Marry Me G. Hauser (the chimp paradox .TXT) 📖

me work. There’s your contract.” Braxton

nudged the paperwork to her and picked up his earpiece, putting

it into his ear.

She took the paperwork. “I’m sorry. I was just trying—”

“I know. He said he won’t quit.”

“Quit?” She panicked and went for the door.

“Brianna!” Braxton felt emotional and drained. “Don’t

meddle. Please. I can’t handle it right now. I feel like I’m on a

fucking cliff.”

“Braxton.” Her eyes filled.

“Go. It’s okay.” He couldn’t handle it if she cried. He would

with her.

She lowered her head and left him alone.

Instead of staring into space like he wanted to do, Braxton

picked up the phone and started working, but the sensation of

Fabian pressed up against him, his lips on his, was driving him to

distraction.

~

By one Fabian needed a break. He had hid in his office all

morning, avoiding Braxton, mortified by what he’d done.

His coffee cup in his hand, Fabian made sure no one was in

the hall, and then headed to the lounge to fill his cup. To his

dismay, Braxton was standing at the counter pouring from the

coffee pot. Fabian cursed to himself and was about to retreat

when Braxton looked up and spotted him.

Putting on a brave face, Fabian entered the small room and

waited for the chance to get at the coffee pot. Braxton offered to

pour for him.

“You see?” Braxton said as he did, “You see how awkward

this can be? And we didn’t even—” Braxton’s eyes darted to the

doorway.

“I brought lunch.” Brianna entered the tiny space and placed

a white bag on the table. “You guys are easy. You like the same

thing.”

“Brianna.” Braxton blew out a frustrated breath.

“Just sayin’!” She waved and left.

Fabian thanked Braxton for pouring his coffee and placed it

on the counter to mix in almond milk.

“I can’t take this awkwardness.” Braxton looked like he was

in hell. “Can we sit down and talk about it before you walk out

on us?”

“I’m not going anywhere. I’m terrified you’ll fire me over it.”

“Sit.” Braxton pointed to the table for two and sat in one of

the chairs. He opened the bag and placed a salad in front of each

of them, as well as two healthy-high protein fruit drinks and a

cup of low calorie chocolate whipped mousse.

Fabian put his mug down and sat across from Braxton. The

table was so small their knees brushed under it. To avoid it,

Fabian turned sideways while he opened the plastic salad

container.

“Look, Fabian, I can’t lose you. Do you have any idea the

pressure you’ve taken off of me and Brianna this week?”

“Why do you think I’m going to quit?” Fabian ate his salad

with a white plastic fork.

“Because that’s how it goes in my life. The people I want to

leave me alone don’t, and the ones I can’t live without do.”

Fabian stopped eating. “Can’t live without?”

Braxton didn’t elaborate, eating his food.

“Okay, so…” Fabian said, twisting the cap off the juice to

gulp first before he said, “I don’t want to leave, and you don’t

want me to quit. No matter what?”

“No matter what. Yes. That’s why I’m terrified of…”

“Of?” Fabian could not get over the color of Braxton’s eyes,

how long his hair had gotten since the photos Fabian had found

of him online. And damn, he looked great with it.

Again Braxton wouldn’t explain.

“How badly have you been hurt in relationships, Braxton?”

A pained look washed over Braxton’s face. “I don’t see

people long enough to qualify as a relationship. So? How badly

can you be hurt after one date?”

“Come on. Tell me you haven’t been with a man or a woman

twice.”

Braxton stopped eating and met his eyes.

Fabian couldn’t believe it. “One date? That’s all you give a

person?”

Clenching his fists at his frustration, Braxton said, “Why

bother? Huh? So you have that much more to lose when it goes

south? I can’t do it. Nothing lasts. I’m not the commitment kind.

I’m just not.”

“You said you hadn’t met the right guy.”

“So did you.” Braxton’s stare was so intense Fabian struggled

to maintain eye contact. Yeah, the guy intimidated him, no shit.

“But, I’ve tried. I dated a guy for a couple of years at least.”

“Where is he now?” It was sarcastic, unmistakably.

“Don’t know. But I tried.”

“Who left whom?”

“He left me.”

“Why? Why the hell would any man leave you? Look at you,

for Christ’s sakes, and I haven’t even seen you naked!” Braxton

shut up, as if he was revealing too much.

“He…he left me because I wanted to get married. He didn’t.”

“Oh, Christ. I’m sorry, Fabian. You see?” Braxton threw up

his hands.

“Hey, looking back, I’m glad. It wasn’t right. I was in my

twenties and still finding myself.”

“Are you found now?”

“I am. Better now. Yes.” Fabian continued eating and so did

Braxton. “And you? Better than the man you were in your

twenties?”

“No. Not in my opinion. I’m still a fucked up jerk who hurts

people. Just ask the last three dates I had this week.”

“Those weren’t dates. Come on. Man, you are so hard on

yourself.”

Braxton put his fork down and ran his hand through his hair,

as if Fabian had struck a chord.

“Why? Why are you so critical of yourself?”

“I wish I knew.” Braxton’s posture shifted to exhaustion.

“I’m terrified someone will abandon me, like you were. So I beat

them to it.”

“How can you live that way?”

“I just do. I’m too…complicated…to date, to live with

someone. I’d drive them insane.”

“Me too. I was too neat for him. I was always picking up after

him, the one to cook, clean. I felt like an enabler.”

Braxton appeared very surprised and the intensity of his stare

grew.

“I am.” Fabian shrugged. “I admit it. I love to take care of

people, so if I’m with a schmuck, I just pick up the slack.”

“That’s worse than what I do.”

“Maybe.” Fabian tilted the fruit drink up to finish.

“I am attracted to you.”

Fabian smiled and set the bottle down. “Oh, man, you have

no idea how much I fantasize about you.”

“You do?”

“Oh, fuck yeah. I can’t believe I’m telling you this.” Fabian

felt his cheeks grow warm and chuckled.

“Ditto.” [http://www.superiorz.org]

That stunned him. Fabian’s jaw dropped. “You…you

fanta

size about me?”

“Hell yeah.”

“Huh.” Fabian felt his cock throb between his legs. “So,

that’s it? Admire each other from afar?”

“You want to take that chance? Hate my guts and be stuck

working for me once you think I’m a bastard?”

“You’re the