As she was about to call him again to ward him off, the front door clicked open. The apartment was so small, and as the bathroom door was the only one closed, it was easy to guess where she was. How did he unlock her door? Cursing, Zoe lowered herself even more in the water. All her clothes were on the other side of that door, and it would take at least three small towels to decently cover her body.
“You dare come in here, and I swear I’ll skin you!” Boss or no boss, he was walking a fine line, but she was well at the end of it.
The floor creaked and she knew he was standing right on the other side.
“Zoe? Are you alright? What are you doing?”
“Playing mermaid, what do you think? What do you want?”
“To talk to you.” Another silence. “To apologize.”
Words, she was convinced, Archer Blackwood was not used to uttering.
“Apologies accepted, go away!”
Of course, the stubborn Brit wouldn’t move! “You’re just saying that to make me leave.” His voice had a faint tone of amusement.
Zoe leaned her head back, looking at the ceiling in desperation. “I’m a little stretched thin, my patience I mean, and my not-thin body is trying to relax in a bath. How come you got here so quickly?”
“I left two minutes after you. You forgot your clothes.”
She was close to pulling her hair out in frustration. That meant that Lance Sorenson was probably waiting in the car, in front of her building. There would be some explaining to do with her blonde boss. “Was Mr. Jones gone when you arrived?” When she replayed the words in her head, it sounded weird and gave the wrong idea. No wonder he turned silent. Even though he couldn’t see her, she rolled her eyes. “I can hear you think. Do you really want to bust your latest apology by you telling me I’m a slut too and I slept with Mr. Jones?”
This time, she heard footsteps and a colorful string of curses, half of them she didn’t understand. She heard a kick, or was it a punch? More shuffling, and after a while, it sounded like he had left. But just outside she heard some rustling and a slight thump.
“Are you going to twist everything I say? I swear you’re the most infuriating employee I’ve ever had.”
Maybe it was because she wasn’t a real employee. “You could replace me.”
Blackwood snorted, the most ordinary sound she had ever heard from him. A sound made by men all around the world, and it made him sound human, approachable. “Have you always been this outspoken?” “It got me into trouble when I was younger. Even now. But sometimes, the words are faster than my brain.” She hesitated, but she couldn’t be anyone else but herself. “How can a wealthy businessman have a tattoo?”
“What?”
“When you rolled up your sleeves. I thought I saw a playing card, but I wasn’t sure.”
There was a definite hesitation before he answered. “As your past wasn’t smooth sailing, neither was mine Zoe.”
They remained silent for a moment and Zoe was amazed at how comfortable it was. For the first time since she had met him, with only an unlocked door between them, it felt as if she could really relax and be herself.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?” His voice sounded genuinely surprised.
“I don’t know. It’s stupid, but I don’t like when people go through tough times. I wish they never had to.”
“But you went through tough times and survived.”
Zoe moved a little, making the water slosh over the edges. “I can’t explain it. I can see how strong I had to become, but when someone is in pain, or was in pain, I just wish I was able to lessen it. Taken it upon me.”
Another silence.
“It’s not stupid.” The certainty in his voice made her heart trip. “Not only did you overcome violence, and tragedy, you still have it in you to care for others. It’s not something that I’m capable of anymore.”
There wasn’t any sadness or bitterness in his tone. It was as if he had accepted that pain had destroyed his compassion. Worse, that no compassion had survived in him.
“Sorry to contradict you, Mr. Blackwood, but you do still care.”
He snorted on the other side of the door, not convinced.
