I give my brother a deadly look through the screen.
He grins. “Relax. I’m kidding. But yourvibeisn’t chill—at all.”
“It’s purely professional.”
It is, right? Not entirely. And last night, Mya listened like my words mattered, and that’s a drug I don’t intend to sample. Not again.
Henson leans closer to his webcam. “Listen, man. I know why you keep steel walls up. But not everyone is a breach. Some just… stand with you.”
I flick my eyes to him then Griffin. “Is this a feelings meeting now? Should I get a candle?”
Griffin lifts both hands in surrender.
I collect the folders off the table. “We done?”
Henson salutes the camera and Griffin pushes to his feet, still smirking. At the door, he pauses. “For what it’s worth, she’s good for the team. And you look… a little less miserable.”
“Get out,” I say, but there’s no heat.
The door shuts behind him and the room goes quiet.
I stack the files, trying not to think back to touching Mya’s skin in the elevator, and the way her voice threads through the static and turns it down.
Around noon,Mya steps into my doorway with a file.
“Do you have five minutes?”
I check my watch, even though I already know the answer. “Three.”
She crosses to the table, close enough that her perfume slips into the space between us, and drops a folder onto it.
I plant a hand on the hard surface and keep my voice even. “Are those the preliminary drawings for the community housing project?”
Mya nods. “That’s what I’m here to show you.”
“You know you don’t have to bring them to me, right? Griffin is your direct superior. He should approve your drawings.”
“Oh. Yeah. You’re right. I’m sorry.” She clears her throat. “I shouldn’t have bothered you. I just thought you’d want to see them since I came to you about this yesterday.”
She’s rambling, and it’s cute as hell. I smother the smile trying to get out.
“Relax, Mya. I’ll take a look.” Her name slips out before I can catch it. Shit. I keep my face neutral. “I meant you don’t need my sign-off. I trust your vision. If you need help, Griff is the guy.”
Her gaze lifts to mine for a moment, and then she’s laying the sheets out, talking me through the set. I try to focus on the drawings, not her mouth.
“These are strong,” I say, flipping to the last page. “Good work.”
A glint sparks in her eyes at the praise. “Thank you, sir.”
I almost groan. Every time she calls meMr. Miller, my cock tightens in my trousers. Butsiris a straight shot to the blood pressure.
“Anything else, Ms. Jones?”
“No, Mr. Miller,” Mya drawls, like she knows exactly what she’s doing, gaze locked to mine.
“Good.” I break first. “Close the door on your way out.”
She does.