Theheels of my palms continued to press into my eyes as I groaned. “I don’t needalcohol, Jess.”
“Iknow you’resayingthat, but you really, really look desperate,” sheinsisted. “You know, my brother smokes weed when he gets too stressed out, andlet me tell you, it does the trick. Sometimes getting high isexactlywhat you need to—”
Droppingmy hands to my desk, I stared at her with incredulity. “I’mnotstressed.”
Jesspressed a hip into the doorframe and cocked her head, pursing her lips with adose of her own disbelief. “Yeah. Right. And Alex isn’t a flaming homosexual.”
“Loudand proud, honey!” Alex crowed as he approached Jess, taking a place next toher in the doorway. “Look at our poor little girl. I think cocktails are inorder, what do you say?”
“Ican’t,” I persisted, shifting my glare from one employee to the other.“I have dinner plans tonight.”
Jess’sjaw flopped open. “Oh my God, tell me you’re going out with Thor.”
“Thor?”Alex asked, pinching his brows.
Witha zealous twirl on her heel, Jess pressed her palms against the lavender breastof Alex’s button-down dress shirt. “You missed it. This guy walked in earlierlooking for Tabitha. He had to beat leastsix-two, with a blondeman-bun,gorgeousbrown eyes, inkeverywhere, and muscles fordays. Total panty-dropper.”
“Jeez,Jess,” I gawked with a shake of my head. “Why don’t you just paint a picturefor us?”
“Oh,please do,” Alex nodded encouragingly. He dipped his head to stare into Jess’seager eyes. “Did you happen to snap a pic of this fine specimen?”
Anexaggerated pout puffed out Jess’s bottom lip. “I didn’t. I was too busy committinghis ass to memory, sorry.”
Alexturned to me expectantly. “But you’re going to dinner with him?”
“Inever said that!” My tone jumped an octave and my two colleagues simultaneouslycocked their heads. Busted. “It’s not what either of you are thinking.”
“Well,I mean, sex is good at relieving stress too, so …” Jess shrugged innocentlywhile her eyebrows jumped with the suggestion.
I’dbe lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it. I might’ve adopted a life of reserveand structure, but I’m not dead and I’d have to be to not pick up onSebastian’s appeal. He oozed of danger and risk—everything exciting—but therewasn’t a single characteristic I’d picked up on thus far that said he was agood idea.
Becausehe wasn’t.
“Knockit off,” I demanded, my tone hard and serious. “He’s not here for me, okay?”
“Oh?”Jess questioned, crossing her arms to ward off the sting of my reprimand. “Thenwhy exactly would a gift from the Nordic gods be walking into your real estateoffice in Middle of Nowhere, New York?”
Istood up from my desk with more gusto than necessary, sending my chair rollingtoward the wall. “Because he’s Greyson’s fucking father, that’s why. I foundhis information in some of Sam’s stuff, and asked him to come here to help mewith him, okay? There will be no booze, there will be no pot, and there willcertainly be no sex. Now, please, I have some shit to deal with before I haveto pick up Greyson and then deal withhisbullshit before we meetSebastian for dinner.”
Itdidn’t take long for the embarrassment to hit me. My emotions were usually sodisciplined but lately I could feel the control slipping from my grasp. Itwasn’t any surprise that all areas of my life were struggling, and I remindedmyself that this was exactly why I had requested help from Sebastian.
NeitherAlex or Jess left the office. They just stared with grimaces fixed on theirfaces.
Clappinga hand to my forehead, I pressed my lids shut. “I’m sorry, guys,” I breathed, voicethick with apology as I dropped into my chair.
“Honey,”Alex soothed, rushing into the office and around my desk. His gentle handssqueezed my shoulders. “Don’t apologize. You’ve been taking quite the littlejourney through Hell. We know that, and we understand.”
“Iknow you know,” I heaved a sigh and let my head droop forward. “But it doesn’texcuse taking it out on you.”
“Holdon just one second.” Jess hurried away from the office door. I listened as sherifled through some things, while Alex’s hands worked expertly at my shoulders.When Jess returned, I wasn’t surprised to find her wielding a mini bottle ofGrey Goose. “Here. I was saving this for my next sale, but you obviously needitwaymore than I do.”
Icouldn’t remember the last time I had indulged in a drink, whether to numb thepain or otherwise. Every time I thought I might, something diverted myattention and called me away from indulging in a moment of weakness. Now,staring at that tiny bottle of vodka, I thought about my list of responsibilitiesfor the day. Plot the next move on the Worthington house, return a few phonecalls, pick up Greyson, and meet Sebastian for dinner. Every single one of thempicked away at my nerves and every one added another increment of unneededstress.
Butthere was vodka, and it would help.
Ioutstretched my hand. “Give it here,” I demanded with the faintest hint of agrateful smile.
Crackingit open, Jess stepped forward, dangling the open bottle from her fingertips. “Iwill give this to you, but first you have to promise me something.”
