“Gladly.”
I sat and listened as Helen went into detail—way into detail, about how she and some associate of hers had snuck into the zoo after hours and had sex on the bench right in front of the Desert Animals exhibit. I wasn’t sure what part I should’ve been more appalled at—the fact that she actually had late night sex in a zoo, or the fact that the animals walked over to the fence to watch.
“Oh my god!” Sandra’s jaw dropped. “Don’t immediately look behind you, but the sexiest man I’ve ever seen just got off the elevator. He looks really important...I wonder if he’s a celebrity.”
I noticed the women at the table behind us gasping and whispering, so I slowly turned around to see who they were talking about: Jonathan.
He was nodding his head as the manager handed him a business card. He shook the man’s hand as he looked towards our table.
Our eyes met and my heart sped up; my nerves were running uncontrollably and my body felt like it was on fire.
I turned back towards Sandra. “That’s him,” I whispered.
“Him who?”
“Good evening, Claire.” Jonathan was at my side seconds later.
“Good evening, Jonathan...” I swallowed and felt myself blushing. “Umm, this is Sandra and this is Helen.”
“Good evening, ladies.” He smiled.
“Good evening.” They both practically swooned.
“Am I the only guy here?” He looked down at me.
“Yes...”
“Okay. I’ll be right back.”
He walked over to the bar, and once he was out of earshot, Sandra slapped my shoulder. “That’s your boss? Your description didn’t do him justice at all! Screw the age thing, Claire, he’s sexy as hell.”
“Is he single?” Helen eyed him.
“He’s taken.” Sandra wagged her finger. “Claire’s dating him.”
I’m not dating him!
“Well, about time! Welcome to Cougar-town!” Helen laughed and took a long swig of her drink.
On any other night, I would’ve replied to her silly little remark, but it was my birthday and I didn’t feel like letting her get to me. Besides, I wasn’t a real “cougar,” she was. She hardly ever dated anyone her own age. The oldest boyfriend she’d ever had was twelve years younger than her—when she was thirty five.
“Screw you, Helen.” Sandra rolled her eyes. “You better not say anything ridiculous when he gets back over here.”
Helen made a “scouts honor” symbol with her fingers, and as if on cue, Jonathan walked back over to the table with a tray of exotic drinks.
“Cheers to the birthday girl?” He smiled.
We all nodded and tossed back a shot.
He slid into the chair next to me and placed his hand on my thigh.
I immediately felt myself getting hot, so I brushed his hand away and crossed my legs.
Why did I let Sandra talk me into going commando tonight?
“So Jonathan...” Helen purred. “What exactly do you do for a living?”
She knows the answer to this already...Why is she asking him that?
Jonathan put his hand back on my thigh. “I’m the CEO of Statham Industries. And yourself?”
“Interesting! I’m a lawyer at my own law firm, Donovan and Fitz. It’s actually one mile away from your company. How did you become the CEO at such a young age?”
“I started the company when I was still in college. It was just a side thing at first—charging people twenty or thirty bucks here or there to install all types of systems on their phones or laptops, but then I realized that I could build phones and computers from scratch; that I could do a much better job than some of the bigger computer companies. So, my professor helped me to write up a business plan and I showed off the best products I’d developed. Then I got a few investors and professors on board with the condition that I would be the CEO and the company’s namesake. I made a profit the very first year and the rest is history.”
Wow...
“Very impressive.” Helen nodded. “It must be a pretty hectic life. What do you do in your free time, and why aren’t you married already? I’m sure someone like you has lots of beautiful options to choose from.”
What the hell is she doing?!
I was glaring at her, silently begging her to stop making him uncomfortable, but he didn’t look the slightest bit bothered by her insane questioning. He looked calm and in control.
He began strumming my thigh with his fingertips. “I work out, travel, and collect yachts in my spare time.”
Did he just say “yachts”? As in plural?
“And the reason you’re not married yet is because? Are you too rich to be tied down? Having too much fun sleeping with a different woman every night?”
God, please strike her down now...
Sandra was giving Helen the most evil side-glare in history. It looked like she was about to claw her eyes out.
“No...” He smiled. “That’s definitely not it. I guess I haven’t found the right woman yet.”