Page 35 of Losing his Daddy

And yet I couldn’t resist.

Had I seen revulsion in his gaze, I’d have understood. I was his employee. He didn’t need to see me half naked on the official first day.

What I found instead were clenched fists, a tight jaw, and burning eyes. He was the picture of desire. There was no denying it.

Too bad for us both I wouldn’t go there. I couldn’t.

When I confessed to him that the past repeating itself was my greatest fear, I wasn’t lying. From the falling into bed together to the falling in love, I could not allow Wes to get beneath my skin. I’d quit before I let it get that far. I’d have to.

Chapter Fourteen

Weston

I staredat the closed door for far too long after Gerald disappeared behind it. When he ran into me as he came out of the bathroom, I was shocked that I’d slept through his arrival. That was my initial thought.

Then he stepped back, and I realized he wasn’t wearing anything. Correction: he was wearing a towel.A towel.That was it.

I’d thought Gerald attractive at our first meeting. There was no denying it. But a very naked version of him — total spank bank material. I ate up every delicious inch of him as I stood there like a silent voyeur.

Him rushing away gave me the perfect angle to take in the curve of his ass. The towel couldn’t hide how generous his genetics had been with that part of him. I nearly bit my fist when my mind decided to take on the vision of him bent over, his ass on display.

Not wanting to get caught, I took off for the kitchen. Coffee. I needed some coffee.

I went about putting together a pot while I listened for any sign of Gerald coming out of his room. My skin felt like it wason fire after the encounter in the hall. I worried I’d combust the minute we were in the same space again.

This tension wasn’t doing me any favors. I had to restart the coffee making process because I completely forgot a filter. As I was cleaning up the mess, I heard the door down the hall open. I cursed myself for the way I jolted at the noise.

When Gerald rounded the corner, his eyes widened. I’m sure it was because of the scene. Coffee grounds covered the still mostly empty countertop. I had a wad of paper towels in hand filled with coffee grounds. Some had even made it on the floor. It basically looked like I’d used the damn stuff as confetti.

“I’m still a bit tired. Flubbed this a little, it seems,” I said to break the ice.

It was then I realized there was something more dangerous than a shirtless Gerald. It was an amused one.

His lips tipped in the corner, and his eyes sparkled with humor. They fucking sparkled.

Goddammit.

These observations brought about feelings that weren’t doing me any favors. I had to get ahold of myself so I wouldn’t clue him in to my turmoil.

I didn’t understand where they’d even come from. Sure, I’d been over the idea of me and Danielle for a while. Even before finding out she was cheating on me, I knew we weren’t going to be forever. I think it was why I caught on to her ways. Because her actions were clearly visible once I opened my eyes.

Still, I wasn’t that far removed from the actual end of my engagement. It wouldn’t do me any favors to obsess over someone I had no possible future with. I needed to work on myself, focus on my career, and then eventually someone would show up. That’s how these things were done.

“I’ll take care of that,” Gerald said as he motioned for me to move. I did so on autopilot, then watched as he easily andquickly disposed of the mess. “Any particular way you prefer it at home? I can say that I’m not skilled enough to make an Americano. Not yet anyway.”

That shook me from my stupor. “Oh, no. You don’t have to work on that. It’s just what I grab when out and about. At home, I drink it with a touch of cream and sugar. Occasionally, I’ll add those fancy syrups.”

He gave me a nod, then motioned to the counter. “Go have a seat. I’ll have something for you to eat shortly. And your coffee will be ready even sooner. Do you mind if I make something for myself too? I was in a hurry this morning.”

I took the seat he told me to as I shook my head. “Be my guest. You need to eat too.”

“Thank you.”

After our brief exchange, I watched him cook with fascination. Every so often, he’d double tap a door or mumble something under his breath. It was cute. I had a feeling it was more to remind himself where things were, but in my head, it was more a nervous action to avoid looking at me — which he didn’t do at all while working. Not even when he brought over my perfectly made coffee.

He only glanced my way after he moved around the counter and set two plates down. They were identical with an omelet, some toast, and a handful of fruit. It looked delicious. My stomach let out a loud growl, which made me blush.

Gerald laughed softly. “Let’s not waste any more time. Please, eat. It'll make me feel less awkward about devouring my own plate.”

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