I have no idea if their talk about me being a target is really accurate, but I’ll do this for them. Besides, it’s not like I go anywhere without them, anyway. Paige and I used to be connected at the hip, but now it looks like Oz is trying to connect himself.

“Cool. I’ll text you,” she says, and heads back toward the elevator. I glance over at Skyler’s desk, then to Eric’s. My stomach does a flip. I totally forgot about what happened on Friday night. When I take a step closer, I look down over the cubicle wall and see his desk is completely cleared out.

“Shit.” I hated that little weasel because he never did his share, but that doesn’t mean he should get fired for hitting on me. Shuffling through my bag, I find my phone, pull it out and send a text to Oz.

Me: You fired Eric! That’s so not staying out of my career.

Oz: I’d be more than willing to talk to you about this matter in my office right now if you’d like. I’ve been trying to guess all morning what color panties you have on. I want to see if my guess is correct.

Me: Oz, I’m being serious.

Oz: I was thinking blue.

Me: OMG! You better not have a camera in my bedroom!

I fire the text back because I do have blue panties on.

Oz: I wish, but if you’ll let me, I’ll have some installed today. Or you could move in upstairs and I could watch for myself each morning. That way I’ll always know what color they are.

Me: I’m trying to yell at you and you’re asking me to move in with you?! Focus. Eric.

Oz: Eric was drug tested and failed after he flipped out on Ryan. That’s the last time I care to talk about the man who I caught trying to fuck MY woman.

Me: Who the heck is Ryan?

Oz: The security guard who’s with you when Paige and I aren’t.

Me: Oh, Captain!

I laugh a little at not knowing Captain’s real name.

Oz: Captain?

Me: Oh...there’s something you don’t know? You don’t know all about Captain?

I can’t help myself from teasing him. Maybe he’s right. I do like when he goes a little caveman possessive because I seem to find myself poking at him when I get the opportunity.

Oz: I’ll come down there and find out.

Me: No! Paige and I call Ryan Captain because he kind of looks like Captain America. Don’t come down here.

I try to inject as much emotion into the last line as possible. I know it’s only a matter of time before people find out about us, but I need a few more days to get my bearings.

Oz: Do you find Captain America attractive?

Yeah, like I’m answering that loaded question.

Me: No one is hotter than you.

I avoid that question, but it’s true. Captain America can be hot, but he’s got nothing on Oz.

Me: Promise you’re not coming down.

Oz: Promise. Promise me you’ll stay in for lunch but have dinner with me tonight.

I already planned on staying in for lunch, hopefully with Paige so I can get some gossip about Eric losing it on Captain and failing a drug test.

Me: I’ll stay in, but let’s see how the rest of the day goes before I agree to dinner. You have this thing where you like to make me mad. I want to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Oz: I spent all weekend making you unmad. I remember you rather enjoying it.

He did spend the whole weekend make me unmad. On every surface of his home. The reminder makes me tingle. I’ve gone from virgin to sex fiend. It’s crazy how fast life can change.

Me: I’ll think about it.

I drop my phone onto the desk. I have a feeling I’m going to crack. Even more so if he shows up at my door doing his whole caveman act. I smile and get back to work.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Mallory

* * *

The past two days have been pure bliss. Every day I walk to work with paige, and Oz follows behind us, always keeping watch but still giving me space when I ask for it, even if he doesn’t want to. Then every night, Oz takes me out to dinner and then back to his place to make love to me all night until I’m too exhausted to climb from his bed back to my own.

My days are filled with lots of work, and Linda has been praising Skyler and me for keeping up with the workload, even though Eric is gone. Skyler rolled her eyes after Linda walked away, saying we’d been doing his work from the beginning. But it’s nice to know that our hard work has been recognized.

Wednesday morning, I sit down at my desk to find a hot coffee waiting on me, a note beside it. Oz had to come in early for a meeting, so it was Paige, Captain and me walking into work today.

Picking up the note, I recognize his impeccable handwriting and a stupid grin spreads across my face.

This is almost as sweet as you, and almost as hot.

I can still smell you on my fingers.

Love, Oz

My face burns so brightly I think I might set off the smoke alarms. Jesus. How can a few words send me into a state of molten need? He’s too good at melting me. Grabbing my phone, I shoot him a quick text.

Me: Thank you for my coffee, and for making me blush.

His response is immediate, making my goofy grin even bigger.

Oz: It’s my life’s goal. To worship you and make you smile.

Me: Success!

Oz: I’ve mentioned this before, but every Wednesday I have lunch with my mother. I’d like for you to join me today, Mallory. Please.

I pause with my fingers over the letters, unable to come up with a response. He’d asked me once before all the drama happened, and I thought it was a joke. This is a big step. Meeting his mother? Am I ready for that?