The Carrero Effect - Falling for the Boss (Billionaire CEO) novel Chapter 157

“Come on, miele … We’re going to be late.” Jake is harassing me from outside the bathroom door. It’s been a day of lazing in bed, food, and movies, but now he’s rushing me to get dressed up to meet friends for his brother’s birthday. The plan is to all meet up at a nightclub called Top of the Standard. Apparently one of the most exclusive clubs you can find in New York city. It didn’t take much for Jake to swing entry for two dozen of Arrick’s friends and closest family members.

“Well, seeing as you gave me zero warning, I’m doing the best I can.” I pout, finally emerging in a black, strapless cocktail dress that is tight and short, gold high heels, and a gold clutch, I’ve made up my face with nude lips and a smoky dark eye shadow that Leila showed me a few weeks back on the boat. My hair is its usual loose, tousled waves in a side parting.

“Wow, si è assolutamente sorprendente, bambina.” He exclaims, the look on his face telling me that it’s most definitely a compliment. He swoops down to kiss me hard, taking my breath away. “Maybe being late will be worth it.” He smirks, tracing a finger down from shoulder to cleavage diagonally and moving a little too close.

“Oh no you don’t.” I slap his hand away sassily. “I did not rush this kind of perfection to have you mess it all up with a quickie.” I put my hands on my hips as he sighs off the lust. He relents, his eyes still devouring me.

“Only because Arrick has text me twenty times already, that’s the only reason I’m not bending you over the bed right now.” He throws me a hot Casanova smile and I get that annoyingly predictable internal flutter of heat.

Really? Weeks together and I still cannot control the urge to jump his bones.

He’s in his trademark black shirt and leather jacket, only this time with black tailored trousers and black shoes. He looks every bit the billionaire playboy tonight, his hair spiked to the center and his designer stubble trimmed to perfection. He smells amazing.

“You look sexy.” I grin as he pulls up the dark gray jacket from the bed and helps me ease into it. It’s calf length and made of expensive wool and has the most flattering, fitted shape. A new acquisition from Donna at his urging that I needed a winter coat for formal events. New York is starting to get cooler already.

“You look far sexier than me, neonata.” He leads me out of the apartment, nodding at the security staff in the outer hall.

* * *

The club is bumping when we finally find our party inside, taking over an entire corner of tables by the wide windows overlooking New York. We’re up high with the lights sparkling below like a sea of fairy sparkles and plenty of high-rise buildings looking like neon shows in the dark. The club is bustling and glamourous with a center light reaching up from the floor and spreading out across the ceiling like an upturned chandelier, the whole place aglow with gold tones and shimmering magical aura. It’s busy and bustling with people everywhere.

Jake’s has his fingers entwined with mine as he introduces me to the hordes of new faces that swarmed toward him as we arrived. I recognize Arrick right away. He kisses me on the cheek boldly and pats his brother on the back affectionately. I spy Leila and she waves frantically at me, too caught in her conversation with some tall blonde to come over and as I’m glued to Jake’s hand, I can’t go to her.

Daniel appears from the background; he looks toward Leila on the fly and heads in the opposite direction without even the briefest of acknowledgment of us. He’s too busy eye stalking my friend, it seems. I turn back quickly seeing a slight creep of color run up her delicate cheeks and then she goes back to laughing loudly with her friend, it’s obvious Hunter affects her more than she lets on. Her eyes never stray toward Daniel again which is a huge tell-tale sign. I long to go talk to her about it, but I’m soon pulled into the arc of Jake’s arms in front of his body as he introduces me to a vast number of unnaturally handsome people in expensive outfits.

There’s a mix of both male and female friends, too many to count and Jake seems to be at ease with most of them. It makes me feel in awe. He’s effortless with people, he knows everyone and yet I’m the polar opposite. People in social situations make me uncomfortable. I prefer the business deals and meetings where I can wear PA Emma’s face and demand respect. This happy social stuff is beyond my comfort zone. I’m a fish far out of water, but Jake seems to sense my apprehension and pulls me against him with an arm around the shoulders, keeping me in the middle of whomever he’s talking to and involved; nudging me into the conversation at every opportunity. I just sip the cocktail he’s bought me and listen for the most part, smile on cue and eventually start to relax under his attentive and protective care.