Chapter Twenty
Pepper
I’m putting the muffins in the break room when Ravi walks in. He eyes me curiously, making me even more aware of my missing underwear. I try to pretend my insides aren’t twisting into knots over my dirty little secret and act normal. Although I don’t even know what that normal is anymore.
“Hi, Ravi. Clay bought muffins for everyone.” I open the box and show him.
“Now I like him even more.” He plucks one from the box and takes a bite. “Dinner was fun last night. He seems like a really good guy.”
Relief washes through me. If Ravi had any idea that I wasn’t wearing underwear, he’d call me on it without hesitation. “He is. Do you think Chris and Min figured out that I’m seeing him?”
“Of course. You can’t hide those sparks.” He takes another bite of his muffin and leans his butt against the counter.
“I figured as much. I just don’t want them to think differently of me.”
“Because you have a personal life? Come on, Pep. You’re smarter than that, and so are they. Since you and Clay were together this morning, can I assume last night was as good as Paris?”
I grab two plates, handing him one and putting a muffin on the other for myself. “Last night was different, but not in a bad way.”
His eyes narrow with confusion. “Care to elaborate?”
“He took me home and gave me one of the best kisses of my life. Then he said he’s not here just for sex and told me he rented a house here for however long it takes for me to realize we’re more than a fling. Then he left and showed up to walk me to work this morning.” I’m not about to tell him the other thing we did this morning, or that he walked away with my underwear in his pocket.
His brow furrows. “He left after just a kiss?”
“ Yes . I was shocked, too, but it’s kind of nice, right?” Clay’s voice whispers through my mind. One day I’m going to teach you that phrases like kind of and might have are jagged little buggers. “It was nice. He was making his point, and it was appreciated…after I drove myself crazy over it.”
Ravi grins. “There’s the overthinker I know and love. It sounds like he’s serious about you.”
“He says he is.”
“Why do you sound skeptical?”
I sigh heavily. “I don’t know . I love that he’s making this huge effort, and I want to believe him, but this is his off season. Once he’s playing again, it could be a whole different story.”
“That’s true, but I wouldn’t be too quick to assume it.” He sets the remainder of his muffin on the plate and crosses his arms, studying me. “What’s that thing you always say about men and pennies?”
“That a man needs to treat a woman like a diamond before he’s treated like he’s worth a penny?”
“That’s it. There are sparkles all around you, Pep. I know it’s scary, because he is a jock, but Morgyn would say you manifested your perfect man, and he sure knows how to pick muffins.”
“All of my sisters would have a field day with this, but you know I don’t believe in manifestation.”
“Maybe it’s time you did.” He pushes from the counter, heading for the door. “Don’t forget, I’m out of the office from ten to one, and we meet with Dr. Bowry this afternoon.”
“I know. I’ll be ready.”
I think about what he said as I finish my muffin. Clay pushes buttons I never knew I had, and he makes me sexually feral. I like who I am with him, even if I don’t understand it. But I never would have manifested a man who did those things.
And I would have missed out on a really special man and the best sex of my life .
Why is this so confusing? I clean my plate and head back to my office.
I’m greeted with the sweet smell of my gorgeous roses and feel myself swooning all over again. As I gaze down at the sketch of us from Paris, my cell chimes with a text.
Clay: I can still taste you.
My body ignites, making me even more aware of my nakedness under my dress. I may not believe in manifestation, but I know I’ll never be satisfied with anything less than the button-pushing bad influence that is Clay Braden.
The morning is busy, and I get the same flash of panic about my lack of underwear every time I see my staff and when I work with Min in the lab. But the thrill of knowing they have no clue about my naughty little secret brings a new level of excitement. I get an adrenaline rush with every interaction from the risk of being discovered. Getting away with it emboldens me, and the high of it makes me even more productive, which is a good thing, since I’ve got hours of accounting software training ahead of me.
At eleven forty-five, I head to the lobby to wait for the software trainer, Jeanette Woods. I answer a phone call and send it to Min’s voicemail since she and Chris are running simulations in the lab. A sharply dressed, middle-aged brunette comes through the door as I place the receiver back in the cradle.
