Page 106 of Matteo

I sit up a little more. “Do we need to look at Joel?”

“I don’t know.” Another labored sigh leaves his mouth. “I don’t know who to trust anymore.”

Immediately my instinct and fears kick in. “You trust me, though, don't you?”

“Absolutely,” he says, looking at me like I'm crazy for even saying that. “With my life.”

With my life.

I breathe easier, and let his words settle gently over me.

Chapter 26

MATTEO

Elizabeth has put in her request to take two weeks off work, and I’ve decided to take the same time off.

It might look odd, both of us being away at the same time, but we're all adults here. I'm pretty sure some of the guys have realized already, even though we try to ignore one another as much as is humanly possible.

Still, the days pass in excruciating torture because we can’t walk past one another without touching. We keep looking at one another, and meetings with the team are torture. It’s difficult, hiding what we feel for one another, and pretending we’re nothing but professional at work.

One time we were in the kitchen together. Hands brushing, until a couple of the systems engineers walked in. Elizabeth nimbly moved away, busied herself with getting something out of the fridge. I left after refilling my water bottle, but I heard her making conversation with the guys. They were talking about security on passwords.

I look out of my office once more, and watch Elizabeth sitting with her back to me. The memory of the weekend comes rushing back. Heated images flood my mind, bringing back the fevered, scorching hot kisses, our mouths crushed together, tongues dueling. Her hand on my cock, me palming her breast. Through clothes.

It’s so frustrating.

I'm usually a patient man, but this constant anticipation is starting to wear me down. Every thought seems to circle back to her. I go to bed thinking about her and wake up thinking about her. No matter how much work I throw myself into, I can't seem to get her out of my head.

This woman has affected all of me.

She turns around, and catches me staring at her. A shy smile starting on her lips, and then she looks around the office slowly, turning her back to me.

I wonder if she's thinking what I'm thinking.

Of us together in bed, touching one another, exploring, and …

My cock twitches again, and to my utter delight, Elizabeth walks in, with a folder in her hands.

“We don't have a meeting,” I murmur, closing the door firmly behind her. I wish this wall was opaque so nobody could see in. Instead, I have to keep my distance, paranoid about curious eyes watching us.

Her gaze slowly travels down my body. I feel the heat when it settles over my bulge between my legs.

“We don’t,” she says. “I just needed to see if it was only me.” Her eyes catch mine briefly, before she walks past me, her hand brushing over my cock. She leaves as quickly as she came.

Fuck.

Her touch is like fire, and my hard-on? Bigger. Stiffer. Painful.

I want to see her again, and letting the days pass with us being apart, has been torture. I clear my throat, sit back at my desk, and try to focus my mind on work.

Try to calm my throbbing cock.

After a while, I call Alex into my office. He walks in like he always does, calm and composed, like nothing ever rattles him.

“You wanted to see me?”

I nod toward the chair opposite my desk. “Close the door.”