I stood up from my mat and began spraying it down.
“The only thing I love about her is fucking her.” I rolled the mat up and placed it on the rack. Kevin quietly followed suit, as if knowing he had struck a nerve. He knew me well enough when to push, and when to back off. Now, I needed him to back off. I had come here to blow off some steam, not talk about the reason why I needed to.
I stalked to the weight room, perusing the weights until I found the ones I needed. I grunted as I lifted them from the rack. Finding a solid stance on the black foam floor, I began doing bicep curls.
“So, this James Vincent guy…it’s a big deal?” asked Kevin, picking up his own weights.
“Huge,” I said breathlessly. “It’s going to take the firm to the next level, not only in our financial gain but in media coverage.”
“Well, congrats, man.” He began curling the weights up to his shoulders. “Dallas is a cool city. Did you enjoy yourself?”
More than I would like to admit.
“Yeah,” I said nonchalantly. I told him about the hotel and the mall, deliberately leaving Sadie’s name out of it. There was no way in hell I was going to tell him we shared a room, or that I drank myself into a stupor our first night there, leading her to take care of me. Just remembering how Icouldn’tremember that night made my insides shudder. I hated that I put myself in that position, and that I had felt comfortable enough to do it with her.
Vulnerable.
That was the word she used. Not a descriptor I particularly enjoyed when it came to myself.
As I began another set of reps, I wondered if I had let myself become too comfortable with Sadie. The thought made my stomach more unsettled than the morning after I had drank that whole damn bottle of vintage cabernet.
Yes, the sex with Sadie was the best I had ever had. Seeing her release her inhibitions and become the woman I have been continuously pushing her to be had been an extreme turn-on. I could still hear her whispered plea as I hovered over her.
Fuck me.
The words had been playing in my head the entire day, making my cock twitch in my pants. Now, I tuned the words out as I went for a heavier set of weights from the rack. Kevin eyed me cautiously, as if knowing I was deep in thought. I grunted as Istruggled to get the weights up to my shoulders, only letting out a breath when I succeeded.
I knew I couldn’t fire Sadie, and as much fun as I was having keeping her on her toes at the office and having her as eye candy across from me, maybe it was time to rein things in. I hated the feeling of ever being in that position of being exposed—or vulnerable—again. We would have to go back to the business relationship we were meant to have. CEO and personal assistant. Nothing more.
“Dude, you’re going to throw your back out,” said Kevin.
I huffed a laugh as I took in my beet-red face. He was right. I slammed the weights back on the rack before grabbing a towel to wipe my damp brow.
“This girl has got you all twisted up,” said Kevin, sitting down on a nearby bench.
He was back at it again.
I rolled my eyes. “No.” I said firmly. “She’s just my assistant. Starting Monday, that’s all she will be from here on out.”
“Riiiiight,” said Kevin unconvinced. He stood up and picked up his weights again for another set. The smug expression on his face was a challenge.
I shot him a look and took a sip of ice-cold water.
“I’m serious,” I said with a cool collectedness.
“Yeah, yeah. Good luck with that, man.”
He knew, just as well as I knew, that I would never be able to resist a temptation like Sadie.
Chapter 25
Sadie
Ipoured the steaming coffee into my favorite mug, a light pink one with fingerprint flowers on it, courtesy of Erica’s daughter, Josie. She had gifted it to me for my birthday last year and it was the one I always reached for in the upper cabinet. Once I poured creamer and spooned sugar to my liking, I carried my coffee to the large window that looked out over the city that was still waking up. The sun was just barely coming up over the buildings, casting a warm yellow glow over a sleepy Manhattan.
It was early. Abnormally early for me, but I couldn’t sleep. I kept tossing and turning, until I eventually gave up at five, pulling the covers off of me and setting the coffee pot to brew. Throughout the night, my mind kept drifting where it usually did these days. To Jeremiah. After indulging in sleeping next to him, the absence of his steady breathing and the comfort of his arm draped over me was unsettling. Especially when I knew he was just a few floors up. Well, twenty-four to be exact.
Still, there were times through the night, and all day yesterday, that I had the urge to text him or bump into him in the lobby by chance. But every time I picked up my phone, I somehow couldn’t build the courage to. And every time I walked through the lobby, I was disappointed not to see him posted up at the bar or following me into the elevator. I missed him, which was ridiculous after spending the past few days together.
