Series: Werewolves of Wall Street Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 66669 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66669 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
He shoves his hands in his pockets and tilts his head. “Odd timing for that pronouncement.” His gaze roves over my bare shoulders. “Considering.”
Considering he just made me come three times. Yeah, I know. Sue me.
“It’s just getting too intense.”
“Too intense,” he echoes hollowly.
“Listen, I like my job,” I tell him. “I’d like to keep it. Is, ah, that possible?”
Annoyance flickers over his face. “Of course it’s possible, Windows.” He stares at me for a moment, revealing nothing of his thoughts, then shoves his feet into his shoes, picks up the tuxedo jacket, and walks out.
Ouch. That…sucked.
“I’m sorry.” I speak the flat words to the shut door. He’s already gone.
I thought I would feel relieved, especially because I still have the job–which I really have come to love. Instead, an unfamiliar anxiety brews in the pit of my stomach.
Like I made a mistake. And I rarely make mistakes. I’m allergic to them.
A moment later, Aubrey throws my door open and launches onto my bed in her Women are fragile like a bomb t-shirt and purple lace panties. “Oh my God! What is wrong with you? I didn’t even know Brick Blackthroat was in our apartment. You could’ve texted or something!”
I fall back on the bed and throw an arm across my face. “I’m sorry! I’m an asshole. Did he see you in your underwear?”
“Well, yeah! Not that I care. It just was a shock. I mean, I thought you were going to walk out of your room and instead it’s this broad-shouldered billionaire asshole in a tux looking like he just ate a lemon.”
“He’s not an asshole.” I’m surprised at the rush of defensiveness that wells up in me at her dig. “And the lemon-face was because I just told him I didn’t want to have sex anymore.”
“That seems like odd timing. Did you say it right after doing it?”
I guess she heard.
Aubrey sits on the bed.
“Yes. He found the timing unusual as well.”
“So what happened?”
“Nothing. I mean, it was just getting to be too much, you know? Him coming over here and asking me to invite him up. He’s not what I thought–he’s really not a dick. I mean, he certainly can be, but not to the people he cares about. Like his sister and niece and nephew and…”
Aubrey’s dark head pops up from the pillow. “And?”
I try to fight back the irrational sensation of panic rising in my chest. “I don’t know!” I throw my hands in the air. “Maybe me!”
Aubrey gives me an exaggerated jaw drop with an extended gasp.
“Stop it.”
“You just broke it off because you’re afraid he cares about you?”
“Well, no. I mean, yes.” I try to organize my thoughts. “No! I broke it off because I care whether he cares, and that’s a real problem.”
“You know…there are no guarantees in love.” Aubrey props her cheek on her hand.
“Please don’t.”
She laughs. “I’m just saying. You’re trying so hard to protect yourself, but is it worth it?”
“There was no love! This was my winter fling, remember? And now it’s over.”
“Okay, that’s legit. So did you quit the job, too?”
“No, he said I can keep the job.”
“Well, of course. He’d better say that, or he’d have a lawsuit on his hands. You can’t require a woman to have sex to keep a job. Which I know you know.”
“Right.” I throw off the sense that I made a mistake along with the covers and climb out of bed, grabbing a shirt to pull over my head, so Aubrey doesn’t have to look at me stark naked. “So it’s all good. I had some great boss sex and now I’m taking a break. End of story.”
“And you could probably always hit that again anytime you wanted to. You know, just for sex-sake. Sex-sake…” she repeats. “I just made up a new word.” She grins at me, and a bit of my dark mood lifts.
Not at the prospect of renewing things with Brick. That would be a bad idea. But it’s nice to know I could choose it if I really wanted to. That it’s still an option. Because Aubrey’s right. It’s not like I just broke Brick’s heart. He didn’t even argue with me–he knew it had to end at some point, too. This was just about sex. Things were getting out of that realm, so we needed to take a break. Once the distance has built back up between us, maybe we can indulge again. Not often–just once in a while.
My heart picks up speed at the idea of it not being completely over–further sign that I really am in too deep and can’t manage what we had.
I need to take a breather. Maybe date some other men. Remind myself that Brick is not the kind of guy you dream about keeping.
Not even close.
Chapter Twelve
Brick
Bloody prints mar the snowpack all around the Berkshire cottage. I’ve run until my paws bled for the last two days trying to keep my wolf at bay. He wants blood although it’s unclear who I should attack.