Page 35 of Feel It in the Air

“It’s quittin’ time,” Aaron answers.

“It’s four forty-five.”

I press my lips together, trying to hold back my laugh. Stoic, statuesque Gus stands there, waiting to be challenged. As if we weren’t long past the time most people left. In moments like this, I can see why he’s gotten the reputation for being grumpy. From the outside looking in, that’s exactly what he looks like—an unyielding curmudgeon, rather than trying to be funny. I’ve heard my department cohorts say it more than once since he became our temporary department head. What they—and most people—don’t see, from the inside looking out, it’s all about passion. His love for this company, his family, and keeping the traditions alive and well.

Although he could probably smile more in public.

“Right.” Aaron nods, looking between us both. The mini, nonverbal reprimand seemed to have the desired effect, turning up the awkwardness of the moment, but doesn’t do much for making my colleague turn around and head back to his desk. To be fair, with a few minutes left in the day on a Friday, I don’t know that I would either. Busted or not. “I guess I’ll see you both Monday. Margeaux, if your plans change, you know where to find me.”

“See you Monday.”

Gus silently follows Aaron out the door with his eyes, his expression even more sobering than before. The snick of the latch cuts through the thick silence, leaving just him and me.

“You have plans for tonight?” he asks, not bothering with pleasantries. Okay then.

“Errr, kinda.” I shrug, trying to be nonchalant, as I turn back to my computer.

Ordering a pizza, debating between a bottle of wine and a Southern Brothers six-pack, while I read over work paperwork, all before heading to bed and busting out my trusty vibrator and fantasizing about Gus’s hands all over me totally counts as plans, right? Right. Then yes, I absolutely have “plans” tonight.

And tomorrow night. In fact, I’m booked all damn weekend.

Gus accepts my answer, or at least I assume he does, since he doesn’t comment any further. Instead, he looks around the department, surveying the empty bullpen and offices.

“You’re the only one left.”

It comes out more as a statement than a question, so I don’t reply. I simply give a nod of my head in confirmation. Mabel, Percy’s assistant, keeps a master calendar so that we all know where each one of us might be at any given point, and I have no doubt that Gus was added to that the instant Mabel was made aware that he was overseeing things. So he would know that she had a doctor’s appointment this afternoon, and that various others were out with other Hayes departments for meetings. That is, if he looked.

“I probably should have looked at Mabel’s calendar before I came down,” he mutters, running his hand over his face.

“Did you need something?”

He shakes his head, the heel of his hand running along that sharp jawline, drawing attention to his five o’clock shadow. Not for the first time, I can’t help but wonder what the scruff would feel like on the inside of my thighs, my legs snapping together as I try to push the thought from my mind. Now is not the time. This is not the place. Although we’ll add that to the docket for tonight’s fantasy lineup.

“No, just wanted to check in. Make sure everything is still on track. There’s a lot due next week.”

“As far as I know, everything is on schedule.” I keep my answer simple, succinct. It’s the only thing I can do. Anything more and I risk losing my composure.

Silence cascades down on us, like the curtain falls at the end of a theater performance, heavy and stiff. The tension that comes along with it isn’t any better, neither of us knowing what to do or say. We haven’t been alone since he kissed me.

“Good, good,” he says. I can feel the awkwardness radiating off him.

“What are you working on?”

“Just trying to catch up on some stuff.”

I shift, wishing that this weirdness would disappear. I want so much to turn to him and tell him all about what I’m working on. About how excited I am to be taking on this project and dive deeper into the company. That this was the kind of thing I wanted to do at Sulonen, but never got to.

“Related to the trademark renewal?”

My pulse skitters. He remembers which project I’m on.

“Yeah.”

“Doesn’t that just require a quick write-up?”

“It does. As long as the trademark is in use, then all a renewal needs is a statement about the use in commerce, a list of the goods and services in connection with the trademark, and an example of it in use. Most of which I could probably copy from the last time these were renewed, but I want to know more about what I’m working on. What each trademark really represents and why it’s important to Hayes. Plus, get a better understanding on how some of these things work.”

“And do you? Understand how those work.”