Chapter Six
Armi glanced at his watch. “Jesus. How did it get to be six o’clock?” Groaning, he sat in his chair and stretched out his legs in front of him. “I’ve never been so busy in a single day since I studied for the CPA exam.”
“And you must be hungry. You didn’t eat the lunch I brought you.” Hayden stood at the open door of his office. “Again. You’ve skipped lunch every day this past week.”
His stomach growled, and he laughed. “I guess that’s your answer. Yeah.” He rubbed his now rumbling stomach. “What happened to the food you ordered? I’ll eat it now.”
Hayden wrinkled his perfect nose. “You couldn’t. It was fettuccini from Scarpetta’s. I can order you something fresh if you’d like.”
“Don’t bother.” He scratched his head. “I can do it when I get home. I’m exhausted and need a shower and to get out of this suit.” As he spoke, he undid the top button of his shirt and loosened his tie. “My brain is fried.”
“Would you like me to schedule you for a massage? That could help.”
Armand studied his hands. “I don’t know. I’ve never had one.”
“What?” He could see he’d shocked Hayden. “How can that be?”
Armi shrugged. “I’ve just never…thought about it. Relaxing for me means—”
“The garden and your rosebushes?” Hayden filled in for him.
As always, the thought of his garden and the serenity it brought him soothed his jumbled nerves. “Yes. I like to spend at least a few hours a day with the roses and check in on them for any signs of disease…or simply to unwind. Being there, among their quiet beauty, brings me joy.”
“It sounds beautiful. How many varieties do you have?”
It was the first chance he’d had to talk with Hayden since his hiring the prior week. He’d been caught up in a whirlwind of meetings and intense trade negotiations. Hayden had written up crib sheets for each team, and who was a free agent, and whom the Kings were pursuing. It all made his head spin, and he was looking forward to the weekend and time with his flowers. There was little he loved more than talking about his roses.
“I have fourteen distinct varieties, but I’m constantly grafting. It’s why I moved to Bulgaria for a year. They have the most beautiful roses in the world, and there was no better place to learn about cultivating and growing them. I have hybrid tea, climbing, floribunda, grandiflora, David Austin. I’m trying some older varieties, like Damask and Gallica…” He trailed off, realizing he was babbling, and ducked his head. “Sorry. I’m boring you.”
“Actually no. You’re not. At all.”
Armi made a face. “Come on, Hayden. I know I’m your boss, but you don’t have to spare my feelings.”
Hayden crossed his arms. “One thing you’ll learn about me the more we work together is that I don’t lie. If I was bored, I’d leave.” To Armi’s surprise, Hayden took several steps inside his office. “I’m genuinely interested. My mother has always had roses in her garden, and she takes care of them like they’re her babies. I’d love to be able to give her some tips.”
His lips twitched up. “I understand.” Maybe it was having Hayden in every meeting that gave him more confidence. Or maybe it was their connection from the club that had his mouth speaking before his brain could catch up. “Would you like to come home with me and see them?”
Hayden’s eyes widened.
Face burning, Armi stammered, “I-I’m sorry. That was stupid. Of course you have better things to do. I’m sure you’re tired from working so hard.”
“I’d like that.”
“Y-you don’t have to say yes just because I’m your boss.”
A frown puckered his smooth brow. “Remember what I just said? I don’t lie. I say what I mean. And I’d really like to see your roses.”
Heart hammering, he nodded. “Okay. I’ll just finish up here, then.”
The cocky smile he remembered from their night together returned. “You’re the boss, Mr. Winters.” He left, and Armi rubbed his face.
“I can keep it together. He’s just a guy.”
Without paying much attention to what the hell he was doing, Armi closed his computer down and left. Hayden was at his desk, fingers flying over the keyboard. Caught up in watching him work, Armi remained silent.
“I know you’re standing there,” Hayden said as he continued entering information. “I’m transcribing my notes from the last meeting. Should be done in a few minutes. I’ll send them to you.”
“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“You’re not. And you shouldn’t apologize. You’re not doing anything wrong.” He stopped, pressed a button, and swiveled around to face Armi. “I’m ready to leave whenever you are. I sent you everything so you can review it later.” Hayden rose, and Armi couldn’t help admiring the strong back and curve of his perfect ass in snug trousers before it was covered by his suit jacket.
