To all employees of Émeraude Technologies,
If you want to keep your projects, don’t tell Dictator Fenwick what you think about his unreachable standards. Keep your mouth shut.
Xadrian’s Crew
Wick came out and plopped on his knees beside me—he looked particularly good today in a pale-yellow suit with a white-and-black striped tie. His clothes and the way they hugged his body made me smile, but then my rage pushed to the forefront of my mind again. I brushed his silver hair off his forehead as I slid my chair back from the desk so I could turn toward him. He seemed equal parts pissed off and entertained with a smile playing across his lips.
“Did you see this shit?” I gestured at my laptop.
Wick nodded and glanced briefly toward the screen before he fixed his gaze back on my face. “Obviously he doesn’t realize we can see all the emails sent on the system, even if we’re not copied in?”
I tapped my fingers on the desk to stop myself from punching it. “Or maybe he knew damned well we could see his email and this was his shitty, passive-aggressive jab at you.” I went to spin back in front of my computer, but Wick snagged my knees and shuffled forward until he was leaning against my front. He slipped his arms around me. I gave him a big hug and some of my anger melted away as he pressed a quick kiss to my neck.
“We’ll take care of it.”
I huffed. “This is the kind of shit I was worried about. They know about us, and now they’re being brave and bad-mouthing you.”
He rubbed his hands over my knees. “It’s only one person, and this had nothing to do with us being together.” He gave me another tight hug and I couldn’t bring myself to be upset about him holding me because it felt too good. He smelled amazing, too. Everything about him was a bright shiny spot in this craptastic situation.
“Oh, Hartlee and the sycophantic goblins who kiss his ass signed off on it. Didn’t you see it was sent on behalf of Xadrianand his crew?”
Wick snorted and sat back to smile up at me. “I’m going to fire them.”
“Okay.” I nodded, feeling murderous.
He shook his head and glanced at the computer screen. “I can’t really fire them because they have contracts. Plus, they’re too good. Xadrian has been here for several years.”
I groaned and ran a palm over my face. “Please just do it.”
He snickered and snatched my hand away from my cheek to hold it. “I’ll talk to Xadrian and see if I can’t give him something to keep him occupied. Clearly he doesn’t have enough work right now or he wouldn’t have time to send out snide emails.”
“You’d be surprised,” I grumbled. “I can find a lot of time for things that bring me joy.”
Wick combed his fingertips through my short beard, and I loved the sensation of his nails tickling against my skin. He teased me closer with a nudge under my chin, and I leaned in for a smooch that was more cathartic than a scream.
“You should get up off the floor before someone comes in here and thinks you’re doing something you aren’t.” I prodded him with my knee.
“Maybe I should lock the door and do it.” He bit his lip and waggled his eyebrows.
My breath caught, but I glanced at the stack of paperwork next to my computer and sighed, shaking my head. “No, not today.” The kisses he pressed to the tips of my fingers almost swayed me toward a different answer, but I shook my head.
He grinned. “Okay, I surrender to your work ethic. I want to get out of here at a reasonable time tonight. We can continue this later.”
Cupping his cheek, I traced my thumb across his lips and sighed again because it really wouldn’t have taken much for him to talk me into doing something we shouldn’t. “Lacey invited us out for drinks. There’s a new bar she wants to try—the Bus Stops Here. Apparently someone put together eight double-decker buses and remodeled the interior for an upstairs and downstairs bar. She was over the moon about it, talking about architecture as art. You might enjoy it.”
He perked up like a rabbit and I could almost imagine his nose wriggling. “Where is it?”
You are so cute.I leaned in and gave him a fast kiss because I couldn’t resist. “Just outside of town. Not too far from Mr. Heyward’s fireworks shack.”
His eyes gleamed. “Mm-hmm. They probably couldn’t get a permit for that type of construction in the city. You know, I did miss the fireworks display at the summer bash. We should have more fireworks for the holidays this year. Are Thanksgiving fireworks a thing?”
Fighting off an eye roll, I groaned. “You can’t guarantee good weather in the late fall.”
“It’s Louisiana.” He ran his hands along my legs and scooted a bit closer. “Tolerable weather is a gift any time of year. We would just have to take our chances.” His gray eyes were shiny with his future plans, and while I had nothing in particular against fireworks, the bill was outlandish.
“I won’t let you write them off unless the party is for work.”
He scowled. “Were you always this good? What the tax man doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
