While our way down to San José had been filled with excitement and enthusiasm, the trip back up to Seattle was depressing and quiet. Once the RGF was over, we had walked one last time through the convention, handing out some more business cards, and we had headed back to the hotel to pack our things. In the end, the winning robot was neither mine nor Lex's, despite the both of them going all the way to the finale. Mine had lasted a few minutes longer, so had I secretly decided I had won the bet.
The ride to the airport had been mostly silent, as well as the wait for our flight. Everyone was properly exhausted by the last few day's intensity. Despite my attempts to reassure him, I could sense Lex was tense, almost nervous. Well, the talk we needed to have did concern us, and the future of whatever it was we were doing, but I wasn't questioning our affair, just spreading the knowledge of its existence. In all honesty, I should have worried more about ending things for the sake of my reputation, but I knew what I wanted. And what I wanted was Lex.
I didn't want to stop seeing him, but we still had to set some boundaries to prevent potential drama. It was only about damage control.
During the plane ride back home, I was seated next to a sweet old lady who was knitting a scarf, and while I wasn't certain about the color combination, I couldn't help but appreciate the quality of her work. Watching the repeated gestures and hearing the rhythmic sound of her needles were strangely soothing. This quiet moment alone gave me the time I needed to think about what I would tell Lex.
We would wait for those extra two weeks to determine where we were going with this. Then, depending on the conclusion, we'd disclose our relationship to HQ, and a while after that, if things were getting serious, we would tell others, making it public.
It wasn't such a ludicrous demand. This agreement was sensible, honest, and a good thing for both of us. It was only normal that I'd want to protect my reputation if this wasn't going anywhere, and he probably didn't want to take the risk of becoming the boss who used his position to sleep with an employee.
By the time we landed in Seattle, I had my entire speech ready in my head. I didn't want this to cause an issue, because we couldn't go through a crisis every two days. We exited the airport at a quarter to midnight, spent. It was dark, cold, and raining, and I was already missing the nice weather and the palm trees.
Brian didn't waste time wishing us a good Sunday and hopped into a cab. Mace ordered an Uber, and Steven tagged along with him, living in the same area. Joseph already had his mom waiting for him, so he quickly left too.
"Since we're going in the same direction, do you want to share a cab?" Oliver offered to me. I was so exhausted that it took a second for his words to reach me. It was nice of him to think of me, but I had to talk with Lex. I quickly turned around to glance at our boss who was checking something on his phone, and then back to Oli.
"Thanks, but I'm good. Someone's picking me up."
"At this hour? That's one devoted friend," he joked.
I winced, giving him a contrite smile. "Yes, he is quite invested."
Oliver's amusement faded at once, and he frowned. "Oh... That's him. The guy you're seeing?"
I could sense Lex's presence behind me, and I had no doubt he was listening. Fighting the urge to comfort Oli, I nodded gravely. The hurt in his eye was blatant, but I needed him to understand I wouldn't be with him. We were friends, and as much as I may have wanted us to work something out, I couldn't possibly ever want it anymore.
"All right, then. Enjoy your Sunday. I'll see you on Monday," he concluded, waving awkwardly before heading to the line of cabs. I watched him get into one and waited for the car to disappear after a turn.
"So I'm invested?" Lex said behind me, seeming amused.
"Don't. It's hard enough that I keep hurting his feelings like this. I don't need you to add to it."
Lex recoiled slightly, almost confused. "So I guess everything isn't fine between us," he answered, irritated. He passed a hand through his hair, his whole body tense. "What is it this time? What's the problem?"
I tried not to look appalled but failed. I knew I'd been ridiculously annoying from the beginning of our illicit affair. The whole time, I had been reluctant, hesitant, and had questioned everything. He'd mostly been on board with whatever I asked for, and I could imagine how I would be irked too if he'd been so indecisive.
"I told you we were good. Oli is a touchy topic. I really like him. He's a good friend, and I don't like hurting him."
