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‘The other is when I catch you staring back at me. Then you panic and act like I didn’t just catch you. The best part of my day is just when I get to see you.’
I dropped my gaze to our hands and watched as William gave it another squeeze.
‘Remind me why this wouldn’t work,’ he said quietly. ‘Why we shouldn’t start something. Because I’ve been struggling with that lately.’
The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t speak right away. At that moment I wanted nothing but to give this thing between us a try. Absolutely nothing. But I had promised myself that I wouldn’t change my life so drastically for another guy. I owed it to myself.
‘I have to move,’ I said eventually. I didn’t think I had to give an explanation on that. ‘I have to and you just moved here.’
William nodded, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his free hand. ‘I got a divorce – what, seven, eight months ago. I wasn’t planning on dating. Just focusing on work.’
‘You don’t trust women,’ I added.
He grunted in answer.
‘We work together,’ he pointed out. ‘I know you’re going to leave, but for the time being we work together. In the same team.’
‘Yes. That would be difficult to navigate, I think.’
‘You don’t trust men wholeheartedly either,’ he stated, then let go of my hand and got up from his seat. He stood next to the window and ran his hand through his hair like he always did when he was stressed or thinking.
He was right about me not trusting men all that much. I probably didn’t.
William’s phone rang and he moved back towards me to pick it up from the coffee table.
‘The CEO,’ he said, but didn’t answer.
I cleared my throat and got up from my seat as well, being careful not to wake Pepp up, although I’d have to do that anyway in a few minutes. I ignored the way my hand was tingling and picked up my laptop.
‘Where are you going?’ William asked, his eyes on me.
I headed for the table. ‘This spot is safer, I think. We need to send this ASAP. Come and help me so the CEO doesn’t call my dad when you don’t answer a second time.’
We finished the statement and then went over everything with the CEO on the phone. It was past midnight when I got up, woke Pepp and headed for the door.
I saw William grabbing his keys and following us out the door. ‘You don’t have to come.’
‘I do.’
Despite my objections he followed me up to my door and I watched as he squatted in front of Pepp and petted him. I thought I heard him whisper take care of her for me to Pepp, but I couldn’t be sure. When he stood up and met my gaze I was confused.
‘No flirting for us, William.’
His smile was small, but he smiled nonetheless, his eyes touching every inch of my skin as if he were trying to memorize every part of me.
We watched each other for a few seconds, and I thought maybe… he…
‘No flirting,’ he whispered, his eyes piercing my heart. ‘You make it dangerous.’
15 William
It was already Wednesday and I had no idea where Monday and Tuesday had gone. The dating app fiasco had blown up in the media, but because we had responded so quickly they hadn’t lost an alarming amount of users. It still wasn’t entirely wrapped up since they were trying to figure out exactly what had been hacked, but we were doing our part, and the response was amazing. I couldn’t have been happier with my team.
I turned off my laptop, done for the day, and looked across the office to see if Charlie was done too. I was trying to ignore the fact that this was the fifth… or maybe the eight time I had looked her way. She had been in her room around 5.00 p.m., the third time I had looked, but not after that.
Suddenly, a head popped up in my view and Gayle walked through my door.
‘Looking for someone?’
I kept my face straight. ‘No. What can I do for you Gayle?’
‘Would you like to ask me something?’
I frowned at her. ‘Ask you what?’
She gripped the back of one of the chairs that was right in front of my desk.
‘Like where Charlie is.’
I tried not to look interested, and sighed instead.
She straightened and tilted her head to give me a long look. ‘You’re into her.’
I kept my mouth shut and leaned back against my seat, waiting to see what she’d say next.
‘Maybe I haven’t been to all the team meetings, but I’ve been to enough of them to catch some longing looks on both sides.’
And that was all I could take. I rose from my seat and started to roll down the sleeves of my shirt so I could put on my jacket and leave. Then I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. ‘I told you this before, but I’ll repeat myself. I don’t like to talk about my personal life with my colleagues. You’re pushing it, Gayle.’
