Stalker Problems - Chapter 41 - Archer, Mustang, and Vandal #2
He looked off into the distance, his eyes starting to water a bit. “You could say that.”
“I’m sorry.” I wanted to reach across his desk and give him a big hug.
I’d never seen him look so sad. But he had a bad habit of running away every time I touched him.
And the last thing I wanted was for him to leave.
If he wanted a hug, he’d come to me. I shifted in my chair to put my hands beneath my thighs, so I wouldn’t be tempted.
He forced a smile. “What about you? Who was your boyfriend in high school?”
“Boyfriend? Ha. Good one.”
“What do you mean?”
“Let’s just say that for my high school superlative, I won quietest.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“It’s literally the worst superlative. They might as well have voted me biggest nobody. And anyway, I should have won best hair. Some girl with a pixie cut won it instead of me. A pixie cut!”
“Well that’s ridiculous. Your hair is amazing. But I don’t think being quietest means that you were a nobody. If you were a nobody, no one would have even known your name to vote for you.”
Huh. He did kind of have a point. I’d never really thought of it that way. But I still hated it. “I guess.”
“So no boyfriends?”
“Nope.”
“The boys in your high school must have had exceptionally bad taste.”
I could feel my cheeks flushing. “I dunno…you haven’t seen any pictures of me in high school.”
“Sure I have. My PI was very thorough with his report.”
“Oh God. No wonder you made up a mysterious organization who will boil me in a vat of acid if we start dating.”
Tanner laughed. “I thought you looked adorable.”
“Right.” Adorable. Cute. He always said that about me.
“Unfortunately for me, adorable was not what Mustang and Vandal were into. They seemed to be more into double-teaming the head cheerleader in the locker room. God, what I would have given to be in her position...” Please tell me I didn’t say that out loud.
“You wanted to be double-teamed by two dudes with weird names?”
“What? No.”
“You just said you did.” Tanner looked so amused.
“In my defense, I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”
He looked more amused than ever. “So those were your crushes? Mustang and Vandal?”
“I don’t know if I’d call them crushes. They were just really hot guys that I watched from afar.”
“Ah, so your stalkery ways started in high school.”
I tossed my napkin at him. “We’ve already determined that you’re the stalker. Not me.”
“Mhm. Sure. So tell me more about these guys you stalked.” He leaned back in his chair, looking absolutely tickled.
“Mustang and Vandal were the class clowns. One time they put…” I started laughing just thinking about it. “They put a horse on the roof of the school. I still have no idea how they did it.”
“That must have been a disaster since horses can’t climb down stairs very well. #HorseFacts,” said Tanner.
Oh my God, I love you . He was just as bad at hashtags as me. I giggled. “Exactly.”
“Did you ever talk to them?”
“Nope. But I’m proud to say that I did talk to my ultimate crush, Archer Murphy.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yup,” I said with a nod. “He asked to borrow a pen. And I said yes.”
“And that was the beginning of a long, unlikely friendship?”
“Not at all. It was the only time I ever talked to him. Other than when he returned the pen. Which was exactly why I liked him so much. Sure, he was the captain of the football team, had ridiculous 8-pack abs, and could make me melt just with his smile. But what really got me was that he was the only person to have the decency to actually return my pen after borrowing it. As far as I was concerned, that was the epitome of sexiness.”
“Well, he missed out. And let’s be honest…you probably dodged a bullet by not dating him. I’d bet money that he peaked in high school.”
“He got a football scholarship to Notre Dame. But sophomore year he busted up his knee and that was the end of that.”
“Okay, stalker.”
I tossed another napkin at him. “Facebook stalking isn’t stalking. And let’s not forget - you’re the one who hired a PI to stalk me.”
“Speaking of my PI…he just texted me and asked if he could swing by to talk to you about Rosalie.”
My heart skipped a beat. “Does that mean he found something?! Is this my surprise?!” If it was, I was 100% going to jump over Tanner’s desk and make out with him.
He shook his head. “Sorry, I should have been more clear. Marty - my PI - has been looking into her disappearance. As part of that, he wants to come interview you. He thought tonight would be best, because he’s found that people can usually recall stuff better near the anniversary of when it happened. ”
“Oh.”
“You up for that?”
I nodded. I didn’t love the idea of talking all about it with some stranger. But if there was even half a chance that he might find her, I wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity.
“He’s the best in the business,” said Tanner as he walked around his desk.
I held my breath for a second as he leaned down. Instead of a kiss, he gave me a big hug. It was just as good as a kiss. I felt myself melt into him.
“If anyone can find something, he can,” Tanner said.
I breathed in his blueberry scent. It didn’t make me forget about Rosalie, but it was a damned good distraction. And so were the muscles in his back. And the realization that I still hadn’t gotten my surprise.
I looked up at him. “So is it time for my surprise? I could really use the distraction.” And I was going to explode from anticipation if he didn’t tell me in the next five seconds.
Unless the PI coming was the surprise. Just because he hadn’t found out anything yet, didn’t mean he wouldn’t. And now I just looked super ungrateful.
Tanner let go of me and stepped back.
Shit. He thinks I’m a monster.
“Okay, okay. I guess I’ve tortured you long enough.”
Thank God. “And…?”
“Close your eyes.”
I did. Where is he going with this? It sounded like he was walking behind his desk.
Chastity must have gotten in my head, because I was about 80% sure he was gonna climb onto his desk and shove his dick in my mouth.
Finally! But I totally should have put some Chapstick on.
What had I been thinking coming in here with dry lips? !
It took all my self-control not to peek. Because it sounded like he was opening a desk drawer. For a condom, perhaps? Or maybe not. The Society contract made it sound like they were a condom-free organization. My heart started beating faster. What sinful things was he about to do to me?
“Hold out your hands,” said Tanner.
So we’ll start with a handjob, then. I held out my hands. It wasn’t lost on me that he thought I was gonna need to use both hands to corral him.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yes.” I’d been ready for weeks.
“You sure?”
“Yes!”
Something cold and smooth fell into my hands. Definitely not a penis. Darn.
“Can I look?”
“Yup. Open your eyes.”