The Fixed Trilogy: Fixed on You(7)

“Thanks. I’ll take it.”

Liesl whispered in my ear as she brushed past me toward the staff break room. “Though, if you ask me, you look damn fine!”

“Now that that’s taken care of...” Hudson turned his attention to David. “I’ve changed my mind about returning this weekend.” David visibly relaxed. But Hudson’s next statement had him stiffening again. “I’ll be back tomorrow. I can’t be here until nine. Could you spare time for me then?”

I fiddled with the napkin holders, even though I’d already stocked them, not sure if I was supposed to be part of the conversation or if I should get back to my duties.

“Of course,” David said, even though nine was when the club opened and wasn’t really a convenient time to have a meeting.

“Good.” Hudson turned to me and I froze mid-napkin shuffle. “Alayna, you’ll be here as well.”

Still ruffled from my disastrous mistake, I was uneager to accept the invitation—the demand, rather. But I’d have to get over my rough start if I expected to continue working with him. Not even sure he expected a response, I gave one anyway. “Yes, sir.”

Hudson narrowed his eyes, so I couldn’t be certain, but they seemed to have dilated. He scrutinized me as if deciding something—whether to fire me, maybe, or give me another shot. After several painful seconds, he simply nodded. “Tomorrow.” Then he turned to leave.

David and I watched in silence as Hudson walked toward the club doors. At least, I watched, too distracted by the hint of tight rear end under the bottom of his suit jacket to notice what David was doing. Damn, Hudson looked just as good from the rear as from the front. If he was going to be in the club a lot I was going to have to start wearing panty liners.

The minute Hudson’s gorgeous backside disappeared into the entrance area, David let out a sigh, reminding me of his presence.

I stared at him, wide eyed. “What the f*ck?”

David chuckled. “I have no idea. I’ve only met with Pierce once before today and we haven’t gotten much into anything besides me explaining our current business operations. He’s certainly odd, though.”

“Well, what do you expect, growing up with all that wealth and pressure to succeed?” Why the hell was I defending him? The man made me feel anxious and intimidated and humiliated. And maybe a little bit excited. Oh, and horny as all get out. I wasn’t even going to acknowledge the fixation I knew I would have on him if I didn’t get myself under control.

I took a deep breath, hoping to release the strange knot in my stomach that thinking about Hudson created. “I don’t know what I’m saying. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Don’t worry, Laynie.”

Remembering he was the one I was almost sort of dating, I met David’s blue eyes, straining to recapture the certainty that he was perfect for me.

Misinterpreting my anxiety to be about my job, he continued. “Pierce has too many high profile assets. He won’t want to spend too much of his time on the club. I’m sure he’ll let things run pretty much as is with maybe some minor finessing. And as long as I have a say in it, you’ll have a more significant role.”

David grinned, more at my chest than at my face. “Want to stay and help close tonight?”

His playful change of attitude provided the assurance I needed. “I was counting on it.”

***

At four a.m. the club shut down for the night, and David and I worked quickly and efficiently, splitting the managerial duties between us. When all the drawers had been counted and the money dropped in the safe, he dismissed the rest of the staff and sat behind his desk to finish up the reports. I perched on the desktop and swung my feet as I watched him work.

David glanced over at me and smiled before returning to his monitor. “Thank god you were behind the counter earlier. Who knows what else Hudson would have said about your outfit if he’d seen those pants?”

I glanced down at the black slinky pants that were so tight they gave me camel toe. They made me feel sexy, and for some reason that made me think of Hudson’s dark expression when he’d first laid eyes on me. The expression I’d since convinced myself was imagined.

“Great. Now you’re telling me I have to throw these out too?”

“Well, just don’t wear them while you’re working.” He stood so he could reach the printer on the corner of the desk behind me. “For the record,” he said as his arm brushed my waist. “I don’t disapprove of this outfit in the slightest.”

I, on the other hand, wanted to burn the whole ensemble. It had caused me nothing but trouble all night—drunk patrons thinking they could touch me and say things to me that they otherwise wouldn’t.

But I’d worn it for David—for the moment when we’d be alone. This was it.

I put on a fake pout. “Too bad your opinion isn’t the one that matters.”

David leaned in close. “My opinion doesn’t matter?”

“Actually,” I said, grabbing his jacket by the lapels, “your opinion matters very much.”

His voice lowered. “Then I think you look sexy as hell.”

He covered his mouth with mine, plunging his tongue deep inside. I wrapped my arms around his neck and darted my own tongue between his lips. The arousal that had been ignited by the heated stare of Hudson Pierce hours earlier had remained just at bay throughout the night. Now it returned full force with David’s kiss.