Yes. Wes was at the club.
Wes
After meeting with Franklin, I had headed to Canon, but since I’d been doing nothing but working, I had nothing to do.
I’m sure playing League of Legends on a Friday night was exactly what most twenty-eight-year-olds did. Flynn interrupted his game with a message that he’d be here soon with dinner because I was under orders not to “fuck around” until I had my “sad-sack shit together.”
The bartender called. “A hot chick wants to talk to you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Is it the desperate blonde again?”
“This one’s fine. Better quality than the wine she ordered.”
I hung up and stared at the door. Could it be?
When I’d met her, she’d joked about what she was drinking.
With slow precision, I opened my door and walked down the dark hallway to the entrance to the main area.
I stepped out, but the mirrored pillars scattered throughout the place blocked my view. Patrons moved out of my way, but I noticed no one. My gaze swept the bar and I saved the seat I’d first seen her in for last.
The breath whooshed out of my lungs. Her beauty had struck me down before, but the sophisticated lady perched on the barstool, with a hairdo that bared her slender neck, was a work of art.
No more makeup enhanced her features than before. The outfit was the same and while it highlighted all her curves, I preferred her Batman leggings.
I came to a stop behind her, not sitting like before because look how that had turned out. “Mara.”
She slowly twisted with a hesitant smile. “Can we talk?”
“About what?”
Her gaze fell from me and she scanned the people around us. She opened her mouth to talk. No, I craved privacy with her.
“Come with me.” I turned, knowing I was fueling staff gossip about the lady I’d brought back to my office.
Once we were behind a closed door, I wondered how she saw the first private environment of mine she’d been in. Modern, sleek, stark, and barren. No personal touches.
No different than my public spaces, like my plane, which certainly hadn’t impressed her.
To put space between us, I went around the desk and took a seat. She sat on the edge of the chair Flynn usually used.
“How’s job hunting going?”
She grimaced. “I’m here to discuss it.”
A fifty-pound weight settled on my chest. She was here to use me.
“I’ve been interviewing and it was pointed out to me that you own a few of the buildings where I was meeting possible employers. I want to know if that’ll be a problem.”
The weight lifted.
She held her hand up. “Before you answer, I’m not saying this to sway you, but I want to apologize. I shouldn’t have tried to cause problems and delays for you. It was an immature move. With the…history…between us, I want to know beforehand if I should pursue businesses that are free and clear of you.”
“It won’t be a problem.” My guilt flared. She was out of work because of me. “I can call and put in a good word for you.”
“Yeah, no. You don’t know the first thing about how well I perform at work.” She spiked an adorable blush as she said “perform.” “And that is the last thing I’d ask of you.”
We fell quiet for a few moments.
“How’s Wendy?”
“Mom’s stable.”
“Did you tell her—about everything?”
Mara shook her head. “Stress isn’t good for Mom. I gave her a general overview. Funny, because it helped me form a canned response when I’m asked during interviews. I haven’t told her we quit seeing each other yet, but I will on my Sunday visit.”
So when I suddenly felt like a pile of shit on Sunday, I’d know the reason why. Wendy's learning of my deception didn’t sit well with me. “What kind of work are you looking for?”
“Anything. I might pick up a waitressing job while waiting for a higher-paying company with better benefits to hire me.”
With my luck with Mara, I’d probably bring a date to the place she worked and get seated in her section. Dating again wasn’t appealing, but now it scared me.
“Well.” Mara tapped her thighs. “I’d better get going.”
I made it to the other side of my desk by the time she rose. “Look, we don’t have to…”
Words faded with the hopeless glint in her eyes. “Goodbye, Wes.”
My feet were cemented to the floor. She rested her hand on the doorknob and stalled. “There is something else I should talk to you about. It’s about Sam.”
A cold splash of water. “What about him?”
“We talked, about you, and he never came out and said it, but—”
The door whipped open. Mara stumbled back, losing her balance in her heels. Two steps and I caught her in my arms.
“I’ve got chow—whoa.” Flynn stared at us, stunned while holding two trays.
Mara righted herself and pulled away. “Thank you.”
“Hey, Flynn. I’ll be right back. I need a minute with Mara.” My hand on her back felt too right as I ushered her outside of the office. I shut the door behind me. “Can you come to my place tomorrow?”
Her place was a no, and she’d know why. Too many stupendously erotic memories.
“That guy’s your friend?” Suspicion dripped from her words.
I wanted to strangle Flynn for his store visit. “I had no idea he planned to stop in and hit on you. He was just looking out for me.”
She shook her head like she couldn’t believe it. “Meet at your offices downtown?”
“No, my home.” My cold, barren home.
Brief hesitation and she nodded. “Text me the address. What time?”
Whatever she wanted to talk to me about overrode her caution about the two of us alone.
I got it. Any longer in my office and I’d repeat the on-the-counter move on my desk.
“Whenever, just let me know.”
Her hips swayed all the way down the hall, her shoulders held square. She was miles above any girl in the club.
Dangerous thoughts at a time when she’d finally decided to come clean about Sam. Like I
