I clear my throat and begin to speak when I notice Sam and Jackson are glaring at each other. I could cut the tension in here with a knife.

"Hey Sam, this is Jackson." I say politely but my voice is shaking.

"We've met." Sam says between clenched teeth.

I feel like I'm standing between two wolves about to tear each other apart. I never signed up to be Bella Swan, so I'm not quite sure what to do in this situation.

"Oh, how did you two-" I start.

Sam interrupts me, "He came looking for you last week and I told him you were busy working and to stay the hell away."

"You what?" I'm shocked. How dare he intervene in my life. Is this after Jack and I had our first fight? If it is, that means he came to find me after I walked away from him. 

Jack wraps his arm around my stomach and pulls my back closer against him. "Why is your boss here Maggie?"

"My boss?" I'm confused. "Sam isn't my boss Jackson."

"Then what the fuck is he doing here?" Jackson growls.

"Sam is one of my good friends, I told you at the party." I say and notice Sam look a bit disappointed in my choice of words.

Jackson smiles through his clenched jaw and turns me to face him. He gives me a long showy kiss then says, "I'll see you tomorrow, baby."

Jack smacks my ass then turns to leave and Sam gives a disgusted look to his back. I'm aware this sudden show of masculinity is to stake his claim. I make a mental note to speak with him about it later, deciding embarrassing him in front of Sam wouldn't be fair.

I slip past Sam who's still standing in the doorway and walk inside my apartment. I'm contemplating how to explain to him what he just saw. I suppose there's no tiptoeing around it now.

"What the hell was that Maggie?" Sam says aggressively. "You slumming it now?"

"Excuse me?" I almost shout. He's never spoken to me this way and it's not something I'll ever tolerate, not even from Sam.

Sam seems to realize the mistake he's just made so his eyes soften slightly and he speaks again. "That guy is bad news."

"You're just judging him because of the way he looks." I'm absolutely fuming.

I'm sure we look like an odd couple.  Jack is covered in tattoos, has metal in his lip, combined with his dark hair and brooding attitude he seems dangerous.  But I love that about him. 

I may look like a goody-two-shoes, maybe even a valedictorian who graduated at the top of her class, a woman who spends her days at the salon with a nice mimosa. However, looks can be deceiving. I can be a wild woman and Jackson is a good man.

Sam reaches out to touch me but I pull away.  "No, that's not it. I've seen him around with tons of women Maggie, just none of them with your caliber."

"What do you mean my caliber?" I ask, placing my hands on my hips ready to verbally rip him a new one.

"I see him all the time with different women, all half-dressed and sloppily hanging all over him. Occasionally he brings in multiple at a time! But these women clearly know what they're in for, you're-" He seems to struggle finding the right words. "Maggie you're too good for him. You're not one of these filthy women. You're different."

It certainly doesn't feel good to hear about Jack's liaisons, but I know this must be before we started seeing each other. Jack wouldn't do that to me, would he?

"I know his kind. He's only going to hurt you." He says and this pisses me off.

His kind.

"Well Sam, good thing it's not you sleeping with him then huh?" I shout, not thinking about my harsh words.

"You've slept with him?" His voice cracks like a wounded animal and he runs both hands through his blonde hair.

"No, but that's where it's heading." I say, crossing my arms in front of my chest as if it's any of his business.

Sam seems to breathe a little easier knowing I'm still a virgin.

"Do me a favor- No actually do yourself a favor and don't sleep him. At least wait until you really know him." Sam pleads with desperate eyes.

"Why Sam?" I sigh in defeat, already tired of this conversation.

"Because you're a fun challenge for him Mags. Once he gets what he wants he'll be on to the next girl." He spits.

I pretend that it doesn't hurt me and cross my arms over my chest again. "He's not going to do that to me."

"He's a playboy, it's all a game to men like that Mags. But if you won't do it for me, do it for yourself." He lays his hand on my shoulder and his blue eyes are staring into mine.  "You deserve to be with someone who truly cares about you. Someone who really knows you inside and out. Someone you love and is capable of loving you back."

He's closer now, so close I can feel his hot breath on my face.

"Who?" I manage to squeak out.

His arctic colored eyes are focused on mine. He places his finger under my chin and tilts my face so his lips are almost brushing mine. My heartbeat speeds up and my breath starts to falter but my mind wanders to Jackson.

I look at the floor to calm my breathing and I feel Sam's lips press into my forehead. Neither of us break the silence as Sam walks towards the door, opens it and leaves without looking back.

My mind is racing. What just happened? Sam has never shown interest before and now that I've finally found someone, he's suddenly jealous?

