Page 82 of Dark Endures

It’s nothing but a meal with a coworker.

Remember that, because he sure does.

This is as good as I’m going to get. The car he’s sending for me should be here in twenty minutes. Time to head down so they don’t have to wait.

Oh no! The television is on. That means Adonis is awake and still home.

We’re roommates now. You have to learn how to deal with a pretty man walking around half-naked.

Maybe he isn’t now. It’s daytime and all that.

“Morning.” I keep my voice light and friendly while my eyes focus on the front door.

“Mindy! Did you have a nice night’s sleep? Was the bed okay?”

“Everything was great, thank you.” Especially compared to the mattress that was gifted to me by a neighbor when their kid outgrew it.

“Would you like to go to brunch with me? We could talk.”

I finally turn to look at Adonis.

Does he just run around perpetually at home without a shirt on?

At least he keeps his pants on…one of Mom’s boyfriends would run around in his tighty-whities. That’s an image that’s permanently burned on my brain that no amount of bleach will remove. “I’d love to.” That’s actually true. “But I have to head to work.”

His brows wrinkle. “Come talk to me.”

“I have to go to work.”

“It’ll just take a second.” He pats the couch next to him.

Why do I have to have manners? I sit down on the edge of the couch. Eye contact. Whatever you do, maintain eye contact. Though to be fair, his pasty white semi-muscular chest is nothing compared to what Maddox probably looks like without a shirt on. “What’s up?”

“I’m concerned about you. What’s this about you having another job? And with a man like that? You know you can always come to me if you’re in trouble.” He reaches out and takes my hands in his.

The urge to tug them away is instantaneous and powerful. “Maddox is a great boss.”

“Are you in trouble? I know people that can help. You never have to see this guy again.”

“Really, Maddox is wonderful. He’s sending a car to pick me up. I love both my jobs.”

He doesn’t look convinced.

There’s no time to convince him. “Look, I’ve got to go to work, or I’ll be late.” After wasting all day yesterday, I can’t even be a minute late. “But I promise I’m just fine.” I don’t give him time to disagree. Pulling my hands out of his grasp I dash out the door and down the stairs completely ignoring the elevator.

Canyon’s waiting by the car when I reach the lobby.

Take a breath. Pull yourself together. I step outside. “Sorry to make you wait.”

“Waiting for you is always a pleasure. Maddox would have come to pick you up, but he had a phone call that he couldn’t miss.”

I wonder if that is Jordan calling his brother, not that it’s any of my business. “Thank you for doing it.”

He opens the SUV door for me. “You feeling any better?”

Like a whole new person, but then what do you expect after getting almost a day’s worth of sleep? “Yes, thank you.”

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