Chapter 107. Jealousy
Lilly Bradley
I averted my gaze while Jackson and Georgina danced on the floor. My fingers clenched a bit of the fabric on my lap, trying to control the jealousy that had surfaced out of nowhere. Jacob and Leah went to dance as soon as I arrived at the table. Jackson's parents were greeting a group of people dressed quite elegantly; it was clear they were from high society.
"Miss Bradley, may I have this dance?" I tensed at the sound of the male voice beside me. I looked up and saw Mr. Paige.
"Thank you, but I'd rather stay at the table. These heels are killing me..." I lied, but he noticed. He pulled the chair next to me to sit down, but as he did, he put a smile on his lips. When he looked at me directly, I couldn't look away in search of Jackson, but there were too many people on the dance floor.
"I know we haven't had the best working relationship lately, and not because you're the only woman on the administrative team," I shifted in my seat, "but I'd like to avoid a tense and uncomfortable atmosphere. Tonight is our night..."
"For us, the employees."
"Yes, yes..."
"Am I interrupting?" Jackson asked from behind Paige. He immediately stood up and smiled at him.
"No, no, Mr. Johnson," he looked at me, "I was just inviting Miss Bradley to dance, that's all." Then he looked at Jackson. "I hope you don't mind."
"It shouldn't bother Mr. Johnson," I replied, standing up. Jackson was surprised by my words, and Mr. Paige looked at me. "Just one dance." I tried to smile, but it was only halfway.
"Fine, go ahead," Jackson replied. I noticed the annoyance in his eyes. I accepted Paige's hand, and we walked to the dance floor. I knew it was a rash decision and a mistake; jealousy had made me act this way, knowing that Mr. Paige made me uncomfortable. When we reached the floor, he placed his hand on my waist, and I could see a hint of triumph in his eyes.
"Move your hand up, please," I said in a tone loaded with coldness. Mr. Paige quickly nodded.
"Sorry," we began to dance slowly. After a brief silence, he looked at me intently. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Is it work-related?" He furrowed his brow, then slowly shook his head without stopping looking at me. "Then, with all due respect, no."
"It's just curiosity, Miss Bradley."
"Excuse my bluntness, but if it's not work-related..."
"Relax, I don't want you to feel more uncomfortable than you already are."
"Thank you." We turned, and I discreetly searched for Jackson with my eyes. I found him surrounded by agents, the four women dressed quite provocatively. I smiled, seeing that his eyes were fixed on me while they tried to get his attention. When the dance ended, Jackson was already waiting for me at the edge of the floor. He grabbed my hand and pulled me back to dance. Mr. Paige was surprised by the quick and unexpected move.
"I was about to pull you off the dance floor seconds after you started dancing," I smiled discreetly.
"And why didn't you?" I replied. He bit his lip briefly.
"Because I wanted you to realize your unnecessary jealousy outburst." He answered with a serious expression.
"You caught me," I confessed and then looked away.
"Look at me," he ordered, but I didn't want him to see me blush. "Are you a teenager having these outbursts, Lilly?" "Lilly," he used his warning tone. I looked back at him while we continued dancing. "Although I love when you get like this, I don't like seeing another man, who isn't me, touch you." I briefly pressed my lips into a thin line, then replied.
"Although I love when you get like this, I don't like seeing another woman, who isn't me, touch you." He smiled amusedly.
"Fine, let's not let other people touch us unless it's us."
"Sounds perfect to me."
"Do you want me to make a contract to make it more formal?" I smiled at his question.
"Your word is enough for me," I winked at him. We finished dancing a piece, and he intertwined his fingers with mine to pull me off the floor. My heart raced when I discovered everyone was staring at us in astonishment. Then I understood. "Jackson?" I called him as we walked to the table. He was oblivious to the looks around us. "Jackson?" He turned his face to me.
"Yes?"
I widened my eyes a bit and gestured for him to look around us. He furrowed his brow and then finally understood. "So?" he asked in my direction. "You're my girlfriend; they just realized it." Jackson's mother approached us with a big smile on her lips, the sparkle in her eyes visible.
"Dear, may I introduce you to some friends?" Isidora asked.
