Twelve
Earphones in, I’m listening to OneRepublic’s “Wherever I Go.” I get the cleaning products, bucket, and mop, and I hook the vacuum cleaner under my arm. I drag it along the floor, heading toward the gym.
I haven’t seen Kas since I arrived an hour ago, and his office door is closed, so I figure he’s in there.
I really need to clean his office, but I’m not in the mood to be growled at, so I’ll wait until he emerges, and then I’ll set about cleaning in there. But, in the meantime, I’ll give the gym a good going-over.
When I reach the door, my hands are full, so I press down on the handle with the back of my hand and push the door open with my butt. I back into the room, pulling the vacuum through. I put the cleaning stuff down, pivot on the spot, and stall at the sight of Kas and another guy fighting. Well, when I say fighting, I’m guessing they’re sparring.
A large mat is laid out on the gym floor. Kas and the other guy are barefoot, both bare-chested, wearing only shorts. Their hands are wrapped, like fighters. Kas’s hair is tied back with a hair tie. I’ve never seen his hair like this before. It looks good…hot.
He has his back to me, so I can see the defined muscles there along with his broad shoulders. Sweat is trickling down his back.
Holy hell.
I pull the earphones from my ears, riveted.
I should leave. I will leave.
Now would be a good time, as neither of them has noticed me.
Okay, Daisy, grab your stuff and go.
I’m just about to turn away and make my exit when the guy that Kas is sparring with catches my eye and smiles.
He lifts a hand to Kas, stopping him. His eyes come back to me. “Hey,” he says. Smiling again, he gives me a chin lift.
Kas’s head turns so fast that I’m surprised he didn’t break his neck.
The moment his eyes hit me, something that looks an awful lot like panic enters his eyes. But it’s gone quickly, replaced with anger.
Yanking his eyes from me, he walks past his sparring partner—well, more like, he stomps—and heads over to the edge of the mat. He picks up a T-shirt from the floor and yanks it on, his movements rough and jerky.
Then, he turns to me. Pissed off doesn’t even cover the look on his face right now.
I brace myself for a tongue-lashing.
“You need to learn to fucking knock,” he snaps at me.
That takes me back a step.
That’s the first time I’ve ever heard him swear. And I really don’t like that it was directed at me. All I did was walk in a room, for God’s sake.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize anyone was in here.”
“Well, if you’d knocked, then you would’ve.”
My eyes flicker uncomfortably to the other guy in the room, who is surprisingly frowning at Kas.
At least I’m not the only one who thinks he’s acting like a total dickhead right now.
“Point taken. But please don’t swear at me again. I’m your employee, not a dog.”
His hands grip his hips, his face tightening with anger. “I’m fully aware of just exactly who you are. And, just so you know, I would never tell a dog to fuck off. I happen to like dogs.”
He might as well have just belted the backs of my legs.
Arsehole!
Rage and hurt and a hundred other emotions burn through me. And it’s worse because someone else is here to hear him talk to me this way.
My cheeks burn with embarrassment.
I’m about to tell him to go fuck himself and walk out of here when his sparring partner says, “Chill the fuck out, Kas.”
I lift my eyes to see the guy walking toward me, wearing a kind smile on his face.
He stops in front of me. “I’m Jude, a friend of Kas’s.” He puts his hand out for me to shake.
Kas has friends?
I glance down at Jude’s hand and then lift my eyes back to his face.
I’m desperately trying to keep my eyes off his bare chest. He has a really nice chest and arms and…well, he’s the first guy I’ve seen semi-naked in a really long time.
And he’s fit.
Seriously fit.
Ripped to hell with some ink on his bicep that goes over his shoulder. His skin is the color of milk chocolate. His black hair is shaved close. He’s a few inches shorter than Kas. About six foot, I’d say. And he has the most amazingly vivid green eyes, a total contrast to his hair and skin color.
“Daisy.” I take his hand and shake it.
“Oh, you’re Daisy.” Releasing my hand, he glances back at Kas.
Kas frowns at him, giving a slight shake of his head, and Jude laughs.
Um, what?
And he’s heard of me. What the hell is that supposed to mean? And what was the frown and head shake all about?
Jude brings his eyes back to me. “Ignore Kas. He’s just pissed off because I was beating his arse.”
Kas scoffs, causing Jude to grin at me.
He has a really nice smile.
Honestly, if I were butter, I’d melt right now.
“And, here I was, thinking I was the eternal cause of his grumpiness.”
“Nah, don’t take it personally. Kas is just a miserable bastard ninety percent of the time.”
“What about the other ten percent?”
“He’s usually sleeping.”
Jude grins, and I giggle.
“I am still here,” Kas growls as he walks over to us.
Jude winks at me, making me smile again.
“Were you boxing?” I ask Jude as Kas comes to a stop beside him.
“MMA,” Kas answers, forcing my eyes to his. “Mixed—”
“Martial arts,” I finish.