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There was silence.

“Our client,” she said flatly.

“Yes,” I repeated, my voice growing a little hoarse.

“And seeing as you didn’t mention it when we took them on, I’m going to assume you began dating after we started working with them,” Corva said with a worrying lack of inflection.

I took a deep breath. “Yes.”

She pursed her lips, looking less than pleased. “Anita, you know my views on this.”

“I know,” I said quickly. “And you know that I would never… I’m not a rulebreaker, Corva. You know that. But Nuni and I…”

I trailed off, not entirely sure what to say to my boss that wouldn’t be completely inappropriate. We couldn’t stay away from each other? We were wildly attracted to each other? Something was different about him, something that made me not care about any consequences, and I’d never had that before and it was equally terrifying and amazing?

Corva was watching me closely, her mouth still flattened into a thin line, but after a few seconds, she sighed and sat back with a creak of her desk chair. “I know you’re not a rulebreaker, Anita. And I know you would never act rashly, especially in a professional setting.”

Heat rose up my throat and crept into my cheeks. She doesn’t need to know about the desk thing. Or the sauna thing.

Or the bathroom at the bar when she walked in a few minutes later.

“I’m sorry for… risking your company’s reputation,” I eventually said, my voice stilted. I liked Corva. I respected her. I didn’t want her to think poorly of me. We weren’t friends, but… she was a person I looked up to.

Corva sighed again and sat forward to rest her elbows on her desk. “The fact that you’re even worried about that tells me plenty about you, Anita. And I appreciate you telling me so I’m not caught off guard if I found out some other way.” After a pause, her mouth quirked into an almost-amused smile. “Did I tell you why Rorik + Stimis contacted us specifically?”

I blinked. “Um, no. I just assumed they’d heard of our reputation.”

She made a face. “Yes, well, I like to think that’s why they actually went with us, but my very dear friend Beryl recommended us. She’s dating Mr var Rorik’s brother.”

I blinked again a few more times at that revelation. Wait… as in Nuni’s brother Greid? The one dating a human? His girlfriend was friends with Corva?

“Oh. Wow.” I wasn’t sure what to say. “Small world.”

“Yes.” Corva looked a little awkward. She rarely, if ever, talked about her personal life to her employees. “Anita, I know you’re aware of my own… recent relationship issues, which does play a very large part in how I conduct my business and expect my employees to act.”

I swallowed, a fresh flurry of nerves rising up. “Yes.”

“I hope you don’t think I regard this situation as being at all similar to what my bastard fuckhead ex did. I know you have integrity.”

A nervous, slightly hysterical laugh tried to escape at what she’d called her ex, but I managed to push it down. “Thank you. It means a lot coming from you, Corva.”

Her face softened a touch, enough for her to smile at me. Then she sighed, her expression turning faintly amused as she eyed me. “I should probably take you off the Rorik + Stimis event. But you’ve done a fabulous job so far…”

I stiffened. Now that the anxiety of telling her was over, my natural inclination to defend my work ethic was jostling its way to the forefront. “My relationship with Nuni—Mr var Rorik—hasn’t affected my work at all. We both act professionally when we’re discussing the event.”

Corva’s mouth twitched, which made heat flood my face.

“Well. That’s reassuring to know.” A hint of mirth edged her tone. “All I ask is that you continue to act professionally in his presence when you’re representing Feris Events.”

“Of course,” I said quickly.

“And if you end up getting married, for the love of god, don’t go with Kolbert var Greer as your wedding planner.”

My face grew even hotter as I rolled my eyes. “Corva.”

She chuckled. “I’m joking, darling. Kind of.”

“Well.” My legs were a little shaky when I stood. “Thank you for your time.”