Page 76 of Craving the Player

Chapter Thirty-Three

Sierra

The desk drawer slides shut slowly,almost as if I’mtrying to delay the inevitable. Isort of have been delaying this, if I’mbeing honest, which Iguess Ishould.

Iwasn’tin this office for very long. Definitely not for as long as Ihad anticipated. But given that it was the very first office I’ve ever had all to myself, I’mgoing to miss it. Even if it was way too close to the mens washroom for my hearing pleasure.

Inever even had time to hang my degree on the wall. But the Devil is in the details Isuppose. From the pictures Cole sent me of my new office in Toronto, Ithink it’ssafe to assume that I’ll have more than enough room to do so this time around.

“You really pushed it to the last minute, Isee.”

Looking up from the sleek black desk, now completely bare of anything but the medium sized box packed with my few personal belongings, Isee Cole leaning arms crossed in the doorway. There’satypical teasing glimmer in his eyes, one that pairs almost too well with his sinister grin. He smells like trouble today, and that makes me nervous.

“Isuppose Idid,” Ireply tightly. Iwas hoping to make it out of here without having to deal with him anymore than necessary. I’ll already have far too much Cole time once we arrive in Toronto.

“Is everything else ready? Did you end up deciding on an apartment?”

“Idid.” It only took aweek and three Skype calls with the landlord, but Imove into anew construction, two-bedroom condo the day after tomorrow. In aperfect world, Iwould be handed the keys as soon as Iland in Toronto tomorrow afternoon, but with such short notice, I’mlucky to be moving in just aday late. Plus, who would say no to afree, company-paid hotel room for anight? Not me. I’mlooking forward to spending far too long in the hotel spa. Maybe I’ll even book an acupuncture appointment. There has to be anerve that can be poked and prodded to clear Braden from my head.

“Excited?” Cole asks, dropping his arms and moving further into the room.

Of course Iam. But Iwould describe the cluster-fuck of emotion’sinside of me as more so terrifying than anything else.

“It’sgoing to be abig change,” Isay, deciding not to show my boss just how glass-half-empty Ican be.

“One that Ihope you’re ready for?” The questioning edge in his words rub me the wrong way, but Ishove my feelings to the side and bite my tongue, deciding to be the bigger person.

“If Iwasn’tready, Iwouldn’tbe going. You can trust me on that.” Now please leave before Iscratch your eyes out and feed them to astray cat.

His smile is back as quickly as it had faded, and with an almost missable wink, he says, “See you tomorrow then, little worker bee.”

Inearly puke.

“You want me to go to aclub and get wasted with you the night before Ihop on an early morning flight across the country?” Iscoff, squeezing my phone between my shoulder and ear as Iopen my apartment door and drop the contents of my desk on the counter. “Is this payback for something?”

Re-adjusting the phone, Iput the call on speaker and place it down beside the box so Ican unbuckle my strappy heels.

“You so owe me this, Sierra. You’re about to make abunch of new fancy friends and forget about me while Ieat cookie dough ice cream by myself and miss you,” Sophie wines. Ican hear the frown in her voice as it yanks on my heartstrings.

“I’mnot going to forget about you, Sophie. You’re my best friend,” Ipromise her, hating that she’sdoubting that for even asecond.

“Okay, well come anyway. It’ll be our last hoorah. Don’tmiss out on our final girls night because you’re scared of atiny hangover.”

Ilean my elbows on the counter and let my head fall until my forehead touches it. Ilove Sophie to death but Iwas really hoping to just spend my last night here, curled up on the couch, eating my feelings in deep-dish pizza. But as hard as she tries to understand everything running through my mind these last few days, she really has no idea how Ifeel. Idon’tblame her for that, of course, but when she pushes these things on me it becomes more exhausting than helpful.

Besides, the only thing alcohol has done for me lately is make me unbelievably horny. Although, Ido partially blame that on the fact that before this week, Iwasn’tgoing more than asingle day without having sex. And for that Iblame Braden. He completely ruined my single-girl routine.

“Fine. What time?” Irub my temples.

“I’ll come get you at ten! Love you, gorgeous.” She hangs up on me before Ireply, leaving me confused and alittle annoyed.

“Whatever,” Iwhisper to myself and comb my fingers through my hair. Looking at the time on my phone, Ialmost thank God for the fact Istill have afew hours to relax before going to completely destroy my liver.

Now Ijust have to decide which one of my T.Vboyfriends will keep my company until then.

My head bobbles as another hard chest pushes against my back. Sweaty hands cup the skin of my waist through the cut-outs in my uncomfortably tight dress. Sophie'schoice, of course.

My thoughts are cloudy, tongue way too numb to tell whoever this guy is that I’mfine on my own. Ilet my eyelids slide shut as the neon lighting becomes too much for my throbbing head. In an attempt to collect myself, Ilean against the body behind me, just for asecond.

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