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It looked forced; the smile tight. It didn’t reach her eyes because the delicate lines that crinkled the corners of her lids were missing.

I hated it.

“I’m good,” Jacqueline replied through her grin, “Just tired.”

“Don’t do that,” I spoke without overthinking the intensity of my tone.

Jacqueline stiffened at my side for a moment, her smile slipping a degree as a pinch formed between her perfectly groomed eyebrows, “What do you mean?”

“Don’t give me a smile I didn’t earn, Jacqueline.” I glanced around the room, ensuring none of our coworkers were paying attention to this conversation between the two of us.

Jacqueline blinked at me, before pushing her glasses up on the bridge of her nose some more.

“I just wanted to show you that I’m okay,” her voice was soft.

I tried my best to soften my voice as well, I didn’t want her to think I was upset at her, “I appreciate that,” I inhaled, attempting to find the correct words to explain myself, “But I am not interested in any fake smiles from you.”

Jacqueline’s grin slowly, slowly dropped. Her lips were relaxed in that natural downturn that I was growing to love more every day. Sometimes, when she was smiling at something I did at work but didn’t want to seem too obvious about it, her lips would still turn downward. Creating her upside-down smile. But it still counted because her eyes crinkled. Sometimes she would blush and release a huff of laughter as well.

“…I know that when I’m not smiling, I look mad,” Jacqueline was whispering to me now as she took her turn to scan the office that we stood in the back of, “If I don’t smile, people assume I am upset at them when I’m not.”

“Okay,” I lifted a shoulder, “But you don’t have to do that with me.”

She lifted a brow at me, “I don’t need to smile around you?”

I shook my head, “Not if you don’t feel like it.”

She stared at me, unblinking. I could practically see the wheels turning in her head. The confusion made her lips part the slightest bit. I wanted to bend down and take her plump bottom lip in between mine, but alas, we were standing in Brandon’s office.

“If you tell me that you’re okay, I’m trusting you to tell me the truth.” I nudged her arm with my elbow, a casual touch. It was the only contact I could get away with during the workday, “You don’t need to force a smile for me. I would much rather wait until I earned a real one. Besides,” I glanced up from where I bumped our arms to meet her gaze, an attempt to show just how serious I was, “Your smile is beautiful, but so is your relaxed expression. Your frowns. Even your glares.” Jacqueline’s breathing staggered a bit at my words, but I never broke eye contact with her, “You don’t need to put on a mask with me. I want to see you. All of you.”

When I saw her tuck both lips between her teeth, I threw her a grin and broke eye contact. I crossed my arms in an attempt to still my hands that ached to pull her into me. To hold her against me. But I couldn’t, because Brandon was standing just outside his office door, finishing up a discussion with Zaid.

The meeting was going to start, and Jacqueline and I were still a secret.

* * *

Jacqueline: I want you.

I grinned at my phone,before leaning back in my desk chair and thumbing out a reply.

Me: That’s good, because I need you.

I didn’t set my cell down; I watched those three little dots appear as she typed her response. Nothing else mattered. The code Mary sent me was meaningless. The meetings I had later in the week were not important.

Jacqueline was texting me during the workday.

She was my priority now.

Jacqueline: I can’t focus on anything. It’s been forever since you touched me, and I want you so badly.

I smirked, fucking thrilled with her direct communication about her needs.

Me: I like this. You, distracted in your office, thinking of how much you want me.

The three dots danced and disappeared.

Then they appeared again, before stopping again.