Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 88656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
“Um, I’m doing fine. How are you?”
“Great. I was calling to see if you wanted to watch me train in the morning. Or do you prefer to sit in a cubicle?”
“No,” I said quickly. “I don’t prefer to sit in a cubicle. I’d be honored to watch you.”
Honored? Way to geek it up, Jamie.
“Okay. I’ll pick you up at your door at nine in the morning, then. Wear something comfortable. You won’t be going in to the office at all tomorrow.”
I hung up the phone and sat staring straight ahead at the back wall of my cubicle for a good ten minutes. I hadn’t realized how excited I would be to talk to Kage again. It was almost unbearable to think that I’d have to wait all afternoon and all night to see him. And to get to watch him train. That was the most exciting thing of all.
IT SEEMED like nine o’clock in the morning took weeks to roll around. I’d been ready for over an hour when I heard a heavy knock at the door.
Kage was dressed in sweats and a t-shirt, and his shoulder-length hair was freshly washed, still wet and slicked back from his face. He looked enviably handsome as always.
“You ready?” he asked, making no secret of once-overing my attire.
“Ready and willing,” I quipped, then winced inwardly at the suggestiveness of the comment.
“Yeah?” He grinned. “I hope you’re willing to be bored to death, because I’m afraid that’s what’s about to happen.”
“I doubt it. Have you ever worked in a cubicle? I mean, I’m not complaining. I appreciate my job, really I do. But it will be a welcome change to watch you train. That’s all I meant.” I pulled the door closed behind me, and we walked toward the elevator. “I don’t want you to think I don’t appreciate my job. You don’t think that, do you? Sometimes when I’m nervous things come out all wrong.” I pressed the elevator button for the lobby and glanced over at Kage. He was smiling at me. “I’m babbling again, aren’t I?”
“A little,” he admitted. “But it’s okay. I kinda like it. Lets me know I’m getting to you.”
“Well, I’ll keep doing it then. You’re the first person who’s actually given me license to act socially awkward. I have to admit, it’s very freeing.”
After an ironically silent elevator ride, Kage led me through the lobby, down the hall by the Grotto, and through a large door with a keycard lock on it. Then we were in a large gym with all sorts of workout equipment, mirrored walls, and a padded floor.
“Wow, is this all yours, or do the guests get to work out here, too?”
“Just me,” he said. “You can use it when you want, but don’t tell anyone else. It’s private.”
“Of course not. I’d never tell anything you told me not to tell. I signed a paper, remember?”
“A paper?” he asked, his brows coming together in confusion.
“Yeah, the NDA. The non-disclosure agreement my professor and I had to sign so that I could do the internship.”
“Hmmm… I had no idea about that. My uncle does stuff like that. What did it say, if you don’t mind me asking?”
It was my turn to give him a confused look. “Of course I don’t mind. It’s your business. It just said we couldn’t tell anyone I work for you. Like we have to keep your name confidential, and the hotel name, your uncle’s name, and any personal information I might learn… Basically, I can tell people I’m interning for someone in Vegas, but that’s about as far as it goes.”
“So your family doesn’t know you’re working for me?”
“Nope.”
“That’s crazy. I was wondering why you said you couldn’t tell your girlfriend what you were doing. I was like, what the fuck? Why would someone not be able to tell his girlfriend he got a new job? You care about someone, you don’t keep secrets. At least that’s how I feel about it.”
“Yeah,” I said awkwardly, wishing like hell he wouldn’t bring up the girlfriend I’d lied about.
He cocked his head to the side and bit his lip. “What if I tell people you’re working for me? Is that permitted?”
I thought about it for a second. “I don’t see why not. You didn’t sign anything, did you? I mean, the whole NDA is a safety measure to protect you, so that I don’t tell private things you don’t want me to. If you tell your own business, it’s not private anymore, right?”
“You want me to tell your girlfriend you’re working for me? We could call her right now, and I’ll tell her myself.”
Would he stop already with the girlfriend?
“Um… that’s not necessary. But thanks.” I tried to smile.
“How about your family? They should know where you are. Your mom is probably worried sick.”