Burning Violet

by Watson, A. P.

  “Yes, I like you a lot.”

  “How much is a lot?” Leaning forward, she pressed her chest to mine.

  “As much as you want it to be.”

  “I like you a lot too. That’s why I think you should kiss me.”

  Focus, Desmond. Alex was only six feet away from us. Not to mention, my reputation wasn’t the only one on the line. I had to think about what was best for Violet.

  “I’m sorry, but I can’t do that,” I breathed.

  As soon as I uttered the words, her expression saddened. “Why not?”

  “Because I won’t be able to stop at just a kiss.”

  “Who says you need to?”

  Before I could even comprehend what was happening, Vi peeled off her sweater and tossed it to the floor. Like a fucking douchebag, my gaze instantly dropped. Blue lace adorned her skin, pushing up her perfectly shaped breasts. Her chest heaved as she smiled down at me. Biting her lip, her fingers curled underneath my shirt. Then, she ripped it off in a single motion and my shirt quickly joined hers on the floor.

  “Vi, Alex is right over there.”

  “We can be quiet.”

  I picked her up and set her a foot away. “It shouldn’t happen like this.”

  “I don’t care how it happens.”

  “Yes, you do,” I breathed. I took her hand in mine and pressed it to my lips. “And so do I.”

  “Am I the only one who wants this?”

  “No. I promise you, I want this just as much as you do. But I won’t take advantage of the fact we’ve both been drinking.”

  “Fine.”

  “Vi, look at me.” I took her chin in my hand, and at my touch, her eyes found mine. “I refuse to treat you with a minute shred of disrespect.”

  “Okay,” she sighed heavily. Gently, she rested her forehead against mine. “But I’m sleeping out here with you tonight.”

  “I’d like that, but I have one condition.”

  “And that is?”

  “You have to put some clothes on, because I will murder my brother if he catches a glimpse of you in your underwear.” I cast a quick sideways glance in Alex’s direction to make sure he was still sound asleep.

  “I can do that.”

  While Vi went to change, I slid on a pair of gym shorts and retrieved a stack of pillows and blankets from a small closet in the hallway. Making a pallet in the living room, I padded the carpet as best as I could. I’d barely laid down when Vi returned. She positioned herself next to me without saying a word. Instantly, her head found my chest. The only other time we had slept beside one another was the night Ted showed up and began banging on her door. My arms fastened around her waist. Softly, I kissed the top of her head. Lying with her like this may not have been a habit, but it felt right. That sensation seeped all the way into my bones, and I doubted it would ever dissipate.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Nadine’s trip to Boston ended much faster than I had wanted. With her busy work and school schedule, it was rare for her to have enough time to fly out here for a few days. Saying goodbye always made me sad, but I was grateful for the time we were able to spend together. That woman was my family—blood and genes be damned.

  For the most part, life following the holiday went back to normal. I vaguely recalled hitting on Hunter after the four of us got trashed while watching Die Hard. We both chalked it up to alcohol and carried on as if it never happened. But we were liars. Alcohol only amplified the attraction we already felt; it didn’t create it.

  Were we wasted? Yes. Did the fact I wanted to sleep with him change once I sobered up? Hell no. Nadine knew I wanted to be with Hunter. And her being the horrible influence she was, she encouraged me to go for it. But I had to think about my job. When I first moved to Boston, it took me four months to land a job. I waited tables at a restaurant downtown, and with the money I saved up and the funds Nadine lent me, I was able to survive those months while I searched for employment. After buying a car and moving into a nicer apartment, my waitressing job barely covered all the bills. When I landed my current position as a secretary at BB&B, all of that changed. My pay increased, and I didn’t have to make mathematical miracles happen each time I balanced my checkbook. I had to do everything in my power to keep my job, because moving back to Vegas and living with Nadine wasn’t an option. Once my father had discovered I was staying with Nadine, he’d come to her apartment almost every night and beat on the door until dawn. He wanted me to come home, wanted to have me all to himself, and I refused.

