I tilt my head curiously as I reach out and start guzzling the orange juice on the breakfast tray. “Where are we going?” I ask after a hearty gulp.
“You’re supposed to meet with Tonya today to take photos for the marketing campaign that you agreed to, remember?”
“I forgot about that. I better remind Blue.”
Warren shakes his head. “Harvey is already bringing her in.”
“Oh, okay.”
An awkward silence stretches between us as we look at each other.
Emotions swirl under my skin. Somewhere in all the time I spent watching Warren, I went past infatuation and straight into catching feelings without even realizing it. Seems silly that love is literally my job, and yet I didn’t even recognize it in myself.
I glance nervously at Warren, wishing more than ever that I could know what he’s thinking as he looks steadily back at me.
“You could’ve gotten really hurt last night,” he finally says.
There’s no anger in his face anymore, just stoicism.
“I know. I’m sorry that you have to keep saving my ass like that. I’m not used to…” My words trail off.
“Not used to what?”
“Life, I guess,” I answer in a small voice.
Something indecipherable crosses over his face before it disappears again, and he clears his throat. “Eat and get ready. I’ll be waiting for you downstairs.”
He walks out of the room, leaving me alone, and I sigh slightly as I look down at the breakfast. I don’t know how to handle my convoluted feelings for him, so I guess I’ll just eat. French toast doesn’t come with emotional strings. At least, not that I know of.
When I dig into the spread, there are no dainty bites or ladylike chewing. I gobble the shit like I’m a damn turkey.
But if I thought the food was good, it’s got nothin’ on Warren’s shower. I always knew it looked kickass, but that thing deserves an award.
It takes some serious self-control to pull my ass out from under the amazing streams of water and into a towel. I can’t help but look back longingly at the shower head as I dry off.
Digging through his drawers, I manage to find a small brush, and I comb out the tangles in my hair. The length of my hair only reaches my chin, but I don’t know what to do with it after I brush it, since Blue has done my hair for me for the past several days.
I try to braid it, but apparently, that’s just not a skill I’m capable of. Knowing that I’m running out of time, I decide to just let it air dry and hope I don’t end up looking like a ball of cotton candy.
The outfit that Warren brought me is a simple black dress that hits me mid-thigh, the square neckline modest and professional. The fabric is nice, and I feel important, like one of the many successful people that work in his office. Unlike the stuff I’ve gotten from the communal bin, this fits me perfectly. Even the black lace panties and bra are the perfect size.
I wonder where the clothes came from and grimace a little when the thought crosses my mind that this could be his own communal bin, left behind from women he’s had over. I sincerely hope not, but I don’t have any other options to wear, unless I want to put on the denim dress again. Which I don’t, because it reeks of weed and reminds me of Sparrow.
When I walk downstairs, wearing the short black pumps he left for me, I find Warren in his kitchen sitting at the counter with a cup of coffee in his hand. I peer over his shoulder to look into the cup as I pass by. “Of course you like your coffee black,” I tease.
Warren looks up from his phone, and his dark eyes assess me. I run nervous hands down the dress. “Do I look okay?”
His brown eyes lock on mine. “You look great.”
I breathe out a little sigh of relief and smile. “Thanks. That would’ve really sucked if you said I looked crappy,” I say with a little laugh.
Instead of matching my amusement, Warren simply shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter what you wear, you could never look crappy.”
The familiar charge in the air leaps up between us once again, making my breath catch in my throat.
I’m leaving, I remind myself over and over again. I’m leaving, I’m leaving, I’m leaving.
I don’t know what expression he sees on me, but Warren’s face suddenly shutters,