Page 65 of Undeniably Corrupt

“Good because you smell.”

His lips twitch. “So do you, but I like it.” His eyes train on me, gliding up and down. “What are you wearing?”

I glance down. “Um, work clothes.”

“I can see your bra through your shirt and the tops of your thigh-highs when you walk.”

I pick up a random paperclip this time and throw it at him. It bounces off his tee and lands on his lap. Not nearly as fun as the stress ball, and I wish it weren’t on the floor behind him so I could chuck it at him again.

“You shouldn’t be looking.”

“True, but I am. Either change before the meeting or don’t come.”

I flip him off. “You can’t tell me that. It’s against… I don’t know. HR or something.”

“I’m the CEO, and I don’t want the motherfucker from Thompson looking at you, which he will.”

I roll my eyes. “He certainly wouldn’t be the first to look at my bra or thigh-highs.”

He grits his teeth. “Just stop fighting with me for once and change, or don’t bother coming. Okay?”

“But I like coming, remember?”

He grunts. “Are you ever not a pain in the ass?”

“Stop avoiding me like the plague, and maybe I won’t be.”

He studies me. “Is that why you’re so angry, my little angel? Because I’ve been keeping my distance and not paying you enough attention?”

Yes. “No.”

“That sounds like a jealous girlfriend.”

“Try annoyed assistant who can’t find you or get you to do your job.”

He puffs out a breath. “Fine. I won’t avoid you like that again.”

At least he admitted that’s what he was doing.

“I’m going back into my closet. Ping me in an hour and a half and knock if I don’t reply.”

“Is this what it’s always like here with you?”

He glances up at me, one eyebrow raised. “Welcome to cybersecurity, Angel. It’s binary. Secure or breached. Safe or compromised.”

“Life isn’t binary, Vander, and it’s not all work. When was the last time you ate?”

He sighs and stands. “I don’t know.”

“I’ll get you something to eat. Can I bring it into your cave for you, Batman?”

“No. Just leave it outside the door.”

I huff a breath. “You could trust me, you know.”

He laughs humorlessly and rounds his desk to stand before me. “You mean the way you trust me with all your secrets?”

I turn away from him, and silence stretches between us, filled only by the soft hum of computers and the distant sounds of the office beyond the door. I can’t tell him my secrets, and it’s not because I don’t want to.