She could feel the blush creep in while they talked. Any mention of Sol seemed to set her on fire.
Marius came back and stood next to her at the table.
“This is Marius. I’m working with him in the accounting department,” Erica said to the women.
“Oh we know Marius,” Rachel said sarcastically.
He sat a tray in front of her and scooted over to the edge of the table, clearly uncomfortable with sitting next to the women.
The food was simple. A sandwich and chips, but it was more than she expected. On top of that, it tasted great. Good bread with nice slices of meat. She could get used to this.
“So, Erica,” Rachel said after a few moments of quiet. “What are you working with Marius on?”
“Nothing you need to concern yourself with,” Marius piped up.
The women turned to stare at his hard face.
“That important?” Rachel grinned. “You know that only makes us want to know more.”
When she winked at him, his face turned slightly red. She wasn’t certain if it was from anger or embarrassment, but she would guess a little of both.
His attention snapped back to Erica. “I’m taking my lunch to the office,” he said.
Rachel waved him off dismissively. “We’ll take her back. Go ahead and run back to your computers.”
Erica watched as he stomped back through the room. She noticed several of the hybrids watched with growing interest.
“Wow,” Erica said. She turned back to Rachel. “Do you all have history or something?”
“Oh he just pisses me off.” She took a bite of her sandwich. “He fights me on getting equipment we need and spends entirely too much time behind a computer.” She glanced around the room. “They all need to learn to socialize more with the opposite sex. Not a one of them has any decent experience in a non-professional setting.”
A hybrid coughed loudly, and Erica suspected they were all listening to their conversation.
Rachel smiled, as if she knew what Erica was thinking. “Hazard of working here. There’s no such thing as a private conversation in public.” Rachel shot a hard look to several of the men, who had the decency to look away.
“So,” Hannah whispered, leaning in. “Did Sol mention why you aren’t at the women’s dorm with us?”
Erica blinked a few times. “There’s a women’s dorm?”
She chewed her bread slowly as she listened.
The two women looked between one another. “Sounds like something you might want to ask him about,” Rachel said.
Rachel looked over Erica’s shoulder, and she turned to look. Sol’s broad frame came into sight, and she sighed. As if on command, he turned to look at her. He had the same hungry look from the morning. She shuddered.
“What are you doing here?” he growled as he approached. The men near grew quiet as they watched.
She looked to the other women and nearly laughed when they were just as surprised as she was.
“Having lunch?” She shrugged and offered him her plate.
“Where’s Marius?” he growled again.
“He’s at the office.” She stared him down. The line of questioning was really starting to piss her off.
“We offered to take her back,” Hannah chimed in. His steely eyes cut to her and then back.
“I’ll take you back,” he said quietly. “Let’s go.”
“No,” Erica replied.
“I’m sorry, no?” Sol said. The room around them settled into a deafening quiet.
“No,” she said again and turned back to her sandwich. “I’m eating my lunch, and I’ll go when I’m ready.”
A menacing growl came from behind her, but her anger raged through. His big hand landed on her shoulder. “Now,” he ground out. “You can’t be here.”
Erica set her sandwich down and turned to her side.
“I’m not going,” she said quietly.
“Titus put me in charge of you. That means you need to move along when I say so.” His smug expression lit a spark in her, and she dreamed of smacking it clear off.
“I’m pretty sure that didn’t include letting me starve to death,” she shot back.
His eyes narrowed on her and glowed slightly. She felt the familiar tingle she got whenever they locked eyes and shivered.
She watched as he stared down several other hybrids before sitting roughly next to her.
Glancing at the women, she blushed as they stared in awe at her. Rachel caught her eye and winked.
“Well, it looks like you’re in good hands.” Rachel turned to Hannah, who looked confused. “We’ll just leave her in your care. Come visit us some evening.”
They stood, grins from ear to ear, and moved out of the room. Erica watched as a menacing-looking hybrid watched from the corner of the room. His ink black hair dipped in front of his tanned face. When his eyes came back to her, he glared and stomped out the opposite direction.
Erica looked back to Sol. His intense stare was almost too much for her. He leaned forward and brushed her auburn hair from her neck.
“Eat quickly,” he whispered in her ear. “I’m not the only one who likes the way you smell.”
Her breath caught in her throat, as her eyes widened in surprise.
“Am I in any danger?” she whispered back.
“No,” Sol growled. “But they are if they make a move.”
He glared at several hybrids before looking back at her. Her heart beat wildly in her chest, and she wondered if this was his way of staking a claim to her or something.
“Thought you were hungry.” He slyly smiled at her.
“It’s fine.” She picked up her barely eaten food and walked to the trash.
“You didn’t eat much.” He took the tray from her and placed it in the rack.
Erica gave a shaky smile and moved to the door she had entered.
“I don’t really need it anyways,” she said.
Sol took the lead and gave her a funny look as they moved on.
“I don’t understand,” he said. “Weren’t you still hungry?”
