Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

Annalee

Shit! I knew even before I fully woke up from the best sleep of my life that I was no longer hugging the edge of the bed. Not unless the soft mattress I fell asleep on suddenly became rock hard and had transformed from linen sheets to cotton.

And I didn't even have the pleasure of pretending I was only a little close and could maybe shimmy back enough to put some space between us.

Nope, my traitorous body was wrapped around him. I mean full-body contact from the tip of my head all the way down to my toes. I don't think there was a single part of me that wasn't touching him.

Oh, and he was awake. I'm not sure how I knew that considering he wasn't touching me back but he was definitely awake.

Fuck, he wasn't touching me back!

That meant he wasn't happy that I invaded his space and he was probably trying to figure out a way to slide out from under me without waking me up.

Too bad I was already awake and would carry the shame of what I did for eternity.

In a moment of panic, I hiked my knee up. I have no idea why my leg went in that direction but it did, causing me to crush Owen's balls in the process.

"Fuck, I'm sorry!"

Then several things happened at the same time.

Owen groaned and not the good kind either. I lifted my head to apologize for the second time but managed to ram my head into his jaw instead.

So now my head hurt. Owen was cupping his chin with one hand and his balls with the other. I was tangled up in the blankets and trying desperately to free myself, but as one might guess, I wasn't being successful.

The whole thing would be funny if I was reading it in a rom-com, but because it was happening to me, there was nothing funny about how my flailing body was twisted up in sheets that may or may not have a mind of their own.

"If I try to help you, am I in further danger of being assaulted?" The question was laced with amusement and I wasn't sure if it made me feel better that Owen could find the humor in our current situation, or if I wanted to strangle him for making fun of me.

"Please get me out of here so I can die of mortification somewhere else."

The second I was free, I darted straight for the bathroom. I didn't bother to look at Owen or let him say another word. I needed a few minutes to myself. Maybe to climb out the window and hitchhike my way back to Baton Rouge or to shower and devise a plan to find somewhere else to sleep tonight.

The first option was out of the question. Even if I didn't want to return to Baton Rouge, I had seen way too many crime documentaries to ever get in the car with a stranger. An Uber didn't count since those people were vetted. At least I hoped so. Now that I thought about it, maybe they weren't and this entire time I had been risking my life.

Now is not the time to be thinking about this.

I turned the shower on as hot as it would go and then stripped out of my clothes. Somehow just the thought of being hidden behind the shower curtain made me feel a smidge better.

It wasn't because my stupid ass forgot to lock the bathroom door. Of course I did because that was just how my morning was going. And there was no way I would be able to enjoy the shower I so desperately needed if I didn't hop out and lock it.

So that’s what I did.

And guess what I got in return for my efforts?

I slipped on the tile floor because why would a man have a rug in front of his shower? I went down hard enough that I knew Owen heard me. I didn't need to hear him calling my name to be sure.

When he barged through the door a second later, I was still on the floor. Completely exposed. Just airing my tits and cooch for the whole world to see.

Not really. Only for Owen's eyes but it felt like the whole world given how mortified I was.

"Are you okay?"

I had to give him credit. He was trying not to look. He was doing a shitty job of it but I could see his eyes darting away before coming back to me.

"Who the hell doesn't have a rug outside their shower?"

Yup, that’s what I was going with.

"I always dry off in the shower."

Well, wasn't that hunky dory for him. It didn't help me though.

"What were you trying to do?"

I dropped my head down onto the ground only to remember when it hit tile that there was nothing below me to cushion it. Now my head hurt all over again.

"I forgot to lock the bathroom door. I didn't want you accidentally barging in and seeing me naked."

"A little late for that."

If I could have mustered the energy, I would have picked my head back up and glared at his obvious statement but I didn't have it in me. I just wanted to be left alone.

"Do you think you can lock the door on your way out?"

"Would you like help up first?"

Ha! I didn't need to be a fortune teller to know that wouldn't be a good idea. I knew exactly how his body felt and if he touched me right now, I would be tempted to explore. That was a horrible plan for a whole bunch of reasons.

"Nope, I'm good. Just lock the door and I'll be fine."

I didn't watch Owen leave. I did however look to make sure the door was locked after I heard it click shut.

It was, thank goodness. Now if only I could get off my ass and get back into the hot water that I was enjoying before my brain decided a locked door was best.

Note to future self: lock doors before doing anything else.

Granted I wouldn't be staying here for another night. Eight hours was enough for me to know this was a bad idea. Kneeing Owen in the balls and falling naked on the floor withstanding, there was nothing about this situation that would end well.

Owen was attractive, and considering we would hopefully be working together soon, it was better if I pushed that attraction to the back of my mind. The way, way back. Preferably behind a locked door and down a dark well.

I snickered at the thought. There I went with the locked doors again.

I finally rolled onto my knees and pushed myself off the floor. I was going to have a few bruises from that fall. And it was probably a good idea not to hit my head again for a while. I had a hard one but I was really putting it through the wringer today.

My time in the shower was certainly longer than necessary. I blamed it on the fact that I wasn't ready to face Owen yet even though my stomach was reminding me I needed to eat.