  He would never touch me again.

  Getting out of my car, I tugged at the front of my black peacoat. Tonight was my date with Joel, and to be honest, I was less than thrilled about it. But I owed him for the favor I requested, and I always kept my word. Hunter had been on edge all week, and I couldn’t help but suspect my impending date had something to do with it. Walking through the parking garage, I passed his Mercedes. I placed my hand on the hood for a quick second. It was cold. Hunter was still here when I left to go home last night, and it appeared as if he hadn’t left. Hurrying inside, I took the elevator all the way up to the nineteenth floor.

  I dropped my purse into the bottom drawer of my desk and hung up my coat. My hands smoothed out the skirt of my purple dress, and I quickly entered Hunter’s office.

  Closing the door behind me, I spotted Hunter sitting at his desk. “You look like hell.”

  “I know. I was here all night working on that report.”

  “Why didn’t you ask me to stay? I would’ve helped you with it.”

  He sighed, taking a sip of water. “I knew it was going to take a while. I had to go back through the contract Tomlinson drafted for this client and rewrite half of it.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Doesn’t matter. It’s done now, thank fuck.”

  “Well, what can I do to help?”

  Running a hand through his hair, he looked up at me. “Actually, I’m starving. You wouldn’t mind bringing me something to eat, would you?”

  “Not at all.”

  “I hate to ask that of you.”

  “Jesus, Hunter. I don’t care.”

  “Thank you. I’m going to finish printing out everything I need for my meeting with Beakman this morning.”

  “What time is he supposed to be coming?” I asked.

  Hunter glanced at his watch. “Fuck.”

  “How soon?”

  “Ten minutes.”

  “Give me a second. I can buy us some more time.”

  I rushed out to my desk and picked up the phone. Dialing the number to Rhonda’s extension, I hoped she was already here. I muttered a silent prayer when she picked up on the second ring.

  “Rhonda, where’s Mr. Beakman?”

  “Still in his office. Why, what’s going on?”

  “He has a meeting with Hunter in ten.”

  “Yeah, I was just going over Bob’s calendar for the day.”

  “Hunter ended up staying here all night to rewrite the contract they’re reviewing.”

  “And he needs some more time to get ready?”

  “Yeah, he needs to eat something and change into a fresh suit.”

  “I’ll push him back ten more minutes.”

  “Thanks, Rhonda. You’re the best and I love you forever!”

  “Anything for you, dear!”

  I hung up and dashed for the stairs in record time. Racing up the steps, I practically sprinted toward the kitchen. I snagged two blueberry muffins and a banana before making my way back downstairs.

  When I returned, I saw that Hunter had set out a few copies of the contract next to the two armchairs on the far side of his office.

  “Here’s some food.” I placed the food on Hunter’s desk, watching with wide eyes as he slid off a rumpled button up. A fresh pair of slacks hung low on his hips, and he tossed the shirt on top of a pair of pants lying on the floor of his wardrobe.

  “Thank you. I can’t remember the last time I ate.” He devoured one of the muffi
ns and the banana.

  “It was no trouble at all. After your meeting, I’ll find you something better to eat.”

  “Is Beakman on his way?” he questioned.

  “Not yet. I bought you some time. I called in a favor with Rhonda, so you’ve got at least ten more minutes.”

  “That’s all I’ll need, and you’re amazing by the way.”

  “Glad I could help.” My voice faltered, but I didn’t care. I was too busy staring at the muscles lining Hunter’s abdomen like some kind of peeping tom. I swallowed thickly and focused on the ink adorning his flesh. God, that tattoo was my own personal weakness. With each day we spent around one another, it became increasingly more difficult to fight the feelings I had for my boss. I watched as he pulled on another shirt, his fingers leisurely fastening the buttons. “Jesus Christ! You’ll never be ready at that pace.” I rushed toward him and grabbed the bottom of his shirt. “Get your tie. I can finish buttoning these.”