“Great.”
As they passed by the reception desk, Hayden pointed to the wall. “Just so you know, my first day, I put in an order to change the sign to your name. It should be arriving soon. And all the letterhead, stationery, plus the website still have your father’s name as owner and CEO. That must change too. I meant to do it this week, but I’ve been in meetings with you and didn’t have the chance. I’ll get to it next week.”
Damn . He hadn’t even thought about that, and obviously, no one else in the Kings did either. Except Hayden. Who’d only worked for him for a week.
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
Hayden looked at him oddly. “You don’t have to keep thanking me. It’s my job.” He pushed the elevator button.
“I know, but that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve appreciation or acknowledgment that I recognize the effort you’re putting in. It’s common courtesy.” The doubt in Hayden’s eyes was telling, and Armi pressed him. “Didn’t your bosses before me ever let you know?”
The doors opened, and they entered the crowded cab. Hayden waited to answer until they stood outside, waiting for their car.
“To answer your question, no. None of my bosses ever said thank you. It’s what was expected of me. To go that extra step so they didn’t have to think about it.”
The car slid to a stop in front of them, and Armi opened the door for Hayden. “Whether that’s true or not, that doesn’t mean it’s right. Or that I’m going to be the same as anyone else you’ve worked for.” The car took off. “Was Kunoff Shipping your only job?”
The air shifted between them, and Hayden’s profile tensed. “No. I worked for the head of an international bank and then the CEO of one of the largest hedge funds in the world. Do you want to check my references now?”
“No, definitely not,” Armi rushed to reassure him. “You satisfy me completely.”
A hint of a smile flickered on Hayden’s lips. “I’m glad.”
Realizing how that sounded, Armi groaned. “Oh God, you know what I mean. I wasn’t—”
Hayden rested a hand on his arm. “I know. I was just teasing.”
The car slid to a stop, and Hayden withdrew. For the first time, Armi wished he lived farther away so Hayden could keep touching him. They got out, and Hayden trailed behind. When Armi opened the front door to the town house, Hayden hung back.
“What’s wrong?” Armi asked.
“Nothing.” Hayden’s response came swiftly, and as in the car, Armi sensed Hayden putting up a virtual wall.
“Follow me. The garden is this way.” They passed by the parlor, formal dining room, and the large kitchen. Growing up, he’d split his time between the home on Long Island and the town house, but after his parents divorced, they sold the estate in Old Brookville, and his mother gained sole ownership of the house in the city. She gave it to him upon his college graduation and moved into a smaller apartment off Central Park on Fifth Avenue, claiming she didn’t need so much space and Armi could use the garden for his roses.
He opened the door to the solarium, which he’d converted to a greenhouse. It was where he performed his grafting, as well as cared for the roses indoors during the winter months.
“Wow, this is…just wow.” Hayden stood surveying the glass-enclosed room, and his admiration was obvious. It wasn’t forced or faked. Finally in his element, Armi’s chest swelled as he explained what he was trying to accomplish.
“I’m blending hardy roses with those of a more delicate nature to see if I can get healthy specimens. Plus, I’m trying to figure out how to achieve new colors. I love the shaded petals, like the Peace rose you put in my office. How did you know they’re my favorite?”
A faint blush tinged Hayden’s cheeks. “I didn’t. They’re my mother’s favorites as well. During the summer she always cuts them and has bouquets all around the house.”
“She has good taste.”
Hayden peered at the cuttings in pots and the buds forming. “Looks like you’re getting flowers. What colors are you hoping for?”
Armi smiled. “Almost anything. Come outside with me.”
It was a beautiful evening, and the garden was in full bloom after a day of bright sunshine. A riot of colors greeted his eyes—blush to magenta pink, crimson red to coral. Cheerful yellow climbers shared the trellis with delicate, peach-edged whites.
“It smells heavenly.” Hayden wandered about, and Armi thought how gorgeous he looked surrounded by flowers. How would it be to have someone special to share dinner with under the stars, surrounded by the beauty and perfume of his roses?
