Asher抯 eyebrows are close to his hairline. 揌oly fuck. What the hell happened? I抳e never seen you so pissed.?
揓ust some bullshit with my dad,?I half-answer. 揊orget it.?
揃ullshit about what??
I shake my head.
揝o卙ow was your trip??
揋reat.?
揜eally??He drawls the question in a disbelieving tone.
揧ep.?I log into my computer and start sorting through the stack of papers Celeste left on my desk.
揥hat about things with Scarlett??
I force myself to keep sorting through the papers. 揋ood.?
The second 揜eally??sounds even more dubious than the first.
There抯 a knock on the door of my office. 揅ome in,?I call out.
It opens to reveal Isabel. I抦 not surprised to see her; I half-expected she would be waiting in my office next to Asher.
揌i, Crew.?
揗orning, Isabel.?
揥elcome back. You have a nice trip??
揑t was fine.?
揑 thought it was great??Asher interjects. I shoot him a glare, and he wisely shuts up.
揑f you have some time this morning, I thought I抎 catch you up on where the projects stand.?
揑抦 free until ten. Take a seat.?I nod toward the open chair next to Asher.
揋uess that抯 my cue.?Asher stands and buttons his suit jacket. 揋reat to have you back, buddy.?
I grunt a response as I grab a fresh sheet of paper to take notes on.
The four changes to a five. Quarter to eight, instead of 7:44. I抳e spent all day debating whether to honor the promise I made to Scarlett this morning梩hat I抎 be home by eight. It was an easy one to, especially since she usually works later than I do. I was happy to; wanted to. But a big, petty part of me now wants to show her that I can be indifferent too.
I can put other things first.
Except I can抰， apparently, because I抦 standing and grabbing my briefcase and heading for the elevators. All day, I抳e battled the urge to confront her. To show up at Haute抯 offices and demand answers. But I didn抰。 And now that the chance to get answers about the photos in my briefcase is approaching, I don抰 know if I really want them.
The drive to the penthouse takes thirteen minutes. I step out of the elevator at 7:58. There抯 commotion in the kitchen, so I head there first. Phillipe is standing in front of the stove, manning three pans at once. 揋ood evening, Mr. Kensington.?
揈vening, Phillipe. Is Scarlett home??
揑 don抰 believe so.?
I glance at the clock. 7:59. 揙kay. I抣l wait until she gets home to eat.?
揑抣l make sure everything is ready.?
揟hank you.?
I head upstairs. I抳e slept in Scarlett抯 room for the two nights we抳e been back, so I go there first. My only detour is to the library to pour myself a drink.
There抯 a loveseat in the corner of her bedroom. I drop my briefcase next to the closet, strip off my suit jacket, loosen my tie, and take a seat. Most of the far wall is glass. The skyline of Manhattan twinkles in the distance, the outlines of buildings lit up like Christmas trees.
I sit and swirl whiskey and stew as minutes tick by.
Scarlett appears in the doorway at 8:47. When she sees me, she smiles. I savor the sight for a second.
揧ou抮e late.?
She kicks her heels off and drops her phone on the dresser. Sighs. 揑 know.?
I watch the whiskey paint the inside of the glass before it drips down. 揥e agreed on eight, Scarlett.?
揑 know,?she repeats. 揑抦 sorry, okay? I抳e been gone for a week and a lot has piled up. It had to get done tonight.?
I learn it抯 possible to admire and despise someone all at once.
揋et on the bed.?
She studies me, starting to absorb something has shifted. 揑 don抰 take orders.?
My control is dangerously close to snapping. I want to watch this glass shatter against the wall. I want to yell at her, to ask how she manages to keep doing this. Keep reeling me over and over again. I thought Italy was a turning point.
I down the glass, savoring the smoky burn as it sears a path down my throat. I stand. 揋et on the bed, Scarlett.?
Holding my gaze, she reaches behind her dress. I can hear the slide of the zipper as the teeth separate. The fabric pools at her feet, leaving her in a matching set of black lingerie. My dick twitches.
My control snaps. I advance on her like a predator hunting prey. I attack her lips, kissing her with punishing pressure and plenty of nips. She moans as her nails press into the back of my neck, biting down on my lip and sucking it between her teeth. I haul her up against me, moving toward the bed and dropping her unceremoniously on the mattress.
I yank my tie over my head and undo my pants. 揌ands and knees.?
Scarlett hesitates. She knows something is wrong. But she doesn抰 ask, just moves into the position I requested. I yank her lacy underwear down and pull out my cock. I抦 painfully hard, like I always seem to be around her.