*Isabella's POV*
"What? Why—Jacob…" I started, but he cut me off with a sharp shake of his head. "Shh," he said, dismissing me like I was just background noise. "I'm Face Timing her." Before I could protest, he was already dialing Joey's number. My pulse hammered in my ears as the line rang once, twice—then she answered. "Hey, Joey," he greeted her, voice calm, like he hadn't just cornered me with suspicion and half-truths.
"Hey, Jacob," she replied. I could see her clearly from where I stood, just off to the side so she couldn't see me. "Why are you calling me? Aren't you at the gala?" "Yes, I am." He leaned back against the wall, casual as ever. Then his eyes flicked to mine, sharp and teasing. "Tell me, Joey—last time we slept together, did you forget your panties under my desk?" I gasped so loudly I nearly gave myself away. What is he doing?
"Jacob, are you fucking high?" Joey snapped, rolling her eyes at him through the screen. "No." He was grinning now, pushing it further. "Now answer me. Last time we slept together..." "I heard you, you maniac," she interrupted, her tone dripping with annoyance. "Please call me when you sober up." "One more time, Joey." He said it slowly, deliberately, but his gaze was all on me now. He was doing this to me. Teasing. Proving a point. "Did we sleep together or not?"
Joey let out an exasperated laugh. "We never slept together, you moron! I don't know what shit you're on tonight. Should I call Elly to come pick you up?" "No need. Thanks, Jo. Goodnight." He ended the call before she could say anything else and slipped his phone back into his pocket. And then there was i was... awkward, flushed, and wishing I could sink straight through the marble floor. I couldn't believe I'd made such a fool of myself. I'd jumped to conclusions, and he knew it.
Jacob looked at me, his lips pressed together like he was physically restraining a laugh. "Well, that was… awkward," I managed, my voice smaller than I wanted it to be. He shrugged, so casual it made my embarrassment worse. "I don't know what Joey told you, but no, we're not sleeping together." "I… I must've misunderstood," I stammered. My cheeks were on fire.
He tilted his head at me, a slow smirk spreading across his face. "That's a nice surprise, though. You cared enough to be angry about it." He winked, like it was the easiest thing in the world. "It's hot." He stepped closer, his hands finding my hips so naturally it stole my breath. He traced slow, lazy circles at my waist, and I hated how good it felt, how nice it was to feel wanted by him, even when I shouldn't.
"Jacob, what the hell if the paparazzi catch us kissing on camera?" I whispered, my nerves tumbling out all at once like a damn avalanche. He just rolled his eyes at me, being dramatic and mocking, like he always freaking did. "Oh, I'm so damn scared," he said, his tone laced with sarcasm.
And I couldn't help it - I rolled my eyes right back at him, even as my heart was racing like a freaking drum in my chest. It was like my body was screaming at me to calm the hell down, but my mind was going crazy with all the what-ifs.
He leaned in, his forehead pressed against mine, and I felt my stomach flutter like a damn bird taking flight. "Jacob, this is not okay," I said, trying to sound firm, but my voice was shaking like a leaf. "I'm your brother's assistant, for crying out loud. The paparazzi are always digging for drama, and we're out here serving it to them on a freaking platter." I said, but deep inside, a part of me was rebelling against my own damn words. It was like my heart was saying, "Screw it, just go for it," but my brain was all, "Hell no, this is a bad idea."
Jacob pulled back slightly, a questioning look on his face. "What's wrong with me dating my brother's assistant?" he asked, his voice low and husky, like he was trying to fucking seduce me or something. I felt a surge of surprise at his words, and before I could stop myself, I exclaimed, "Dating? Are you kidding me?" The word hung in the air, and I couldn't believe I had said it out loud. I mean, I knew I was attracted to him, but dating? That was a whole different damn ball game.
Jacob's face broke into a slow smile, and he replied, "Yes, I'm damn serious." His tone was playful, but there was an underlying sincerity to his words that made my heart skip a beat. "Am I that repulsive, geez?" he added, his eyes glinting with amusement. I shook my head, trying to clear the damn cobwebs. "You can't possibly be serious," I said, my voice laced with skepticism. "This is crazy, Jacob. We can't just...I don't know, date or whatever."
But Jacob's expression told a different story. His eyes held nothing but genuineness, and I could see the sincerity shining through. He wasn't freaking around; he was serious. And that scared the hell out of me. He paused, taking a deep breath as he seemed to drink in my expression. Then, in a movement that was both gentle and confident, he asked, "I haven't properly asked you this, but...Will you go on a damn date with me?" The question hung in the air, and I felt my heart pounding in my chest like a freaking drumline. I was taken aback, unsure of what to say. Part of me wanted to scream yes, to just let go and see where things went with Jacob. But another part of me was screaming no, to run the hell away and forget this whole damn thing ever happened. I was torn, and I didn't know what the hell to do.