Page 13 of Masked Love

Suddenly, fingers traveled underneath my jacket and into the button-up that had become untucked. Goosebumps blanketed my skin, and I fought off a shudder as he tingled my skin with electric fingertips. I leaned back into him and rested my head against his shoulder. Yep, it felt like I belonged right here in this very spot. Who knew when I started this job that I’d end up like this with Xander? I understood the consequences, but I couldn’t be bothered to care at the moment.

Matthew looked over at us, and I couldn’t tell what was on his face because of his makeup, but I pretended he wassuperjealous.Yeah, look over here. Look who’s mine now.Ha!Fine, it was a little petty, but that dude was a jerk.

After fifteen minutes, the competition was over, and the DJ came on to set up. While we waited, Xander and I faced each other.

“I like you next to me like this,” he said. “Would you like to know a secret?”

I sipped my wine and nodded.

“Now, don’t take this the wrong way, but I’ve always found you attractive. While I was desperate to have someone here to help me out, I wantedyouto come. I hadn’t intended for any of this to happen, yet here we are.”

Is that why he hired me? Was it an attraction thing? Did he not think I was qualified? While my mind ran rampant with doubts and insecurity, he gently pinched my chin, forcing me to look at him. “I told you not to take it the wrong way. Letme guess. You’re worried I hired you based on looks and not qualifications.”

I looked at him sheepishly and shrugged.

“I hired you because you were best suited for the job, and your last employer gave you glowing reviews despite you not enjoying it over there.”

“Okay, good. You had me worried there for a moment.”

Then his blue eyes grew serious, and he grabbed my hand. “While I want to see where this goes, I worry about what the employees will think and how they will treat you.”

“Will they believe I get preferential treatment because I’m sleeping with the boss?”

My face incinerated into ash. “I mean… I… I…”

He raised a brow. “‘Sleeping with?’” Then his grin turned wolfish. “Would youliketo sleep with the boss?”

“Maybe? Possibly? Okay, definitely.”

His laugh was deep as he threw back his head. “And I maybe, possibly, definitely want to, too.”

“God, I just need to stop talking now.”

“Never stop talking.” He leaned down and silenced me with a kiss, despite his words.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said while my stomach did backflips. Did he mean what I thought he did? “There’s this great bar down the street that plays amazing jazz. I know the owner, so we won’t have to wait in line.”

There went that idea about sex, but now I couldn’t unsee it after I mentioned sleeping with him. The thought of sex with Xander made me sweat a little. He seemed like he would be fantastic in bed. Would he be disappointed in me? I wasn’t exactly inexperienced, but I was kind of vanilla because my partners usually were. Ugh, he was going to hate that. I could be chocolate, right? I hoped.

“Earth to Greyson.”

“Oh! Yes, the bar sounds great. It’s still early, right?”

“Yes, it's still pretty early. Early for New Orleans, anyway.”

After grabbing our photos, we stepped outside into the humidity and a cacophony of noises. Xander and I walked a few blocks toward the French Quarter hand-in-hand. The streets were crowded with people drinking and partying as if it were Mardi Gras itself. Not everyone was in costume, but most were. Music could be heard everywhere, and people of all ages were screaming and laughing. The old buildings were covered in colorful lights. It was utter chaos. Glorious chaos. It was all about joy and pleasure… and a lot of drunkenness.

Xander tightened his grip on my hand. “Stay close. I don’t want to lose you,” he yelled over the noise.

We burst through a particularly tight crowd and made our way left toward an old building washed in white paint and covered in fluorescent-colored lights. The bar was simply called ‘Henri’s.’

We stopped in front of a bouncer who must have been eight feet tall, with mahogany skin and a shaved head. I swore he was the biggest man I’d ever seen in my life, and he was just as broad with rippling muscle. He dwarfed even Xander. The bouncer grinned at Xander’s approach, and they shook hands.

“My man, Xander. How’s it hanging?”

“It’s hanging well, my friend. Is Henri here tonight?”

“Nah, he’s at his sister’s place. She’s about to pop with a baby.”

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