Has he always felt this way or is he just now discovering how he feels? What would Jackson say if he just saw this display? Jackson! Jackson knew this would happen, he told me at the party last week that I was leading Sam on but I didn't believe him.

Bethany walks into the living room with a defeated look, "Well I found 28 Weeks Later, but I can't for the life of me find 28 Days Later."

She stops talking and her platinum curls bob from side to side as she searches the room. "Where's Sam?"

Her bright green eyes land on my face and I must look terrible or just completely flushed because she drops the DVD she was holding and rushes to give me a hug. "What's wrong? What the hell happened? Did Jackson hurt you?"

I let out a sharp laugh. Every one thinks Jackson's going to hurt me. "It was Sam actually."

She pulls back with a shocked look on her face. "Sam? What did he say?"

I sigh, "Well I had a great date with Jack and we spent the whole day together. We came back here and Sam opened the door to us-"

"Oh god." Beth puts a hand over her face. "Let's sit down."

"Okay?" I let Bethany lead me to the couch and we both sit on the opposite end with our legs crossed.

"Sam has kind of had a crush on you forever." She starts, "He didn't want to complicate things at work but after the party last weekend he decided he was going to tell you. He came here to do just that, except I was here instead."

"Oh." I say tiredly and begin to pick at a loose thread on the couch to keep my fingers occupied. 

"He thought he had to tell you before you got too involved with Jackson, but I told him it was too little too late." Beth says with a wave of her hand.

"You're right." I say unsure, but trying to be. "It's too late. I can't-" I start to say but Beth leans across the couch and pulls me into a hug.

"Honey, I know you're confused right now but Sam has always been your best friend, other than me of course." She adds. "He's not going anywhere."

She backs up slightly but keeps her hands on my shoulders. "You enjoy what you have with Jackson. I've never seen you so happy. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be, that's what you've always told me."

The tension in my shoulders seems to fade a little and her words make me feel a little better.

"You're right." I say with a weak smile.

"I better get to sleep. I've got a shift tomorrow and then a date with Jackson for his NBA celebration." I say as I stand and the realization hits me. "Oh god, it's going to be so awkward tomorrow with Sam."

"No, it won't. Nothing's changed. Sam always liked you. The only difference is now you know." Beth says through a smile.

"Oh, of course, my best friend is in love with me.  Absolutely nothing has changed at all." I sarcastically shout over my shoulder as I head to bed.

Before I drift off to sleep I read a text from Jackson. "Goodnight beautiful." A smile escapes my lips just before sleep takes me.

THE NEXT MORNING
I wake up to my alarm blasting country music and jump to turn it off. It's the station I've found that actually plays music at the same time each morning and despite the fact that I do sort of like country, it's much too early for the Boot Scootin' Boogie.

I'm in a decent mood despite the turn of events the night before. I actually grab a cup of coffee without spilling it on the way to the shower and the steaming hot water releases any lasting tension I've been carrying. Like most people, I do my best singing in the shower, so I blast Julia Michael's 'Issues' and sing along until I'm out of breath.

I repeat the song over and over on the car ride to work and by the time I arrive, I feel great. I think this might be my theme song with Jackson. I mentally decide to tell him about it later as I walk past his building.

When I arrive to work, Sam gives me his usual bright smile as if nothing happened last night and gives me the rundown on who's at my tables.

Work seems to go quickly and as I walk back to the bar to grab more drinks I see Jackson sitting on a stool talking to Sam. I freeze in place to analyze them. They're both leaning over the bar whispering, but unlike last night it at least seems civil.

"Hey Mags!" Jack calls to me and I see Sam cringe and walk away from us.

"Hey." I say as I walk closer to him. My eyes carefully wander to where Sam headed and I notice he's given us space.

"It's almost two, have you taken a lunch break yet?" Jackson asks after glancing at his watch.

I had been so busy I hadn't even thought about it. "I had a snack in the backroom earlier so I'm not hungry, but I didn't even realize the time."

"Well can you sneak out so I can show you around the office?" He asks.

I totally forgot he wanted to show me his office today. "We're super busy but I'll just ask Beth to cover me."

I inform Bethany of where I'm going and head back to meet Jackson at the door. His hand rests on my lower back as he opens it for me and a searing heat rushes through my body. I don't think I'll ever get used to his touch.

We walk into the building next door and we're greeted by a beautiful young secretary. A pair of Ray-ban sunglasses are rooted in her shoulder-length strawberry blonde hair which is curled in tight waves.

"You must be Maggie." She says.  Her smile is lined with bright red lipstick and reminds me of how I always try to avoid looking, a streetwalker. "My name is Georgia, welcome."

