“Sex sure is fun, can’t blame him,” I answer truthfully. If it’s with the right person that is.
“Oh, I know, I mean we both get it from somewhere, he just doesn’t know how to shut up.” I nod my head at her words unsure of what to say. My mind has been so stuck on Echo and what I should do—walk away, tell him it’s over—I have no idea. I mean he did keep me out of whatever was about to happen, that was part of the plan, right? Our only interest in each other was sex. So, I shouldn’t be hurt, but he had just asked me to go to his brother’s wedding, so I was confused. Very much so.
“How well do you know him?” I ask cutting her off from what she’s about to say.
“Echo?” she asks. I nod my head. “Better than most I would guess. We all went to the same school. We grew up together. Even if the boys are very secretive they weren’t mean to me.” She stops as I look at my cell which is beeping with a message from him. “Are you having feelings for him, Storm?” I look up and shake my head.
“I don’t. No. What we have is just fun, it’s how I want it to stay.”
“You aren’t committed to each other? So, he could call you right now, call it off with what you have and go back to his ex, and you’d be okay with that?” I cringe at her words and the way that woman looked at me like I was a lower class than her. I’m not.
“I’d be fine. I mean I would miss the sex. But what we have is nothing emotional.”
“Good to know, Red.” I look up, my heart missing a beat as Echo stands at my door. I kick my desk again this time but thankful my heels are on as I stand.
Tracey walks past him touching his shoulder as she goes. “Don’t be an ass.” She winks at me then closes the door, leaving us both in my office staring at each other unsure of what to say or do. His eyes leave me for a second before they come back.
“I see you’ve been getting my messages.” I look at my cell on my desk. “It’s not broken then?” His hands are in his pockets, his mouth is in a thin line. What does he have to be unhappy about?
“I was working out what to reply to you.” It’s the truth.
“You don’t want to see me anymore?” he asks stepping closer. I smell him. And I know when he’s near me I won’t tell him no. I can do this. I can fuck and have a fling relationship with no emotions. Lies. So, I keep telling myself.
“I do.”
His hand touches my arm, his fingers trace inside my wrist before he clasps it with his. “So you’ll come with me, won’t you?”
“I won’t be your hidden secret. The one who has to run out the back door when your ex comes over.”
“Noted.” Echo nods his head then his lips touch mine as his hand grips my arm. If he could take my breath away with each touch of his lips, he would do just that. Just as our lips touch a knock on the door is heard and I pull away, but I can’t go far because he still has hold of me. My heart rate doesn’t slow and my lips feel like something’s missing. The knock comes again.
“Should you get that… or they can wait?”
My words are lost, but I manage to walk to the door in answer pulling it open carefully. I see Vicki standing there. Her eyes scan me, from my lips to my eyes then past my shoulder as she straightens her posture.
“Vicki,” I manage to finally say.
She doesn’t look back to me when she answers, “Your two o’clock is in the conference room. We are waiting for you.”
“She’ll be right there, Vicki.”
“She will be?” Vicki asks finally looking to me.
I nod my head to her and shut the door before she can say anything else. Turning around my back hits the door as I assess him. His beautiful blond hair swoops flawlessly like he ran the perfect brush through and sprayed it to keep it there when I know full well he didn’t. He’s lucky like that to have the most incredible hair. His trousers are dark blue matching his blue tie which is paired with his white shirt. He always looks like he’s ready for business.
“I’ll give you the rest of the week, but the wedding is this weekend.”
“You still want me to go with you?” I ask him.
He takes one step closer my hands stay on the door behind me knowing I don’t have time and have to leave. I can’t be late. I’m never late. It’s how I got where I am today.