It’s Monday morning and I’m ready to go once I make a decision about the package mocking me. I had ordered something for Elle as a joke but now I don’t know if this would be a weird decision to give it to her after what has happened between us.
I don’t want to be late so I pick up the package, tuck it under my arm and head to my car.
In the end, I decided to give the gift to her. I don’t think it will hurt our relationship and I already spent the money on it.
I haven’t given her the gift just yet, the box tucked away in my backpack, I want to find a flower to go along with it and theonly ones I’ve seen so far are the yellow and purple I’ve already left her. No one is saying it can’t be the same flowers but I want to give her something new. A new flower for the new dynamic between us.
I don’t know.
I wasn’t going to attempt to dive any deeper, my thoughts were already scrambled with the anticipation of giving her the gift I bought.
It didn’t take long to find a new flower that caught my attention. It was a bright orange that reminded me of the bite of her words when her brother had knocked over her folders.
I quickly pluck the flower and make my way back to the office. When I’m about a yard away, I gain a four-legged shadow. It seems like it was going to become routine for HC to pop out whenever she fancied to keep me company for the afternoons. Today, though, she swipes at my ankle and makes a noise that sounds close to a hiss but is a little gentler.
“What’s up, Honey Cat?” I kneel down to get closer to eye level and she takes the opening to jump on my shoulders.
Like the first day I met her, she makes herself comfortable and I have a living scarf. “You want to see me make a fool of myself, hmm?” I rub the bottom of Honey Cat’s chin and she lets out a quiet purr.
The walk to the office was not long enough, my stomach is in knots that feels like it tightens with each step but it seems like my kitten scarf can tell I’m in distress because she continues to purr as I enter.
Elle’s back is to me as she opens up the door to one of her many filing cabinets, it looks like she’s putting something away. “Heyyyyy.” I draw the Y out and let my voice drift off, I can feel my ears turn pink with a mix of nerves and embarrassment.
It takes a moment for Elle to turn to face me, needing to finish up her current task. Who would have thought singular focus on a task would be such a turn on?
“Hey you two.” Elle’s not smiling but the look of grumpiness that I thought was her base expression is gone, with the hours of studying I’ve devoted to her features I would almost be willing to say she was not unhappy to see me.
And Honey Cat, of course.
I’m mesmerized by the look of her eyes with this new expression.
She is truly stunning.
“I, uh, have something for you.” All the moisture has evaporated from my body. I cough and Honey Cat jumps from my shoulders, angered by the sudden movement.
“Oh, you do?” Elle’s eyes flick to the flower in my hand before returning to my face, a slight crinkle appearing in the corners of her eyes.
Oh, great. She thinks this is funny.
I attempt to clear my throat with another cough and turn on my heel, making quick work of getting to my backpack on the floor next to my desk.
I take the package out and make my way to Elle’s desk again. We are standing face to face with nothing but her desk between us.
A pink blush blooms on her cheeks as she comes to the realization that we are standing across from each other at the exact spot I had laid her out on just days ago. I regret I didn’t get the chance to see how far down her blush goes on Friday.
“Here. Both of these are for you.” I place the box onto her desk with the flower resting on top.
It’s a desk vacuum that looks like a bee. It’s corny but I knew she likes to keep her area clean and figured there could be worse shapes. “It’s a little chees?—”
“Will you have dinner with me?” Elle’s question burst out of her and seems to surprise us both with how wide her eyes are.
Did she really just ask me out?
Heck. Yes.
Chapter Thirty-Six
ELLE
