A few taps on my door and I’m hoping it’s the food. I begrudgingly get up to open it, and just my luck, it’s Atticus.
“Morning, Miss Delavan,” he greets me as if delivering clothes to his boss in one of the housekeeper’s rooms is the most normal thing in the world.
“Morning,” I bid him in return. I can pretend too.
“Are you getting acclimated okay?” His eyes wander around the room to gather evidence that Silas and I just finished a romp session, I’m sure. The shower stops, and his eyes return to mine. Awkwardness permeates the air.
“So far everything has been going smoothly,” I say in a rush. I don’t even know why I’m so nervous. It’s not even how it looks.
“Well, let me know if you need anything. See that Mr. Lair gets this.” He smiles as he passes me a Gucci shopping bag.
“Will do,” I assure. He nods and backs out of the door. I walk over and set the fancy gold foiled, brown bag down on the empty bed Silas occupied earlier. I’m tempted to look at what’s all inside when he emerges from that bathroom wearing only a bath towel.
Fucking hell, sweet baby Jesus. Rivulets of water trail down his naked torso and disappear into his towel. I visually count each etch of his six pack. His towel hangs unnecessarily low, exposing the veins that lead to his thickness bulging from the plush white fabric. The sun shining through the curtains gives me my first real look at the sleeve on his right arm. I thought it was badass at the pool last night—added to his sex appeal—but now I can see all the detail. I wonder about the meaning of it. It definitely ups his hotness factor, if that’s even possible.
“Can you speed up eye fucking me so that you can pass me the bag?” He smirks. Busted.
“I’m not,” I lie. I so am.
I grab the bag from the bed and walk it over to him except I can’t look him in the eyes. I focus on his outstretched arm with the sleeve, and that proves to be yet another mistake. More veins. His arms and chest are simply swoonworthy, but the vascularity of his veins within his V adds to his virility. It makes me want to lick the path to where they lead.
“I hate to break it to you, but you’re not very subtle. Quite the opposite, in fact.”
He takes the bag from me since I fail to actually hand it to him. Gah, you’d swear I’ve never seen a man before. I have. Just nothing that even remotely compares to this man. He turns away from me and lets his towel drop as he heads back into the bathroom. I don’t even pretend not to watch. He has a really nice ass. The knock on the door jolts me from my lustful stupor. This time, I’m sure it’s the food. I open the door, and I couldn’t have been more surprised if I tried. A lump forms in my throat in absolute fear. It’s Tory, and she is pushing the cart with our food.
“Morning, Brennan,” she half-ass greets. She pushes past me with the cart without being invited in.
“I didn’t know that you delivered food to the rooms,” I say snottily. I couldn’t resist the taunt. She has been a bitch to me since we’ve met. Also, I want her gone before Silas comes out. Maybe my rudeness will make her leave.
“Oh, cute. I don’t usually deliver food. I was coming by to see how you were handling things with your new assignment and met up with Dominic outside. I saw the food was for your room, so I told him that I would bring it in.” She flips her hair in her telltale “I’m better than you” fashion.
“You think you’ve ordered enough stuff? All that is going to go straight to your ass,” she warns as she looks horrified at the silver domes of covered food. I’m seconds away from telling her to get the fuck out of my room when Silas chooses this moment to come out of the bathroom—only half dressed. If my reputation wasn’t doomed before, it sure as hell is now. Tory’s jaw drops as she looks back and forth between us with obvious disdain.
Silas strides over to my mirror and runs his hands through his still wet, tousled hair. His low hanging jeans are every bit as enticing as that damn towel. And why couldn’t he put on a shirt?
“What can we do for you, Tory?” he asks without turning around. “Oh good, the food is here,” he says as an afterthought.
“Really, Silas? This is what you’re into now? A cross between a hobo and—” She doesn’t get to finish that sentence because Silas is in her face within seconds.
“You may not want to finish that sentence, doll.” I wince at hearing him call her doll. Then I get pissed for caring. A shitstorm is brewing before me, and all I can focus on is that he called her doll?
“Or what? You’ll fire me? I’m the only one on this goddamn boat who knows exactly what gets you off without being coached or taught,” she screams while making air quotes.
“That’s enough,” he booms.
