Page 54 of Miss Typed

“Fine.” I said it quickly. Too quickly. For once, I’d like to be able to visit my family without coming away with a heavier burden.

His stare was intense. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing.” I forced myself to smile. “I want to thank you for the winter jacket and the boots. They definitely came in handy.”

His eyes didn’t leave mine while I guiltily flushed because I’d returned the coat to pay for two new jackets for my siblings and then given the boots to my oldest sister. She’d certainly use them there much more than I would in the desert.

“It was my pleasure.”

My hands rubbed my thighs through the material of my black pants. “When you get a chance, I need your banking information so I can transfer the forty thousand to you. If possible, I’d like to make monthly payments for the balance to the same account.”

It might not make him happy for me to pay him back, but too bad.

“You don’t have to.”

“We’ve been through this. I really do.”

His jaw clenching was causing my girly parts to take notice. Aiden Samuels when irritated was hot.

“Fine. But I’m not discussing this in the office,” he said.

“Where would you prefer to talk about it, then?”

“How about I come over tonight, and we talk about the payments?”

My heart beat faster though I told myself this would only be a discussion of logistics. “Yeah. Okay. Oh, except my roommate is back.”

“How about you come over to my place instead?”

“Sure.” We were going to discuss payments, in the privacy of his apartment. No big deal.

“I’ll send you the address. We can meet about seven.”

“I have your address.” It was on his paperwork for the cafeteria account.

He lifted a brow. “Do you now?”

“Mm, I’ve had some good stalking teachers. First Hank the Tank, then you.”

He cracked a smile, about to respond with what I was sure would be a flirty retort when we were interrupted by the buzzing of his cell phone.

“Hold on. Let me silence this.” He fetched the device out of his trouser pocket, only to curse once he read the number. “It’s Reid.”

I stood up, ready to go. “He called the office earlier, too, wondering when you’d be in. It’s okay. You can take it. I’ll see you tonight.”

Could I help it if I anticipated the evening? He might not want a relationship, but it didn’t mean we couldn’t hang out. Didn’t mean we couldn’t maybe fool around?

As I sat down at my desk, my office phone rang with a call from the receptionist.

“Hi, Mr. Aiden Samuels’ office.”

“Hi, Chloe. It’s Wendy at the front desk. I have a Miranda Westbrook here to see Aiden. She says she doesn’t have an appointment but indicated she’s his girlfriend.”

His ex-girlfriend was here? Or was she still the ex? Was she in town visiting him? Was she the real reason he didn’t want a relationship with me?

“Can you please tell her Mr. Samuels is on a call, but I will let him know as soon as he’s off.”

“All right, I’ll tell her. But, uh, hurry because she’s already chewed me out about having to wait down here instead of buzzing her directly up to his office.”