“Yes, sure. It turned out to be something and nothing.”
Thankfully he didn’t notice how flustered she was.
“I put the wine on the table,” he added.
He strolled closer and she got a better look at him. His hair was awry and he had a preoccupied look in his face. What had gone on? “You look stressed.”
“My little sister, Sky, is hanging out with someone she shouldn’t be so close with.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”
“I’ll speak to him tomorrow. Right now I’m going to quickly grab a shower. Two minutes, tops, I promise.”
As they passed, he briefly embraced her—as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do so. It felt that way.
Smiling, she went to the kitchen and served the food.
When he strolled back in he looked at the food on the table hungrily. He was wearing jeans and t shirt. His hair was dripping wet and the shirt clung to the heat of his body. Butterflies in the pit of her belly fluttered into life.
“Tuck in while it’s hot,” she said and shot off to fetch glasses.
Over the meal he talked about the database issues. It was a blessing he was interested in it. She’d worried he might find it boring, but he seemed genuinely enthused. “I’d rather start from scratch with a newly scripted system and bring the data across. It’ll take a bit of time but the new system won’t have any bugs or errors in it.”
“Whatever you think is best. It would be great to complete the cover job, as well as the secret project.” She set the take out dishes on the glass topped table and brought plates and cutlery.
Draco opened wine and poured it.
He hadn’t asked her if she was staying over. She’d mentioned it the day before but now she worried it was unwise. What if he really disappeared though? He could do that anytime, get up from his desk and walk out never to be seen again. She had a story ready for that. They’d had a row, split up. What a tragedy.
Over the meal he acted natural, and she was grateful for it. She hadn’t decided for sure about staying. There was the spare bedroom. It was difficult to put it entirely out of mind, giving the he was, the way he looked and how hot it made her.
They chatted about the office, the flaky human resources staff.
“Do you think they judge you because of your family connection?”
“Definitely. It’s human nature. They’re definitely a bit off about us, you know, like we’re interlopers.”
“Interlopers,” he repeated with a laugh. “More like they’re worried we’ll expose they’re crap.”
“We don’t have to do that do we,” she asked quickly. “Can’t we just present a better records system and walk away at the end of the placement? It’s not the main goal, after all.”
He studied her a moment before replying. “You’re the boss, we can handle it whatever way you want.”
“Well, I don’t want anyone to lose their jobs or anything.”
“What about your brothers, if they don’t figure it out and you show them up?”
“They won’t lose their jobs.”
He gave a dry laugh. “Those two could probably sell the family silver and get away with it.”
She was about to respond then thought better of it. He was right, they were privileged. Even me, she silently agreed. She smiled and brushed it off as quickly as she could, unable to trust herself to do or say the right thing any more.
Thankfully he looked as if he regretted his comment and changed the subject.
“That was a great meal,” he said, pushing his plate away deliberately.
“Next time I’ll cook for you.”