Page 232 of Mountain Boss

What if they get mad for some reason?

What if they ask when it started?

And Sterling reasonably answered all my fears.

He won’t let them treat me differently.

No one has any reason to get mad.

They won’t ask questions like that. And if they did, he’d admit he had a thing for me since day one.

I force the hand not in Sterling’s grip to relax.

This morning has been… great.

I woke up naked in Sterling’s amazingly comfortable king-size bed.

I asked him why he ever let us cram onto my mattress while I tugged on his hair as he went down on me.

I used his shower, which was way nicer than walking forever to use the public ones.

And he made me coffee, with his coffee maker, before I was even dressed.

Truly, it was the best morning I’ve had in a long time.

And we have a few days before the next round of guests, so Sterling had already declared this as a day off for everyone. But Cook still planned to make lunch. So… we’re going to lunch.

Right now.

Reaching out with his free hand, Sterling opens the door to the Food Hall without breaking our connection.

I step through first, my arm extending behind me until Sterling steps up to my side.

Everyone turns to look at us.

Everyone.

Because we’re the last ones to get here.

I drop my gaze and try to let go of Sterling’s hand, but he doesn’t let me.

And then I instantly feel like a jerk because this isn’t just about me. This is about both of us. These are his employees. Men he’s known a whole lot longer than he’s known me.

Sterling doesn’t stop though.

He doesn’t make a speech.

He just keeps walking.

My arm extends out in front of me until I break out of my frozen state and catch up.

The room is silent as we pass by the tables and approach the counter.

This is it.

No going back.

And I need to do my part. Because Sterling and I… We’re in this together.

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