Page 31 of Sliding into Love
Sawthis and thought of you.
“What the fuck am I supposed to do with this?”I mutter to myself as I stare at my phone screen.
It’s not at all what I expected to get from Kenneth. I’m not even sure if he meant to send it to me—but the outfit is very obviously a style I’d wear. I guess I’ll have to ask him about it next time I see him.
Okay, so I’m a big old baby because I don’t bring it up to Kenneth. Not the next morning when I see him, and definitely not over the next two days. I’ve had plenty of chances. We’re often alone—or even in a group—but we’re always off to the side, observing and making note of things together.
There’s no good reason why I haven’t asked about the Pinterest link he sent me. No reason except that I can’t bring myself to be honest. Because if I were honest, I’d have to admit that my feelings for Kenneth are blooming at a terrifying rate.
I’m supposed to hate this man. Supposed to want revenge for the ways he and his buddy taunted me when we were kids. I’m supposed to be here to keep the team in line and take over the helm of responsibility—not to get my dick wet, or to taste his lips, or to hold him in my arms the way I’ve been dreaming of.
None of that is on the agenda.
Yet somehow, it’s all I can think about.
When we head into the office Friday morning, we’re stopped at the gate by security. The big guy, Bruce, rubs a hand across his chest like he’s got heartburn as his eyes dart around. I lean in, stepping closer to Kenneth—though I’m not sure if it’s to protect him or myself.
While Kenny’s bigger than me, I have a tenacity that usually keeps people in line.
“What’s wrong, Bruce?” Kenny asks, his voice full of concern.
“Well, it’s the AC,” Bruce says, grimacing. “Your office had a bit of a snafu. It’s real hot in there—whole building, actually. They’ve got a crew working on it, but it’s not looking like an easy fix.”
Kenny nods, his face softening into a tender smile. I’m irrationally jealous that this man gets even a piece of that affection. Yet another red flag in this clusterfuck.
“It’s fine,” Kenny says, patting Bruce on the shoulder.
The other man practically melts under the touch, his posture relaxing instantly. “Really? I was worried this might cause you some problems,” he admits with a chuckle.
People always talk more freely around Kenny—at least when I’m not nearby. When I'm around, they’re different. Guarded. On edge.
“I’m sure we can make do, Bruce,” I say, drawing his attention my way. “We were outside earlier this week. A little heat won’t kill us.”
My tone is confident—too confident, probably—but it earns me a small smile from Kenny. He nods and waves to Bruce as we move on.
The walk inside is quiet. We’re both lost in thought, though I doubt it’s about the same thing. I’m still wrestling with why I can’t shake these feelings for him. I have an inkling Kenny’s more concerned about the AC—a problem I should care about, but don’t.
The second we step onto our floor, the heat hits us like a wall. Downstairs wasn’t nearly this oppressive.
“Jeeesh,” Kenny says, tugging at the collar of his shirt. “Is it just me, or is it hotter in here than outside?”
I hum. “Yeah, seems that way. Let’s drop our stuff, then check out what they’re working on.”
Kenny giggles. “Good idea. Better to see for ourselves, right?”
We leave our bags—his briefcase, my satchel—in the office and head down the hall to find the maintenance crew.
It takes a few minutes, but we spot them: three men in jeans and sweat-stained shirts huddled over blueprints. I clear my throat as we approach, careful not to startle them.
“Excuse us,” I say. “We were hoping to get an update on the AC situation. I’m Royce. This is Kenneth.”
The smallest of the three hands off the papers and turns, offering a handshake. “Nice to meet you both. We’re just trying to locate the main problem. Hard to tell in a building this size.”
“Understandable,” I reply. “Any idea what caused it?”
Another man hums. “Yeah, probably maintenance. Units like this don’t get serviced as often as they should. One fails, and the others have to overwork to compensate. Could be that or a simple fix. We’ll know once we find it.”
I nod and step back beside Kenny. “What do you need from us?”