Erica shrugged. “Sure, but I don’t really need the extra calories.”
“What does that have to do with being hungry?”
She cringed. It wasn’t exactly something she wanted to spell out, but apparently Sol really didn’t understand.
“Well,” she said, passing through another set of door. “I’m already a little curvy. I have to watch what I eat.”
Sol frowned. “I don’t see anything wrong with being curvy.”
The quiet way he said it made her feel as if it was far more intimate than it actually was. She turned and smiled at him, but his eyes were fixed forward. They stopped outside the room where she was working. Marius looked up and nodded to Sol.
“Tomorrow she doesn’t eat alone.” Sol stared at Marius.
Marius shook his head. “I don’t have time to babysit.”
Erica’s face burned as she looked between the two men.
“I don’t want her eating alone,” Sol ground out.
“Well you eat with her then.” Marius turned back to his work. “Besides, she was eating with the other women.”
“She can’t be left alone like that,” Sol shouted.
Anger roared through her. That was the final straw. The men around here needed to be taught a thing or two, and there was only one person who was going to be able to handle this.
She turned on her heels and marched down the hall, the two men shouting after her. Picking up her pace, she rounded the first corner before Sol caught up. A smile touched her mouth. No one could tell her that she wasn’t fast in heels.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he bellowed. She quickly opened, passed through, and closed several doors.
Erica kept walking. Only two more doors, and she would be there. Just before she reached the final door, he spun her around to look at him. She found him more sexy than scary, despite his glowing eyes.
“Le
t go,” she said loudly. The door next to them clicked open.
“Might do what she says,” Titus said, a grin on his face and clearly enjoying the fireworks.
Sol let go and stepped away from her, his glowing eyes still fixed on hers.
She turned away and faced the leader. “I’d like to have a word with you.”
Titus quirked a brow and stepped away from the door, ushering her in. Sol and Marius were close behind, and for the first time, she noticed Marius had also followed her. Glaring at them both, she took a seat on the other side of the desk. Titus held up a hand at the two men outside the door and ushered them to wait. After shutting the door, he took the seat on the other side of the desk.
“So,” he said, looked between them. “What can I do for you?”
“It’s them.” She hiked a thumb at the door. “Actually, it’s all of them. The men here are lacking some serious manners.” She turned to glare at the wooden barrier between them, fully aware they could hear everything she said. “Everyone here seems to blow their lids over the smallest of things. Not to mention the testosterone matches, like the women here are some bone to fight over.” She leaned forward in mock whisper. “Quite frankly, I’m surprised any of them have ever gotten laid.”
Titus snorted loudly, and Erica had to stop herself from including him in the bunch. From what she had seen, he wasn’t exactly Casanova in that department, unless Casanova was using the playbook of a Neanderthal.
“So what do you suggest we do about that?” He laced his fingers behind his head and leaned back.
“Therapy?” she said lightly.
Titus frowned. “We aren’t fond of therapists.”
Erica thought on this and wondered if it had anything to do with their time at the facility. She knew this all stemmed from their time there, but something had to be done.
“What about etiquette classes?”
He leaned forward again and seemed to think about this.
“Do you think this would help?” he asked, his face and voie sincere. She could hear the groaning in the hall. Erica smiled.
“I think it couldn’t hurt. They would go over manners and talking to the other sex. Your men talk to the women here like they would soldiers.” She leaned in again. “Just in case the boobs didn’t give it away, we aren’t men.”
Titus smiled at her and nodded. “So, we’re learning.” He stood and extended his hand to her. “I’ll take your thoughts under advisement.” He paused before reaching the door. “How is the project going?”
She groaned. “I haven’t gotten far, but we’re being blocked somehow. Whoever did this knew what they were doing, and if it was Mark, I’ve got more work to come. So far, all I can tell is when the money is being altered, but the where and who are still a mystery.”
Titus put a firm hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “Thank you for joining us. If you’d like a more long-term position, the job is there. We could use someone like you.”
He smiled and felt a weight lift. She wasn’t sure she wanted to stay in this male-centric world, but it certainly was interesting.
Erica glanced to the door and thought of the man on the other side. He certainly made life very interesting.
“I’ll think it over,” she said and smiled.
Chapter Eleven
When Titus opened the door, a sullen Sol was waiting for her. She glanced around for Marius but guessed that he bailed as soon as he could.
“Thank you for your time,” she said to Titus.
She watched as they nodded to one another.
“Are you going to take it?” Sol asked once they started to walk down the hall.
“I don’t know really.” She glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
“Don’t you need a job?” Titus opened the door for her, and she stifled a smile. Maybe her complaints hadn’t fallen on deaf ears.
“I do need a job, but I want the right job.”
Sol walked quietly next to her for some time before talking again.
“We are still learning,” he whispered.
They stopped outside her door. “Our time in the facility was…” A pained look flashed on his face. “It was just males around us. The only time we saw women was when we were supposed to couple.” His face flushed at the mention of their activities. “We were trained to be fighting, killing machines. Things like emotions don’t fit in, and ranking is everything.”
