A request, not a demand—Bowie knew the difference. “I was worried when Rex lives on the floor above.”
“Does he now? He doesn’t have a key to your place, does he?”
The flare of anger got Bowie’s gaze dipping, although he wasn’t frightened as he shook his head, more embarrassed.
“He does, and no, he never asked for one.” Something Bowie was now very grateful for. He kicked at the flooring, working up the courage to glance back up. “I know I’m being a wuss, I’m sor—”
Kari pressed a gentle finger to his lips and shook his head. “No more apologizing for that asshat, understand? You did nothing wrong.Nothing.”
Bowie found it difficult to concentrate with the warmth of the finger making his lips tingle. He could smell… chocolate and cookie dough coming from Kari’s skin.
“Did you have cookies for breakfast?” he mumbled past the finger without thought, his tongue touching the finger before Kari moved it.
“Guilty.” Kari’s grin was all mischief and allowed the knot of anxiety forming in Bowie’s belly to loosen at speaking the thought aloud. “Popi made a few batches last night. He’s going to drop some off today.” He chuckled. “Which is a good thing with how many there are and how much I love them.”
“If you love them, why would you be happy he’s giving them away?” Bowie asked in confusion.
“Because I’d make myself sick gorging on them.” He came in close, looking like he was about to share a big secret. “I’ve snuck a bag out even when I had five for breakfast.”
A giggle burst out at how guilty Kari seemed.
“If you don’t tell anyone, I’ll share them with you.” He winked in a way Bowie had seen Frey do when he was flirting.
While that tumbled around his head, Kari somehow helped Bowie out of the doorway and had it locked and the keys in his jacket pocket before Bowie could catch his breath.
It all appeared so ordinary that Bowie could fool himself into believing the reason Kari was at his apartment wasn’t because he was a scaredy heifer.
Bowie found himself in Kari’s car. His justification was that as Kari was there, it seemed silly to take two cars. Bowie didn’t think too hard on why he didn’t argue when it meant Kari would be there to ensure he got back into his apartment after work—safely.
Not long later, Kari parked up and helped Bowie out of the car, slinging a bag over his shoulder.
Everything felt different, and Bowie trembled as he entered the head offices of Starling Enterprises, unsure how to act. On the drive to work, Kari had reiterated that what occurred was not his fault, and if he didn’t want to tell anyone, then that was perfectly alright.
Everything was so confusing with the way Kari was acting. It wasn’t different, except it was. Bowie wasn’t good at reading things the way others did, so he kept quiet and followed Kari to the elevator.
He had to decide what he was going to do next… didn’t he?
He glanced sideways at Kari as the elevator doors opened.
“What is it?”
“What should I do?” he blurted out.
Kari held the door so it wouldn’t shut on them. “Regarding your friends?” Bowie nodded. What else could he be talking about? “Whatever feels right to you, baby—Bowie.”
He didn’t miss how Kari glanced about at the busy reception area when he changed what he was going to call Bowie. He felt his chest tighten at the probable reason for that when it was easier to recall all the nasty things Rex said to him.
His shoulders slumped in defeat, nodding as he stepped past, muttering, “Okay.”
Work. He’d focus on that because that was far easier than the uncertainty clutching in his belly that he didn’t really understand.
Chapter Thirteen
Kari
Kari got off the elevator on his floor before Bowie, his mind in turmoil over finding Rex living in the same building as Bowie. It was what he blamed for the slip up of calling Bowie by the pet name he had given Bowie the first week they’d worked together full time.
When those doe eyes peeked up at him with uncertainty as he turned to Bowie hovering inside the elevator, it was a hammer blow to his chest. Kari wanted more than anything to kiss the trembling lips. He took a step away, forcing himself to paste a smile on his face.
