Page 65 of Love Spell

“How’s your morning been?”Timo asked, still watching the screen.

“A bit shoddy, actually.Sorry, I’ve not been doing my best work this week.I hope last Friday wasn’t my one-hit-wonder.”

Timo smiled, still never glancing at him.“Don’t worry about it.It takes time to be the best player on the team.”

Which raised all kinds of questions for Noah, chief of which was wondering if Timo expected Noah to one day be the MVP, but mostly if Noah wanted that.He’d been learning a lot, growing a new skill set, but he didn’t see this being his whole life.Did Timo?

“Yeah,” Noah said.“That appointment —?”

With the speed of a striking rattlesnake, Timo pounced on his keyboard.His fingers were already flying by the time the beads thunked to the floor by his foot.

While he worked, he talked under his breath.“Didn’t think I’d see that, did you, motherfuckers?See how you like this.”

Timo often talked to his trading terminal.Many of the guys did.Noah wasn’t sure if it was imagined trading competition, the whales, the underlying, the market, or who all these comments were aimed at, but these men, like slot-machine addicts, anthropomorphized their screens and assigned feelings and motives to the market that were, in fact, sheer chance and convergence.

Noah found their dedication unsettling, not the least of the reasons he wasn’t sure this was a good fit for him long-term.Not because he didn’t see the appeal of their profound knowledge and skill at handling the market like an expert fisherman handles a wild salmon, but because hecouldsee the appeal of that level of fanaticism.Noah had too many alcoholics in his family tree not to worry about the branches he sat on.

Grinning, pupils dilated, Timo pushed back his office chair as he swivelled to face Noah.

“I’ve been wanting you.Perfect timing.”

“Your meeting —”

“Not until this afternoon.Drink?”Timo stood and drifted across the room to him.

Noah let Timo kiss him but tried to stay on track.“Should I be there?Join you for the attorney?”

Timo stroked back the hair about his temples, pressing in more with his kisses.“No reason, unless you want to.I have your paperwork.She’ll tell me what I need to do to get things moving, then probably we should all meet again when more needs doing.It’s not a fast process, but if you have to stop working for a bit and go back and forth, that’s fine.I’ll look after you.”

“If you’re sure — no, we’re not undressing.I just wanted to ask —”

“You didn’t enjoy yesterday?”

Physical matters had escalated in Timo’s office yesterday.

“Of course I did.But it’s off-putting, all those screens staring at us and your whole team just the other side of the door.”

“You mean exciting.”

“I suppose a sensation can be both.”Noah disentangled, holding Timo’s hands away.“I’m going for lunch.”

Noah kept thinking about the meeting all day, but refrained from going since there didn’t seem to be anything he could do yet.Timo left work early for the appointment and Noah, who should have stayed through the market’s closing, found himself reading about work visa timelines instead, feeling more and more discouraged.

No matter what Timo said, it wasn’t easy to get into Britain and work long-term.Hewasn’tuniquely qualified.Timohadn’tmade every attempt to find a British citizen to fill the role.He didn’t even have recent English ancestors like grandparents or anything else good going for him besides having lived legally in England for a year as a student.

Thoroughly discouraged, Noah went home early to make dinner.His numbers were going to be crap this week, which certainly wouldn’t prove Timo’s point arguing for a visa about how indispensable he was, but it was Friday and that ship had sailed.

He fixed cashew vegetables with beef and brown rice, still brooding by the time Timo arrived.Noah resisted the impulse to clutch at him and beg for the bad news to put him out of his misery.He was, however, finally distracted.Timo carried an autumnal flower arrangement in oranges and yellows, plus a huge gift bag.

Ever the counterpoint, he was also beaming at Noah.

“Good news?”Heart soaring, Noah gripped the edge of the kitchen island.His attorney must be a genius if she could pull off this work visa.

But Timo was saying at the same time, “Happy birthday.”

“What?”

“Happy birthday, Noah.”Timo brought the bag and vase to him at the island and kissed him while Noah sputtered.

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