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‘So, did Jordan speak with you?’ he prompted. ‘About the permanent role?’
‘Oh, yes.’
Beatrice thought for a moment, and it was then that she realised there really were some advantages to keeping her private life so very private.
‘There’s a lot to think about—and obviously I’m going to have to discuss it with my partner.’
It felt as if a whip had just been cracked—as if the air had been sliced open. And she was the one holding the whip.
Beatrice watched Julius arch his neck, as he did when he was tense, and felt a flood of relief.
Because she wasn’t imagining things.
Hedidfeel it too.
Whateveritwas.
Attraction.
Lust.
She doubted men like Julius suffered crushes.
Somehow, even if her five senses didn’t really have anything to latch on to, she knew that he was working hard to contain whatever it was that kept him far over there with his whisky, rather than perched on her desk while they chatted.
It was actually a relief to know it was not just her.
Nice to glance up and see his jaw was clamped, to see him flash a polite smile. She knew it was mean—even as a little girl she had been mean sometimes... But, given that she was about to pass up a dream job, a new start, the first chance she’d ever had of a home and friends, she allowed herself a mean moment in the playground, rather than sitting scared at the water taps as she’d used to.
‘I’ll talk to him over the weekend,’ she said.
‘Of course.’
His voice had an edge—or was it a husk?—and she smiled to herself as she approved having a litter of Labrador puppies delivered to the stables for a photoshoot. The alternative was that she would cry, and she refused to do that.
‘I’d better get going,’ she said.
‘Sure.’
She packed her bag, and finally the last zip had been zipped and the last popper had been popped and she was on her way.
‘Stay out of trouble,’ Beatrice said, as she often did on leaving.
‘Oh, believe me, I have been.’
She should have left then. She should have just nodded and wished him goodnight. But instead she fired a little dig as she hitched her bag onto her shoulder.
‘To all intents and purposes...’
‘Meaning?’ His eyes narrowed.
‘Nothing.’
She gave a wave as she left his office and headed down the corridor—not a dismissive wave, more aleave it thereone. She closed her eyes as she walked, and wished she’d heeded her own advice. Because her little barb had only invited trouble—had only delayed the moment when she should have been halfway out of the building.
Julius wasn’t leaving it there. ‘Meaning?’ he repeated.
Beatrice halted. Her eyes were still closed, and she took a deep breath and forced herself to be calm. She prayed her face wasn’t as flushed as it felt as she opened her eyes and turned around.
