She slanted her head to look at him. “Is there something I need to be nervous about?”
Two drinks in his hand, he walked over and sat down next to her. “Not that I’m aware of. Plus, we’re just here to talk, right?”
He took a gulp of his drink as she watched him. Her own glass raised to her lips, and she took a small sip as well. Never a fan of harsh liquor, she winced at the bitter taste.
He smirked. “Too much for you?”
“It’s fine,” she said before tilting the glass back again, taking a bigger gulp.
They had wasted enough time. “Now, tell me who sent the flowers.”
Hyacinth looked at him to gauge his mood. Rhys’s body leaned back on the couch, long legs splayed open, and shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair was messy and an extra button on his shirt was undone.
In short, he looked good enough to lick. At that thought, she pulled herself up short. This was so not the time to be thinking of her boss this way. Then again, he started this game of cat and mouse. She was here in his home. His very empty home. Having a drink. Making herself comfortable. And when he made that comment earlier about Carlos driving her home, she knew without a doubt that it wasn’t going to happen.
She was getting everything she wanted tonight.
In for a penny. In for a pound.
“Cin? I’m waiting.”
Damn, this motherfucker was bossy. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was the same way in bed. Would he tie her up and force her to endure all the things he did to her body? Was his dick big enough to match his swagger? Was his tongue talented enough to back up the words coming out of his mouth. Hyacinth could feel her core slickening at her thoughts. Focused back on the conversation at hand, she placed her glass on the table in front of them. She reached down to remove her shoes since she would be here for a while. No time like the present to get a bit more comfortable.
“He’s my ex-boyfriend.”
“How much of an ex?” Was that a growl in his voice?
She shifted so that her knees were bent and resting on the couch, her feet tucked underneath her. One elbow rested on the back cushion and her head was held up by her hand. “It’s been two years,” she sighed. “He’s an ex because I caught him sleeping with someone else in our home.”
Rhys was silently listening, but was getting angrier by the second.
“I came home early one day because I wasn’t feeling well. It was our neighbor. A married woman with kids. He was fucking her raw in our bed. I left him that same day and never looked back. Moved out of our home, found a room to rent, and moved on with my life.
“That’s it?”
She nodded. “That’s pretty much it. Well, I threatened him with my dad,” she laughed. “Isaac Moore don’t play about his kids. Kenny knew better than to do anything crazy or he’d have my dad and his friends to deal with.”
Rhys took another sip of whiskey. “So, what’s up with the flowers?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. About six months after we split, he started sending me flowers on dates that were only important to him, and some that were important to our relationship.”
“Like what?”
Not liking how this conversation was going, she looked at him. Like really looked at him. “Why do you care? I mean, yes, I’m your employee and I think we’re friends. Maybe,” she sighed, “we’re going to become something more after tonight. Who knows. But, I just need you to tell me the truth about what’s going on here.”
At first, it didn’t seem like he would answer, then he exhaled. “There’s something about you. You haven’t been in my orbit for a very long time, but all I think about is you. I wonder what you’re doing at your other job. I want to check on you several times a day. When you’re at the restaurant, I feel at peace because I can see you. Then that fucking thing happened with the tires on your car. All I wanted to do was keep you safe.”
Surprised was an understatement. Sure, she and Rhys had flirted with each other, but his gruff demeanor did not prepare her for this. While she was over here simping for him, he was doing the same? A smile lit up her face. “I don’t think I realized.”
“I don’t know how. I’ve been driving myself crazy ever since you crash-landed in to my life. Even the staff has noticed that there’s something different about you. I’ve changed and I don’t think they know how to handle it.”
“Yeah,” she smiled. “Well, I was trying to keep things professional.” She wasn’t ready to admit to him just how nasty, freaky, and unprofessional her dreams were about him. He was the star and he spent 100% of the time naked and blowing her mind. That would be a conversation for another day.
“Fuck professional. If you don’t want me the same way, we can leave things here. I’ll call Carlos now and he can take you home. I will still make sure that you’re safe. Protected. This ex-boyfriend is going to be dealt with. The look on your face when those flowers arrived isn’t something I want to see again.” He lifted one hand and brushed his fingers against her hair. “But if you want this as much as I do, then we stop fighting it. We see where this can go between us. We don’t worry about what the employees are gonna say. But we also don’t hide what’s happening between us. I want everyone to know that you’re mine. That I’m yours.”
“What about that woman you came in with the other day?”
“What woman? No one else matters right now except you.”