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“Miss, are you all right?”
I snap out of my little daydream and look over at another one of the security guards who’s come over to where I’m standing.
“Oh, sorry. Yes. It’s just nice out.”
The guy smiles, and it’s a warm, comforting grin of a person very much on the same page as you.
I like this guard, Calvin, judging by the name tag. I’ve seen him around, and the way his deep brown skin crinkles at the corners of his eyes is charming.
“Oh, that it is, miss. I’m sure Mr. Shaw will be thinking the same. He’ll probably be out on the balcony, if I know him.”
“You’ve worked here a long time, then?”
He nods. “I have. Oh, it’s been—” he looks up, thinking “—about ten years now.”
“Wow, that’s impressive. Well, thank you for checking on me. I’ll head up.”
“Any time, miss. Have a good evening.”
I grin, offering him a wave, and then start for the elevator up to twelve.
When I get inside the penthouse, Luke is, in fact, on the balcony, and I take a second to appreciate the way he looks in the slim black suit pants and white button-down.
He’s lost the tie and undone a few of the top buttons at his neck. He’s also rolled up his sleeves.
And there is something about seeing him in this relaxed, “after business hours” stance that does something to me.
My heart rate quickens, and when I drop my keys on his console table, Luke spins around to see me standing at the door.
He grins, and my knees literally go weak, damn them. Stepping inside from the balcony, Luke sets his glass down on the bar and walks toward me.
“Hey, doc. How was work? I’m assuming you saved several lives.”
“As a matter of fact,” I start to say, toeing my sneakers off, desperately needing a break from them. “I did. And now I’m starving, so I’m going to just eat something in my room while I review the case studies.”
Luke’s right in front of me now, and he snags my arm as I try to walk past to the kitchen.
“Hang on. You’ve been going at it way too hard. You need a break for a few hours. Let’s get some pizza and watch a bad movie.”
In any other situation, it would be a harmless request.
But I know Luke, and furthermore, I know myself. If we’re too close like that…
Yeah, not a good idea, Clara.
“And before you turn me down—” Luke takes out his phone, checking something before returning it to his pocket “—the pizza will be here in five minutes. So…”
I sigh, but it melts into a grin that I can’t keep down, and I roll my eyes at him.
“You don’t take no for an answer very often, do you?”
“Not if I can avoid it.” He smirks at me, and I swear one of these days, I’m going to drown in how gorgeous it is.
I throw my hands up. “Fine, fine. But I get to pick the movie.”
Luke goes to the couch, picking up the remote and handing it to me.
“Sure thing, darlin’.”
