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“Ruin? Why?”
“Well, that time of the month and white bedding wouldn’t mesh well,” I explained, and it took me a moment to realize I had just started to talk about my period. To my boss! My face turned a deep red. “I mean?—"
“We could always switch it that week to the darker one,” he suggested, not missing a beat and not blinking an eye at the mention of a woman’s time of the month.
“Well, umm, is there anything you need?”
“For you to tell me why you’re avoiding me.”
“I’m not,” I lied.
“You’re running away right now.”
“I just have work, and you don’t pay me to?—
“You’re officially off the clock.” He crossed his arms. “Come swimming with me.”
“What?” Swimming? With Malcom?
“It’s a hot day, and you’re sweating.” My hand drifted up to the back of my neck. My hair was stuck to my skin with sweat.
“The pool house is just hot. It’s been closed the whole day and?—“
“And it’s time for us to go swimming.”
“But dinner and?—“
“That can all wait.”
“Malcom…”
“Please?” There was something about the way he said please that stopped me from arguing. When he kept talking, I knew it’d be impossible to say no. “I don’t think I’ve had time to swim all summer.” He frowned and looked over at the pristine pool that was all but calling our names. “You know, when we got home from our trip and I caught Coop’s party going on, I was actually a little jealous.” His words shocked me.
“Why?” I asked and took a step closer. There was something about the way he held his body that made me want to touch him. Without overthinking, I closed the space between us, and the palm of my hand touched his suit-jacket-covered back. “Why?” I asked again, and he cleared his throat.
“He was having fun.”
“You have fun.” He made a rough chuckled sound. I frowned. “The movie night was fun,” I reminded him.
“You were sick,” Malcom pointed out.
“Okay, but, umm, what about when you had to go to Japan last month?”
“I didn’t see anything other than my hotel and the offices I went to visit.”
“Oh, umm…” He turned, and the hint of sadness in his gaze made me move just a little closer. “Please?” he asked again. I swallowed and bit my bottom lip.
“I don’t know if I have a swimsuit.”
“What if you didn’t have to worry about that?” My eyes widened, and he gave me an evil little grin. “I really wish I could read your thoughts.”
“You’re not the first one who's mentioned that lately.”
“I just meant, what if I took liberties?”
“Liberties?” I repeated. I felt like a parrot. He pointed toward one of the three bedrooms the pool house had.
“There’s a suit in there for you.”
