I’ll have to stay late at work for a couple of nights crunching numbers, but it’s not like I have much going for me outside of work.
At last, Mr. Graves’s expression breaks into a small smile. “Thank you, Grace. It’s a great help to me.”
“No problem,” I say. “Thankyoufor being cool about the… dairy situation.”
His dark eyes shine with amusement as he brings a finger to his lips in a shushing sign. “It’s our secret.”
I don’t know why, but something about the scene has every hair on my body standing on end. A shiver works its way down my spine, and I’m overcome with an eerie sense of déjà vu.
“Great,” I choke. “Well… I should probably be getting back to work. Unless there’s anything else you need from me?”
He never does respond to my question. “Yes, that’s probably a good idea,” he says after a moment. “You should get back to it.”
Mr. Graves stands and leads me to the door, pausing with his hand wrapped around the handle. His gaze cuts to me out of the corner of his eye, and there’s a heated emotion there I can’t place. “I’ll see you later, Grace. Have a good day.”
“You too, Mr. Graves.”
As I walk back to my desk, I can’t shake the sensation that I’m standing on the edge of something massive, staring straight into the jaws of some great beast.
How strange.
Around noon, I head into the break room to grab my lunch from the fridge. Only, when I reach in, it’s not there. Frowning, I crouch in front of the shelves, pulling out various lunchbags and expired goods in search of my sandwich.
After a few minutes, I realize I’m not going to find it. Either someone took it or mistakenly threw it out, which is weird, because that’s never been a problem in the office before now. I let out a sigh as I close the fridge and head back to my desk to grab my purse.Looks like I’ll be going out for lunch today.
My stomach rumbles in protest, so I pull out a piece of mint gum and pop it in my mouth, hoping to stave off my hunger for a little while longer.
I step onto the elevator, relieved to find it’s empty, but just before the doors close, a scarred hand slides between them, and the elevator dings loudly as they reverse their path.
My pulse spikes as Mr. Graves appears in the opening in his tailored suit, the dark color bringing out the hue of his eyes, the hungry gleam in his smile.
“Room for one more?”
I nod, stepping to the side to allow room for him in the small space. Mr. Graves dips his chin in thanks, taking his place beside me with his head facing forward and hands clasped in front of his waist. Hints of charred tobacco and aftershave fill my senses at his proximity, and with each breath, heat curls low in my stomach.
As if sensing my sinful thoughts, Mr. Graves turns his head toward me, the corner of his mouth pulled upward in a smirk. “Where are you off to, Grace?”
I have to jut my chin up, up, up to look him in the eyes, and I’m reminded once more of just how massive the man is. Despite how small I feel, I tug my shoulders back, trying not to cower under the weight of his heated stare. “Just grabbing some lunch. The one I brought seems to have run away.”
He smiles then, but something in his eyes makes me shiver. “What a coincidence. I left mine at home.” Mr. Graves stuffs his hands into his pockets as he turns to face me fully. “Since we’re both going out, would you care to join me for lunch, Ms. Kent? I could use a local to show me a couple of good spots nearby—yesterday, I got some of the world’s worst Thai food, and I’m in no mood to repeat the experience.”
“Um…” I bite my lip, debating his proposition. He’s my boss, so I don’t want to offend him by turning him down. On the other hand, what would people think if they saw us out together?
“No pressure either way,” Mr. Graves adds. “Just thought I’d ask.”
Realizing I’m being overdramatic, I shove down my anxiety and turn to Mr. Graves with a bright smile. “Let’s do it. Is there anything in particular you’re in the mood for?”
“Yes. There is.” His expression seems to darken, lips pressing together in a small frown as his pupils expand, consuming the surrounding color. “But it’s not available right now.”
“Oh.” My brows furrow as I try to work out what type of cuisine it could be. “What is it?”
At that moment, the elevator doors slide open, and Mr. Graves holds a hand out, ushering me off the lift. “After you, Grace.”
I give him a toothless smile and step off, sensing his stare aimed at my back, heating my neck and making my heart thrum violently. He catches up to me with a quick few strides, his large palm swinging lightly by his side, nearly close enough to brush my arm.
“You asked me what I want, but the real question is—what is Grace in the mood for?” He asks, holding the door to the outside. A gust of cool air blows in through the opening, and the hairs on my arms stand straight—or perhaps Mr. Graves’s closeness is having an effect on me.
“There’s a good deli right down the block. I’ve grabbed it a couple of times when I didn’t have time to pack my lunch,” I say, gesturing in the general direction. “They have a really good tuna salad sandwich.”Which I will be staying far away from today…
