Chapter Eight
The short ride to his downtown office had been quiet.
The awkwardness of sleeping with Bogs and then telling him she wouldn’t do it again was weighing heavily on her mind.
How could she have even had sex with him in the first place?
A total stranger was basically holding her captive and she spread her legs for him?
She wanted to feel disgusted and ashamed, but deep down inside she wasn’t.
She had never been so drawn to a man or felt passion like she had with Bogs.
Why couldn’t any of her exes have been like that?
Life would have made more sense if she was reeling, and wanting more from a boyfriend rather than a man she barely knew.
They spent the entire ride in silence except when he ordered breakfast at the fast food drive thru. The food made the quiet a little less strange. Bogs hadn’t said a word either. He didn’t seem bothered when she told him she wouldn’t be sleeping with him again. Maybe he could sense she was lying.
They pulled into the parking lot in the back, next to the SUV from last night. He exited the car without saying a word and she followed walking in through the door he held open for her.
They passed by one office and when she peeked inside, it was empty. The next door she wasn’t so lucky. As she glanced in, she saw T. His head lifted and his scowl deepened as he stared back at her. She immediately looked away.
“Conference room. Now.”
Kenzie jumped from the loud boom of his voice. He sounded furious, and she wasn’t sure if his anger was directed at her or Bogs. God, please let it be Bogs.
Bogs clearly unfazed by T, walked into another office, flicking on the light and made his way to the large mahogany desk.
The room was fairly large. One desk in the center of the back wall with a small sliding desk tucked in the corner.
She searched around the room. A leather brown couch was pushed up against the wall closest to the door.
It was a bit of a mess with what seemed like papers and files thrown about the main desk and piled high on a bookcase across from the couch.
“He’s not playing, Bogs, he’s fucking pissed.” The deep voice sounded behind her back and she stepped forward and swung around to face Stone standing inside the door. He didn’t make eye contact.
“I know, I got hung up. Gimme a second.” Bogs was unloading his laptop and setting up what looked like another computer. Kenzie drifted her gaze to Stone. He was now setting his attention on her in a harsh glare. Didn’t these guys do anything but glare?
She couldn’t blame him for holding onto his anger after what she did last night.
But she had hoped she wouldn’t have to cross paths with him again.
Shit out of luck there. She averted her eyes, focusing on everywhere but the doorway he stood in.
She waited to hear him leave but he didn’t move.
She glanced over at him. His eyebrows imbedded deeper making for a scary scowl.
The scar on his face didn’t help either.
It almost made him look sinister yet, oddly handsome.
Her cheeks twitched as she started to smile. It was forced and probably looked it. “Good morning.”
“Is it?”
“Um…” How the hell was she supposed to answer him?
“Maybe for you, but see, I’ve been here since eight this morning ‘cause that when the meeting was supposed to start. Before then, I was at your place, getting your crap. So, mine’s been shit so far.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” It was a reactive response. She didn’t think it was her fault, she never asked for him to get her stuff, but she was not about to start an argument with him.
“Running late because of me not her. Back off, Stone,” Bogs said.
“Get here on time and we won’t have a fucking problem, asshole. I got better things to do than wait around while someone else fucks around.”
She barely had time to register exactly what he said when he turned and stormed out from the office. Fucks around? Did Bogs actually tell him what they were doing? The pit of her stomach grew heavy. Why would he do that?
“Come on, pretty girl.” Bogs passed by, reaching for her hand but she immediately pulled away and stepped back.
“Just ignore Stone, he’s always a dick in the morning.” He reached again and she swatted at his hand. The corner of his mouth curled into a smile which made her blood heat in anger.
“What’s that for?”
“Did you tell him we slept together?”
Bogs furrowed his brows and cocked his head. “What? No.”
“So, he doesn’t know?”
“Not unless you told him.” He smirked nearing her.
“Of course not.”
He stepped forward crowding her space and making her heart race.
Being this close to him had the morning memory with him play over in her mind.
She licked her lips. His eyes were drawn down to her mouth then moved up.
The corner of his lips curled. “Can I have a taste?” Before she could even answer, his lips swiped her mouth in a soft velvety sweep.
