Page 14 of The Cocky Neighbor

We wouldnotbe doing this again. The first time was a misstep on my part, and I would not repeat that mistake.

Liam bid us both goodbye before turning to leave. Alfred and I watched until his back completely disappeared from view before Alfred spun and pushed me inside my office, slamming the door shut.

"Tell me everything," he demanded, his eyes shining the way it did when there was juicy gossip to be heard.

I held my hands up and backed away from him, but he only followed me until my butt bumped against my desk. This action felt too familiar. Was I this easily intimidated into backing away? That wouldn't do. I needed to show my authority as the manager of this hotel. I couldn't back down.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, proud of how steady my voice sounded. Now this was a voice full of power and authority. A voice that instilled trust, and even Alfred couldn't deny that. However, he only scoffed as he rolled his eyes. He was a formidable enemy that couldn't be defeated that easily.

"Cut the bullshit. I know kiss-bruised lips when I see them. Look, they're still glistening from what I assumed was an intense make-out session," he said as he narrowed his eyes at said lips.

I immediately swept the back of my hand across my lips when he pointed at them. I avoided his eyes and hung my head in shame. It was only yesterday that I told him that nothing would ever happen between Liam and me. The fact that he'd felt the same attraction as I did shouldn't have mattered because neither of us was going to act on it, and now look at what happened. We obviously had no control over ourselves.

"Fine, you caught us. But you can't tell anyone," I said, pleading with him with my eyes. "It was a mistake."

"I knew it!" Alfred jabbed me in the chest, and for someone almost half my size, he had quite the force in his fingers. "I can't believe you were going to hide this from me, your work husband! Wait, isn't this basically cheating then?"

This time, it was my turn to roll my eyes, "Babe, if anyone cheated first, it would be you. Who's the one who has a boyfriend now? Definitely not me."

"Sure, but that's different. I don't make out with my boyfriend on our sacred grounds. You, on the other hand, tainted our holy hotel by smooching another man, and while I was on the other side of the door, at that!" He made a big show of turning to point at the door to my office.

"Nobody told you to stand there," I muttered under my breath so that he couldn't hear me.

"What did you say?" Alfred spun back around to me and narrowed his eyes at me. I gulped, knowing that my attempt to be quiet failed. He saw my expression and shined a bright smile at once again being victorious in one of our fights. "Let's get back to the main point. Tell meeverything. What was it like to kiss aWright? Every gay man in Corio City is drooling over Liam, and I can't believe you would be the lucky one to get a piece of that."

"I didn't get a piece of anything. It was just a simple kiss, that's all," I argued, but memories of the way his tongue danced with mine flashed through my mind, making the delicious tingles that I'd felt earlier prickle my skin again.

"You sure look all dreamy for it just being a 'simple kiss.' You liked it a lot more than you're letting on."

I shifted under his watchful eyes. He was right, of course. I liked it more than I cared to admit. Liam's kiss was different than any I'd experienced before. Usually I was the one leading the other, but the roles were reversed this time. Liam had forced me to follow his will as he controlled the entire situation. I was completely under his mercy, and it was so fucking hot.

"Hello? You there?" Alfred waved his hand over my face, bringing me back to the present.

"Huh? Sorry. What were we talking about?" I forced myself to focus on the person in front of me instead of the one that was currently haunting my thoughts.

He studied me for a minute, before letting out a deep, drawn out sigh. "Be careful, Eric. I encouraged you to go for him because I sensed the tension between the two of you. I thought it would be like your other flings, but it's different once your heart is involved. He's different from us, babe. Don't get hurt."

I stared at him in shock. What the hell was he talking about? My heart? Being involved in what? The only things involved with Liam were my lips, and maybe my cock, but that was all. My other organs were perfectly safe and out of the equation.

Alfred laughed and clapped me on the shoulder. "Oh, my little dove. You'll understand one day."

I slapped his hand away. "Don't be all condescending. I'm older than you, remember?"

"In terms of Earthly age, sure. But I'm your senior in romance," he said with a hand over his heart. I scowled, not liking where this conversation was going one bit.

"Good thing romance and I don't mix. You can leave me out of whatever idea that's brewing in that overactive brain of yours. I want nothing to do with it. Now, mind telling me why you were looking for me?"

"Our coworkers told me that Liam was furious when he dragged you away, so I thought I'd come and rescue you. But it seems that I was more of a nuisance than a hero," he said with a cheeky grin.

I rolled my eyes. "It was just one kiss. It meant nothing," I said as I walked past him. If Alfred wasn't going to listen to reason, then there was no point continuing this conversation.

"Remember to invite me to the wedding!" he called to my back. My only answer was shooting him the bird over my shoulder.

It was just a kiss, and it wasn't going to happen again.

TWELVE

ERIC

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