“Um, yeah.” His chuckle held a lot less amusement than hers had. “I came in extra early. Got my cup before you even got here.”
“Oh.” Her head reared back slightly. “Okay. Well, what do you feel like eating for lunch? I’m in the mood for a burger. Maybe we can grab sliders at that pub around the corner?”
Daniel removed the headphones from around his neck and set them on the desk. He’d rather strut down the hallway in nothing but combat boots than do what he was about to do, but it was necessary. He’d succumbed to too many distractions already, this preoccupation with Samiah being the most intrusive.
“I know it was my idea to have the standing lunch date, but I’m not sure that’s the best thing anymore,” he said. “This new project is going to have all of us busy. I think it’s better if I just grab a quick bite here at my desk and work through lunch these next few days.”
He immediately felt like a steaming pile of elephant shit.
Her brows shot up before dipping into a deep V with her frown.
“Okay,” she finally said. “I guess that makes sense.” There was a crispness to her voice that hadn’t been there before. “Although, I don’t see why bouncing ideas off each other over a couple of burgers wouldn’t be considered working.”
God, he hated this.
“It’s just…it’s not a good idea,” Daniel said.
The seconds that ticked by were some of the most uncomfortable of his life. Her shoulders straightened, her chin lifting as she stared down at him. If not for the nerve jumping in her stiff cheek, Daniel would have thought his words were no big deal.
“Fine,” she said. The word was clipped. Final.
With that she turned and started back toward her office.
“Samiah—” Daniel called in a voice that was barely a whisper.
Letting her walk away was the smart move here. Theonlymove. Hell, he could subvert Trendsetters’ security tomorrow and see this job come to an end. What would he say to her then? Sorry about lying to you? We’ll probably never see each other again, but thanks for lighting my world on fire with that kiss, and for paying my salary with your tax dollars?
Yeah, that would go over well.
He put the headphones back on and returned his attention to his computer screen. He needed to finish up this Austin job so that he could move on to the next. It would be better for everyone.
***
Samiah pitched her head back and gloried in the rays of sunshine streaming through the trees overhead, welcoming the warmth on her face. She’d happened upon the rarest of rare finds, an empty bench in what was possibly her favorite spot in the city, the Japanese gardenin the botanical gardens at Zilker Park. An oasis in the middle of the city, teeming with brightly colored flowers, willowy trees, and ponds filled with lily pads, this was the place she came to when she needed to get outside of her own head and just exist.
She definitely needed it today.
She balanced the pen and steno pad on her knee, and read over the impressive list of ideas she’d brainstormed in the short time she’d been out here. She’d debated whether she wanted to bring anything work-related to her favorite sanctuary, especially while on her lunch break, but decided that when it came to her app, this was the perfect spot to work. She didn’t want Just Friends to feel like a job. It should bring joy.
She was due a little joy after the sour taste left in her mouth yesterday following Daniel’s rebuff. It had hurt, but she was no longer angry.
Okay, so she was a little angry, and maybe just a bit confused.
She’d prepared herself, knowing things would now feel different between them. You didn’t spend several minutes with a guy’s tongue down your throat without expecting a shift in how you interacted with each other. But that complete one-eighty? No, she hadn’t expected that.
His brush-off had bruised her already tender ego, but it had also been the wake-up call she’d needed. After ending her relationship with Craig, the last thing she should have done was walk into this thing with Daniel.
She had yet to define exactly what it was that had blossomed between them over these last couple of weeks. A few lunches and a single weekend of hiking—something she’d wanted to do anyway, but could never find someone to do it with—did not a relationship make. That kiss, however, had placed them well past the friendly coworker mark.
That kiss.
When she looked back on this period years from now, she would be able to pinpoint the moment they’d taken a wrong turn. If it weren’t for that kiss, this thing with Daniel wouldn’t be anything more than a really nice friendship with a dose of lighthearted flirting thrown in.
In a perfect world, they could forget about that kiss and go back to being friends. But the world wasn’t perfect. Although that kiss had been close.
She closed her eyes and sucked in a slow, calming breath, seeking the peace she’d found when she’d first happened upon this bench.
Maybe if she gave it some time, gave herself a little space, she could approach Daniel with an offer of friendship and nothing more. It was something to consider.
