The Last Boyfriend (Forever Love #1)(14)
Author: J.S. Cooper

“Thanks.” I felt breathless as his finger traced down my cheek.

“You’re beautiful.” His words were slow, and he spoke as if in a trance. “You’re really beautiful.”

“Thanks.” I bit my lip, unsure of how to answer him. “I’m not really sure what to say.”

“Can I kiss you?” He leaned towards me, and I shook my head.

“No.” I held my breath, hoping he would kiss me anyway.

“I love that.” He shook his head, and laughed as he pulled away from me.

“Sure you do.”

“You’ve got a smart mouth, huh?”

“Are you going to tell me your idea before my car gets towed, Zane?” I tried to pretend that I wasn’t completely and utterly dazzled by him. “I don’t have all day.”

“I’m looking for someone to be my part-time assistant.” He paused. “And I like and trust you, and I know from seeing you at Lou’s that you have a strong work ethic.”

“You what?” I looked at him like he was crazy. That was the last thing I had expected to hear. “You want me to work for you?”

“I know that’s not as exciting as being my sub, but I need a girl Friday so to speak and you need money, so I thought that perhaps we could make something work.”

“I don’t know.” I frowned. “Between school and the diner, I don’t have much time.”

“Then I guess I’ll have to find someone else.” He jumped up off of the bed and walked towards the door, pausing and looking back at me just before he walked out. “Do you have any other suggestions for your car?”

“I, wait, what?” I jumped up and shook my head. “I didn’t say no, I just said I don’t know.”

“Lucky.” He frowned at me. “I don’t have time to mess around.”

“What?” I walked towards him. “You have barely even given me a second to think about this.”

He sighed and looked away from me. “Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. Maybe you wouldn’t be such a—”

“I accept the position.” My voice was firm and loud. I was angry at how dismissive he was being. “I accept the position, and I would like us to go and get my car now.”

“Okay.” He grinned. “Meet me downstairs in five minutes.”

“Wait, aren’t we going to discuss this further?”

“We can talk later.” He exited the room and called back. “Downstairs in five minutes.”

I rushed to the en suite bathroom and quickly washed my face. I wasn’t sure what I had just accepted, but I felt really excited. Excited and scared at the same time. Zane Beaumont was not the sort of guy I should be getting involved with deeper. I knew it in my soul, but something was drawing me closer and closer to him.

“I’m going downstairs now, Lucky.” I heard Zane’s voice, and I quickly rushed back into the room and pulled on my clothes.

“I’m coming.” I ran down the stairs puffing, and I saw Zane laughing at me as I joined him in the foyer.

“You could have been a few minutes late.” He laughed and grabbed his car keys, and I scowled at him. “Most girls are.”

“I’m not most girls.” I followed him out of the front door and ran my fingers through my hair to get the knots out. I got into the passenger side of the car, and Zane pulled out of the driveway wordlessly. “So what’s the plan?” I asked impatiently.

“The plan?” He looked at me sideways and raised his eyebrows.

“What am I going to be doing as your assistant?”

“Catering to my every whim.” He smirked and whipped out his phone. “Hey Gus, I’m towing a friends car to your garage. Work on it, fix it, and bill me, okay?”

I looked at him wide-eyed as he spoke to someone on the phone and I frowned. How dare he just take control over what was going to happen to my car?

“I’m not sure what happened, but it broke down last night. Yeah, on the highway. She’s lucky I was there.” He hung up, and I leaned over to him.

“You didn’t even ask if I wanted my car towed to your friend’s.”

“He’s not my friend. He’s my mechanic, and he’s one of the best in Miami. It seemed to me that you didn’t have anywhere else that you wanted it to go.”

“That’s not the point.” I sighed. “You can’t just make a decision like that for me. I already have a quote. I have no idea how much this guy is going to charge.”

“Let me worry about that.”

“I don’t want to let you worry about that, if that’s okay with you,” I said sarcastically.

“Do you have something against men, Lucky?”

“Do you have something against women?” I shook my head. “You’re insufferable, Zane Beaumont.”

“I think I’m being a pretty nice guy.” He shot a grin at me, and I turned away from him. I heard his phone ringing and rolled my eyes as I heard his voice purr into the phone.

“Morning deary.” I felt jealous as he spoke into the phone and quickly took out my phone to see if I had any messages. I felt a warm thrill shoot through me as I saw I had a text from Braydon, asking if I had gotten home okay. I text him back quickly, trying to ignore Zane sweet-talking some girl on the phone.

“Maybe we can go for dinner?” He purred. “I’m not available for lunch today.”

“Don’t decline because of me,” I hissed towards him, and I saw him frown as he pulled up behind my car, still talking into the phone.

“Angelique, can I call you back later?” He stopped the car, and I jumped out, not wanting to hear him sweet talk the leggy blonde I had met the night before. “Lucky, get back in the car.” Zane got out of his car and shouted at me as I walked to my car. “It’s too dangerous for you to be standing on the side of the road.”

“Can I check my car please?” I huffed. “You are not my dad, Zane. Stop bossing me about.”

“We are on a highway, Lucky. Stop being a baby and get in the car.” He shouted at me and grabbed my arm.

“Ow, that hurts.” I squealed as he dragged me back to his car. “I want to check my car.”

“It’s the same as it was yesterday, Lucky.” He grunted as he opened the door. “Sit down.”

“Or what?”

“You don’t want to know what.”