Chapter 26
CASSIDY
I stretch my arms up over my head, trying to shake the overwhelming fatigue from my brain.
I’m so tired I can barely open my eyes. Jeez.
What was in that cocktail Max made me to go with dinner last night?
Or maybe the longer than usual night staring at the computer is causing me to feel more tired than normal.
Rolling on my side, I try to crack one eye narrowly.
At least I thought I had. But it appears I must still be waking from my usual morning dream.
That Criminal Minds episode that I can’t seem to get to last long enough to get to the good stuff.
The corner of my mouth curls, taking in the sight in front of me.
But my delicious mind has swapped that delectable cyber billionaire for Shemar Moore’s character.
Can you swoon while asleep? I let out a giggle.
The image of that sexy CEO with a towel slung low about his hips is front and center now.
He’s even wearing dark, horn-rimmed glasses.
I drag my tongue across my lower lip, this fantasy is better than any that has come before it.
Who knew lean, Eddie Bauer model-looking Max was hiding an eight-pack under his business casual?
His chest is free of tattoos. There’s only the slightest dusting of dark chest hair.
Rolling back on my back, I let out a groan. Why couldn’t I have been able to see the rest of this dream? Does he come over to me? Does he drop the towel? Is he asking me to join—
“I’m so sorry, Cass.”
My eyes spring wide. What the—? I bolt upright, looking in the direction of the voice that isn’t part of my usual morning ritual.
Holy shit. This is no dream.
Max stands before me with a guilty look on his face. My mind instantly races to the night before. What the hell happened? “I was hoping I could get in and out of the shower without waking you.”
“Where am I?”
“You’re in my hotel room.”
“I’m… what?” My thoughts are so muddled. Jeez, had I slept with him? And missed out on the whole damn thing?
He comes closer, which isn’t helping the situation.
I try not to look. There’s no doubt my face is on fire at the sight before me. This man does something to me when he’s fully dressed. The sight of Max standing here in nothing but a towel is making me squirm.
The bed shifts, and I look up to find him beside me.
At least the concerned expression emanating from those beautiful blue eyes has distracted me from reaching out to touch his pecs and abs.
“We were working well into the night. I didn’t realize how late it had gotten until I came back into the room to find you asleep on the keyboard.
I didn’t have the heart to wake you, so I carried you to bed. You never even stirred.”
Slumping back against the pillow, I stare at the ceiling as the events from the night before become clearer.
Working on that stubborn phone data. The bright yellow lighting up the screen as it does when I’m narrowing in on irregularities.
So close to a breakthrough, yet it never came.
That incredible dinner of shrimp and steak. “Did we play chess?”
A chuckle rumbles from his mouthwatering chest. God, I want to lick it. “Yes. I keep it on hand in case I need to focus on something else. Believe it or not, Gianni is a chess master.”
“Wow. I would’ve never pictured that.”
“Me either.” He laughs. “I was so smug. Started throwing out bets only to lose my sports car.” Max slides his glasses up his nose, appearing nervous. “Can I get you some coffee?”
I push myself up against the headboard. “Yes. That might help. What time is it?”
“It’s still early. Just past seven. Do you need to get back? I was going to order some breakfast from room service.”
“I don’t work until later.” A yawn escapes before I can stop it. “But you don’t have to do that on account of me.”
Max stands. His toned stomach is now at eye level.
My eyes latch on to the thin trail of dark hair that disappears inside that towel.
I close my eyes before I make a bigger fool of myself than I already am.
“I’m starving. So it’s no trouble. Why don’t you take a shower or enjoy a soak in the tub?
Then join me for a bite to eat before you leave? ”
I hesitate for a moment. As tempting as the tub sounds, I think I’d feel better with a quick shower. My nerves already feel like a live wire beneath my skin. There’s no way I could relax enough to enjoy a bath right now. “If I can take a quick shower, that would be great. Thank you.”
“Of course. I’m so grateful you came to help me. You seemed so close to a breakthrough. I get the same way, not wanting to give up until sleep takes over.” Max gives me a bashful grin, eliciting the same from me.
Does this man have any idea how handsome he is?
