Page 22 of Room One Hundred and Twenty

Instead, she squares her shoulders.

“You’re scaring away my customers with that angry face of yours.” Her mouth twitches. It might be my imagination, but it looks like her smile is growing. “I’m sure you’re a busy man. Please, don’t let me keep you. If you don’t plan on buying anything, then allowing you to stay is quite a bad investment on my part. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Interesting. I’ve never been so told politely to go fuck off. Not even a threat is enough to startle her?

I chuckle without meaning to. Hell, it sounds foreign even to me. Glancing behind me, I notice a lack of bodies lingering. Hell, not even the coffee shop has a line.

“Mr. Landersan, please don’t take any offense to this, but I’ve already had to start over once. In all honesty, while I feel very lucky to have come across this opportunity, I am not scared of having to start again.”

The fire in her eyes hits me right in the gut. It’s a familiar heat, like one I knew in the past.

“While we’re at it, when it comes to Jake and Nicolas, please direct your concerns to them. They are grown men and I’m sure they can handle the criticism. I, on the other hand, do not appreciate you believing I need to humor either of them to run my business successfully. Now, if you’ll excuse me, it seems I don’t have the luxury of standing around and chatting. I have work to do.”

Eloise turns, her frown clear as day as she looks for something she qualifies as more worthwhile than continuing this conversation with me.

Implying that I don’t have much work on my plate, my frown grows. Realizing that this woman will meet me halfway when it comes to starting an argument, I stride away.

Rather than running away, I’m easily avoiding making a scene. People talk far too much and I have standards high enough to stop myself from stooping that low.

Striding right back to the same elevator I stepped out not too long ago, I jab the button while silently demanding the doors slide open. Unfortunately, luck is not completely on my side here.

When a hand comes down on my shoulder and Jake’s smile meets my frown, I brush his touch away with my fingers.

“Too early for this.” The doors slide open and once the elevator clears, we fill the small box. No one tries to join us.

“Despite saying that, you don’t look as grumpy as normal. Tell me, did you get enough sleep this morning?” He leans against the metal bar pressing against the glass. “Or, was it that conversation with that cute baker?”

I grunt, choosing not to answer.

“I was going to snag myself a muffin, but you two seemed to be in a deep enough conversation. Didn’t want to interrupt.” Jake keeps talking, sighing out his frustrations for a missed breakfast.

Lifting my gaze, I watch the numbers crawl up. Only halfway up, a sigh rolls out of me.

“She’s interesting, that baker.”

Jake pauses, stopping midway through his sentence. Tilting his head, he moves to my side. “Oh? Does that mean–”

“I’m curious to see how long she will survive, that’s all.” My mouth twitches. “I give it two months before she packs up and leaves again.”

He groans and shakes his head. “Tell me you didn’t threaten her.Rhett. All you have to do is show your face and that’s normally enough. Did you actually have a conversation? Wait, did she mention me? Something happened and I’m not going to lie, it might complicate some things–”

Thankful when the doors slide open, I move in the direction of my office. “Do something that isn’t on the lobby floor. Work for once. Seriously. You’re driving me nuts.”

Ignoring whatever else Jake thinks he has to say, I get my peace and quiet once I slip into my office.

Two months is being kind. Once Jake stops this game of his and Nic realizes he’s wasting his time as well, she won’t have any safety nets. She’ll pack up and go somewhere easier. I’m sure of it. Then I won’t have to worry about her being a distraction anymore.

Not just to Jake and Nic, but now to me as well.

I won’t let myself think about how she had no issue facing me. I won’t linger on the fact. Instead, I’ll wait for the inevitable to happen.

Eloise

Jake waits until the end of the week before coming to see me. He doesn’t look good when he’s nervous. Not even when our eyes meet and his mouth twitches into this weird half-smile. Early in the morning, I doubt there are many employees here at this hour. Looking like a fresh baked good is the last thing he wants, I know the moment has come.

It’s time to talk about what happened at the club. About the way I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the way his fingers stroked me in a way I needed. In a way I can’t even do myself.

After trying to copy the same motions the night before, I can admit I can’t do the same thing.

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