Chapter 6
CHAPTER 6
HARRISON
I was far too jumpy to sit in our hotel room and wait around for Aaron, so while he was at the bar, I took a quick shower, changed, and headed up to the rooftop deck while it was still open. The wind gusts were wild, and not surprisingly, there was no one up here but me and the snow. I was good with that. Much as I loved to be around people and socialize, there were times when I needed to recharge, alone.
And after dealing with Aaron, I definitely required a time-out.
Being outside in nature usually calmed me. Not today. After ten minutes of staring out at the majestic scenery, but still feeling unsettled, I made my way back to our room. I regretted my decision to stay here as soon as I saw that freaking couch. No way was I going to get any sleep on that thing. Like it or not, Aaron would just have to share the bed. I wasn’t about to lose sleep and fuck over this deal. Still, I couldn’t let him know that the sleeping arrangements had rattled me. Giving my uptight boss the upper hand was not an option.
I entered the room and called out. Aaron stepped out of the bathroom in his blue trousers and his rumpled white button- down. He’d clearly ran his hands through his hair, the wild waves even more unruly than before.
“Just go down to the lobby already,” he snapped. “I’ll be down in fifteen.”
Maybe Aaron was used to ordering his minions around this way, but I wasn’t going to bite.
I shook my head. “I’m going to do some work. I’ll wait for you.”
Not caring what he had to say after that, I continued walking past him, doing my best to ignore his angry glare, and headed for the desk in front of the window. He responded to my comment by slamming the bathroom door. I guess we finally understood each other.
I opened my laptop and reviewed my work emails, tagging the ones that were urgent. Then I heard the shower running. And echoes of Aaron’s voice, or rather, him swearing, filtered out from the heating vent. Or maybe it was because of thin walls. Either way, it didn’t bode well. Ignoring that, I finished replying to several messages, then pulled up my business plan and began to make edits.
Ten minutes later, Aaron stepped out of the bathroom in nothing but a white towel and a resting asshole face. He was surprisingly fit, with a swimmer’s build, tight abs and pecs, not to mention he rocked a hairy chest that had me staring a lot longer than I should’ve. My brain was telling me to get the fuck out of this room, but my cock was suddenly interested in staying to enjoy the view.
No. Fuck no. Bad dick.
I noticed that Aaron held a pair of glasses in his hand, and for whatever reason, something about the visual triggered my memory. But I couldn’t pinpoint what it was. He stalked over to the closet, grabbed his garment bag, and headed back into the bathroom. I turned to my laptop again, but I was so frazzled by the direction of my thoughts that I wasn’t comprehending what I was reading. Until my phone buzzed, and it startled me out of my daze.
Maybe I was the one in need of a drink…
Tapping the screen, I was relieved to see a message from my youngest brother, Morgan. He’d settled in Seattle when he came here for culinary school and was living in my rental condo, one of two investment properties I owned. Like the rest of my siblings, he worked his butt off to succeed. After graduating on a full scholarship, he and my best friend, Cole—who was also a chef—opened a restaurant downtown called Fin. I couldn’t be prouder.
Morgan: How’s the new job? How’s your boss
Harrison: Everyone I’ve meet so far has been nice, but it’s only been a few weeks. My boss, Aaron, on the other hand, is a total prick.
Morgan: So, you like him?
Harrison: No fucking way. He’s patronizing and rude. A total snob.
Morgan: Ooh, you love a challenge
Harrison: Not like this. How’s business?
Morgan: Changing the subject won’t work with me LOL. And yeah, it’s great. We’re booked up for weeks
Harrison: When I’m back from Banff, I’ll stop by for a bite
Morgan: Definitely! Then you can tell me more about Aaron
Harrison: And ruin my appetite? No way
Morgan: Have fun
Harrison: Not likely
“If you’re done with your mindless scrolling, we have a meeting to get to.”
