AllFreeNovel
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I clear my throat. “You’ve been here before?”
“Yes. With an acquaintance who owns an advertising agency in the city.” His hand reaches out and pushes the door open. “After you.” Always the gentleman.
When we step inside, it’s exactly like what Cain said: quiet. Not a sound can be heard. It reminds me of the floors in the main building of The Elysian.
But when I move a step in and hear my footsteps, I have to stifle back a laugh. Of course, they can be heard. No one but Cain would install soundproof floors. It seems there is no hostess, but that doesn’t deter Cain. He steps up behind me, places his hand on the small of my back, and leads me toward a table in the back of the space.
This time, when he touches me, I shiver.
A full-body shiver that I’m sure he notices. He’s polite enough not to mention it.
My body’s reaction to him needs to be tamped down.
This can’t be okay.
He has me on edge, teetering to fall just from his proximity.
When we are standing in front of the table, I scoot in, and Cain sits across from me. Only a moment goes by before we both order a coffee from the waitress walking by.
Glancing around the restaurant, I notice we are the only table occupied. I’m lost in thought until I hear the sound of the two mugs being set down on the table. Then my nose is hit with the robust smell, and my mouth begins to water.
My hands move to grab mine, and I don’t bother with cream or sugar. Instead, I bypass them to drink it black. Not how I normally take it, but my nerves are shot right now, and I’m afraid my fingers will shake if I try to pour some.
From across the table, Cain’s fingers move absently on the side of the mug as he drinks.
Finally, I cut the silence. “I don’t need your help being a journalist, just like you don’t need my help being an architect,” I practically spit out.
“Layla.” He levels me with his stare. “I’m not here for a damn article.”
“You aren’t?”
“No.”
I go quiet again. Every time I try to speak, my words get stuck in my throat, and nothing comes out. Grabbing the mug in front of me, I take a sip and then try again. “How’s the opening?”
“It’s coming along.”
“Are you ready?” I ask as my leg bounces under the table. It’s only been two weeks, but it feels like a lifetime since I’ve been at The Elysian. Being here with him brings out all the emotions I’ve tried my best to push down.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Will it be weird?”
Cain places his mug down on the table and cocks his head at my words. “Will what be weird?”
“To share your vision with the world.”
“It will be.” He goes quiet for a second, and then he nods his head. I’m not sure what he’s nodding at, maybe something he’s thinking about, but you never can tell with Cain. “But coupled with the article and opening, I anticipate it will be successful.”
I lean forward and place my elbows down on the linoleum table. “I can’t imagine anything you do not being successful.”
I can feel his stare through to my bones. There is something different about it. A flash of darkness. “You would be surprised.”
I want to ask what he means, but I don’t dare to. I’m not sure how much time we have, and I don’t want to spoil it by putting him on edge or in a bad mood.
We spend the next hour talking. But it’s small talk. It’s not like the things we talked about when we were together in the mountains.
We keep the conversation simple, and for the first time since I’ve met Cain, it feels like we’re strangers.
I don’t like it.
It’s like the light switch he had illuminated just for me went off, and now it feels like I’m everyone else.
Once we’re done, we stand, and when we step outside, he stops walking and turns to me. “Would you like me to walk you back to the office?”
“I’m actually not going to go back to the office.”
My plan wasn’t to work from home today, but after seeing Cain, I’m one hundred percent positive I won’t be able to think straight for the rest of the day.
“Where are you going?” he asks as we begin to walk.
“I’m going to head home. I’ll continue to work from there.”
Cain stops walking, so I do the same, turning to face him on the busy sidewalk. “Then let me take you.”
“Okay,” I mutter, nervous energy settling inside me. Oh, who am I kidding? It’s been swirling inside me since he showed up at the office earlier. Now it’s a full-fledged tornado.
“How far is it? Should we grab my car?”
