ela

anyone asked me, I'd say Gary and I had the perfect arrangement, we weren't bound by love

is choice of tie for that day, used to his lousy food since he was not that go

sent smirk that kept things...interesting. Of course, the staff whispered about us: "

hispered challenges on who would break first. For a marri

ngs as if his eyes were full of pr

he keyboard to start typing. But he didn't look at the screen. It was on me,

fter everyone else had left, cl

rame with that infuriating grin, "it's hard to

I'd ask, feig

tie as he spoke. "Like you're da

usual

ce trysts that kept the spark alive. He w

into what had seemed like an everyday routine, th

ad gone off on errands for me. The sun shone in through

subject was innocuous enough: F

l. It contained only a single

but I thought you should at

creenshot of a

ad honed into a blade. This was not the kind of reaction most

tween Gary and someo

e you again. Last n

know how caref

lips twitching into something

tanding; "F" was perhaps some colleague, and they were talking ab

t really angry

word felt out of place in my mouth: "C

diately, I

I had previously employed her on smaller matters, background checks on prospective employees, and discreet inves

, commanding, and in black from head to toe. Her hair was cropped and

ht inclination of her head. Her voice was

to have a seat. I poured her a g

s scanning the room already as if it held answers to

ot was already open. "I got this today. It w

the messages, unreadable. "An

want to know it all. Who she is, how long this has been goi

g her lips into a thin

, it was her competence for which I was grateful. Skye didn't ask too many ques

the slight curve of my lip

eyebrow raise

aid, my voice ligh

to what might have been

living room, my glass of wine clutched in my hands. It was a very still ro

against the cushions a

red my bed, my office,

I wouldn't notic

inger in my mouth. My lips curved into a slow, delib

nce more, almost to mysel