“Clearly not! My comp—” I stop myself. “Myboss’scompany is in the competition that ishostedby your boss.”
He purses his lips, shaking his head. “So...?”
“You have got to be kidding me.” I let out a frustrated growl, pacing the room in my underwear and the Odericco T-shirt; it feels tighter by the second. “It’s a huge conflict of interest; thank god we didn’t have sex!”
“I mean...” He picks up his watch from the side table with a bemused smile. “There’s still time...?”
Head in my hands, I sit on the edge of the bed. “Don’t you see how bad this is?”
For the first time in this conversation, he looks genuinely concerned. Coming around the bed, he crouches in front of me, gently taking my hands in his. “It’s okay—there’s like four degrees of separation between us. We’re both assistants to the people in the competition. It’s not like we’re actuallyinthe competition ourselves.” He scratches the back of his neck and huffs a laugh. “Now, that would be bad.”
My stomach roils.Fuck, fuck, fuck.If it came out that I’m the real CEO and founder of Wyst, that would be pretty terrible. If it came out that I almost had shower sex with the head judge of the competition’s assistant, that would be fucking awful.
“Oh god, I’m going to throw up,” I say, leaping up to my feet. A migraine swiftly bubbling its way to the surface. “Why have I not seen you around Dominic?”
He shifts awkwardly. “He’s usually sending me out on errands during this kind of event: getting his coffee, booking dinner reservations, managing his luggage. All the lackey shit.”
I study him. “And you were openly complaining about those errands to everyone at the bar tonight. I’m surprised he hasn’t fired you.” That was harsh but what the actual fuck.
“Well.” He scratches the back of his head, considering hisnext words. “Dominic’s also my cousin...” His mouth downturns as he cringes, anticipating my negative reaction. He is correct in the assumption.
A fresh wave of adrenaline hits my chest. “Oh, for fuck’s sake, I nearly had sex withOliver Odericco?”
“OliverKavanagh!” he corrects with an air of desperation, like it’s a last-ditch attempt to rectify the night. The name doesn’t soothe me; instead, my hands start to shake as it takes me right back to the initial phone call with Mr. Fucking Kavanagh.
Oliver Kavanagh doesn’t just work for Odericco Investments, isn’t just Dominic Odericco’s cousin. Oliver Kavanagh is the sole reason me, Spencer, and Wyst are here. Oh my god, I nearly told him the idea is mine when we were at the pool.
Holding my hands in the air, I announce, “Iseriouslyhave to go.” I frantically pack up my things. My wet clothes are still at the bottom of his shower. I close my eyes briefly, trying to avoid thinking about blissfully ignorant Jess having the time of her life with Oliver, cousin and assistant of Dominic Odericco, under the spray of the warm water less than ten minutes ago.
Scanning on fast forward through everything I’ve seen and heard at TechRumble, I get stuck on something weird Dominic said backstage earlier.
Where’s okay?
It sounded strange when he said it, but now the pieces fall to the floor and lock into place like red-flag Tetris blocks.
Okay. O.K. Oliver Kavanagh.
“Does Dominic call you... O.K.? Like your initials?”
He nods. “Yeah, it’s a teenage nickname. I used to call himDodo as retaliation, but he threatened me with a demotion to office night cleaner if I refer to him as that at work. I think he secretly loves our inside jokes, though.” He shoots me a soft smile as he steps off the bed, gently touching the arms at my sides with his warm palms. “Violet, this is fine. I am sounbelievablyinsignificant at Odericco. Dominic barely trusts me to get his coffee order most days.” He tilts his head playfully. “Which is fair because I tend to spill them over incredibly attractive women before he can drink them.”
That’s why he seemed already settled in when Spencer and I arrived at the hotel early. Why he could get the dry cleaning sorted so fast. Why he seemed so disinterested in any of the presentations. Why everyone already knew his name at the assistants’ party. Why he had the key card to the executive pool.
My blood pounds into my temples. Every part of this night was because he is Dominic’s assistant. Everybody knows him, and everybody saw me with him.
He’s the assistant to the King of TechRumble, not to mention his flesh and blood. Everyone probably fawns over him. And I could have been caught heavy petting in the C-Suite hot tub with him.
He holds my crossed arms and lowers his chin to meet me. “Look, why don’t we just chill out, I’ll order us some room service, we can talk, get to know each other, and maybe if we feel like it, have a couple more life-altering orgasms...?” His hazel eyes twinkle in the low light, swirling gold and green streaks like koi fish gliding around a pond.
For a split second, I consider it. If this was real, I would stay. If I was really an assistant, someone with so little significance in this competition. If I didn’t have to watch Spencer likea hawk to make sure the plan and subsequently my company don’t blow up in my face.
“No, sorry. I need to, ummm... process this. Alone.” I swallow, avoiding his eyes.
His broad shoulders slump at my words, but he accepts my decision and he silently steps away from me, hands taut at his sides as I pick up my bag and my bra and slink out the door.
Chapter 11
Business Account (WYST) BALANCE: £9,485.44
