” Daniel sprayed beer his way, and he snapped his face back, ready to beat him over the head with something in an instant anger spike.

“Fuck off, wanker.” He wiped the spray off his arm and contemplated chucking his unopened can at Hunter’s face as payback. Ruining that pretty smile would be entertaining.

“Seriously, though?” Daniel smirked at him, a bit too obnoxiously.

“No. There’s no point, I know her. She gives me nothing. No signals, no hints, no tiny mannerisms to even suggest she would be interested. Emma is completely immune to me in every way and it fucking sucks.” He put his can down and crossed his arms over his head to block out the light. He wasn’t enjoying this conversation at all and Daniel seemed to be enjoying it a little too much.

“Then why the fuck are you celibate? She has no hold over you, she’s not making you wait with any fly teasing or hints of more … Fuck someone and end this misery.” Daniel leaned out and pushed him aggressively.

He couldn’t explain it, he was already so messed up over this. He just knew that it was pointless. If he even got close to a woman that wasn’t her, he knew for a fact his dick would cease to cooperate, he had a mental block and until she got out of the way he was stuck this way.

“If I could I would!” he snapped back. “Look, man, can we just drop this shit, I’m seriously not in the mood for this and it’s ruining my calm.” He sulked, childish Carrero on play and he didn’t give a shit right now. Hunter was used to all versions of him.

“Right … as your best mate, I’m doing you a favor. Stay put.” Jake kept his eyes closed and arms over his face and just ignored him. Whatever plan he was hatching Jake wasn’t interested. He heard Daniel slide up and pace off toward the other end of the deck and sighed. Reaching over to Daniel’s lounger he picked up the iPod left there and stuck the headphones in. When Hunter came back he was killing this conversation, it was pointless and going nowhere fast. Rehashing his feelings wasn’t going to make a damn bit of difference. He switched on the playlist and was immediately blasted with Nickelback, Hunter’s favorite band right now, and went back to covering his face with his arms. He was tired from last night’s late one, maybe a nap would put him in a better mood while she was away.