Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
I wake to a view of the lake through a window at the foot of the bed. Faded light filters over the mountain ridges. Soft sheets whisper over my palms. What the…?
I’m in Jaeger’s bedroom? The last thing I remember is the couch in his workshop.
Heat floods my face. That couch will go down in history.
At least, it will go down in my history.
Wow—just, wow. Not that my past experience is extensive, but I’d like to think I was thorough with the few partners I’ve had.
None of them gave me an orgasm through straight sex.
But I should consider this very important finding later.
How the hell did I end up here?
I glance around the bedroom. It’s cozy, with a Mission-style dresser and plain but expensive sheets based on the feel of them.
I don’t remember getting dressed and walking over.
Technically, I’m not dressed, I acknowledge, as I slide my bare legs over the soft sheets.
Did the man knock me out with his lovemaking? What the hell happened?
And Jesus. I sit up and pull the light blue sheet to my chest. Why am I calling our sex lovemaking? Eric and I never called it that. I tuck the fabric beneath my legs and around my back, as if to protect myself.
Jaeger walks out of the bathroom, a dark blue towel wrapped around his waist, water beaded on his shoulders. My jaw drops; my breathing speeds up. Steam from the shower and the scent of his aftershave waft toward me. He’s like a walking aphrodisiac.
His gaze takes in my clamp on the sheets. “Good morning. Everything okay?”
“Yes, but”—I peer around the room—“how did we end up here? I’m pretty sure I was sober when I visited you this afternoon, so…”
“Yesterday afternoon.”
It’s morning? I shake my head. “I couldn’t have passed out.”
He smiles. “You were tired. I carried you here.”
Memories of the most amazing orgasm flutter through my mind. He did that to me. Sapped me of all energy and a little piece of my soul.
“And I didn’t wake up?”
He shakes his head, his gaze skimming over me again.
Only this time, heat emanates from those eyes.
“Are you still tired?” The question is addressed cautiously, as if he’s trying to be sensitive to my needs—but the man behind the question appears ready to pounce, evidenced by the massive erection building beneath his towel.
This is dangerous, this attraction. I should be careful.
I shake my head, and he walks over, sliding off the towel to the side of the bed. Muscles and long limbs, heat, and alluring, clean male scents smack my senses silly. He pulls the sheet from my body and eases down beside me.
Goose bumps pepper my flesh. My hands go clammy. I’m eager to touch and be touched. I want to kiss his mouth, the lids of his eyes, his temples—the place over his heart.
I’m in so much trouble.
“Where the hell have you been?” my brother asks, as I walk in the front door after finally prying myself from Jaeger’s bed.
It was not easy. The man persuades. I honestly think he could have kept at it all day. Whatever happened to recovery periods?
Gen looks over from the kitchen. She’s actually awake, eyes alert, which is proof of how late in the afternoon it is.
“I stayed the night at a friend’s house.”
Gen’s eyes widen briefly. My brother’s frown deepens.
“Cali, if you’re going to hook up, answer your damn phone,” he says.
“Oh my God. You’re staying with me. I don’t need to check in with you. And how do you know I stayed with a guy? I could have been with a friend.”
“None of your friends are in town—”
“I’ve made new friends.”
“—and you’re flushed. Post coitus flushed.”
Fuck! My lips pinch together. I storm into the bedroom and close the door, taking a deep breath.
Leave it to my biologist brother to notice and technically define afterglow.
A knock sounds a moment later. “Cali? Can I come in?” Gen says.
I pull my hair into a bun, open the window, and fan myself, scraping together the remains of my dignity. “Come in,” I say.
She shuts the door behind her and sits on the bed. She looks down at her hands twisted in her lap. “I know we haven’t talked much. I’ve been working and you’re going through a hard time. I feel like I haven’t been there for you.”
Gen has known every guy I’ve kissed since we met. She’s never learned about something secondhand, and though it seems right to keep what’s between me and Jaeger private, the strain in our friendship is obvious.
I sit across from her. “That’s how I feel. Like I haven’t been there for you.”
She smiles bleakly. “You have. You’re the strong one. I’ve pulled away, because I—well, I want to be strong. It’s in me…”
“Of course you’re strong.”
She shakes her head. “No, you say what’s on your mind and speak up for yourself. I want to speak up. I don’t want to be afraid anymore.”
Gen is reserved and less outspoken than me—most people are—but I didn’t know she’s afraid. “What’s going on?”
She cradles her elbows and leans into herself. “You know how I don’t talk to my mom?”
