Page 45 of Out of Bounds

“Of course,” she said, her voice cracking ever so slightly. Gunnar had to fight back the urge to ask her if she was okay. That question was the match that ignited everything this morning, and he did not want round two. He wasn’t even sure she’d believe him this time if he tried to apologize.

“I wanted to see about getting an English tutor for Cardoza. He seems to know the basics but needs some help if he’s going to communicate efficiently with the team.”

“Oh, um, yeah…sure…” she answered, as if caught off guard by the question. There was no mistaking the look of disappointment that flashed across her face, before it returned to her normal, professional, straight-faced expression.

“Are you not the right person to ask?”

“No, I am. An English tutor would fall under team services."

Felicity sat down in her chair and busied herself with something on her computer. She swallowed hard, her long, gorgeous neck on display from her hair being swept up in the normal twist thing she did with it. Looking at her like this, her cold demeanor on display, he felt another rush of frustration at how she’d turned on him so quickly. But there was something still niggling at him to ask her if she was okay—because he knew the answer was no. That there was something eating at her, that the ice princess routine was just an act to keep everyone away. Did Jonah say something else to her?

“What’s the matter?” he finally asked, after a long moment of just the sound of her fingers dancing across the keyboard. Going down this road was against his better judgment, but he couldn’t help himself. He just hoped he didn’t regret it.

“Nothing,” she replied, not even bothering to glance in his direction.

“Liar,” he growled, feeling all the anger start to brew again. Was this really going to be how things were between them? Forget wanting to comfort her, now he wanted to leap over this table and shake her.

"I just, ummm,” she stumbled, swallowing hard again. Expressing her feelings was not something that came naturally to her, but he needed her to meet him halfway here before he sacrificed himself for the second time. No, third. Last night had started as an apology as well. “I guess I thought you were here for another reason.”

“And what reason would that be?” he asked, his curiosity piqued. Maybe it wasn’t what Jonah had said that was eating at her.

She stopped typing, swiveling in her seat to look at him dead-on. He could see all the emotions swimming in her eyes, even though her face remained stoic. Come on, Effie, let your guard down…

“Something unrelated to the team, that’s all.”

“Well, someone already scolded me once today for being unprofessional at work. I don’t need my balls cut off more than once in a day, thank you.”

“Right,” she answered, an unreadable expression on her face. Part of her looked disappointed, like she had hoped that he would take the bait, but another part looked like she had been scolded as well.

“Thank you for defending me during the staff meeting,” she continued, looking away from him. He knew this was hard for her, to be this vulnerable, especially in the office. But he needed her to give him something other than a shove from the highest tower of her castle. Anything that would let him know that she knew he wasn’t against her.

“You’re welcome.”

“It meant a lot,” she continued, her voice just above a whisper. She sat back in her chair, her body language not quite as confident as it had been moments ago. “No one’s ever taken my side like that. Especially when my father is involved.”

“I told you, Effie, I’m on your side here. But you need to make up your mind,” he told her, willing himself to stay strong. He was not going to give in just because she batted her eyelashes at him. “Either you’re going to keep me at arm's length, or you're going to let me in.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“The fuck it isn’t,” he exclaimed, getting all worked up again. “You might have everyone else in this building fooled, but I know the ice princess thing is an act. I know who you are behind that fortress you created. That was who I spent last night with. And that is who I was defending in that conference room. The smart, caring woman who just wants to show the world what she’s made of.”

Felicity opened her mouth to say something, but then snapped it shut. He sat there for a moment, watching, waiting for her to come back with something. But her silence was all he needed to know that she wasn’t willing to give him anything to work with.

“Fine,” he sighed. “Thank you for your time and help with the tutor. When you have it lined up, just let me know so I can get with Cardoza.”

Spinning on his heel, he turned and walked out of Felicity’s office.

Chapter Sixteen

“Gunnar!” Felicity shouted, popping up from her seat, sending her chair flying behind her.

That was not how she had wanted that conversation to go. She had wanted to let him know how much she appreciated what he had done and how she was sorry that she snapped at him this morning. But instead she’d blown it, resulting in having to watch that glorious backside of his disappear from her office.

“Gunnar,” she called out again, the waver in her voice making it almost unrecognizable. She needed to catch him. It only took her a few long strides to cover the distance of her office, careful not to trip over her heels. Falling flat on her face was the last thing she needed today. She’d barely crossed the threshold, making the sharp left-hand turn to chase after him down the hall when she smacked into something hard.

Gunnar.

“Better watch where you’re going, Effie,” he said, his hands grasping on to her elbows as she steadied herself.