“Okay. Thanks. Wow, I can’t believe it’s already five o’clock.” I started to pack up my laptop. “It’s fun working with you.”
He raised both eyebrows, like I must’ve been high or something to utter that statement. But he didn’t say anything.
“What about you?” I asked him. “How late will you work? Will you break for dinner?”
“Later. I’ll probably do some writing tonight. And maybe I’ll make my vortex playlist later. I’ll eat when I’m hungry.”
Really? He was gonna make a vortex playlist, that fast, just because I asked him to?
“Well, if you need anything, I’m like a stone’s throw away,” I said. “Literally. Don’t hesitate to ask.”
He glanced up. “Thanks for the offer. But I’m not gonna overwork you and scare you away. You’re too valuable. You already whisked that mountain of paperwork out of my face. I should give you a raise.”
I smiled. “You can just pop it into my bank account.” As I walked out of the room, I realized maybe he wasn’t kidding. I stuck my head back in. “I’m joking. Do not give me more money. You’ve paid me enough.”
“Good night, Taylor. Go use my pool. I pay the pool boy too much already.”
“There’s a pool boy?” I asked, with exaggerated interest. “Is he cute?”
“No idea,” he said, deadpan. He didn’t even look up from his laptop. “But if he is, let me know so I can fire him.”
“Will do,” I said, and headed out.
Chapter Nine
Taylor
Running Up That Hill
That evening, after I had dinner in the poolhouse, I went for a jog around the gorgeous neighborhood. Felt like I had to, to work off the strange sweats my boss was giving me.
That pool boy thing was a whole lot of flirting.
Threatening to fire the pool boy if he was cute? Didn’t that suggest that my employer was interested in me himself, and wanted to clear the field of competition?
He might as well have just asked me on a date.
Although he didn’t.
And anyway, what the hell kind of date could you go on with a man who rarely even left the house?
Keep your mind out of the gutter, Taylor.
No use tumbling in there too damn fast.
That was what I kept telling myself. But the problem was, my mind was very comfortable in the gutter.
By the time I got back to the house, the sun was almost down. It was getting dark as I made my way up the driveway. I could see a faint bit of light bleeding from the far front window, through the bushes and trees. The one on the control room. I wondered how late Cary would be working.
I wondered all kinds of things.
Some appropriate, some highly not.
I wondered if we would be friends. If he would ever hang out with me in the evening. If he would ever come outside for more than five minutes, maybe actually use his pool while I was around.
I wondered if he liked to jog, or if I could get him to venture out into the neighborhood a little. Like maybe after dark or something?
I wondered if he missed having women around and what he’d be like to kiss.
I wondered when was the last time he had sex.
I also wondered if he was straight. Though I was pretty sure I already knew the answer to that. The pool boy comment, for one. And the way I felt around him, for another.
It was chemical. I could feel the pheromones in the air threatening to choke us both out.
Though maybe those were mostly mine.
From the backyard, I couldn’t see any lights on; the studio was entirely sealed off from the backyard with all those layers of curtains. Upstairs was dark, too. I wondered where, exactly, his bedroom was, and if he was going to sleep up there tonight.
I wondered if he slept enough. His eyes said he didn’t.
I wondered if he’d be working all night.
As I made my way into the poolhouse and stripped down for my post-jog shower, I made a strange decision, very consciously.
I am not falling for him.
Nope. Totally not doing that.
I was very assertive with myself on that point.
Yes, I was curious about him. Drawn to him. Attracted to him. But I was not going to let myself get all wrapped up in another man who was practically bleeding with issues.
Though it occurred to me, as the water streamed over me, that if I wasn’t already afraid that I could, very easily, fall for him, I wouldn’t have needed to try to make myself such