Faking Ms. Right (Dirty Martini Running Club #1) - Claire Kingsley Page 0,30
was enormous. My apartment only had a shower. It wasn’t often that I got to take a long, hot bath.
I went to the bedroom door and leaned out, listening. I’d heard Svetlana leave well over an hour ago, and Richard seemed to have gone to bed—or at least to his room. Shepherd was still in his office, as far as I could tell. Nora’s suggestion of a bath was sounding better and better. I needed to relax, or I’d never get to sleep.
The bathroom really was gorgeous. Gray and blue tile. Fluffy white towels. Everything sparkled. I turned down the lights for ambiance—they were on a dimmer, which made me wonder why all bathrooms didn’t have lights on a dimmer—and turned on the water.
I set my phone on the ledge next to the bathtub. Of course I wasn’t going to leave the door open and live-text Nora and Hazel. That was just silly. I just wanted my phone for something to do while I soaked.
But then again, it was getting awfully steamy with the water running. Maybe leaving the door open a tiny crack was a good idea. Just to make sure there wasn’t too much moisture. It would have been a shame to create a mildew issue in this beautiful bathroom.
So I left the door open a crack, slipped out of my clothes, and got into Shepherd’s glorious bathtub.
The water was perfect. I settled in, letting the heat seep into me. I hadn’t seen any bubble bath—which, honestly, was a relief. If Shepherd had bubble bath, the only conclusion would be that one of his past girlfriends had left it here. There was nothing wrong with a man who liked bubble baths, but he didn’t strike me as the type, so I doubted it was the sort of thing he’d keep on hand for himself. And despite the fact that this was totally fake, I didn’t like the idea of finding traces of another woman here.
Call me territorial, but I was going to be the only woman in my fake boyfriend’s life. While we were still faking it, of course.
My phone buzzed against the tile with a text.
Nora: Well?
Me: In the bath. Nothing. I think he’s working.
Nora: Boring.
Me: What do you expect me to do?
Nora: Did you leave the door open a little?
Me: Yes, but only so it wouldn’t get too steamy.
Hazel: Mildew can be a serious health hazard.
Nora: Whatever makes you feel better.
The sound of the bedroom door opening and closing almost made me drop my phone in the water. I gasped, bobbling my phone a few times. I could hear Shepherd’s brisk footsteps in the other room. They stopped, then seemed to go back the direction they’d come.
Me: He’s in the bedroom, but I think he’s about to leave.
Nora: I bet he walks by again.
Hazel: Curiosity is a powerful force.
Nora: If Hazel agrees with me, you know I’m right.
I shifted, the water moving in a slow wave. And then I heard his footsteps again. Had he walked by the door?
Me: Okay, heard him walk by again. I think.
Nora: Told you.
I waited, scarcely daring to breathe. I was sure—positive, even—that he was doing something perfectly normal that had nothing to do with curiosity about me in his bathtub.
The footsteps stopped, but I didn’t hear the bedroom door open again. He was still out there. Not going to his office.
He walked by the bathroom door again. Was I imagining things, or did he walk much slower that time?
Me: I think he strolled past the bathroom door.
Nora: Strolled?
Me: I just mean he walked… slower.
Nora: It’s ridiculous how much fun this is. E, move your legs so the water splashes a little.
I shifted and the water moved, making a soft splashing sound. For a second, there was only silence. Then I heard Shepherd’s quick footsteps and the bedroom door opening and closing.
Me: He left.
Nora: Immediately or after a pause?
Me: After a pause, I guess.
Nora: I love this. You flustered him. I bet he went to his office to stroke the sex stick.
Hazel: You think? He didn’t receive much stimulation.
Nora: He has his hot assistant naked in his bathtub. He’s stimulated.
Groaning, I leaned my head back. What was I doing? I shouldn’t be making this situation more uncomfortable than it already was. That’s what I got for listening to Nora.
Me: I’m getting out and going to bed. I have to work in the morning.
Nora: Walk by his office and see if you hear anything.