Page 36 of Deal with Mr. Cruel

“Good. You?”

“Very good.” Jonas poured her a cup of coffee and handed it to her. She avoided his gaze and took a slow sip.

He wanted to know how she felt about last night. He wanted to know if it would happen again. He wished it would. Clearing his throat, Jonas asked, “So, last night was… pretty amazing.”

She remained quiet, so Jonas continued. “I didn’t think we would ever do that again. I really missed—”

“Last night was a mistake, Jonas,” she said quietly, looking into her cup of coffee.

He felt his heart drop. “But I thought you wanted…You were the one who—”

“It was a temporary lapse of judgment. My head was out of sorts. Everything with this fake marriage, and Nico, and work. I wasn’t thinking.”

“Why does there have to be any thinking involved? We were in the moment, and it was a damn good moment.”

“Well, it can’t happen again.” She finally looked up at him. “It will only complicate things. You wanted a fake wife, not a real one.”

Jonas nodded. He thought about her words. She was right. This whole arrangement was strictly for business. He didn’t want a real marriage with a white picket fence in the suburbs, although the image of sharing that life with Mae popped into his head. It wasn’t a bad one. No. He couldn’t let his feelings get away from him.

“You’re right,” said Jonas. “Besides, I need my head on straight if I’m to get into business with Nate. There’s no room for anything else.”

Mae pressed her lips together in a grim smile and nodded. “Exactly.”

“Well, I better get ready for work.” Jonas grabbed his cup of coffee and walked to his bedroom, leaving Mae alone in the kitchen.

In the office, Jonas was all smiles. Despite Mae putting an end to things, he couldn’t stop thinking about their night together.

“Good morning, Wendy. You’re looking nice today,” he said, stopping at his secretary’s desk. He placed a cup of coffee in front of her. “I brought you your favorite from that café up the street.”

Wendy looked at him, a little dumbfounded. “Erm, thank you. This is unexpected.”

Jonas gave her a little smile and a shrug.

“Is everything okay?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

“More than okay.”

“You seem very…chipper today. Did something happen last night?” she pried.

“Can’t a man just be in a good mood?” He smiled at her.

“It’s just the other night was—”

“Oh, that was nothing. Boys will be boys.” Jonas waved her off.

“It seemed a little intense. I was worried,” said Wendy slowly.

“You worry too much. Enjoy your coffee.” Jonas winked at her and headed into his office.

At his desk, he did his usual morning routine of checking his digital calendar and going through his emails. He caught sight of Mae walking by his office. She wore a cream-colored suit and her hair was pulled into a low bun. The scent of her lingered on his skin. She avoided looking his direction and continued moving.

Jonas frowned. How could she so easily turn her feelings off? He knew last night was just as intense for her as it was for him. That fire had always been there between them, and last night it ran rampant. He needed it to happen again. He needed her again. All of her.

Wendy knocked lightly at his door.

“Come in, come in!” He waved her in, smiling.

She looked cautiously around as if Nico was going to pop out of a corner and start swinging.