Page 49 of One Bossy Date
19
ZOE
The move went down without hassle, to my utter relief, with a wild but well-managed hello from the dogs. Anders’s driver fetched me at the store and carried my two stuffed suitcases for me while I handled my smaller toiletry bag and laptop bag. My life, in small packages. It should’ve felt sad, but it felt almost freeing. As though I could go wherever I wanted to, at a moment’s notice. Just like now.
When I arrived, Anders frowned at my bags.
“That’s all?”
“Yep!” I’d arrived in a huff, but now we stood alone, and my infamous nerves pushed their way up my throat. The last time we’d seen each other had been when we’d kissed. It hadn’t been discussed, and it wasn’t necessary to do so—since it wasn’t a “kiss.” It was a“kissdeal.” I’d paid my dues, and we were back to being friendly professionals.
“Your bedroom is through here.” Anders walked to a passageway with a few doors leading off it, and opened the door to the left. “You got your own bathroom and tons of closet space.”
“Thanks,” I said, smiling genuinely while I surveyed the room. I tried to hide my glee, but it was difficult. This room alone was bigger than my store.
“If there’s anything you need, please just shout.”
I dropped my bags on the bed and shifted to face him. “Thank you, Anders. Really. This is wonderful.”
“Good.” He nodded and watched me for a second, before deciding he’d done his part, and closed the door gently as he left.
Immediately, I looked around again.
The room was tastefully decorated, no doubt by a professional interior designer. It had a gray palette—just like the rest of the penthouse—but with splashes of a calming green color. There was the most beautiful fabric wall-hanging positioned above the bed, with a stitched portrayal of a forest scape. The green appeared again on scattered cushions, and a throw blanket across a gray armchair in the corner of the room.
The bathroom was a mixture of gray tiles and black fixtures, with a large shower and, most importantly, a massive corner tub with massaging water jets and candles surrounding it.Holy crap. How did I get so lucky?I couldn’t remember when I’d last bathed—in a tub—not to mention soaked in such afantastictub. I stepped back into the bedroom and twirled around with my arms out.
This waseverything. Thank you, Universe!
* * *
By the time I’d unpacked all my clothing and personal possessions—books, laptop, and my personal cute stationery—I decided I needed that soak. Everything was in its place, and I felt a major sense of satisfaction knowing that this was now my room. It seemed cozy, soothing, and I wanted to lie on that massive king-sized bed with the “fluffy as fluffy goes” covers, but I felt dirty and sticky from my labor.
I stripped off my jeans and T-shirt and wrapped one of the fresh, green towels I’d found in the bathroom cupboards around my body. The towel was luxury heaven, so soft and thick. I also found long matches in the bathroom drawer and lit a few of the sweet-scented candles. They were hand-poured blends of essential oils and crystals. Soon, a wonderful and soothing caramel and orange scent filled the room. It was a breath of heaven. When I was ready, I leaned over and pulled the faucet open.
To my fantastic dismay, the thing came off!What?
Oh, no! Oh, no!
I stood with the handle in my hand and screamed as water spewed from the jets, gushing in every direction around the room!Shitshitshit.I searched everywhere for the button that switched the jets off—it had to be around the tub somewhere? There was hot water streaming against my face, onto my body, and soaking the towel around me while I slipped around in the tub, looking for the damn button.
I abandoned my attempts and rushed out to the bedroom door, unlocked it, and poked my head out.
“Anders!” I called, and he was there in a second. “Quick!” I think he’d heard the commotion and was already on his way over.
“What happened?” he asked, composed as hell as always.
“The tub! The handle came off, and now I can’t get the water to stop!”
“Oh, shit,” he said when he entered the bathroom.
He scanned the situation before he leapt into the tub, found the button I’d been searching for on the other side, and pressed it. It didn’t work. The jets kept spewing water into his face and across his chest. I stood, staring, almost disbelieving. How the heck had I managed to get Anders into my room, into my bathroom, and soaking wet—again? I hadn’t even spent one night here yet, and the imaginary boundary lines were already getting blurry.
The whole scene was just too surreal to describe.
And he looked so hot…
And my nipples started to feel tight under my wet towel.