His Temporary Assistant

We left a short while later. Smoky wasn’t enthused about Ryan going. He didn’t seem to care much about me.

Definitely a stunning turn of events.

I glanced back before I got into the car and he was basically Velcro’d to the window with a woebegone expression on his tiny furry face.

At least I understood his thought process. As for Ryan’s? Dream on.

r /> I got behind the wheel and neither of us spoke as I headed toward the heart of Kensington Square.

As I took an unexpected left, Ryan shot up in her seat. “This isn’t the way to the office.”

“Nope. You should call your emergency contact. I’m absconding with you.”

She gripped her seatbelt as if she really believed me. “Whatever you have in mind, don’t do it. Isn’t this car enough crazy for one week?”

“You forgot the tattoo and getting naked with you.”

“That tattoo is the size of a ladybug.”

I flicked a glance at my still bandaged wrist. It was a miracle I’d remembered to put on the cream the tattoo guy had given me this morning. “At least a cockroach.”

“Where are you taking me? I know Jiu-Jitsu.”

“You do? Really?” I slanted her a look. “That’s incredibly hot.”

“I’m not telling. If you’re a predator, I need to keep you on your toes.”

“No worries there. If I was tiptoeing any more, I’d be on a highwire.”

I went down another couple of streets then turned at the corner and double-parked.

“You need sugar and caffeine. Girl caffeine,” I amended. “They have your tea, right?”

“Plenty of males drink tea, PMS. Enlightened ones, so that leaves you out.” She looked out the window toward The Honey Pot.

Oddly enough, she probably would’ve been more at ease if I’d kidnapped her and taken her to a cabin in the forest. Why, I had no clue.

“I’m going to tie you up and take you to my underground lair. Be very afraid.”

She didn’t blink. “I’m not going in there.”

“Did you just hear me say I was going to abduct you and spirit you away for dastardly reasons you can’t even begin to fathom?”

She yanked off her belt. “Right, because real criminals say dastardly. Come on already then. Let’s get this over with.”

Not exactly the enthusiasm I’d hoped for from her when greeted with the possibility of donuts, but I’d take it. Our last day working together should be special.

I swallowed hard. But this wasn’t a real ending.

Of course it wasn’t.

She glared at the vehicle as I met her on the sidewalk. “You can’t leave that car there.”

“We’ll be in and out in a minute.” I grabbed her hand and towed her into the shop with me.

The purple-haired woman behind the counter gave me a wide smile and chatted about the many selections in between slanting looks at the surly, silent Ryan. She answered her friend almost coolly, though it was clear the other woman was used to joking around with her.

When the woman—Dre—turned to box up my order, Ryan drew away from me and crossed the shop to look at her phone. She was texting frantically, her thumbs blurring.