Blackstone Inc. (Book 1)

Part 20

He took me to a little diner on the outskirts of town, that he proclaimed had the best burgers in the area, but I ordered a salad with chicken. This time I didn’t get asked if I wanted something more than that.

I learned that he was in the I.T. department and that he lived in an apartment down the street from mine. That would make asking him for a ride home more easier as I hadn’t driven myself this morning, a fact I was now kicking myself for.

I wondered if he would try to invite himself in. I decided then that if he did I would let him. I needed something to distract myself and he would do just fine.

I also learned about him that he had lived here for all of his life and that he didn’t want any kids.

“Not at all?” I asked as I pushed my salad around, digging for the chicken bits.

“Not at all. Why, you do?” He picked up his burger and when he took a bite a glob of ketchup fell onto his white button up, staining it.

“I mean, not until I’m a little higher up, but sure. I definitely want kids in the future,” I didn’t miss the face he made at me as he tried to clean the mess.

Maybe it was just because I was fresh off of a ... partnership... based on lies and deceit, but almost everything Jeremy did repulsed me now.

He wasn’t graceful at all. He smacked when he ate, he slurped his soda when he drank, and he picked his teeth with his fingernail after he was finished.

It was like he had turned into this completely different person right in front of my eyes. This was the actual Jeremy? Was I supposed to find these habits quirky? I was clean, organized, and tidy and Jeremy was... a slob. His car was the same. The passenger seat floorboard was free of debris, but the back seat held various fast food cups and clothes, “Don’t mind the mess,” he had stated, but I just brushed it off as a fluke, something that could easily be fixed. But if this is actually how Jeremy is then... we wouldn’t work. I needed someone equally as tidy as me as clutter made me anxious. It...and he...turned me off.

When the waitress came to our table and asked if the check was together or separate, I was quick to say, “Separate,” and she smiled as she pulled out my check. I already had my card out and handed it to her as Jeremy fished out a ten dollar bill from his wallet and put it in her hand.

“I was going to pay for you,” he told me, but I just forced a smile, “It’s fine. I don’t mind going dutch.”

If I was being completely honest, I didn’t want him to have anything over me, not even a six dollar salad.

***

When we pulled up into the parking garage I quickly got out and made my way to the exit. I didn’t want Jeremy to get any ideas about kissing me or something. I would call an uber to get me home and I would drink a glass of wine alone before going to bed tonight.

He caught up to me as I reached the sidewalk and we walked across the street together. He opened the door for me.

‘First gentlemanly thing he’s done since you went to lunch with him.’

When we walked in we saw Jasmine and Dominic at the elevators, obviously waiting for them. We walked towards them just as the door opened and we all got inside.

I felt a little claustrophobic as I was in front of Dominic now.

“How was lunch, Jeremy?” Jasmine asked, apparently knowing him well enough to be on a first name basis with him.

Jeremy looked at me with a smile and grabbed my hand, squeezing it gently, “It was very good. I think we learned a lot about each other.”

I nodded my head with a forced smile. I had learned a lot about him and I decided I didn’t want to know anymore. I didn’t want to be rude and pull my hand away so I held his as he wasn’t letting go.

The elevator stopped at his floor and when he was out into the hallway he pulled my hand up to his lips and placed a kiss to my knuckles, “See you later, Gen. Have a wonderful afternoon, Jasmine, Mr. Blackstone.”

I heard the rumble of Dominic’s chest as he mumbled out a farewell. The elevator wasn’t very big so I was only about two feet away from him and I could feel the tension in the air.

I could feel the fury radiating off him in waves, crashing into me.

“So, you and Jeremy, huh?” I heard Jasmine ask and I turned around slightly.

“Uh, no. We’re just friends,” and I didn’t even want to be that.

She smirked, “That didn’t look like just friends, right babe?” She looked at Dominic and so did I.

He looked down into my eyes for a second, “Mmm,” he hummed and looked forward again, not really giving a yes or no answer.

‘Man are you in trouble. Bossman is not happy at all.’

I turned back around and squished my self as close to the wall as I could and when the elevator stopped at Jasmines stop she grabbed his hand and drug him to the front, standing right beside me. She planted a hard kiss to his mouth, asserting her dominance, maybe, but he pulled away.

“Not in front of my employees, Jas,” he scolded her as he pulled a handkerchief out of his breast pocket and wiped the red lipstick she smeared on his mouth away.

“Sorry, babe,” she smiled, cleaning up her mouth and walked out, but she turned on her heels and placed her hand against the closing doors, “You coming over tonight? I’ve missed you dearly.”

I knew the look she gave him. It was lust, the same look I had given him so many times.

“Not tonight. I’ve got lots of contracts to go over so it’s going to be a late night. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he left nothing up for negotiation.

“But baby,” she whined and I winced at the pet name, but she continued as she hadn’t seen me, “I haven’t seen you since two Saturdays ago and I miss you.”

She ran a fingernail down the buttons of his shirt and then grabbed his tie and pulled him closer, “I need you,” I saw her whisper into his face and I was sure that I was about to throw up.

I took a few steps back, pressing my back up against the wall to get away from the pathetic need that was radiating off of her and onto him.

“I said no, Jasmine. Now get to work,” he removed her hand from the door and pressed the ‘close doors’ button. I couldn’t help but relish in the look of shock and rejection on her face.

When the doors shut he ran a hand through his short hair and sighed, his back still to me.