He raised a skeptical eyebrow at me but didn't comment on my explanation. "Let's get you home," he grumbled, showing me the way to the parking lot.
We walked to his Mercedes in silence, the only sound being my suitcase rolling behind me. We reached his car, and he opened the trunk using the button on the key fob. He dropped his bag in it, and before I could make a move, he took my suitcase and easily settled it in the car.
"Thanks," I mumbled, making my way around the silver sedan. He took place in the driver's seat, and before long we were off.
After a few minutes of awkward silence, I decided it was ridiculous to stay cross over nothing.
"So, about that talk," I started. I wasn't feeling courageous enough to face him for what followed. "Hugh came to me this afternoon. He let me understand he knew about us. And then he tried to poach me by basically making me an overachieving slut for sleeping with you."
As I waited for his answer to come. Instead of it, I heard the raspy sound of his hands fisting the leather of the wheel with a death grip. He was pissed. It hadn't been my intent to anger him, so maybe I should have thought a little more about my wording.
"Next time I see him, I will punch the fucking prick. I should have been more careful when I talked to him yesterday," Lex groaned.
"Why? What did you two talk about?"
"He made some snarky remarks as to why you would be in my room this late. I told him about your app, and how we were presenting it. Which was why you were with me."
"You must have let something slip, given how confident he was about us having an affair."
Lex winced but said nothing. I waited, sensing there was more to the story. "Well, it might be because when he showed an interest in you as a programmer I told him to stay the fuck away from you."
A mix of pride and joy overwhelmed me. Possessiveness wasn't a trait I normally appreciated. It was often unwelcome and caused ridiculous conflicts. I'd never seen it as hot or romantic. It was a neanderthal thing, really, and I shouldn't have liked it. But I couldn't help myself. Knowing Lex had warned Hugh to back off made me feel incredible. It was proof I mattered, and he didn't want me to go away.
I was silent, processing the information, enjoying the feeling of importance Lex's declaration had just brought on me. My lack of response must have made him worry since he spoke again. "Maybe I shouldn't have told him anything, but he's already taken Gregory from Kelex, so I couldn't put it past him to do it again."
"He did offer me double the salary you're paying me now," I confirmed.
"He did? What did you tell him?"
"I accepted, of course. It's double my pay."
I was obviously joking, but Lex didn't seem to get it at first, frowning and gripping the steering wheel even harder. It lasted less than a second, but I caught it. Damn, he really didn't want me to go.
"I told him I was happy where I was," I explained more seriously. "I'm just settling down in Seattle. I would never move so early. And I'm enjoying working at Kelex. The team is awesome."
"Your boss is a bit of a hard-ass, though," he playfully noted, more relaxed. I always enjoyed it when he made fun of himself. Strangely enough, self-depreciation was a turn-on. Actually, everything he did was a turn-on at this point.
"He is, but I'm a sucker for that firm and muscular ass of his," I joked back. He chuckled low, making my skin tingle. No, I couldn't let him distract me. We still needed to talk. "Anyhow, Hugh's a dick, but it occurred to me that many other people would think the same and draw those conclusions. Although they probably wouldn't voice it so rudely."
Lex didn't say anything, my words visibly getting to him. As someone who was always a few steps ahead, had he not thought of that?
"I know we agreed to wait for two more weeks, before deciding anything," I continued, biting my lip anxiously. "But I would like it if we could be discreet. I don't want people to know about us right now. We don't know where this is going, and I'd hate for the guys to look at me differently. It would hurt me if they thought all I've accomplished was because we were having sex, and not because I was worthy of it," I explained, voicing my worries.
"I understand. But it seems ridiculous that people would imagine we'd buy your app for this. No matter how much I wanted you, I would never have pushed for us to invest in it if it hadn't been worth it."
I couldn't think straight when he talked like this. "And how much did you want me exactly?" I asked in a seemingly innocent tone. The corner of his mouth raised in a mischievous smile.
