Mandy/Mindy pulled Navie into her arms as more of those fake sobs wracked her body, all the while shooting daggers my way.
“I’m so sorry,” Mandy/Mindy soothed. “I had no idea. I never would have—”
Navie sat up straight, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Oh, it’s not your fault. Trust me, you aren’t the first woman he’s fooled.”
“Is there anything I can do? Can I call you a cab or something? Do you have somewhere else you can stay?”
I had to turn my back on the two women to keep them from seeing me roll my eyes.
“I’ll be fine.” Navie sniffled again. “I have to pack my things, but I have a friend I can stay with. Please, don’t worry about me.”
I made the mistake of turning around when I heard the shuffling of feet. The slap Mandy/Mindy laid on my cheek stung so violently it almost brought tears to my eyes.
“You’re unbelievable! You have this beautiful, loving woman and you’re too much of a bastard to keep it in your pants! Shame on you.”
And with that, she stormed from the kitchen, leaving Navie and I listening as the front door opened seconds later, quickly followed by a loud, wall-rattling slam.
“Oh, wow.” Navie giggled. “That was a lot more fun than I thought it would be.”
Shooting her a scowl over my shoulder, I pulled open the freezer door and grabbed a bag of peas, pressing the cold plastic to my face to ease the burn. That only made her laugh even harder.
“I’m glad you find this so funny,” I said dryly. “And how the hell did you get your stomach to pop out like that? You’re like a freak of nature!”
“It’s amazing what substantial amounts of Mexican food can do.” She giggled again.
“I’m just thankful she wasn’t wearing any rings.”
I thought she was going to fall off the stool as she burst into a fit of uncontrollable giggles. “Oh, man.” She sighed once she finally gained a hold of herself, wiping at the tears of laughter that had run down her cheeks. “You should have seen your face when I said I was pregnant. I thought you were about to have a heart attack. No person’s face should turn that unnatural shade of red. I was really worried for a second.”
“I’m sure you were,” I deadpanned, switching out the bag of frozen peas for a bottle of vodka and slamming the door closed. “Rest assured, my heart’s just fine. It’ll take a lot more than a fake pregnancy scare to get me to keel over any time soon.” I pulled down two glasses from one of the cabinets, filling each with a little more than a shot’s worth before sliding one in her direction.
“You sure about that?” Her dark blue eyes narrowed as she studied me. I was lost in a daze as her full, puffy lips pressed against the glass as she took a drink. I was so focused on what those lips would look like wrapped around my dick that I almost missed her next dig… almost. “I mean, you’re not exactly young, are you?”
I choked on the vodka as it made its way down my throat. It took several seconds of wheezing and coughing before I could give her a proper glare. “I’m only thirty-three,” I grumbled, all of a sudden wondering if she felt that thirty-three was too old for her. I wasn’t exactly sure of her age, but I knew she’d only recently graduated from college, so that put her around twenty-two, twenty-three years old. Was that too much of an age difference in Navie’s eyes?
And why did I suddenly care?
“Whatever you say, boss man,” she replied before bringing the glass back to her lips and finishing off her drink. “Thanks for the drink and the show. I’ll see myself out.” As she stood from the barstool, I was hit with an unexpected pang of disappointment. I didn’t want her to leave. That was a reaction I’d never had before when it came to a woman in my personal space.
“Wait,” I called, following her out of the kitchen. “Let me get some cash for your cab.”
She smiled up at me as she slid her arms into her gray hoodie. The sight of that uninhibited smile nearly took my breath away. “Nah, that’s all right. Your cheek’s still pretty red, so I figure we’re even.”
“You sure?” I asked as she pulled the front door open, trying anything to prolong the moment.
“Yep. Have a good weekend. I’ll see you Monday.” With one last grin, she turned and began walking away.
“Yeah, see ya.”
As I closed the door to my apartment, I couldn’t stop myself from wishing it was already Monday.
Shit. I was so screwed.
