15. Ryan
I press my ear against the door, listening for the soft pad of Ronan’s bare feet. His alarm went off a few minutes ago. It’s an awful, blaring sound. I’m usually out for my daily jog when he wakes up, so I haven’t had the displeasure of hearing it until now.
But I skipped my jog this morning because I was afraid to risk facing him.
He didn’t even kiss me before he dove in.
“Dude! Hurry up, we’ve gotta leave soon.”
I roll my eyes at my brother even as my heart races. He says the same thing to Ronan every day.
“Yeah, yeah,” Ronan mumbles, his gravelly voice so coarse this morning, I can feel it skittering across my skin. That’s perfect, seeing as I can still feel where he was inside me too .
“You look rough, man. Didn’t you sleep?” Connor asks.
“I guess not.” A pause. “Where’s Ryan?”
“Probably out for a jog, burning off her anger issues. Why?”
My jaw clenches. Don’t you dare say a word about last night, you son of a bitch .
Maybe I’m imagining it, but I sense Ronan glancing over his shoulder at my closed door. I skitter back, afraid he’ll know I’m hiding back here, listening.
“No reason. I’ll be ready in fifteen.” A moment later, the bathroom door shuts.
I bury my face in my hands. I can’t believe I slept with him!
I can’t believe I barged into his room, woke him up, and practically begged him to give it to me.
I’m not that girl. I just lost my mind temporarily.
I was blinded by my heartache, by his sexual innuendo, and that gorgeous face and intoxicating smirk.
Worse, I’m still waiting for the regret to kick in. Shame, yes, I have oodles of that, soaking into my bones. But if I was going to declare temporary insanity with anyone, something about Ronan feels right. For some bizarre, inexplicable reason, I trust the guy.
Just not enough to face him again.
“You’ll get that staff report to me by noon?” Geraldine peers down at me from behind her glasses.
“Sure thing.”
With a nod, she moves on to the next line on her to-do list.
As far as bosses go, she’s tolerable. A bit of a micromanager, but I guess that comes with the territory of working with things like payroll, where missing details—a check box, an input cell—can mean someone doesn’t get paid .
“Hey.” Jean peeks around the corner of my cube. She’s in the one next to me. “So, Ronan is for sure going to Alaska.”
My stomach spasms, hearing that name. “Yeah, they booked their flights last night.” That’s not the only thing Ronan did last night.
Am I stupid to believe he’ll keep quiet?
It seemed like a no-brainer at the time, that Ronan wouldn’t be in a hurry to tell Connor.
It’s not like Connor has ever given any indication that he’d care if I slept with our new roommate, but I can’t see how Hey, I screwed your sister last night would slide smoothly out of Ronan’s mouth.
And if Connor ever learns about it, everyone at Wolf—right up to the big boss Henry Wolf himself—will know.
Jean sighs heavily. “It’s going to be so boring here this summer.”
My nose wrinkles. She’s been in love with my brother since the first day the idiot strolled in. And she’s not the only one. There are at least three others in the office who perk up every time he comes in here to annoy me.
I guess I can’t blame them. We were complete strangers when we met, and I noticed his bright blue eyes and dimpled smile right away. No one can honestly claim he isn’t handsome. But the fact that we’re blood related instantly diminished his appeal.
As does the fact that he’s a pig. He’d nail every last girl in housekeeping if he could. Everyone knows it, and it still doesn’t seem to sway them from their adoration. I don’t understand.
The fawning over Ronan hasn’t been much better. You’d think he were some sort of god who walked on water to get here. Though, after last night, I might agree with that.
David was never able to get me to orgasm during sex, and he tried. Eventually, he insisted it had to be my issue, and I agreed.
I swallow the rising bubble of nerves as a memory hits, of Ronan kneeling in front of me, gripping my thighs tight. I can still feel him with each step I take. Just the thought of him now stirs a throb between my legs.
Giving my head a shake, I push all thoughts of Ronan aside.