Moonlighter (The Company, #1)(34)

“Just a sip? Want me to pour you a little bit?”

She shakes her head. “I’m willing to make all kinds of bad decisions for me. But none for the baby. I’ll take a can of seltzer water.”

“Sure thing.” I swing my legs off the side of the bed, then walk naked toward the bedroom door.

“Eric!” Alex’s voice is full of alarm.

“Yes?” I pause at the doorway.

She tugs the sheet up to cover her boobs. “Put on some shorts.”

“Why?” I look down. My body rocks. It’s just the truth. “Why would I cover up all this awesomeness?”

She looks pained. “Because of the pillow cam.”

“Oh, fuck.”

“Right. We already did. And when you carried me through the living room while I mauled you, that was the fairly obvious outcome.”

“Huh.” I pause in the doorway. “Maybe I shouldn’t appear on camera for another half an hour, just to impress the security team with my stamina.”

“Eric!” Alex grabs one of the bed pillows and hurls it at me.

I catch it, laughing. “Relax, okay? Nobody noticed. There’s just some agent in a room full of monitors somewhere. They probably only check the video if there’s an issue.”

“Just put on some shorts.”

“Women are usually trying to get me to take off my clothes. Do you really want to be the one exception?”

“It’s not like I don’t appreciate the view.” Unless I’m crazy, her cheeks turn pink.

God, that blush. Unbelievably, I feel my blood stir again. And the urge to kiss her is strong.

I don’t, though. I duck into the bathroom for a very fast shower and then find some boxers to wear. Once I’m suitably covered, I go into the living room, turn that fucking pillow around, arm the door alarm, and then pour two drinks.

By the time I’m back, Alex is sitting up in bed, wearing a nightgown and flipping through channels on the TV.

As she settles on a cooking show, I climb into bed beside her and hand her a glass of seltzer.

“Thank you,” she says sweetly.

“You’re very welcome.” The domesticity of this moment feels entirely unfamiliar to me. I offer my glass to Alex. “You wanted a sip?”

She takes it in hand and inhales the yeasty scent of my ale. “I miss grownup drinks. I really do.” She takes the world’s daintiest sip and hands it back to me.

“How many more months?”

“My due date is in January. But if I breastfeed, I won’t really drink, then, either.”

“Oh.” I know nothing about babies or childbirth. “Is it too soon to name this baby? I’d like to put in an early vote for Eric.”

“You are such an egomaniac.” She gives me a little poke on my bare belly.

“It’s a good name! We can’t all be named Alexandra.”

“Sure we can. There’s always Alexander if it’s a boy.”

“You know…” I take a sip of beer. “I’m not at all surprised that you’re named after a great conquerer.”

“Why? Should I take that as a compliment?”

“Maybe. You’ve been bossing me around since the day I met you.”

I get another poke. “What does Eric mean? Is it…German?”

“Norse.”

“Does it mean ‘man with great big hockey stick?’”

I snort with laughter. “Yeah, baby.”

“What does Eric really mean?”

“It means alone. The first syllable, anyway. But together it’s supposed to mean sole ruler. Or autocrat.”

“Of course it does. Now who’s bossy?”

“Are you going to let me check the baseball game?”

She holds on tightly to the remote. “Maybe. Does check imply an hour of baseball watching?”

“Depends on if it’s a close game.”

“Then, no. There’s always your phone.”

Yeah, there’s the bossy personality I remember so well. I never once controlled the TV channel on the Vineyard, either. “You know, you’re the reason I watched Dirty Dancing about thirty times.”

“I’ll make it thirty-one if you keep complaining.”

I get up again and locate my phone. When I pick it up, the edges are glowing yellow, which indicates that someone has sent me an urgent text.

It’s from my brother. All it says is I told you not to fuck her.

“Uh oh.”

“Problem?” Alex asks.

“No,” I lie. “This was just, uh, a team message.” I’m not about to embarrass Alex.

My reply to my brother is short, too. Should have sent a different guy to Hawaii, then.

There are a hundred other things I could add. We’re adults, and it’s none of your business, is at the top of my list.

Beside me Alex flips the channels, her hair tousled, her cheeks pink.

Everyone in this bed is having a great night. Max can go fuck himself.





12





Alex





Playing it cool is a particular skill of mine. Even from a young age, I knew how to pull on a mask. How to pretend to be calm even when I’m all stirred up inside.