He shakes his head. “Grew up with some, but since moving to the city, I haven’t taken the plunge. We moved around a lot withthe start-up, but now that I’m settled, I’ve thought about finding a friend.”
“Rhapsody and her kittens will be available soon. Some already have homes lined up, but I foster all the time, so if you have any questions, you can ask me.”
“I will.” His voice hits a low pitch that unsettles my stomach.
Margot is humming something in the kitchen, and that makes me far too aware of being completely alone with Sacha. Aware of the way his thick dark eyelashes flutter on his cheeks, the way his broad shoulders move under his shirt. He’s rolled up his shirt sleeves, exposing more inches of muscly hairy arm; the long red fur at his wrist snakes up his forearms to disappear under his shirt.
I wonder how much more hair there is. Does it stretch all the way up his broad shoulders? Does it cover his wide chest? How hairy is his back, or his ass? Or his dick? He’s a big guy. I bet his dick is big too. I try to ignore the urge to look at his lap, but my eyes naturally fall there.
And then I notice the phones in his lap. Two phones. My broken one and the brand new one. Panic wells up inside of me.
“Are you going through my phone?”
“I gave him your passcode. I don’t have the patience to help you with it again!” Margot calls from the other room.
“I’m just moving your data to the new one.”
“There are private things on there.” I scowl in my roommate’s direction.
“You don’t have anything he shouldn’t see.”
“There are certain things he definitely shouldn’t see, Margot.”
“Whoops. Forgot about the photos.” Margot feigns innocence, but she is a scheming two-faced liar who did this on purpose.
“Photos?” Sacha asks, and then his face blanches, like it hadn’t even occurred to him that my phone might contain private information, private photos. His eyes drop to the devices in his lap. “Oh! I didn’t see anything! I didn’t look for anything! I wouldn’t! Confidentiality is a cornerstone of the Cryptech company!” He coughs and hands me the new phone. “You should be all set up.”
“It’s okay, I trust you,” I say it on instinct, but am kind of surprised when I realize it’s true.
“Trust is a vital quality between employers and their employees.” He gently dislodges the kittens from his lap and stands to his full height.
“Are you leaving?” I didn’t really think he would stay, but I’m still a little disappointed to see him go.
“I have places I should be. Please tell your friend that I appreciate her offer.” He’s already retreating toward the door, his attention back on his own phone screen, but he looks up and gives me a smile before he opens the front door.
“Thank you, sir. For the ride. And the new phone.” I start wrangling kittens as my boss closes the door, leaving my small apartment.
“Is he gone?” Margot’s head pops into the room a moment later. The latch has barely closed before she is asking, “You are going to fuck him, right?”
“Margot,” I hiss.
She just grins. “I would fuck him if I were you, is all I’m saying.”
“Yeah. Obviously, you would. You’re a whore.” I toss a throw pillow in her direction.
She laughs. “I’m not a whore, Cheddar. Whores get money. I’m just a poor law student who sleeps around!”
“I don’t think he wants to sleep with me.”
“He definitely does,” she counters.
“Probably,” I admit. We both saw him staring at my tits then. I scrunch my nose. “I think he fucks a lot of his assistants, and none of them have lasted very long. I need this job, Margot! It’s such good money. If I play my cards right, they might actually hire me full time! I won’t have to keep being a temp.”
“But if you fuck your rich boss, then maybe you will have a rich boyfriendanda job!” Margot grins wildly.
“I’m trying really hard not to fuck it up this time.” If I make this last, then I can finally put my business degree to good use. I can follow my real dreams. I can find a way to make a difference in the world.
“I know, babe.” Margot’s face softens. She’s my oldest friend; she’s stuck by my side through every whim or wild idea I’ve ever attempted. “Chili?”
