Page 197 of Sexting His Assistant

I breathe out slowly. “I didn’t like how tonight felt.”

Luka says, “Which part?”

“All of it,” I say, then I shake my head because that is not fair. “No. That’s not true. Some of it was beautiful. Walking in with you was… more than I expected. I know I asked you to introduce me as staff, and I know you were respecting my rule, but it still hurt to hear it.”

Luka says, “I know.”

I look at him. “Don’t say that unless you actually understand it.”

Luka’s jaw shifts slightly. “I understood it when I said it at the door. I never meant to hurt you, I was only doing what you asked me to.”

“I know,” I say, and suddenly I feel so stupid. Why am I behaving like a petulant child is beyond me.

He watches me for a moment, then reaches for his door. “Come.”

“Where?” I ask.

“For a walk,” Luka says.

I look at my heels. “If I break my ankle, your security team gets custody of me.”

Luka says, “I will carry you.”

“That’s not better,” I say.

He gets out and comes around to open my door.

I take his hand as I step out, partly because of the heels and partly because I want to. The night air is cooler here. It smells faintly of wet grass, dust, and the last steam from the tea stall across the street. The music from the gala is gone. The cameras are gone. The polished smiles and careful questions are gone.

It's only us.

Luka locks the car and leads me through the gate.

The park path is uneven in places, so I hold his arm. At first, I tell myself it is practical. Then his hand comes over mine, warm and steady, and I stop pretending.

We walk slowly beneath the lamps.

“Your shoulder,” I say after a while.

Luka says, “It hurts.”

I look up at him. “You could have lied.”

Luka says, “I’m trying your honesty method.”

“How is it working?” I ask.

Luka says, “It’s inconvenient.”

“That sounds right.”

He looks down at me. “Are you still angry?”

“Yes,” I say.

Luka nods. “All right.”

I look at him, surprised. “That’s it?”