Page 47 of Privileged (Adrenalin)

He holds the key out, a silent request for me to take it back. “I told you I don’t want special treatment.”

Flexing my fingers on his waist, I grit my teeth. “I’m not giving you special treatment. I’m solving our privacy dilemma.”

“I didn’t know we had a dilemma.”

“When I have to see you between shifts and you won’t spend the night without making excuses to your sister, we have a dilemma. That goes away if you have your own place.”

“I can’t afford my own place.” He waves the key card in front of me, another silent command to take it back.

My hands stay planted on his waist. “That’s why I’m giving you one.”

“First you try to help advance my career, now this. Do you always buy people?” He cocks his head to the side, eyes barely bigger than little slits.

“Do you always assume you’re being bought when people do things on your behalf? I’m trying to do something nice for you. For us. Not buy your affection.”

He turns his head away from me, looking almost disappointed. “You know I’d rather earn my own way. I don’t take handouts.”

“And I’d rather not spend every night alone because you don’t want your sister to know about me.” I lift him off my lap and stand to move toward the window, where I can see the resort spread out in front of me. Usually, this view is inspiring, but right now it represents one more thing that separates us.

“I don’t want her to know about youyet. It’ll take more than one meeting with Finn for them to feel like his job is safe, and until they do, they’ll seethisas a betrayal.” I see his reflection gesturing between the two of us in the window, and as much as I resent that statement, I can’t ignore it.

“The last thing I want is to come between you and your family—” I turn to face him “—but I also don’t want to lie and sneak around behind their backs like a couple of teenagers. If you aren’t living with them your schedule is your own. No lying necessary.”

Sloan gnaws on his bottom lip as he leans his hip against my desk, eyes focused on the floor. I know this offer goes against his desire to prove what he’s capable of, but it also gives us a chance to really explore this thing between us, something I think he wants as much as I do.

“This is about us, not your career, Sloan. I’d like to see more of you, but you make that damn hard to do. Having a room here can change that.”

“And when people find out about said room? That you gave me a place in the hotel instead of employee housing? What will they think?” His green eyes are cloudy with uncertainty when he lifts them to mine, and while I hate how my actions have put that expression on his face, I hate even more that I still don’t fully understand why he defaults to finding flaws in my gestures.

“Why are you so worried people will accuse you of getting special treatment?” My voice is soft, the only way I can think of to press for information without angering him.

He takes a deep breath and lets it out on a shuddering exhale. “My dad worked hard all his life, the model employee. He didn’t go to the right school, marry the boss’ daughter, or count the owner as a family friend. He got passed up for several promotions because of that, though when he finally got his turn, it was because he earned it, and he proved to be better at the job than any of those people who had it handed to them. He was proud of that, and we were proud of him, so if I take shortcuts instead of working my own way, how can I ever expect him to be proud of me?”

Until this moment I had no idea we’re both so driven by desire for our fathers’ approval, yet even in that, we’re seemingly at odds. The things I’ve done to earn my father’s respect are the same things that would cause Sloan’s father to disrespect him. No wonder we struggle to find common ground when it comes to opportunities versus handouts.

I only hope this distinction doesn’t stand in the way ofus.

Moving to stand in front of him, I cup his chin in my fingers so he can’t look at the floor. “You’re incredible. Stubborn as hell, but incredible. If it means that much to you, I’ll drop it. We’ll just take advantage of whatever stolen moments we can get. Although,” I add, “I won’t lie. If anyone puts me on the spot, especially Finn, I’ll tell him the truth. He’s already skeptical about me, and I don’t want to make it worse.”

Sloan pulls away and closes his eyes, rubbing his temples with his fingertips. “I don’t want stolen moments either, but how do I accept a perk you aren’t offering to anyone else? I mean, doing this for me has to violate some rule, right? Interfere with your profitability?”

“Being the owner gives me a certain amount of freedom to do what I want.” I give a half-hearted shrug, hoping my admission gets me points for honesty instead of more skepticism. “Besides, it’s just one room. It won’t make much of a dent to the bottom line.”

“And your dad? What would he say?” He traps his lips between his teeth and holds his breath as he studies me.

“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him… Look, Sloan—” I take his hand in mine “—maybe I should’ve thought through the business side of things before suggesting this, but you—we—were my only consideration. I wanted to give us more time together. Time we don’t have to cover up with a lie. If it’s not the right solution, I’ll look for another one, but please trust me when I say this is less about special treatment for you than it is doing something selfish for me. I want to see more of you, that’s my only driving factor.”

Sloan rubs his thumb over the back of my hand and looks up at me with a heavy sigh. “I want to see more of you, too, and deep down I know your intentions aren’t to interfere with my career. But even this is a selfish arrangement, it’s only available to me, because of who I am to you, and—”

“Right,” I cut him off. “Who you are tome. That’s what this is about. Not my career, or yours.Us. Having more together to see where this goes, without anyone else’s opinions or expectations getting in the way.”

“When you put it like that.” He cracks a timid smile. “Can I think about it?”

I cup the back of his neck with my free hand and kiss his swollen lips, raw from worrying them between his teeth. “That’s all I ask.”

Chapter seventeen

Sloan

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