Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Social conduct for hate-free inter-colleague teamwork
Short: SCHIT
This is a sexual arrangement. Not for sleepovers or cuddle parties.
Additional clause X-6:
Under special circumstances, overnight stays and intensive cuddling are acceptable.
Why couldn’t Austin have caught us out at this moment, instead?
” Hazel demanded, panting and rolling her head onto his chest, her arm wrapped possessively around his waist. “He would have been so impressed by our performance that he would have just stared at us speechless and decided he’d imagined the whole thing. This is too damn perfect to be real!”
“Hmm,” Gareth said, smiling and pushing her hair out of his face. It tickled his nose. “Should I be concerned that you enjoy being watched by another man during sex?”
She laughed, and the soft sounds that escaped her lips almost made him hard again. But more than anything, they made him happy. “Just to force him not to betray us! But Austin’s a good friend. He won’t say anything. You don’t have to worry.”
“It’s okay. I’m not worried.”
It was the truth, even if that surprised him.
If Fox wanted to, he could tell the entire damn team what he’d seen, which would cause serious trouble.
God, if his father found out he was sleeping with Hazel and negotiating contracts with her at the same time, he’d have a heart attack.
Possibly for good reason. Ethically and professionally, it was perhaps problematic.
But Gareth didn’t care. It didn’t bother him in the slightest that Fox had caught them. So he knew – he would have found out eventually anyway.
Oh.
His mouth went dry. He would have found out eventually anyway?
“Hmm,” Hazel said skeptically, putting her leg over his. “You’re a lot calmer than I expected.”
“That’s because I invested all my energy into orgasms three and four for you,” he said seriously.
Laughing, she kissed his chest. “I appreciate it, and I’m glad you talked me out of the one-for-one-orgasm clause.”
He grinned. “You’re welcome.”
His phone vibrated on the nightstand with a message or an email and he automatically reached for it.
“No! No work,” Hazel objected, pulling his arm back until it was around her waist again. “Sex and work are separate, and this still counts as sex.”
By his definition, cuddling wasn’t sex, but he wasn’t going to complain. “You do realize my schedule is a mess because of you, right?” he muttered. “I’m behind on everything.”
She snorted and lifted her eyes so he could meet hers. “If you’re behind because you’re finishing before 7 o’clock three nights a week, Gareth, that should give you serious pause.”
He lifted one corner of his mouth. “Oh, please. You’re just as bad as me.”
“I’m better at ignoring my phone than you are.”
Shit. That was true. “Yeah, so how exactly do you do that?”
“I prioritize,” she whispered, stroking his chin with her index finger.
She left goosebumps where she touched him.
“You know, I always wanted to be rich so I could have an easier life, not so I wouldn’t have a life at all.
Also, I’m considering…” She hesitated, drawing circles on his chest. “I’m thinking about bringing on a female partner, or a male, if I have to – I’d rather support women in the industry.
But if I find someone I can rely on, I could open a second location on the East Coast. Having to fly there all the time is incredibly annoying.
Then, in a year or two, I’d have more time for… other things.”
“Other things?” He tightened his arm around her.
“Family," she murmured. “A husband. Children. Those are things that take time. With my current workload, it would be impossible.”
Husband. Children.
Right. She’d always wanted a family of her own. He, on the other hand, hadn’t even considered it…until he'd met her. But she wasn’t talking about him. She was talking about some man she still wanted to meet.
His grip on her tightened.
“What about your assistant, Amber?”
“She’s not a lawyer or even a hockey fan, Gareth.”
“What?”
“She’s a film student,” Hazel said, laughing softly.
“She just desperately needed a job to pay her tuition. She comes from a similarly poor background as I do, so I gave her a chance and hired her as my assistant. I haven’t regretted it.
She’s incredibly good and hardworking and she doesn’t take any bullshit from arrogant athletes — or you!
But she’ll only be with me for a few more years since she doesn’t want to become a sports agent.
I’ve already placed an ad and have a few promising applicants. ”
“It’s a good idea to outsource,” he murmured, frowning. “You already have too many clients; expanding your agency is the next logical step.”
She nodded. “Right.”
“Besides, you’re excellent at bossing people around.”
She grinned. “I know. Thanks.”
“So, I assume you’ve already drawn up a solid three-year plan for opening a location on the East Coast?”
“Ten-year plan. I want a location in the North and South as well.”
