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“We need to answer that,” I squeaked, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Right.” He cleared his throat, and even though I avoided to make eye contact with him, I knew he was staring at me as he walked over to the phone and picked it up.
“Hello. Yes, we’re okay. You okay, Tarek? Right. How strong?” He paused, and I found the courage to take my eyes off my shoes and seek his. Yup, he was staring right at me. “That’s it? Felt stronger. Right. Okay. Thank you. Yes, please, if everything is okay, to the penthouse. Thank you again,” he ordered and hung up. “That was Tarek. It was a six point one on the Richter. Building is secure and safe.”
“Good,” I muttered softly, licking my lips.
I hated how stupid I felt. He might have wanted me, but he that didn’t mean he had wanted to kiss me. I might not have been the most experienced, but I knew better than to play games. I’d seen my friends do it. It had never been my thing. I wasn’t like my sisters Fernanda or Gemma, who knew the art of seduction fluently like a second language.
I was awkward.
I opened my mouth to say something, anything, when the elevator jerked and started to move to the top floor. I shut it and leaned as far away from Mr. Stark as possible.
Space was good.
Space would help me not do something stupid, like beg him to go through whatever he wanted to do to me.He’s probably over it by now,a voice of doubt whispered through me.
Maybe he’d wanted me because we’d been stuck in the small elevator?
He’d been scared for his life and wanted to screw one more time?
The doors opened, and my mind blanked. I turned to my left to look at him, and when our eyes met, he nodded for me to go first. Something in my belly felt heavy. Every single nerve ending was still awake and alive bouncing about with desperate need for more.
But I couldn’t beg my boss to fuck me, right?
I walked through the elevator doors that led directly into the penthouse. Every time I stepped into the place, I smiled. I would have never imagined a penthouse apartment to feel homey, but Aiden Stark had done an incredible job to give that to his girls.
“Would you like to call your family? Make sure they’re okay?
“Right.” I shook my head.
My sisters. My mom. The earthquake.
The heavy arousal I had been feeling dissipated as worry hit my gut.
“Use the house phone. I’ll call the girls on my cell.” He handed me the cordless landline phone, and I nodded. I’d never been more thankful to my mom for making us memorize one another’s cell numbers.
“Mom?” I called out the moment she answered.
“Oh, Ari! Gracias a dios! Thank god. Are you okay?”
“I’m good.”
“Thank goodness. I just saw the news of a Metrolink train and—" She hesitated. “Wait, where are you?”
“I’m okay. I’m still at work. I got to the station and went to call you but realized I forgot my phone. I came back to work to get it.”
“Thank goodness for small miracles, mami. You’re okay? For reals?”
“I am. I promise. You?”
“I’m good. Your sisters are all okay, too, so don’t worry.”
“Good. I’m glad.” I peeked to look over at my boss, who was currently looking right at me. I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination, wishful thinking, but his eyes turned darker as they locked into mine. Hungry almost.
“Aria? Did you hear me?”
“I’m sorry, what did you say, Mom?”
