Page 39 of Reluctantly You

“Of course. Anytime, you let me know. I’m happy to make a trip to the coffee shop. Caffeine always helps my productivity.”

I nod and take it from the desk, putting it my lips and taking a sip as Shiloh strolls away.

Vanilla and smooth espresso burst on my tongue, and I let my eyes close momentarily. Fuck, that’s good. When have I actually indulged and bought myself something like this? Years, I think.

Setting it down, I stare at it, my lips slightly wet from the milk. My tongue slips out and I run it along the front of my teeth.

Fuck. I don’t want him to be nice to me. Not when I could rage and scream about the injustice of everything he’s done. But that won’t do any good. It’s too late. He already owns the company, and I just work here. I can do my job for a short time and then leave when I find something better, maybe even something I enjoy.

My mind goes to the art classes at the local community college, but I push them aside. No time to focus on that. I need to work. So I double down and attend the meetings I need to and work on my spreadsheets.

And when it’s time for lunch, I meander outside and sit on a bench beneath a tree, next to a sputtering fountain. I scoff at myself as I stare at it. My dad hated this feature, bitching when the owners of the building installed it.

For pussies. What’s next? Sound therapy?

Yeah, well, look at me, enjoying it.

I pull out my phone, staring down at Magnus’s message back to me.

Magnus

I’m glad it wasn’t the mushrooms. And thank you for the apology. Although Sem says you need to prove you’re really sorry.

I don’t know what to say to that. I don’t know how to prove myself. Do I need to marry some guy too, walk around in rainbow shit and march in their Pride parades?

I fucking hate it all.

Hate that I want it.

I pull out a sandwich I bought from the downstairs vending machine and take a bite just as my eyes land on a young manwho is prancing up to the double glass doors of the building. He’s wearing a flowing shirt and pants, and looks far too pretty to be a dude. My eyes slide to his mouth and for a moment, I envision it wrapped around my cock. Until I see Gideon stride out and pick him up, pulling him right off the ground and spinning him around.

The sandwich lodges in my throat, and I swallow it down roughly.

Who the fuck is that?

My chest constricts, and I rub at it. Just heartburn or something.

I take a swig of my water and lean back, hoping they don’t see me. I don’t want them to fucking see me. Luckily, they don’t. They just head off, arm in arm, their heads tucked together, whispering to one another.

I’m suddenly not hungry. I toss my sandwich away and stand up, brushing the crumbs from my shirt.

Doesn’t matter. Gideon doesn’t matter. I just need to focus on my damn job and go home.

But I can’t seem to get Gideon and that other man off my mind for the rest of the afternoon.

And as I’m leaving for the day, I hear Gideon’s voice down the hall tell Shiloh, “Can you call that restaurant? A reservation for two.”

My heart lurches in my chest, and I pick up my pace, not wanting to see him. I did my fucking job and now I want to leave. Thank fuck it’s Friday. It means that I don’t need to see Gideon for another two days.

But before I can disappear, Gideon stops me by the double doors, a hand to my shoulder.

“Good job today,” he says and my cock twitches at his praise, at his approval.

“Yeah,” I murmur and then step away, not looking at him as I make my way outside and to my car.

My hands clench on the steering wheel as I drive myself to the gym.

As I park, my phone buzzes and I see that Max and Matt have both messaged me. I stare down at their messages and my skin heats. Yellow bursts behind my eyes, and I hold my breath. Have they spoken to Magnus? Did he put in a good word for me? Fuck knows I don’t deserve it, but why else would they both be reaching out at the same time?

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