Read Online Every Breath You Take (Oasis Book 1) by Kenna Avery Wood - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kenna Avery Wood
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the floor. A war raged on his face.
I tried to cut it off before it went anywhere. “Finn, we have to work–”
“This isn’t going to take long.” He glanced around as though searching for inspiration. His jaw was peppered with stubble, yet another thing he needed to deal with before we were supposed to be into work in an hour. “I care about you, okay?”
“Finn–”
“No, hear me out. Something’s going on, and you’re trying to keep it hidden. I can still be patient, but you can’t ask me to stop caring. I want to be here for you.” He took my arms, thumbs rubbing back and forth over the goosebumps on them.
I shivered and nodded. “I understand. I can’t–I can’t talk about it right now. I just…need space.”
The war continued on his face, but finally he nodded. The tightness in my chest loosened even more.
“Of course,” he said. He released my arms and stepped to the door. “I’ll get ready and come back for you.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Yes, I do. Lock your door behind me, take a few breaths, and get ready. I’ll be back in an hour and we’ll walk together. Sound good?”
My breath shuddered a little when I released it, but I nodded. “Yes. Good.”
“Good.” He opened the door and stepped out. “Remember, lock up behind me.”
He didn’t have to tell me twice. I knew I’d heard something in the locker room. I was on edge a little, yes, but not enough to imagine something that wasn’t there. It had been long enough that I wasn’t paranoid about things happening around every corner. I was adjusted. And sure I was stressed about a new job and Finn and a dozen other things, but a voice in the bathroom? Coupled with the lights going off? It had to be something.
I slumped against the door and rubbed my hands over my face. Security. I’d check in with them soon. I’d see who was manning the desk downstairs, who was allowed into the building and how they were monitored. Even who was allowed to use the facilities downstairs.
No problem. I’d handle this.
Pushing away from the door, I went to get ready.
() () ()
The office felt safer. There were more people around and nothing had happened here so far. It made it easier to relax once I got to my desk, after skirting more questions from Finn and dealing with his thoughtful looks. He was trying to work it all out in his head. Finn had always loved a good mystery.
Apparently I qualified. It was clear something was going on, but I didn’t want to deal with his questions. And I didn’t want to make the situation bigger than it already was, so I was going to stick to my story. It must have been a mistake. I was just on edge. That’s what I was maintaining. That I was stressed.
I didn’t need Finn involved in this. I didn’t need anyone involved.
If I was slowly losing my mind, then the less people who knew about it, the better. And if there was something going on, I couldn’t let it ruin my life here. So I’d deal with it.
I pressed the button on my phone to contact Tucker.
He buzzed back. “Yes, Ms. Evans?”
I laughed. “Charlotte. And can you come in here a minute?”
“Right away.”
But it took longer than a minute, and when he finally arrived, he held a mug of coffee. “I thought you could use this.”
“Do I really look that bad?”
He set the mug down and I slid it in front of me gratefully.
“No, you don’t look bad. You look stressed.” He grinned. “Coffee gives you something to do with your hands.”
I squeezed the handle to try to stop from fidgeting.
“Can I ask you something?” I said.
He sat across from me. “Sure.”
I shook my head. “Never mind. It was a personal thing and it’s none of my business. My mind is wandering.”
“How about a trade? I answer one personal question and you have to answer the same one.”
I sipped my coffee, considering. “Okay, deal. Are you and Leslie together?”
His eyes lit with amusement. “Why are you asking?”
My cheeks burned,
I tried to cut it off before it went anywhere. “Finn, we have to work–”
“This isn’t going to take long.” He glanced around as though searching for inspiration. His jaw was peppered with stubble, yet another thing he needed to deal with before we were supposed to be into work in an hour. “I care about you, okay?”
“Finn–”
“No, hear me out. Something’s going on, and you’re trying to keep it hidden. I can still be patient, but you can’t ask me to stop caring. I want to be here for you.” He took my arms, thumbs rubbing back and forth over the goosebumps on them.
I shivered and nodded. “I understand. I can’t–I can’t talk about it right now. I just…need space.”
The war continued on his face, but finally he nodded. The tightness in my chest loosened even more.
“Of course,” he said. He released my arms and stepped to the door. “I’ll get ready and come back for you.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Yes, I do. Lock your door behind me, take a few breaths, and get ready. I’ll be back in an hour and we’ll walk together. Sound good?”
My breath shuddered a little when I released it, but I nodded. “Yes. Good.”
“Good.” He opened the door and stepped out. “Remember, lock up behind me.”
He didn’t have to tell me twice. I knew I’d heard something in the locker room. I was on edge a little, yes, but not enough to imagine something that wasn’t there. It had been long enough that I wasn’t paranoid about things happening around every corner. I was adjusted. And sure I was stressed about a new job and Finn and a dozen other things, but a voice in the bathroom? Coupled with the lights going off? It had to be something.
I slumped against the door and rubbed my hands over my face. Security. I’d check in with them soon. I’d see who was manning the desk downstairs, who was allowed into the building and how they were monitored. Even who was allowed to use the facilities downstairs.
No problem. I’d handle this.
Pushing away from the door, I went to get ready.
() () ()
The office felt safer. There were more people around and nothing had happened here so far. It made it easier to relax once I got to my desk, after skirting more questions from Finn and dealing with his thoughtful looks. He was trying to work it all out in his head. Finn had always loved a good mystery.
Apparently I qualified. It was clear something was going on, but I didn’t want to deal with his questions. And I didn’t want to make the situation bigger than it already was, so I was going to stick to my story. It must have been a mistake. I was just on edge. That’s what I was maintaining. That I was stressed.
I didn’t need Finn involved in this. I didn’t need anyone involved.
If I was slowly losing my mind, then the less people who knew about it, the better. And if there was something going on, I couldn’t let it ruin my life here. So I’d deal with it.
I pressed the button on my phone to contact Tucker.
He buzzed back. “Yes, Ms. Evans?”
I laughed. “Charlotte. And can you come in here a minute?”
“Right away.”
But it took longer than a minute, and when he finally arrived, he held a mug of coffee. “I thought you could use this.”
“Do I really look that bad?”
He set the mug down and I slid it in front of me gratefully.
“No, you don’t look bad. You look stressed.” He grinned. “Coffee gives you something to do with your hands.”
I squeezed the handle to try to stop from fidgeting.
“Can I ask you something?” I said.
He sat across from me. “Sure.”
I shook my head. “Never mind. It was a personal thing and it’s none of my business. My mind is wandering.”
“How about a trade? I answer one personal question and you have to answer the same one.”
I sipped my coffee, considering. “Okay, deal. Are you and Leslie together?”
His eyes lit with amusement. “Why are you asking?”
My cheeks burned,
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