Page 56 of Submissive Lies

“Yes ma’am.” He gave me a short nod, his head swiveling to glance at the crew moving about the booth. “Steve asked us to make sure we got to work ASAP. I think he and Tony might want to shift a couple of guys later today to another booth that’s running behind.”

“Ah.” I nodded at the information, glancing around the space once again. “Where is Mr. Friess?”

“He took off for a bit. He should be back shortly.” The information came out in the same deadpan tone Keith seemed to use for everything.

I pushed the corners of my mouth up into a perky smile, one I hoped would lighten things and let him know how pleased I was with the progress made. For my efforts he simply stared back blankly before nodding, turning to head back to work. I tracked on him as he went, then scanned the booth space one more time. They had made good progress yesterday, despite the slight hiccup with the electrical. Unless something went very wrong, I couldn’t see how they wouldn’t be done with time to spare. If my mood had been good coming into the booth this morning, it now ratcheted up another notch. A giddy bubble of anticipation for what being ahead of schedule might mean for this evening. A part of me wondered if Steve had pressed the crew to do this. If the reason for his pushing had less to do with moving part of the crew somewhere else and maybe more with Steve wanting to make sure we didn’t get stuck working here late tonight rather than up in my room fucking. That sent a little shiver through me. I was pretty confident that was why he had the crew shifted into high gear. He wanted me for round two as much as I wanted him.

Oh, you egotistical shit. You really are full of yourself to think he wants you that badly, aren’t you?

I was still chortling over that when I felt a touch at my elbow.

“Jesus!” I spun, the word a startled yelp as the giddy feeling bolted. My knee hit the edge of the table as I whipped around, but I swallowed down a second yelp, trying to maintain a little of my composure. Steve was standing at my back, a familiar coffee cup in hand. I had been so lost in reverie I hadn’t heard him approach over the din of the hall.

“Boo.” A mischievous grin split his face as he silently pushed the cup towards me.

“Dammit! Don’t do that!” I snatched the drink from his hand, casting a heated glare into those twinkling gray eyes. Fucker. He looked so damned pleased with himself, probably suspected what I’d been daydreaming about, the arrogant jerk. I wanted to punch his shoulder, or pull him into a hug, maybe both, but I did neither. We stared at each other, and even though he’d startled me, that earlier feeling of exhilaration was quickly returning. A floating sensation that just being in his presence imbued in me. Jesus, it’d only been a few hours since he’d left my room, but now all I could concentrate on was having his arms around me, to feel his touch again. Memories of what we’d done the night before rattled around inside my head. Flashbacks I knew would plague me the rest of the day, fighting to override where my focus should be. Which was supposed to be my job, not figuring out how fast we could get out of here, run back to my room, tear the clothes off each other in a lust-fueled frenzy, and create a slew of new fantasies to throw me off my stride. For the rest of the day, however, there would be no outward showing of affection, no discernable indications of what I wanted to do to Steve and visa-versa. I knew I would keep things professional, and I had little doubt he would, too.

“How are you doing this morning, Ms. Boyd?” The pleased tone of his voice was unmistakable, a cadence that bordered dangerously close to lascivious, as if he was reading the script of my thoughts.

“I was fine up to the point that you knocked five years off my life.” My best disapproving gaze only made him grin wider. Those damn eyes practically undressed me as I stood there, and I squirmed as my body responded in a way I really couldn’t afford right now.

“Well, we’ll just have to see what I can do to get those back for you later.”

Dammit. My eyes widened even as my mouth clamped shut tight. The not-so-subtle insinuation made little sense, and yet it hinted at things that made my blood pressure spike.

Steve tracked my reaction, mouth curling up with impish glee. He held me in his gaze until I couldn’t hold his any longer, and I looked away to the side. He released a huff of satisfaction, and then his tone became all business. “We look to be in really good shape. Are you satisfied with the progress?”

Taking a deep breath, I gathered my composure, pushing away exasperating thoughts that had little to do with getting on with the job. Steve might think he had me flustered—and he did—but I’d show him. I could do this. I took a sip of my coffee, glancing around the booth one more time. “Yes. I have to say, you guys really kicked it yesterday. I can’t imagine why we shouldn’t be finished and doing the wipe-down by 4 pm.”

“By 3 pm.” Steve’s voice was firm, cutting in on top of me. “That’s what I told the guys.”

“Keith mentioned that you might need to shift guys off the booth onto another job?”

“Yeah.” Steve sighed, bringing a hand up to rub his chin, his face turning serious. “We got another booth that’s behind schedule. Not sure what happened, other than they got into the hall late yesterday. Tony and I need some of the guys off your set to help out over there. That wouldn’t be an issue, would it?”

“Hmm. Cut my labor call and save me some money?” I snorted, giving him a half-smile. “I couldn’t possibly agree to that.”

“Fair enough.” Steve arched an eyebrow, nodding as if giving my comment serious consideration. “I can increase the call instead, if that’s what you’d like?”

“Ass,” I said it under my breath, but I saw the corner of his mouth twitch, and knew he’d heard it. I fully expected to pay for that later. I took another sip of my coffee. My brain suddenly tripped over a random thought. A comment Steve had just made, and one Keith had earlier. A chill crept up my back, my smile disappearing. “Are you going to have to go to that other booth?”

“Would there be a problem if I did?” Steve eyes narrowed as his tone became sober.

“No, sir,” I whispered, the words painted with defeat. I glanced around us. We were alone, no one else nearby. I turned back to Steve, bit down on my lower lip, my voice soft. “If that’s what you have to do, I understand. I’m not going to lie and tell you I’ll be happy about it, but…” My voice trailed off as I sucked in a deep breath, dreading what he might be about to say.

“Well…” He drew the word out, as if he was giving deep thought to what would follow. “Marty’s order to me was to make sure I did whatever I needed to do to make sure you’re happy. I’m taking it by your response that if I want to follow that order…” He stepped close to me, a sudden compelling presence at my side. “I probably shouldn’t go to that other booth, should I?” He gave my shoulder a quick squeeze as he moved past and out into the exhibit where the rest of the crew was working.

Releasing the breath I’d been holding, I felt lightheaded. He’d teased me, made me panic at the thought there wouldn’t be a repeat of last night, and then yanked me back from the edge. For the second time this morning I slapped pieces of myself back in order to maintain the professional demeanor I wanted to show. Jerk. It was almost as if he enjoyed doing this to me.

I gave a short shake of my head. Of course he did, the bastard. Standing here and bemoaning how terrible it was being tormented by Steve was bullshit on my part. Because the truth was, I craved it. Thrilled to the sensation of being with someone capable of getting me that worked up.

For most of the morning work kept Steve and I apart as the crew finished setting the exhibit. We weren’t deliberately avoiding each other, but for what was left to do there was little interaction necessary between us. I spent a good deal of it engaged in what I’d done yesterday, which was to stare at him. But this time I had more context, a far better picture of the man than I’d had the day before. Yes, a far better picture. Including an ass that would not leave me alone every time I caught him bending over to do something, nor the image of a cock that I would gladly have shoved him inside the tower unit to get another glimpse of, even if only for a moment.

-Jesus, Jen. You are something else. Oh, and by the way, have you forgotten something?-

Shit.

I had forgotten. So happy to be back in his company, the tickled feeling of being teased by him, the delight in fantasizing about what had been and would be again, I’d completely forgotten about checking my phone. I reached over to my bag and pulled it out. I wasn’t a bit surprised to see there was no message, no text. That worry from earlier this morning raised its ugly head, though, and I brought up Loren’s office number from my Contacts.

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