In the weeks that followed my acting debut, Rowan and I had seemed to come to a cease-fire. We still got our shots off when the desire grew too strong, but for the most part, our working relationship had been better. I couldn’t say he’d become a decent person, but at least he was more tolerable. I’d been working as Rowan Locklaine’s personal assistant for over a month and neither of us was dead or in jail. That was a win-win, as far as I was concerned. I could honestly say I was starting to like my job. There was only one problem. On top of beginning to like my job, I was also beginning to like my boss…a little too much. I didn’t know if it was simply because I’d already seen him naked, but too much of my headspace was being taken up by the gruff, temperamental man.
Only the week prior, I’d woken up a panting, sweaty mess after having an all-too-vivid dream where he did things to me that would have been grounds for a serious sexual harassment suit had it not been a fantasy. The dream was so arousing that I’d started to look at him in a completely different light. I may have been caught a time—or a dozen—checking him out in a not-so-professional way ever since. And to my absolute dismay, I found I was really starting to enjoy the back and forth banter between the two of us.
Trying to push the inappropriate thoughts to the back of my mind, I began doing all my work from the comforts of my boss’ massive couch, which felt like falling into a hug whenever you sat down. And the sixty-inch flat-screen TV that aired all my favorite shows playing in the background made it slightly easier to fill my mind with something other than what Rowan’s naked body would feel like laying on top of me. I needed to get my shit together, and fast.
I had free reign of everything from the kitchen to the living room while Rowan holed himself up in his office, working on his next book. I was halfway through the first season of Chrisley Knows Best while updating Rowan’s calendar when the doorbell cut through the pleasantness of my afternoon. The first thought that entered my head as I stood from the couch—a couch I was working up a plan to steal—was, If this is another booty call, I’m punching that asshole in the nards and demanding a raise.
“Can I help you?” I asked with a huff and an eye-roll, already planning a way to get rid of whatever bimbo was at the door.
“Dear Lord, I really fuckin’ hope so.” The deep, masculine voice gave me a start as I jerked my attention to the person standing on the other side of the threshold.
Well, hello.
“Oh. H-hi,” I stumbled as my eyes roamed over every inch of the gift from God in the form of a man standing before me. I was staring into the same, icy blue eyes as Rowan’s, but the smile behind them was so much more carefree than the one I occasionally glimpsed from my moody boss. Where Rowan’s hair was jet-black, this man’s was a darker brown. The stranger stood an inch or two shorter than Rowan and his nose was just a little more crooked, like it had been broken a time or two, but other than that, the similarities were uncanny. He had all the sexy physical characteristics of Rowan with what appeared to be a nicer demeanor beneath it all. In other words, the absolute perfect man.
So, the question had to be asked. Why was my mind still going back to Rowan?
“Hey there,” he rumbled, the corner of his mouth hooking up in a half-smile that could only be described as devastating to the female population. “I’m Griffin, and who might you be?”
“Oh, uh… I’m Navie,” I responded pathetically. Griffin reached out to take my hand in his, bringing it up to his lips and pressing a light kiss to my knuckles. I swooned on the spot.
“Navie, huh? That�
��s an interesting name. It fits its beautiful owner perfectly.”
With Griffin still holding my hand, I broke out into a fit of embarrassingly loud giggles. We were both standing in silence with ridiculous grins on our faces when a throat cleared from behind me. Griffin’s smile turned suddenly somewhat mischievous.
“Hey, cuz. How’s it going?” he spoke, not letting go of my hand as I turned to find Rowan standing there with his arms crossed, an angry scowl marring his otherwise handsome face.
“It’d be going a lot better if you’d let go of my assistant, asshole.”
My gaze darted between the two men like a ping-pong ball. “Ah, where’s the fun in that?” Griffin chuckled.
“You think a broken hand is fun? Because that’s what’s going to happen in about five seconds if you. Don’t. Let. Go.”
