Page 17 of Brand
I couldn’teven, for lack of a better term. I held up my hand because what I was thinking did not ever need to leave my brain.
Luckily, there was enough room for her to scoot past me and out the door. I thanked the powers that be that Sketch took over and not so nicely ushered her out.
I turned without a word, chunky bile falling off me in clumps, and walked to the bathroom. I needed a shower and there wasn’t going to be one of those until I got home. But I’d be damned if I was going to put my vomit covered tushie in my car. Yeah, so my backside hadn’t been touched, but you get what I meant.
Once I was tucked away in the bathroom, I stripped down with the quickness of a cheetah, not caring that my clothes were going directly in the trash along with my shoes. I patted my bra to see if there were any wet spots. I breathed a little sigh of relief that I didn’t have to ditch it and that my thick jeans had kept my panties dry as well.
I ripped a bunch of paper towels off of the roll and doused the wad with water. I scrubbed my skin as best as I could, knowing I wouldn’t feel clean until I got a hot shower and some body wash. Then lathered every inch of my skin with my favorite scented lotion, just for good measure.
“Cami,” Brands voice caused my body to jerk in surprise. The door was already opening and there wasn’t a chance that I could stop it. “Oh, fuck. Shit. Ah…” he said right after he had already stepped into the small space and realized that I was standing there almost naked.
Oh, God. How embarrassing, my boss seeing me like that.
He did his best to be respectful and avert his eyes.
Then I remembered that he had a boyfriend and that he obviously had no interest in my body.
“It’s fine,” I said with ease.
His eyes met mine in the mirror because I still couldn’t bring myself to turn around and face him. I swallowed hard and I had no idea why my words had suddenly escaped me. To his credit, he kept his gaze locked on mine. But then again, it probably wasn’t that hard for him. I had to admit that if the roles had been reversed, I might have taken a peek—or two. There was no way to deny the guy was attractive. Hereallywas. That didn’t mean anything, though. There were plenty of men that I looked at just for the pure pleasure of enjoying their human male form.
“Damn, C-money, you got a bangin’ body under all those clothes,” Sketch said breaking the awkward silence that hung in the air. “Like someShe’s All Thatshit goin’ on there.”
Yes, C-money. It was like my new nickname from him or something. While I should have hated it, I didn’t. I kind of liked that Sketch had his own little thing for me.
“Really, Sketch?!” Brand said as he kicked the door closed, cutting of Sketch’s view of me. “Do you even know what sexual harassment is?!”
Brand sounded annoyed and pissed off. I could only laugh because I knew Sketch meant it as some sort of flattery. But I could see where Brand was coming from, being that it was his business and name on the line.
I wasn’t even going to point out to Sketch that he was probably born the same year that movie came out. Even if I did question his knowledge of it beyond reason. I mean,Iwas like five at the time, and the only reason I knew about it was because, at one point, it had been my older sister’s favorite movie. For like at least three years. She watched it all the time and since I was the youngest, I didn’t have a leg to stand on when I told her I didn’t want to sit through it again.
“I meant it as a compliment. Sorry, Cami,” he called out through the closed door and I let out a short laugh.
It was just what I needed right then. I needed to laugh and lose the anger and frustration of what had just happened.
“It’s fine,” I said, meeting Brand’s gaze in the mirror again.
“I, um,” Brand said and as his eyes shifted to look at the floor, I knew he was uncomfortable right then. “I brought you some towels. And I had an extra shirt in the office. I’ll just...leave them here.”
“Thanks,” I said as I grabbed the offered pile of things that I desperately needed before he could set them down. His arm brushed up against mine and I felt the goosebumps rise at the contact. I hoped that he thought it was just because I was cold.
I was far from cold.
And I had no idea why.
It wasn’t like I was attracted to him.
Even if I was, it wouldn’t matter.
He was:
A) Gay
And
B) In a relationship with a guy that was, we should just admit this together, flipping perfect for him.
So I brushed it off whatever was going on with me and concentrated on cleaning myself up as much as I could.
