“She gets it,” Devin growled, jaw tense. Devin met her eyes with an intensity that made her entire body shiver. He was jealous. No one had ever been jealous of Miranda. No man had ever wanted a second dance with her, let alone to seek her out in the middle of the night to apologize to her or fill an entire night unlocking her every wanton, improper desire she hadn’t known existed.
The Something grew ever stronger in her chest.
Devin cleared his throat and glanced away, as if he wasn’t sure if his actions were wanted, but the impulse had been too strong. He spared one more glance before turning away from her to face Captain Blair again, though she noted his shoulder was positioned to block her from the flirtatious captain like a shield.
“Ah,” Captain Blair raised an eyebrow at Devin, “I wasn’t aware she was spoken for. My apologies.”
Devin shifted on his feet, head turning but not quite enough to look at her. He stayed silent.
“I speak for myself, actually,” Miranda said, crossing her arms and moving so she was shoulder to shoulder with Devin. She kept her eyes on the Captain, but made sure her arm brushed Devin’s as she moved. “But your apology is accepted.”
Captain Blair laughed, looking between them as if he were trying to get a read on the situation and found it amusing. “Fair enough. But if you ever tire of his insipid melancholy my door is always open. I’m infinitely better humored.” He winked, and Devin took a step like he might attack, though he never left her side.
“I think you mean laughable,” Miranda retorted, and she waited for the reprimand. For the scoff and disdain of the Captain that she dare show humor and wit or for her mother to somehow manage to scold her from halfway across the city.
Instead, Captain Blair nearly doubled over laughing.
Devin’s tone was unamused as he said, “He doesn’t take himself too seriously.”
“She iscompletelyout of your league, Drake,” he said, wiping at his eyes, “And I’ve never known a society Lady to make jokes.” The Captain’s flirtation evaporated to genuine amusement.
“Maybe you just haven’t been listening,” Miranda quipped, fueled by his laughter.
“Ha, that’s putting it mildly,” Rachel’s voice carried into the room as she stomped through the open doorway without knocking, “If Gideon ever gave a woman true, genuine attention that would mean hell’s frozen over and he’d never give his mother the reprieve.”
She continued straight past Devin and Miranda, like they didn’t exist, to get to Captain Blair’s desk. Devin’s hand caught Miranda’s back, gently guiding her out of the way. He let his hand linger for a moment before removing it, balling his fingers into a fist. The gesture sent butterflies loose in her stomach.
“I’m not doing the briefing,” Rachel snapped as Captain Blair returned to his desk.
“Rachel, please, I’m in a meeting.” Captain Blair waved her away, when she didn’t budge, he added, “Look, you didn’t think I could show up on time, but I got here, didn’t I? And I can hardly give the shift briefing when I’m otherwise occupied.” He gestured at Devin. “Besides, you’re better at it than—”
She slammed a folder in front of him, sending papers flying like leaves in an autumn breeze, her stare just as chilled.
“You were supposed to sign off on this reportweeksago. Lottie can’t file the reports if you don’t. Sign. Them. And then it all stacks up here and no one can find their case files when they need to.”
The Captain rolled his eyes. “Nonsense. I have my own filing system.” He motioned to the papers still floating to the floor.“You just cost me months of careful organization, by the way. I won’t be able to find anything now.”
“Get a fucking drawer.” She set her hands on his desk, glaring down into his face with a ferocity that even Miranda would be hesitant to challenge.
“I have a secretary, I don’t need a drawer,” he countered casually, eyes narrowed, but they didn’t hold the same fire as Rachel’s.
Rachel crossed her arms. “And where is she? She’s supposed to be here even earlier than you, and somehow she’s conveniently absent, yet again.”
Captain Blair looked away, shrugging. “She asked for the day off.”
“She hasn’t shown up in two days. She missed half of last week and hasn’t stayed until the end of her shift since she started.” Rachel pressed her face into her hands, clearly on the last shred of her patience. “You hired her because she’s pretty. You always pick the pretty ones and they never work out. They either don’t know what they’re doing, or you somehow manage to convince them they’re ‘not like the others’ and then they’re too heartbroken to stay. She’s got you giving in to her every demand despite her being entirely unqualified for the position.”
“Maybe not thesecretaryposition…” The Captain was barely audible, but a silence descended that blanketed the room.
Devin’s fingers curled around Miranda’s elbow and he leaned in close to her ear. “Best step back,” he said, lips lingering a touch longer than they had before, his fingers lightly drawing patterns over her sleeve before retreating.
Rachel’s jaw clenched so tight Miranda feared it would detach.
Captain Blair waved away her palpable anger. “Fine. Fine. I’ll fire her, if you’ll just leave me in peace about it. Go hire that other one. The…married one. That should appease you.”
“It would if I knew that would stop you.”
He shrugged.
