Page 85 of A Ticking Time Boss

I run a hand through my hair, forcing my voice to relax. Battle it back into the charming, smooth mannerisms I’ve perfected over the years. Even that’s a remnant of my father.

“Send her in!”

The door opens and there she is, stepping in with a giant box in her hands. “The files you asked for,” she says. Her eyes widen with meaning.

Urging me to play along.

“That’s right,” I tell Tim. “Thank you. Push my meeting after this by ten.”

“Yes, of course,” he says, shutting the door behind us.

I stand. “Kid?”

“Happy Birthday.” She’s grinning as she crosses the space to me. “I brought you something.”

“I can see that. Files, apparently.”

She chuckles and puts the box down on my desk. Right on top of the documents I’d been reviewing. “It took me a lot of sneakiness to get this up to you. Even now, I’m sure someone’s going to bust me for it. Ask why I’m on the executive floor.”

“I’ll cover for you,” I say. It will be easy to add this to my calendar retroactively.

Her smile flashes again. “I hoped you would. Look… ta-da!” She pulls off the top piece of cardboard to reveal a tiny pastry box. Inside is a single cupcake with a candle. “It’s not lit. I was planning to, but setting off the fire alarm would not be particularly sneaky.”

“Good call.” I look at the cupcake, and her wide, expectant smile, and reach for her. She fits into my arms like she belongs there. Because she does. I kiss her thoroughly, as if I can forget the text on my phone and the feelings whirling inside of me. Disappear, I tell them. Not here.

She looks dazed when I lift my head. “Well,” she whispers. “Happy birthday indeed.”

I chuckle and reach for the cupcake. “You really brought this to work today for me?”

“I snuck out during my lunch break. Had to bring an extra-large bag to bring it back in without Declan noticing.”

“Declan?”

“My deskmate,” she says. “You spoke to him, remember? He notices everything.”

“Right.” I vaguely recall a lanky man in glasses. There had been a lot of names that day.

“It’s a carrot cake muffin,” she says, and she looks so proud of herself that I kiss her again.

“You remembered?”

“I did. It’s your favorite type.” She looks over her shoulder at the closed office door, her cheeks rosy with excitement. “Gosh, I feel like I’m doing something I shouldn’t.”

I lean against my desk. She fits in between my legs, her hands resting on my chest. “A crime against humanity,” I say. “Visiting the man you’re dating.”

“Who’s also my boss,” she reminds me, smiling.

Second by second with her in my arms, tension leaks out of me. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Just sending a text wasn’t enough.” She rises up on her tiptoes and presses her lips to mine in a quick kiss. “Can I ask about your bad mood, too, or will that set it off?”

I rest my head atop hers. “You noticed?”

“Yes,” she says, “but you made a valiant effort to hide it.”

“You just helped a lot.”

“Mhm. I’m glad.” But Audrey doesn’t leave it at that. She leans back, her hair lightly tousled from my touch, and meets my gaze. There’s kind curiosity there. “Did Wesley upset you?”

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