Page 81 of Apparently, I’m Torture

Shawn

Friday Morning

Verra Convention Center

“He was inside me all night,” Lilly whisper-yelled to Mia as I walked into the kitchen.

I paused and leaned against the doorframe as Mia whispered back, “Okay, what the actual fuck? How did you two go from hating each other to boning?”

Lilly straightened, teetered on her shaky legs, and gripped the edge of the table for support. “I don’t really know. But it was the best sex of my life.”

“Which time?” Mia asked wryly.

She giggled. “All of them. I’m so sore. I might’ve reached my limit.”

Mia gripped Lilly’s arms before her legs gave out. “Normally I’d tell you the limit doesn’t exist, but it’s like you’re drunk on sex.”

“And lack of sleep,” I added, walking into the room.

Mia and Lilly both yelped, and I laughed.

“You asshole,” Mia muttered.

Lilly looked at me dreamily, and I couldn’t resist. I bent to kiss her as Mia scoffed.

“You two are lunatics. Look at you. What happened to wanting professionalism at all times, Mister Jackson?”

I straightened and shrugged as my tired eyes found the coffee pot. Lilly wasn’t the only one barely holding up here. After finally getting out a tiny, miniscule amount of the sexual frustration I’d shored up, my body was barely functioning.

She let out a small noise as I walked away, grasped the pot, and poured both of us a cup. I came to her side, and bent to kiss her hair as I handed her the warm mug.

“As cute as this is,” Mia drawled. “We still have a problem. Trevor the dickbag, remember?”

I put my mug to my mouth as I said, “I’ll handle it. I’ll call the department and tell them I made a mistake. I’ll deal with Trevor once I know Lilly’s in the clear.”

Lilly shut her eyes and shook her head. “I can’t let you take the blame like that. We should just talk to Trevor. Maybe if we let him know that we know, he’ll admit it and apologize, you know?”

I smiled into my mug. She was as endearing as ever, always so willing to do the kind thing–once her explosive temper wore off, of course. God, I loved her.

“That’s a nice idea,” I started, “But if Trevor owns up to tampering with emails and orders, he’ll lose his job without question. He’s going to deny everything. Unless we figure out a way to prove he did it, it’s like Nikki said: It’s just your word against his.”

Mia folded her arms and slumped against the table. “There’s got to be some way to prove the bastard messed with Lilly’s computer.”

“We could probably trace the IP addresses,” I added. “See if another computer logged in remotely. If Trevor used his computer as well as Lilly’s, we might be able to build an argument.”

Lilly lifted her chin, her face brightening as she smiled. Gorgeous. I never stood a chance. “We could do that?”

“Probably. Our IT division loaned me a guy who’s been tasked with handling our more complicated tech issues. We could figure it out.”

Mia gave me a tired, smug smile. “Look at you, saving the day. Only took you five bloody years to get here.”

Lilly leaned against me, and I wanted to keep her there, but muffled footsteps were shuffling along the hallway carpet. Mia was right, I still had a fundraiser to manage. My reputation could take a hit with the department, but if the teachers I employed saw me like this with Lilly, rumors would swirl and my credibility would go down.

Staffrooms were like high school cliques. You were either in or you were out. I still needed their respect. At least until all this was over, and the funding came through for my initiative.

I steadied Lilly, then stepped away as I said, “I’ll call them now. Lilly, could I see you in my office in about… twenty minutes?”

She smiled shyly, nodding as I turned away.