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JAXON
Jaxon smiled as he returned to his office apartment from getting breakfast at the place downstairs. He had to admit the proximity was handy.
Colin fought the attraction between them, but why? Jaxon didn’t really believe her adamant declaration that she’d already had a love that she couldn’t recover from. There was no such thing as being hurt that badly. He’d been in relationships where the betrayal had cut clear to the bone, but he’d recovered. Sure, he’d been more jaded and he’d failed to give his heart away completely the next time, but he’d still recovered.
He wasn’t diminishing what she’d gone through, but he had a hard time believing any one person could so completely destroy another.
What was holding Colin back when her business was all about promising happy endings to her clients? If nothing else, she should be happy and married to support her brand or at least look like it to the outside world. Not for the first time, Jaxon considered offering to be a fake husband to help Colin in that regard, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
No matter what, Jaxon wanted the opportunity to be happy. If that wasn’t Colin, he didn’t want to be married to her and never have the chance to find love.
Ordering some office supplies, Jaxon expected his computers and other items to arrive by noon. He texted Colin:
Can I borrow Carlisle for a couple hours? I’ll cover his pay.
Jaxon thrummed his fingers on the kitchenette counter and waited for her reply. He wanted to use Carlisle but he also wanted to open up the communication to see if she wanted to get together for lunch. Keeping those lines open was a huge part of his strategy to getting her favor. He was convinced it wouldn’t take much to get her to consider him.
His phone dinged. He had the sound up as loud as he could to make sure he didn’t miss the text, even though he was staring at the phone and wouldn’t miss it unless he’d suddenly gone blind.
Colin is out for a lunch meeting. She doesn’t take her phone. This is Carlisle. I’ll be there in five minutes.
Interesting. Colin went somewhere during lunch and didn’t take her phone. Was it a daily thing or just that day? Carlisle had said “doesn’t take her phone” which sounded like it was a recurring thing.
Jaxon’s curiosity was piqued and he wasn’t sure he had the right to ask. He didn’t like that.
Carlisle knocked on the office door and Jaxon invited him in. He motioned around the inner rooms. “The office equipment should be here any minute and I wanted to know who to contact to get my computers programmed to fit the company’s. The contract should be delivered this afternoon. Will Colin be back today to sign it or take it to an attorney?” Jaxon’s curiosity had to be obvious, but he didn’t care. The ends justified the means.
“She’ll be back by one or one-thirty.” Carlisle stood just inside the door with a pad of paper and a pen. “What can I do for you?” His muscular frame didn’t suit his life as an assistant. Jaxon knew there was a story there, but he didn’t want to pry. At least until he knew the man more. It wasn’t exactly something you said to another man – you don’t fit your job, what’s going on? Jaxon almost smiled at the thought.
He considered Carlisle for a second. Maybe he could ingratiate himself with the man or at least make him an ally. Acting like Carlisle could help him with Colin, might be the fastest way to get what Jaxon wanted.
“Okay, first, let me get this out of the way.” Jaxon folded his arms across his chest and leaned his hip against the counter. “What’s Colin’s story? Is there something wrong with me? Or is she just generally disinterested in men?” Jaxon’s pride wanted to hear it was men in general, but if it was men in general, that wouldn’t leave him much room to maneuver. His heart demanded that his pride take a hit.
Carlisle’s face tightened and he dropped the pad to his side. “She’s had her heart broken in the worst possible way. Let me know when the equipment gets here. I’ll set up a remote consult with our computer specialist. Is there anything else?” Carlisle had shut down his friendliness at the intrusion into Colin’s life.
Jaxon appreciated that kind of loyalty. He stepped forward, his hands out. “Hey, I’m not asking because I’m nosy or even trying to take advantage of the situation. Between us? I’m interested, but she keeps pushing me away. I just want to know what I’m doing wrong.” He couldn’t be more honest or open about it and it was nothing like him. He usually guarded himself, but he had a feeling that to get anywhere with this particular man, he had to drop all pretenses.
And Colin might be worth it.
Carlisle gave Jaxon the once over and then spoke plainly. “You’re pushing her for something she doesn’t think she can give again. She’s not going to trust you with the pressure. She needs a friend first. Maybe it will go somewhere, maybe it won’t. But she’s skittish and understandably so. You’re going to push her away by not giving her space.” Carlisle didn’t wait for Jaxon to respond. He ducked out of the office, leaving Jaxon there to wonder how else to get close to Colin, if he didn’t push.