The realization sends another wave of heat through me. I'm so slick now, and there's no way he can't smell it.
"It's fine." My hand trembles slightly as I grab the clipboard. "Just—small space."
I turn to face him, needing distance, but that doesn't help. Now I can see his flushed neck, the way his pupils are dilated.
"Yeah." He runs a hand through his hair. "Listen, if I'm making you uncomfortable?—"
"You're not!" Too quick. Too desperate. "I mean. This is fine. Everything's fine."
His eyes meet mine, and there's heat there. Knowledge. He knows exactly what's happening to me.
For a long moment, neither of us moves. All he'd have to do is take one step forward. All I'd have to do is not step back.
The bell over the front door chimes.
We both jump apart.
"Customer," River says, voice still rough. "I should?—"
"Yeah. Go."
The second he's gone, I lean against the shelving and try to breathe.
What the hell was that?
My body is still aching, still slick, still wanting things I absolutely should not want from my boss on my first day.
In the bathroom, I splash cold water on my face. My reflection shows flushed cheeks, dilated pupils, a neck practically begging to be bitten.
Get it together, Bea.
This is just biology. Stupid, inconvenient biology that doesn't care about logic or professionalism.
By late morning,we've made serious progress, and I've successfully avoided any more close encounters.
Except I keep catching River watching me. And every time our eyes meet, that heat sparks again.
The bell chimes.
"BEA!"
Oh god. Ben.
My brother leans against the counter, looking entirely too pleased with himself. "Lunch break. Thought I'd swing by."
"Hey, man." Ben nods at River like they do this all the time. "She giving you any trouble yet?"
"Not at all." River grins back, clearly comfortable with him. "Bea's been great. Already reorganized half my storage room."
"Course she has. She organized my sock drawer by color when she was eight." Ben's enjoying himself way too much. "Control freak since birth."
"I was helping?—"
"You told me my system was 'chaotic and inefficient.'"
River laughs, and I want to sink through the floor.
"Anyway, just wanted to see how the first day's going." Ben looks between us, and I can see him reading the room—the slightly awkward energy, the way we're standing too far apart.
