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“Some of it.”
“Lizzy and I are good friends.”
“Sounds it.”
“How much did you hear?” She swivels her big eyes to face me, then immediately looks away. “I totally thought for sure this place was empty,” she adds in a rush.
“I slept in. My car’s out front. You didn’t see it?”
“I didn’t even look. It’s so dark out there.”
“Your powers of observation are not your strong suit.”
“Wearing a shirt is not your strong suit.”
“Hm?”
“A shirt…” She flicks her hand my way but keeps her eyes down.
“Oh.” I plant my palm on my chest and feel my bare skin. “Ah. Right. I just got out of the shower.”
Her face transforms—pink blossoms on both cheeks, replacing the pallor with a rush of color. “Is that… ah hem… Is that right? I thought—that thing. About. Sorry… words. Five o’clock.”
“Excuse me?”
“I just… Sorry. Hard to think straight.”
“Because I’m not in a shirt?”
She moves her hand, so now her fingers fiddle with a wooden toggle button on her sweater, rather than the dog harness. “I haven’t had coffee,” she blurts out.
“Ah. Okay.” I can’t help but smile. It’s wrong how much I enjoy seeing her adorable, flustered ways. “And coffee is king, I hear.”
“It’s also the office love language.”
I chuckle. “Interesting…”
She bites her lip. “It shouldn’t be that interesting. I’m not interesting. I think I’m babbling again. It’s early, and I haven’t quite woken up yet.”
When she pulls at the neck of her sweater, I feel the urge to do something—anything—to ease her anxiety. “I could put a pot of coffee on for us,” I offer.
“Er…” She glances at the door and then steps backward.
“Stay, Gwen.” It comes out gruffer than I intended. Like an order. I meant to invite her to stay, not bark out a command. Since she’s here in my house, and I’m here too, we may as well go over some work items.
And I’d like more time with her, one on one.
She fascinates me.
I’ve never met a woman so vulnerable. So sweet, genuine, and naive. How does she survive without a harder shell?
But I can see she didn’t like my tone of voice. And, I don’t blame her. I can be too demanding. Too blunt. It comes off rude.
Maybe she’s right, and the coffee can do the talking. “Roast rules the roost. Isn’t that what you said?”
Her expression softens. She lifts one side of her mouth. “Did I say that?”
“Something to that effect.”
