Chapter 14: Scent of Sandalwood

AVA

When we got back to the garage at Brentstone and Sons, we sat in silence for a second.

“I’ll walk you in,” Tobias said.

“No need. I don’t want to bother you any further tonight.”

Tobias looked unconvinced. “Are you sure? Parking garages can be super sketchy at night.”

I picked up my purse and coat. I wasn’t as nervous about the parking garage itself as I was about what—or should I say ~who~—was waiting for me upstairs.

“I’m sure,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady and confident. “I think we have pretty good security here.”

“I think that camera has been out of order for ages, actually.” Tobias scanned the surroundings and pointed to a camera in a distant corner. “They keep telling us they’re going to fix it.”

I smiled at him. “How about you walk me to the entrance, and I ask Marcus to walk me back down to my car after I’ve collected my keys?”

Tobias nodded. “Deal.”

We got out of the car and hugged goodbye at the sliding glass doors, holding on for a moment longer than necessary. I gave him a little peck on the cheek.

“Thank you for being so understanding,” I whispered. “I’m sorry for ruining our date.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m just looking forward to our second date.”

“Me too,” I agreed, happy to find myself meaning it.

I walked into one of the elevators and waved a final time before the doors closed, blocking Tobias from my sight. I immediately felt sparks of nervousness coursing through my veins.

The doors slowly opened when I got to the twelfth level, exposing Mr. Brentstone, who was leaning against the wall opposite the elevator I was on.

My knees buckled, but I regained control and got off, walking toward him.

“What was that about?!” I hissed.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Did I ruin your little date?” Mr. Brentstone bounced himself off the wall to walk closer to me.

“Yes…!” I hoped to follow up with something stronger, but sadly nothing came to me.

“Good. You’re not meant to be dating a colleague in the first place.”

“I thought you said it wasn’t forbidden.”

“I said it was frowned upon.”

I tilted my head to the side. “What is this really about?”

“Watch your tone, Ava.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “It’s after hours, you’re not even my boss right now.” I felt like a teenager trying to tell off their overprotective parents.

“Is that so?”

He slowly closed the distance between us. Our bodies were less than a foot apart now.

I was caught in his intoxicating scent. He smelled manly, like pine needles and sandalwood. It made me dizzy, and I looked around for something to sit down on.

“Did you kiss him?” Mr. Brentstone asked under his breath, barely audible.

“Excuse you?!” I called out, baffled by his audacity.

Mr. Brentstone closed his eyes and flared his nostrils, taking a deep breath as if to calm himself. He then opened his eyes, demanding mine to meet his as he spoke again.

“Did you kiss him, Ava?” he repeated slowly, drawing out each word.

“It didn’t get to kissing, thanks to ~you~.”

Mr. Brentstone narrowed his eyes. “I smell him on you.” His voice sounded strained.

“Are you kidding me? We hugged goodbye, but that’s ~none~ of your business. You’re completely overstepping your boundaries, Mr. Brentstone!”

He blinked as if he had just woken up, and he even took a little step back. “Maybe I am,” he mumbled.

I wasn’t sure how to respond to this sudden change in behavior. “What did you even bring me in for? Need another non-job-related favor?” Wrong thing to say.

Mr. Brentstone’s chest swelled again. “I was saving you from getting reported to HR,” he spat.

“It wouldn’t be saving me if you’d be the one reporting me in the first place, Mr. Brentstone.”

“Cyrus,” he corrected me. “And I guess I was saving you from me needing to report you.”

“You’re unbelievable,” I muttered.

“So are you,” he said.

“Do you do this a lot, ~Cyrus~? Harassing your employees when they’re out on dates?”

“Just you,” he replied, sounding hoarse.

“Well, stop making me the exception in your little power games. This is a hostile work environment.”

Cyrus’s face contorted for a split second. He bent down to me just a little.

“Do you want to go back to Porthouse?” he whispered. “Do you want to sit in a cubicle all day watching your talents go to waste, doodling in a notebook?”

Tears sprung to my eyes. I swallowed them down, upset with myself for getting emotional.

His face softened. “Ava— Ms. Mayweather. I’m sorry. That was out of line.”

“~All~ of this was out of line, Mr. Brentstone.” My voice was breaking. “I should be the one reporting ~you~ to HR.”

He was quiet for a moment. “You’re right,” he said.

We both stood there silently for another minute.

“~Do~ you want to go back to Porthouse?” he eventually asked. His face showed no more traces of hostility.

I wiped the tears from my eyes. “Ideally not,” I confessed, letting go of my inimical demeanor.

Cyrus took a step back. “I’ll do my best not to bother you anymore.” He sounded almost gentle.

“Greatly appreciated,” I sniffled.

“Let me walk you to your car.”

He pressed the elevator button. It chimed open immediately, and we shuffled inside.

I folded my arms around myself, suddenly feeling cold and tired. Cyrus took off his suit jacket and held it open invitingly, not daring to approach.

I hesitated but then moved a bit closer to him so he could hang it over my shoulders. I was overcome with confusion. His strong scent enveloped me and made my heart flutter.

How could this man have such vastly contrasting effects on me? My body and mind were directly opposing each other.

The elevator doors rolled open, and we walked toward my car slowly, both deep in thought. I started to take off Cyrus’s jacket to return it to him, but he stopped me.

“Keep it,” he said.

I raised my eyebrow but felt too deflated to argue about being told to keep a several-hundred-dollar jacket that was, not unimportantly, part of a two-piece suit.

“I’ll return it later,” I mustered, and made a mental note to have it dry-cleaned beforehand. ~And maybe bask in its incredible scent a few more times first.~

I turned to Cyrus, taking a deep breath. “I’m going on another date with Tobias, you know. In case you want to report us.”

“I won’t.”

I fished my keys out of my purse and unlocked my car. Cyrus opened my door for me, and I felt almost ashamed of how much that gesture affected me again.

“I’m sorry, Ava,” he said, drowning me in the blue ocean that was his eyes.

“Thank you,” I replied, once I had come up for air.

He closed my door, and I turned the key in the ignition and rolled down the window.

“Mind if I check in to see if you made it home safely?” he asked.

“How?” I replied suspiciously.

“I’ll text you, if you give me your number.”

“You already have my number.”

“Not on my personal phone. Don’t worry, I promise I won’t call you on your next date.”

I stuck my hand out the window and accepted his phone. I quickly put my information into it and handed it back before driving off.

As soon as I got home and locked my apartment door behind me, my phone buzzed.

Cyrus

Home safe?

Ava

Yes

Cyrus

Good. See you tomorrow.

I took off Cyrus’s jacket, hung it on a clothes hanger, and hooked it on my closet door. I decided to call Maisy, since I knew she couldn’t wait to hear all about my date.

As I narrated it to her, I made it a point not to mention Cyrus’s name more than Tobias’s. I literally counted in my head.

It didn’t work, of course, and by the end of it, all she wanted to hear about was my “hot boss” and how he’d contrived to sabotage my evening.

She was convinced that he’d done it out of jealousy. She was also convinced that I was glad he had.

I told her I had to get ready for bed, mostly because I knew it was the only way I could get off the phone with her.

As I changed out of my clothes and into my pajamas, I heard my phone buzz again. I grabbed it quickly to see who had texted me. It was just Maisy.

Maisy

Bet you’re thinking about your hot boss right now.

Ava

Shut up!

I brushed my teeth and got into bed. Once I was under the covers, I noticed that the scent from Cyrus’s jacket still lingered on me a little.

I thought about showering to get rid of it, but ultimately I decided that I wanted to bask in it a little longer. And I slept better than I had in months.