I nod. The topic of her mother doesn’t come up unless I pry it out of her, and even then, I get nothing substantial.
“I won’t blame my mom for the way I am and the choices I’ve made, but some of the hang-ups I have are because of our relationship. It’s… unusual. But that’s not the point. The point is, I don’t want to be afraid anymore.”
She tucks a dark lock behind her ear. “There was an incident a couple of weeks ago at Blue. One of the managers forced his hand under my shorts and touched me. He would have done more if someone hadn’t interrupted.
I’m afraid to say anything to the casino.
I’m worried that what happened to you—with you getting fired and all—will happen to me. There are rumors—”
I wave my hands frantically. “Wait, wait, what? Jaeger mentioned something about a jerk touching you. He didn’t say it was one of the executives, or what he did.” My mind spins, bits and pieces coming together. “Who was it, Gen?”
“Some of the executives hang out in my bar after they get off work. One of them asked me to serve a small group he was hosting. He took advantage—put me in an uncomfortable situation.”
“Who was it?”
“Drake Peterson.”
Shit, shit.
“I knew I shouldn’t have gone up there alone, but I wanted the extra money—”
I shake my head. “This is my fault.” I could have warned Gen about Drake if I’d told her what he did. “Drake took me home the night we went to the club and came on too strong. Jaeger showed up and convinced him to leave.” Would have beat the crap out of him had he stayed.
Confusion and concern war on her face. “I didn’t know…
but this isn’t your fault. That’s what I’m trying to tell you.
I rely on you to fight my battles, when the reality is that sometimes it’s my fault I get into situations.
Or maybe I make myself a target.” Her brow furrows and she clenches her fists.
“I used poor judgment with Drake. And God, Cali, so did you. What were you thinking, going home with him?”
“I wasn’t. And I already heard the parental lecture from Jaeger.”
Her eyes narrow, scanning my face and neck—very likely taking in the post coitus flush, as my brother so elegantly put it. “Were you with Jaeger last night?” she asks gently. I nod, and she shoves my knee playfully. “Next time, text or something. We were worried.”
No animosity fills her expression, and that’s a relief. I trusted what Jaeger said about them, but you never know. Gen could have hidden her feelings for him. I did.
The not-calling thing was bad. I would have called if I hadn’t passed out from hot, mind-blowing sex.
“So what are these rumors you mentioned?” I say, forcing my mind off Jaeger, where it’s determined to drift, and back to our conversation.
“People have asked me why you got fired.”
That makes it sound so awesome. “Go on.”
“There’s a rumor one of the execs has it in for certain people.”
“That’s pretty much what they said when they let me go, only subtly. It’s done, Gen. I’m not going back.”
“Right, but… if this has happened before—”
“From Drake?”
She stills. “Drake got you fired?”
I shrug. “I assumed. It happened after I rejected him. And Jaeger, well, Jaeger made sure he remembered it.”
I already suspected Drake had me fired. Hearing what he did to Gen, the way he threatened me when I went in to see her—and saw Jaeger comforting her. That must have been right after Drake touched her.
He’s horrible. And he seems to have a firm grip on management. They fired me for no good reason, simply because he told them to. I don’t care anymore about my old job, because I’m moving on, but I’m worried about Gen.
“Look, Gen, this is bad. No matter what you do about Drake, there could be repercussions. You have to decide what’s best for you. As much as I like to believe differently, I don’t have all the answers.” I press my fingers to my eyes and sigh. “At the moment, I’m not sure I have any answers.”
“You’re right.”
I look up, because ouch.
She sees my expression. “No, not that. You’re smart, Cali, and you usually have good ideas, but I need to make my own choices. I can do this. I already decided my pride wasn’t worth losing my job.”
“You’re staying on? Without telling anyone what happened?”
She nods. “I am for now. I’ll go to management if Drake so much as lifts a pinky toward me, but I want to play this by ear. He got you fired and I don’t doubt he’d have me fired too. And I sort of need my job.”
The idea of Gen staying at Blue after what Drake did to each of us scares me. What if he touches her again, or worse? She shouldn’t have to hide sexual harassment to keep her job. That’s horrible.
But I’m finished telling Gen what to do. She’s stronger than she knows. At least she’s doing what’s right for her and not what others think she should do. It’s more than I can say for the job choices I’ve made these last few years.
“Hey.” She walks around the edge of the bed and sits beside me. “I’m glad we’re talking again.” My back loosens and I lean into her, resting my head on her shoulder. “No matter what happens, it’s always ten times worse if I can’t talk to you.”
“Ditto.”