“My pleasure. We can’t not eat—and if you agree to help me, it’s the least I can do.”
“Yeah, speaking of helping you…are you going to tell me what help you need?”
* * *
He was tryingto avoid having the actual conversation as long as he could because the banter between them was easy. Zayn was afraid of upsetting the mood if he told her about the tentative plan to tear down the building because he feared it might make her mad. He didn’t want to ruin the friendship he felt like they had started. He also noticed she wasn’t letting him out of it. No matter how many times something had distracted them, by his doing or otherwise, the conversation kept coming back to it. When he’d considered the thought earlier in the day, she wasn’t part of the equation—none of the tenants were—so it was easier to disassociate. She made the situation a little more real.
“Okay Jenna, I’ll tell you, but first can you promise me something?”
“I’ll try my best.”
“I want you to try to keep an open mind.”
“Gosh, that only sounds a little ominous. I’m not so sure I want to hear what you have going on in your head Zayn.”
“Well, it’s not all bad—just hear me out.” He hesitated for seconds to gather his nerve. “I would like to tear down Terrace Gardens.”
“What? Have you gone crazy?” Jenna angrily pushed off the couch and paced around the living room before she ended at the wall of windows looking over the city again.
He fought the urge to go to her, but his heart ruled out. He approached and put a hand lightly against her shoulder.
“I’m sorry to shock you with that. I promise it’s not as crazy an idea as it sounds, and I’m not losing my mind. Will you hear me out?”
She turned to face him, their breath mingling.
He’d had other women in his intimately personal space, but none elicited the same reaction. This one made the air around them pop with electricity. He placed his palms on each of her upper arms and squeezed gently before he let his hormones do the thinking for him and leaned in to kiss her. For fear of getting slapped, he pulled away and considered her eyes. He didn’t see anger anymore, but passion instead. Zayn hadn’t planned on kissing her in the first place. It wasn’t the professional thing to do, but he wanted even more, and she wasn’t pulling away. His hands squirmed their way into her hair, bringing her head closer and her lips back to his.
He couldn’t get enough of her, couldn’t stop touching as his hands moved from her head down across her shoulders to roam her body. Her skin was silky smooth in all the right places and as his hands moved under her shirt, he felt goosebumps form as her entire body shivered.
“Are you alright?” he whispered against her lips.
Her eyes fluttered open and connected with Zayn.
“I’m okay.” But she took a step away from him.
Zayn was bereft. He wanted her close again. But it was wrong. She was his tenant. There must be some rule somewhere that it was unacceptable or unprofessional.
She knew it too. Why else would she have moved away from him?
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…” Zayn’s shoulders deflated.
“Don’t be sorry, I’m not.”
Really? Then why did you move?“You’re not?”
She left him where he stood and sat back down on the couch.
“You’re amazing, Zane, but don’t you think we might be moving just a little fast? I’m also not really a one-night stand kind of girl. I’d much rather have someone that’s in it for the long haul, as corny as that sounds.”
“Not corny, quite the contrary, I respect the hell out of that. You might be surprised, but one night stands really aren’t my thing. I know that in my line of work, as one who makes a lot of money at least, there is a stereotype. Money, booze, and fast women. That’s what single billionaire men do with their time outside of the office, but that’s never been me, either. I don’t drink much and when I do, it’s usually a beer. I hate champagne, but I stomach it for charitable events. I do have a lot of money, but I try hard not to let it go to my head and I’ve never been one for women that are only after one thing.”
“Your money.” As Jenna said the words, her eyes zeroed in on his.
“Yes. Makes me ill the things some women will do—and trust me, I’ve seen and met my fair share.”
“Well, I know you don’t really know me, but that’s not whoIam. I’m not one of those women. I am curious to know what your plan is for all the tenants of Terrace Gardens, though. I like my quiet little apartment—but if it’s not safe, I need to start looking for a new place to live.”
“Trust me when I say I would not put any of you out on the streets. Part of my plan was to move everyone to any unoccupied units in my other buildings. The tear down would be quick, but the rebuild would take some time.”