Usually, I would have found such an exchange humorous, but from the way the muscle in Rowan’s jaw was ticking, I was almost certain he was dead serious about breaking Griffin’s hand. I tried pulling my fingers from his grasp but he only tightened his hold, taking a step closer to me.
“It’s amazing how that vein in my cousin’s forehead pulses when he’s about to blow, isn’t it?” he whispered in my ear, sending a chill down my spine. I could have sworn I heard a quiet growl coming from Rowan’s throat. “Ah, come on, man. I’m just messing with you.” Griffin laughed heartily, finally releasing me so I could move back a few steps out of the line of fire. With that, I watched in confusion as Rowan’s entire demeanor relaxed.
What the hell was that?
“Navie, I see you’ve met my cousin,” Rowan spoke with a roll of his eyes.
“I’m the good-looking one in the family,” Griffin answered as he stepped farther into the apartment and closed the door behind him.
“He’s the outcast in the family,” Rowan countered. “No one really likes him, but we’re nice out of familial obligation. We spend the rest of the time talking shit behind his back.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the playful ribbing between the two men. Once the tension in the room lessened, it was easy to see the camaraderie between both of them. Griffin put his hand to his chest. “Ouch, man. You wound me.”
“Oh, please,” Rowan replied with a small chuckle. Just that hint of a tiny grin lit up his entire face. “Your ego’s too big to allow you to be offended.”
“This is true. But can you at least try not to make me look like a tool in front of Navie, here? I’m trying to make a good first impression.”
I laughed again as Rowan glared. “All right, guys. You can continue the pissing match once I’m out of the room. Griffin, can I get you something to drink?”
“No, thanks, sweetheart. I’m good.”
“What about me?” Rowan asked, sounding slightly offended.
“Get your own damn drink. It’s your kitchen. I have to get back to work. You boys enjoy yourselves.”
I left the foyer and headed into the living room, followed by the sound of Griffin’s raucous laughter. I tried to appear nonchalant, but the truth was I just had to get away from Rowan before I did something stupid, like kiss him or spontaneously combust into a pile of lusty goo. Jesus, I really needed to get my shit together!
Being left in peace while the men closed themselves off in Rowan’s office, I had managed to check several tasks off my to-do list when the sound of the front door opening gave me a start.
“Hello, hello!” I heard from the entryway and a smile spread across my face. Pepper sauntered into the living room as she always had in the time I’d been working for Rowan, in a flurry of bright colors and saucy attitude. I absolutely adored Pepper. She was Rowan’s personal stylist and even though I didn’t understand what made Rowan important enough to warrant a personal stylist, I was just grateful it was someone as awesome as her. Her hair was an awesome shade of red that she always had fixed in a way that made her look like a modern-day Bettie Page. Her lips were always painted bright red, her eyes were constantly lined with perfect precision, and every time I saw her, she was dressed like a fifty’s pinup model. She was all curves and fierce attitude.
“What’s cookin’, good lookin’?” she asked as she made her way to me, tossing the garment bags in her hands over the back of the couch before crouching to place a kiss on my cheek. I scanned her outfit, an adorable summer dress in black with large white polka dots and a halter neckline and mile-high red, peep-toe heels. No way in hell was I the good looking one in this particular scenario. I had nothing on her in my ratty t-shirt and jeans that should have been thrown out sixty washes ago. Where Pepper was all fabulous all the time, I was more of the ‘dress for comfort’ kind of girl.
“Look who’s talking,” I responded with a grin as she plopped down next to me, kicking her feet up on the coffee table and crossing her ankles like she didn’t have a care in the world.
“Oh, please,” she said with a wave of her hand. “You’re like a sex-kitten Pollyanna. I’d totally do you if you had the required body parts.”
“You sound just like my roommate, Harlow.” I laughed as I mimic her relaxed position.
“So, what you’re saying is your roommate’s fabulous?”
“Yep, that’s exactly what I’m saying.” I giggled. “So, what’s in the garment bags?”
