I scrunch my face in confusion at the unprovoked change in tone.
He shrugs casually. ‘I’ve never met a good Benji.’
‘How many Benjis do you know?’
‘Enough to know they’re all losers.’
His lip’s curling at the corner, features dancing in delight at the mildly irate look creeping up my face. He’s enjoying this fartoo much and it’s only irritating me more, piled on further by the ever-telling look in his eyes.
‘I know what you’re doing.’
His spine straightens at my assertion, smirk growing wider as he leans forward and takes me in.
‘What am I doing, Maddy?’ he asks, voice low and seductive.
The tone sends a jolt through me that briefly halts my breath, but I rush past it. It’s confusing and distracting– all part of his plan. But I’m smarter than he is. I know a ploy when I see one.
‘You’re trying to psych me out before my date. Launch me into overthink mode andyouone step closer to winning our bet,’ I say.
‘Is that so?’
His voice is so low now it hums, vibrating through my eardrums and travelling down to my stomach. The interruption re-awakens the butterflies in their pit.
‘I see right through you.’ I ignore them as they flap.
His mouth twists into a teasing smile. ‘Do you now? How do I look?’
My cheeks flush instantly, the heat crawling up my face and washing through the rest of my body with swiftness. He can’t justsaythings like that. Not on a work outing and especially not right now.
‘We’re done talking about this,’ I say, hands returning to my keyboard.
I direct my gaze back to the screen, quickly closing the tab and opening the invite wording. I type furiously as I will the task to bring my heart rate back down. Out of the corner of my eye I can see him staring at me, his stupid smile still firmly intact.
‘It’s five– leave,’ he says.
I half sing in reply as my fingers tap feverishly on the keys. ‘Can’t hear you. I’m wording the invite.’
‘You’ll be late for your date; I’m sure you have a whole schedule planned out.’
Of course I do. I can’t quite admit that now, especially since he’s so curious. Benji picked a bar in Brixton, which would have been fine if I was in the office in Clapham, but since I’m travelling from north to south, it involves having to brave not one but two hot, sticky Tubes. I’m a Tube hater anyway, but the Tube before a date after I straightened my hair this morning is just cruel. If I leave soon, Icouldget away with adding half an hour and taking two buses instead. But looking at this blank document, I don’t think that’s happening. I do a silent prayer that my roots withstand the Tube humidity.
‘I’ll finish the invite,’ Aiden says.
I look up from my keyboard, lips pursed as I try to decipher this new trap.
‘It wasn’t your task.’
‘You’re right. And you’veneverpicked up any of mine.’ He rolls his eyes. ‘You’ve got places to be. Boring Benjis to meet. I’ll stay and finish– shouldn’t take that long anyway.’
‘You don’t stay late,’ I retort.
‘I have a bet to win too. A couple of late nights won’t kill me and I’ll track them in my new work log.’
I can’t help but release a small, near-silent chuckle at the way his eyebrows wiggle proudly at the mention of his new log. It’s almost undetectable but he picks up on it, meeting my smile tooth for tooth as he nods in acknowledgement.
‘You sure?’ I ask.
‘Positive. Go make Benjamin’s night,’ he says, returning to his laptop.