Holy shit. This is a different Silas, and I want to be as far from him as possible. I make my way over to my bed after grabbing my food off the cart. I hate that I’m the cause of the fallout between him and his … what? Fuck buddy? Girlfriend? Then I think about the fooling around we did last night, and I’m annoyed. Surely, whatever they had is over if he was with me, right?
“You’re right. I’m done here.” One lone tear falls before she turns on her designer stilettos and heads out the way she came. I feel bad for her. I’m not exactly a cold-hearted bitch. I recognize broken even if she is a conniving twat waffle.
I take small nibbles of my food, praying that I can keep it down. My stomach feels like a roller coaster, but eating gives me something to do besides feel awkward. Silas grabs his omelet off the cart and comes to sit next to me on my bed. Suddenly, this room feels too small. We both eat in silence for several minutes until the guilt is too much.
“Sorry,” I whisper.
“For what?” A single eyebrow arches in confusion. His intense stare pins me to the spot, yet he continues to eat his food.
“For, umm, messing things, umm … up with you and Tory.”
He pauses midbite. “That’s nothing for you to concern yourself with. And you did nothing wrong. She came to your room and was obnoxiously rude. I will handle things with her, but you don’t need to give her little performance a second thought.” The finality in his voice clues me in to just let the conversation go. He doesn’t want to discuss her.
“I like your key,” I compliment to change the subject. I’ve seen this key around his neck before now, but I didn’t want to pry about its significance. Too late to pull my foot out of my mouth now, though. “What does it say?”
He flips the key around, and I see the word “love” etched into the gold. He seems more like a ‘love ‘em and leave ‘em’ kind of guy rather than a ‘give someone his heart’ kind of guy.
“I see the wheels turning in that head of yours. I don’t discuss my key,” he says with a soft warning.
Now, I’m even more curious about it. His love key is a contrast to every vibe he gives off. Not to mention its simplicity. It’s a gold key on a silver chain. He has millions, yet this piece of jewelry can’t hold that much monetary value.
“That’s fine. It’s none of my business,” I respond in disappointment. “I managed to eat most of the stuff you ordered, so I think I’ll lie down for a bit before my shift,” I hint.
This is his cue to leave. He doesn’t need to feel obligated to continue caring for me because he got me drunk. I’m sure I’ll be branded as the cruise slut by the time I go to work. Hell, who am I kidding? I’m positive the rumors are already spreading. Silas pulls back the covers for me, so I don’t make a fuss about it. I just pass him my plate and get underneath. Why I am still surprised by anything he does baffles me. He gets under the covers with me and uses his weight to push me over.
“What the heck are you doing?” I protest.
“Shhh. I’m not going to fuck you while you’re hungover, so you’re safe. Let’s just sleep.” What the actual fuck? After his debacle with Tory in my room, why would he think I’d let him get his tool anywhere near me?
He slides in closer behind me and wraps an arm around my waist. I can smell my cheap Dial soap on him, and that surprisingly makes me smile. The heat of his body radiates as I allow myself to snuggle into his warmth. Yup. This is why. All objections cease the moment I felt him. I’m treading in deep waters here, but I don’t know how much I really want the life preserver that takes me away from him.
I’m cleaning one of the private parlor rooms wearing the earbuds that came with my phone. Back at the Neumann’s, I used to carry around a small radio to each room while I worked. I don’t know how I’ve ever lived without this little piece of technology. Granted, I would have purchased a phone before now had I considered all the other attributes besides calling people. Rhianna’s “Work” has me dancing while I vacuum the food crumbs from the carpet. I’m feeling way better than I did this morning.
My cuddle session with Silas may have a little do with that even though he was gone when I woke up. Thoughts of Tory and her involvement with him threaten to tarnish the memory, but I’m still flying high. I don’t know why. Something about that man just makes me feel alive. So cliché, but when I’m around him, I’m more than just the help. He sees me. He challenges me with his undeniable sex appeal and filthy words.
The disappearing hum of the vacuum cleaner has me stopping in my tracks to investigate the interruption. Tory stands, leaning against the wall with the end of the plug still dangling from her talon-like manicured nails. Her resting bitch face cues me in that she’s come with an agenda, and I’m pretty sure I know why. It’s like my thoughts have conjured her up.
“Well, aren’t we chipper this evening?” she remarks. “Silas have anything to do with that?”
