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Elias lets out a long, exasperated breath. “Fine. I’ll tell Nora to stop worrying, then.”

“She’s worried? About Kenna?”

It’s a slip I didn’t mean to make, and I mentally curse myself as his provoking grin returns. When he opens his mouth to speak, I cut him off.

“Forget I said that.”

Elias just shakes his head and stands. “Fine. Whatever you say.”

“I’ll walk you out,” I tell him. “I need to speak to Ruthie before heading down to the first floor.”

“Great. I meant to ask her about the tea blend she sent home with me the last time I was here. Nora’s been craving it.”

That draws a raised eyebrow. “Oh? Anything you need to tell me?”

Elias laughs as we leave my office, and the joy that spreads over him at talk of his mate makes his whole expression lighten. “No. You’re not going to be an uncle quite yet. We’re a few years away from that, at least.”

The thought rattles around in my head as we approach Ruthie’s desk, brightening my mood a little. A dragon uncle for a half-kraken baby. The idea would almost be absurd if it didn’t fill my chest with happiness for my friend.

After I’ve spoken to Ruthie, and Elias has secured the promise of more of whatever enchanting blend she had for him before, we cross to the elevator to head back to the ground floor. Elias is off to Morgan-Blair’s downtown office, and I’m headed to Accounting to review some of last quarter’s financials in preparation for the upcoming HHS visit.

As we step out of the elevator, my eyes scan the space without me willing them to, some newly honed instinct making it impossible not to look, to try to catch a glimpse of…

A flash of auburn catches my avaricious eye from across the lobby, and my gaze zeros in on her immediately. Like she can feel the weight of that stare, Kenna turns to look at me, stumbles a step, then catches herself and hurries toward the stairs.

Beside me, Elias follows my gaze before huffing a quiet laugh. “Keep telling yourself all those excuses, friend.”

14

Kenna

It’s Friday, and I swear I can still feel the imprint of Blair’s lips against mine from days ago.

His body, too, where it pressed against me. The brand of his hands on my hips. The insistent thrust of his cock between my thighs.

I’ve only seen him once since then—yesterday, when I stumbled over my own feet after I saw him in the lobby—but those golden eyes are never far from my mind.

New-Kenna really needs to get her shit together.

But apparently that’s too much to hope for, because I’m still thinking about that devastating kiss when noon rolls around. I’m startled out of my thoughts by a huge orc in a polo shirt and khakis passing by my cubicle. Looking up, I watch him continue on to Susie’s desk. She jumps up immediately, grinning at him.

“Ready for lunch?” the orc asks, and she nods.

“Oh,” Susie says brightly as they get ready to leave. “Kenna, I want to introduce you to Jonah. He works in Accounting.”

The two of them are barely touching, but the way she leans into his side and the hand he has resting gently on the small of her back communicates volumes.

Good for them. They’re freaking adorable together. With Susie’s tiny, slender frame tucked into him and the way Jonah towers protectively over her, it’s so obvious how into each other they are.

It’s also completely out in the open that they’re dating, and the reminder of that is… probably way more interesting to me than it should be.

Does the Bureau allow coworkers to date? Obviously Susie and Jonah are getting away with it, so maybe it’s no big deal. Maybe it’s… nope.

I stop that thought right there. Whatever the rules are around intra-office fraternization, I’d bet my left foot they absolutely wouldn’t apply to the Director getting it on with an entry-level graphic designer.

“Do you have plans for lunch today?” Susie asks.

I nod, appreciating the implied offer, but I’ve already got an emergency vent sesh with Holly I’ve been looking forward to all morning. “Yeah, I’m meeting a friend downtown.”