Chapter 17
Morgan
As promised, Bandera is right where he said he was going to be by the time the longest day of work in my life is over.
"Do you think this is excessive?" I ask when I climb into the passenger seat of the SUV.
"What's that?" he asks, waiting for me to click my seatbelt in place before putting the vehicle in gear.
"Sitting out here all day just waiting for something to happen," I clarify. "I bet you wish something crazy would occur just to avoid the boredom."
He looks over at me before pulling out of the parking spot. "I'd rather be bored the rest of my life than chance someone getting hurt. I'm not the type of man who wants someone to sacrifice something for me just for entertainment."
"I appreciate you being here. I just... I don't know. Feel like there might be more important stuff you could be doing."
"You're just as important as the next person, Morgan. Don't ever doubt that."
I huff a humorless laugh. "Well, I didn't have self-worth issues until you just said that."
His smile is small, and I don't know if I've ever seen one on his face.
"How was your day?" he asks, and I find myself grateful at his attempt to change the subject.
"Boring. It's always boring," I say with a sigh, my eyes following the line of buildings as he drives along.
We don't spend much time talking on the way back to the villa, but the silence isn't awkward.
When he leans out of the vehicle to press out a code to gain access to the property, I suddenly feel nervous and a little giddy at the prospect of seeing Robert.
And a little embarrassed. I know he said he was going to be watching me at the office to make sure I was safe, and he even showed me the camera angle he had in the office. But I've seen enough hacker shows on television to know that if he's worth his IT weight, he could probably hack my computer and see my search history.
I played around with it a little during lunch, but I also had to use an incognito window. I don't know if that prevented him from knowing what I was looking at.
It seemed playful and fun while I was doing it, but now, as Bandera parks, I can't help but wonder if it makes me look desperate.
I could easily come on to him like I normally would every other guy, but everything that has happened and his connection to Henry has shaken my confidence a little. I don't know if I can afford to take another hit if he shoots me down.
The man is an absolute anomaly. I've never approached a guy and found it hard to know what he was thinking or, at minimum, know if he was attracted to me. I've seen glances from Robert that tell me he's attracted to something about me, but the man hasn't made a single move.
As excited as I was to get home, I feel like slinking off to my room when I step through the front door. That urge doesn't stop my eyes from drifting toward Robert's office the second I get a chance.
"Have a good evening," Bandera says as he closes the front door before disappearing up the stairs.
"You too," I say, but he's already cresting the top of the stairs.
I give the office door one last look before turning toward the kitchen, and I find Robert standing near the sink with a wide smile on his face as he watches me.
Did he see me look toward his office twice? If he noticed and he's smiling, that means something, right?
My cheeks heat as I cross the room to join him in the kitchen, and my stomach swims with butterflies and embarrassment for the way I acted at work today.
Is he the type of guy that would bring it up?
Did he see me wink at the cameras?
If he doesn't say anything, does that mean he didn't notice, or is it because he isn't interested?
Why am I all up in my head over this?
I blame recent trauma for walking up to him and not saying anything like a shy schoolgirl. Acting this way is nothing like I've done in the past. I've always been very quick to state my intentions, simply because I move on so quickly.
Men, as a whole, bore me. They always have. Maybe I'm the female equivalent of a playboy.
I'm looking for a good time, a couple of orgasms, and no drama.
"How was your day at work?" he asks as he leans on the counter, resting his elbows on the counter and placing his face in his palms.
"Boring," I say, repeating what I told Bandera because it's the truth.
"No excitement?"
"Steve asked if I hated my breasts since I wore a dress that showed no cleavage," I mutter.
He watches me, eyes doing that shocked, slow-blink thing.
"Excuse me?" he asks as he stands.
The man looks like he's ready to charge to my office and defend my honor.
"He's a creep."
"I can ruin his life in like three clicks," he mutters, but the tone of his voice tells me that he could probably do it in two.
"He's not worth the jail time," I assure him.
He stiffens even further as if he hadn't considered that doing what he threatened would be against the law.
"Let me know if you change your mind," he says, his face still as serious as when I first mentioned Steve.
"Will do," I assure him, but Steve is an idiot I can handle on my own. "I see you found a shirt."
His smile grows as I point to his body.
"If going shirtless makes you uncomfortable, I'll—"
"I wouldn't call it uncomfortable," I begin, but think better of mentioning anything further about just how sexy the guy is.
He hasn't really flirted back with me, and I don't want to make him uncomfortable if he isn't interested.
I don't think I've ever been in a situation like this—left wondering if he has any interest in me at all.
