“I’m glad you approve. I was actually stopping by to discuss the remainder of my bill.”
Forget about the heat in his eyes; fire ignited over his entire face. A clever grin he tried to hide by tucking his tongue in his cheek gave him completely away. “Is that so?”
“But if you’re on your way out for the day, I can come back another—”
He hooked me around the hips, pulling me tight against his front. “Luckily, I’m just getting back from a meeting with nothing but time to discuss your payment plan. You are long overdue. There will be some late fees assessed.”
I nodded. “Even though I just made a payment this morning?”
He playfully nodded with faux sympathy.
“Oh, I see. I completely understand. It’s only fair.” I tipped my hips into his groin. “You’re fair but very, very firm as well.”
A growl vibrated his chest. “Oscar went home after the meeting. Allow me to nominate myself for boss of the year and let Emily go early so we can have the whole office to ourselves.”
I cut him with a side-eye. “It’s four forty-five. I’m not sure fifteen minutes will win you boss of the year.” I plucked one of the bubble teas from the carrier in his hands. “But when I add a little mango cherry to that deal, I might become boss’s fiancée of the year.”
“Whatever needs to be done to get you and that dress in my office. I’m gonna stretch you both out.”
I chuckled under my breath and strutted to the door, batting my lashes at the handsome guy over my shoulder. It was worthless flirting; his gaze was trained on my ass. What could I say? It was an amazing dress.
He reached over my head and held the door for me after I’d opened it, and then he promptly ran into my back because I froze not one step into his office. Well, not completely true. My body froze, but my hand let go of the bubble tea, sending it to its oddly reminiscent untimely demise.
Still, I didn’t look down as I crossed the threshold into the Twilight Zone, finding Aaron sitting on the edge of Emily’s desk, his arms wrapped around her waist as she smiled down at him, the biggest bouquet of pink roses I’d ever seen resting beside them.
“Uhhh,” Bowen and I drawled in unison.
“Shit!” Emily palmed Aaron’s face to shove herself out of his arms. “Wow, I was not expecting you back today.” Her hands shook as she smoothed down her pencil skirt. “Oscar called and told me the meeting ran long and to lock up when I left. I assumed it meant you were out for the afternoon too.”
Turning on the desk without bothering to stand, Aaron was slightly more casual about having been caught. Until he saw me. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Don’t you turn this around on me,” I snapped. “What the hell are you doing here besides making me drop a six-dollar tea that I will never live down?”
“I’ll get the mop!” Emily announced, easily falling into our unfortunate routine.
“Nope,” Bowen countered. Hooking me around the hips, he lifted me off my feet, carried me around the spilled drink, and set me back down. All the while, he balanced the cup carrier in his other hand.
Seriously, it was not fair how he got to be hot, incredible, and have coordination like that. Though he did use his superpowers for good to keep me from slipping and sliding in the fruity tea and ruin the dress we both seemed to love. I guess that counted for something.
“No one is going anywhere until someone explains to me what in the Twilight Zone we just walked into,” he declared.
I put my chin to my shoulder and looked back at him. “Sir, get out of my head. I literally just thought the exact same thing.”
He hit me with a panty-melting wink before pinning Aaron with a glare. “You. Start explaining.”
He barked a laugh and waved a finger between me and Bowen. “No, thanks. I’d rather you go first. Is that an engagement ring?”
Oh boy.
“Ohh-kay. Everyone chill for a second.” I plastered on a smile. “Hey, Emily. Good to see you again. Sorry about the bubble tea. I’ll clean it up this time, I swear.”
She nodded and looked at Bowen. “You’re going to fire me now, aren’t you?”
Aaron rolled his eyes and stood up, tossing his arms around her shoulders. “He’s not going to fire you. He practically set us up.”
Bowen blinked. “I’m sorry. I did what now?”
Aaron rolled his eyes again. “All the dinners you had her drop off at my house. Your mom’s Rice Krispies treats. It was a pan the size of my head, Bowen. Who the hell did you think I was going to share them with?”
I rested my hand over my heart. “Awww. I’ve missed those.”