He sighed, and Hayden, who’d leaned in to smell a large hybrid tea—John F. Kennedy—gazed up at him. “What’s wrong?”
Forcing a pleasant expression, Armi shook his head. “Nothing. Nothing at all. Everything’s fine.”
“You have a beautiful home, from what I saw. It’s just you alone?” Hayden reached out to run a fingertip over a velvety petal, and Armi had never wished more to be a flower.
“Y-yes. I grew up here, and my mother moved out when I graduated from college. Probably hoping I’d get married and have kids.”
“Is that so far-fetched? Marriage and family, I mean.” Hayden sat in one of the Adirondack chairs. “Do you want that?”
“Do I have a choice?” The familiar tightness returned to his chest. “It’s not as if I have much to offer. Aside from my money.”
Hayden’s brows drew together. “You’re kidding, right?”
Armi leaned against the wooden picnic table. “Come on. Now I know you’re blowing smoke up my ass. I know I’m no prize. I’m clumsy and awkward and not quick with the comebacks. It takes me time to process and think things through. I don’t care about fashion or the latest trends. You don’t have to flatter me.”
“Cut it out.” Hayden’s voice whipped across him, and Armi flinched as if he’d been slapped. “Stop it.” Visibly angry, Hayden left his chair and stalked toward him, his face dangerous, and yet Armi was as turned-on as the first night they’d met, when Hayden had been flirty and teasing. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“It’s nothing new. Stick around long enough, and you’ll see the whole picture of what you’ve gotten yourself into.”
“That’s bullshit.”
“I’m not looking for pity. It’s just how it is.”
Hayden stormed off to pace the garden, and Armi watched his long, lean body move with grace. He stopped and strode over again. “I’m telling you, that’s bullshit, and I’ll prove it. Did I know anything about you when we met that night at The Vibe?”
“No, but—”
“But nothing, Armi. I saw you, and I liked you, and I wanted you. Period. I took you home with me, and we had sex. Intense, fucking awesome sex. Are you denying that?”
“N-no.” Unable to bear the intensity of Hayden’s piercing eyes, he dropped his gaze. “It was the best night of my life.”
Cool fingers tipped his chin up, and Hayden’s eyes bore into his. “It was hot as fuck. And you were sexy as hell. Stop thinking you’re not enough. You might be everything.”
His breath caught as a deep ache bloomed inside him. He wanted…God, he wanted someone to love and hold him and say those words because they meant them. Not because they felt sorry for him, like Hayden did.
“Thanks for the pep talk. I’ll try.”
A flicker of doubt clouded Hayden’s expression, but he dropped his hand and stepped away. “Thanks for showing me your garden. It’s beautiful. I’d better be going.”
He’d planned to ask Hayden to stay for dinner so they could get to know each other better, but obviously, that wasn’t on Hayden’s evening to-do list. And the way he was dancing on his toes, he couldn’t wait to get away from Armi and out of his house. Armi understood. It was enough to spend the day working with him; Hayden didn’t need to waste his night as well.
“Sure, no problem.”
With a false smile pasted on his face, Armi led Hayden through the town house to the front. Hayden remained silent, with none of the earlier teasing or sensuality he’d given Armi a glimpse of.
“I’ll see you Monday,” Hayden said. “You should have the scouting reports that were requested at the meeting over the weekend. I’ll start a spreadsheet for you.”
“I appreciate it.” Armi took out his phone. “Let me call you a car.”
“I can walk.” Hayden opened the door.
“Please, Hayden. Let me?”
The struggle played out on Hayden’s expressive face. “I don’t mind walking. It’s only half a mile or so.”
And before he could answer, Hayden took off. As Armi wasn’t about to run down the street after him, he watched Hayden disappear around the corner toward Second Avenue.
With a heavy sigh, he closed the door and leaned against it. “Well, that’s that.” He returned to the garden and sat in the chair Hayden had vacated, staring at the roses, until the sun set. Why had he been so foolish as to assume Hayden would want to spend time with him out of the office, maybe have dinner? From the first day, Hayden had made a point of stating their relationship was to remain strictly professional. No crossing the boundaries of employer-employee. Armi wouldn’t make that mistake again.