It was fleeting but enough to make her want more. Any thought of holding strong to resisting Bogs was out the window. By the smile on his face, he knew it too. She tilted her head and moved forward but froze when she heard the booming voice echo through the building.
“Fucking now!”
Bogs rolled his eyes. “Bastard has no patience. We’ll have to pick this up later.” He clasped his fingers through hers and led her out of his office and across the hall. She followed closely, hoping that the remnants of her arousal were gone by the time she saw the other men.
The conference room was the same room they had taken her to last night.
The only difference was a platter of bagels and muffins sat in the center.
It had been picked over a bit. She followed Bogs around the table.
He motioned for her to sit in the same seat from last night.
She maneuvered around the table noticing T’s gaze locked on their clasped hands.
When his stare rose, he looked angry. She immediately unfolded her fingers from Bogs and sat down.
It was déjà vu as she faced off with T and Stone.
She noticed a woman pop her head in the office door, smiling.
“Am I holding all calls?”
“Yeah,” T said as he opened a file. She was thankful his attention was somewhere other than on her.
“Hey Corissa, no banana chocolate?” Bogs asked with a grin.
He had an amazing smile. It was flirty and sexy and when directed at her, it sent a wave through her, and usually caused a deep burning blush.
It did nothing for her this time though because it was directed at the pretty blonde in the doorway instead.
“There were two.”
Bogs glared at the other two men in the room. “Damn vultures, man. You took ‘em both.”
The blonde giggled. “Got to get here on time, Bogs.” She winked at him and smiled over at Kenzie.
Kenzie turned to Bogs, who was grinning at the woman. The way he was looking at her made Kenzie wonder if there was or ever had been something between Bogs and the woman.
“Thought you woulda saved me one, Cor.”
“Next time.” Corissa turned to Kenzie and smiled again. “Hi there, I’m Corissa.”
She raised her hand and gave an awkward wave. “Hi. I’m Kenzie.” I was in his bed this morning naked with him. The thought caught her off guard. It was catty and so unlike her. She was generally secure with herself but seeing the way Bogs spoke to the blonde had a mean girl popping out.
“Nice to meet you. Can I get you some coffee or water?”
Great, and she was nice.
Kenzie tightened her lips in a strained smile. “No, thank you.”
Corissa nodded and turned to leave closing the door behind her.
Kenzie batted down the slight twinge of jealousy rising.
She had no right to be jealous, she had no claim to him, and obviously being with her hadn’t meant much to him if he was blatantly flirting with the woman in front of her.
She pushed her foot against the floor and created distance between her and Bogs.
She stared across the table at the empty seat as her seat moved further away.
The whole scene between him and the blonde was a shot to her pride.
She felt his eyes on her but she kept her gaze forward until T spoke.
“You’re fucked,” he said matter of fact.
She whipped her head to him. “What?”
He leaned closer, raised a brow and pointed at her. “You’re. Fucked.”
Stone sighed and pulled the seat out next to T and sat down. He nodded his chin at her but spoke directly to Bogs as though she wasn’t even there.
“Reached out to my buddy who does the fights sometimes. Had him give Dante a call. Fucking backfired. Now, I got fucking Dante blowing up my phone, wanting me to hand deliver her ass.” He hooked his thumb and motioned to Kenzie.
Oh fuck! Her stomach dropped and her breakfast was threatening to make an appearance.
“What if we just give back the money?” Kenzie blurted, inserting herself into the conversation.
Stone gave a mocking laugh. “You don’t fucking get it, sweetheart.
It doesn’t matter. You could give back double the amount you fucking took and he won’t give a shit.
He’s still going to make you pay for stealing from him in the first place.
A chick walks into his place and walks away with twelve thousand dollars. You know what that says about him?”
They hadn’t thought that far in their plan. Taylor just made it sound like he probably wouldn’t even notice and if they returned it there would be no hard feelings.
Bogs sat up. “You talk to him directly?”
“Yeah, I did. Said he’d give us a few days to drop her off.”
“Okay, so I’ll just talk to him. Explain the situation and apologize. I have some money in savings.” She gulped thinking of how long it had taken her to save it. “It’s not the full twelve but it’s almost half. Maybe I can pay him a little each week from my paycheck.”
Stone snickered. “Like a payment plan?”