“His Royal Dickness needed a new suit for his photo shoot with Modern Woman.”
“Ah, that's right. It’s in two weeks. Unless he manages to piss off the photographer before then and the damn thing gets pushed back for the third time.” The interview and photo shoot were supposed to have taken place before Rowan’s last release as a way to market the new book, but being the egomaniac he was, Rowan managed to find something to bitch about with every photographer hired to do the shoot. The interview had already taken place and the magazine was starting to get pissed. They didn’t want to run the story without a few new shots. And I was the lucky one who had the honors of reining him in so the shoot went off without a hitch. Lucky me.
“I don’t envy you your job, honey.” Pepper laughed. She’d started working with Rowan about two years before me, so she was able to commiserate about just how big a pain in the ass he was. Apparently, Pepper’s brother was one of his best friends, so when she moved to the city with plans to open up an upscale boutique, he had helped her raise her startup costs by working for him. Pepper’s boutique was up and running, but she still worked for Rowan on the side to supplement her income while the shop continued to make a name for itself.
“I also have his tux for the American Heart Association event. I need him to try it on so I can get the measurements straight.”
“Shit,” I hissed out with a cringe.
“What?”
“I still haven’t told him I RSVP’d yes to that event.”
Pepper’s head fell back against the couch as she burst into laughter. “Oh, man! You’re so screwed. He hates these stuffy black tie events. When he finds out you and Lauren went behind his back to get him there, he’s going to blow a fuse! Please, let me be there when you tell him. Pleasepleasepleaseplease!”
“You’re an asshole,” I groused.
“Aww, don’t be pouty,” she cooed, pulling me in for a sideways hug. “It’s gonna suck, but I have something you can look forward to after it’s done.”
“Oh, yeah? You have something that will make me feel better after getting fired?”
“Please,” Pepper harrumphed. “You know as well as I do that man isn’t getting rid of you. Besides, Lauren’s got your back. Way I see it, you two have him by the short hairs, he’s just not willing to admit it.”
“While you paint an intriguing picture, I’d prefer not to think about my boss’ short hairs, thank you very much.”
I didn’t add that I’d already seen everything there was to see. That was a can of worms I refused to open. Despite being besties with Harlow and my burgeoning friendship with Pepper, the fact that I had seen Rowan naked was something I was taking to my grave. Lord knew those two would anal
yze the hell out of that event.
“”Well, it just so happens that yours truly was invited to the grand opening of The Neon Room tonight. VIP access and everything.”
“No shit?” I squealed excitedly. “How the hell did you manage that? Everyone and their dog has been trying to get invited to the opening!”
“Yeah, well, I guess I’m one of the cool people,” she joked. “What do you say? You up for a night of dancing and debauchery at New York City’s most popular night club? Well, at least until another one opens in a month.”
“Hell yeah! I need a night out like you wouldn’t believe.”
“Yay!” she exclaimed as she gave a cute little bounce. “Invite your roommate. We’ll make it a girls’ night out.”
“Oh, she’d love that! It’s going to be so much fun.”
“See? I told you I’d have something for you to look forward to after Rowan’s done chewing your ass out.”
I let out a dejected sigh and flopped back on the couch. It didn’t matter how hot Rowan was, or how attracted to him I was beginning to feel. Some days my job sucked worse than others.
“So, what brings you by?” I asked as Griffin closed the door to my office behind him. “You know, other than just showing up to be a general pain in my ass.” Saving the most recent edits to my manuscript, I closed the lid on my laptop and took a seat across from my cousin as he made himself comfortable in one of the club chairs on the other side of my desk.
“Well, I was going to say I wanted to see your smiling face, but after seeing your hot-ass assistant, I’m gonna have to amend my answer.”
An unfamiliar feeling shot through my body. Red clouded my vision as blood began to thunder through my ears. I couldn’t for the life of me understand why I was having such a strong reaction; I just knew I was helpless to control it.
Love Hate Relationship (a Colors novel) Page 6