I watch his hands as his fingers flex against the countertop, and I just know that although this man may be really reserved and self-aware, I bet he would be an absolute beast between the sheets. I don't know that he would be a hand-necklace kind of guy, but I can picture him making verbal commands and expecting his partner to listen. Just that thought makes me wonder what he'd do if he got a little pushback and bratty behavior.
"Morgan?"
I dart my eyes from his hands to his face, my cheeks heating a little for getting lost in my head and the path my thoughts had taken.
"Hmm?"
His smile is slow as his throat works on a swallow, and I swear my mind is hip-deep in the gutter. Instead of being able to focus, I'm standing here wondering what the bob of that Adam's apple would feel like against my lips.
"You seem distracted," he says. Either I'm horny and incapable of paying honest attention to the man, or his voice is a little more sultry than it was just moments ago.
"I am," I quickly agree, but I stop short of making excuses or apologizing for my behavior. I don't know if I got started that I'd be able to stop before making a fool of myself more than I already have.
"Do you have plans later?"
I shake my head, knowing this man deserves the respect of me paying full attention to him.
"Want to play darts again?"
I may not be sure he's attracted to me in more than a friendly way, but he does like spending time with me. I don't know if it's because he doesn't like the other guys living here or what, but I'll take the attention anyway I can get it.
Shit. I'm sounding desperate even in my own head, and that's not a good sign at all.
"Has someone repaired the damage we did last time? If not, I don't think that's a good idea."
He chuckles, and I fight the urge to look back down at his hands when he shifts his weight.
"What about a game of pool?" I offer, not wanting to reject the idea of spending time with him entirely.
He cringes. "I'm worse at that than I am at darts."
"How is that even possible?" I ask with a smile so he doesn't think I'm being mean.
His laughter is quick, and there's something to be said for a man who doesn't get upset if his ego takes a mild hit.
"It's a wonder," he replies. "What about the hot tub? That takes no skill."
The skill required for the hot tub is to not climb into his lap and rub myself all over him.
"That sounds like a great idea," I tell him.
"Now?" he asks, and I love the eagerness in his voice.
"Give me like an hour?"
His smile is quick as he dips his head.
I turn to walk away, grinning from ear to ear.
"See you soon, Morgan."
The promise makes me walk even faster toward the stairs.
I don't know that I'll make a move on this man, but I need to be prepared if I do, so a shower and shaving are required.
Robert is already in the hot tub when I make my way out there, and I feel a little disappointed when I see him submerged in the water. The best part of spending time out here is being able to watch him get in and climb out of the hot tub.
I give him an easy smile as I drop my towel onto one of the nearby loungers before traversing the stairs to sink into the heated, bubbly water.
I settle in, letting the warmth wrap around me.
"The air seems chillier tonight," I say, dipping deeper into the water.
"We can use the inside hot tub," he says.
"I like the contrast."
"Tell me more about Steve."
The abrupt subject change draws my eyes to his handsome face.
"What?"
"The guy at your job."
"I know who we're talking about. Why are we talking about him?"
"He shouldn't be making you uncomfortable. I looked up your company's sexual harassment policy and—"
"Steve is a menace, but I can handle him," I say, watching him frown. "I think he's just flirting, and he doesn't really know how to do it without it coming off as super creepy."
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure. The guy isn't going to follow me to my car or show up on my front porch with expectations."
"Okay," he says, looking away. "I completely understand about struggling at flirting. It's never been something I've been good at."
"With a body like yours, you don't really have to flirt, Robert," I tease.
He doesn't chuckle as I expect him to, and his face is a mask of seriousness when he turns to look at me.
"I have more to offer than just a good physique."
I mull over this information, wondering if this is my opportunity to speak more about this attraction I feel for him.
"How do you feel about casual sex?"
He tilts his head, a hint of shock in his eyes that I would ask something so bluntly.
"I'm not a fan."
Well, shit.
"It's why I haven't had many girlfriends. Yet, I seem to attract that type. Women who simply want to hook up with no strings or attachments."
"And that doesn't interest you?"
He shakes his head. "Not at all. I want to see where things can go with a woman."
"You're looking for a wife?"
"I'm not looking at all. But I don't see the value in wasting time with someone when it won't go any further than a roll between the sheets."
"That's not men's usual take on things," I say, and all he does is shrug.
I feel a wave of guilt for thinking about hooking up with him because not once have I looked at him and imagined doing more than what he just said he's not interested in.
I guess there's something to be said about not just blindly jumping into things, but it doesn't exactly make me feel good about myself. I know his expression of how he feels about things isn't a reflection on what I've done in the past, but I can't help but internalize his words and wonder what I've done with my life.