Page 148 of Beyond the Cottage

Ansel stood and chucked her under the chin. The draft went into his pocket. “I suppose I do. Now, I hate to compromise your new job, but may I collect my duffel? I’d have you ship it, but my last hotel hunt was unfortunately thwarted.”

“Fine. You can come pick up your shit.”

Gretta marched down the hall, and Ansel strolled beside her. When they got to the street, he hailed a hack. If he was a city boy now, he may as well get used to it.

They sat as far from each other as possible, and Gretta stared out the window. Ansel watched her. He’d pissed her off but clearly not enough.

“Well,” he said cheerfully. “I’ve much to learn about my new home. Considering I’m wealthy now, what neighborhood do you suggest I settle in?”

She kept her eyes on the window. “Verdant Gardens is nice.”

“Sounds classy. I imagine it’s quite a distance from your slum?”

Her jaw got tighter.

“For the best,” he said. “We wouldn’t want to bump into each other outside work.”

“No. We wouldn’t.”

“Come to think of it, you should draw up a list of your preferred haunts so I might avoid them.” He splayed his legs wider. “I’d rather not explain our sexual tension to my future companions.”

Her jaw looked like it might burst through her skin.

Satisfied, Ansel shut his mouth and waited out the carriage ride. When they made it to her building, Gretta stomped up the stairs instead of flying. She ripped open her door and shoved his duffel in his arms before he crossed the threshold.

“Your shit, Mr. Wallenfang.”

“Thank you, Miss Fairleaf. Or is it ma'am now?”

“Miss Fairleaf will do. Oh, and as your supervisor, I suggest you look into buying a new wardrobe. Those clothes are fine for grubbing around abandoned prisons, but you may want people to take you seriously here.”

He braced his arm on the door frame and leaned closer. “Sage advice. I’ll be sure to include a newlab coatin my wardrobe.”

“You do that.”

“I will.”

They glared at each other, breathing harder than they ought to.

“Well,” she said. “See you when I see you.”

She slammed the door in his face.

Chapter 51

Standing at her bathroom mirror, Gretta stuck a pin in her elaborately coiled hair. She turned to the side and made an adjustment, then finger-curled the tendrils at her temples.

Her black silk blouse hung slightly askew. She straightened it, tugging the neckline down until the tiniest bit of cleavage peeked out. She pinched her pasty cheeks, and when her flush didn’t last, she dug out a long-expired pot of rouge and smudged it on.

It was her first day at the office, so to speak. Naturally, she wanted to look her best.

She already had the jitters, but she went to the kitchen and poured herself another cup of coffee. The past two weeks, she’d been sleeping like shit. She’d been working herself to exhaustion, but when she closed her eyes at night, she saw Ansel in a swanky hotel, fucking random women who actually knew how to give blow jobs. She’d come to realize he only said those things out of hurt, but that didn’t stop her from picturing them. And eventually, it would become reality.

Nighttime was also when she asked herself if she’d made the right decision. Sheknewshe had; there’d been no other decision to make. But she still asked because she felt physically sick from missing him. She hadn’t seen him once since she slammed the door in his face. A hundred times, she’d almost charged out to go to him and throw Nat’s rules in the gutter.

Then she’d remember she had no idea where he was staying.

Then she’d remind herself what was more important.

---