He chuckled softly and gently kissed her temple. “Of course.” God, he didn’t have the slightest doubt that she would not only achieve her goal, but do so two years ahead of schedule. “I think it’s a brilliant idea.”
“Thank you,” she replied softly.
“I’m just wondering: why now?”
“Well…” She frowned. “I guess it’s your fault.”
“And I thought the days of blaming me for everything were over,” he said with a theatrical sigh.
She laughed. “It’s good guilt this time. It was way too much effort to make time for sex with you and a husband and kids would demand even more.”
He’d like to demand more.
No. More probably wasn’t enough. Everything sounded like a good idea.
He swallowed and closed his eyes. Fuck, he had a big problem.
Cian had told him to figure out what he wanted and Gareth felt he had.
Only his goals were too damn big, and he couldn’t fool himself into thinking he could achieve them like he had last time with Hazel.
He couldn’t go through a breakup with her again.
He may have been an arrogant idiot, but even he didn’t dare do that!
“Have you ever considered backing down?” Hazel wanted to know. “I mean, you wanted to marry that opera singer. Didn’t she want kids? Wouldn’t you have worked less then?”
No, he wouldn’t have.
He sighed softly and rubbed his forehead.
God, he was an idiot. He didn’t even know if Lacey had wanted kids.
He had wanted to marry her, but he hadn’t been willing to change anything about his life for her.
That made him an ignorant asshole. “I…haven’t given much thought to a family and kids in a long time,” he muttered. It was the truth.
He hadn't thought about it for seven years.
“You wanted kids when you were younger.”
“True.” But only with you.
He saw Hazel open her mouth, perhaps to press the issue, but at that moment, her cell phone rang on the other side of the bed.
Sighing, she wriggled out of his arm to look at the screen.
“Hey! What about 'no work'?” he complained.
She grimaced. “Shit, it’s Devreaux. Okay, five minutes of work! You wanted to check your email anyway.”
Gareth laughed softly but nodded before Hazel reached for her glasses on the nightstand and then her phone.
“Hello?” she answered. Standing, she pulled on his shirt and descended the stairs to the vast living space. She probably wanted some privacy. He understood. They should separate work and sex a bit more than they were now, but it was too much damn fun.
Sighing, he rolled over and pulled out his smartphone. He’d received an email and was about to simply ignore it – if something was important, they called – when he saw the sender. It was from his dad.
Great.
Annoyed, he opened it, only to see that he was only CC’d. The actual email went to Penny.
This is too expensive! Much too expensive. Gareth has no idea what he’s doing. He is letting Hazel Barrow manipulate him. The Devreaux sum is ridiculous! Please make him come to his senses.
Dad
Gareth stared at the lines, a sinking feeling filling his chest. This email wasn’t meant for him. He’d only ended up in the CC line because his father had replied to an email from him — which Penny had forwarded to their father.
Here are the numbers Gareth and I are currently discussing regarding Devreaux.
Best regards
Penny
Suddenly, he bolted upright in bed, the sheet sliding down his bare chest. What the hell? Penny was the one who was leaking confidential information to their father, which led to him sitting in his office every third week, complaining about his work?
He tried to take a deep breath, but his lungs were contracting and the oxygen level in the air seemed drastically reduced. Why the hell would she do that? Why would she go behind his back… She knew it was upsetting him! She knew it was putting pressure on him! She…she…
“Are you okay?” A hand landed gently on his shoulder, and he flinched.
“No.” He dropped the phone. “No, not really.” He tried to take a deep breath again, but the air seemed to fill his head instead of his lungs. He was dizzy.
“Hey,” Hazel said worriedly, cupping his face so he would look at her. “Everything’s okay. You’re not alone. Breathe.” Her thumbs were infinitely gentle as she stroked his cheeks, and he felt the knot in his chest loosen.
You’re not alone.
“Fuck,” he whispered, closing his eyes. “It’s Penny. God, what is she thinking?”
“What about Penny?”
He clenched his hands. “She’s the one who's feeding Dad information! About our income and expenses. About the contracts I sign. He always knew too much. I had no idea how, but…apparently my sister just forwards my emails!”
“To your dad?”
“Yes! Because he can’t stop meddling in the business.”
“And she never told you?”
“I’d remember that,” he stated bitterly.
“Hmm,” Hazel said. “And she knows you’d mind?”