8
Lexi
Iget to work early in the morning, ready to greet my friend Sergio and help his team unload their gear for the IT setup day. I find Ethan and introduce him to Sergio and I’m so excited I’m burbling like an overeager teenager. In my excitement, I fail to recognise the look of thunder on Ethan’s face. Sergio introduces himself as the tech expert and Ethan appears unimpressed. He doesn’t even pretend to hide his distaste as he gives Sergio a once over.
When I’d told him about the IT set up, he said he was happy with my work. He said he trusted me and looked forward to meeting my friend. I’m confused and can’t understand what the sour face is for. Why the sudden mood change? I understand Sergio isn’t Ethan’s type of guy. I mean they’d probably never be friends, but why should that matter?
Sergio and Ethan are about as opposite as two men can be. Ethan is tall, broad, thick-set, and every inch the clean-cut square jawed blue-eyed all-American soldier. Sergio is a long haired, tattooed hipster, more at home in a dark room playing video games in his spare time. Ethan kept his shit together in front of Sergio but as soon as he had me alone, he let me have it.
“What the hell is Count Dracula doing in my hotel?”
His insult puts me on the back foot instantly and I’m relieved my friend isn’t within earshot. I feel defensive when I answer.
“I told you I arranged to have a friend come and stay to oversee the tech set up.”
“Friend? He’s your friend? When you said friend, I thought you meant a woman!”
“Woman, man…. what the hell does it matter so long as they’re getting the job done at a fair price, Ethan? Sergio is excellent at his job and doing us a solid. He’s doing all the equipment at cost as a favor to me.”
“Is he now?” Ethan asks, narrowing his brows suspiciously. “Why? What’s he getting out of this?” His gaze skims my breasts and I notice but choose to ignore what’s he’s implying. I pretend to be insulted by the way he’s acting, but secretly, I’m thrilled.
“Friends do favors for each other,” I answer, thinking of him and my brother. “But of course, you know that, or I wouldn’t be working here, would I?” I know I’m being mean, but I can’t help it.
“It’s not the same thing,” he says, raking a hand through his hair. His bicep flexes and the way his mouth quirks up at the side makes me flood my panties. Gah. Why does he have to be so hot and so damn disagreeable?
“What room did you allocate for him to sleep in?”
“The one next to mine.”
Ethan eyes bulge and his face reddens. “Change it. Move him to the room next to mine and make sure he knows he’s only staying one night.” My hand flies to my hip to help me stand up straighter. I’m so mad at him. I’ve already prepared Sergio’s room and he’s moved his things there. Now I have to think of a good reason to move him.
Ethan’s expression softens and his shoulders drop. His voice is gentler when he says, “Please Lexi? Do it for me. It’s better if he’s in the room next to mine. That way if there are any problems, he can get me. You’re doing a great job, thank you. I didn’t mean to upset you. I was just surprised, that’s all.”
He’s more than surprised. He’s territorial and possessive and revealing his feelings without words. “Fine,” I answer, shaking my head at him before returning to work. Why can’t he be honest and let me know how he feels? Why can’t we be like normal people who meet at work, fall in love, and have a happily ever after? Oh, that’s right, because of Baxter! Neither of us can act on our feelings because of you know who. Big brother moneybags who put a fence around me and told Ethan not to walk through it. The spectre of Baxter looms large over both of us. This situation is ridiculous, and it has to stop.
Ethan must have spooked Sergio because he and his team wrap up the installation in record time. First thing the next morning, Sergio spends a few hours training me on the basic systems and we’re almost done when he sees Ethan walk down the corridor towards reception. He makes a lame excuse, wraps up our session, says a hasty goodbye, and exits. In fact, he disappears so quickly, my hair flies up from the breeze he generates on his way out the door. I can practically hear his car tires tearing up the gravel driveway as he speeds away.
Ethan’s smile is so innocent, it’s like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. I know he has nothing to be jealous of and his possessive streak does something to me. I can’t explain it, but I love the way he makes me feel.
“I guess you better show me what to do, Lexi,” he says innocently. There’s only one chair and we can’t screen share if we’re sitting side by side, so I offer it to him.
“You sit down, I’ll get another chair,” he offers like some kind of gallant prince instead of the ogre who just ran my friend out of town.
“No need, I’ve been sitting for hours. I’d rather stand.” He looks uneasy, but turns to face the computer screen, waiting for instructions. I run him through a few basic things, but I’m acutely aware of how close we are. I can feel his heat through my thin cotton t-shirt; the man runs as hot as a furnace. He grumbles and grunts and shifts around in his chair.
“Am I boring you, Ethan?” I sass, staring down at him, only to realize his eyes are directly in line with my tits and he’s struggling to focus. He’s seated on my left and the hand I used to point at the screen exposes my tits to him. I can’t hide from him. We’re so close I can smell him. He smells fresh and clean, like old-fashioned soap. He’s so much taller than me, I’ve never noticed the golden highlights in his hair before. But from this angle, the top of his head is dusted gold which brings out the warm golden brown of his eyes.
“All good, keep going, Lexi,” he grunts, adjusting himself in the chair again. I wonder why he has ants in his pants when I notice the bulge. Oh. I forget what part of the training we were on and swallow thickly, stalling while my brain struggles to remember.
Cooper ambles into the foyer, crunching an apple without a care in the world. He glances from Ethan to me and grins. “How’s training going?” he asks, finding it impossible to conceal is amusement.
Ethan doesn’t stand, but wheels himself closer to the desk and growls, “There’s a pallet of bricks out back and someone has to scrape the dry mortar off them. Do you want to do it?” Cooper mock salutes and turns on his heel, exiting the way he entered, but it’s impossible not to hear his chuckle as he leaves. Ethan mutters something under his breath that sounds a lot like, “Jerk,” but I can’t be sure.
My heart is pounding a million miles an hour and there’s no way I can concentrate on IT stuff. Located behind the reception area is a storeroom and coat check area. I know it’s tidy, because I cleaned it myself a few days ago.
“Follow me and bring your chair with you,” I purr and open the door to allow him to follow me.