Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
It’s been an hour since Alfie left to head down to the gym.
I haven’t been able to stop replaying his reaction to me yelling at him.
I was already worked up and frustrated at the stupid mistake one of my staff made with the permits they submitted.
A huge fucking error that could put that particular project back months.
And then, Alfie strolled in like he owns the damn place and got changed. Most men I’ve dated in the past would have yelled back. Not that I’m dating Alfie Giuliani. But I did not expect him to remain calm and just tell me to change my tone if I wanted to have a conversation.
He also didn’t seem bothered that I was in here working. Or that I was yelling at staff when he walked in. It’s odd. Then again, why would he care? Like I said, we are not dating.
But he brought me to Portland and chose to stay with me. He has said more than once that he doesn’t want to sleep without me tonight. Does that mean that he likes me a little more than he should?
I shake my head. You carved your initials into each other, Molly. He went and met your parents, made up an elaborate story for your mom without blinking an eye.
Shit. Maybe this is more than just sex…
I pick up the phone and dial Angus. As soon as he answers, I’m spiraling. “I’ve screwed up.”
“With what?” he asks calmly.
“Alfie Giuliani.”
“Has he hurt you? Where are you?” Angus rushes out.
“No. Not like that. He’s not going to hurt me, Angus. I think… I think I like him. More than as just a casual romp in the sheets.”
“Oh, that. Well, yeah, I could tell.”
“Why didn’t you warn me?” I screech. “I cannot like him.”
“You can, and you do. What made you come to the realization?”
“We… ah… I let him carve his initials into my skin and then I did the same to him,” I admit.
Angus is silent.
I look at the screen to make sure the call didn’t disconnect. “Angus?”
“Yeah, I’m here. I’m just processing,” he says slowly. “You let him carve his initials into your skin? Where?”
“On my hip.”
“Okay, well, that’s… Nope, that’s fucking insane, Molly. What on earth were you thinking?” Angus yells.
“I was thinking about the amazing orgasm that was waiting for me,” I try to explain. “And also, I don’t hate when he says I’m his.”
“Where is he now?”
“At the gym?”
“And you’re not in there ogling that man working out? I bet he has his shirt off and is dripping in sweat.” Angus sighs.
“Gotta go. Good chat.” I press the red button to disconnect the call before running straight into the bedroom.
I change into a pair of shorts and a sports bra.
I throw on a tank top to cover my stomach, because, well, it’s covered in bite marks.
Grabbing the keycard for the room and my phone, I then head for the door and sprint down to the gym.
I don’t love working out. In fact, I hate it.
But I do it occasionally when I’m going through an I’m going to get healthy kick.
I stop dead in my tracks when I walk into the gym because Angus was right—not about the shirtless part. Alfie does still have a shirt on. His brother does not. But my eyes are trained on Alfie’s ass as he runs on a treadmill next to Hudson.
He catches my gaze in the mirror and hits the stop button. Stepping off the treadmill, Alfie brings the bottom of his shirt up to his forehead and wipes at the sweat dripping from his face. He then pulls the shirt completely off, over the back of his head.
“Hey,” he greets me.
“Hey. Have you two been working out all this time?”
“It’s only been an hour, Molly,” Alfie says.
“An hour of working out is like a lifetime in hell if you ask me.” I shrug.
Hudson jumps off the treadmill and spins on me. “You don’t like the gym? How the hell do you get a body that hot without working out?”
Alfie reaches out and slaps the back of his brother’s head. “Stop looking at her,” he growls.
“Whoa. What is that?” Hudson points at Alfie’s stomach, to the spot just above his hip, where my initials are forming a fresh scab. Then Hudson turns to me. “You did that?”
“Well, he did it to me first,” I say, lifting my tank and showing off the AG initials.
“You.” Hudson points to Alfie and then shakes his head. “You have issues.” He looks at me. “Both of you.”
“You finish putting out fires?” Alfie asks me, ignoring his brother.
“For now,” I tell him.
“You want to work out? What do you prefer? Treadmill? Bike? Weights?”
“You know what? I’m good being a spectator.” I smirk as I sit my ass on a bench that’s supposed to be used for the weights.
“I’ve booked dinner reservations for seven. I’ll send you the details. Don’t be late,” Hudson says as he exits the gym.
“Did he leave because of me?” I ask Alfie.
“No. He left because he’s a lazy fucker and can’t keep up,” Alfie replies.
“Well, don’t let me stop you from whatever it is you do in here.” I smirk and stare at him.
“You want to watch me work out?” Alfie walks over to some machine. He reaches up and grabs hold of a bar. “Come here,” he says as he lifts himself until the top half of his body is above the bar.
I stand and step over to him, and he drops back down.
“Jump on. Wrap your legs around my waist.”
“What? Why?”
“I need extra weight,” he says.
I do what he tells me, wrapping my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck, and then he’s bending his legs upwards and lifting both of us.
“I think you just wanted to show off.” I laugh.
“No, I just wanted your body wrapped around mine.” He leans down and presses his lips to mine.
He repeats the process a few times, lifting up and then dropping down and kissing my lips. When his feet hit the ground, he wraps his arms around me.
“Lie on the floor, on your back,” he tells me, and I do. “Good girl,” Alfie says as he holds his body above mine.
He leans down and then kisses me again before he lifts himself back up. He’s doing pushups, over the top of me, and I lose count of how many he does.
“You are a much better workout partner than my brother.” Alfie grins.
“I’m not doing anything.”
“You’re giving me motivation to keep going, because I get to kiss you and I want more.” He kisses me again and then he jumps up and is on his feet. “Come on.” He holds out a hand to me.
As soon as I take it, he lifts me to stand in front of him. “Where are we going?” I ask.
“Back to the room. I want to devour you, and I don’t want to risk strangers walking in and getting a glimpse of your pussy.”
I don’t argue or object to his plan. Instead, I let him lead me out of the gym and over to the bank of elevators.
Alfie’s holding his shirt in his hand, and when we step into the elevator, there are two women in their early-twenties waiting inside.
Very scantily-dressed women, whose greedy eyes immediately take in all that is Alfie.
He pulls me in and presses the number for our floor while the women continue to stare.
It’s driving me insane. I have no claim over him, but I don’t want other women staring at him either.
I have no idea what to do, because if I say something, I look like a lunatic.
And if I do something like lean up on my toes and kiss Alfie right here, there’s a chance he could push me away.
Or he’d see right through me and know I’m trying to stake my claim on him.
“Fuck me, your ass is giving me a boner in those shorts, babe,” Alfie growls in a low tone, and I know the other two women heard him because they both stifle laughs.
The moment I turn to look at him, Alfie’s hand touches my face and he presses his lips to mine.
“So fucking hard,” he whispers against my mouth and then winks at me.