Page 94 of Conspiracies and Chemistry

“I think I deserve it after saving the company from a takeover. Besides.” He leaned down to whisper in my ear, “I want to fuck my girlfriendnow.”

My skin tingled from my scalp to my toes. “I can get on board with that plan.”

39

Culture

Culture:In biology, the growth of microorganisms in a laboratory.

OLIVER

Six months later

“Six months for regulatory approval is almost unheard of, but when the science is solid, when the results are astounding, and when you’ve got a firecracker like Tessa Wright pushing things along, you can do almost anything.” Standing on the sturdiest table in the game room, I gazed out over the crowd of employees, investors, and friends. With my slippery dress shoes on the polished wood of the table, my perch on the table was a definite safety violation. It didn’t seem that terrible compared to all we’d risked to get to this moment.

“We’re here, tonight, celebrating approvals for our ovarian cancer biomarker test, thanks to your dedication, your brilliance, and your hard work. Thank you, everyone.” I raised my glass of sparkling water. “To us.”

My grandfather winked at me. A chorus of whoops rose from the employees and guests as they raised their glasses of champagne.

Like always, my eyes went immediately to the mane of red hair across the room. Next toMs. Pac-Man,Tessa held my gaze, grinned, and raised her glass. She tipped back her head and drank, the long column of her throat bobbing. If I were standing closer and we weren’t in our workplace, I’d trace my finger down her neck and watch the goosebumps rise on her skin. Later.

Right now, I had to mingle. It wasn’t my favorite activity since I’d much rather talk to my friends than to the journalists, potential investors, and partners invited to celebrate with us. But, Tessa had reminded me, it was something a company founder did.

Still, there was nothing wrong with starting slow. I grasped Andrew’s hand as I stepped from the table to a chair, then down to the floor and joined my friend and his fiancée.

“Good speech.” Andrew shook my hand.

Carly leaned in to kiss my cheek. “We’re so excited for you.”

“I wish we could’ve gotten both tests through approvals.” I glanced over Carly’s head toward where Tessa had been, but she was gone.

From behind me, she whispered in my ear. “Greedy.” She draped her freckled arm over my shoulder then, louder, said, “We can’t expect the feds to fast-tracktwowomen’s health products.”

I hated that she covered her frustration and disappointment with snark, but her friends and I saw past it. Carly grasped her hand. Andrew, always the optimist, said, “I bet you get the approval in January.”

“Thanks.” She pressed her palm into my shoulder in a gesture I knew grounded her. Over the past six months since she’d first told me she loved me, she’d used my body as a kind of touchstone. I loved it. I reached up and held her hand to me.

“Snacks!” Savannah sang out. She held out a plate loaded with antipasto skewers. Carly took one, bit into it, and moaned. “Oh my god. Why can’t Audrey get these at the events she makes us attend?”

“Because she hasn’t hired Savannah,” Tessa said. When Savannah offered us the plate, we waved it off. Earlier, we’d stuffed ourselves on the ones that hadn’t passed Savannah’s rigorous quality checks.

“Wait. Youmadethese?” Carly asked.

Savannah seemed an inch taller. “I’ve expanded beyond breakfasts and lunches to evening events. Tessa helped me with the waitstaff and the logistics.” She lowered her voice. “Don’t tell anyone, but this is my first one.”

“And it’s perfect,” Tessa said. “You’ve found your calling.”

West stepped up beside me, and Tessa tensed. I held her hand firmly in mine. We’d filled out all the paperwork he wanted, and as long as no one walked in on us banging in the supply closet, there was no issue with our being a couple. Fortunately, we didn’t need to bang in the supply closet since we had a big, comfortable bed at Tessa’s house. And a shower, and a couch, and a kitchen counter (only when Savannah wasn’t there). My dick stiffened, so I shifted and mentally listed the amino acids in alphabetical order.

“Introduce me to your friends?” West’s voice sounded strange, low and rumbly. Did he have an upper respiratory infection? I nudged Tessa a few inches away from him.

I gestured around the circle. “This is Andrew Jones and his fiancée, Carly Rose. Andrew and I have been friends since college, and Carly, Tessa, and Savannah have been friends for a couple years. Savannah catered the event. Everyone, this is Asher Weston.”

“Everyone calls me West.” He held out his hand to Savannah first.

Her hands were occupied with the plate and napkins. Her face went pink. “Sorry, I…”

“Sorry.” West rubbed his hand on his jeans. “You made the food?”

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