Park Avenue Player(44)

But it was like foreplay that had led to nothing. That whole experience was the polar opposite of what I encountered when I was with him—a relationship that was friendly at best.

Hollis moved over to the bed and kicked his legs up. He lowered the volume on the TV and said, “Your ex-husband seemed like a real douche.”

The fact that he’d brought up Tobias right now sort of surprised me.

“I didn’t think he was a douche for many years. I was quite smitten. He was my professor, after all. I had a lot of respect for him at one time. The whole person-of-authority thing can be very alluring. Student-teacher. Employee-boss. You know how it is.”

Hollis cracked a slight smile, but he didn’t touch my comment as it might have related to him.

He cleared his throat. “How often does he show up at your house unannounced?”

“He does it from time to time. A part of him still looks at it as his house. I try not to let him get to me anymore, though.”

“Shouldn’t he give you more privacy than that?”

“Well, there isn’t much to see lately. It’s not like he’s going to find me in any compromising situations.”

Hollis stared for a bit then asked, “Why has it been so long since you’ve been with anyone?”

My eyes widened. “Have you tried online dating, Hollis? It’s bad. I don’t want someone who’s just after a quick fuck, even if that’s all I need sometimes. It’s frightening out there. There are diseases and scary people. I don’t know. Sometimes I just don’t think I was made for this.”

“You were made to be with one man...”

“Yes. I have a lot to give someone, the right person. But I’m too apprehensive to take the necessary steps to find him, I guess. I suppose I thought I had found him in Tobias. But I was wrong. So now it’s like starting from square one.”

I decided to move the focus off me and satisfy some curiosity of my own. “You don’t think you’ll ever settle down?”

He blew out a breath. “No. I’ve made the decision to remain single. I had a bad experience in the one serious relationship of my life, and I haven’t had the desire to put myself in that position again.”

Wow. There was definitely a story there.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“I’d prefer not to.”

“Okay. I understand.”

God, I was so curious. Seeing that vulnerability peek through made me more attracted to Hollis. He wasn’t as cold as I’d originally thought; he was likely just protecting his heart.

I played with some lint on the arm of the chair and asked, “So, that woman from the other night...when I interrupted you... She knew exactly what she was there for? No expectations?”

“Yes. All the women I associate with are clear on the fact that I don’t want anything more than a sexual relationship. I’m open with every person I meet.”

“Do you meet them online?”

“Typically, no. I mostly meet women while out and about at social events.”

I nodded.

“Of course, given my current responsibilities, there aren’t as many opportunities as of late.” He lifted his brow. “Any more questions?”

I don’t know what came over me when I asked the next one. But it was the one thing I needed to know.

“Do you want to fuck me, Hollis?”

His eyes went wide. “What kind of a question is that?”

“I didn’t mean now.” A nervous laugh escaped me. “It was…more of a general question. I’m just curious what would happen if circumstances were different.”

“I think that question is irrelevant given that we are in this situation.”

“I’m genuinely curious if you just enjoy flirting with me or if I would be your type.”

“You’re not the type of woman I would want to get involved with—not for a lack of desire, but because you’re…too good for me.”

“How so?”

“You deserve a man who wants to settle down, who wants to give you more than a quick fuck. I’m not that man.”

“Are you attracted to me?”

“You know the answer to that, Elodie.”

“I do?”

“Haven’t my actions made it extremely clear that I find you attractive?”

I didn’t even know where I was going with this conversation anymore. I just wanted to see what he would say. So, I asked, “What if I told you I just wanted to have sex with you, nothing more?”

“Is this still a hypothetical question?”

“Of course. This whole conversation is hypothetical,” I said, not believing my own words.

“Alright… Hypothetically, if you told me you just wanted to have sex and nothing more, I probably wouldn’t believe you based on everything you’ve told me about yourself thus far.”

“You would think I wasn’t being truthful.”

“Yes.”

I uncrossed my legs and leaned in. “Can we stop being hypothetical for a moment?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t want to want you in an inappropriate way, Hollis. You’re my boss, and nothing good could come from crossing the line in our relationship. That wouldn’t be good for Hailey.”