“Thank God for that,” I mumbled.
Turning on the television, Jason sat there with a smile on his face. I hated that he enjoyed tormenting me. What I really wanted to do was beat the shit out of him, but the last thing I needed was for him to know he could get under my skin. Instead of continuing the conversation, I started for my bedroom and slammed the door shut. I kicked off my high heels and peeled off the skin tight dress. I hated wearing dresses and I abhorred wearing a lot of makeup. Give me a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and I’d be happy.
After scrubbing the shit off my face, I hopped in the shower and sighed. My muscles were tense and loosened once the hot water ran over my skin. I don’t know how long I stayed in there, but my fingers were shriveled prunes by the time I got out. There was no sound coming from the living room, so I dressed in a pair of pajama pants and a T-shirt before quietly opening my bedroom door. Once I saw the room was dark, I tiptoed to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.
“You look different.”
Gasping, I grabbed my chest and turned around. Jason flipped on the lights and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl. “You scared the shit out of me,” I hissed, reaching for a bottle of water and slamming the refrigerator closed.
“Sorry, I heard your footsteps.”
“No, you didn’t. You were being a creeper. There’s no way in hell you heard me.”
Chuckling, he sat down and patted the stool beside his. “You’re right, I didn’t. I couldn’t sleep.”
Now that my heart stopped racing, I sat down and watched him take a bite of his apple. “So I look different, huh? Good or bad?”
He chewed his apple, smiling wide. “Good. You’re much prettier without all that shit on your face.” Lifting his finger, he traced it over my cheeks. “Your freckles are cute.”
“Cute?” I scoffed, slapping his hand away. “Do you have any idea how many times I hear that crap? It’s annoying and makes me feel like a child.”
“Believe me, you don’t look like one. I wouldn’t be wasting my time on you if you did.”
“You’re already wasting your time. The only action you’re getting from me is a job well done. That’s it.”
He took another bite of his apple, smiling. “I’ll take any job you’re willing to give me. It’s better than nothing.”
The man was insufferable. “I take it you don’t have a girlfriend waiting on you back home.”
Tossing the rest of his apple into the trash, he wiped his hands on his shorts. “Nope. I’m too busy to date.”
I understood that all too well. “Tell me about it. When I’m not away on missions, I help my uncle and his partner with their bed and breakfast. It’s nice to get that time away with the stuff we do.”
“Escape from what?” he asked, moving to the couch.
I followed him into the living room and sat in the chair across from him. “Do you even care to know?”
His smile faded. “You won the deal and I promised I’d get off your case about leaving. I never said I’d stop fucking with you. It’s who I am and what I do. You just have to get over it. On the other hand, you’re basically my partner. Your wellbeing depends on me and vice versa. I think it’s time we establish some trust. I may joke about your hot *, but that doesn’t mean I’m trying to get in it.”
I blushed at the ease in which he said the word *. “Easier said than done. I’ve put my trust in other agents before and suffered the consequences. I know not to make that same mistake again.”
“What happened?”
“It’s not really something that’s easy for me to talk about.” I leaned over on my elbows and yawned.
He mimicked my movement and stared at me. “I get it. In a way, I think we’ve all been fucked over one way or another.”
“What’s your story?” I asked.