Unlike some other people, I usually ate as soon as I woke up. Going this long without eating after opening my eyes was wreaking havoc on my body. My stomach was pissed that my normal routine was thrown out the window by a handsome silver fox with a sexy dimple.

I smacked the shower tap down and gave myself a mental pep talk.

You can do this. So what if you kneed him in the balls and he got a good look at your tits and vagina? He has probably seen tons of them in his life and yours is nothing special.

Worst pep talk ever, but it would have to do.

I looked around the bathroom and mentally slapped myself upside the head. Not only did I forget to lock the door when I first came in but I never thought to ask about a towel. One was hanging up, but from the looks of it, it was used.

Shaking my legs off like a dog, I tried to get as much water off my body before carefully stepping out of the shower. Thankfully I didn't fall on my ass for the second time today. The door was locked and how embarrassing would it have been if Owen had to break down the door to get me.

No, thank you.

I managed to find clean towels in the small linen closet next to the toilet. It was an obvious place to look and thankfully Owen was an obvious kind of guy. I wasn't ready to face him yet.

I took my time drying every inch of my body. I found lotion in the cabinet above the sink and moisturized myself to within an inch of my life. I even brushed my teeth even though I had yet to eat. When it was clear I couldn't stall any longer, I pulled clothes out of the bag I forgot to take out of the bathroom last night.

Small favors.

I had no idea what Owen planned for the day but my choice in clothing was limited to a pair of jean shorts, dress pants, or ratty sweats I’d owned for over fifteen years. I chose the shorts and paired it with my favorite band tee. I instantly felt marginally better and like I could take on the world.

Okay, maybe not the world but certainly Owen.

He wasn't in the bedroom when I walked out but the smell of bacon caught my attention. With my nose in the air like a damn bloodhound, I went in search of the kitchen.

There he stood in the same basketball shorts and shirt he slept in. The shorts hung just off his hips. The t-shirt clung to his muscles like they were a lifeline. It was annoying how good he looked.

Oh, and apparently he knew how to cook because the sizzling bacon was exactly the right crispiness and the pancakes he was flipping on the griddle were both golden and fluffy.

Damn Owen for being near perfect.

He greeted me with, "I hope you're hungry. I made enough to feed a dozen people."

"I am. I'm used to eating before I do anything else." I settled on the stool across from the stove. Everything was laid out buffet-style and he even had time to put out a place setting for me.

"I'll remember that in the future. Dig in. I've been eating while I cook."

I hadn't wanted to be rude, but now that he gave me the go-ahead, I dived in. One thing about me, I wasn't shy when it came to food. Some women hated to eat in front of men. I didn't have the same qualms. I ordered what I liked at restaurants and said to hell with what others thought. Food was meant to be enjoyed, not picked at.

The second the fluffy pancake and maple syrup hit my tongue, I was in heaven. With eyes closed, I moaned my delight. Owen wasn't just a good cook, he was fantastic. I mean sure it was hard to screw up pancakes, but I've known people who could. These were good enough to give me a lady boner.

I could feel Owen's gaze on me. I popped one eye open and immediately wished I hadn't. Owen wasn't just looking at me or watching me eat.

No, he was devouring me with his eyes. The hunger and heat pouring off him in waves was practically a physical essence that if I was brave enough, I could reach out and touch. That was how intensely he was staring at me.

Casting my eyes back down on my food, I did my best to ignore him. I might be attracted to Owen but that was as far as things could go.

I managed to finish my first pancake before I got the nerve to speak. "What is the plan for today?"

Hot damn, I actually sounded normal. Score one for me.

"I'm taking you to the office to meet Maverick. He wants to show you what you will be doing as a receptionist."

The piece of bacon I’d just bit off got lodged in my throat.

This was how it all ended. Coughing and sputtering over crispy pig fat.

My favorite food was about to be the reason my life was over. My mother always warned me bacon would kill me one day. She was referring to my arteries but obviously the universe had other ideas.

A glass of orange juice appeared in my watery vision and I chugged that shit like it was the first drink I had in days.

"Thank you," I finally managed to wheeze.

The coughs were now few and far between. My face was red but that might have more to do with embarrassment than actual choking.

When I felt as if I could speak again without sounding like a frog, I asked, "Didn't we miss a step or two? What happened to interviewing for the job?"

I was pleased they were willing to hire me just based on my résumé but how did they know I would be a good fit?

"We made the decision after I spoke to you on the phone. The interview was just a formality but we’d already decided you were family and we protect our family. That's why when you didn't show, I came out to check on things."

I didn't know what to say to that. There was nothing to say actually. Never had I been so easily accepted and now I was afraid to be anything less than what they wanted in an employee.

"I need to go change," I said, jumping off the stool. "I can't wear this to work!"

"Annalee?" I skidded to a stop and turned around at Owen's firm use of my name. "You look perfect just as you are. No one cares what you wear. Give me five minutes to shower and we can get going. Unlike you, I don’t need to hide away in someone else’s bathroom all morning." Owen winked as embarrassment flooded my cheeks.

I stood there in the hallway frozen. I wasn't sure if it was what Owen said or how he said it but my feet refused to move. They wouldn't listen to my commands, and when he came back out a few minutes later, I was still stuck in the same spot.

"Come on, let's get going."

My traitorous body listened to him and it was in that moment I knew I was in way over my head.