Eruption - Chapter 18 #2
Sometimes James ran with Mason. They always made everything a competition.
Whenever James came back completely worn out, I knew he had been racing Mason through Central Park.
Bee and I always joked that they complained about us on their runs.
But I had a feeling that they just talked about real estate.
Or mergers and acquisitions or something super boring.
Bee and I went to yoga classes together at least once a week and we never complained about James and Mason.
We were happy. There wasn't anything to complain about.
"You should try it sometime," Zach said, pulling me out of my own thoughts.
James pulled me a little closer to him.
I laughed. "Running? Oh, no. I do not like running." As far as I was concerned, James gave me plenty of cardio exercise. Although, I'd never pass down a walk through Central Park with James' hand in mine. "I'll stick to yoga," I said.
"You do yoga?"
"A few times a week, yeah."
James cleared his throat.
"I played volleyball in high school," Sierra said.
"So did I," I said. "What position did you play?"
"Outside hitter," Sierra said and turned her attention back to James. "James have you ever played before?"
"Just in gym class," he replied. "And I guess some beach volleyball, but that's pretty different."
"Beach volleyball is the best. Where have you played?"
James shrugged. "It's been awhile. The last time I played was probably spring break my senior year of college."
"That's not that long ago," Sierra said.
"For you guys, maybe." James laughed. "I'm turning 30 next month."
"Thirty isn't so bad. Isn't that the new 20 or something like that?" Tavon asked.
"It sure doesn't feel like it."
I smiled up at him. Was he upset about turning 30? He hadn't mentioned it to me. But it was definitely a milestone. Everything that was going on was a lot of change for him too. I needed to plan something really special for his birthday. Meggings weren't going to cut it.
"At least you got the whole hot young wife thing going on," Zach said.
I laughed awkwardly.
James set his beer down on the table. "Penny, do you want to dance?" He stood up before I had even answered.
"That sounds great." I grabbed his hand and let him escort me onto the small dance floor. There were only a few people dancing.
"Zach seems to like you quite a bit," he said and pulled me in close, despite the fact that it wasn't a slow song.
"He doesn't. He's purposely trying to push your buttons."
"Why?"
"I think he's trying to see how you'll react."
"He wants me to knock him out?"
I laughed. "No, I don't think either of you want that."
"He's certainly tempting me."
"I think he's more so trying to see if you'll hit me."
"What?" James pulled back slightly.
"Remember when I told you that one of the interns thought you were abusive because of the bruise on my cheek? That was Zach."
"Oh." James touched the side of my face where my bruise was still slightly visible. "It kills me that anyone would think I did that. I would never hurt you."
I grabbed his hand and moved it back to my waist. "I know, James. Try to ignore him. The last thing you want is to get in a bar fight with one of your employees. That's a lawsuit waiting to happen."
"Then he should probably stop hitting on you."
"He's not. And what about Sierra hitting on you?" I gave him a playful smile.
James laughed. "I think she's had too much to drink."
"I hope that's the reason. I mean, I'm sitting right there. What is her problem?"
He grabbed my hand and spun me around before pulling me back in close.
"I don't think any of them really care to get to know me, " I said. "They just wanted to meet you."
"I'm sure that isn't true."
"The only one talking to me was Zach and he was doing it to piss you off."
James laughed.
"The woes of dating a celebrity."
"Baby, I'm not a celebrity."
"You basically are. And everyone that works for you idolizes you."
"I only care about what you think of me."
I stared into his eyes. "Do you wish you were an author?"
"I'm happy exactly where I am."
"You know, if you wrote a book it would automatically be a best seller. You already have name recognition."
"I'm happy exactly where I am," he repeated. "I wouldn't change a thing."
I stared into his eyes. "What do you and Mason talk about when you run together?"
James smiled. "Guy stuff."
"What does that mean?"
James spun me around again.
"Does that mean you talk about me and Bee?"
"Sometimes."
"Good or bad things?"
"Let's just say I know who's going to win our bet."
"What?! You know when Mason is going to propose to Bee?!"
"I can't say anything else."
"James, you have to tell me."
He laughed. "There's no way I'm telling you. I have inside information. And you're just going to leak it to Bee."
"I won't, I promise."
"Penny, you're a terrible liar. I told Mason I wouldn't tell anyone."
I pursed my lips. "Husbands and wives don't keep secrets from each other."
"Some bro code breaks marriage code."
"It does not."
"No, it doesn't. But we're not married yet. Ask me again next Saturday and I'll tell you."
"Fine." I sighed. "I was thinking about calling off the wedding, but I guess I can't now."
"Very funny."
I stood up on my tiptoes and kissed him. His hands slid down to the top of my ass as he kissed me back. He didn't seem to care at all that his employees could see us. And the way he was kissing me made me not care either.
"Do you want to get out of here?" he asked. His voice was low and seductive.
"Are you caving?"
"No, but I think I'll be able to get you to."
