Page 88 of The Stranger

Me: I miss you. What are you up to?

Delilah: I’m sitting behind my desk … working.

Me: I wish you were sitting on my face, instead of behind that boring old desk.

Delilah: Hey, no hating on my desk. And I hope HR aren’t monitoring our phones. You could have a sexual harassment case on your hands if they are.

Me: Come up to my office. Laura’s just left for her lunch break, so we have the entire floor to ourselves.

Delilah: I’m sorry I can’t, I’m busy.

Me: You realise I’m your boss, right? You can’t say no to me.

Delilah: Technically, you’re my boss’s boss. If you want me to come up there, you’ll need to go through Marcy.

Challenge accepted Miss St. James.

I lean over to grab the receiver on my desk and dial the ground-level reception. “Shay-lee, it’s Spencer Prescott. Can you put me through to Marcy Green … her direct line again, please?”

Chapter 29

Delilah

I’m smiling like a love-sick fool as I open the top drawer of my desk and store my mobile phone inside.Nice try, Mr Prescott.As much as I’d love to take him up on his offer, I made a pact with myself that I wouldn’t let this thing between us stand in the way of my job.

We have after hours to do all that fun stuff. It gives me something to look forward to. I’ve never lived with a man before, discounting my father of course, so I’m enjoying playing house with Spencer.

The last few days have been pure bliss … I can’t believe this is now my life. I’m happy … happier than I ever thought possible, and I owe it all to one man. What we have is a stark contrast to the relationship Kayne and I shared. I now know what it feels like to be cherished and adored.

Spencer has shown me what a healthy, balanced relationship should look like. Maybe it comes with age or wisdom, or it’s just the person he is, but there’s not a day that passes, even before we took the next step, that I wasn’t thankful to have him in my life.

He seems all in, maybe more so than me. He evensuggested that since most of my things were already packed up, I should move them into his room. I told him I wasn’t ready for that.It’s too soon.I like this man … I do, but I think if we have any chance of making this work, we need to take things slowly.

Although he didn’t seem that impressed by my unwillingness to switch bedrooms, he didn’t push the issue. For now, my walls will remain up. I have to stay guarded just in case things don’t work out. I don’t know if I can survive another heartbreak.

I turn back to my computer and continue working when Marcy comes out of her office. “Delilah,” she says, getting my attention.

“Oh, hey. Is there something you need?” I ask, glancing at her from over my shoulder.

“Mr Prescott just called; he wants to see you in his office.”

I’m going to kill him.

I try my best to act unperturbed by his request because the last thing I want is for Marcy to become suspicious. “He does? Did he say why?”

“Yes, some unfinished business.”

Thankfully, I managed to swallow back my gasp. I cannot believe he said that. “Unfinished business?” I hate that my voice comes out squeakier than intended. “I can’t imagine what.”

“It has something to do with when you were working for him.”

“Oh.”

“Why don’t you head out to lunch once you’re done?”

How long does it take to commit murder?

“Okay. Would you like me to get something for you before I go?”