  “Thanks.”

  I kept my eyes down while my hands moved at the speed of light. All the blood in my body surged through my veins. If only I were unfastening these buttons. The top button of his pants was still undone, and once I finished with his shirt, I tucked the bottom of it inside his slacks. My hand shot downward, smoothing everything out, but in my eagerness to finish as fast as possible, my hand moved too far and brushed against something very long and hard.

  A high pitched squeak escaped my lips, and I glanced upward, only to discover Hunter was staring at me in shock. Heat swelled in the apples of my cheeks. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to—”

  “Fuck,” he muttered.

  “All I was trying to do is tuck your shirt in.” And instead, I made the situation a million times more awkward.

  “Don’t worry about it. We don’t have the time.”

  “Right.” I left Hunter to finish with his pants and hurried to grab a comb he had lying on the corner of his desk. Dipping it in a pitcher of water nearby, I ran it through his hair, combing it away from his face. “Can you bend down a bit?”

  Hunter complied, and once his hair was perfect, I circled around him. His pants and belt were on now and he shrugged into a clean suit jacket. I adjusted his tie slightly and smoothed everything out while he finished with the buttons on his jacket.

  “How do I look?”

  “Really good,” I blurted out. He bit his bottom lip, clearly fighting a smile. “Wait, there’s a smudge of ink on your cheek!” I popped my thumb in my mouth, wetting it. I then pressed it against his cheek to wipe away the ink.

  “You just put your spit on my cheek.”

  “I’m sorry. Would you rather I put it on another part of your body?” I tried to keep his gaze but my attention dropped to his crotch.

  He inhaled sharply. “That certainly is a loaded question.”

  I leaned forward to erase the space lingering between us. “Sue me,” I lilted.

  “You sure you don’t want me to do anything else?” he asked, grinning sinfully.

  “Who’s asking the loaded questions now?”

  He was just about to reply when a loud knock sounded at the door. Quickly, he put space between us and closed the wardrobe. “Come in.”

  “Are you ready to review that contract this morning?” Mr. Beakman asked, his voice sounding from behind me.

  “Of course.”

  Hunter’s attention was still on me, so I discreetly slipped the comb I’d used on his hair down the front of my dress between my breasts. His eyes widened, darting from Mr. Beakman to my chest.

  “I’ll finish typing up the document you needed and we can go over it after the two of you finish,” I said, turning on my heel and walking toward the door. “Can I get either of you something to drink?”

  “I’ll take some coffee if it’s not too much trouble,” Mr. Beakman answered.

  My hand touched the doorknob, and I glanced back at Hunter. Mr. Beakman was already making himself comfortable in one of the armchairs near the far wall of the office. “Mr. Desmond?”

  “Coffee would be great.”

  “Coming right up.”

  I made another quick trip up to the kitchen, and this time, I returned with two mugs filled with steaming coffee. The door to the office was still open, and I stopped just outside it upon hearing Hunter and Mr. Beakman talking.

  “I know you and Violet have been putting in a lot of hours lately, and I wanted to commend you on the excellent job you’re doing,” Mr. Beakman stated.

  “Thank you, sir. I appreciate that.”

  “I knew the two of you would make a good team, and whatever gossip was circulating the firm about the two of you, I turned a deaf ear to it. I don’t condone rumors or gossip in this office. ”

  “Thank you for taking a chance on me. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work at this firm,” Hunter replied. “And you were right about Violet. She’s the best secretary I’ve ever worked with.”

  “I’m glad this has been a good fit for you.”

  I stepped inside, carefully toting the piping mugs. “Alright, here you are.” I handed each man their coffee and headed back toward the door. “I’ll be just outside if the two of you need anything.”

  “Thank you, Violet.”

  “You’re welcome, Mr. Beakman.”

  “I’ll call for you if we need anything,” Hunter added.