I shook my head back and forth. "If you cave we can leave right now, though. And you can do whatever you want to me."
He lowered his eyebrows.
"If not, your new friends are waiting for you."
James laughed. "You mean your new friends." He leaned in a little closer to me. "I'm not caving, Penny. But I guarantee that this game will be over by the end of the week."
"Is that so?"
He winked at me and grabbed my hand. I reluctantly followed him back to the table.
"We have a game to play," Sierra said.
Hopefully it wasn't who could flirt better with James. "What's the game?" I asked.
"Two truths, one lie. We'll go around and each say two truths and one lie about ourselves, and then everyone else will guess which thing is a lie."
"Okay, let's play." I took a sip of my beer.
"I'll go first," she said. "I haven't been to church in years. I flunked chemistry in high school. And I have never had a one night stand."
"The last one was a lie," Tavon said.
"Nope." Sierra's cheeks blushed.
"What do you mean that's not a lie?" Tavon asked.
Sierra shrugged. "It wasn't my lie."
"We're going to have to fix that."
Sierra laughed.
"Well, you probably didn't flunk chemistry," Zach said. "So I'm gonna say that's the lie."
Sierra shook her head.
"You really flunked chemistry?" I asked. "I hated science too."
She laughed. "Yeah, I had to retake it. I just hated that class so much."
"How on earth did you get this internship?" Tavon asked and lightly touched her shoulder.
I tried not to laugh. Tavon had clearly found his mission for the night. Sierra was in trouble.
"Okay," Tavon said and cracked his knuckles. "I've lost more money in blackjack than I care to admit. I've never broken a bone. And I have a huge penis."
"The huge penis thing is a little subjective, don't you think?" Zach asked.
James laughed. This was the most inappropriate game ever to play with your boss. James smiled at me. But he seemed to be enjoying himself. Now that the inquisition was over, he probably felt a little more comfortable.
"Oh, no. It's huge." He winked at Sierra. Her cheeks got even redder.
"The blackjack thing?" I asked. I couldn't picture Tavon in a casino.
"Yeah. You got me. I don't even know how to play blackjack."
"Okay, my turn," Zach said. "I've been in several bar fights. I was in foster care growing up. And I play the piano."
I pressed my lips together. Was that why he knew what abuse looked like? Because he was in foster care? Was he abused? I felt bad for giving him a hard time. He was just trying to help me.
"Well, there's no way you play piano," Tavon said.
"No, I do play."
"Really?" Sierra asked. "Are you really good?"
Zach shrugged. "I'm okay."
"You're lying about the bar fights," James said.
Zach nodded. "Yeah, when you grow up in foster care, you don't need to go out seeking fights. Your turn Penny."
I didn't know what to say. I felt like I needed to apologize to him for being so defensive when he was just trying to help me.
But James wasn't abusive. I'd try to talk to Zach about it again later.
Maybe he'd believe me now that he had hung out with James.
"Um. Well, I didn't have a date to prom.
I was seduced by my college professor. And I've...gone skinny dipping. "
"I'm sure you had a date to prom," Zach said. "That's your lie."
I shook my head. "Nope. I never even had a normal date until college."
"You're kidding," Tavon said.
"No."
"What's her lie, James?" Tavon asked.
James smiled at me. "The second one. But that's subjective too. She thinks she was the one that seduced me, not the other way around."
"Yeah right," Sierra said. She cleared her throat. "Sorry."
James laughed. "I disagree too. I definitely seduced her."
I rolled my eyes. We loved to disagree about this. But really, we both seduced each other. It had been pretty clear from the start what we both desired. "We agree to disagree."
"Your turn, James," Zach said.
"Okay, let's see. I've lost more money in blackjack than I care to admit," he said.
Tavon laughed.
"I used to hate romantic comedies but now I love them. And teaching was the best decision I ever made."
"Which one is a lie, Penny?" Sierra asked.
James raised his left eyebrow at me.
I had no idea. It was possible that James had been into gambling at one point.
He certainly had a lot of money he could lose.
James and I didn't watch that much T.V. but we had watched a few romcoms together.
It was possible that he liked them now that he was happy.
I could imagine that he hated them when he was married to Isabella.
James certainly loved teaching. And if he hadn't taught at the University of New Castle, we never would have met. I smiled back at him. "The last one."
James nodded. "It was only the second best decision I ever made."
"What was the first?" Sierra asked.
"Asking Penny to marry me."
It suddenly felt like we were the only two in the room. Next Saturday I would be the luckiest girl in the world.
"Aww," Sierra said, interrupting the trance I was in. "You guys are so cute."
"How much did you lose in blackjack?" Tavon asked.
James laughed. "I don't remember. You'd have to ask my friend Mason. I'm pretty sure I blacked out the last time I went to a casino."
I shook my head. I was glad the two of them talked about real estate now. Blacking out at casinos was probably best to leave in the past.