“Uh, yeah.” I dropped my gaze before I blurted out something ridiculous and embarrassed myself any more.
For the sake of my sanity, I was going to pretend it had all been a dream. Otherwise, I didn’t think I could stay here.
Had she really asked if she needed to hold my dick while I pissed? I groaned, dropping my elbows onto the cool granite countertops as a few drops of coffee splashed against the counter.
“Rick tells me that you didn’t get a chance to set your computer up last night.” Drew ignored the fact that I suddenly can’t look her in the eye. Bless her.
“I didn’t.” I took another healthy gulp of the coffee. “Shit,” I hissed. This time I burned the tip of my tongue and the roof of my mouth.
“Here.” She slid a half-drunk bottle of water my way. Nodding my thanks to her, I took a sip to cool my mouth off, then pushed it back to her.
“What do you need to get set up? I cleared out my study, so that can be your space for now.” She handed me a fork as Rick pushed a plate in front of me. Then we were all standing around the kitchen island, nibbling on the best eggs I’d ever tasted.
I squinted at Rick, not wanting to give away that he was a fantastic cook. The coffee was already starting to work its magic, and the bright lights in the kitchen weren’t quite so blinding. They had also lost the halo surrounding them as my vision cleared.
“I brought everything I need, so the study is perfect. That’s what took me so long to get here, I had to stop and pick up a few things.” I had damn near cried when I destroyed some of my systems. I’d backed everything up to my cloud, so it wasn’t like I actually lost my data.
More like I was mourning my baby I’d built from the ground up. When a man worked his ass off through blood, sweat, and tears to build his dream computer, it hurt to tear it apart. But after my uncle paid me that nice little visit, I couldn’t chance it.
Once I sent off the documents he asked for, I tore everything down. With any luck, I’d disappear off the radar and they’d never find me again. I doubted I could stay hidden, but a man could hope.
Rick and Drew started chatting about things that needed done around the house, or errands she’d have to run in the near future. They kept their voices down and left me to finish my breakfast in peace.
I hadn’t looked in the mirror when I got up. With my pounding head, I’d barely been able to open my eyes. It was a miracle I’d found a new toothbrush and toothpaste on the counter. For all I knew, I looked like an angry alpaca having a bad hair day.
That was okay, I needed a few minutes to get back to being human. Which, thankfully, a full stomach and two cups of coffee later, I was almost there. Still felt like crap, but most of the headache was gone.
Another memory surfaced, of Drew handing me some water and aspirin. Her kindness was definitely why it only took some caffeine and greasy calories to feel better.
Wow, what a way to make an impression on a woman. I shook my head, disgusted that I’d let Rick get one over on me.
“Something wrong?” Drew pulled my attention back to her as she took my empty mug. Rick cleared my plate away, shocking the shit out of me.
Before he got me completely wasted, he went over a ridiculous cleaning schedule and what I’d be expected to do. I’d waited for the punchline, for some sign he was joking, but he stared me down until I agreed. The damn man even quizzed me on it before taking me back down to the kitchen.
“Come on, Fletcher. I’ll walk you to the office. Once you’re set up, we can review the job I have for you,” Drew said, setting her dishes in the sink.
This morning, she had her hair up in a messy bun with a few dirty blonde tendrils curling around her face and ears. Wearing a pair of loose sweat pants and an oversized T-shirt, she looked adorable and sexy all at the same time.
No, she absolutely could not be sexy when I didn’t know if my memories of last night were real or a figment of my imagination.
Once in the study, she turned to face me. I shut the door so we’d have privacy from Rick. It didn’t matter if she wanted to watch me in silence, I’d rather do it away from his prying ears.
“As much fun as it is to watch you breathe, you should probably start setting up.” A wry quirk of her lips had me grinning. The stretch of my facial muscles were only slightly sore.
I started to take a step, then hesitated. Asking her about last night would be a horrible idea. I didn’t want to know the answer, and I definitely didn’t need the knowledge. Still, when she raised an eyebrow, I cracked.
“Listen, about last night...You didn’t...I mean, I was naked when I woke up—no, that’s not how I mean...” Cue a fucking awkward blush I didn’t even know I was capable of. “Never mind.” I strode around her, to the stack of boxes lining the wall and started to rip the tape off the top.
Out of the corner of my eyes, because I was definitely not tracking her with my gaze, I watched as she walked over to the desk and hopped up to sit on the edge. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The smile in her voice taunted me.
I couldn’t explain it, but it felt ominous. Then she embarrassed the hell out of me with her next words.
“My little pincushion.”
Damn it all to fucking hell. She had seen me naked.
Eyes closed, I tried to concentrate on evening out my breathing. Nothing worse than being caught with your pants down by the hottest chick in school, and she did the unthinkable—she laughed. Right. Get your shit together, man. I cut a look toward her and her eyes seemed to almost sparkle.