“Typically, no. I mostly meet women while out and about at social events.”
I nodded.
“Of course, given my current responsibilities, there aren’t as many opportunities as of late.” He lifted his brow. “Any more questions?”
I don’t know what came over me when I asked the next one. But it was the one thing I needed to know.
“Do you want to fuck me, Hollis?”
His eyes went wide. “What kind of a question is that?”
“I didn’t mean now.” A nervous laugh escaped me. “It was…more of a general question. I’m just curious what would happen if circumstances were different.”
“I think that question is irrelevant given that we are in this situation.”
“I’m genuinely curious if you just enjoy flirting with me or if I would be your type.”
“You’re not the type of woman I would want to get involved with—not for a lack of desire, but because you’re…too good for me.”
“How so?”
“You deserve a man who wants to settle down, who wants to give you more than a quick fuck. I’m not that man.”
“Are you attracted to me?”
“You know the answer to that, Elodie.”
“I do?”
“Haven’t my actions made it extremely clear that I find you attractive?”
I didn’t even know where I was going with this conversation anymore. I just wanted to see what he would say. So, I asked, “What if I told you I just wanted to have sex with you, nothing more?”
“Is this still a hypothetical question?”
“Of course. This whole conversation is hypothetical,” I said, not believing my own words.
“Alright… Hypothetically, if you told me you just wanted to have sex and nothing more, I probably wouldn’t believe you based on everything you’ve told me about yourself thus far.”
“You would think I wasn’t being truthful.”
“Yes.”
I uncrossed my legs and leaned in. “Can we stop being hypothetical for a moment?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t want to want you in an inappropriate way, Hollis. You’re my boss, and nothing good could come from crossing the line in our relationship. That wouldn’t be good for Hailey.”
“I totally agree.”
“But that game really got to me. Finding you with that woman…it upset me, made me jealous. I realized the game had gone to my head.”
I needed to stop myself because I was revealing too much.
“I don’t even know the point of this conversation,” I said. “I’m sorry. I’m rambling.”
“You’re good. I don’t mind. I appreciate your honesty. The truth is, I took things way too far with you. It was a game I never should have started, no matter how tempting. I’m sorry if I led you on in any way. It was a mistake. And I take full blame.”
Ouch. Well, that certainly wasn’t the response I’d hoped for.
I was horny and frustrated and had a massive crush on my boss, who’d pretty much just admitted he was playing games with me and had no serious intentions.
I felt like a complete and utter fool. Was I secretly holding out hope that I could change him? Or was I just so attracted to him that I didn’t care about anything other than getting to have him?
Hollis had been playing a game with me. And I’d used it as evidence that things might have been moving between us, when it was always only a game. It was clearer now where we really stood.
I lifted myself off the chair. “I think I’m going to hit the sack. I’m starting to feel tired all of a sudden.”
He stood up from the bed. “Okay. I’ll probably follow suit.”
“Goodnight.”
He lifted his hand. “’Night.”
Ugh.
Totally awkward.
Back in bed, I tossed and turned, feeling like crap and wishing I’d never broached the subject. He’d completely crushed my hope for anything between us.***The next day, a glass partition separated Hailey from her father. Hollis and I gave her space as she sat across from his brother. Stephen looked like a gaunt version of Hollis. Even though they were half-brothers, I could definitely see a resemblance.
He and Hailey were just wrapping up their visit when I heard him say to her, “Put your hand against the glass.”
She did as he said. “I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you, too, Hailey. Thank you so much for coming all this way. I promise when I get out of this place, you’re gonna have a whole new dad. I’ll never let you down again.”
Given his history, something told me that promise needed to be taken with a grain of salt.
“Okay,” she said.
She stood up from the seat and walked over to me. I gave her a hug. I was so proud of her for being brave and wanting to come here.
Hollis went over to his brother, and they spoke privately for a few minutes while Hailey and I waited.
As we exited the prison, it was evident something was bothering her.
We were almost to the car when I stopped. “What’s wrong, Hailey?”
“I’m just thinking about something my dad said to me.”