She was still here though, taking care of me.
When I handed Molly my empty glass, I caught Mason glancing at her again. He used to avoid looking at her, but ever since their clear-the-air conversation, I’d find him studying her often. Was he wondering why she was choosing to stay rather than leave? Or were his thoughts about her going in a completely different direction?
“I’ll help you in the kitchen,” he said, getting up to follow her.
I watched them disappear through the doorway, apprehension rising in my chest. Mason may have been fine with me fucking Molly, but what if he thought it was becoming more than that? My heart was starting to crack open for her. It scared me I wasn’t confident in how my friend would react if things ever got more serious. I couldn’t lose him for anyone, even for her.
And yet the thought of walking away from Molly was becoming harder and harder to stomach.
I needed to stop thinking about this shit until I sobered up.
They returned with two plates of ham and cheese sandwiches cut into triangles. Molly fed me one herself. It was embarrassing how much I reveled in the attention she was lavishing on me.
“Mase and I thought we should all watch a movie,” she said, sitting down beside me.
“Sure,” I muttered, putting my arm on the backrest behind her. “I’m down for whatever.”
Mason was in the armchair, his attention focused on finding something on the TV. It was the first time the three of us had hung out without having work as our main focus, and to my surprise, it felt…comfortable. The silence stretched without becoming awkward.
Mason chose some old black and white movie and propped his feet up on the coffee table. I nudged Molly closer, wrapping my arm around her shoulders. She turned her face to me, her emerald-green eyes piercing right through my soul. I wanted to kiss her badly, but I couldn’t with Mase in the room with us. How would he react if I did it right now? If I peeled off her dress and took turns sucking each nipple into my mouth? If I made her come with my tongue right on this couch, spreading her legs for him to see?
A shock of arousal coursed through me.
Fuck, I was still way too fucking drunk. I needed to get a hold of myself. There was no way I wanted Mason to see me getting it on with Molly.
I’ve shared just about everything with him. But I could never share her.
Right?
17
MOLLY
I tuggedon the neck of my T-shirt as I pulled into Hyperion’s parking lot on Wednesday morning. When Trinity texted me to come into the office, my first thought was she’d somehow found out I was sleeping with Kaz. I’d taken a long shower back at my apartment, trying to calm my anxiety. If I showed up to the meeting looking nervous, she’d know something was going on, and I couldn’t afford to give anything away.
There was simply no way she could know, unless she’d secretly installed cameras in his bedroom. We’d been careful, only hooking up at Kaz’s place, and never showing any PDA in public. Well, there was that one time we ran out to pick up lunch and he kissed me on the cheek while we waited for the order, but the place was empty besides us and two teenage employees. Now I was just being paranoid.
I turned off the ignition and climbed out of the car, my thoughts stuck on the enigmatic singer. Kaz wasn’t like I’d expected him to be. On the surface he was cold, mocking, insensitive…but I was discovering a different man beneath the upper layer of frost. When we were together, he was thoughtful, eager to please, and dominant in a way that thrilled me. Every new kiss and soft caress from him was a brand on my soul that wouldn’t be easy to erase. On the day of his mom’s birthday, he’d been so vulnerable it had made my heart seize with emotions. I wanted to be there for him.Neededto rid him of his pain.
It was a terrifying thought.
We were blazing down a road, traveling far above the speed limit, and something told me the only way we’d come to a stop was by way of a massive crash.
I took the elevator up and headed straight to Trinity’s office. She wasn’t in yet, so I placed my belongings on her velvet couch and walked over to the espresso machine.
The door opened behind me with a soft whoosh, followed by the telltale clacking of Trinity’s high heels. “Oh good, you’re here. Make me one, please. Theo emailed this morning to confirm the shoot on Monday and asked if you were going to be there.”
As usual, Trinity didn’t waste time on pleasantries.
“I’ll be wherever you need me,” I said, handing her the espresso.
She tossed it back in one gulp and sat down in her chair. Today, she wore a navy wrap dress, a tailored jacket, and a penetrating look on her face. She scanned me up and folded her hands in her lap. “Where do you see yourself in five years, Molly?”
I tried to contain my surprise at her question. Was she really taking an interest in my career? Besides dangling the promotion in front of me now and then, she’d never asked me what I wanted.
“Here,” I blurted out. “I see myself at Hyperion.”
She rolled her eyes. “I meant in what role. I was under the impression you wanted to get promoted to be my senior assistant and perhaps work toward an eventual managerial position. Did I misinterpret your intentions?”
