Just One Night by Carly Phillips (fiction book recommendations txt) 📕

day after the baby shower, as Linc had offered and she’d returned the next day. For the most part, she was feeling better except for an occasional bout of light-headedness and nausea. She assumed she had a lingering virus, or as a migraine person, she attributed the symptoms to her condition and went about her days.

She looked forward to shopping with the two girls today, and by the time Aurora arrived, Jordan was ready to go.

The young woman walked up to Jordan’s desk, an excited smile on her face. “Did you hear the cool news?”

Jordan shook her head. “What’s up?”

“Dash and the band are performing at a special charity event this Saturday night and we’re all going! Melly asked the nanny her friend’s daughter used if she could babysit for Leah and she said yes.” She vibrated with excitement and Jordan was thrilled for her.

“That’s amazing. I know you’ll have fun.” Jordan smiled. “Now how about I call Chloe and we get going?”

“You’re going, too! I spoke to Linc on the way here, and he said you would both be there.” Aurora bounced on the balls of her feet.

“Oh!”

“Sorry,” Linc said, as he came up behind his sister. “Everything came together for Dash and the band this morning, but I was tied up with an appointment and didn’t get a chance to tell you. But we’re going on Saturday night.” He walked past her, stopping outside his office door.

What was with this we stuff, anyway? “It sounds like a family event to me.”

Jordan glanced at Aurora, who was watching them with interest.

“Aurora, honey, why don’t you go find Chloe? I’ll be with you in a few minutes. I want to talk to your brother.” Jordan pushed herself up from her seat.

“Oh. Sure.” Aurora spun and headed to the other side of the office where Chloe worked. She’d been here before and had learned who sat where.

Once she was gone, Jordan walked around her desk, put a hand on Linc’s back, and prodded him toward his office. Once inside, she shut the door behind them.

“If you wanted alone time, all you had to do was say so,” he said with that sexy grin she couldn’t resist.

When she’d taken the day off from work, he’d had a nearby delicatessen send chicken soup and sandwiches over for her to eat. He’d wanted to come by, but she needed sleep, not to mention distance, and he’d agreed to let her rest. And on her return, he’d been on his best behavior, not pushing their relationship, and she’d been grateful for the reprieve.

“What’s going on?” She set her hands on her hips and cocked her head to one side.

“Tell me you don’t want to see The Original Kings in person?”

“Of course I do, but–”

He shrugged. “No buts. We’re going. And Jordan? Now that you’ve had a week to recuperate and you feel better, after the concert, we’re going to talk about us. We’ve danced around what this is long enough.” He gestured between them.

She drew a deep breath and mentally acknowledged the need for them to have that conversation. The time had come. Her pulling back and giving in only to pull away again was giving them both whiplash.

Maybe what she needed to do was let their relationship happen and run its course, which she believed it would. Probably not for her, because she’d become emotionally invested. In truth, she already was. But she would go into this knowing they didn’t have a future, and she’d eventually have to nurse a broken heart.

Still, if she made it clear to him she understood the parameters, sex only, when things ended, they could go back to the way things had been before.

Decision made, she hoped she could handle it. Meeting his gaze, she nodded. “Okay. We’ll talk.”

He raised his eyebrows, surprise etching his features. “Good.”

He looked like he wanted to say more, to ask her questions, but he’d said they’d discuss things on Saturday night, and she wasn’t going to do it in the office. “Well, I need to go meet up with Chloe and Aurora. You’re okay by yourself this afternoon?” she asked.

He grinned. “I’ll be fine. Are you coming back to the office today?” he asked.

“Doubtful. I think we’ll be out till after five. Chloe has shopping plans.” She used a quote gesture with her fingers.

His sister had laid out a day, beginning with lunch and keeping them hopping from store to store.

He laughed at her description. “Got it.”

She turned to leave, and he hooked an arm around her waist, pulling her against him and, before she could react, sealing his lips over hers.

She’d missed this and returned the kiss, opening her mouth for him and letting his tongue swirl inside. He nipped her lower lip and licked the sting, the hint of pain causing her to moan and inch closer. Her sex clenched and need pulsed through her body, making her wish they weren’t in the office.

But for a brief moment, she let herself go. She wrapped her arms around him and indulged. The kiss was wet and hot, everything she dreamed about when she thought of Linc. Until a knock sounded on the door.

Before they could fully pull apart, Chloe walked in, Aurora bumping into her as she came to a sudden halt. “Oh, shit. Sorry!” Chloe exclaimed.

Jordan’s face flamed and she buried her face in Linc’s chest.

“Ever hear of knocking?” Linc’s arm wrapped tighter around her.

“It’s an office, not a bedroom,” Chloe shot back, sister arguing with her brother. “But I am sorry, Jordan.”

Jordan pulled herself together and stepped away. “It’s fine. We shouldn’t have been…” She cut off her explanation and shook her head. “Are you ready to go?” she asked the women.

“We are.” Chloe stepped back, and Aurora, who had already inched out of the doorway, waited for them by Jordan’s desk.

Jordan glanced at Linc and spoke quietly, so only he could hear. “I know you don’t want anyone to think of you behaving like your father. We shouldn’t have