I Just Need You - J. Nathan Page 0,21
door.
He huffed. “I heard you pacing. Now get in bed.”
I laughed, his bossiness not as intimidating at one in the morning through a door.
“I’m serious. Get in bed.”
“Be careful. Some girls like bossy guys.”
“What the fuck?” he grumbled, and I heard his head fall back against the door with a thump.
I suppressed my laughter, really beginning to like pushing his buttons. “Fine. I’ll get in bed. But promise me Marco’s on duty tomorrow.”
“Why?”
“Because if you stay up all night outside my door, you need to sleep.”
“It’s not your job to worry about me,” he said.
“Then whose job is it?”
A long silence passed. He wasn’t going to answer my question. And, suddenly, I wanted to know the answer. Did he have a girlfriend waiting for him back home wherever he lived? Did he have parents who called to check on him like mine called to check on me? Did he have friends he texted just to check in?
It was late, and I wanted to see if I’d actually sleep with him out there, so I took his kindness for what it was and stood up. I pressed my hands to the door. “Good night, Tristan. Thank you for this.”
He didn’t reply, which I expected.
I moved to my bed and climbed under my comforter. I gave the soft lights wrapped around my room one last look then closed my eyes.
It took no time before sleep pulled me under.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Kresley
I stepped into the hallway after the first good night sleep I’d had since arriving to Remington. Marco waited for me. And, though I told Tristan not to be there, I still couldn’t ignore the unexpected tinge of disappointment inside me. “Morning, Marco.”
“Ma’am.”
I stopped, pegging him with my eyes. “Marco, I will hurt you if you don’t call me by my name.”
“Ma’am, at this point I just do it to piss you off,” he deadpanned.
I burst out laughing and started down the hall. “I appreciate your humor, Marco.”
We made it downstairs and walked across campus toward my first class.
“You missed a good party Friday night,” I teased him.
“I’m a little old for frat parties,” he said.
“Would you prefer I join the chess club?”
“That would put me to sleep.”
We reached my building and climbed the steps. “I can’t win with you.”
He chuckled as we entered the building and approached my class. I walked inside, leaving him behind with the quick wave of my hand.
Tristan
The sound of my phone ringing jolted me from a deep sleep. With my eyes closed, I felt around for my phone on the desk, grabbing it and lifting it to my ear. “Yeah?”
“We need to talk,” Marco said, sounding pissed.
“Then talk.”
“What was last night about?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, turning onto my side and realizing the sun was shining brightly through my blinds. I glanced at the time. Nine thirty. What the hell? I’d only gotten a few hours of sleep.
“Sitting outside her room,” Marco continued. “That’s not protocol.”
“She doesn’t sleep at night. She paces her floor all fucking night.”
He didn’t say anything, and I hoped to God he didn’t question how I knew.
“I told her I’d sit there so maybe it would help her sleep, especially since she was still worried about the package and all.”
Silence continued to fill his end for a long stretch. “Promise me that’s all it is,” he demanded.
“That’s all it is,” I assured him.
“I’ll have to fire your ass if it’s something else.”
“I own the company. So, no, you won’t fire my ass.”
“You put me in charge. You swore to follow the same rules in the field as everyone else.”
He was right. I had. “I just wanted to help her sleep. That’s all,” I explained.
Again, silence filled his end. “Fine,” he finally said, before ending the call.
I tossed my phone down. Fire my ass? He was delusional. Me sitting outside her room had helped. I hadn’t heard a single footstep all night long. And I was the reason why.
Kresley
Since I’d missed dinner with Elodie and Alice the previous night, I met up with them for dinner. Elodie glanced to Marco who stood in his normal spot off to the side and out of earshot. “Where’s Mr. Hottie tonight?”
“I told him to take today off. He did something for me last night, and I knew he’d be tired.”
They both leaned in, their eyes wide. “What?”
I laughed. “Not tired because of that.”
“Damn,” Alice said. “I was hoping for something juicy.”
“I was hoping one of you caved,” Elodie added.
I shook my head, ever amused by the two