Page 22 of Sass

Drew fired me a death stare and Jack almost choked on his tongue. I answered Drew’s glare with my patented pay-back’s-a-bitch smile. Master, 1. Apprentice, 0.

Drew ignored me and spoke directly to Gary. “I’llmake you a coffee. No incentive needed.”

I jumped to my feet and put a hand on Drew’s shoulder. “No, you stay right there. I was just kidding.” I kept my sly smile hidden from Gary. “You’ve already done me a favour today.” I gave him a pointed reminder. “Jack can help me.”

Gary immediately protested, “That’s not necessary. I’m kind of coffee’d out.”

“A water then. Won’t be a minute.” I grabbed Jack’s hand and yanked him off the floor and out of the office.

“What are you doing?” Jack whispered, fighting my attempt to drag him down the hall. “I wanted to watch. Did you know they liked each other?”

“Not a fucking clue.” I shoved him into the kitchen and shut the door. “But I do now.” I waggled my eyebrows and Jack laughed.

“You’re evil.”

I patted his cheek. “Why, thank you.”

We gave the two men in my office a good ten minutes before rejoining them. Drew was on his feet, the width of the office between him and Gary, and conversation died the minute we arrived, a scarlet-faced Drew looking like a butterfly caught in a bottle.

I shoved the glass of water into Gary’s hand, and he stared at it, then at me. But when his gaze narrowed, I wondered if I might’ve miscalculated. Teasing Drew was one thing. But Gary was a much more dangerous and wilier opponent.

He pushed the glass back at me. “I said I wasn’t thirsty.” Then his expression turned wistful, and he sighed. “But thanks.” His gaze held mine long enough for me to understand he wasn’t talking about the water.

I nodded, keeping my back to Drew, who was trying unsuccessfully to wriggle past Jack and out the door. “You’re welcome. Anytime.” I hoped he took my meaning. Gary might be prickly, but he was a good man. And if he was interested in Drew? Well, I could actually see that working, which kind of surprised me. I’d never even considered them together. Not that it would stop me strangling Gary with his own tongue if he hurt a hair on Drew’s head.

“I look out for my friends,” I added, and by Gary’s wince, I knew he understood. I walked him to the door and he left without another word.

Back in the office, Jack and Drew had their heads together in hushed conversation, but when I slumped in my chair, the room fell quiet. I barely got my mouth open when Drew stared me down.

“Don’t.” He raised both palms. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

I plastered an innocent smile on my face and tut-tutted. “Honestly, it’s like you don’t even know me. All I want—” My phone rang on my desk and I stared in disbelief at the name on the screen. My brother. My gut clenched and I sent the call directly to voicemail. My shock must have shown on my face because Drew’s brow creased in concern.

“Kip? You okay?”

“Yeah,” I lied, hearing the ding of the voicemail that would burn a hole in my pocket until I deleted it before I was tempted to listen. “Just an old hook-up.”

Drew’s expression said he didn’t believe me for a minute, but he let it go. “Come on, Jack.” He pushed Jack out the office door ahead of him. “I’ll give you a ride home before our resident spinster and agony aunt decides to continue with any dating advice.”

My hand hit my chest. “You wound me. But go ahead. It’ll keep.”

Drew glanced back and his smile was gone, replaced by something slightly more desperate. “Please don’t,” he mouthed silently, and the misery in his eyes sliced right through me.

I frowned but nodded and let them go. Whatever had happened in the short spell we’d left the two of them alone, it clearly hadn’t been productive. I’d find out exactly what, but I had other problems to see to first. I pulled out my phone and deleted my brother’s message. There was nothing he had to say that I wanted to hear.

That done, I got lost in work until I heard Leon’s key in the lock. A horrifying flutter of expectation ran through my chest that pissed me the hell off. There had to be a drug you could take for that shit. Then my belly grumbled, and I glanced at the clock to find it was already ten-thirty.I’d completely lost track of time.

But I hadn’t been the only one working late andI forced myself not to look up at the sound of Leon’s footsteps crossing the floor, half-dreading, half-anticipating that bearded handsome face appearing through my open office door at any moment.

When it didn’t and I caught the thud of his footsteps on the stairs themselves, I felt oddly disappointed. He wasn’t stopping by or even taking the time to call out hello as he’d done most mornings when he’d left, when he came and went at lunchtimes, and then evenings too, and I suddenly realised I’d gotten used to him doing exactly that. Maybe even started looking forward to it.

I cursed my foolishness.This is exactly what I want, isn’t it? Leon minding his own business and leaving me alone.

I sighed and pushed back from my desk. I’d been staring at my computer so long I was seeing cross-eyed. If I didn’t pack up and head home, I may as well bunk on the floor and be done with it. I gathered my things and hit the office light before heading to the service desk to log off.

And that’s when I saw them—a coffee from the food cart around the corner alongside an innocuous paper bag. I stole a glance up the stairs, but all was dark, and one peek in the bag sent a rush of saliva to fill my mouth. Because nestled at the very bottom sat a savoury scroll with warm cheese oozing from its swirls and crispy bacon resting tantalizingly on top.

Fuck. Me.I was pretty sure I popped wood.

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