It doesn’t come to me who the person is until we both turn to see Thomas Moskins standing there. His eyes aren’t on me, but on Cody. And they’re narrowed into unimpressed, inquisitive slits. It’s not an expression I’d want on me if I were my coworker.
Cody pushes to his feet, completely morphing his face into a fake expression of professionalism as he extends a hand to thehockey player. “It’s so nice to meet you, Mr. Moskins. Winter and I were—”
“You,” he cuts Cody off, “were just leaving.”
Cody’s smile drops when the professional athlete ignores his outstretched hand and gestures behind him. He’s not going to shake it. He’s not even going to pretend like he gives a shit.
I have to curl my lips back to hide a smile as Cody grumbles under his breath. That is, until I realize that he’s mumbling what sounds oddly like, “…clearly sleeping with her client.”
My heart drops at the accusation.
And I’m not the only one who hears it.
Before Cody can storm off to whatever bridge he crawled out from under, Thomas Moskins grabs hold of his arm to stop him. “Thefuckdid you just say?”
My eyes widen at the venomous tone that even has Cody looking wary.
“I-I—” My coworker stumbles over his words as he stares wide-eyed at the man he clearly wanted to work with. I wonder if he’s second-guessing that now.
My new client pulls Cody toward him, so there’s barely any distance between them. It’s only then that I realize how tall he is compared to my coworker. He towers over the man who, only seconds ago, crowding my personal space. I wonder howhelikes it. “If I ever hear you disrespect another woman, I will make sure you don’t have a goddamn job to come back to. Feel me?”
Cody is quick to nod vigorously.
It’s enough for Moskins to let him go and shove him away. As Cody scurries off, Thomas calls out, “And lay off the fucking body spray. You smell like a douchebag.”
All I can do is gape at the right-winger as he turns to me with a deadpan expression.
I blink.
He blinks.
I swallow.
He stares.
“Do we have an appointment?” I ask, frowning down at my calendar. I’m meticulous about updating it. He’s not on here until Wednesday, when he’s supposed to come in to speak with Janel and me about our game plan. I’m still making cold calls and cementing all the little details to propose to him.
“Come on,” he says, grabbing the jacket I have hung up on a hook outside my cubicle. He tosses it to me, and I barely catch it before it hits me in the face. “Let’s go.”
I don’t move an inch. “Ugh…where?”
“Out,” he answers dubiously, staring at me as if I’m an idiot for not following. His chin dips to my coat. “Put that on, it’s raining outside.”
Why is he so bossy? “I can’t just leave. I’m working. What is this about? You’re not supposed to be here for another two days.”
Apparently, he doesn’t love being questioned. “Do you always push back this much?”
I can’t help it. I lift my shoulders casually and nod. “Sometimes.”
He tries hiding it, but I see the slightest twitch on his lips. “We’re getting something to eat. We need to talk, and I’m hungry.”
That sounds way too serious. “Janel has a meeting in ten minutes, so we can’t go until—”
“I don’t want Janel,” he informs me, not bothering to let me finish my sentence. “I’m here to get you.”
Confusion makes me sit silently as I gawk at him. He’s not here to speak to Janel. Weird, but okay. Why me? “She’s still the main lead on your case, Mr. Moskins. It’s better if she’s there if you need to discuss things relating to it.”
Boundaries, I remind myself.Set boundaries.
