AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And my clothes?”
“I wouldn’t have minded so much if you wanted to sleep in your vomit, but not on my expensive sheets. Sorry for taking liberties, but I did what I could, given the state you were in last night.”
“So no sex?”
“None whatsoever. You’re not my type.”
“You’re not mine either.” For some reason, I had to make that clear to him. “How did I end up here?”
“I made coffee. Let me pour you a cup and fill you in.”
Feeling much more relieved than when I woke up, I followed him into a spacious open-concept room with the kitchen area to the left. Modern appliances and sleek countertops greeted us. Two mugs were set on the marble-topped island. Jarrod poured steaming liquid into each cup.
“How do you take it?” he asked.
“Black is fine.” Though I took it with creamer now that I was out of prison, black would be better for my sensitive stomach.
“Here you go.”
I settled around the island, and Jarrod joined me, placing my phone and wallet in front of me. “You got a few missed calls. I didn’t want to wake you up, so I let it ring to voice mail.”
Fuck. Scottie.
I swiped the screen, but nothing happened. Dead. Just great. How had his conversation with Jay gone?
“What happened besides you stripping me naked and tucking me into your bed last night?” I gulped down the scalding hot liquid to conceal my discomfort with still not knowing enough about last night.
“After our meeting ended, I came home, but later in the night, my daughter called me. I was surprised. She explained the man I’d been with at the bar talked to her, and she wanted us to meet up. I wanted to thank you, so I called, and then it became clear you were drunk. You were incoherent, so I asked you to hand the phone to the bartender, and he gave me directions. I couldn’t get your address out of you, so I didn’t have a choice but to bring you here.”
His reassuring words and the sharp, bitter edge of the coffee grounded me. I closed my eyes and exhaled deeply. “Thank god I didn’t fuck things up with Scottie.”
“I take it Scottie’s your boyfriend?”
“Yeah. You have a problem with that?”
He shrugged. “Why would I? Someday you’ll have to bring him with you, and we’ll have dinner together. Since you so eloquently put it out there I’m not your type, I would love to see who is.”
I frowned, my mind reeling again. This wasn’t exactly the professional relationship that should exist between us. Judging from the fabric softener lingering on my clothes, he’d even washed them. How could I work for him when he’d seen me so wrecked?
“Shit.” I pushed back the chair and stood. “You can consider this my formal resignation.”
“Wait, what?” Jarrod surged to his feet and grabbed my arm.
“This is too awkward. We’re supposed to be boss and employee, yet here I thought I’d fucked up my relationship by sleeping with you last night. That’s not something that should ever have been a possibility.”
“Nothing happened.”
“But it doesn’t change the fact that I was wasted last night.”
“So? Aren’t we all at some point?” He dropped his hand from my shoulder. “Listen to me, Griff. When I left you, we’d concluded the business meeting. I didn’t pick you up from that bar because I’m your boss.”
I took a step back. “You’re confusing the hell out of me. You said you’re not gay, and no disrespect, man, but even if you are, I’m with someone, and I don’t want to ruin that.”
Jarrod shook his head slowly. “You don’t have a lot of friends, do you, Griff?”
I snorted. “I just spent eighteen years in prison. What do you think?”
“Ah, I see. Well, this is nothing but a friend being concerned about your well-being. You might have been drunk last night, but you said a lot.”
