Page 11 of Blazing Joysticks
Keir grinned. “A woman after my own heart. Though I’m more of a sweet tooth myself. There’s a drawer in my desk that’s basically a candy store.”
As they ate, the conversation shifted to work. Cat found herself eagerly sharing her ideas for Guardian AI, her hands moving animatedly as she described potential improvements to the user interface.
“That’s... actually brilliant,” Keir said, looking impressed. “I hadn’t even considered approaching it from that angle. You’re going to revolutionize this project, Cat.”
The praise warmed her from the inside out, and Cat ducked her head, suddenly shy. “Thanks. I just hope I can live up to expectations.”
“I have no doubt you will,” Keir said softly. Then, clearing his throat, he added, “Though I should warn you, this project might involve some long hours. I hope that won’t be a problem.”
Cat shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. “Not at all. I’m used to losing track of time when I’m working on something exciting.” She hesitated for a moment, then added, trying to sound casual, “What about you? Does your girlfriend mind all the long hours you put in?”
Keir’s eyes sparkled with amusement, and Cat felt her heart skip a beat. “No girlfriend to speak of,” he replied with a grin. “I’m single, so nobody time manages me but myself. Though lately, I’ve been wondering if perhaps I’ve been missing out on something important.”
His gaze locked with hers, and for a moment, Cat forgot how to breathe. Was he flirting? Or was she reading too much into a simple statement?
“Your eyes,” Keir said suddenly, his voice low and intense. “They’re quite remarkable, you know. Like warm honey in the sunlight.”
Cat felt her cheeks flame. Desperate to regain her composure, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “Your lips are nice too.”
The moment the words left her mouth, Cat wanted to crawl under the table and disappear. Keir’s eyebrows shot up, and for a terrifying second, she thought she’d overstepped completely.
But then he grinned, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Why, thank you, Cat. I’m rather fond of them myself.”
Mortified, Cat scrambled to change the subject. “So, um, what do you like to do in your free time? When you’re not revolutionizing the gaming industry, I mean.”
Keir allowed the shift, though his eyes still danced with amusement. “I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie, actually. Skydiving, rock climbing – anything that gets the blood pumping. You?”
“Oh, I’m more of a beach bum,” Cat admitted. “Give me a good book and the sound of waves, and I’m in heaven.”
As they continued to chat, Cat found herself torn between growing comfort in Keir’s presence and an undercurrent of nervous energy. There was something about him, a magnetism that drew her in despite her best efforts to maintain professional distance.
When they finally returned to the office, Cat’s mind whirled. She settled back at her desk, trying to focus on the task at hand, but Keir’s words kept echoing in her head. “Like warm honey in the sunlight.” The compliment made her stomach flutter in a way she hadn’t experienced in…ever.
But was it just a compliment? Or was there something more behind those intense hazel eyes? Cat shook her head, forcing herself to concentrate on the lines of code before her. She was here to work, to prove herself. Whatever this thing with Keir was – or wasn’t – she couldn’t let it distract her from the incredible opportunity she’d been given.
As the afternoon wore on, Cat threw herself into her work with renewed vigor. But every so often, her gaze would drift to Keir’s office, and she’d catch him watching her with an expression she couldn’t quite decipher. Each time their eyes met, that same jolt of electricity shot through her, leaving her both exhilarated and terrified.
By the time she packed up to leave, Cat’s emotions were a tangled mess. She was thrilled about the project and excited by the challenges ahead. But underlying it all was a growing awareness of Keir not just as her boss, but as a man – one who stirred feelings in her that she’d long thought nonexistent.
As she stepped into the elevator, Cat took a deep breath, trying to center herself. Whatever was happening, whatever this connection with Keir meant, she’d have to navigate it carefully. Her career, her dreams, were finally within reach. She couldn’t risk throwing it all away for what might be nothing more than a fleeting attraction.
But as the doors closed and she caught one last glimpse of Keir through the glass walls of his office, Cat couldn’t quite silence the small voice in her head that whispered, What if it’s more?
The elevator descended, carrying her away from a day that had changed everything. Cat leaned against the cool metal wall, her mind racing. She had a feeling that her life was about to get a whole lot more complicated.
FIVE
Keir sat in his plush office chair, absentmindedly swirling the remnants of his third cup of coffee. The rich aroma failed to distract him from the constant, pulsing awareness of Cat’s presence just beyond his door. He glanced at the sleek digital clock on his desk, its glowing numbers mocking him. Only seven minutes had passed since his last “casual” stroll past her workstation.
“Get a grip,” he muttered to himself, running a hand through his blonde hair. Four hundred years of life, and here he was, reduced to a lovesick teenager counting the seconds until he could catch another glimpse of a woman he’d known for only a few weeks.
A knock at the door jolted him from his reverie. “Come in,” he called, straightening in his chair and attempting to look busy.
Beck Driscoll, his right-hand man and closest friend, sauntered in with a grin that could only be described as shit-eating. “Well, well,” he drawled, leaning against the doorframe. “I’m shocked to find you actually in your office,” Beck declared, dramatically clutching his chest. “What’s the matter? Cat’s desk not need checking for the millionth time today? Or did you run out of excuses to walk by? ‘Oh, Cat, I was just on my way to the water cooler... on the other side of the building... for the fifteenth time this hour.’”
Keir groaned, dropping his head into his hands. “Am I that obvious?”
“Obvious?” Beck chuckled, moving to flop into one of the chairs across from Keir’s desk. “My friend, you’re about as subtle as a dragon in a china shop. Which, come to think of it, isn’t far off from reality. I half expect to see a trail of scorch marks on the carpet between your office and her desk.”