Aaron’s sudden voice had me jolting. Fucking jerk. I put my phone in my pocket, but I didn't move to stand up. And I didn't care how pissy Aaron was, I didn't need to put up with his shitty attitude.
When I finally looked over, I noticed that Aaron had changed into olive jeans, a baby blue sweater, and a black puffer jacket. A vast improvement over his earlier suit. He looked almost human.
Almost.
“I was working,” I bit out. Well, I was, until my brother texted me. And fuck Aaron, what did it matter? I wasn’t on the clock every second of the day. “And don’t order me around like I’m one of your lackeys.”
“Oh, but it’s fine if you do the same to me?” he countered.
“You’re acting like a child,” I retorted and finally stood up.
“I’m heading down to the lobby. If you’re not there in five minutes, I’m leaving without you.”
“There’s no need for theatrics. I’m ready,” I replied as I reached for my jacket and beanie and stalked off towards the door.
“What about your laptop? The presentation?” Aaron asked behind me.
“I’ve got what I need on my phone. And this is the first meeting, remember? That means a soft introduction, getting to know them. No hard sell. We make our formal pitch tomorrow.”
“I thought you didn’t do that.”
I could hear the amusement in his voice, and I paused as I reached for the door handle.
“Only on special occasions,” I retorted.
Aaron’s silence was such a relief. I yanked on the door and stepped out into the hallway.
“Anything else you’d like to know about me?” I asked. “My star sign, what I eat for breakfast, how often I take a shit?”
“Knock it off,” he mumbled and slammed the door.
“Stop doing that,” I cautioned.
“Doing what?”
“Slamming doors. It’s going to piss off our neighbors. Do you want to get kicked out of the hotel?”
“Keep walking,” he barked and waved his hand for me to get moving.
“Don’t motion at me like that,” I growled. “I’m not your EA here to wait on you hand and foot.”
“No kidding. Patrick’s competent and timely. And he doesn’t talk back,” Aaron muttered. “At least, not often.”
“Poor guy. Whatever you're paying him, quadruple it.”
A groan, I assumed it was frustration, rumbled out of Aaron. “Knock it off. We’re going to be late, and that’s inexcusable.”
“Except when it comes to interviews, right?”
Aaron ignored my dig and stalked past me, heading down the hallway towards the elevator. There was a young couple standing nearby, waiting for said elevator, staring at us with curiosity. Or, at least I assumed they were a couple. The two men—one blond and slender, the other with dark hair and built like a football player—were holding hands and smiling at each other like they were either happy or incredibly high. I wasn’t envious of the hand-holding—PDA made me cringe—but they had serious eye contact going on. And I couldn’t deny that they were hot together. A pretty distraction was welcome right now given my pain in the ass roommate.
“Don’t worry,” The blond said to me as we approached. “Me and my husband were the same on our first trip together. Fighting like cats and dogs.”
“Oh no, we’re not—” Aaron started.
“Hell no,” I interrupted and vigorously shook my head. “He’s my boss.”
The blond fanned himself. “Even hotter.”
“Babe,” His partner admonished.
“Sorry.” The blond flirt winked at me. “My bad. I’m Sam. The quiet grump beside me is my husband, Riley.”
Riley’s lips pursed as he nodded and offered his hand to me.
“Harrison,” I replied and nearly winced as Riley’s grip crushed mine. “And this is Aaron.”
“Are you guys in town for long?” Sam asked.
“Just for a meeting that we’re already late for,” Aaron quipped and rolled his eyes.
The elevator pinged and when the doors opened, I let Sam and Riley go in first. Aaron gave me another warning glare, but I ignored my rude boss—and the fire in his eyes—and turned to the couple.
“We’re here for three days,” I replied to Sam. “What about you?”
“Same,” Sam paused and cocked his head. “But we might extend our trip if the storm hits as hard as they say. We don’t want to drive home to Aurora in whiteout conditions.”
“Aurora?” I asked.
“About an hour’s drive from here, where you can find Alberta’s biggest and most beautiful ranches,” Sam replied with a wide smile. “Where’s home for you?”
