Not the time, Barrett.
“What are you doing here?” His eyes narrowed, his tone clipped.
Great. We were back to those terms. He had more mood swings than a teenage girl.
After the Justin run-in, he was a gentleman all week, exchanging pleasantries with me each morning while we grabbed coffee in the break room. I thought we moved on from the asshole attitude.
“I'm here for a friend.”
“Who?” he demanded.
I could deal with his hot and cold shtick any other time but then. I didn't need his antics when my dream date was due to walk in at any moment. What would he think if he saw another man peppering me with questions? Especially a man like Jason.
I glanced back over at the gruff man to see him glaring, anger burning in his eyes. What if he was Bear? How would I get out without him following me?
“A friend,” I repeated, louder and more defiant as I shifted my gaze back to Jason, refusing to give an inch. “This doesn't concern you. I'll see you at the office on Monday.”
“What is your friend's name?” He shoved his hands into his pockets, rocking back on his heels and letting out a shaky breath. His calm, calculating facade was withering, nervous habits wearing it away bit by bit.
The change was unsettling, stoking my jitters into full-blown fear. Why was he doing this? Why couldn't he go to his fancy-schmancy banquet and let me be?
“Why does it matter, Jason?” I demanded.
“Because it does,” he shot back. A predatory glint sharpened his eyes, the same look that always sent me scrambling when he was near. “Why are you here?”
That was it. Scary or not–boss or not–I didn’t need to put up with his crap on the weekend. “I'm here for a date! Now if you would excuse me, I will see you at work!” I snapped, ready to chuck my damn menu at him to get him away.
“Elena, what is his name?” His voice dipped, calmer, friendlier, realizing his usual route wasn't getting him anywhere.
“It's none of your business.”
Tears of embarrassment burned, threatening to reduce my smoky eye to a black tar tidal wave. Even if the angry man wasn't Bear, he was likely nearby, seeing the scene unfold and ready to hightail it.
“Please go!” I begged, biting my cheek to keep the tears at bay.
“It wouldn't happen to be Bear, would it?” It came out in a rough whisper, so broken, I barely heard it.
As soon as the words left his lips, there was a pain at my core, a thousand knives piercing at once.
Every laugh. Every inside joke. Every pep talk.
Oh god. Every sexy chat and raunchy exchange.
They were all with Jason Barrett.
I showed my boss my boobs multiple times and told him what I was planning on doing with his dick. Holy shit.
“You're Bear,” I breathed, the truth smacking me in the face like a two-by-four.
“And you're Jewels.” He was as shocked as I was and likely trying to find a way to keep me from telling the world I saw his package-a thick, heavy package that needed extra postage.
He could have bolted when he saw me at the table. He didn't need to say a word. My ass in the seat was all the confirmation he needed. But he approached the table. He opened Pandora's box on his own volition; no one forced him.
To my horror, he pulled out the free chair and sat down, clasping his hands on the fine linen tablecloth. “What are you doing?” I shrieked, leaning as far back as possible.
He flinched. “Having a date?”
He was out of his fucking mind. “Seriously?”
“Why not?” he asked, flashing a smile.
My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets at his words. “Because you're my boss?”
Because it was against every Croft handbook ever written? Because we'd both get fired if we were caught? Because we hated each other for months?
“Not directly.”
“That's not the point!” I snapped.
Waves of shock flooded through me, and I wished it was an elaborate joke, the real Bear hiding in one of the ridiculous palms. Good God did I want Lee to pop out and yell surprise with some six-foot-something babe magnet.
He leaned back in his chair, mimicking my stance, hands still clasped in front. “I'd never hold anything over you or give you any special treatment, you know that.”
While handsome as always, he was also teetering on deadly, coiled and ready to spring with stunning accuracy. Just his presence was enough to send my heartbeat out of whack.
“This is insane,” I murmured, shaking my head, flashbacks buzzing through my mind.
He nodded. “It is.”
All the late-night heart to hearts were shared with the man across from me, a man that didn’t have a heart at all. But somewhere inside there had to be something resembling one. No one could fake that. I couldn’t ignore our chats. I connected with that person, and he was the one on the other end.
“If anyone finds out...” I trailed, daring to tread into the water.
He held up a hand, cutting me off. “No one knows or will know.” He swallowed hard, eyes locking with mine. “You won't tell a soul either.”
It was meant as a reassurance, but knowing his temper, I took it as a threat. I didn't doubt he'd hold me to the fire over it.
“Jason...” I warned. I took a lot of crap from him, but I wouldn't be menaced into silence.
“Relax.”
Looking at him, I was a fool not to figure it out. There weren’t many men our age in Ithaca with blue eyes, brown hair, and a jacked body. Especially in executive management. How had I been so stupid? I saw him day in and day out and hadn't suspected a thing. But now that he was right there in front of me, it was as clear as day.
I blinked rapidly to keep the tears in; the threat growing greater by the second. I couldn't cry. I wouldn't. Not in front of him. I'd keep my
