Chapter 10 Roman
ROMAN
I got back from my first day in the office completely exhausted from so much people-ing.
Thomas was right to insist on a twelve-month contract, otherwise, I would have handed in my notice at least eight times today.
I was used to tech and watching people down a lens; I was not used to managing staff and allocating jobs.
It was a lot, and my brain flooded with overwhelm.
Pulling on my shorts, I didn’t bother with a top, leaving my chest exposed to the unusually balmy evening air.
I headed outside into the garage, opening the double doors, letting the sunlight stream in.
One of the reasons I’d chosen this place, other than it being in the middle of nowhere with no neighbours for miles except for one Hana Monroe, was that this large space had been converted into a gym that I’d filled with equipment and was keen to use for the first time.
I turned up “Could Have Been Me” by The Struts loud in my earbuds, drowning out the world while I worked off the stress and frustration from today and also tried to wipe the memory of coming over my hand while I watched Hana sleep, which had been playing in my mind all day.
I wasn’t sure how long I’d been working out, but the sky had grown dark and stormy as I turned my back to add another weight to the machine I’d been using.
Something that felt like a warm hand touched my shoulder, and I swore loudly, spinning on my toes, grabbing the person who’d crept up on me by the throat, pushing them blindly until their back hit the wooden wall.
It was only when I had them secure that the fog lifted, the rational part of my brain taking over the reactive part.
Guilt curdled in my stomach like warm milk as I found Hana, wide eyed, gripping my wrist with both hands.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I grunted, releasing my hold on her, but caging her in with both arms on either side of her head. “How do you even know where I live?”
She stared for a moment before she replied breathlessly, “Small town’s gossip, remember?” she said, echoing my own words back at me. “Did you break into my house and fix my boiler and shower?” She narrowed her eyes as if she’d remembered she was meant to be mad with me.
I pulled out my earbuds and put them in my pocket, the tinny sound of the music still playing, offering us a soundtrack for our bickering. “No,” I lied because that was exactly what I’d done. “Why do you think that?”
“Because my house is suddenly hot, and the shower works perfectly. I know what a hero complex you have, so I wouldn’t put it past you.”
She smelled delicious, like hard work and happiness, and it took all my willpower not to run my tongue up the column of her throat.
I hardened my expression, trying to hide the effect she had on me because I was scared she’d look too closely and see the level of obsession I carried for her. “What makes you think I’d go to all that trouble for you?”
“I-I… I…”
“You okay there, little menace?”
She didn’t reply, her hands still at her sides, twitching nervously.
“You shouldn’t creep up on people. It’s dangerous. I could’ve hurt you.” I moved my inked hand to her throat, circling it softly. “Did I hurt you?”
“No,” she whispered. I tightened my grip slightly, noticing how her lips parted, her hazel eyes darkened, and her back bowed, pressing her chest against mine.
I tightened my grip a little more, and her hips bucked, making my cock harden.
She licked her lips as her eyes bore into mine, but then, like someone had doused her in cold water, she slapped her hands to my chest, pushing me away.
She wouldn’t have been able to move me, but I didn’t want to scare her, so I took her cue and released my hold before stepping back, hating the space between us.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
I quirked my brow. “Standing here. What are you doing?”
“Smug fucker. What do you expect when you’re pinning me to a wall, looking like that?” She pointed at my chest. “How many tattoos do you have, anyway?”
“I’ve never counted.”
“And you don’t work in IT. No IT geek has ever needed that many muscles.”
I gave her a slow spin. “You like what you see. Noted.” I wasn’t sure where this hostility was coming from. I’d expected Hana to be meek, fragile, but face to face like this, Hana was like a wild animal, poised and ready to attack, and I wanted every scratch and bite she had to offer.
“You’re something else, which is why I think you broke into my house and, for some weird reason, fixed my heating.”
I tutted dismissively. “I’ve been at work all day.
Started a new job, remember? I have witnesses and better things to do with my time.
” I’d have to remember to thank the workman who brought his crew in when I offered them double time if they could get it all sorted in a couple of hours and keep it secret.
They flushed the system and replaced some parts, telling me it would do the job until I could get a new boiler, because I thought she might notice that.
Hana frowned. “So you didn’t?”
“I didn’t step foot in your house today. Scout's honour.” I was in there last night though, watching you sleep while I jerked off like a desperate teenager.
“I bet you were never a Boy Scout. But then… how is my house hot all of a sudden? It doesn’t make…” Her words fell away as if she was trying to make sense of it all.
“Maybe you had an airlock. I hear the place has been empty for a while. Maybe it just needed you to use it for a week or two.” I tried to come off as matter-of-fact and not like someone who googled what could make a faulty boiler start working earlier to make my lies believable.
“I guess that could have happened.” Then her expression hardened, a flush reddening her cheeks as if she was embarrassed by her accusations. “Fine, I’ve made a tit of myself. I should leave.”
I tried to play it cool. “Maybe you need to take a breath before you go accusing people.” Hana pushed away from the wall, storming towards the open doors.
“And…” She halted, glancing back over her shoulder at me, her hair rippling like waves as she moved.
“If you want to look at me topless again, you just need to ask.” I winked, and she flipped me her middle finger before vanishing outside.
With my palm tingling from touching her, I turned my attention back to lifting weights, only stopping when the power cut out, plunging the place into darkness.