“I’m just listening to music to make the work go by faster.” I don’t know why I’m entertaining her cattiness. While it’s true I’ve always listened to music while I clean, it’s not the sole reason for my being “chipper,” as she calls it.
“Cut the shit, Brennan! Was that your plan all along—the reason for your whole ‘Look at me, I’m innocent’ act?”
“What the hell are you talking about?” If she’s come for a fight, that’s exactly what she’s going to get.
“I’ve had my eye on you since you’ve arrived. Playing little miss innocent while trying to get cozy with the boss. First, you sit your ass in my assigned seat at the meeting yesterday, and now you’re already trying to screw him—well, if you haven’t already.”
Now the pieces fit. Why the table went quiet when I sat down and what she was about to say before Silas undoubtedly gave her the look. As if there weren’t enough reasons for her to hate me.
“I didn’t sleep with him, Tory. He only came to check on me because I was sick. He stayed to make sure I was following his directions to feel better.” I leave out the cuddling part or why I got sick in the first place. I’m choosing the high road rather than to break her spirits even if she is being a major bitch.
“Whatever. I only came here to tell you not to get your hopes up. You’re the shiny new toy, so expectedly, he would take notice. We have history, and I won’t let anyone or anything fuck with that.” She glares at me while continuing to hole the vacuum cord between her fingers. “You and I will not have any problems,” she says as a statement of fact.
She finally drops the cord, not bothering to plug it back in, before she makes her dramatic exit.
She flips her blond hair, which could easily be interpreted as a fuck-off. I just stand there stunned at the whole ordeal until Seth comes in and closes the door.
“What was that all about?” he asks. I could hear that Satan in heels, bitching about something from the parlor next door.
“Oh, yeah. Bosom Barbie came to warn me to stay away from the boss.”
“You call her Bosom Barbie?” He doubles over in laughter. “That’s fucking hilarious. And here, I thought I could come up with some crazy names for people.”
“Kind of fitting, isn’t it?” I join him in laughter, but then he stops and gets serious.
“Wait! Why did she feel the need to come all the way here to warn you away from Mr. Lair? This can’t be because you took her seat next to him at that meeting.”
“Ugh,” I groan. “So you knew that was her seat too, huh? I’ve only just found out because she brought it up, but that wasn’t the sole reason for her visit.”
After swearing him to secrecy, I tell him about receiving the phone and how things escalated from there. I include how I got drunk and how he ended up in my shower and then my bed. Maybe I should have left out some of those details, but Seth is the closest thing I’ve ever had to a girlfriend, and I need advice. Should I let things play out and see where they lead, or should I heed Tory’s warning to keep the peace for my job’s sake?
“First of all, holy shit!” he exclaims. “Okay, now that I’ve gotten that out. Fuck that bitch. Don’t let her dictate things between you and Mr. Smug Hottie.”
I’m never going to live that one down. I can’t believe I called him that in front of everyone. “I don’t know, Seth. What if things aren’t over between them? I don’t want to be part of some weird triangle crap. Hell, I don’t even know if I want to be anything.”
“You are only delaying the inevitable, girl. Your whole face lit up just now while talking about him. All I’m saying is don’t let her get in the way of whatever is happening between you two. He obviously likes you. We all see it. He’s never been this involved or even been seen this much. Hell, we’ve never gotten phones until you showed up. My guess is that he issued them to have a way to contact you.”
My mind is blown right now. What if Seth is right? Was the phone for my benefit? It’s just too much of a coincidence to think otherwise. If so, that was a little sneaky but sweet. Score one for Silas.
“Don’t let him double dip, but if he’s willing to let go of Satan, my vote is to give him a shot. Let yourself have some fun.” He comes over and gives me a hug before imparting his wisdom. “I have to get back to work and so do you. Just remember what I said. Don’t let jealousy dull your sparkle, sunshine.”
And with that nugget of wisdom, he plugs my vacuum cleaner back in, and then he’s gone. There was so much truth in what he said. I can’t be concerned about their history together. All that matters now is what they have now, and whether I’m willing to get involved with my boss. I’m torn. I know that professionalism should be at the forefront, but look where it’s gotten me so far. Sometimes I don’t even feel like I’m living—I feel that I’m simply existing. Silas makes me feel alive and free. Maybe taking a few risks is just what I need.