Chapter 17
Bryce
Serenity’s first day was going great. She was going to be such a valuable addition all around Midas.
On top of her design skills, and the professionalism she’d shown in dealing with some difficult co-workers this morning, she was someone I could trust. Someone I could confide in with no worries about tattle-telling or gossip.
I needed a lot more employees like her and Seb. Especially working together. Serenity and Seb already knowing each other was an unexpected plus.
Although I was a bit concerned about her reaction in his office. Even though she’d tried her best to hide it, she’d seemed shaken by their interaction.
We’d wished Seb a good day and headed for the elevator to go up to the production floor. As we went, the cogs in my mind were turning, searching for solutions to Serenity’s obvious discomfort around Seb.
Because of my condition, and needing to be aware of people’s intent at any given moment, I’d developed an uncanny ability for reading body language and paying attention to subtle emotions.
I’d immediately detected Serenity’s distress.
And of course, her wary glance at his fangs.
Her apprehensions about Seb were totally understandable.
But I hoped to convince her not all vamps were bad.
I’d wanted to reassure her that I would never partner her with someone who would hurt her.
More than that, I’d wanted to reach out for her, pull her against my chest and hold her tight.
I’d wanted to be there for her. Not as a boss.
But as a normal guy who could express his attraction and admiration for her, touch her without my condition getting in the way.
It was a pipe dream. Even the small chance of direct skin contact, despite my specially-tailored suit sleeves—I always ensured Simeon weaved a robust layer of Teflon between the fibers—and my sturdy gloves, made these burning feelings for her far too dangerous.
My own potential agony put aside, there was no way I would risk putting her through the worst pain of her life. Especially if it was just to satisfy my own overpowering urges to comfort her and put her at ease. A few seconds of heaven could never justify a day trip to hell.
And despite knowing that, I kept slipping up. I kept standing and getting much closer to her than I should have. I still couldn’t believe how close I’d gotten when I first saw her this morning. I was just so happy to see her. Her beautiful smile had clouded my thinking.
How was I going to bear my attraction to this beautiful, amazing woman who was quickly becoming a real friend and valuable employee?
Especially when it kept spiraling upward, as it would most likely continue to do.
On top of that, there was the real possibility of her starting a relationship with Hunter or someone else.
Pushing those thoughts from my mind, I led her to the main area on the production floor.
One of the senior managers, a jovial wolf shifter named Tommaso, who seemed a nice guy but was also a Temple member, had gladly offered to show her around.
But my protective instincts for Serenity had me firmly declining Tommaso’s offer, despite all the other things I needed to get done today.
It wasn’t just that I thought she’d be more comfortable if I did it myself.
I wanted to do it. I didn’t want to leave her side.
So, I did exactly what my gut and conscience dictated. My compulsion to simply be around Serenity making that certain. I was clearly going to have to reprioritize some of my work later. But being with her and making sure she was cared for came first.
We arrived to find the floor darkened and half-empty, except for a team of camera people working their equipment, focused on a news broadcast which was underway. We watched from a discreet distance, sticking to the shadowy periphery, me not wanting to distract anyone with my presence.
Speaking in a hushed voice, I drew her attention to the news channel’s brightly lit logos, both of them the New Nebraska flag, that was emblazoned on the news desk’s front and also blown up into an extra-large graphic in the backdrop between news articles. “What do you think of the current design?”
She followed my lowered tone, whispering, “Well, obviously, with it being the New Nebraska flag, it seems appropriate enough. It’s got a symbol of every single paranormal race woven into it.
Faes, shifters, vamps, many of the different elementals, like normal, so I’d say it’s—” She peered, her eyelids narrowing. “But…”
Saying nothing, letting her mull over what she was scrutinizing, I waited patiently.
She kept staring, a look of confusion contorting her face.
“What do you see?”
“There’s an almost microscopic bird discreetly hidden in it.
I can barely see it. But it’s there. And below that, something that looks like a tiny row of ancient Roman columns peeking between the racial symbols?
Again, it’s so small. It’s hard to be sure, but what I’m seeing doesn’t seem to represent any particular race.
I’ll need a closer look to be totally sure. ”
I nodded. “You’ll get one. Several up close, believe me. I’m going to ask that they send us the design mockups. I just wanted to see if you could make it out from a distance. Like a normal viewer would.”
She looked at me and returned the nod. “It’s almost imperceptible, but something’s different from the normal elements in the flag.”
Damn, she was even sharper than me. I’d only noticed it after several months, not expecting any Midas-related imagery to be pushing Temple propaganda, and she’d done it in a hot minute.
“I’d love your opinion on this. I’m thinking we ditch the flag theme and make something unequivocally neutral. Maybe focused on Midas or the beauty of our new state itself. That’s why you and Seb are—”
The delicate tap of Monique’s heels approached from the opening elevator shaft.