She stands to offer me her hand and I notice her tight leather skirt bunching up much too high. 

Well, at least she has manners.

I offer her a thank you and we politely exchange pleasantries. She seems polite, but I notice the way she's starring at Jackson and it makes me uneasy. The little green monster is raring its face again but I shove it down.

We start walking away and I whisper to Jackson, "She couldn't keep her eyes off you."

He laughs at my jealousy and says, "I needed her to see you were real so she'd back off. Think it will work?"

My brows scrunch together and I ask, "How many of these women are in love with you?"

"Oh, only half of the office. The other half have been there done that." He jokes.

I stop walking and fold my arms across my chest. I don't have an exact number of women he's slept with but my imagination can't be far off. It makes me uncomfortable knowing at any moment I could be meeting one of his old liaisons.

"Oh come on Mags, I was kidding." He says as he places a kiss on my temple.

I can't take it out on him, he can't exactly help women being attracted to him. I mean he's beautiful. His fierce diamond eyes combined with his dark hair and intense smolder, not to mention when he bites his bottom lip and-

My breath starts to pick up and I can feel the heat building in my chest. I need to calm myself down.

This is not the time or place Maggie.

"This is Alex's office. He's my publicist." He says as he knocks on the door.

"The guy who was cheating on his wife in the club?" I whisper shocked.

"That's him." He whispers back.

"He's your publicist, the man who manages your image?" I guffaw.

And as if on cue Alex opens the door with a big smile and a disheveled woman slides out of his office.

I gag internally at the sleazeball and hope that if I do accept a position here, I'll have hardly any interaction with him.

"Jack, my man!" He says as he pulls Jackson in for a bro hug slapping his shoulder. "You ready for tonight?"

"Just have to sort out our outfits but yes I'm ready." Jackson replies. "I'm showing Maggie around the office and trying to convince her to come work here."

"Maggie, work here huh?" He says as he gives my body a quick once over.

"Jack she's perfect, the press is gonna eat her up." Alex licks his lips and gives me a wink.

I'm perfect for what? For Jackson?

Alex seems to notice Jack's arm grip tighter around my waist and his jaw clench, so he drops his gaze to the floor then back up to Jack's eyes.

"Well, that's great. We'd love to have you around Maggie." He gives us what looks like a genuine smile and walks passed us to escort the blonde that just left his office.

I place my hand on my hip and eye Jackson, "Well this is going swimmingly. I'm almost convinced!" My voice is absolutely dripping with sarcasm.

"I figured I'd give you the bad news first so you'll really enjoy the good." He winks.

We meet a few other people in the office who are nice and run into Christian who seems to be a really genuine guy. I can't help but like him and it appears Bethany has taken a liking to him as well.

Last, we stop at an office with J. Porter written in bold letters, so official.

"I always save the best for last." He says as he opens the door in a sweeping motion.

It's a large modern office with floor to ceiling windows and an executive desk with a massive bookcase covering one of the walls.

"Your office is so nice!" I gasp and I'm immediately drawn to the bookshelf.

I start browsing all of the titles, Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice, The Great Gatsby and so many more litter the shelf. His vast collection is so impressive, I could spend forever locked in here with them. Most of the books look weathered and old as if they might be the very books he stole from his library as a child.

My fingers gently graze the book ends examining his collection until I land on an old copy of Pride and Prejudice.  I slide it out and flip through the tattered pages.  I feel his arms wrap around my waist and his lips graze my neck as he begins to whisper a passage.

"There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it, and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense." Jack recites flawlessly from memory and my eyes widen.  Of course, he would choose to memorize this quote, of all the beautiful options. 

I'm quiet as I feel the heat from his breath on my neck until I remember a quote from the very same book.

"It is happy for you that you possess the talent of flattering with delicacy. May I ask whether these pleasing attentions proceed from the impulse of the moment, or are the result of previous study?"

Jack lets out a chuckle and I feel the vibrations tickle my neck. 

"Your office is next door." He breathes in my ear then takes it in his mouth and presses himself against me.

I moan and lean further back into his touch feeling his erection pressing against my ass. His hands move underneath my shirt and I gasp at the feeling of his fingers cupping my breasts.

"Jack-" I start but he pushes his erection harder against me and I the feel heat starting just below my belly. "We can't mess around in here!" I gasp.

Jackson spins me around to face him then lifts me into the air and my legs instinctively wrap around his waist.  His hand sweeps across his desk knocking paperwork to the floor then lays me on top of it.

"I want you." He breathes.