“Seattle.”
“Never been, but it’s on our travel list,” Sam replied. “What kind of business are you two in? Wait, don’t tell me. Something to do with real estate?”
“Consumer health products,” Aaron muttered.
“Like condoms and lube?” Sam commented.
I caught Aaron’s horrified expression and laughed out loud.
“I wish,” I confessed. “It’d be so much easier to sell.”
“You’re in sales?”
I nodded.
Sam patted my arm. “Me too.”
“What do you sell?” I asked.
“Myself.” Sam preened and waved a hand down his body. “I’ve got over five hundred thousand subscribers to my fan page and growing.”
I smiled at him. “Good for you.”
“It pays the bills and then some. Riley’s a foreman at a ranch. Our plan is to retire in five years so we can travel full time.”
“That sounds like an amazing plan.”
Riley grunted and I assumed from his scowl that he wasn’t all that pleased with his husband’s entrepreneurship. Still, a fan page was just that.
“Stop growling, Ri. You know that makes me crazy,” Sam whispered and reached down to squeeze his husband’s ass.
Riley pulled Sam in close and kissed him with a possessiveness that had my dick taking notice. They were a smoking hot couple, and I wondered if they recorded together.
I glanced over at Aaron and while his face was flushed, his eyes were resolutely locked on the floor. He licked his full lips and suddenly, I couldn’t look away from his slick mouth. A mouth that didn’t deserve to be kissed but rather, punished. Hard. The thought of doing just that sent blood to my wayward cock and shit, that was fucked up. Getting a boner before a meeting was not on my agenda. And there was no way I was getting a boner over my boss. It had nothing to do with him. It had been a while since I hooked up, that’s all. And the sight of Sam and Riley kissing was just a reminder of what I’d been missing.
Ignoring the couple making out, I reached into my pocket for my phone. But I pulled it out so fast that I nearly fumbled and dropped it. God, what was with me today?
Thankfully, Sam and Riley stopped sucking face and I could finally focus again.
“Are you done staking your territory?” Sam teased his husband.
“For now,” Riley grumbled, one arm wrapped tightly around Sam.
We reached the lobby and said our goodbyes to the happy couple with a promise to meet up tonight in the bar for a cocktail. Well, I promised. Aaron grunted a response, so I wasn’t sure if that was a yes or a no. Hopefully, the latter.
“Next time, save the socializing for after hours,” he hissed as we headed for the exit. “We’re late.”
“We’re right on time,” I insisted as I tapped on my rideshare app. “The car will be here in two minutes, and we’ll arrive at the restaurant in ten. On time.”
We stepped outside and were immediately blanketed by a wall of snow. The sky was thick with storm clouds, and turning dark.
“What’s our strategy for this first sit down?” Aaron barked. “No, wait. Let me do all the talking.”
“Then why am I even here?” I pushed back.
“You’re here because…because—” Aaron muttered and paced on the sidewalk. “Just let me do the talking.”
“Aaron, come on. I’m not stupid. Things aren’t going well with the company, and I don’t just mean you fighting with your father. There’s been talk for months. If you want me to help you close this Jonassa deal, you need to tell me the truth.”
“Talk?” Aaron turned to me.
“You haven’t closed any new product deals in fourteen months. Am I wrong?”
My boss stared at me with his mouth open and I bit back a laugh. I doubt many people surprised Aaron. Then he let out a long sigh. Was he finally going to work with me?
“Revenue has hit a new low, and there’s a downturn in overall growth. The economy is struggling, and consumers are feeling the pinch. And, as a result, so are we. We’re repackaging current products and looking for new ones to entice sales. But the last few meetings I’ve had to bring in product deals hasn’t gone well, and yes, we haven’t closed a new one in over a year. That’s why the board recommended we hire you.”
The board. Not Aaron.
I wasn’t shocked by this news but the fact that Aaron admitted the truth. For the first time all day, I had no smart-ass reply.