Cayla: Right. Okay, bye.
Cayla reached in her desk and grabbed a plastic fork out of the box she’d purchased. She’d learned after the whole Cheryl and Darrin debacle that she needed to be prepared to avoid the breakroom. She dug into the potato salad and sighed. Fuck work. The meal needed to be savored.
Felix stood from his desk on the right side of her cubicle and peeked over. “Cayla, may I ask what has you in such a state of…bliss?” he queried with a smirk.
“What did you have for lunch?” she asked around a bite of spinach salad. She’d covered her mouth to not appear too unladylike.
Felix furrowed his brow. “A cup of ramen, unfortunately.”
Cayla pulled out a plate from her desk – because she had a whole kitchen now – and put the other half of the huge chicken sandwich along with salad and potato salad on the plate. She passed it to Felix with a big smile.
“Try the sandwich first,” Cayla urged.
She watched as his perfect teeth sunk into the sandwich, and his thick lashes covered his pale blue eyes. His bite disappeared behind slightly full lips, his neatly trimmed brownish blond beard danced on his jaw, and his face was a mask of pure ecstasy.
When did Felix become so attractive? He hummed when he tried the potato salad, and damn if that wasn’t sexy. She poured some of the drink from the huge mason jar into her cup to distract herself from staring at Felix. She took a sip and moaned again. Pineapple lemonade.
Felix eyed her suspiciously and held up his mug. She laughed and poured some from the mason jar. He took a tentative sip and moaned as well.
“So good. Where did you get this? Did you make it?”
“That’s a negative,” Cayla laughingly denied. “Get this. He said he’d made me leftovers from a simple dinner he threw together last night.” She purposely avoided the ‘who’ because she didn’t have a title for Dex.
“No way!” Felix’s surprise lightened up his face, giving him a boy-like charm. “Is it the same guy that sent you flowers?” Felix asked around his food. Cayla nodded. “He’s a keeper, Cayla. You need to marry him for us.”
“Us?” Cayla teased ignoring the feelings his words caused. The idea of marrying Dex was exciting and scary as hell. If nothing else, the sex would be amazing.
“Yes. That way I can come over for dinner weekly.” Felix grinned at her, and she felt the need to fan herself.
Felix quirked a brow at her blank stare. “What’s wrong, Cay?”
Cayla leaned in and whispered, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but when did you become so attractive?”
Felix’s eyes shot up to the hairline of his perfectly styled reddish brown hair with natural blond highlights before he let out a hearty chuckle. Some of the other analysts’ heads popped up for a second before they returned to what they were doing.
“Wow, Cayla,” he said in awe, “that means your mystery man isn’t black. You’re starting to notice the rest of us. Now, I’m really intrigued.”
Cayla handed him a brownie and studied him intently. “So, you’re saying you’ve always been movie star gorgeous?”
Felix blushed slightly. “If, by that, you mean my looks haven’t changed in years, then yes.”
Cayla sat back in her chair floored. “I had no idea. Well, congratulations.”
Felix grinned. “Well, thanks. I guess.” He took a bite of the brownie, and his eyes rolled in the back of his head. “There’s white chocolate on the inside. Hell, I’d consider dating him for these brownies, and I’m straight,” he admitted between bites. “Who is he?”
“You know The Food Lab?” Felix nodded. “He’s one of the chefs or managers or both,” she said, not wanting to tell all Dex’s business.
“Figures. Their food is delicious. The managers and chefs there must make really good money.”
“Why did you think that?” Cayla asked confused.
Felix pointed at her desk and pointed out. “I take it the kit you brought the food in belongs to him?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Cay, that’s a Yeti lunch kit.” He smiled at her when she didn’t see the connection. “Those start at two-hundred dollars,” he supplied.
“Wow!” Cayla said while staring at the expensive cooler on her desk. “Well, I better take care of it,” she joked. “Well, The Food Lab is on and popping right now.”