Kat boops my nose, and it takes every ounce of self-control I’ve got not to laugh.
“I think you mean ruggedly handsome,” I say. “Maybe possessor of rakish good looks.”
“You think you’re rakish?”
I try out my sauciest smile on her.
“You think I’m not?”
Now she does laugh, and I’d swear she blushes, too.
“If you looked up All-American Golden Boy in the dictionary, you’d find your picture,” she says. “Rakes are charming and devious.”
Is that what you like?I think, then stuff the thought away.
“I’m charming.”
“But not devious.”
We’re leaning closer to each other. Where the fuck is Meckler? Did he leave for the day? I’m in here, flirting with Kat as rain starts to pelt the glass and the sky outside growls, and I don’t know why we’re flirting or who we’re doing it for.
“So I am charming.”
“If you were charming you’d tell me whether it was raining or not.”
I’m silent for a moment, just as a barrage of raindrops hit the glass loudly and I look right into Kat’s eyes.
“Nah,” I tell her.
“Okay, that was a little rakish,” she admits. “Hold still.”
I can’t even raise my eyebrows before she kisses me, eyes open and lips closed. I lean in, across her desk, and her eyes slide shut but her lips stay sealed and so do mine because since Sunday, it feels like we’ve tacitly agreed that the fair was… too much.
There’s no need for it, is the thing. We can get our point across just fine with flowers and chaste kisses; Meckler hasn’t seen the mark I left on Kat’s neck and he never will. Sunday was fueled by the strange, half-dreaming night we spent together on my couch, by the sunrise arguments on Saturday morning, by the renewal of vengeance agreed upon in the truck ride to the fair.
Things got away from us, but now they’re back to normal, exactly as they should be, and Kat slides her hand into my hair and I push against her and the kiss stays shallow.
“Jesus, get a room,” says Meckler’s voice behind me.
I pull away from Kat slowly, like I can’t bear to go.
“Sorry, didn’t realize you were still here,” I tell him. “Thought I had her all to myself.”
“We’re just going,” Kat says, voice cool as an ice pick.
“You ready for tonight, babe?” I ask her, catching a sideways glance at Meckler.
“What’s tonight?” she asks, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. We don’t have anything on the schedule, I’m just winging it.
“You know,” I say, suggestively. Meckler stalks behind his desk, lips pressed together, shoulders stiff with anger. “That thing I suggested we try?”
She shoots him a quick glance before looking back at me.
“Oh,” she says. “That thing.”
Her voice lowers on those last two words and for a split second, I’m desperate to find out what thing she thinks we’re talking about. Even though I know it’s nothing.
“Exactly,” I say with a grin. “You ready?”
“Sure am,” she says, and walks around her desk. “See you tomorrow, Evan!”
His head jerks up, and he watches her go with his eyes blazing.
“Hey babe?” I call out. “Don’t forget your umbrella, it’s raining.”
Before she covers it with a smile, Kat gives me a look that could crumble brick.
“Thanks, babe,” she says, a little too chirpily.