Page 6 of Into the Tempest

I looked at Tully then, because that was such a weird thing to say... and he smirked at me with a hint of daring in his eyes. And something that looked like pride?

I wasn’t sure. I wasn’t familiar with it. My face flamed, nonetheless. “Uh, I think genius is a stretch.”

Tully laughed and, to my utter horror, put his hand to my jaw and thumbed my cheek. His brown eyes, kind and warm. “Whatcha blushing for?”

Oh.

My.

God.

I went so red and my cheeks burned so hot I was sure it could only be measured in kelvin. I could even feel it in my hairline. I pulled his hand away, giving him a ‘your parents are right there’ look, and what did he do?

He laughed.

His hand fell to my thigh, and he kept it there, giving my leg a squeeze. My throat was suddenly feeling a little tight, so I sipped my coffee and dared to glance at Tully’s parents and brother.

They were all looking at Tully. His dad was smiling at him, though clearly surprised. His brother was staring at him as if he’d sprouted a second head, and his mother was looking at him fondly.

At least they weren’t looking at me. I ate more sandwich and pretended this whole encounter wasn’t mortifying.

“So, Jeremiah’s now in charge of the Darwin office,” Tully said, still singing my praises, which I wasn’t used to—at all. “He’s staying with me.”

Oh my days.

He just told them we were cohabitating. Not even that I was staying at his house, but rather that I was stayingwith him.

As in, not leaving. Not returning to Melbourne. I waswith him.

I let out a long, slow, somewhat shaky breath. “Well, the position was thrust upon me.”

Oh...

Did I just use the words position and thrust upon me in one sentence?

To his parents? And his brother?

I wanted to die.

Was it possible for the floor to open up and swallow me whole? Maybe I could choke on a grape.

I tried. No luck.

Tully chuckled beside me, his face far too close to mine. “You okay there?” he whispered.

“No. Is a sinkhole not too much to ask for?”

He laughed and kissed my shoulder, then pulled me to my feet. “Okay, we’re gonna get going.”

“Oh, did you sign whatever needed signing?” I asked. I hadn’t noticed him doing that, but this had all been such a whirlwind.

“No.” Tully glared at his brother. “Ellis was bullshitting me. This was an ambush.”

Ellis grinned. “Just wanted to see if you actually existed, sorry. And to embarrass Tully. Given Mum and Dad were both in the office, it was perfect timing.”

“Oh.”

All right then.

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