Page 41 of Covert Operation
MY STOMACH FLIPS when I walk into the office I’ve been using—Zeke’s office—and find him there.
He’s in head-to-toe black like always, but nothing about his monochromatic clothing is dark or depressing. It’s focused and serious. Streamlined and to the point. It also looks ridiculously good on him. The way the fitted T-shirt spreads across his broad shoulders and muscled chest has me swallowing hard.
The tactical pants serve as a reminder of exactly what he’s capable of. I’m sure many people would be deterred by that reminder, but not me. I like it. There is nowhere in this world safer than next to someone capable of killing people.
As long as that someone is Zeke.
“Good morning.” I take a hesitant step into the room, because I’m not sure where I’m going to be working now that he’s back. I know I told Elise I would be fine with sharing, but I don’t know that Zeke is. Yes, he spent a significant amount of time with me over the weekend, but that could’ve just been because he didn’t have anything else to do. Now he does, so it’s possible he wouldrather have his office all to himself. And that would be fine. I understand completely. It’s his office.
His eyes lift from the empty front corner of the room to meet mine. “Good morning.”
The deep rumble of his greeting almost vibrates through my body. I do my best to ignore it, but parts of me clench way more than they should. “I can just get my things out of your way so you can get back to it.” I move toward the desk, ready to collect the few items I have in here, but Zeke stops me.
“No.” He turns, gaze bouncing between the computer I’ve been using and my face. “You can still work in here.”
Again, my belly flips. “But where will you work?”
He looks back over one shoulder at the front corner. “I think there’s more than enough room for two desks.”
My palms are starting to sweat, so I rub them against my dress, hoping the pale blue fabric will wipe away the evidence of my inner turmoil. “Are you sure?”
Now that Zeke is in this office with me, it suddenly feels much smaller, and it’s starting to register that I’ll be sitting only a few feet from him all day long. Looking at him. Smelling him. Listening to him talk.
And, most likely, remembering how he looks without his shirt on. The way he watched me as I carefully cleaned his skin. How much I enjoyed it, and the way my fingers itch to do it again.
Maybe this is a bad idea.
“I’m positive.” He grabs one of the two chairs situated across from the big desk. “I already talked to Elise and she’s having maintenance bring a spare desk up from storage.”
I’m still wiping my hands on my dress because the sweating hasn’t stopped. “Yeah. Okay.” I sound way more certain than I am. Because I’m fairly confident it will be anything but okay.
At some point, Zeke is going to notice my growing attraction to him, and when he does everything will change. Things will get weird between us and I’ll lose the one person who has my back and understands what I’m going through.
“There’s no reason for me to monopolize a whole office when I’m only here part-time.” Zeke shoves the chair into the hall before grabbing the second one. “It makes sense for me to share with someone.”
It makes as much sense as anything does, I guess. “I’m just worried me being in here might bother you.”
Zeke freezes in the doorway, his face snapping toward me. That intensity that used to intimidate me simmers in his eyes. “You will never bother me, Savannah.” His eyes hold mine for a few long seconds, then he rocks his neck from side to side, shifting his shoulders. “And who would sneak me pretzels if you weren’t here?”
That is true. He does benefit from this arrangement. “I could probably also hide a little mini fridge back here and stock it with string cheese if you want.”
Zeke’s eyes come back to me, but they’re softer this time. “I do love string cheese.”
A little of the tension tightening my muscles dissipates, but I’m still wiping my hands down my dress. “I know.”
Well. Crap. I maybe shouldn’t have admitted that. How would I know he likes pretzels and string cheese if I hadn’t been obsessively watching him for months?
“We should put some Dr Pepper in there too.” Zeke’s mouth softens the way it does when he almost smiles. “But I can take care of that.”
I shake my head. “You don’t have to.” He already does so much for me—some of it he’s probably not even aware of. “I can get it.”
The smile he’s been suppressing finally works free as he bends over to reach under the front corner of the desk. He lifts up a twelve pack of my favorite soda. “Too late.”
I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.
Zeke continues on anyway. “I figured I owed you since you worked so hard at making my office nice while I was gone.” His eyes drop to the corner I decorated. “I went ahead and lit the candle when I came in.”
It’s yet another thing I didn’t notice because I was too busy ogling him. I probably also didn’t notice because I no longer need the candle for the office to smell like him. “I wasn’t sure you would like it.”