WE MEET AGAIN

JENNA

I can't get the thought of that God-awful meeting out of my head as the cab rolls down the streets towards my parents' mansion.

My first day at work couldn't have gone any more badly. I think back to the incident with Eva and then the forced kiss with Mr. Evans and my body gives an involuntary shudder. Gross.

"We're here ma'am." The cab driver's voice cuts through the fog in my mind and I shake my head.

Good thing my car was off the road, else I would have gotten into an accident with how lost I've been all day. I thank the driver, hand him a few bills and get out of the vehicle.

I wipe my sweaty palms down my pants and walk up the lengthy driveway that leads to out house. Dad is relatively successful, with a flourish company of his own and a chain of businesses that put him as one of the billionaires in the city, I can't say that I am lacking in the way of finance. But I need to get a headstart on my life without leaning on him all the time, hence my decision to apply it work for a company much different from his own.

The door swings open almost immediately. "How's my princess doing?" Mom gushes as I hurry into her open arms.

"I'm awfully exhausted. I need a long bath, food and sleep. In that exact order."

She laughs at me. "You wouldn't have such an awful day if you'd just quit being stubborn and work for one of your father's companies."

I follow her into the house with a groan. "Not this again, Mom."

"I'm just saying. It's very difficult for a young girl like yourself to make something good for herself in a company like that. You'd be overworked and underpaid."

"But I'd have a shiny resume and an opportunityto get ahead with something other than Dad's influence."

"You don't even need a resume, sweetheart. You have the world at your feet." She sighs like she knows this argument wouldn't end tonight. "Come on, have a bath and freshen up. Dinner would be ready soon, then you can tell me all about your day."

By the time I finish in the bathroom and come down for dinner, I feel a lot better. My short ballerina dress swished around my thighs as I hurried down the stairs, but by the time I get to the dining room my steps fumble.

"You're finally done, sweetie." Mom has a smile on her face as she looks at me.

"Jenna darling, come here. There's someone I'd like for you to meet." Dad looks happier than I've seen him in quite a while.

I, on the other hand, cannot draw a single breath. My eyes are bulging out of their sockets and my feet are glued to the spot.

"Are you okay?" Mom asks.

I turn to look at her, seeing concern on her face. "I'm fine. Just..." I rub my fingers against my forehead. "... having a headache."

I force my feet to glide all the way up to the table, then I pull the chair beside Mom and sit down. My eyes are focused on the table, and I am trying not to cry at the awkwardness of my situation.

"I want to introduce you guys to a friend I've had for over a decade. We've been friends for over twenty years and he's been MIA for ten of them." Dad introduces the man sitting to the left of him, and opposite Mom, on the table. "This is Dylan Carlson."

I refrain from looking at him, praying that he doesn't recognize me.

A very familiar masculine voice erupts in soft laughter. "A pleasure to finally meet you all. You have such a lovely family, Ethan."

Dad releases a sound that sounds a lot like laughter, but is filled with pride and contentment. "I'm a lucky man."

"Jenna, say hello." Mom chides.

I raise my head, locking them on a familiar pair of gray orbs. "Mr. Dylan, nice to meet you."

His eyes dance with amusement as he takes in my discomfort. "No need for the formalities, Jenna dear. I think we're way past the point of that by this point."

My eyes widen slightly. Surely he's not going to inform my family of the one night we shared together.

He laughs slightly. "You're the daughter of my friend, not an employee."

Screw this. I push my chair back abruptly and get out of it. "I'm sorry but I'd have to skip dinner. I'm not feeling so well."

I don't wait for them to say anything before I turn on my heels and hurry out of the room.

*******

I walk down the stairs in hurried steps, I am beyond hungry and could eat up an entire pig if I got close enough. Skipping dinner had been necessary with the way Dylan kept mocking me with his eyes. It's just my luck that the one time I choose to do anything wild it comes back to nip me in the butt.

My soul almost leaves my body when I walk into the kitchen and run into a naked, toned chest.

"What the fuck are you doing here?!" I yell as I push away from him.

"Except you want to wake up the entire city, I'd advise that you tone it down," Dylan replies, downing the last of his drink into his mouth.

"What are you doing here?" I ask lower this time, my arms folded across my chest.

He lifts the glass. "Having a drink."

I level him with a glare. "You know that's not what I am talking about."

He gives me a mocking smile. "Then what are you talking about?"

"Are you living with my parents now?"

"Your parents," he drawls lazily. "Imagine my surprise when Ethan introduced the woman who ambushed me in a club and gave me the hottest night of my life as his daughter."

I push against him and clamp my palm over his mouth. "Shh. You cannot be talking about that here."

He kisses my palm and I pull back immediately, but not before his hands circle around my waist. He stares deeply into my eyes, his fingers pushing my hair behind my ears.

"Where do you want us to talk about it then?" He lowers his lips to my ears. "While I'm balls deep inside of you, or while I have my face buried between your thighs?"

Mom's voice booms from behind us. "I thought I heard your voice." She pauses. "What the hell is going on here?"