“Yes. It’s my childhood nickname,” I say awkwardly over my shoulder. “Otty is my sister.”
“Ah.” I strain to watch his gaze go from me back to my sister. “I see the resemblance.”
“Yeah?” Otty grins, her dimples working overtime. “I’m the youngest, obviously.”
“Of how many?”
“Three,” I tell him.
“The kids…”
“Not mine. Thank god.” She shudders. “I’m still in the sowing wild oats phase.”
Grant smiles at her, and I feel the strangest combination of pride and hurt. I’m proud because Otty’s funny, and I’ll always be proud of my baby sister. The hurt is 100 percent that smile. Grant never, ever smiles at me like that. Only scowls and frowns and glowers for me.
“She’s here for the laundry.”
“Laundry.” Grant looks at me blankly.
“In the closet. The top.”
“Ah. Yes. Of course.”
The second he goes to grab it from the top shelf, Otty makes an inappropriate—but shockingly apt—two-finger-and-a-tonguemotion behind his back, and I swear I almost die a little, trapped here at the very desk upon which he did indeed recently perform possibly the world’s best oral.
If only Otty knew.
No. No, hopefully she will never know.
“Thank you, Grant,” she says, accepting the pile of laundry, which I belatedly recall prominently features at least one pair of lace panties and… yep. That’s me, even closer to dying than I was a second ago.
“Want to go grab a little cocktail, or…”
“I can’t. I’m…” I cast my captor a frantic look.
“Meeting,” he provides. “Very important.”
“O-kay.” Otty slides a look between us.
“I’ll go for a drink!” Sam yells from her desk back in the lobby, followed by the clop of her shoes across the hardwood floor. And then she’s here, too, in the office, where I’m being willingly held prisoner. “Come on, Rae. Everyone’s gone home.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“She’s needed.” Grant couldn’t be more serious.
“Sorry.” Avoiding Sam’s eye, I give a weak nod. I swear that my heart’s about to give out. “Important audit stuff.”
“Really.” Sam’s eyebrows lift almost to her hairline.
“Yes. Really,” I say, forcing a tepid smile.
“Fine. Have a good meeting.” I can almost hear Sam’s air quotes on that last word.
“Bye, guys. Where to, Samuela?” Otty follows Sam to her desk.
“Just so you know, every single person has left the building,” Sam calls from the lobby. “Good night!”
