Page 194 of Manhattan Bossholes

“What are you working on?”

“The on-hold samples,” I said.

Marketing was already throwing around a six-month celebration idea where they’d unveil the second lineup of new flavors. And of course, the Masked Mixer would be on board to promote the flavor expansion.

“I’m glad to be interrupted,” I assured him. “Feels like I haven’t seen you in days.” I worked to keep my tone light, joking, though it actually wasn’t that funny. It had been a week since I’d seen Aiden more than just in passing. We’d texted a little, but he’d been increasingly busy with the launch of Elixir Free—or that’s the excuse he used for taking hours to text me back.

I didn’t want to doubt him. I could tell he was stressed by that persistent frown on his face. And I knew there were a million things that needed his approval before launch day next week. Still, I couldn’t help feeling like he’d sort of disappeared from my life. Was it just that the honeymoon, can’t-keep-our-hands-off-each-other stage was over? I couldn’t be sure, but what I did know was that I’d been missing him.

I reached for his hand, and he finally let the door close behind him, coming toward me. “Other than the launch causing you all sorts of headaches, how are you?”

“I don’t even know,” he said, stopping close enough for me to thread our fingers together. “My sleep’s been pretty crappy. I keep dreaming about launch night, about everything going wrong and the press hounding us with negative reviews.”

“Nothing is going to go wrong,” I said. “The press is going to have nothing but good things to say because I know for a fact the drinks are delicious. And that’s half the battle.”

He huffed. “What’s the other half?”

“Showing up with a smile on your face and trusting the line to speak for itself.”

“You’re right.” He sucked in a sharp breath. “Please don’t think I’m doubting the product.”

“I don’t,” I reassured him. I knew he believed we’d put out a line of great mocktails. But until the rest of the world agreed, he wouldn’t be able to truly enjoy the achievement. “Really, though. Is there anything I can do to help?”

He shook his head. “You already did your part. Actually, more than your part.”

That was true. I’d done a lot more social media marketing for Elixir than we’d originally agreed to. Working with the company just made it so easy, and I’d found myself having a lot of fun gathering little behind-the-scenes glimpses of work in the lab, with the team, learning about the production process.

“It hasn’t exactly been a hardship,” I said. “I’ve been having fun.”

He gave me a tight smile. It didn’t reach his eyes like it usually did, but I was okay to let him off the hook. I understood how badly he wanted this launch to be a success.

“Actually,” he said. “I think Dominic wanted to make sure you’re still good to post to your socials during the event. He knows it means you’d have to actually attend the event as the Masked Mixer.”

“Of course.” I’d happily agreed when Dominic had approached me the other week about that little bit of added marketing. Sure, it meant I had to play my alter ego all night—which meant autographs and selfies and not being able to just relax and enjoy the evening—but I’d also spent the last however many months endorsing this product on my socials. It only made sense that the Masked Mixer would make an appearance.

Aiden sent off a quick email on his phone. “Just letting Dominic know before I forget.” He glanced at me. “Are you the only one left here?”

“Yeah, Javeed hung around for a while, but he’s meeting someone for drinks. He wouldn’t say who,” I smirked, “but if you ask me, I think it’s Dot.”

“Wait. Really?” Aiden shoved his phone in his back pocket. “Why do you think that?”

“Oh please.” I crossed my arms. “The eyes those two were giving each other across the lab all day today. If they’re not meeting up to have sex, then one of them is planning to murder the other.”

Aiden snorted.

“I’m serious. The tension was so thick today, I was practically suffocating in it.” Speaking of sexual tension in the lab…With Aiden leaning up against my workstation, the sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up, I couldn’t help remembering all the dreams I’d had about the two of us getting frisky in here together. “There’s just something sexy about all this sterile stainless steel,” I joked. “Do you know how many times I dreamed about us doing it in the lab?”

Aiden’s eyebrows arched with interest. “The lab does it for you, huh?”

“Let’s just say that in my fantasies, there were an awful lot of things crashing to the floor as a certain someone swept the table clear to spread me out on it. Very expensive things.”

Aiden licked his lips. I could tell he was getting turned on by the way he pulled at his shirt collar, and his arousal made a tension I wasn’t even aware of relax along my spine. He still wanted me—we were still okay.

“Just in case it wasn’t clear, we should probably try to avoid that.”

“Avoid—” he started as I stepped into his space, curling my arms around his neck. His hands automatically fell to my waist, his fingers tightening, grasping, clutching me the way I loved.

“Cora,” he said, his voice strained. “We can’t. Not here.”