AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It bugs me dealing with guests like him, particularly older rich men. Not only because of the rudeness and all that, which is annoying on its own. But with the misogyny on top of it. It just makes the whole situation ten times worse.”
“He’ll go the extra mile now, tipping the staff generously, as a way to make amends for the embarrassment he caused. You’ll see.”
“Tipping his way out of trouble, classic move.”
“I know, right?”
I can still picture the way he turned his back on her, and it seriously infuriated me. It took all my willpower not to grab the man by the collar and literally shake some sense into him. I’ve worked with plenty of women over the years, some in very high positions within their companies. I never got the whole male supremacy bullshit that other guys in my position spew. I’ve met plenty of tough women who are more than capable of holding their own. I’ve known Jess long enough now to know that she’s one of these women and seeing her disrespected like that was unacceptable. There was no way I could let it go.
“I can’t even imagine having to deal with that bullshit on top of everything else you’re doing,” I say. “You have a hell of a lot more patience than I do, baby. That dude had some serious nerve, talking to you like that, and you still smiled at him and treated him with a hell of a lot more respect than he was giving you.”
“You wanna know a secret?” she asks.
“Sure.”
“I learned a long time ago from my mom that people like that, you know, folks who are rude and pissy about getting their way, cannot handle being met with someone who keeps smiling and gives zero concerns about their attitude. They’re fishing for a reaction, hoping to escalate things so they can exploit the situation, and when you don’t give them one, they have no idea how to handle it, and it gets under their skin.”
The idea that her cheerfulness is being used as a weapon breaks me, and I start laughing. Amazing. Simply amazing. I know exactly the type of people she’s talking about, and I can see how having this bright, bubbly, smiling person in front of you can be disarming. Hell, didn’t it work on me right from the get-go?
I always knew Jess was bright, but I never fully, fully grasped just how clever she can be.
“That’s actually a little diabolical,” I tell her.
“Coming from you,” she beams, “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Good because it was meant as one.”
Her eyes dance, and I pull her in close. Her lips find mine, and we settle into a chill make-out session, my arms tight around her.
It doesn’t even occur to me that I should go home or not spend the night. She seems to be settling in for sleep, and I don’t feel like she’s expecting me to leave, so why not stay? What harm could it do? I’m too warm and comfortable. Besides, if I leave, I can’t nip at her skin and make her moan.
Eventually, our kisses slow to gentle pecks, then fade away altogether as we nestle into each other for sleep. It’s not too long before her breathing evens out and she’s out cold. I lie there for a time, feeling her body cuddled up against mine, watching her with affection blooming in my chest. The feelings are a little daunting, and yet, unsurprising. I’m too tired and relaxed to decipher them at this moment.
Instead, I adjust the blankets around us, slip my arm back around her waist, and let her rest against my chest. She nestles closer into me, and I drift off to sleep.
22
SEAN
The next morning I’m woken by a strange sound. First, I think it’s Jess’s phone, and I gently shake her awake. “Jess, your alarm.”
She giggles, and I feel her warmth roll away from me. “It’s not my alarm, it’s Pippin.”
Frowning, I crack my eye open to look at her in confusion. “Pippin?”
“My bird.”
Right. The little yellow fella she had on her shoulder when she told me off.
Jess leaves the bed, and I glance over at the clock on her nightstand to see what time it really is. A quarter to six a.m. It’s early, even earlier than I normally get up to do my exercises. I was hoping to sleep in a little, considering the workout I got last night was more than enough to make up for it. Now that I’m a little bit more coherent, I can tell what I thought was an alarm definitely is a bird singing or screeching. I don’t know. I’m not familiar enough with birds to tell the difference.
Whatever Jess does stops the noise, and I relax against the pillows while I wait for her to return. She does, carrying one of the food containers from last night.
“Sushi for breakfast?” I ask, raising my brow.
Her mouth is filled with one of the rolls, and she shrugs as she climbs back into bed. “Hey, why not? I’m starving. We didn’t actually eat last night.”
“I did.”
