Staying leads to them getting bold

You picked up the coffee again, grateful to find enough left for a few more mouthfuls. Across the desk, Melissa settled back with her own mug. “Finish your drink. We can sort out the evening when you’ve finished work.”

Before you could explain that you hadn’t agreed to spend the evening with anyone, Emma set the tray on the cabinet and asked whether you’d eaten. Your assurance that you’d had lunch only prompted an offer to fetch something from the staffroom.

“He can tell us if he’s hungry,” Melissa said, then turned back to you. “You wouldn’t be any trouble, Eddy.”

The warmth in her voice caught you with the mug halfway to your mouth. Usually, hearing your name at work meant somebody needed a door unlocked or had found something unpleasant in a toilet. You couldn’t remember the last time anyone had said it quite like that, and she was waiting as though you ought to know how to answer.

“I wasn’t worried about that.” You took a drink before she could ask what you were worried about.

“I know. You’d rather do it yourself.” The certainty in her answer brought your attention back to her. “You can let me do something nice for you occasionally, Eddy.”

Apparently, the equipment had told her everything she needed to know about you. With the coffee finally finished, you set the mug beside the untouched water and gathered your gloves. “Right. I should get moving. Thanks for the drink.”

The chair behind the desk moved as you stood. “Of course. Come back when you’re finished.” Melissa joined you at the corner of the desk while you stepped clear of your seat, leaving considerably less room between you than there had been during the conversation.

“I might be a while. There’s a fair bit to catch up on.” You kept the explanation casual, but she only glanced towards the paperwork.

“That’s all right. I have plenty to keep me occupied until then.”

Waiting hadn’t been the part you’d hoped she would agree to. As Emma moved aside with the tray, you turned towards the space she’d cleared. “I may have to head straight off, actually. Got a few things to sort out.”

“Then I’ll give you my number.” Reaching back across the desk, Melissa drew a sheet of paper towards her and began writing. You stopped beside the visitor’s chair, reluctant to walk out while she was doing it, and watched your attempt to leave quietly acquire another complication.

“There. You can let me know when you’re home.” She folded the paper and offered it to you, her fingers resting briefly against yours when you took it. “Even if you’re too tired for company.”

“Right. Well, I’d better.” You tucked the note beneath the gloves and stepped backwards to clear the chair, but Melissa came with you, resting a hand on your upper arm.

“Eddy, I’m not upset with you. You don’t have to rush off.”

“I’m just thinking about the time.” You tried to make the answer reassuring while edging towards the door. Before you could turn, your shoulder bumped someone behind you, and hands caught your elbows.

“Careful. I’ve got you.” Looking back, you found Emma close enough that you had to lean away to see her face.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you there.” With the chair still beside your knee, you shifted to make room, expecting her to release you now that you’d found your balance.

“No harm done, darling.” One hand slid to your forearm as she spoke, and you stopped trying to turn. Apparently she noticed your expression, because her smile faltered a little. “What is it?”

You’d barely begun to work out how to question the endearment when a touch against your cheek brought your attention forward again. Melissa had stepped closer while you were looking behind you.

“Before you go,” she murmured, leaning in before you could ask what she meant.

The kiss was brief, a firm press of her mouth that still lasted long enough for you to feel the heat of it. By the time you thought to move, she was already drawing back, leaving you standing between them with your gloves clenched around the folded note. Her hand stayed against your cheek, and behind you Emma still held your arm.

“Miss Hamilton?” It came out more uncertainly than you intended. You drew your head back when her thumb moved against your cheek, putting enough distance between you to look at her properly.

“Melissa,” she corrected, lowering her hand as you stared at her.

“You just kissed me.” Obvious as it was, you needed to hear her answer. Not too long ago, you’d been explaining where you’d put the wet-floor signs.

A small smirk curved her lips. She held your eyes while she licked them, slow enough that you saw the shine it left, as if she were tasting what she’d just taken from you and deciding it wasn’t enough. Before you could get another word out, she leaned in again.

She opened her mouth on yours and stayed there, tongue moving against yours until you heard how wet the kiss had become. Her fingers hooked under your jaw and drew you down; the rest of her followed until the desk stopped her hips. You didn’t kiss her back. The gloves creased in your fist and stayed there. She left your mouth the way she’d come in, a slow pull of her lower lip, and you were breathing harder than you wanted to admit.

“Of course.”

Behind you, Emma made an indignant little sound, her hand still resting on your arm. For a moment, you hoped somebody else had finally recognised the problem.

“All right, I’m being selfish.” Melissa glanced past your shoulder with an apologetic smile. “Thank you for keeping him here.”

The hand on your arm wasn’t steadying you anymore. You tried to take it off and Emma used the shift, fist closing in your collar, hauling you down until her mouth covered yours and her tongue pushed in. Wet heat, the slide of it over your own tongue, breath she had no room to take except against your cheek. Stepping back only cinched the collar; she came with you, still in your mouth. You caught her wrist and pulled it off your shirt.

“Wait.” The word came out when the kiss broke. “Would you give me a second?”

Her eyes were still on your face when the fingers at your collar loosened, resting there like she might actually give you the second.

“No.”

The word came with her stepping in, gathering the shirt again, mouth back on yours harder than before and less careful, tongue pushing in off the line of your turn. Her other wrist was already in your hand and it did nothing. Melissa had gone quiet behind you. That wrist, and the little space it bought, was all you kept.