Page 35 of I Wanna Be Your Lager

“A month ago, when I left the hotel room in Florida, I said I quit.” My gaze drops from his face to my vibrator, and I hold out my hand.

“Oh!” He drops it in my palm. “I thought you were just going on a vacation or something.”

Rolling my eyes, I cross my arms over my chest. I tap the head of the vibrator against my bicep. “No. If you’d pull your head from your own ass for five seconds, you’d know that. I. Quit.” I make sure to enunciate the last two words so he hears them correctly this time.

“Who are you?” Lach throws an arm around my shoulder and tugs me to his chest. I didn’t hear him come outside over the beating of my heart in my ears.

“I’m her boss.” Pax squares his shoulders as if he has any claim to me.

“Former boss,” I add.

Pax’s gaze drops to Lach’s arm around my shoulder. “Who are you?”

“I’m her boyfriend,” Lach says with no hesitation.

My heart soars from his words. We’ve never talked about what we are, but when questioned, he has no qualms about claiming me as his, and I will happily take it. Pax’s jaw clenches. The satisfaction of his annoyance makes me snuggle deeper against Lach.

“After all this, you have a boyfriend,” Pax spits.

“I don’t owe you any explanation.” I spin out of Lach’s grasp. “Hold Charlie Cumming.” I smack the vibrator against his chest with a thud. He catches it before it hits the cement. I stomp toward Pax. “And you have zero grounds to confront me about a boyfriend because you. Are. Married.”

He shakes his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you would do this. We had something special. I was ready to start a new life with you. But you had a boyfriend the whole time. Does he know about us?”

My nostrils flare. A box of rocks has more intelligence than he does. “He is well aware of this fucked-up situation. But is your wife? Maybe I should call her.” I reach for my phone in my back pocket. “Tit for tat.”

He frowns.

I slide my phone back into my pocket. He’s not worth the even larger headache. I just want to finish packing and get out of town. I point down the sidewalk. “You need to leave. I’m done with you. Done with the job. I’m moving on. In fact, I’m leaving Knoxville. Now, I need to pack so I can get the hell away from you!” Pivoting on my heel, I stomp past Lach, who’s still holding my vibrator, and back into the townhouse.

“Eve! Wait!” Pax’s desperate voice echoes behind me.

“I think it’s best you leave,” Lach says.

When I’m inside, I brush the curtain back and peek out the window. Lach’s still talking to Pax. Based on the glower on Pax’s face, Lach is reiterating what I told him. I don’t know whether I want to kiss the hell out of him or giggle because he’s wielding Charlie Cumming. Since he’s slaying my dragon, I’ll make sure to return the favor. My teeth sink into my bottom lip. Stay on task. Sex later. Packing now.

Finally, Pax retreats down the sidewalk. Lach crosses his arms, watching him until he’s out of sight. He tucks the vibrator in his back pocket before picking up the box I left behind and sliding it into the back of the moving truck. I meet him in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe as he strolls up the sidewalk. The gray t-shirt molds perfectly to his sculpted chest. I nibble on my bottom lip. The sleeves of his shirt stretch taut, straining against the bulging muscles of his biceps. Unsure of what I ever did to deserve this man, I know I’m never letting him go. I can’t hide the smile that spreads across my lips. He comes to a stop in front of me.

“What’s that smile for?”

“Thank you.” I clasp his cheeks and lean in, pressing my lips to his. I pull away but don’t remove my hands. “For everything. I was afraid if I stayed out there a second longer, I’d end up strangling him. And I wouldn’t survive prison.” Dropping my hands, I huff out a laugh.

“It was nothing. That guy’s an asshole.”

“I don’t have many regrets in life, but he’s in the top three.”

He shoves his hands in his front pockets. “I hope I didn’t cross the line by saying I was your boyfriend. It seemed like the easiest way to get rid of him.”

A pang of disappointment hits me in the gut. He said it so Pax would leave. “No.” I wave him off. “It’s fine. Do you know you still have Charlie Cumming in your back pocket?”

“You mean your vibrator? Yep.” The corner of his mouth curves into a smile.

“Are you going to give it back?”

“Eventually. But also, Charlie Cumming, as in…”

“Charlie has me coming all night long.” I shrug as if it’s the only logical answer.

He laughs but doesn’t say anything as he sidesteps me and walks down the short hallway toward my bedroom.

---