I’m silent for a few seconds.“Yeah.It is.The idea of being rejected has never sat well with me.My pride will never let me reach out to someone.”
“Not even me?”His voice is calm and steady.
My fingers dig into his hand.“I-I don’t know.”
“If I hadn’t asked you out last night?—”
“I would have waited,” I admit.“I would have given you every opening, Caleb, but I’m not good at making myself vulnerable in that way.”
When he doesn’t respond right away, I turn my head to look at him.“Does that bother you?”
He smiles, kissing the corner of my mouth.“No.I like you, ego and all.”
My heart soars at his words.Through our rivalry and competitiveness, through everything we’ve been through together, we’ve somehow reached a place where we can show who we are to each other, our faults, our desires.
“I was thinking,” he says thoughtfully.“Once this whole situation is over, let’s go on a trip.”
“Which situation?”I give him an amused look.
“The one with the mole.”
I hear the distant ping of the elevator and quickly scramble off his lap, smoothing down my clothes.Caleb chuckles at my flustered state but lets me go, his eyes lingering on me as I grab the containers.
“I’ll put these in the fridge,” I say, my cheeks flushed.
When I return to my desk, Caleb is studying something on his computer, but his eyes find mine immediately.“So about the trip...”I lean forward to see what he’s looking at, and it’s open to vacation packages on a travel website.“I’ve been wanting to go to Japan for a while,” he says.“Once this project is over, the timing would be perfect.We could do a two-week tour across Asia, hike through some of those mountain trails, eat different cuisines, and everything else that comes along with it.Two weeks of paradise.What do you think?”
My eyes widen.“That’s...That’s a lot of time away from work.”
His grin is mischievous.“That’s the point.”
“I don’t know, Caleb.Two weeks is a long time, and I have so many projects?—”
“Come on, workaholic,” he teases, spinning his chair to face his computer.“Look at this.”I move to stand behind him, my hands resting on the back of his chair as he pulls up images of breathtaking landscapes—ancient temples nestled in misty mountains, vibrant city streets lit up at night, serene gardens with cherry blossoms floating on still ponds.
“We could start in Tokyo,” he explains, clicking through the photos, “then head to Kyoto, maybe Osaka.I know a guy who runs this incredible mountain retreat near Mount Fuji...”
His enthusiasm is infectious, and despite myself, I feel a smile tugging at my lips.“It does look amazing.”
“So?What do you say?”He spins back to face me, those blue eyes sparkling with anticipation.“Two weeks, just us, no emails, no meetings, no crisis management, no family.”
The thought of being away from work for that long makes my stomach clench with anxiety, but the idea of being with Caleb, exploring new places together, waking up next to him every morning without deadlines hanging over our heads...
“Fine,” I concede, rolling my eyes even as my heart races at the thought.“But I’m bringing my laptop.”
“You absolutely are not,” he counters, looking victorious.“The only technology allowed is a camera to document how much fun you’re having while not checking your emails.”
I open my mouth to argue, but I’m interrupted by Steven and Flora walking in together.Steven’s eyes immediately zero in on Caleb’s computer screen.“What are you two looking at?”
“Vacation spots,” Caleb answers smoothly.“For after the launch.”
“That’s a brilliant idea!”Steven exclaims, his face lighting up.“God, I can’t remember the last time I took a proper vacation.”
Flora’s expression turns dreamy as she peers over my shoulder.“Ooh, is this your first vacation as a couple?How romantic!”
I feel my face flush hot, and I shift uncomfortably.“We’re just looking at options, Flora.”
“Don’t worry,” Caleb says, winking at her.“It’ll be romantic.”
