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“I was wondering where you two snuck off to last night.”
Panic seized me and I spun around, coming face to face with Jo O’Connor. She had a smirk on her face, a thick robe covering her silky pajamas. Humiliation burned through me and she must’ve noticed because her face fell and her brows furrowed.
“Hey, no judgment here. You’re adults, you can do what you want.”
I shook my head helplessly. “Please, I need to get out of here. How the hell do I get home?” The ‘without being seen’ was implied.
To her credit, Jo didn’t tease or question me. She nodded once and stopped in her room long enough to change before making a phone call.
“James? I need a ride.”
We hid in her room until he texted to let her know he arrived before she snuck me out of the house. We didn’t run into any of the big three and there weren’t as many guards out this morning so as long as I kept my head down, I felt like I got out of there unscathed. Only James knew who I was and he didn’t say anything either. He just drove us both to my condo and held my door open for me as I slipped out.
I turned around quickly to face Jo. “Thank you. I really appreciate it.”
She smiled softly. “Don’t mention it. Thanks for taking some of the load off of my husband. You’ve been a huge help, I’m glad I could do even a little to return the favor.”
Giving her a genuine smile, I nodded and waved before hustling inside. I don’t usually trust people right off the bat but I felt like I could trust Jo not to share what happened last night. She’s a decent person and went out of her way to help me. The only person I had to worry about now was Jaime.
ChapterTwenty-One
I avoidedJaime’s calls for the rest of the long weekend. I didn’t know what to say to him and besides, I didn’t want him to think I’d ever do something like that again. I broke my own rule that night but I had a hefty amount of alcohol to blame for it. I vowed to never drink again and to stay away from Jaime as long as I could. I even called Amari for a ride on Tuesday to avoid him. She, like Jo, didn’t ask any questions. She just showed up in a nice sports car and gave me a ride into work.
When I got there, I was on high alert for Jaime. He wasn’t in the lobby and I managed to make it all the way to my office without bumping into him. Letting out a long sigh, I dropped my stuff onto my desk and dropped into my chair.
“You haven’t been returning my calls.”
Jerking my head up, I gasped. He was leaning against the door frame into my office, a deep frown on his face. I swallowed hard.
“Yes, well… I didn’t really have anything to say…”
The awkwardness was almost painful and I fought off a grimace. This is why I don’t get involved with a client’s employees. The build would take at least another six months and with Jaime as my bodyguard, I was a little worried the awkwardness would never go away.
“Bex…” He looked confused but it was the hurt in his face that cut through my middle. I shook my head.
“I’ve asked you repeatedly not to call me that. I think we’ve gone way past professional at this point and I’d really like to return to that relationship if possible.”
His eyes searched mine and I saw the moment when he switched between confused to angry. His face hardened and a muscle twitched in his jaw.
“Fine, if that’s what you want. I’ll leave you alone.”
Shoving off the doorframe, he spun on his heel and stormed away. He didn’t stop at the desk in the main room like he normally would. I heard the ding of the elevator and the floor went quiet not long later.
It hurt more than I thought it would, sending him away. I still felt like it was the best decision but I didn’t think he’d be that bothered by it. Didn’t most men salivate over a one night stand?
In an attempt to ignore the guilt, I threw myself into work. I joined Liam for his meeting and put the man that was causing him trouble in line, met with Carl about the material changes, and anything else I could think of. Jaime never came back but I hardly noticed because I never let myself stop long enough to think about it. I worked through lunch and I didn’t stop working until well after dark. It wasn’t until I was heading downstairs that I realized this was the first time I was leaving without him. The door to the elevator slid open and Jaime wasn’t waiting for me. It was James instead. He lifted his chin in greeting.
“Hey, ready to go?”
Keeping my face blank took a lot of work but I nodded quickly and followed him outside. It was just starting to snow again, the ground still clear, so I let James lead me into the SUV and clasped my hands together in my lap so he wouldn’t see them shaking. First snows made me nervous. It increased the potential for ice.
James wasn’t overly chatty, unlike Jaime. On the days that Jaime and I drove, he chatted about anything and everything. At first I tried to avoid it, staring at my phone and nodding politely, but eventually he drew me in and I started talking back. My hands clenched tighter. Why was it so hard to stop thinking about him?
Staring out the window, I didn’t really see much. I was too wrapped up in my own thoughts. I barely realized that we arrived at my condo complex, only the SUV slowly pulling to a stop drawing my focus.
“I’ll pick you up here tomorrow, yeah?”
Forcing a small smile, I shook my head. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll drive myself.”