Erica’s heart hurt for them. They really had been through so much. She placed a hand on his arm. The muscles rippled under, and she couldn’t help her heart from picking up the pace.
“I understand,” she said. “I just think you all could use a little help. Especially if you ever plan on having normal relationships.”
When he turned to face her, his bright amber eyes bored into her very soul.
“I’d like that,” he whispered.
Her breath hitched in her throat, and she stumbled back into the room.
“Thanks for walking me back,” she said.
Sol stared for a moment longer before nodding and walking away.
* * *
Erica yawned and blinked several times at the clock on the wall. Six came much faster than she would have thought. Marius sat near her, still not talking after she had ratted them out earlier.
“You going home anytime soon?” she asked him.
He shook his head and continued to pore over the accounts. “All this building is cutting into things. I’ve got to figure out where it’s coming from.”
“Isn’t there insurance?”
He nodded. “This isn’t our first time with insurance. Payouts won’t be for some time. Sometimes things just have to happen sooner. That’s what I’m here for.”
Erica nodded. She could understand that, especially if they wanted to make any money. They couldn’t rely on the government forever.
“Well, I’m checking out.” She grabbed her coat and headed out the door. It wasn’t until she was in the parking lot that she remembered Marius had been her ride. No one had really talked to her about how she would be getting back to the cabin.
She turned to go back in, when her she saw Sol standing by his car. She smiled and walked over.
“Were you waiting to give me a ride?” She slid into the front seat. The warmth welcome because of the frosty air.
Sol climbed in next to her. “Marius can be very focused sometimes. I thought you might need a ride.”
She smiled again as they pulled away. It might not be much, but he was making an effort and that was all she really wanted.
As they drove, fat snowflakes fell from the sky. By the time they arrived at the cabin, it was falling in full force, swirling around the car as they came to a stop.
“Stay here,” Sol said gruffly. “I’ll open the front door first.”
Erica watched as he raced from the car and opened the door. When he turned, she was already running up the stairs. They hurried in and shut the door behind them.
“Wow, that came on fast,” she said and kicked off her shoes. Heels were great, but she’d have to switch to boots if this kept up. She only hoped she’d thought to pack them.
As she knocked the flakes out of her hair, Erica turned and caught Sol staring at her.
“Do you like soup?” he said, turning away from her.
Erica followed him as he walked into the kitchen. “Yes,” she said.
She watched as he reached into the freezer and pulled out a plastic container.
“I have some vegetable beef soup.” He set the container in the microwave. “We could eat soup and watch a movie.”
His back was facing her. The muscles in his back tensed under the tight t-shirt he wore, and she wondered how he could wear something like that.
“Just let me go change,” she said and smiled when his relaxed some. There was something endearing in that he wanted her to watch a movie with him.
Not wasting any time, she took the stairs to her room and searched through her bag. Now was the qu
estion. Comfortable or sexy? She laughed at her silliness. She hardly knew him. Thinking that way wasn’t going to be good for anyone.
Sol stirred the soup and cursed himself. He really had no idea what he was doing except that she was eating away at him. Every hour of his day was consumed with thoughts of her. What she was doing. Who she was with. It was amazing he could even get any work done.
He sighed and put the container back in the microwave.
She had been right earlier. He really didn’t have any clue how to talk to her. Every ounce of instinct in him said to show his dominance and then fuck her.
His dick certainly agreed with the latter half. He’s been half hard for her most of the day. Shifting positions, he groaned as he tried to make more room in his pants.
“Anything I can do?”
Panic shot through him when her sweet voice came from just behind him. He nearly had to bite his lip to keep from groaning again. The scent of her rolled over him, and he gripped the counter for support.
“Why don’t you pick a movie?” he bit out slightly choppier than he intended.
“Okay.”
He was able to breathe when she was outside the room. Sol grabbed a few bowls out of the cabinet and set them down. When the microwave dinged, he began to pour into the bowls.
“Any suggestions,” she shouted from the other room.
“I like action,” he said.
He heard her snort. “That’s a surprise.”
Sol frowned. Was he really that predictable?
After picking up the bowls, he made his way to the room.
“Anything is fine,” he said and placed the bowls on the table.
“Well seeing as you pretty much only have action, I’d say we’re watching action.” She grinned at him.
Sol went into the kitchen and brought back some glasses of water.
“Sorry,” he mumbled to her.
When she turned around and smiled, his heart picked up. “I like action.”
She popped a DVD in and the film started. Something loaded with explosions and gunfire. Just his kind of movie.
They ate in silence. When he was sure she was wrapped up into the plot, Sol watched her. Her hair was pulled back loosely from her face, and he wished she’d just let it down. He wondered if it was as silky as it looked. When she shifted and leaned back against the couch, her breasts pushed forward. Despite his best efforts, he found himself hardening again.
Luna Lodge: Sol Page 8
