Page 12 of Snowed In with the Bosses

“Easy.” Alexander stayed on the other side of the desk, but he watched Clara with the same kind of hunger clawing around my insides. Not because she was vulnerable or weak. The opposite, in fact.

“I’ll come see you as soon as it’s safe.” Clara left the office, her voice trailing off.

I straightened, intending to go after her to make sure she didn’t try to leave. Alexander stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. I shook him off. “Don’t even think about it.”

“She’ll be back. Where would she go? We’re listening in on her conversation like a couple of assholes. Give her some privacy.”

“I hate when you’re right.” I still smacked his hand when he tried to grab me again. “Doesn’t mean I have to listen to you.” I stayed in the room but moved to the table and stacked our blueprints into a neat pile on the far side of the table. The angle offered me a view out the door.

Liam approached from the end of the hallway. He stopped alongside Clara, asked her a question, then moved toward the office door. “Generator’s fine. We’re good for a few days.”

“A few days?” Clara walked in behind Liam. “Do you think we’ll be here that long?”

I hoped so but knew better than to admit that out loud. Another burst of wind tore down the side of the building, the shriek rising in pitch until my ears rang. Snow peppered the window hard enough that Alexander checked behind the curtain. “Glass looks good. Looks like there’s some ice mixed in.”

“How’s your mom?” I changed the subject before the tension in the room spun out of control. We were already on edge. Much more and one of us would crack.

“She’s fine.” Clara answered too quickly for my liking.

I finished organizing the papers scattered across the table. “The treatments have been a success?”

“How do you know about that?” Stiffening, she took a step back, toward Liam and the door.

“You took an extended leave of absence when the cancer intensified. Alexander had to approve the request. Liam and I were in the room when it arrived on his desk.” It wouldn’t help me to tell her I’d found her dedication intriguing. She loved her mother. No one faulted her for that. I considered it an excellent point in her favor. “We all knew about her cancer. It’s difficult to keep a secret in a business like this.”

Clara blinked, her lips rounding in an O. Her shoulders lifted on a deep inhale that she let out slowly through her nose before answering. “Mom is okay. The treatments worked. She’sstill recovering from the effects, but she’ll be fine.” There was a moment of hesitation, then her voice firmed, refusing to break. “Mom’s safe, and the caregiver is there with her. She’ll be fine. She has to be fine. Mom’s a fighter.”

Like her daughter. I kept that sentiment locked down tight too.

“I’ll see her as soon as the storm’s over.” She eyed the window like it personally offended her and scowled. “What are we supposed to do tonight? Where are we going to sleep?”

Interesting question. “There’s a couch in the lounge. I’d rather we all stay in here since we can keep a smaller room warm if things get worse, but we could move the couch in here.”

One eyebrow arched, Clara gave me the kind of look that set my blood on fire. The sexual innuendo had been light up to this point, but the idea of a single couch pushed things into new territory.

“It’s either that or the floor.” Alexander spread his hands and chuckled. “Guess we could take turns sleeping. Come on. Let’s drag it in here.”

The three of us made our way from his office to the lounge area. Cold air whistled in through the side doors.

I frowned. “Yeah, no way we’re even considering staying here.” The glass walls were great most of the time, but tonight they were a hazard.

Clara tagged along behind us, easing over to the side when we picked up the couch and lugged it toward Alexander’s office. Her gaze bounced from one of us to the other, and it didn’t take a genius to see the naked appreciation in those gorgeous irises. Desire built into an impossible heat. I’d never push myself on anyone who didn’t want me. Clara was giving off signals left and right, but I still hesitated.

With a few manly grunts and curses, we dropped the couch on the wall furthest away from the window. I collapsed into the corner.

Clara sat on the other side, bouncing a little on the cushion. “Seems comfy enough.”

The lights blinked, the flicker so brief I almost missed it. If not for Clara’s sudden inhale, I might have put it off as my eyes playing tricks on me.

Alexander and Liam closed the office door.

Another flicker, then the lights shut off completely.

Clara gasped, the sound startling with its intensity.

I stretched out a hand on instinct and found hers in the dark. Icy fingers wrapped around mine. The emergency lights clicked on, casting the far side of the room in shadow while highlighting Clara’s profile. She shivered, wrapped her free arm over her stomach, and drew her feet up beneath her. Another shiver turned into full-on body shakes. Her teeth chattered hard enough I worried they’d crack.

I pulled her into my arms, settling her across my lap and holding her to my chest. My palm cradled the back of her head. “It’s okay. You’re safe here.”

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