25
Amanda stirred, shifting slightly against the couch as her mind slowly pulled itself out of sleep.
She blinked, her body heavy with the kind of exhaustion that came from sleeping deeper than she had intended.
The office was quiet. The air felt still, warm, almost comforting.
Then she realized where she was.
Her eyes snapped open, and she immediately sat up, her heart skipping a beat as she looked around.
Ericka was at her desk, flipping through a file, her expression unreadable. The only indication that she had noticed Amanda waking up was the faint smirk that ghosted across her lips.
"You went over your thirty minutes."
Amanda rubbed her face, her brain catching up. "What time is it?"
"Almost noon."
Amanda groaned, pushing herself up. "You let me sleep that long?"
Ericka glanced at her, tilting her head slightly. "You needed it."
Amanda opened her mouth to argue—to say something, anything to regain a sense of control over the situation—but then she caught a glimpse of Ericka's expression.
Something was different.
It was subtle, but it was there.
Ericka wasn't looking at her with her usual teasing smirk or sharp gaze. There was something softer in the way she observed her, something Amanda couldn't quite put a name to.
And then—just for a second—she had the strangest feeling.
Like she had missed something while she was asleep.
She swallowed, brushing a hand through her hair, trying to shake off the thought. "Well, thanks for not letting me drool all over your couch."
Ericka chuckled. "It was a close call."
Amanda groaned, standing up and stretching. "Okay. Crisis averted, nap taken. What's next?"
Ericka leaned back in her chair, watching her with something unreadable in her gaze.
"Lunch," she said simply.
Amanda blinked. "Lunch?"
Ericka stood, grabbing her blazer off the back of her chair. "Yes, lunch. Since you skipped a full night of sleep, I assume you also forgot to eat."
Amanda frowned. "I didn't forget—"
Ericka gave her a look.
Amanda sighed. "Fine. Maybe I forgot."
Ericka smirked, slipping on her blazer. "Then let's go."
Amanda blinked again, caught off guard. "Wait. Go where?"
Ericka was already heading toward the door. "Lunch, Amanda. You do remember what that is, don't you?"
Amanda hesitated before following. "Is this a 'because I work for you' thing, or a 'because you're worried I'll collapse in the middle of a meeting' thing?"
Ericka glanced over her shoulder.
"Neither," she said smoothly. "I just don't feel like eating alone."
Amanda followed Ericka out of the office, still feeling a little disoriented.
A power nap in Ericka's office, followed by an unexpected invitation to lunch?
This wasn't a normal day.
Ericka walked with her usual effortless confidence, weaving through the hallways as if she had already planned this entire outing in her head before Amanda even woke up.
Amanda, on the other hand, was still trying to process what exactly was happening.
They stepped into the elevator, the doors sliding shut behind them.
Amanda shifted, glancing at Ericka. "So... where are we going?"
Ericka didn't look up from her phone. "Somewhere that serves food."
Amanda rolled her eyes. "Incredible detail. You're so helpful."
Ericka smirked, finally looking at her. "Do you have dietary restrictions I should know about?"
Amanda thought for a second. "Not really."
"Good. Then you'll survive."
Amanda sighed, crossing her arms. "You act like you're doing me a favor, but I know you, Ericka. You don't just randomly invite people to lunch."
Ericka tucked her phone away, glancing at her with an unreadable expression. "Maybe I just enjoy your company."
Amanda's breath hitched for half a second.
It was so casual, so smooth, so effortless, but something about the way Ericka said it felt... different.
Before Amanda could overthink it, the elevator doors opened, and they stepped into the lobby.
A sleek black car was already waiting at the curb.
Of course.
Ericka's driver opened the door for them, and Amanda slid inside, still trying to wrap her head around how she had ended up here.
The moment Ericka settled into the seat beside her, the car pulled away from the building, merging into traffic.
Amanda turned to her, raising an eyebrow. "So, is this still part of your 'challenge' or...?"
Ericka exhaled a quiet laugh, shaking her head. "No. This is just lunch."
Amanda studied her for a second. "That almost makes me more suspicious."
Ericka smirked but didn't elaborate.
The ride was quiet for a few minutes, the city passing by in a blur outside the tinted windows. Amanda let herself relax, still a little tired but no longer on edge.
Then Ericka spoke again, her voice softer than before.
"You really didn't have to stay up all night for me."
Amanda glanced at her. "I know."
Ericka tilted her head slightly. "Then why did you?"
Amanda let out a slow breath, thinking. "Because it was the right thing to do. Because you deserved to walk into that room fully prepared."
Ericka studied her for a moment before looking back out the window. "Not many people would have done that."
Amanda smirked. "Well, I'm not most people."
Ericka's lips curled slightly. "That's true."