Reaching up, I run my hand over my hair. I’m afraid to think what I look like right now. My face heats.
“I’m sorry, Cass. Let me give you some privacy.” Max walks toward the bedroom door. “You’re just…” He turns back to face me, and our eyes connect.
“Just what?”
He shakes his head. “You’re good for me.”
I tilt my head. “What do you mean?”
“I can’t explain it. You have a calming effect on me.”
A grin crosses my features. I’m not sure what I was expecting him to say, but it certainly wasn’t that.
I swing my legs over the side of the bed as he makes his way down the hall, the muscles of his back making my mouth water.
Hell. I’m afraid to think what my morning dreams are going to consist of now.
Exiting the bathroom, I feel a bit more refreshed, even if I’m wearing yesterday’s clothes. The scent of coffee and bacon lures me down the hall. My stomach growls. Man, eating at this place too often could require me to work out every day.
“Come on, Cass.” Max waves me over. “Eat.”
I move tentatively, sitting on the opposite end of the table from him. The need for some space between us feels essential after the towel modeling from earlier.
“Pick your poison.” He lifts the silver domes from above two plates. “Veggie omelet or pancakes?”
I grin. “Duh. Pancakes.”
“God, I love you.”
I blink wordlessly at his response.
“I was hoping you liked pancakes too. I wasn’t sure if you were on some sort of strict diet. I mean, your body…” He shuffles a bit, seeming to rethink his words. “You’re so fit, I mean.” His head drops. “You’re perfect.”
I giggle. “Thank you. You don’t need to butter me up. I’ll keep working on the phone data. You won that chess game fair and square.” He lets out a ragged exhale, appearing relieved.
We eat in companionable silence. The last twenty-four hours has felt a little too comfortable. I have to force myself to realize this is merely a man sharing his thanks through food.
“Thank you for this.” I push to my feet. “I’m going to let you get back to work and head back home.”
“Home?”
“Yes.”
“At the club?”
I drop my gaze to the floor, my ears heating. “Yes.”
“Do all of the girls live there?”
“No. Gianni was kind enough to offer me a place to stay for a while.”
Looking up, Max’s posture is rigid. His jaw tight. “Are you… are you staying with him?”
“No!” I splutter. “My personal circumstances required me to move. He was kind enough to offer temporary accommodations as part of my compensation.”
He practically glares at me. What did I say?
“Do you work the upper floors?”
“No. That’s not something I’m interested in.” His question feels like an accusation. “But given you’re a member there, I’m not sure why it would bother you if I did.”
His shoulders seem to relax. But sharing this has made my spine stiffen. He looks in my direction, concern etched upon his features. “I… I’m sorry, Cassidy. It wasn’t my place to pry.”
“I need to go.”
Max follows along behind me as I make my way to the door. “Thank you. For your help.”
“You’re welcome.” My tone is admittedly flat. Not sure why this conversation has set me on edge. I reach for the doorknob, and Max places his hand flat on the door above my head.
“I’m sorry.” His warm breath tickles the shell of my ear. “The thought of you with anyone up there…”
The warmth of his chest against my back combined with his admission is melting the chill in the air his previous line of questioning had brought on.
“Why?”
He’s quiet for a moment. “I don’t know.”
My eyes close. His words carry an honesty I appreciate. Yet again, it’s essential I don’t allow myself to read into this. This man clearly doesn’t know what he wants. Or if he does, he won’t allow himself to admit it.
I pull the door wide, not risking making eye contact with him. “Have a good day, Mr. Wilde.”
I’m back working at the club, the bright lights of the main level feel less like the security blanket than they once had.
It’s been a week since the presidential suite, a week of replaying every irritable word.
My brain is a continued loop of it’s not like that with us when I replay the way he looked at me over a plate of steak fries.
“Cassidy, what did you do to my brother?” Fern asks, snapping me out of my trance as she leans against the railing next to me.
“What do you mean? Was he sick after I left or something?”
“No, nothing like that.”
“Whew. I just let him have a cake pop before we went back to your place and watched Marvel movies.”
