Page 21 of Under Pressure

Why wouldn’t he? You know he’s only concerned with himself. This is his perfect opportunity to get the study all to himself now.

I open my mouth to confess to the anxiety attack, but he beats me to the punch. “The biofeedback machine wouldn’t turn on when we first came in, but it turned out to be a couple cables loose in the back. Just something to keep in mind if anyone else uses it and has trouble.”

My mouth snaps shut. That’s it? He isn’t going to say anything about me? About how I completely fell apart in there? A crying, gasping mess he had to talk off the ledge?

“But it was working by the time the participants showed up?” Dr. Price asks.

“Yes, I fixed it. And Mia’s doing a great job. You can tell she genuinely cares about the people when she’s performing the biofeedback sessions.”

It’s the same as he told me in the lab the other week, but I’m surprised he’d say it to Dr. Price. I’ve been half waiting for him to undercut me in some way in front of him, not praise me.

“Excellent. I’m glad you two are getting along. I confess, I had a few doubts in the beginning. But it sounds like things are working out well.”

I nod, my mouth still not quite functioning right.

After a minute, my brain’s finally operational again and I’m able to answer the last few perfunctory questions.

Dr. Price leans back in his chair, reaching for the remainder of the cookie on his desk to gulp it down in one bite. I side-eye Tyler. Reminds me of another guy I know.

“You two have any plans for this Friday?”

Tyler narrows his eyes. “What’s Friday?”

“Valentine’s Day,” he replies jovially. “I’m taking my wife out to Chez Luc’s.”

“You’re asking ifwehave plans?” I motion between Tyler and me, my voice squeaky for some reason. Does he have cameras in our lab? Did he see that kiss?

“I think he means separately,” Tyler says dryly.

“Oh,” I breathe out. “Yeah, I’m going to Element, this club nearby. They’re having an Anti-Valentine’s Day party.”

“Do you not like Valentine’s Day?” Dr. Price asks hesitantly, brows drawing together.

“Oh, it’s not that,” I awkwardly chuckle. “I just, you know, don’t have a date or anything. And my roommate is going, so I said I would too.” God, it sounds lame even as I say it.

“How about you, Tyler?”

“I don’t do Valentine’s Day,” he says sullenly.

Yeah, he doesn’t quite seem the hearts and flowers type.

“Well.” Dr. Price claps his hands. “I hope you two have good nights anyway.”

We’re dismissed after that and make our way out of the Stress Lab to the stairs leading out of the psychology building. I pause at the top, turning to him. “Thanks for not saying anything about earlier.”

He nods, jamming his fists in his pockets but makes no move to speak. The sleeves of his shirt are still wrinkled where I gripped them, the spot on my neck where his fingers brushed against me still warm from his remembered touch.

I stare at his lips, reliving how soft they were, how they felt pressed against mine. How gentle he’d been. Even if it had just been to help me, I can’t regret it. That was a first kiss to remember.

What am I thinking? First kiss? He said himself that kiss didn’t mean anything. “See you later,” I mumble, suddenly embarrassed about the whole thing.

I walk halfway down the stairs and glance back one last time. He’s still standing there, watching me, his blue eyes hypnotic. A shudder runs through me and I pull my scarf out of my coat pocket, winding it around my neck.

That should keep the chill at bay.

Chapter Seven

Tyler

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