Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

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I can’t stop thinking about my talk with Max. Today is the launch of Mimi Golden’s book and a chance to achieve my professional goals, yet as confident as I am in this book becoming a bestseller, my confidence in myself is plummeting. Surely, all heroines go through their own personal battles. Elizabeth felt it when Darcy dismissed her at the ball, and that is exactly how I’m feeling now. Appreciated at work, dismissed in my personal life. Leah and Noah are happy together, even if they won’t make it official. Felix and Amelia are so sweet and in love. Even Eli and Kenneth are starting to talk. Then there’s me. The poor little virgin no one wants.

Well, it’s time to put on my big girl panties and focus on my career. At least here I feel sure of myself.

Mimi Golden posed in front of a massive display of her books at the largest bookstore in New York City. Readers were already lined up to buy the book. Paige stood in the back of the room and smiled. She’d done it. The presale numbers were in, and while not official for over a week, Mimi’s book was going to be a bestseller.

“I must admit it,” Timothy West said as he came to stand in front of Paige. “I was wrong about you. I’ve really enjoyed working with you, and I daresay you’ve become a friend. Plus, you’re going to make a bestseller out of Mimi’s book and you made my client very happy in the process. I have a few authors you might like. Can I send you their manuscripts?”

Talk about a full-circle moment for Paige. Timmy had been one of her harshest critics. Then there was that incident when they thought they were going to die and they’d made out in the elevator. It had somehow humanized them to each other. After all, he’d had his fingers up her skirt and she’d had his dick in her hand.

“I’d like that, Timothy. We work well together for our clients and that’s all I want. For authors to find the readers of their wonderful words. Also, thank you for the flowers this morning to celebrate the release. That was really nice of you.”

Timothy smiled as Jack joined them. It should have been awkward, but it wasn’t. Just like it should be awkward with Griz and Roman, but somehow the drama—or maybe trauma was the correct word—bonded them together as friends. Calling Timothy a friend had never been on her bingo card, but there it was.

Paige had done nothing but focus on work since her talk with Max two weeks ago. He’d thrown a monkey wrench into her thought processes and had her questioning everything. She knew Max wasn’t trying to make her feel bad about herself, but that’s what happened. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t tried to find a relationship. She just never found a man worth the effort. Maybe it was her. Maybe she was the problem. She needed to get her groove back. Find her mojo. Find her sexuality. She needed to feel sexy. To feel seen.

“Want to go out to celebrate after this?” Jack asked her and Timothy.

“I can’t. I have a date, but thanks for asking.” Timothy blushed slightly when he glanced at her and that was the first time they’d acknowledged what had happened between them in the elevator. See, even Timothy had moved on.

“What about you?” Jack asked.

“Sure, I could use a drink.” And someone to talk to. Jack had been a bosshole. But when she took sex out of the equation, he had turned into one of her best friends. For someone as rigid and demanding as Jack was, he was never judgmental of her sexual situation. “I’ll get us a table at Deveau’s. Meet me outside in ten.”

“I thought you two would get together,” Timothy said to her as they watched Jack walk off with his phone to his ear.

Almost. Just as she and Timothy had almost been. “We’re just good friends.”

Timothy snorted. “No one is friends with Jack Griffin.”

“Well, I am,” Paige said proudly. The incident with Jack could have ruined her. She could have been fired. She could have been too embarrassed to ever show her face again. But there she was, talking to Timothy about her friendship with the man who had once spanked her. Not that Timmy needed to know that. “Just like I’m friends with you. I care about who a person is on the inside, not what they project to the world.”

Timothy was quiet as Mimi wrapped up the last book she was signing and began to come toward them. “You’re a good person, Paige. A pain in my ass, but a good person.” Timothy turned his smile onto Mimi. “What a great book launch, Mimi! ”

The way Mimi smiled, the pride in her eyes, and the way she was vibrating with excitement were the reasons Paige wanted to do this job. She wanted to give a powerful voice to talented authors. Mimi’s whole life was about to change and Paige had done that. What Mimi didn’t know was that she helped change Paige’s life too.

“I am so happy for you, Mimi,” Paige said, hugging her first author.

“This is all because of you. I couldn’t have done it without your help. I don’t know how I can ever thank you.”