"Woman, you have no idea," he answered, his hand leaving the wheel to squeeze my thigh. It made my head spin with contentment. I could never get over how lucky I was that he would show such interest in me. He was ridiculously smart, attractive, and accomplished. I had no doubt hundreds of women had tried to get his attention, and I was honored to be one of the few who had managed. Even if I'd done it without even trying.
"I imagine you will want to get back downstairs from now on," he asked, suddenly more serious.
"It would be wiser, yes."
"I'll have Aditya move your computer. When do I see you?"
I thought about it for a moment. "Maybe keeping it to the weekends is more prudent."
Lex mumbled in reluctance. "I'm all for planning things, but five days is a long wait. The only way I would agree to this would be if you stayed the entire weekend. From Friday evening to the end of Sunday, and you don't disappear in the middle of the night," he negotiated. He was a little salty, wasn't he? He clearly didn't like my nocturnal escapes.
"I don't think I can survive forty-eight hours with you. And I have plans for most weekends."
"Fair enough. Then we just wing it. We don't have to leave together and arrive together. We can be careful, and no one ever has to know."
I ran the idea through my brain, wondering if we could 'just wing it.' He knew I didn't want others to learn about us, and he'd agreed on it. I didn't see the problem of coming to his place now and then. Tamika knew I was seeing someone, as did Oliver, and barely anyone at work knew anything about his personal life. Yes, I could see it work.
"As long as we make sure no one knows, I'm good with that," I agreed.
We talked a little longer about logistics, and then the rest of the ride was spent in comfortable silence. Sleepiness slowly gained on me, and I looked at the streets passing outside with unfocused eyes. Without even noticing, I drifted into slumber. With Lex's smooth driving, I barely felt the starts, stops, and turns of our way to my place.
I was half-dreaming of some weird Star Wars and Lord of the Rings crossover when Lex gently woke me up. "Andrea, we're here," he told me, his large hand gently squeezing my thigh. I opened my eyes, looking around, disoriented. We were parked a few spots from my building, engine off.
"Oh God, I'm sorry," I apologized. I straightened up and passed my hands on each side of my mouth, worried I'd been drooling like a troll – which often happened when I slept during car rides. "I ask you to take me home and then I fall asleep half the way there."
"It's fine, I don't mind. And you deserve to rest, after today's performance."
"Still, it wasn't very thoughtful."
I studied him for a couple of seconds, and I could see the signs of exhaustion on his face. He was in dire need of a bed, too. I hesitated for a moment. I could invite him in, but Tamika may be still up, and it was out of the question to take any risk of her seeing Lex. There was the fire exit, but still, if Tammy found him in my room, our cover would be blown.
"I can't even offer you to come up for a quick nap," I explained, offering him a wince.
"You're living with Tamika, right?"
"Yes, Oli really did me a huge one when he made that happen. But that means it would be counterproductive with the whole staying under the radar thing if she saw you sneak into my room."
"We probably wouldn't sleep anyway," he noted with one of his wickedly sexy half-smiles. I bit my lower lip to hide how much I liked this prospect.
"Well, that's the perk of living with Tammy. She wouldn't hear us."
Arousal danced in his eyes, and I unlocked my seatbelt, deciding to get a move on before he made me change my mind. I bent to give him a goodnight kiss, and he greedily welcomed it. As always with this man, I rapidly craved more, and what was supposed to be a quick peck on the lips turned into a thorough make-out session.
Time lost its meaning, and I forgot all about being tired. We were both demanding more, needing the contact. I was trying to press myself harder on him, our tongues lasciviously grazing each other, my fingers curled into his messy hair when he pushed me away with a groan. "You should go now before I forget all about Tamika and drag you up to your room," he ordered, his voice throaty.
Despite the temptation his words posed, I nodded, licking my lips with envy. We both exited the car, and he opened the trunk to take my suitcase out of it. The rain had momentarily stopped, and I looked up at his gorgeous face. "I'll see you on Monday," I told him, raising myself on my toes for one last kiss. He bent the rest of the way, and I gave him a smooch we managed to keep short and reasonable.