Something about the way she said it sent a quiet shiver down Amanda's spine.
The car slowed, pulling up to a restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows and a name Amanda didn't recognize. It wasn't flashy, but it definitely wasn't casual either.
The driver stepped out to open the door, but before Amanda could move, Ericka spoke.
"You said you wanted to know the real me," she murmured.
Amanda turned toward her, eyes meeting hers in the dim light of the car.
Ericka smirked slightly, tilting her head toward the restaurant.
"Consider this another piece."
Then she stepped out, leaving Amanda staring after her, completely unsure of what she had just gotten herself into.
Amanda stepped out of the car, blinking up at the restaurant Ericka had brought her to. It was modern but understated—warm lighting, minimalist decor, the kind of place that exuded quiet confidence rather than screaming exclusivity.
She followed Ericka inside, where a hostess greeted them with a polite nod before leading them toward a private table near the window. No menus were handed to them. No questions asked.
Amanda raised an eyebrow as she took her seat. "Let me guess. You already ordered ahead?"
Ericka smirked, draping her blazer over the back of her chair. "I know what's good here."
Amanda exhaled, shaking her head. "Of course, you do."
A moment of silence passed as the waitress poured them both glasses of water, then disappeared just as quickly.
Amanda leaned back in her chair, studying Ericka. "So, how many people have you brought here?"
Ericka tilted her head slightly, amusement flickering in her eyes. "Does it matter?"
Amanda shrugged. "Maybe. Just trying to get a sense of how much of a 'piece' I'm actually getting here."
Ericka exhaled a quiet laugh, tapping her fingers lightly against the table. "Not many."
Amanda held her gaze. "Not many or not any?"
Ericka leaned forward slightly, a slow smirk tugging at her lips. "You ask a lot of questions."
Amanda smirked right back. "You never give enough answers."
They stared at each other for a second too long, the air between them thick with something unspoken.
Before either of them could break the moment, their food arrived.
Amanda blinked as a beautifully plated dish was set in front of her—seared salmon, roasted vegetables, and what looked like a delicate citrus glaze drizzled over the top.
She looked up at Ericka. "Did you somehow know I was leaning pescatarian, or is this just a lucky guess?"
Ericka lifted her glass of water. "I pay attention."
Amanda narrowed her eyes, but there was no denying the warmth that crept into her chest.
She picked up her fork, shaking her head. "Fine. You win this round."
Ericka hummed in approval. "Good. I like winning."
Amanda took a bite, closing her eyes briefly as the flavors hit her tongue. "Okay, I'll admit. This is really good."
"I told you."
Amanda sighed dramatically. "And now I have to live with the fact that you were right. Tragic."
Ericka chuckled, taking a sip of her water. "You'll survive."
Amanda opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, her phone buzzed on the table.
She glanced at the screen—Samantha.
Amanda hesitated. If she didn't answer, Samantha would absolutely assume she was being held hostage.
Ericka noticed. "Go ahead."
Amanda sighed, picking up the phone and putting it on speaker.
"Before you say anything," Amanda said quickly, "I'm fine."
Samantha ignored that entirely.
"WHERE ARE YOU? WHO ARE YOU WITH? ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?"
Amanda pinched the bridge of her nose. "Samantha—"
"Don't 'Samantha' me! You send a 911 text this morning, disappear into CEO land, and now you're just... eating lunch like nothing happened?"
Ericka leaned back in her chair, watching the exchange with open amusement.
Amanda sighed. "Yes, Sam. I'm eating lunch."
Samantha huffed. "With who?"
Amanda glanced at Ericka, who raised a brow, waiting to see what she'd say.
Amanda exhaled. "With Ericka."
Dead. Silence.
Then—
"OH MY GOD."
Amanda winced. "Sam—"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE AT LUNCH WITH ERICKA? WHY ARE YOU ON A DATE?"
Amanda choked. "It's not a date!"
Samantha gasped dramatically. "Then what is it? A business lunch? A power play? An elaborate slow-burn romance that's going to make me crazy?"
Amanda rubbed her temples, already regretting answering. "It's lunch."
Ericka, clearly entertained, leaned forward. "A business lunch."
Amanda shot her a look, but Ericka just took another sip of her water, completely unbothered.
Samantha, meanwhile, was not convinced.
"I hate you both."
Amanda groaned. "Goodbye, Samantha."
Samantha yelled something unintelligible before Amanda hung up the call and set her phone down.
Ericka smirked. "She's persistent."
Amanda sighed. "You have no idea."
Ericka hummed, still looking at her with that unreadable expression.
Amanda grabbed her fork again, pointing it at her. "Not a word."
Ericka chuckled, shaking her head. "I wouldn't dream of it."
But something about the way she said it told Amanda she absolutely would.