"Introduce myself?" I asked, confusion evident in my voice. "Why would I introduce myself to some friends?"
"Mom, please don't start," Jackson quickly said, tightening his grip to prevent his mother from taking me away.
"Wait, I mentioned that she's my daughter-in-law, and they're shocked to see you with Lilly. Can't I introduce her to our friends?" I noticed Jackson tense up. "Jackson? Don't be childish. Come with us if you don't want to be apart from her," his mother said in a playful tone.
"I'll join you," Jackson informed his mother. She nodded and led us both to a table where the Johnsons' special guests were seated, including the Vans.
"Here we are," Mrs. Isidora announced. She introduced me as Jackson's girlfriend to the six other people at the table, aside from the Vans, who showed the opposite of the other guests' reactions. They seemed annoyed, but what caught my attention was the secretive smile from Georgina before we returned to our table.
"They're about to serve dinner," Jackson said as he watched me take a sip of my champagne. He raised an eyebrow as I finished the glass. "One glass less for the night," he remarked as I placed the empty glass on the table.
"What?" He moved his chair closer to mine, resting his arm on the back of my chair and leaning towards my ear.
"You heard me, sweetheart," he said in a tone that sent shivers down my spine. "I know you usually have up to three glasses. You've had two. That means you have one left."
"Since when does Mr. Jackson Johnson keep track of my drinks?" He pulled back slightly to look at my face.
"Since before you were mine, remember? You were almost on your fourth glass at my mother's birthday party." I couldn't help but smile. "If that smile hadn't appeared on your lips, I would assume you were starting to get annoyed by what I said." I placed my hand on his thigh.
"I like knowing that you care about me." He leaned in and surprised me with a kiss just below my ear, sending electricity through every corner of my body. I parted my lips to catch my breath. For a moment, it felt like we were in our own bubble, just the two of us.
"Always, sweetheart," he whispered before straightening up.
"Good evening, Mr. Johnson," we turned to see a beautiful woman standing beside him. She had the most revealing neckline I'd ever seen. I was about to remove my hand from his thigh, but he stopped me with his free hand.
"Good evening, Miss Rose." I recognized her as the agent who had asked him in the employee dining room if she could have a dance with him tonight.
"May I have this dance?" Jackson was about to refuse, but I encouraged him.
"I have to ask my girlfriend," he said, looking in my direction. She also glanced at me, raising an eyebrow discreetly.
"Of course, go ahead." She didn't see Jackson's eyes. He was hoping I would say no, but I didn't want to be seen as the possessive girlfriend of the boss.
"So, you're the girlfriend," the woman said beside Jackson. He looked at her with a frown.
"If it's a problem for you, I'll stay here with her, and you can find someone else to dance with," I squeezed his fingers on his leg to calm him down.
"Of course not, Mr. Johnson! How could you think that? You make a beautiful couple," she said nervously. "But if it's an inconvenience for you," she added, looking at me.
"No, go ahead," I replied politely.
"Alright. I'll be back before they serve dinner..." He surprised me with a kiss on my lips, perhaps wanting to show something to the woman beside him. Then he left with her, and I tried to suppress my silly jealousy and the look she gave him before reaching the dance floor.
"Relax, Lilly," I heard Leah say beside me as she sat in the chair Jackson had just vacated.
"I'm calm," I smiled, but she didn't believe me.
"Sure, if I hadn't arrived in time, you would have run after her and pulled her hair out on the dance floor." I crossed my arms and shook my head.
"I'm not like that," I insisted.
"I never saw you as jealous with Oliver as you are right now. If your gaze were laser beams, you would have disintegrated her already."
"Leah," I warned her to stop. "It's just one dance." I didn't realize I was gripping the fabric of my dress tightly again until I felt Leah's fingers trying to make me release it.
"Breathe," she said. My gaze remained on Jackson and the woman. She was smiling shamelessly at him while he tried to look in my direction, but there were too many people dancing. "Lilly?" I turned my attention to her. "I've finally accepted it," she said, her eyes widening slightly.
"What? Your feelings for Jacob?"
"Yes, and I'll tell him tonight..."