I come down all at once, clarity invading like a sledgehammer to the head. I look down at my scarred, calloused palm, overflowing with cum.
What was I thinking? She could’ve woken up, caught me with my hands on my dick, jerking off while watching her like a mouth-breathing creep.She’d fire me, and rightly so. I’m as much of a stalker as the person sending her threats. The difference is, I’d never, ever hurt her like that.
I take one last look at her before quietly backing away and out of her room.
Poe winds between my legs as we change places by her side. It’s like he’s telling me he’ll look after her now, that I can go to sleep. For a moment I feel guilty. What I was doing wasn’t protecting her.
But I’m already thinking about how I’ll do it again. Already addicted to the only release I’ll allow myself, but one I can’tdeny now that I tasted it. I just need to make sure she never sees me in her room at night.
There are ways to ensure a deep, uninterrupted sleep. Some of them I’d never use on her. Anything that messed with breathing. Anything that lingered in the bloodstream. Anything that would leave her foggy in the morning. No, nothing unsafe, addictive.
I consider black market avenues I haven’t touched since my last contract overseas and immediately dismiss them. Anything bought in the dark is risky. I’ll never risk Basia.
Obviously, I can’t ask Damien—he’d cut my dick off at the root if he knew I wanted it to perv over his baby momma’s best friend at night. But I did make connections with various concierge medical services while working with my high-profile clients.
One quiet call is all it takes.
Soon, I have what I need, discreetly delivered the same night.
5
BASIA
“Come on, it’s the weekend,” I tell my grumpy gargoyle. I’m in my running clothes, bouncing on the tips of my sneakered toes. “I miss my Central Park runs.”
“It’s not safe,” Caleb says without looking up from his phone, where he’s been going through what looks like old scanned files for the last hour.
“I’d literally be with someone whose job description is guarding my body. Can I get safer than that?” I brace my hands on my hips. “Why do you look like you work out but don’t want to go for a run with me? In fact, I never actually see you work out.”
The stare Caleb gives me is as much of an eyeroll as a manly man like him can produce.
“I look like I work out because I don’t run. I do weight training. And you don’t see medo it because I do a calisthenics routine while you’re still having sweet dreams at night.”
Hm. Are the tips of his ears a bit red? What’s made him hot under the collar?
“No wonder you’re always so grumpy,” I tease him. “You’re working out instead of sleeping.”
Caleb sighs and returns to whatever he’s reading.
“Alright, no running. How about a nice long walk? And we can stop to feed the ducks.”
My mountain man lifts one dark eyebrow. “Not bread, I hope?”
I bare my teeth in a grin, pleased I got a reaction out of Mr. Nutrition.
“What kind of heathen do you think I am to feed the ducks empty calories? No, I reserve that for myself.” This brings a smile to his lips, but I continue while I’m ahead. “There’s a fruit vendor, Ahmed, who sells bird feed to park visitors. We’ll stop by on the way.”
“Who said we’re going?” Caleb mutters.
“I did,” I say confidently. “And I’m the boss in this here relationship.”
“Darling,” Caleb purrs, making my panties disintegrate, “you don’t want to be my boss.”
I feel the tips ofmyears getting hot. Why am I getting flustered by his words?
“W—what do you mean?” I stutter, then clear my throat and try with more confidence. “I hired you, so I’m your boss.”
Caleb pushes back from the table and casually walks to the door to put on his sneakers.
