Page 48 of Atlas
“Don’t you think that depends on who the woman is and if you were attracted to her before you died?”
“Are you suggesting a test?”
“What test?”
“I don’t know. It sounded like you suggested I should join you in the shower to see how I feel about you now.”
I shoved at his shoulder. “Very funny.”
He left it at that and jerked a little when, a few minutes later, the woman in the movie was spooked and screamed.
“You scared?” I teased.
“No.”
I held out my hand. “You can hold it if you want to.”
He took it and tugged me closer. “I’d rather use you as an emotional safety blanket.”
Remembering how good it’d felt to be in his arms in the car, I scooted closer and cuddled up against him. “I think you figured me out.”
“Figured you out how?” he asked.
“I’m tactile by nature. I touch people when I speak to them, and I’m a massive cuddler. All my friends can tell you that.”
Atlas closed his arms around me. “How do you feel?”
“My heart is beating fast because of the movie.”
His hand stroked my hair. “Mine too.”
I raised my right hand and placed it on top of his chest. “Yeah, I feel it.”
“Are you feeling me up?”
“Nooo.”
He chuckled.
“Hey.” I pushed my head back against him. “Stop teasing me all the time, or I’m going to change my mind about you being the best boss in the world.
He lowered his head to my hair and spoke low. “Jo.”
“Mmm?”
“There’s only four of us in the company, and I might have invested the money, but I’m not your everyday boss.”
“I know.”
“Don’t think about me as your boss. I want to be your friend.”
I took his hand and squeezed it. “I’d like that.”
For the next half hour, I rested against Atlas’ body and loved how his arms held me. I was aware of each breath he took and each movement he made. Although I knew it was a long shot, I hoped that his hand would start traveling, or that he would kiss me, but none of that happened.
When the movie ended, I sat up and stretched with a yawn. “I told you the demon would make the husband kill his wife.”
“It seems there’s a theme of bad husband’s tonight.” The moment, Atlas said it, he apologized. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I wanted to take your mind off of Niklavs, and now I went and reminded you instead.”
