Silence Is Golden (Storm and Silence 3)

‘Oh.’

Mr Ambrose’s left little finger twitched - not once, or twice, but three times. ‘That conniving little old…! When I next see her, she is going to regret this.’

Funnily enough, though, it didn’t seem as though he particularly regretted it. His eyes were still fastened to me, and deep down in their unfathomable deaths, I could see something wild. Something hungry. Something that didn’t regret coming here at all.

‘Well…’ I licked my lips. ‘I guess one of us should probably go.’

I didn’t move.

‘Yes,’ he agreed after a while. ‘Someone should.’

He didn’t move either.

‘Well, go on then!’ I told him.

His dark eyes flashed. ‘What? I have no intention of leaving!’

‘I was here first!’

‘And I outrank you, Mr Linton.’

‘Ladies first, Sir, remember?’

‘And do you remember, Mr Linton, that while you work for me, you are not in fact a lady?’

‘Really?’ Without warning, I lowered my arms from around my body, for the first time giving him a full few of me in my wet chemise. ‘Are you sure about that?’

‘Gnk.’

‘Sorry Sir? What was that?’

He cleared his throat.

‘Go! Go, Mr Linton! That is an order!’

‘Oh, an order? Well, all right, then.’

I took a step towards him.

‘I said go, Mr Linton!’

Another step.

‘I am going, Mr Ambrose, Sir.’

‘I meant away, not towards me!’

‘Oh, did you?’ I took another step forward, moving sinuously through the water, like a siren on the prowl. He was almost within reach now. ‘What a shame that you didn’t express your original instructions more precisely.’

‘Mr Linton, I’m warning you! Be careful or-’

My finger brushed his lips.

Fallen

One brush of my fingers against his lips.

That was all.