Thanks, brain, but I’m not getting lost down memory lane right now. I need a new freaking s’mores drink by Friday.
I can’t lose another dare to Cole freaking Lancaster.
His smug victory lap would humiliate me for life.
With his stupid cocky face lodged in my mind, I spend the rest of my first day Googling the ingredients in a dozen different types of marshmallows.
He should’ve known it the second I took this job.
I won’t go down easy.
6
Pour Me S’more (Cole)
With Destiny turning in early for the night, I hunker down in my home office, checking emails and still hounded by thoughts of that insufferable woman.
Somehow, I’m smiling when I notice I have a new lab report from Eliza waiting in my email.
No acid message this time, dripping with sarcasm. Just the summary.
I shouldn’t care about these damnable emails anyway. She’s just another employee—even if she’s an enormously valuable one holding the key to the company’s future.
Only, I do.
For some unholy reason, they’ve become the highlight of my overgrown jungle of an Inbox. Over the last three days she’s worked for me, I’ve started anticipating them like a kid waiting for Christmas morning.
Her lack of any bullshit in the emails surprises me.
She’s trying to be all business, buttoned down and boringly polite.
Good for her. For everyone’s sake.
But fuck, I just can’t be that gracious. Can’t resist the urge to rib her a little more.
Consider it justified payback for our last encounter, which undoubtedly gave the lab personnel a month’s worth of gossip.
How’s my mocha coming along? I hit reply.
Miss Angelo’s response comes a minute later. Peachy. I’m just working out some kinks now.
I glance at the time. It’s after ten o’clock at night and she’s still working?
I frown, remembering that the main security force changes over to a skeleton crew at ten. That means nothing but cameras in the attached parking garage.
A hundred unlikely scenarios flash through my head, each more terrible than the last. Does she stay this late because I made it personal?
Damn. Maybe I shouldn’t have thrown down the gauntlet in front of half the development team. If only she weren’t being such a fiery little smartass...
With a sigh, I pick up my phone and punch her contact.
“Hello?” She sounds surprised she’s getting a call this late.
“It’s fine if you want to postpone the next tasting until next week. You’re a new employee. I don’t seriously expect you to strike coffee gold multiple times in one week,” I tell her flatly.
“Does that mean you’re scared, Mr. Lancaster?” she throws back, a fluttery laugh at the edge of her voice. “What? Are you worried you’ll look bad because you told me no one could come up with a second scorched drink in three days?”
The mouth on this girl.
I feel my lip curl with amusement and disgust.
“Hardly, but it’s well past standard work hours and you must have pulled a sixteen-hour day. Are you still at the lab?”
“...it’s either do it here or carry on with the basic setup I have at home, but we both prefer the high-end stuff. So, yeah.”
“Go home, Miss Angelo.” My hand slaps my desk.
“Not yet. Busy.”
“Obviously, I have high expectations, but I don’t expect you to sacrifice sleep. I’ve never seen anything good come out of my staff when they’re worn raw. Get some rest. We’ll do the testing next week.” I clench my jaw, hoping like hell she listens just once.
“Jeez, you say it like you’ll come and tuck me in personally.”
For a second, I stop breathing.
My brain descends into this terrible hell where I’m hovering over Eliza Angelo like a vampire, stripped bare with nothing but a sheet over her.
Goddamn. Tucking her in would be my last choice in those circumstances.
“Miss Angelo, please—” I start, but she cuts me off.
“You don’t understand. I’m having fun. Sometimes I do my best work when it’s late and quiet and my mind isn’t overloaded like it is during the day. I brewed like this at home, too.”
Frankly, I don’t give a shit if she turns into a genius night owl. I don’t want her walking through that garage alone.
“Not the point. You shouldn’t be at the office so late. It’s unconventional for anyone who’s not on the security team.”
“Aren’t there cameras everywhere? You don’t have to worry about me robbing you, Lancaster.”
I hold in a snort.
“Woman, you’re a piece of work. That’s the furthest thing from my mind and you know it.”
“Yeah? So, what are you worried about then?” She truly doesn’t get it.
Fuck.
“I’m concerned about you walking to your car in the dark. Security pares down to a handful of people after ten. You shouldn’t be there by yourself, especially leaving the building alone.” I realize how ridiculous I must sound.
“You’re in luck. I usually bike or take the bus,” she says.
“That’s even worse,” I snarl, pressing my hand into a fist.