Fern laughs, a bright, genuine sound. “Well, he’s completely in love with you. He asked this morning if the beautiful pink superhero was coming back over. I think he’s already planning your wedding. Apparently, there will be a lot of capes involved.”
I laugh with her, but it feels hollow. I can’t stop thinking about Max. This is so dangerous. Not just for my job, but for the resilience I’ve worked so hard to build since I was attacked.
Even though we came up empty on those phone records again, I can’t shake the feeling that I was close to a breakthrough. It was something in the way the packet sizes were lighting up. A pattern hiding in the noise.
I’m contemplating this when a familiar warmth settles in the air behind me. I turn, and there he is.
Max.
He doesn’t look like his usual Type-A overachiever today. He looks tired. Has he been burning the midnight oil trying to solve this puzzle on his own? Is he afraid to ask for help after the way we left things recently?
“Hi,” he greets.
“Good evening, Mr. Wilde.” I’m honestly not sure how to talk to him.
Part of me considers him a friend. The crazy part.
The one who longs for there to be more with a man where it’s forbidden.
I can’t allow that part to infiltrate my brain.
He’s made it very clear this is a business-only relationship.
Even if he does seem to have a weird fixation with my personal life.
“How are you?”
The question catches me off guard. “I’m fine, sir. And you?”
He shifts his stance from foot to foot. “I was curious if you had any time off coming up? If you’d be willing to try once more?” he asks, skipping the small talk. “The phone records. I think you were onto something.”
“At the hotel?” I ask, my voice wary.
“No. We could take the jet this time. Go to my place. On the Potomac. I thought... you might feel more comfortable there than in a hotel suite.”
I stare at him. I’m not sure how I’d feel more comfortable in a secluded mansion an hour away where there’s no easy exit strategy. But he’s never given me a reason to think he’d hurt me. Not physically, anyway.
Breaking my heart is a different story.
“I could make us dinner,” he adds, his voice dropping to a low, persuasive tone. “We can work, and then maybe watch a movie in my home theater. Or binge Criminal Minds reruns.” He waggles his brows.
What is happening right now?
I bite my lip. “Max, this is sounding a little like a date.”
He flinches a fraction. “I know,” he replies. Yet, awkwardly enough, he doesn’t deny it. “Do you mind thinking about it?”
“Okay.” I’m not sure what else to say. It’s not that I wouldn’t enjoy that. But this guy’s mixed signals are going to give me whiplash. He walks away, leaving me vibrating with indecision.
I want to work with him. I want to learn from him. And I definitely have imagined what it might be like to have more with him. But not at the expense of my heart.
I wander over to the bar to find Lala polishing a glass with a focus that suggests she’s seen the whole exchange. I shouldn’t tell her. I don’t want her to think I’m breaking the off-limits rule. Yet keeping it from her feels as if it would be worse.
“Lala, I wanted to run something by you.”
“What’s that?”
“Well, Max and I… I’ve been working with him on a project recently.
It’s aligned with the courses I’m studying, so it’s been a great opportunity for me.
And Gianni is aware, because he has allowed us to work in his office.
But the nature of the work is such that it requires a lot of focus.
I haven’t been able to concentrate with all of the interruptions. ”
Lala listens, her expression unreadable.
“He’s asked if I’ll join him at his office.” I decide to leave out the home part of this conversation. That sounds too risky, even to my ears.
She sets the glass down with a soft clink. “Are you falling for him, Cassidy?”
“No. I mean, he’s super nice. And incredibly attractive. But I know the rules. And this is purely business. I’m hoping it will garner great experience and a reference on my resume. That’s it. I can’t risk losing my job.” I need to keep telling myself this on repeat.
She raises a brow as if calling me out on my bullshit. “Be careful, Cass,” she says, her voice unusually grave. “You’re a smart girl. But you could be asking for trouble.”
“What do you know?” I ask, my heart sinking.
“Nothing for sure,” she says. “But I’ve got eyes, don’t I? That man is lost. I’d bet my life on it. And lost men usually end up taking someone down with them when they finally crash.”
I look toward the exit where Max disappeared.
Lala frowns. “Hurt people, hurt people.”