Page 107 of His White Moonlight
“Talk to me.Let me help you.”
“If you want to help me, let me go.Please.”
His gaze searched mine.His worry disappeared behind his mask, but not before I glimpsed his desperation and hurt.
“I’ll meet you in the garage in twenty minutes,” he said, releasing my shoulders.
* * *
We arrivedon time and rode the elevator up to the twelfth floor in silence.The women greeted him as they always did, ignoring me.Except for Miranda.She was watching me.I looked away and walked faster to my desk.
Bennett left me alone but kept his door open.
No one bothered either of us until ten, when I took a break to get something to drink from the break area.
Miranda found me there.
“Interesting choice of office attire.”she said.
I glanced down at my shorts and printed T-shirt that said “Warning: Rage Volcano.Anticipate seismic safety releases and maintain a safe distance.”It seemed fitting.Too bad I’d just grabbed it without thinking.It was a shirt I’d worn at school after Lindi and her crew had wrecked my last clean uniform.
“How’d the dress work?”she asked.
“Mom said the dress was pretty.”I started adding enough sugar to my coffee to send me into a diabetic coma.
“Bennett seemed to like it too,” she said.
I turned to look at her as she leaned against the counter, studying me.I openly returned the favor.She was pretty and radiated confidence and strength.A lot of guys would find that appealing.But did Bennett?What he preferred wasn’t something I could ask him.But maybe I could ask her.It was sad that Miranda, the girl who’d pinned me to the bathroom door, was my best option for help.
Unfortunately for me—and maybe for her too—I’d been surrounded by mean girls for what felt like my entire life, so collaborating with one didn’t bother me.What bothered me was that she might figure out what was going on with me if I asked too many questions, and acknowledging my status would make my life infinitely harder.
How could I get her to help me without her figuring out who Bennett’s mate was?
“I’m not interested in dressing pretty to make boys happy,” I said, responding to her comment.
“Bennett’s not a boy, though, is he?”
“No, he’s a pain in my ass.But I’m pretty sure I already made my thoughts on him clear.”
She shrugged.“Things can change.”
“You’re right.We could be friends and help each other.”
A brief smile tugged her lips as she considered me.“Maybe.”
She left me alone to sip my sugared-up coffee and contemplate my life.
When I returned to my desk, the blinds to Bennett’s office were open, and a piece of chocolate waited for me.The sight of it made my chest ache, and I wanted to think about why, but I knew I couldn’t afford to with his door still open.
Ignoring his watchful stare, I sat at my desk and tried to find something to order for lunch, even though the thought of sitting in the office with him for an hour killed any appetite I had.
I ordered two salads for us, no dressing and extra onions.Then I ate his dumb chocolate.
That, on top of the sugar in my coffee, helped improve my patience as the first office girl approached.I put in my earbuds without looking at her.
She hesitated in front of my desk.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Bennett move.
