Page 28 of Fate In Fiction
“I prefer knee-high socks over sweats around the house.”
“You can wear what you like.” His tired tone cracks, and as he stares at my feet, chewing his cheek. I can tell he’s debating a snarky comeback. “I’m gonna call it a night. It’s been another long day.”
“You should really work on that.” I take a few steps closer and place my hands on my hips. “Doesn’t sound like a fun life.”
“It won’t be so bad when I know I’m being compensated for all the hard work.” His throat clears as he walks down the hall. “Especially being able to enjoy a damn helicopter.”
“This fake relationship seems quite pointless if you’ll never have time to fly it.” The sass is delivered with an unstoppable eye roll.
He stops, turning around as his eyes darken. “I’d be flying it to all the places I travel for work, Josie.”
“Mmhmm,” I muse as a giggle surfaces. “When exactly are you going to make the time to get your license to fly it?” Someone has to spit out the truth.
“Maybe when I’m not dealing with a smart-mouthed roommate.” His eyes hold mine as I walk down the hall and lean against my bedroom doorframe.
“My mouth is so smart that it’s offered us the opportunity to get what we want.” My eyes swing to the large sofa chair. “Almost everything we want.”
“Oh, I have something for you.” I remain still as he walks into his room and returns holding a heavy duvet. “If this is your bed for the next few months, I hope it doesn’t give you back pain.” He hands me the duvet, and I set it on the bed. “A pillow wall works fine with me if you change your mind.”
“I’ll be perfectly fine on this.” It barely fits me, but I don’t plan on sharing a bed with him.
“You’re the boss.” He yawns.
“Remember that, Rookie.” I wink and instantly regret it as his tired eyes transform with wicked curiosity.
I expect a reply of some sort as his jaw ticks, but he remains silent. His eyes drop to my lips before shifting to the bathroom door. My skin lights up, hyper-aware of the tingling sensation he ignited within me when our lips connected. I swallow roughly, gathering the strength to step backward into my room. On a deep breath, he nods and closes the bathroom door behind him.
Shutting my bedroom door behind me at the same time, my heart hammers loud. We need to remain an act and nothing but that. Tossing myself onto the chair bed, I open the book app on my phone and read a few pages to distract myself. A heavy stream of water pellets in the bathroom. Is this man taking a bath? The last thing I want to picture is his toned, tatted-up, naked body steaming in the shower, but now my mind is creating a whole new image of him soaking in the tub. I’d be a fool to deny my vibrator and I are about to become very well connected while he’s out of the house. But it’s better than connecting with Emmett and messing everything up.
EMMETT
An alarm sounds through the suite at five in the morning. It’s quickly silenced, but I know trying to fall back to sleep will only make me groggier when my alarm goes off later. I stretch, rolling over to the balcony doors with a groan. The sun isn’t even up yet. Would anyone suspect if I rented out another suite and stuck Josie in it? I hear her door open and the bathroom door close, just as my mind wanders to what she wears to bed. Was it what she was wearing last night? An oversized sweater and long socks are not attire I’ve pinned as attractive before seeing her in them. Her body remained hidden by the baggy sweaters, yet that sliver of exposed skin on her thighs has been driving me insane. Was she even wearing shorts underneath? Pair that with sass and my lack of a woman’s touch, and my thoughts go straight to racy. My cock aches, but I refrain from touching it with her right there.
Avoidance is the only way I know how to keep myself in check. If Josie is gone before I’m awake, and asleep before I walk through the door after ten in the evening, I’ll be less likely to challenge her little remarks and looks to see if she’ll be the one to act on giving in to us first. If our game plan messed up, that will be on her. I don’t like how she leaves me questioning my intentions.
I’m a CEO. Control is my strong suit.
The tap shuts off, and moments later, I hear the suite door click. Dragging my ass out of bed, I head to the bathroom to try to piss away my erection. It’s morning and things should settle down soon. Only I’m hit with the same lingering scent of Josie that the residue from her delicious bath oil left on my skin. I’m more of a shower guy, but last night, my muscles needed to soak. I turn the shower to a cool temperature and rid Josie’s scent away. For once, I head into work quite early and distract myself for the next few hours.
The paperwork on my desk blurs as I blink it back into focus. Staring at the screen and dealing with video conferences all morning has left my brain a mess. I need some air. And a drink. Signing out of my computer, I decide to take an early lunch and head down to the lounge.
“You’re on an early shift,” I say, as Clyde nods. “I’ll take the usual whiskey, please.” My arms rest on the bar top, but I don’t bother pulling out a chair.
“Hello to you too, man.” Clyde pours me a glass as he leans in and scans the area, as if he might tip someone off. “How has it been living with Josie?”
“Amazing.” My voice is over-animated before remembering he is the only one who witnessed mine and Josie’s deal. “I mean, it’s been one night. Besides seeing some books, and girly smells throughout the suite, I haven’t really noticed a difference.” I shrug and take a long sip. “She’s out the door before I wake, and I don’t get home until she’s about to go to bed.”
“Yeah, it seems like you work around the clock.” He wipes down the counter absentmindedly before speaking again. “Staff gossip has been wondering if you two even see each other at this point in your relationship.”
“I can’t choose a girl over my job, man,” I defend.
“You also can’t have the world believing you’re meant to be if you only see each other for a few hours each night.” Fuck, I hate how he delivers a good point. One I already knew we’d have to contend with.
“What the hell am I supposed to do? I work normal hours on Saturday, and Sundays are my half days.” I shake my head and down the rest of the whiskey. “The staff need to mind their own business and realize all the shit I have to do. Not just here, but business is done throughout the states.” My parents should have turned the money taps off years ago, if having me buckle down and help run the business was so important. Now that I’m actually pulling my weight, they screw me over.
“I get it, dude. Totally do.” Clyde’s demeanor shifts from his normal ski-bum self, to the professionally trained version as a few guests walk up to the bar beside us. “Enjoy the rest of your day, Mr. Wheaton.” I push my glass toward him and stand, heading up to my office to order lunch.
Clyde is correct. Fridays in the office are always busy, but if I stay focused long enough, I can maybe get out of here at a decent hour.
