Chrissy tried to keep the hurt tone out of her voice, but that proved impossible. Yeah, she didn’t like the job, but Pearson had had her sign a one-year contract, so it wasn’t as if she could walk away. She kept telling herself it was just for a year, but one month had passed and it felt like she’d worked with Pearson a year already.
“That’s not what I mean, Chrissy. I can handle a week or whatever here, but I’m worried about you.”
“I appreciate it, I do, Jessica. But only eleven months left and I’m out of here. I can last a year. Not a problem.”
Chrissy put a halt to the conversation by dragging Jessica toward the food. Per usual, the fare looked more like art than anything edible, and with a few pieces put onto a couple of plates, they stood watching the crowd. Chrissy looked for Mr. Pearson but didn’t see him, which was entirely unusual. He rarely strayed out of her sight.
From the corner of her eye Chrissy had seen an unfamiliar man approaching, but hadn’t imagined he’d actually come toward her.
“Are the appetizers good?” He grinned so brightly at Jessica his teeth seemed to almost sparkle in the chandelier’s dim light. He seemed to fit the tall, dark, and handsome role well, though in company like this he seemed underwhelming in his fitted tux that sported no ribbons or medals of office. He was probably an attaché to some ambassador, here to attend to his boss’ needs.
Jessica smiled back. “If you like tiny pieces of food warmed too long.”
“Alexei Kovel, at your service.”
“Hello, Alexei Kovel, at your service. I’m Jessica.”
“Pleased to meet you, Jessica. That is a lovely dress you are wearing.”
“Thank you,” she said, giving him a coy smile.
Oh boy, thought Chrissy. “And I’m Chrissy, Jessica’s boss.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Alexei greeted, with less enthusiasm. “I hope I’m not distracting Jessica from her duties.”
Chrissy didn’t like the smarmy way he talked to her. Something about his bearing, about the way he held himself, said he was trouble—despite the tux he wore.
“Not yet,” Chrissy said. “We’re waiting for our employer, who’s busy mingling.”
Alexei gave a little bow. “Perhaps later we can get a drink together.”
“I’d like that,” Jessica said.
Alexei walked away, and Jessica bumped her shoulder.
“Why did you do that?” she asked.
“I got a bad vibe from him,” Chrissy replied.
“You and your vibes,” she snorted.
They stood waiting for James Pearson, and it didn’t take long for him to summon them. Chrissy didn’t have time to think about Alexei or his bad vibes for the rest of the evening. And the next day, when she got on the plane to go home, she’d forgotten all about him.
CHAPTER SIX
She’s coming home soon for a week.
Ever since he’d run into Gloria, the thought hadn’t left his mind. Yet Chrissy had made herself crystal clear when she’d gotten onto that plane. They were done.
They’d had a brief and glorious affair he'd remember well into his twilight years. That was a lovely thought. He would sit on the veranda of an old folks home, waiting for the Grim Reaper to deliver him from the flesh as he pined for Chrissy.
He lay on his bed in his tiny apartment in the back nine of the Hades Spawn clubhouse. It made sense to live there. He didn’t have to drive to work since the club occupied the back lot of Central Valley Bi
ke Repair’s lands. A half-dozen steps brought him to the back door of the shop, and on top of that the entire property was fenced and wired with a monitored security system. He was safer there than most places, which was why he’d accepted Luke's generous offer to stay in one of the clubhouse’s micro-apartments.
But thoughts of Chrissy did to him tonight what they always did. They filled his head with visions of her, and they left his cock greedy with desire that refused to leave him alone.
Hell, it had been a while since his cock had stirred, but soon it was a pole stiff as a soldier and needing attention. He couldn’t get her out of his mind, and a single drift of his hand over the bulge of his pants was enough of a push.