“Jeanette?” I walk around the reception desk to greet her.
“Yes.”
“Hi. I’m Pepper.” I shake her hand. “Thanks for making the time to come out.”
“You’re a busy woman. I’m glad you could fit me in.” We’ve been trying to coordinate the training for several weeks.
“Sorry things have been a little hectic around here. But you’ve got my attention now.”
The door opens behind her, and Clay walks in carrying a shopping bag, looking handsome as can be in a gray sweater, jeans, and the sexy bomber jacket he’d worn in Paris. He flashes those dimples, sending my stomach into somersaults. I fight the urge to drop my gaze to see if he went commando like he promised, and just the thought of it has my neediest parts clenching. Nonono . “I’m sorry, Jeanette, can you excuse me for just a minute?”
“Of course,” she says, and steps to the side.
I go to Clay and lower my voice. “Hi. I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I know. I thought I’d see if you were free for lunch.”
A voice in my head says, You should have texted , but my heart silences it, because I’m really glad to see him. Even if I’m not able to join him for lunch, I like that he thought of me. “I’m sorry, but I’m not. I have a software training session, and we’re working through lunch.”
“It was worth a shot. I also brought a little something for your team.” He holds up the shopping bag. “Is it okay if I give it to them?”
They were so happy about the muffins, I felt bad that I hadn’t thought of bringing them myself. It really is the little things.
“Sure, but—” The phone rings. “Just a second.”
I answer the phone, and as I send the call to Ravi’s voicemail, Chris walks by and sees Clay. His face lights up. “Clay, good to see you again.”
“You, too, Chris. I brought something for you.”
“Excuse me, you guys. Chris, this is Jeanette Woods from the accounting software company. We’re about to go into training. I’m waiting to hear from MedForce about the proposal we submitted last month, and Dr. Bowry is coming in this afternoon for a meeting with me and Ravi. Can you keep an ear open for the phones in case he’s running late or needs to cancel?”
“Absolutely,” Chris says.
I turn my attention to Clay. “Thank you for the offer for lunch. I’ll text you after work.”
“Sounds good,” he says with a nod.
I turn back to Jeanette. “Sorry about that. Why don’t we go back to my office and get started.”
As we head down the hall, I hear Chris and Clay chatting up a storm and wish I could be chatting with Clay, too.
Jeanette is patient and methodical, which I appreciate. I take copious notes as we work through the program and somehow make it through a few hours without interruption.
When we finish, I walk her out to the lobby and nearly trip over my own feet at the sight of Clay signing for a UPS package. “Thank you again, Jeanette. I appreciate your help.”
“My pleasure. Feel free to reach out if you have any trouble, or if you need me to come back to train other employees.”
After Jeanette and the UPS man leave, I turn to Clay, keeping my voice low. “What is going on? Why are you accepting our packages?”
“After I gave Chris and Min their gifts, they were showing me some of your projects, and the phone was ringing, so I offered to help.”
My eyes widen. “You’ve been answering the phones?”
“Yes, but don’t worry, Chris showed me how to send calls to the right extensions.”
Oh my gosh. This guy . “But you said you had a busy day. You shouldn’t put off your plans to answer my phones.”
“I’m not. Chris logged me on to the computer so I could watch the game footage from my coach.”
“Game footage?”
“It’s part of my training. The coaches analyze our games, and we watch them, listening to their comments. It helps us see our strengths and weaknesses. But you don’t have time for this right now, babe. Dr. Bowry showed up early. He’s in Ravi’s office, and they’re expecting you.”
“He’s here ?”
“Yes. He’s a nice guy, too. A big football fan. I think I won you some bonus points. Go do your thing. I’ve got this.”
“ Clay , you don’t have to stay. We’re going to be a while.”
“I like helping my girl.”
My girl makes my heart squeeze, and that alternate universe I fell into yesterday is sucking me in at breakneck speed.
He steps closer and slides a hand down my back to my bottom, whispering, “Do you need me to help you take the edge off before you go in there? Five minutes in your office, and you’ll be much more relaxed.”
My insides turn to liquid heat, and I squeeze my thighs together. “No. No , no. I’m going.” His chuckles follow me down the hall.