The Trading Game

Ch. 14

    I just had sex with my boss in the office, in his chair, and on his desk in the middle of the day, during a work week. There are so many reasons why this is a bad idea. I have been scolding myself since it happened. I want...no need to keep work and sex separated. I don't like the idea of them overlapping. That is a recipe for disaster.

    We leave work early to go back to the hotel to shower and change. I am about to head to my room when Alix stops me. I look at him confused.

"That's not your room anymore." He states, and gestures toward his hotel door.

"I'm staying with you?" I ask, a tad shocked.

He nods. "Don't want any repeats of you naked in the halls do we?"

I roll my eyes, "They thought I was getting back from the pool. Until you opened your big mouth and ruined it." I remind him, poking his chest.

"You're lucky it was my brother that time. What if it had been someone else?" He asks, opening the door.

"Then I wouldn't have been so embarrassed." I say, walking into his suite. "So, let me get this right. I no longer have a room because I could potentially embarrass myself again?"

"Correct." He replies.

"You know I'm a pretty smart person who rarely makes the same mistake twice." I tell him, a little offended.

"Its easier this way." He states, going to the refrigerator.

I hesitate, taking in the situation. "I don't know if we should be staying in the same room together. What if you need your time alone? Or what if I'm on my period? You won't even want to be around me those days." I point out, teasingly.

He stops suddenly and looks at me expectantly.

"What?" I question, confused.

"When does your period start?" He questions.

"Soon. Don't worry you'll survive." I wink, playfully.

"When exactly?" He asks, again.

"Anxious, are you?" I reply, amused. I pick up my phone and tell him. "Next Wednesday. Make sure I have a room by then." I answer, coming over to grab a water as well. I open the bottle as I watch him stare blankly at the wall. He looks like he's contemplating another business deal. I can't rush him or he'll start all over again. I wait it out as long as possible...Three seconds ought to do.

"What!" I demand. Needing to know what he's thinking.

He shakes his head, not ready to share with the class. "Nothing."

"Alix, if you're that worried about the sex we'll find so-."

His hand raises and covers my mouth. "Stop. Its not that. I want you to marry me." He states, simply.

I narrow my eyes, he's completely lost his mind. "What did you just say?" I ask, not believing what I just heard.

He nods slowly, lost in his own thoughts. "Married. Lets get married." He repeats, still miles away.

I laugh at him, finding it amusing he's so wrapped up in this ridiculous idea. "That's what you're thinking so hard about? You need to keep mulling that one over. All the pros and cons. You've reached the wrong conclusion there buddy." I state, snapping my fingers in front of his face as he continues to look deep in thought.

"We're getting married." He declares, glancing down at me, bringing his eyes back to focus. He's got his game face on. If he even mentions a trade, I will walk out that door.

"Why?" I question, trying to follow his normally logical thought pattern. He has a reason for this revelation. I'm sure of it, but this makes no sense to me yet. He'll have nothing to gain, not that I can see.

"We haven't been safe every time." He points out, like it should encourage me to want to marry him.

Shocked, I step away from him. "That doesn't mean we get married."

"If there is a bab-"

"I'm still not marrying you." I repeat, cutting him off. Marriage is a big leap after three times of unprotected sex.

Especially, not even knowing if anything has happened as a result. I start thinking back over our time together and breakfast with his family stands out. I remember the words, challenge accepted after he congratulated Braxton on the baby.

"If this was a way to win some type of bet with your brother I'll kill you." I tell him.

"This has nothing to do with my brother." He denies, readily.

"I need an explanation." I say, feeling lost.

"A baby would change things." He states, simply.

"Yes, it would. However, people have babies outside of marriages all the time." I explain, slowly like I'm talking to a child.

"We'll get married. You don't have to work." He states, getting that far away calculating look in his eyes again.

I freeze. "Are you firing me? Is that why you want the new secretary?" I ask, suspiciously.

"No, I want another person. I don't like seeing you so tired and overworked."

"What about you?" I question. "We keep the same hours. I may complain, time to time but I get my work done." I say, defensively.

"I'm used to this pace. I want you to be able to stay in bed if you wanted or take a day off." He explains.

He's never once been concerned about the hours we keep and how hard we work. "Why? Alix, you make no sens-" I pause, knowing exactly what he's doing. "You've actually convinced yourself I'm pregnant." I accuse, laughing. Finally, having figured it out! That's what the face was telling me when I mentioned my period. He was thinking maybe I would've come to the same conclusion as he did.

"You might be." He nods.

I believe I've been about as patient as I can possibly be up to this point. Now, I'm seeing red. "And you don't mention it to me? You just hire another person so your little toy can carry your bastard and not be overworked. Then conveniently enough for you, having a baby in that twisted mind of yours makes me yours. So, you don't have to go out and find a real relationship." I push his chest and storm to the bathroom. Unbelievable. At this point I know Alix is capable of anything.