The anger left Sarah. “I’m glad you didn’t fool around on her with me.” She tugged on her hand but Jake held firm.
“I wouldn’t do that, Sarah. I spoke the truth when I said that as long as we were together, it was exclusive.”
“Thank you.” She turned her back to him when he let her go. “You can go now.”
“Not yet.” Jake turned her gently. “I’m sorry, Sarah. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you that Joe left the business to me. I never meant to hurt you or anyone else.”
Sarah shoved him away. “You lied. To everyone, Jake, but especially me. Part of me can see why you did what you did. But you could have told me. Trusted me. Instead, you let me believe that you were some fancy accountant sent by some faceless board. Mr. Joe built that company on honesty and hard work and you made a mockery of it…of him.”
Jake shook his head. “No. I just didn’t tell you the whole truth or present it in its full context. The board is interested in purchasing the business from me if I decide not to keep it.” He dug his hands into his pockets and rolled his shoulders.
“The board is made up of members of my family and they want to keep Joe’s business in the family…if it’s sound. And technically, I am an accountant,” Jake said, shrugging, “I’m that and more.”
“Yes, you’re the rich, billionaire owner, Jake. Or should I say, Aaron.”
“No, it’s Jake. Aaron Martinez was my father. I was named after him. He died young and my mother remarried.”
Sarah hugged herself. What he said made sense. She didn’t like it and was still angry that he couldn’t trust her. He could fuck her but not trust her. That rankled.
“That woman called you Aaron,” she said.
Jake shrugged. “Juliana and I went to school together, a stuffy, private school that insisted that I use my given name of Aaron.” He took a couple steps forward and lifted a hand to her face. “I miss you, Sarah. And not just at work. We’re good together. In the office and out.”
Jake rocked back on his heels. “Come back to work, Sarah.”
She stalked past him to open the door. “No. You’ve explained yourself, now go away.”
Jake snagged her by the upper arm. “Sarah, the company needs you. I need you.”
God, Sarah missed this man and wanted him with desperateness that scared her. She drank in the sight of him, committing every detail to memory from the color and shape of his eyes to the tiny scar above one eyebrow. He was becoming too important to her and he was definitely out of her league.
“We don’t always get what we want,” Sarah said. She wanted Jake but she wanted more than he could give her, more than what she’d wanted before he’d come. She could be grateful to him for showing her that she could be more, but falling in love with him was stupid and pointless because Mr. New York would return to his city and his life.
Jake’s studied her. “Is there anything I can say to change your mind?”
Sarah’s heart shriveled. He wasn’t even going to try to change her mind. “No.”
“Then I’ll just have to show you,” Jake said.
He grabbed her purse and keys from the table beside the door, pulled her out into the hall, and shut the door behind them.
“Let me go, Jake!”
Sarah didn’t struggle. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how close to tears she was.
“You’re coming with me,” he said.
Twenty minutes later, they pulled up in front of one of the most expensive hotels in San Francisco. Sarah’s door was open by the valet staff. She got out and eyed the line of cabs. She should walk away and grab a cab home but Jake was right there, his hand under her elbow.
“This is a waste of time, Jake. I’m not coming back. To you or the company.”
“Well, then, it’s my time to waste.” He stared down at her. “And as you have no job, you can spare the time.”
Sarah was of two minds. She wanted both Jake and her job yet she needed to protect what she’d worked so hard to have: control over her life.
He slid a card into a slot in the elevator and the doors slid open.