I raise an eyebrow. “Like you left.”
Viking huffs in irritation. “This is no time to be stubborn, Syd. You need to leave.”
He’s right, but damned if I’m going to let him know that. I’ve got good tires, and I don’t live far away. I just need another hour to figure this out.
“I don’t leave.”
He shakes his head. “Please don’t be stubborn about this. I’m just trying to keep you safe.”
“I’ve learned to look after myself. And I’ll keep myself safe. Thank you.”
I’m being childish, but I can’t help it. I don’t want him to think he can tell me what to do.
Viking saunters out of the room, and I smile.
A gust of wind rattles the skylights and shatters my moment of victory.
He’s right. I should get home, but I’m going to stay here as long as I can just to piss him off. It’s going to take more than a few cups of coffee to get back into my good books.
Twenty minutes later, Viking’s back. I feel his presence before I hear him.
“They’ve closed the roads at the top of the ridge.” Viking’s tone is low but firm.
I keep my focus on the spreadsheet in front of me. It’s a twenty-minute drive home, and the worst roads are further up the mountain.
“I’ll make it through the worst of it.”
He sets a soggy cardboard box on my desk, and from inside the box he extracts two silver mugs and a brown paper bag.
“At least have something to eat while you’re here.”
He puts one of the mugs on my desk. Steam leaks from the vent in the top of the mug, and the aroma of milky coffee wafts out with it. My gut clenches at his thoughtfulness. After four years, he remembers exactly how I like my coffee.
“Thank you.”
“I caught Davis as he was locking up. They’ve closed the restaurant for the afternoon, and he’s heading home.”
He looks at me pointedly. “Maggie was already gone, but I made us some sandwiches and snagged a couple of cookies from the kitchen.”
He pulls a chocolate chip cookie out of the bag and hands it to me wrapped in a napkin. Viking makes it hard to stay cross with him.
As I reach for the cookie, there’s a boom of thunder straight overhead. My body jolts, and my hand bumps up against his. Viking wraps his fingers around my wrist, and my pulse thumps against his fingers.
“I got you, Syd,” he whispers.
My gaze meets his, and memories flood in from a time before. A time when I believed we’d have each other forever.
I wrench my hand away, and it’s trembling. I tell myself it’s from the thunder and not from his touch.
“I’m fine.”
Viking steps back, putting distance between us. The rain on the roof turns more violent, and the building shakes with a gust of wind.
“What are you doing here anyway?” I ask.
“I wanted to make sure the place was secure for the storm.”
He looks away, and there’s something he’s not telling me.
