Page 18 of One Little Mistake
Wrenching my arm free, I spin on him as we wait for the elevator. “Well, what am I supposed to think, huh, Easton? You said room, singular. Is that why you can’t keep an assistant?”
His growl causes goosebumps to appear on my arms.
“Lexi, I know you don’t know me well yet, but has my family given you any goddamn reason to think we’re a bunch of fucking creepers? Ever?” he seethes.
“No, but there’s always one in rich families like yours.”
He takes a step toward me. “Be very careful about how you label us and who you lump us in with, Lexi.” The elevator doors open, and Easton shoves our suitcases inside. As the doors slide closed, he stalks me into the corner. “I don’t know what kind of assholes you’ve spent your time with, but let me assure you, we are not them. I. Am. Not. Him.”
Our bodies are so close I can feel his chest rise and fall with each angry breath. In my heart of hearts, I know Easton is a good man. Instinctively, I know the Westbrooks are all good people, but I’m a bitch. Anger is easier to deal with, so once again, I embrace it.
“I guess we’ll find out,” I hiss as the doors open.
“Un-fucking-believable.” He grabs both of our suitcases and exits the car. Even pissed off, he’s still a gentleman. I walk a few steps behind and admire how his body moves and his muscles bunch with the effort of dragging our bags. At the end of the hallway, Easton opens the door, and I pause just outside.
Glancing over his shoulder, he finds me stopped and rolls his eyes. Shoving the door wide open so I can see, he lets the bitterness saturate his words. “It’s a fucking suite, Lexi. We each have our own room, but we also have a dining room and an office to get some work done. This is how I travel because I work long hours.”
His jaw clenches. I think it might be his tell. Something in that statement wasn’t the whole truth, but as he glances at his watch, I know we have to get moving, so I let it go for now.
“Fine.” I stomp past him, grabbing my suitcase on the way by, and enter a suite so luxurious I almost trip over my bag as it drops to the ground.
What kind of alternate universe did I just enter? Greeting us in the foyer is a fully suited butler standing to the side of some life-size art display. My feet shuffle forward as I hear Easton enter behind me.
“Oh, hello. I’m sorry, Martin?” East leans forward to greet the man with a firm handshake. “I told the front desk we won’t be needing your services this trip.”
The older man smiles like he’s heard this a hundred times before.
“Very well, sir. Should you change your mind, just press zero on any hotel phone, and it will connect you directly to me. Would you like me to unpack you before I head out?”
My head whips to Easton. He does not pay someone to unpack his suitcase.Does he?East notices my expression and smirks before rolling his eyes.
“No, Martin, that won’t be necessary, but thank you.”
Martin nods and exits the way we came.
“Before you get any ideas, the answer is no, I do not pay people to pack or unpack for me. Preston probably does, but it’s not my style.”
“You guys are all wealthy beyond anything I can comprehend.” I don’t mean to say it out loud, but standing here in the Empire Suite, it just slips out.
“We are. But here’s the thing, Lex. You can’t take it with you. Some day we will all die, and we’ll pass our money on to the next generation. My parents raised us to be good men first and foremost. When we’re gone, people won’t remember what we spent our money on. They’ll remember how we treated them—how we helped them. They’ll remember the people. Money makes things easier in some ways, sure, but it isn’t everything.”
“Yeah, I guess not.” I glance around, trying not to let my naivety show, but I feel his eyes on me. “Ah, you said there’s an office? I’m going to locate it and give Mason a call. What time do you have to leave?”
Easton doesn’t answer me, so I turn to find him leaning against the wall, eyes blazing a hole through me.
“We, Lexi. We need to leave in an hour. We’re meeting them a couple of blocks from here.”
Shit. I had hoped he would leave me behind, but I’m quickly learning nothing with Easton is as I expect.
“O-Okay. I’ll be ready.” Turning on my heel, I leave Easton standing in the foyer.
Chapter 9
Easton
Lexi takes over the office, so I spread out on the dining room table. No matter what I do, I can’t focus on anything but the expression on her face as I lifted her into my arms. I need to shake these feelings because this deal is riding on my ability to sell it to Mr. Douglas. I can’t allow myself to be preoccupied with my assistant.
Grabbing a bottle of scotch from the bar, I pour two generous fingers before replacing the cap. Fucking Lexi would give me shit about the cost of this drink, too, I’m sure. Imagining the fight we would have causes me to smile, and my pants become uncomfortably tight.
