It’s a bad, bad, very bad idea to be more specific.
“It’s not like we’re going to be fucking in a back room,” he jokes, and I feel the throbbing growing from his crude remark. “Unless you want to of course,” he seduces, and I would fan myself if I wouldn’t look like a stupid fool.
I’m worried I will fuck him in the back room if I let him take me.
“Funny,” I shortly respond. “When do I need to meet you?” I ask while trying to hold back my shaky nerves.
“I’ll swing by to get you around six.” He stops talking for a second, his eyes gauging mine, and then a small, devilish smirk appears. “Are you okay? You made that way too easy.”
“I’m fine. The last twenty-four hours have just been a little exhausting. I think I’m going to go get some more rest before this party I just learned about,” I sigh out in an effort to keep my true feelings hidden.
“Do you need something to wear?” he asks curiously while following me up to my room.
“No. I’ve got several things I can wear. Just don’t make me wait forever,” I grouse.
“I don’t plan on it. A lot more about me has changed than you realize.”
I lean against the door in the hallway that promises to remove me from our intensely locked stare, but it’s almost impossible to open it all the way.
“I’ll see you later then,” I force out as casually as I possibly can.
“Definitely.” He leans in closer to push open the door I haven’t been able to attempt to open. “Make sure you’re ready,” he says with obvious innuendo, and I’m worried I will be ready - for him.
I can’t do this.
I shut the door the moment I’m inside, and I flop my head in my hands before more of my shameful tears fall free.
I can’t make this mistake. I love Brazen.
“Ms. Crush?” asks Wendy - Hale’s personal assistant and human groupie.
“Come in,” I say a little too casually considering the daring dress I’m wearing to join Hale at this function.
“Wow,” she gushes when she walks in, and she very slowly shuts the door while her mouth gapes open.
“I shouldn’t wear this, should I? It might give him the wrong idea,” I grumble.
I start rifling through my closet while trying to find a more suitable replacement for this very snug, slinky one strap dress. It’s much shorter than I realized, and I don’t even know why in the hell I brought it to begin with.
“I have a skirt in here somewhere,” I murmur aloud.
“You have to wear the dress. The function is a little too formal for a business skirt. There’s nothing wrong with looking good,” she says with a devious smile.
“I wish I had brought something a little less showy.”
“Can I ask you a personal question, Ms. Crush?” she asks curiously.
“I suppose,” I warily respond.
“I’ve always wondered about you. I’ve seen your pictures, but I’ve never heard the story about why the happy girl in the photos left,” she says with gentle prying finesse.
“Oh,” I huff, then I feel confused about her plural phrasing. “Pictures?”
“Yes. There’s a couple in his room, and there’s several in his office. He keeps one in his wallet as well as one in each of his personal vehicles. Not to mention his personal and work computers. They’re all loaded down with pictures of you that scroll across at all times of the day. And his phone-”
“Okay. Okay,” I interrupt with a little bit of startled shock. “I get it. Hale has a lot of pictures of me.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be too… annoying. Captain Banner just seems like a really great guy, and I couldn’t help but be curious about the girl that stole his heart before walking away. He won’t even look at another girl, and I’ve never seen that sort of loyalty demonstrated by anyone.”
