Page 30 of When We Are Old

“Everyone, lunch, now.”

Natalie’s mouth fell open. “But you said I had too—”

“Out! Lunch. Stewart,” I yelled for the finance manager. I say manager, what I meant was finance guy. He was his own team.

“Take everyone to lunch please, my treat.”

“But...” he came out from his cubicle rubbing his nose and repositioning his glasses.

I went for my coat hanging on the coat stand and pulled out my purse. “Here you go. Take everyone to Cafe Rouge.”

Fred sloped out from wherever he’d been hiding and stared flat out at Matthew. “Yay, it’s Mr Personality.”

“Fred!” I gasped.

“It’s okay, Ronnie,” Matthew said stepping forward. “Fred. I apologise for being difficult last week. It was a very testing time and I wasn’t honest about my reservations for the rebrand.”

Matthew reached for me with a long arm and rubbed his hand down my back. “I thank you for the work you did for me though, and Ronnie, of course.”

Fred straightened up, but he didn’t smile.

Natalie stepped in between everyone. “Mr Carling.” She bobbed him what could only be called a curtsey and I narrowed my gaze into my most evil of stares.

“Off you all go. Everyone have fun.”

Once they’d gone, I turned to Matthew.

“I think you’ve misunderstood the concept of me coming down to take you for lunch.”

A reckless surge coursed through my veins. Matthew created a different Ronnie. A person who had never existed before, not even in the past.

“Honestly, Matthew, the least I can do is thank you for flying all this way.”

My cheeks warmed, but I met his stare. I wanted to be that ‘Ronnie’.

Tugging his hand in mine, I pulled him for my office and shut the door behind us. Still holding his hand, I closed the blinds.

He remained silent, but his fingers brushed at the edge of my hair, shooting desire straight down my spine.

“We can go out to eat, Ronnie. I just wanted to spend time with you.”

I glanced over my shoulder. His low voice made me quiver on my legs. “I know.” I motioned for my chair. “Sit.”

With a grin he sat down and watched me with an expectant gaze through thick, black eyelashes. “What am I waiting for? I’ve heard you keep a stash of chocolate bars in your drawers.”

I stood between his knees and then lowered myself down. I hadn’t done this in an age, not properly. He straightened up, reaching forward to brush his fingers along the curve of my face. “Ronnie, don’t be silly. I really did mean a sandwich.”

“I just sent all my staff to Cafe Rouge. You’re getting more than a sandwich.”

* * *

I needed to cage Teenage Porno Ronnie fast.

What the hell was that?

Since when did I do things like blow jobs in my office? That had never been a thing. Not ever.

I’d left work when Matthew went back to the airport. The fact he’d flown all that way just to see me made me smile like a lunatic. But my behaviour, what I’d done. Now he wasn’t there it rattled under my skin.