“I wanted to thank you for driving me home last weekend when I was unwell.”
“You’ve sent me flowers all week,” she said, pointedly raising the peonies before placing them on the edge of his desk. Vihaan’s eyes travelled from the flowers to her, a tiny frown creasing his forehead.
“Well, yes. After you stopped glaring at the first bouquet like I might have hidden a snake in it, it seemed like you liked it. Didn’t you?”
“They were nice.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Vera chewed the inside of her lip, trying to not let irritation rise. Was he deliberately pretending to not know? She took a swig of the coffee she still held, needing the caffeine for fortitude before thumping the cup atop his desk. “My problem,” she bit out through clenched teeth, “is that you arecontinuingto send me flowers. My desk is overrun with them.”
His expression cleared, as if her issue suddenly became understandable. “Why didn’t you say so before? I’ll haveyour desk replaced with a bigger one. Today. Or maybe we should get you your own office.”
“No!” Vera exclaimed, her mouth parting in surprise. “That—that’s not the point! People are asking questions aboutwhothey’re from.”
“Say it’s from your boyfriend.”
Vera sucked in a quick breath, taken aback by how easily he’d said those words. Boyfriend? Is that what he wanted to be? He looked as shocked as she felt.
“You’re not my boyfriend.”
“Fuck-buddy, then,” he shrugged, recovering from his faux-pas.
“Don’t be ugly,” she snapped.
The teasing smile that curled his lips was one that drove her mad.
“Saw myself in the mirror this morning,” he murmured, leaning back in a deceptively lazy pose. “I’m downright handsome. Sexy, some would say.”
“Your ego is taking up so much air in this room, it’s making me choke.”
“I’d rather you choke on a different part of me.”
“Keep dreaming.”
“What makes you think I don’t?” he asked, his voice so full of longing that her breath caught in her chest. The slow, simmering look he shot her left Vera feeling like he’d physically caressed her. A gentle wave of heat spread across her body, collecting at the tips of her breasts. She shook her head, holding on determinedly to the ire she’d entered his room with. At this rate, she’d be left blushing.
“What makes you think I care?” she grumbled, trying her damndest to sound angry and failing. “Stop giving me flowers. Stop having coffee sent to my desk. Stop trying to pick me up for work. We’renotin a relationship. Get Laila to cancel everything,” she added, pointing to the landline on his desk. “I emailed her about it, but she keeps pretending that she has no idea what I’m talking about.”
To her surprise, Vihaan pressed a button on his receiver, the pinging noises of a number being dialled filtering through the speakers. The idea that he was listening to her so instantly was as alien as it was disconcerting.
“Hello, you’ve reached Bloom Boutique. This is Tanya speaking.”
Vera’s brows knit, her frown lines deepening when Vihaan thanked Tanya for the peonies and confirmed a continuation of deliveries for the next month.
“Vihaan!” she gasped, eyes widening in horror.
“Hold on.” He raised a finger to silence her, pressing yet another number. She couldn’t hide her surprise when it was the next-door cafe, greeting Vihaan like he was their favourite customer. “Yes, the usual 8 a.m.? Change that to a flat white, medium roast, steamed milk, extra hot, sprinkling of cinnamon. Add an afternoon delivery at two p.m. Decaf.”
Needing to stop his madness, Vera stepped around the desk, trying to interrupt his conversation. She reached out to press a button to end his call, frustrated when his hand shot out to grip her wrist like a manacle. “Change the breakfast next week to fresh bagels. Toasted with butter,” Vihaan said, pulling her away from the phone and closer to him. “Include the croissant,” he added, his expression making it clear that this was punishment for her audacious attempt to disconnect his call. “Change it every other day with the jalapeno and sundried tomato sandwiches. She likes it spicy.”
The click of the call ending brought Vera back to her senses. She twisted her wrist out of his grasp. “You’re insane if you think I can eat that much.”
“If you don’t eat it, I’ll be forced to come feed you. I won’t really care who is around to see it either. You can’t subsist on just coffee, and I can’t allow one of my best employees to faint on the job.”
“I—I—” she stammered, unable to comprehend what was happening anymore. “Youput in the orders? Not Laila?”
He shot her a chiding look. “My PA is for professional work. This is personal.”