  Over the next hour, I proceeded to answer the phone and arrange a few client meetings for Hunter. Listening to Hunter thank Mr. Beakman for giving him a second chance filled me with sadness. Some selfish bastard set him up to take the fall, and Hunter was still paying for it. I prayed Joel would be able to provide us with some answers. If Hunter’s reputation could be cleared, I’d go on a hundred dates with Joel. In the time we’d known one another, Hunter had done so much for me. All I wanted, was to repay him in any way I could.

  The sound of footsteps pulled my attention away from the calendar I was currently organizing. Joel walked toward my desk, grinning brightly.

  “Hi, Joel.”

  “Good morning. How are you today?”

  “I’m good. How are you?”

  “Ecstatic.” Joel practically radiated excitement from his shoes all the way to the ends of his hair.

  “Is there something I can do for you?” I asked.

  “I just wanted to stop by and let you know that I’m still working on tracking down the name of the person who forwarded you that email, but I should have a name and IP address to you right after Christmas. Is that okay?”

  I smiled at him. “That will be perfect. Thank you so much for all your help. I appreciate it more than I can say.”

  Joel leaned toward me, eliminating the space between us. “You’re more than welcome,” he replied, sweeping a strand of hair from my face. His fingers lingered over my cheek, and though the gesture was meant to be innocent, the expression in his eyes seemed anything but.

  Pulling away, I quickly swept my hair over my shoulder. “My hair seems to have a mind of its own today,” I stated, hoping to shift the direction of our conversation.

  “I think it looks lovely.”

  I offered up a weak smile. “What time are our reservations?” I knew Joel was trying to be sweet, but his persistence was trying my patience. Agreeing to a date didn’t give him the right to touch me whenever he felt like it.

  “Six. That’s not too early, is it?”

  “I brought something with me to change into, so we can ride together from here if that is alright with you.”

  “That sounds great to me,” he replied, still beaming at me.

  “Awesome.”

  “I don’t want to bother you, so I’ll let you get back to work. I just wanted to stop by and say hello.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Oh, the place I made reservations at is an Italian restaurant. That works for you, right?”

  “I love Italian food, so you definitely made the right choice,” I added.

  “Alright, I’ll see you later tonight.”
/>
  “Bye, Joel.”

  Joel had barely reached the elevators when the office line began to ring off the hook. I added three client meetings to Hunter’s schedule for next week and forwarded a few emails for him that had been sent to my account. For the moment, it seemed I was caught up, and the pause in work allowed my brain to revisit the events that transpired right before Mr. Beakman’s arrival. I. Touched. My. Boss’s. Dick.

  Shit . . . as if I really needed another reason to be attracted to that man. Waking up next to him the day after Thanksgiving was the highlight of my holiday. Honestly, I’d never felt more safe in my entire life than I had the two nights I slept in his arms. After years of searching, I finally found exactly what I’d been looking for since the day I left that dilapidated trailer and everyone in it behind me. I didn’t simply want Hunter, I needed him. And the fact we could never be anything more than coworkers if we wanted to keep our jobs was disheartening.

  It was as if the universe had sent me a gift, only to rip it away later. Hunter eased a wound I’d been carrying around for a long time, and while our friendship seemed to be enough for now, I feared the day when it wouldn’t suffice.

  The remainder of the day passed in the blink of an eye. Hunter mostly kept to his office, which was odd for him. When it was time to call it quits, I rushed out to my car and returned with the dress I brought for my date with Joel.

  Quickly changing in the bathroom, I slid on the black lace dress and pinned my hair half up. Blond curls cascaded over both my shoulders. After freshening my makeup and dabbing some perfume on my wrists, I was ready to leave. Picking up my coat and purse, I decided to stop by and see Hunter before heading upstairs to meet Joel.

  “Hey,” I said, knocking on his open door.

  Hunter gazed into space, clearly distracted. “Oh, hey.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, just really tired.”

  “Do you need me to drive you home?”

  “I’ll be fine.” He scanned me from head to toe. Slowly, the expression in his eyes softened. “You look lovely.”

  “Thank you.”