Page 9 of Through You
Four
You are the exception.
CLAUDIA
He wants me to call him sir?
Artemis is definitely not fond of me. I can’t believe he’s still holding a grudge for what happened so long ago.
He needs to get over it, and turn the page. Or maybe he doesn’t even remember, or it doesn’t matter to him, and he’d rather just treat me like a member of the staff. I knock on his door reluctantly. I carry the towels in one hand and the appetizers on a tray in the other. Knowing that he’s waiting inside is doing a number on my nerves, and I swallow hard with anticipation.
Artemis opens the door. I tighten my grip on the towels.
He’s wearing his shirt unbuttoned to the waist, revealing a nicely sculpted chest. I look away and offer the items he requested.
“Your towels and appetizers . . . sir.”
I hate using this title when I speak to him. I turn to face him when I don’t get an answer, and realize that he’s moved farther inside the bedroom.
“Put the towels on the bed and the food on the night table.”
I don’t want to walk inside his room, but I follow his instructions. As I step inside, I hear the sound of running water coming from the shower, and a female voice shouts from the bathroom.
“Artemis, I’m waiting for you!”
I narrow my eyes. Oh, his girl is here, with him, in his room.
This brings back an old memory: he and I playing Monopoly, sitting on the floor at the foot of his bed.
“You’ll scare off the girls if you don’t tidy up your room,” I told him while checking out the mess.
“No girls are allowed in my room,” Artemis replied with absolute determination.
I raised my eyebrow. “And what am I?”
“You are the exception.”
I guess this no longer applies.
I pretend that I’m fine, but a strange feeling settles in the pit of my stomach. I don’t want to admit that this is having an effect on me, because it shouldn’t. Artemis stands on the other side of the bed with his arms crossed over his chest. He studies me, and his eyes search for mine. I need to leave immediately, so I do my best to quickly place everything where he instructed. I become fixated with folding the towels neatly on his bed. I freeze when I turn around and realize that Artemis is now standing in the way, blocking the door.
Undaunted, I start to walk toward the door. But he doesn’t get out of the way.
“Excuse me, sir.”
He remains silent.
The sound of the shower fills the room. I freeze when I notice he’s undoing the last button of his shirt. His shoulder muscles flex as he removes the garment. I fix my eyes on the wall. It bothers me that I’m blushing. What in the hell is he doing? I hear his footsteps coming closer, and once again, I can’t bring myself to look directly at him.
“Sir . . .”
My defenses are triggered when he leans over me. I’m about to push him away just as he whispers in my ear.
“Wash this. It’s one of my favorites.” He puts the shirt in my hands and heads to the bathroom. “And close the door.”
I’m out of there in a flash. I walk down the hallway in such haste that I don’t even see Apolo until I run straight into him.
“Hey, why are you in such a hurry?”
