Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
AUbrEY
I’m not a violent person, but for the past fifteen minutes, I’ve been staring at the wall, wondering if maybe I can bang the memory out.
What the hell was I thinking, rubbing my hand on his chest like that? That’s such an intimate gesture, and I went to town on him in front of everyone like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Ugh …
I roll out of bed and begin to pace back and forth.
This is ridiculous. I need to do something to distract myself. There’s a pool here in the building. Maybe I could go for a swim or sit in the hot tub.
That’s it. That’s what I’ll do.
I open the drawer of my dresser and pull out the hot-pink two-piece bathing suit that Sydney bought for me for spring break. She surprised me by throwing away all of my one-pieces and replacing them with this.
After I have the scraps of fabric tied in all the right places, I throw a black swimsuit coverup over it and grab my phone. I assume this place provides some kind of towel service for what they likely charge their tenants to live here.
I stand by the door and take a deep breath as I gather the courage to walk back out in front of everyone who just witnessed me humiliate myself.
Maybe they won’t even notice.
Just as I step out, a loud chorus of laughter erupts in the family room. They are all still sitting on the couches with their drinks.
Hopefully, they don’t wake Liana.
I keep my head down and walk past everyone, hoping nobody says anything. Maybe they’ll pretend I’m invisible.
“Going swimming?” a friendly female voice asks as I round the couch.
I look up at her and offer a small smile. “I thought I might get some exercise, swimming some laps,” I lie.
I notice Dean’s eyes on me. They are dark and hold something in them I can’t quite pinpoint. Whatever it is, it’s intense, and it has my body slightly off-kilter.
Before I can convince myself he’s about to fire me for inappropriately touching him, I make a beeline for the elevator.
The moment I’m in and the doors close, I let out a breath.
I might have lied to the nice woman in Dean’s apartment. I am not swimming laps. I’m not some kind of experienced swimmer. I’d look like a fool if I tried.
Instead, I decide to relax in the hot tub. Luckily, the hot water does enough to loosen my muscles and calm my nerves.
With nobody else in the entire room, I let my head fall back against the edge and close my eyes.
This still feels like I’m living a dream. I would have not put nannying for my childhood crush in a penthouse in Manhattan on my bingo card.
But here I am.
After an hour, I decide I can’t hide out any longer. My body can’t sit in the tub anymore, and there’s no way I’m hopping into the pool now.
After I dry off with a towel, I throw my dress back over myself and head for the private elevator.
I type in the code, and I’m up to the penthouse floor in seconds.
It opens up, and instead of hearing laughter and voices, it’s just the sound of the television on in the family room.
I expect to see Dean relaxing on the couch, but the room is empty.
The moment I get into my room, I close the door and take my dress off then hook my fingers around the strings at the back of my neck.
The swimsuit has been digging into my shoulders since I got out of the hot tub.
I hear the knob of my door turn, and then it swings open unexpectedly. Dean stops in his tracks as his eyes lock on mine. Then they slowly travel downward.
My stomach tightens as I watch him take me in.
“Oh.” His voice comes out lower than usual. “I thought you were still downstairs.”
“I … just got back.”
Silence stretches between us.
Normally, this is the point where I’d expect him to apologize, back out of the room, and close the door.
Instead, he stays exactly where he is.
His jaw flexes while his gaze drops again, taking in far more of me than I ever intended him to see.
Heat races across my skin.
I should say something or grab a towel. At least do something besides stand still as his eyes continue to linger on me. My top has sagged slightly and I know my breasts are pouring out of my barely tied top.
Instead, I remain stuck in place as Dean takes one slow step forward, then another.
The air between us seems to disappear with every foot he closes.
My pulse pounds so loudly that I’m certain he can hear it.
He stops only a couple of feet away. Close enough that I catch the clean scent of his cologne.
I have to tilt my chin to keep looking at him. His blue eyes are darker than I’ve ever seen them.
They aren’t angry or kind, but almost … hungry.
The realization sends a wave of warmth straight through me.
Neither of us speaks as the silence somehow says everything.
Finally, his eyes lift to mine. “You should probably finish changing.” The words are calm … controlled. Completely at odds with the way he’s been looking at me.
Only then do I notice the folded bills in his hand.
He holds them out. “The dress.”
For a second, I simply stare. “What?”
“Liana’s outfit.” His voice is rough. “You paid for it.”
I slowly reach for the money. Our fingers brush, making a spark shoot up my arm.
He doesn’t pull away immediately, but neither do I.
Another heartbeat passes, and then he releases the cash into my hand.
“I’ll have Brady get you a company card on Monday morning.”
I swallow. “Dean …”
He doesn’t answer. He just holds my gaze for one more long second, and then he turns, walks out of my bedroom, and quietly closes the door behind him.
The latch clicks.
Only then do my lungs remember how to work. I look down at the cash still clutched in my hand before pressing it against my chest.
My knees suddenly feel far less reliable than they did a minute ago.
What in the world just happened?