He releases a heavy breath and drags a hand through his hair. “You’re right. I’m just… never mind. I’m sorry.”
My jaw drops. “Did you just apologize?”
Ignoring my question, Cain hangs up his coat. “Rev will have your bags brought up. I set a security badge on the counter for you. It accesses only the necessary floors, so don’t think you’ve got free rein of the building.”
Cain’s out the door without another word, phone already pressed to his ear.
I push out a sigh as my body sags. How long will I be left alone this time? It scares me, especially when I’m already feeling emotionally battered after the day with him. Were my demons that easy to see? Or was Cain looking for a reason to confirm that I am damaged goods?
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
EZRA
Rev surprises me by hanging out long enough to walk me through weight machines in the gym. He shares a photo of Jakey that brings hot tears to my eyes. My old man’s sitting in a recliner at the senior estate they put him up in, drowning in multi-colored yarn.
“Quirky friend you got there, Ezra,” Rev says, cracking a grin. “Wouldn’t expect anything less from you.”
Too soon, our session ends though, and Rev walks me back to Cain’s apartment to suffer in boredom. The silence picks at me like a vulture on roadkill. I’ve become attuned to the constant noise of the streets. The snores and squeaks of bed frames in shelters. Jakey’s humming or elaborate storytelling.
Spinning my lip ring, I check the clock. Just after 5PM.
I know Cain’s not on a set schedule. He’s the CEO of a very demanding company. One mess up could tank his reputation. He has clients to answer to and special teams to lead, and the last thing he probably wantsto do is come back to me lurking in his home—the street kid who tried to kiss him and he now feels obligated to protect.
But what the fuck am I supposed to do?
My head fills with too many anxious thoughts, like why Cain would take an interest in how I react to physical touch. Why is it that I desire him when I’ve never wanted anyone intimately before? What would happen if he put his hands on me? Would I freak out or give in to pleasure?
I tug at the ends of my hair. How the fuck do I shut my brain off?
After a long shower, I slip on a pair of his boxers and the softest heather gray t-shirt I can find in his closet. I move from the couch to the kitchen stool to his bed. I roll around in his perfectly made sheets, frustrated with my body when I get hard from the lingering smell of Cain there.
In an attempt to distract myself from this consuming need, I rearrange Cain’s bathroom drawers. Mostly, I do it out of spite. I move his toothpaste into the toiletry closet and his toothbrush into the shower. Then I stack the toilet paper on the bottom shelf where I know he’ll have to bend his tall frame to reach it.
Touching his things only makes me think about him more. His looming, dark presence and inked arms, and intense eyes that seem to shift colors with the emotions he strives to bottle up.
I groan, palming my stiff cock.
When it hits 10PM, I start to worry that Cain’s either avoiding me or he’s in some sort of trouble. What if Gabriel got to him?
Great. Now my brain’s in panic mode. I don’t even put shoes on as I head for the elevator. The thirteenth floor is empty when the doors slide open, and I practically sprint into Cain’s office.
His tired expression flips to irritation immediately, and it makes my chest ache.
“Ezra,” he says darkly. I don’t miss the way his eyes flick to my crotch before finding their way back to my face. Thankfully, my dick went soft in the middle of panicking.
A muscle in his jaw twitches. “Why aren’t you wearing any pants?”
“Forgot,” I murmur.
“You… forgot pants.”
I don’t shy away from his glare, though my heart is beating too fast. “Happens to the best of us.”
When he doesn’t speak, I can’t help but add, “I got worried about you.”
I mean, it’s either poke the bear until he plays or find some other way to bleed out this pent-up energy. And I’ve already been to the gym twice today.
He watches my fingers tap on my thigh for a few strained minutes. “There’s no need for that. I often work late hours.”