"Enjoy your Sunday," he said with a warm smile inches from me.
"You too."
With that, I forced myself to leave and walked to my entrance, glimpsing back at him every few steps. He waited, leaning on the side of his car, until I disappeared behind my door.
Damn, I am one lucky girl.
I found Tamika watching a movie in the living room, and after a friendly welcome back hug, I headed to my room. A while later, showered and in my pajamas, my things put away, and ready to sleep, I sent a message to Kate, asking her if she was still up. It was way past midnight now, but I hoped she would be good for a quick chat. I hadn't talked to her in forever.
I didn't even have to explain myself. She called on her own less than a minute after I'd sent her the text, reminding me once more how in sync the two of us were. I picked up while sliding under my covers.
"Hi, babe," I greeted her, excited to hear her voice.
"Hey, Deedee. So, how was the convention?"
"It was great. Hello World was seriously awesome. I saw robots fight to the death today. But I know you're not into nerdy things, and it's not what I wanted to talk to you about this late."
"Oh? What was it then?" she asked, curious. She sounded a bit off, almost detached, which I wasn't used to coming from her.
"Are you okay, babe?"
"Yes, of course. Why?"
"I don't know. You sound distant."
"No, I just sound tired. And now impatient! What did you want to talk to me about?"
Her explanation wasn't enough to dismiss my concerns. I had the faint impression she was lying, but I didn't want to press her harder. We told each other everything, so if she didn't want to talk about it yet, I'd give her the time she needed until she was ready. I was pretty confident I'd cheer her up with my news.
"I have been having sex with Lex all week," I revealed, ignoring the part of me that wanted to keep it a secret. I needed a confidant, and Kate was the perfect candidate for that.
"Oh my God, yes! Andy, you fucking did it! I knew you wouldn't be able to resist."
My face was burning with a mix of excitement and embarrassment, so I buried it in the pillow. "Yes, you were right. The man is just so... everything. I swear I feel like I'll never get my fill of him, and at the same time, it all feels like it's too much when we're together. I can't think straight when he's around. For God's sake, I almost let him finger me in a crowded bar, with my colleagues right next to us," I revealed, only thinking I might be oversharing afterward.
"Holy shit, that sounds so hot."
"It was. Everything he does makes me want him. He's stupid smart, and he is so attractive, and he knows exactly how to make me so horny I'm almost begging for it. Scratch that, I actually beg for it. I don't get it, babe. I'm just... me, and he is a human version of some perfect Greek god."
"Stop saying that, you skank," she interrupted me. "You're the fucking bomb. You're pretty as hell, you're smart, you're witty, you have character, you're talented, and so many other things."
"I'm shorter than the average thirteen years old, I have a gigantic ass, I have no boobs, my humor is weird, I can't learn fashion to save my—"
"Who gives a shit about that? Did Lex make a demeaning comment about your physique? I will whoop his ass..."
Remembering his comment from this morning, a wave of heat crossed my body. Words cannot express how much I adore your ass, Andrea...
"He likes it," I mumbled inaudibly.
"What was that?"
"He likes my ass. He adores it, actually."
"There you go. Stop worrying about what society wants, and focus on what you want, and what he wants. Which, quite obviously, is you," Kate scolded. "I'm sure your Lex has many flaws, too. He can't be all that perfect."
"He is not my Lex," I responded defensively, knowing she was right about my inability to accept myself.
"He kind of is," she insisted. I wanted to counter that, to tell her she was mistaken, but she wasn't. We were exclusively seeing each other, and he seemed as obsessed with me as I was with him. If that didn't mean he was mine, I didn't know what would.
We spent over an hour talking. I told her everything I could think of, sparing her the steamiest details, sharing my worries and my hopes. I felt like an infatuated teenager confessing her stories about a boy. By the time we hung up, I was much more confident about myself, and the future seemed to hold great promise.
I fell asleep a few minutes later, a dreamy smile on my face, enjoying what was to come with my Lex.