CHAPTER 3

Jessica's POV

I felt the anger radiate through my entire body, visibly shaking and rocking with a vexation I didn’t know I could possess.

“I give you two weeks to bag this deal, or you’re fired.” the words echoed in my head repeatedly in his voice as I stormed out of the office and a collapsed on a bench, my heart still pounding behind my chest. Parrish had changed so much, his voice, his aura, his body – he was so different than the Parrish I remembered and it picked at my curiosity.

“Look at you, burning for me.”

“How badly do you want me?”

“Oh Jessica!”

I closed my eyes as images of the dream still flashed across my mind, unwilling to go away but a constant reminder of an unquenched desire that still fluttered in my belly -  a desire that had been festering for years since I moved away to California, a desire that I knew Parrish was the only one who could sate.

Oh – I was in deep trouble, I thought as I felt the conflictions rise within me. How was I supposed to focus with Parrish within the same radius as me – breathing while I fought the memories we both shared. I ran my hands through my chestnut hair in frustration and perceiving a slight whiff of my coconut flavored shampoo, and if I concentrated hard enough I could smell Parrish cologne lingering in the air and hovering around me like an incessant fly.

Suddenly, I felt my phone buzz in my jacket pocket and when I took it out it was Sophie Ross calling. I sighed in relief as I saw her name sprawled on my phone and immediately taking my phone to my ears.

“Oh Sophie.” I breathed into the phone

“That doesn’t sound like the voice of someone who just bagged an automobile deal.” I heard her raspy voice and I nearly broke down in tears. Sophie was my roommate and best friend in college and we had been inseparable since the first day I walked into the dorm and I had seen her in a tongue lock with a boy in our dorm room.

“Because this someone didn’t bag the automobile deal, I fucked it up Sophie.”

“Oh honey,” she cooed, “What happened?”

“He showed up Sophie, he’s my boss.” I started out cryptic and I could already picture out the confusion on her face as she tried to figure what I was on about.

“Who – ”

“Parrish Holmes.”

There was a pause on her end before she spoke, “By Parrish, you mean Parrish from college and your ex boyfriend that broke your heart and you had to move across the country to forget about him and now he’s your boss at the new company you work for – ”

“Who is now a billionaire and is now moving to California to stay.” I completed for her with a constant nod to my head and now admitting to myself how crazy the situation was.

“Girl – do you perhaps still have feelings for him?” she asked me suddenly and I paused unsure on how to answer. I contemplated telling her about my dream about Parrish but I thought against it since Sophie was a therapist and she had a knack for psychoanalyzing every situation that I was in since college and it wasn’t a habit she was ready to let go of yet.

“I don’t, I mean I’m with Nathan now and I’m happy with him.” I said instead and I stood up abruptly from the bench and began to pace the area.

“So what are you going to do now?” she asked me

“I’m going to religiously avoid him,” I said without hesitation, “Judging from the fact that he threatened to fire me if I don’t get the deal in two weeks, I’m going to bag that deal and steer clear of him and focus on my relationship with Nathan”

“That’s what I’m talking about girl.” Sophie said and I was about to respond when I looked through the wide windows at the company’s lounge and over at the vast parking lot when I saw Parrish getting into his car and in that swift moment, he turned unconsciously in my direction and we locked eyes.

My heart stopped instantly as our eyes locked. It was as if time had stood still and I was back in college being mesmerized by his stare once again. Parrish’s gaze was piercing, his eyes burning with an intensity that made my skin prickle. I felt the flutter in my chest, a mix of emotions that I couldn’t untangle. Anger, hurt and still that spark of attraction and desire that I had indeed planned to ignore.

I tried to look away, but I couldn’t tear my eyes off him not with the way his eyes drilled into mine. I felt trapped, looking for a means to escape but none was forthcoming. I was reliving it all – the love we shared as well as the unbearable pain he caused.

“Jessica? Are you there?” I heard Sophie's voice from the receiver and I pulled my eyes from Parrish but before I could respond, I saw Nathan’s car driving into the parking lot and parking just beside Parrish’s car, I watched him get down from his car with a bouquet of red roses in his hands.

“Oh shit!” I muttered to myself and I ran out to the parking lot, I wasn’t exactly sure if I was relieved to see Nathan but before I could figure out my emotions, Nathan had pulled me in for a kiss, grabbing me by my waist and pressing my body to his while Parrish watched us.

I saw the look on Parrish's face – it was murderous.

Was he – was he jealous?