Page 38 of Something So Strong

He has several inches on me, but I raise my chin and bite my bottom lip. I drag my eyes down to his chest and back up to meet his without actually focusing on anything. “I aim to please.”

“Surely that hair color isn’t regulation,” he counters, leaning his forearms on the marble in front of him.

“You’ll find out soon enough that it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Or… more correctly… who you do, that counts around here.” I push the tip of my tongue against the outside corner of my lips. But he still doesn’t budge, and I hate how much I respect him for it.

Cocky, and perhaps liking the attention a little too much, Saxon taps the please press if the desk is unattended buzzer, and stares at me with a look that says he could eat me whole if he wanted to. And I believe it. But showing weakness isn’t an option, so I shrug him off and slump into the corner like it’s his own time he’s wasting.

“I’ve still got five mini—” Jesse freezes mid-sentence.

“Calm down, bruv,” Saxon beams with self-satisfaction. “No one knows I’m here.”

Jesse scurries forward, his skittish energy giving me strength. “Come on, Sax. It’s my first shift. I’m sorry we went out last night without you, but there’s no reason to pull a Saxon right now.”

Ignoring him, Saxon beckons me with a wave of his hand. “How’s my little guy doing so far?”

I’m still no closer to enjoying his company, but if Saxon likes seeing Jesse squirm, I can at least get on board. “Well, now that you mention it,” I start, wrapping my arm around his shoulders and pulling him to my side. “He’s about as useless as tits on a bull, but I think I’ll keep him around anyway. You know, for comic relief.”

With a—dare I say—respectful nod, Saxon rubs his hands along the counter and changes his tune. “Don’t suppose you can access the ski instructor’s schedules?”

“Unfortunately, I can’t. But the concierge can,” I reply, still analyzing each of Saxon’s moves as I walk in front of the correct computer. “What exactly can I help you with, sir?” I ask, making a point of loudly hitting the enter button.

“Please, Sax. Just leave. I’ll message you when I’m finished. We can go for a beer—”

“I hope that’s an open invitation, Jean.”

My eyes remain on the computer screen, but Saxon’s face is so animated I can follow its narrative from smirk, to bulging eyes, to furled brow, and finally to his acceptance that Jesse isn’t going to react to what he clearly knows is a sore point. “Just, ah, wanna know the general vicinity of where to find Romeo… If you don’t mind.”

With a jerk of my head, I invite Jesse closer. From the collection of dropdown boxes, I select ‘Private Tutoring’, ‘Skiing and Snowboarding’, and finally enter today’s date. Humming with a puzzled look, I pretend like the task is much more difficult than it is.

Eventually, I click on ‘Romeo Estrada’, because how many other Romeos are there gonna be?

“He’s on the bunny hills with some retirees till one. Then, a half-hour private lesson at three. And… then he’s done for the day.”

“You’re fucking kidding me?” Jesse’s body jerks in aggravation and moves to my opposite side. Brushing my hand away, he reaches around me to scroll through Romeo’s schedule for the rest of the week. And I’m not sure if this is payback or if the cherub is just that naïve, but now I’m in the same position I had him in earlier.

“You called it, Sax. He’s only working three hours today. He’s living the easy life while we slave away. The bastard.”

“You’re a slave?” I ask suggestively, looking sideways at Jesse.

“The best, baby.”

Oh, that’s definitely not naïve.

“Are you two gonna start necking on?”

“You can have a private show later if you want, sweet thing.”

“Romeo and I do like to watch.”

“Well, I love entertaining.”

“Can’t wait for tonight, then,” Saxon facetiously dismisses our rally like he’s grown bored with it. “What’s the best way to the mountain?”

“Shuttle.” I rock my hip to the sweet sound of Jesse’s shaky breath. “There’s another one at twelve. Right out the front.”

“Cheers. I’ll leave you two lovebirds to it then.” Rolling his eyes, Saxon reaches over the counter and pinches Jesse on the cheek. Startled, he jumps fully behind me.

“Weirdo.” Saxon shakes his head before offering us a brazen wave and sauntering through the vast lobby to the front doors.

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