“How about by writing book two?” Paige said with a laugh, although it wasn’t a joke. She couldn’t wait to read what Mimi wrote next.

Deveau’s was an interesting mix of class and sex. The bar was for high-end players, yet the waitresses wore fishnets and the waiters wore tight leather pants. The place was set up more like a speakeasy with lots of dark colors and hidden nooks. Drinks were obscenely good and obscenely expensive.

“So, what’s going on with that doctor?” Jack asked once they toasted Mimi’s book and their successful launch.

Paige shrugged. “It runs hot and cold. Or maybe it’s me. We made out a little and then he had to go to a family brunch. We’ve been texting, but I’ve put off seeing him the past couple of weeks.”

“Why?”

“Actually, I could really use your opinion on this. My friends are starting to pair off and find happiness and I don’t want to be a wet blanket on all that.”

Jack raised one eyebrow. “And I’m not happy, so you don’t have to worry about me?”

Paige realized how that sounded and reached out to grab Jack’s hand. “No! Not at all. I just trust you to look past yourself and your own bias and to give me an honest opinion.”

Jack smirked and shook his head. “Don’t worry. You didn’t offend me. Since you can’t bare your body to me, go ahead and bare your soul.”

“I sometimes wish we’d been able to follow through that night and then this whole virginity thing would be over. See, Max pointed out that maybe I’m focused on the wrong thing. Instead of trying to find the type of guy to take my virginity to get rid of it, I should find a guy who would treat it as a gift. It kind of killed my mojo and has gotten me rethinking everything. So, what do you think? Is Max right? Have I been doing this wrong the whole time?”

Jack took a sip of his hundred and fifty dollars a pour bourbon and set down his glass. “I understand what he’s saying, but ultimately, it’s up to you and what kind of experience you want. While you haven’t lost your virginity yet, you have gained a lot from the experience of living life with inspiration from your books. After all, I’ve met your friends. Would you have any of them, or me, or the doctor, or even Max if you hadn’t stepped out from behind the safety of your books and taken risks? So what if you didn’t lose your virginity? You gained crazy experiences and a lot of new friends.”

Paige leaned over and hugged Jack. “You’re a good friend, Jack. I think I needed to hear it from someone else. You’re right. The stories I can tell from this experience are something else.” Her phone buzzed and then buzzed again and again to the point even Jack looked over at it. “It’s Eli texting me.”

Where are you?

I got it !

A surefire way

To lose it . . .

Your virginity!

Finally!

Hello?

Where are you?

“Maybe it’s a sign?” Paige laughed to Jack as she interrupted Eli’s steady stream of texts to tell him she was at Deveau’s.

I’m on my way. Be there in five.

Five minutes later, a waitress escorted a flustered-looking Eli to their table. “I can’t believe this! It fell right into my lap. This is a sure thing and it would cross so many book tropes off your list.”

Eli reached over, took Jack’s drink, and tossed it back. “Holy crap, that’s good. I needed that. It’s been a crazy day.”

Jack raised an eyebrow but didn’t chastise Eli. Instead, he lifted a finger and the waitress nodded, hurrying off to get him another drink.

“What was so important you had to run here and steal Jack’s drink?” Paige asked.

“Sorry, that was rude. But here’s the thing. Calista, my makeup artist on the show, it’s her boyfriend’s twenty-fifth birthday tonight. She’s been trying to find someone to have a threesome with them as his gift. However, she wants someone who isn’t in their day-to-day life. That’s why she’s struggling to find someone she could trust. I thought of you. It would be perfect for you both. She gets her threesome and you get a hundred percent chance you lose your V card,” Eli said, holding up a finger. “The boyfriend is a tattoo artist and there’s a lot of books featuring tattooed guys and tattoo artists.” Eli held up a second finger. “And third, it’s a chance to dip your toe into the other side. Welcome to my world, darling.” Eli winked at her, and Paige looked to Jack, who shrugged and leaned in closer to her.

“You’re in control of your destiny. Do whatever you want. Not what Max wants. Not that doctor. Just you,” Jack whispered as Eli watched them, trying to hear what he said.

“So?” Eli asked.

“I’m in.”