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Your dad’s the one that pays me, I thought, but kept to myself. “Marina’s a good friend and she has the extra space.”
“I have extra space. I’m sure my apartment is bigger than hers.”
Why did it feel like we were having a dick-measuring contest? “I can’t impose on you like that,” I protested.
“What, you weren’t imposing when you fucked me?”
“That was different,” I sputtered, my mind unable to catch up.
“How?”
“It just was. I don’t know how long it will be until they fix everything, and we aren’t even sure how much damage has been done. Despite what happened the other night, we have a professional relationship to maintain.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, staring out the window. “I want you to stay with me.”
“Why?” I repeated. That was the real question. That was what I needed to know.
“Because I do, and I’m your boss. You won’t be late if you stay with me, and I have more than enough room.”
I took a deep breath in and let it go slowly. “Are you going to bring any girls home while I’m there?”
“No,” he answered immediately. “I won’t.”
“Fine.” Honestly, staying with him sounded too good to be true; but I couldn’t help but be apprehensive.
I found a spot not far from the restaurant and backed in. “I’ll grab my things from Marina’s house after I drop you off tonight and come over then.”
He nodded. “Good. I’ll be waiting.”
Chapter Seven
“You’re crazy.”
Marina had been laying into me ever since I let her know I was moving in - albeit temporarily - with Oliver. She thought it was a bad idea, and that it would end up hurting me, and she was probably right. More like she was definitely right. I couldn’t tell what Oliver was thinking and I was letting my hopes gang up on me. Still, none of that kept me from packing up my things.
Marina sat on the edge of the guest bed, watching me pack. She had given me her opinion as soon as I told her, but I couldn’t blame her. “You expect me to believe you wouldn’t jump at the chance to move in with Daphne? Even if it was just for a few days?”
She pouted. “Touché. Look, I just don’t want this to blow up in your face. I mean you’ve liked the guy forever - not that I’m one to judge, obviously - and now you’ve had sex, and all of a sudden he wants you to stay with him. I know you’ve been around this family longer than I have, but I’ve never even suspected that Oliver liked men, and my gaydar is reliable.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, and it led you straight to me.”
“I’m being serious, Ben. I don’t want you to get your hopes up for some ‘gay for you’ situation.” She frowned. “Maybe he’s bi, or pan. Still, even if he is bi, that doesn’t mean he’s ready to be in a relationship with a man.”
“I know, I know. And you’re right, I’ve always thought he was straight through and through. But somethings changed, at least a little.”
“And you haven’t even talked about it with him? You ate lunch together, but you couldn’t manage a simple ‘Where does this leave us’?”
I stuffed my last pair of socks into my suitcase. “He shut me down every time. It wasn’t the right place, anyway. I want to talk to him about it, and I will. Living together will give me a good enough excuse to force him to talk to me.”
Marina sighed and slid off the edge of the bed to plop down on the floor. “Tragically, I knew you would have your mind made up, so I have a parting roomie gift to give you.”
I looked up from my packing. “What gift?”
A look that could only be described as devious took over her face. “A juicy tidbit of information. You know us secretaries have to stick together, especially when it comes to the Calloways. So, Richard let me know that Oliver was in fact planning on having lunch in his office. He had already given him his order. But Richard messaged him when you came inlike Oliver told him to. The little eavesdropper told him we were talking about lunch, and out he comes all of a sudden.” She shrugged. “I got to eat the lunch he ordered though, so it worked out for me.”
“Why would he do that?” If he had wanted to have lunch he could have just said something in the morning, but there was no reason for him to be bothered by Marina.
“He’s been giving me the stink eye for the last two days,” she said. “Ever since he heard you were staying here.”
