揑t抯 honestly no big deal,?I whisper, pleading with my eyes. 揚lease let it go. Don抰 say anything to Anna and Cheryl. They抮e good people, even if they抮e a little extra sometimes…？
He stares back at me for a long, heady moment.
揇oes that mean you like working here then??he asks gently.
After a long second, I nod. Sincerely.
揥e抮e the island of misfit toys, right? I belong here. I hope so, anyway.?
I wonder how he抣l take that, but he smiles.
He gives me an honest freaking smile that抯 about as rare and gorgeous on him as a sunny day in a Seattle November. God.
揗e too, Nevermore. Thanks for the reminder. This place feels like home for good reason.?With that cryptic comment, he stomps off to his office with my bouquet swinging from his hand.
Overgrown bear. I still never know if I抦 getting the short-fused grizzly or the oversized teddy.
But with the flowers out of sight and out of mind, I realize sometime later that I must feel better.
I go back to sorting contracts and printouts, trying not to dwell on how much raw power Lincoln Burns has over my emotions.
After six o抍lock, Lincoln comes out of his office with my bouquet in one hand and his laptop bag in the other. He glances over at me.
揋ood night, Nevermore.?
I look up, shooting him a look.
揝eriously? You really won抰 tell me who you抮e giving my flowers to??
揟hey抮e donations, aren抰 they? I told you, they have a home. Unless, of course, they aren抰 really for charity and you want to tell me who sent them.?His gaze hardens.
I glare back with arctic defiance.
揟hey抮e for charity. The rest is none of your business.?
If he抯 fazed by my challenge, he doesn抰 show it. He just turns his back and starts walking.
Ugh.
For some unholy reason, curiosity eats at me like a dog with a bone.
I want to know who he抯 giving my flowers to. So as soon as he gets in the elevator, I decide to do something stupid.
I get up and run for the elevator, squeezing into a corner before I mash the button just in case he抯 still lingering in the lobby.
Nope. I get to the first floor just in time to see him outside, climbing into the company car as he says a few words to Louis.
I抦 too late.
There抯 no way I抣l catch up with him on two wheels.
But when I see a flash of yellow driving by, I just can抰 help myself. I throw myself outside and gesture for the cab.
Water splashes my shins as the taxi swerves to the curb, spraying the afternoon rain puddles before stopping.
Awesome. Now that I抦 drenched, I guess I抦 committed.
I climb into the back seat and look around.
Lincoln is two cars ahead of us now, wedged between a sleek sports car and a service van for a cable company.
I point in front of us. 揊ollow that town car, please.?
The guy in the front seat laughs and looks back at me in the mirror. 揓ust like the movies, huh? As long as you抮e not expecting me to break any traffic laws…？
揥hatever. No. Just follow them!?
I sit back, remembering to breathe. The driver抯 reaction reminds me how crazy this is.
Here I am, openly stalking my lunk of a boss who gets in my face about mystery flowers and then seemingly has the perfect place for them. Not something that would rustle anybody normal.
But a normal person would run.
Far, far away from this stupid crush after the half kiss that night overlooking the city that almost detonated our entire lives.
I抦 not normal, though.
I抦 a freaking Poe.
So I let my brain feast on all the crazy possibilities involving Lincoln Burns and that bouquet as we drive for about fifteen minutes in slow traffic.
We pass Sweeter Grind without the town car stopping, and then wind around the city for a few more blocks.
The other end of the park, I realize.
Oof.
Was he serious about giving my flowers to the homeless? But why would Wyatt want hydrangeas?
I抦 totally baffled.
揧ou want me to make the block before I pull in, so they don抰 know you抮e stalking them??taxi driver asks, looking back at me with a nosy grin.
揑抦 not stalking,?I lie. 揑 just need to know where he抯 going. Important business.?
The guy throws back a big belly laugh. Yeah, I don抰 believe me either.
揗a抋m, that抯 textbook stalking, but don抰 worry. I won抰 tattle. You sure you don抰 want to make the block??
I shake my head fiercely.
揘o. Just pull in and keep your distance from the other car…？
I hear driver boy snicker loudly to himself again. One more reminder I抦 being ridiculous, but when you抮e in this deep…
I watch breathlessly as Lincoln slides out of the town car, nodding at Louis before he starts walking toward the row of tents.
Huh. Maybe Wyatt likes hydrangeas after all? I suppose it could brighten up his space or something.
I wait at least another minute. Once Lincoln seems far enough away to avoid seeing me, I pay the driver and slip out the back.
I think I get five strides down the sidewalk before the cab engine roars behind me梙e抎 better get that checked out梐nd Lincoln spins around to face the deafening noise.
There抯 only a small group of people walking and riding bikes between us. His eyes find me easily through the crowd.
Oh, crap.
There isn抰 even time to get away before he抯 coming toward me with a frown. His body is as straight as an arrow, jaw set and shoulders squared.
Here it comes. The cost of this dumb decision. I should抳e just logged out and went home and let some mysteries remain unsolved.
揌ow did you even hear that car??I ask as he closes in, deciding to try brushing this off as nothing.
He doesn抰 stop until he抯 right in front of me, barely a few inches apart, looking down. 揧ou shouldn抰 keep following me here, Nevermore. It isn抰 always safe.?
Ah, it抯 lecture time. Awesome.
揅hill. I just wanted to see what you were doing with my flowers, and since you wouldn抰 spill the big secret…？
揑 told you,?he growls, his eyes dark with distrust.
揂nd I didn抰 believe your non-explanation, bossman. You didn抰 exactly elaborate,?I mutter.
That wins me a smirk, even as he folds his arms.
揑 told you enough. Are you calling me a liar, Dakota Poe??
揇epends. Why does Wyatt want my flowers??I say, flicking back a loose strand of hair.
But Lincoln stops me. He reaches out, swats my hand away, and tucks the hair behind my ear with slow, measured practice.
My toes scrunch up in my shoes.
It抯 insane how even the simplest touch makes me a flaming mess.
揌e doesn抰 want flowers, and neither do you,?he says, his eyes reaching into me.
Oh, God.
Stay strong.
揝o, you do have a homeless girlfriend??I ask, hating that I feel a flick of jealousy. I don抰 even know her and she probably isn抰 real, but I already want to claw her eyes out with my nails. I抦 just annoyed she might exist. But part of me also wants to slap him for allowing his made-up girlfriend to remain homeless.
揚oe, you抮e a rotten sleuth. Of course not. You think I have time to date after you went snooping through my bullshit on social media??
I cock my head, staring up at him, hating how good he is at putting on the mystery man air.
揟hen why are we here? Do you just like driving me bonkers??I huff out a loud breath.
That twinkle in his eyes梩he way the evening lights catch and shine梥ays he just might.
揑抦 here to see Wyatt. You抮e here because you抮e a freaky little stalker.?He sighs, suppressing a laugh. 揅an I be straight with you??