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I look behind her at the conference room. “It’s 10 p.m. on a Friday night. Why are you here?”

At that, some of her usual thorns come back. She gives me a pointed look and says, “I could ask you the same thing.”

I slide my hands into my pockets and return her look with a quirked eyebrow. “Picking up a hand-signed contract from my desk. Your turn.”

A flash of nervousness appears, followed by an anxious glance to the side. “I’m working,” she says simply. “I was told the office is available for my use 24/7, is it not?”

“It is,” I confirm slowly with a nod.

But you haven’t had any interest in the office since I kissed you.

Now I’m the one getting hit with nerves. I shouldn’t be bothering her. She said she’s fine, so I should just go. Lick my wounds by myself and let her continue her work. Clearly, she’s trying to put distance between us.

But just as I have that thought, Charli steps in front of me, close enough to put both of her hands on my stomach and push.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to get back to my work,” she mumbles.

Her hands on my body give me a jolt I am entirely unprepared for.

This does not feel like distance.

I’m missing something here. None of this makes sense. Not her touching me, not her nerves, not her being here on a weekend.

I look over her head, my eyes darting around the room, searching for the answer to my questions. What could she possibly⁠—

My hand goes to Charli’s to stop her where she’s still trying to push me out of the room.

“Charli.”

“What? I told you, I need to⁠—”

“Why is there a cat in my conference room?”

She freezes. Then she yanks her hands back and steps away, not meeting my eyes. “What cat? There’s no cat.”

I give her a pointed look even though she can’t see it. “Charli. There’s currently a black cat staring me down. Why is a black cat staring me down?”

She shuffles her feet but doesn’t answer.

It doesn’t happen often, but I’m currently at a loss for words. Why would she bring a cat to the office?

I look around the office again, in desperate need of more clues.

When my gaze lands on a pillow and blanket beside Charli’s backpack, the picture clicks together and my eyes widen.

“Are you staying here?”

Her head whips to mine. “What? No. Of course not.”

But the lie is right there in her eyes, next to a shine of fear.

At the sight of it, I soften. “Charli,” I say gently.

That only makes her stubbornness resurface. She crosses her arms over her chest and glares at me. “I’m not. I’m just pulling an all-nighter.”

I quirk an eyebrow right back. “That doesn’t explain the cat.”

With a glance at the cat, some of her armor cracks. “I…I didn’t want to leave him in the apartment.”