Page 44 of Sass

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he pressed before I headed down the stairs. “I mean, last night was... well, I guess I was a little surprised.”

“That I was drunk?” I aimed for teasing. “Newsflash: sometimes I drink and let go.”

The smile didn’t reach his eyes. “No. More that you were drunk in your office. In your place of work, in Flare. It didn’t... well, it just didn’t seem like something you’d do. Unless...”

Heat raced into my cheeks all the same because he was right, and I’d been trying to push the shame of it from my mind from the minute I’d realised. What I’d done was so fucking disrespectful, to Rhys and to my job. Anything could’ve happened.

What if Leon hadn’t been living in the flat? What if I’d tried to drive home? Would I have remembered to set the alarm? I couldn’t even think about that last one—all of Rhys’s hard work at risk. I was going to have to own up to the whole shitshow with him. Then maybe he’d decide that I wasn’t right for his fucking job, after all.

So, the answer to Leon’s question was no, but I couldn’t tell him that. Which was why I hesitated when I should’ve kept going down the stairs and out the back door. Home to my empty apartment. Home to my empty bed. Home to shut the world out. Or maybe just to get laid and forget.

Now, there was a thought.

“Chris, I’m sorry. That was a crap thing to say. But when I saw your phone smashed on the floor... well, I guess it worried me.”

My phone? Shit.Panic gripped me. How had I forgotten? My whole fucking life was on that phone.What if Rhys called?

Leon stepped back with his palms up. “There I go again when it’s none of my business.” But his concern showed in every line of that frown, and I simply couldn’t have that. For all his bewildering charm, Leon had looked after me when he could’ve done a lot less.

“I think I made it your business by being a dickhead,” I acknowledged. “But you don’t need to worry. It was just family stuff. And right now, I really need to go.”

I was lying, and Leon knew I was lying, but he let it go. I took the first step and then paused and turned to face him again. “You didn’t by chance come across a new phone last night?”

His lips twitched but he shook his head. “Do you need help to look?”

God no. “No. I can do it. I must have decided to put it in a safe place. I’m careful like that.”

He grinned. “Clearly.” Then he glanced over his shoulder. “But you might need—”

“I’mfine.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m a big boy. I’ve got this.”

He looked about to argue, then simply nodded. “Of course you do.”

He closed the door almost in my face and I frowned at it. Then I sighed and headed down the stairs, fighting the urge to run back up and say what I really wanted was to stay and share that breakfast with him, after all.

But this wasn’t a fucking fairy tale, and I didn’t need anyone’s misguided attempts to help me.

CHAPTERELEVEN

Kip

Or maybe I did.

Because thirty minutes later I was back knocking on Leon’s door.

He opened it looking so fucking smug I wanted to lick him all over. Or punch him on the nose. Or punch him on the nose andthenlick him all over.

Yeah, that last one ought to do it.

“Can I help you?” He positively hummed with self-righteousness.

It earned him my best glare. “So...” I scuffed the sole of my shoe on the wooden landing. “I found my new phone—” I waved the device as some kind of proof of life. “—in my satchel, of all places.”

Leon nodded, biting back a smile, and obviously unimpressed with my detective skills.

Of course, I’d failed to tell him that it had taken me twenty minutes to locate said satchel... in the fridge... with a large tub of strawberry yoghurt tucked inside. It made sense if you thought about it.

Whatever.

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