He started to keep the stubble look, which only allowed my mind to wander to those dirty thoughts of what it would feel like on the more sensitive areas on my body.He started to pull his hair back into a stubby pony tail and I had to say, the long hair, man-bun look never did anything for me but good God, Rory was fucking gorgeous and pulled it off so damn well.
I clenched my jaw against the thoughts, trying to redirect my mind elsewhere.
You know, to things that were important.
Like my next test.Or, more presently, the order Stone just slid my way to deliver.
I grabbed the two glasses and lone bottle, putting them on my tray, all while avoiding Rory’s gaze on me.I deliberately turned in the direction away from him in order to deliver the drinks, praying for another table to flag me down.Something for a little more time away from Rory.
My prayers were answered when I heard my name over the music.
“Emily.”
I glanced toward the sound and saw that Conor had just walked into the pub from the front door.He was heading toward the back but looked over at me and waved me back.“Let’s talk.”
Assuming it had something to do with the truck I was borrowing, I delivered the drinks and hurried back to the front.Placing my tray in its home spot, I still managed to avoided Rory.
“Talking to Con, Stone,” I told him as he poured another lager.
“Got it.”Stone flashed his eyes toward me momentarily while completing his task, letting me know it was me he was talking to.
I could feel Rory’s eyes on me as I walked through the swinging kitchen door, until the door swung shut behind me.With a relieved sigh, I walked down the kitchen and around the corner to the office.
Conor was just sitting down, closing a desk drawer he must have dropped his bike key into.
“How’s everything going with school?”he asked as I stepped into the room.When I moved to sit on the couch, I fought a blush as the memories of the last time I was in this office flooded my mind.
“Good.I passed my test last week by a few points, but I think I’ll be good.Did you need the truck back?”
Conor stretched back in his chair, slouching some and crossing his arms over his chest.“You can keep it for a bit longer.Mia and I were talking and she came up with an alternative.You can absolutely say no, but I want to start out by telling you this isn’t a gift.I know you have pride and we don’t want to step on toes.”
I sat up straight, a frown deepening on my face.“Ok?”
“Mia and I want to help get you into a car of your own.I know you said you couldn’t do the payments right now, and I completely respect that.You’re only a semester out and while I don’t want to think about the fact I’m close to losing one of my better barmaids,” he said this last part with a grin, “I know that your plan is to do nursing.If you’re afraid of your credit, I can co-sign on the loan.Either way, Mia and I can help cover payments until you’re on your feet and you can pay us back.”
I nibbled on my lower lip.This was a phenomenal deal and I’d be silly to pass it up but…
“I don’t like the idea of owing you.”I shifted in my seat only to sit up taller.“It is incredibly generous of you guys though.Thank you.”
“Just take the damn car.”
My head flew in the direction of the door.I didn’t see it open, but standing there, leaning against the jamb in the way Rory tended to do, was the man himself.How long had he been standing there?How much did he hear?Certainly enough for him to tell me to take what Conor and Mia were offering.
I felt my face flush.This time, it had nothing to do with the two of us in this very room but with mortification.I mean, I knew that Rory knew about my troubles.He was partially my boss, after all.But dealing with Conor was so much easier than Rory, the guy whose achievements made my once upon a time plans look like rubbish simply because I failed and he soared.Pretending that all we had between us was cold distaste, but oddly hot chemistry, was much easier to deal with than the knowledge that this cocky, self-entitled, wealthy guy was well aware of my financial failings.
I shifted again but before I could get a word in edgewise, Rory pushed himself from the frame and entered the room, respectably closing the door behind him.
“It’s just a car, Emily.You can’t keep walking at one in the fucking morning.”
“Conor’s changing my schedule,” I said as Conor looked at his brother, brow raised over his right eye, and said, “Her schedule is changing.”
“That was awesome.Do it again,” Rory replied, but with a deadpan expression on his face.“It’s like you two practiced that.”He walked to the edge of the desk and propped his tight ass on the corner, arms crossed over his chest.While Conor took the slouched, comfortable,welcomingposition at his chair, Rory in front of him like he was, was like putting up an invisible wall between Conor and I.Rory demanded my attention and again, I hated myself for wanting to give it to him.
“You want to finish the semester without failing, you need to be better about your time,” Rory was saying.I had never seen him take such an authoritative stance when it came to the pub and their employees.
Would it further make me a heel if I said it turned me on a little bit?You know, just a tiny bit.
“You spend, what?Twenty minutes walking here?Another twenty home?If you drove, you’d be cutting off damn near seventy-five percent of that time.That gives you another thirty minutes of study time.So long as you’re not cramming it all in one session, that’s another great chunk of time to get your brain to focus and to retain everything you’re teaching it.I’m willing to bet your scores will improve, from that extra thirty minutes alone.”