Her slot, a full hour of commentary, cunningly laced with pro-Temple drivel on most days—something that had gotten worse recently, as if she’d grown emboldened—was up next.
I sighed inside. She thought she was so important, indispensable.
I could have fired her stuck-up, prejudiced ass on the spot.
She was just lucky that I respected a strong work ethic and believed in second chances. Plus, it was hard to find experienced newscasters in New Nebraska that weren’t sympathetic to the views of the Temple. Or worse, happy to further the Temple’s cause to keep the races divided.
At least with Monique, I knew what I was getting. Better the devil you know. And anyway, I planned to replace her with Seb or someone similar soon enough.
Monique made no attempt at masking our presence, her tone not blaring but hardly hushed.
She’d put on her flirty smile, which had the opposite effect on me.
It bothered me she thought I could be swayed by her beauty and overly familiar manner.
“Mr. Harding? I was wondering if I could take you to lunch later. Have that chat? Only if you have time, of course. I realize a man in your position always has many obligations.”
She didn’t even address Serenity or apologize for interrupting. She was such an entitled brat. “Not today.” I wanted to take Serenity out to lunch and I probably had a million things to catch up on after being out all morning. “We’ll have our talk soon enough.”
Flailing her silk-clad arms around, her icy fingernails inches from me as she beamed and flirted —Monique and her bird brain had clearly not read the email memo that I liked employees to avoid hand gestures while being anywhere near me—I took a couple of steps backward.
Problem was, with the lighting being so low, I didn’t see one of the camera’s thick rubber cables that was snaked in a circle near my feet. I tripped over it, and with nothing around to grab onto, I stumbled.
Serenity reached out to steady me before I tumbled onto the concrete floor.
A thin sliver of my exposed skin came peeking out between my glove and suit sleeve, and Serenity’s soft clasp reached out, holding it. “No!” I shouted, causing the camera people to turn their heads, and the reporters to pause and gawk.
We’d touched. Our skin had made direct contact. Terror spiked through my chest. I waited for the crushing agony, for Serenity to be rolling around on the floor, screaming and—
Her fingertips were a brush of suede, her grip a velvet ribbon around my wrist, spreading tingles up my arm, not of suffering but simple, soft sensation.
Easy and painless as slipping on one of my gloves.
Euphoria erupted through my heart, each rapid beat an exaltation, pumping fiery blood around my body at a fierce rate that burned away my disbelief.
She had touched me! And neither of us burned.
This tiny exchange, over in seconds, was perhaps the most precious moment of my entire life.
Serenity let go, her face frowning, apologetic, returning to formality. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Harding. It looked like you might have taken a nasty fall. I wasn’t thinking.”
“You don’t ever touch the boss,” Monique scolded, her bright blue eyes layering even thicker into ice as she scowled. “Should I call someone for you, sir? Did she hurt you hurt?”
My body burning with intense pleasure, I somehow managed to answer Monique’s question, waving her away, not wanting her to know what had happened. “It’ll be fine, Ms. Glenmore. My glove stopped any direct contact.”
It hadn’t, and I would be forever grateful for my stumble. For Serenity’s brief but heavenly hold on me.
Monique peered at me with narrowed eyelids. “Are you sure, sir? It looked like there might have been some contact with your skin.”
Flustered, my flame-incased brain still trying to process what had just happened, I replied politely but sternly. “I said it’ll be fine, thank you. Your slot’s coming up. You’d better head off. No need to concern yourself.”
“Well, if you’re sure—”
“Quite sure. I better head back to my office anyway. Have a good day. Goodbye.”
Monique’s eyes were still glazed in ice as we walked past her toward the elevator.
“Serenity, thank you for caring enough to stop me from taking quite a tumble.” I leaned in to whisper, nearly brushing my suit jacket with her sweater.
“Oh, it’s nothing.” She glanced down. “I’m just so sorry I touched you without permission. I wasn’t thinking.”
She had nothing to be sorry for. And it wasn’t nothing. In fact, my body, still aflame with pleasure, told me it was everything.
As I pushed the elevator button, looking at Monique staring at us with folded arms near the broadcast desk, I wondered what the hell had just happened. Had Serenity’s painless touch been a freak occurrence?
Or what if out of all the people in the world, Serenity was the one who could touch me without pain?
And what if she was the one person who I could touch in return? Not just once or twice, but for a lifetime. My heart swelled at the thought. I couldn’t take my eyes off her now, or the bits of bare skin her outfit revealed.
My eyes were glued to her, like I was afraid if I looked away, her, and her magical touch, would disappear. I couldn’t keep hope from swirling in my chest, as the elevator’s doors closed and we left the station together.