Page 21 of The Cocky Neighbor

"So I'm an asshole, huh?"

FIFTEEN

LIAM

I had no illusions that I would be liked by everyone at the hotel. I wasn't there to be liked, I was there to get the job done. For the most part, the transition was going very well, if I ignored the littlesnafu with Eric.

That was the main reason for my visit at the hotel today. It wasn't unusual for me to randomly stop by to see how everything was running, but today, I specifically came to talk to Eric, more like apologize to him.

What I hadn't expected to witness was Eric defending me to his coworkers. With my weeks of interacting with the staff at the hotel, I found that Eric had a good relationship with everyone who worked here. They were like family, for lack of better words. And for him to take my side—someone who he'd only known for a few weeks and was currently pissed off at—had warmth spreading throughout my entire body.

I was used to unkind words. Being in the spotlight meant that there would always be greedy eyes following me, but that didn't mean it wasn't nice having someone defending me. Eric was showing me kindness that I didn't deserve, and that was just a testimony of his large heart. And fuck if that didn't make me like him even more.

I'd planned to leave before they found me there and I was caught eavesdropping, but I was so caught up in my thoughts that Eric was standing in front of me when I’d snapped out of it.

"So I'm an asshole, huh?" I said, voicing the first thing that had popped in my mind. I knew it was entirely the wrong thing to say by the deep frown that marred Eric's face.

He crossed his arms, his posture mirroring mine but with much more aggression. "Are you saying you're not?" he asked in challenge. I sighed, knowing that I had no right to refute that.

"Look, could we talk somewhere more private?" I said, glancing around. There was a perfect view of the staff area from where we were standing, and I could see a couple of people taking their break. There was so much I'd wanted to say to Eric, but I didn't particularly want an audience.

Eric studied me with an even deeper frown and said in an almost growl, "In private? Why? So that you can play me for a fool again and wrap me around your pretty little finger?"

I knew he was lashing out, but his words made me smile. "You think my fingers are pretty?" I asked, and this time, he did growl. It was a deep rumble that came from his chest, and if he wasn't so pissed, the sound would have had me popping a boner.However, I knew when not to push my limits.

"Look, I know I crossed the line the other day. Iaman asshole, but I don't want to be, at least not to you. So will you let me explain myself and apologize?"

He watched me, probably trying to figure out what games I was playing. Unluckily for him, I wasn't playing any games. I was dead serious, and I wasn't going to give up until he heard me out.

"Fine, you have five minutes," he said before turning toward his office without waiting for my reply. I obediently followed him into the empty room, locking the door behind me so that we didn't have any interruptions. He watched my actions with his eyes narrowed but didn't comment.

I stared at him for a few seconds, soaking him in. It'd been a few days since I'd last seen him up close, and I couldn't get enough of his handsome features, even if they were staring back at me with displeasure at this moment. I merely smiled at him, which only made his frown deepen even more.

"Well? What is it? Are you here to complain about something else that you find distasteful? Or perhaps you wanted to have your way with me again before leaving me like a used towel."

"What? No! I never thought of you like that," I insisted and took a step closer to him. He stood his ground, and with his bulky arms crossed against his chest, he looked like an immobile wall. "This is coming out all wrong. Look, I meant it when I said I wanted to apologize. What we did in the hotel room was…amazing, and I freaked out and left you there. It was a shitty thing to do, and I apologize."

I looked at him with earnest eyes, hoping that I could convey the sincerity of my words. "I'm really sorry for treating you like that, and I completely understand if you never want anything to do with me again."

Eric studied me, and I couldn't read his current emotions. His normally expressive self was hidden under the wall of anger. I hated that this was how it was between us now. I held my breath and waited for him to say something, anything.

"I accept your apology."

"Huh?" I was expecting him to berate me, to yell at me or curse at what a terrible person I was. Whatever I was expecting, it wasn't this.

"What? You didn’t think I’d forgive you so easily?" he said with a smirk, and damn if I didn't almost swoon at how his entire face lit up. I wasn't sure if I'd ever see his smile directed at me again.

"I wasn't really sure. I was such an asshole that I couldn't blame you if you hated me forever."

He walked to the little couch he had nestled against the wall and gestured for me to take a seat in the chair in front of his desk. I followed his orders and took a seat.

This was a good sign, right? Sitting meant he was open to chatting some more. It was the opposite of kicking me out of this room and his life forever.

"I'm not going to lie and say that what you did didn't hurt, because it did. Being used doesn't feel good and being left in a vulnerable situation like that was even worse," he grumbled, and I hung my head in shame, which only made him laugh. "I'm not used to seeing you like this. I thought you were always so sure of yourself and of everything you do. I was starting to think that you didn't give a damn about what anyone thought of you."

"You're not wrong. I usually don't care what others think. Considering how it seems like half the world has some sort of opinion regarding me, I'd be exhausted if I did. But with you, it's different. I care what you think," I said honestly, and he sucked in a breath. If I wanted him to trust me, then I needed to be honest with him.

"Why do you keep doing that?" he asked. I gave him a confused look, genuinely confused by his sudden question. I wasn't aware that I was doing anything besides apologizing.

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