Lila

She was aroused and twitchy for the rest of the day, cursing Dane for his soft, husky words and the pictures he'd put in her head.

​​

She wanted that. Right now. She looked around at her office, at the laptop in front of her with a dozen emails that needed responses yesterday, and swore loudly.

When the knock came at her door, she called, "Come in!" like it was offensive to her.

When Dane sidled in, she glared at him and as he approached her desk, watching her warily, she snapped. "You stay on that side of the desk."

He nodded and pulled out the chair, dropping into it even though it was little too short for his long legs. She waited, but he just sat there.

"What?" She glanced at the door he'd left open so this wouldn't look suspicious, and it just made her angrier.

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

Her lips tightened. "For what?"

"I'm sorry for making things worse. The feelings, I mean. I was…I was struggling and I wanted you to struggle too."

"I. Already. Do," she said through her teeth.

He nodded. "Yeah, I got that. I'm sorry. It was selfish of me. I won't do it again. I mean it."

She huffed a breath. "Dane, if you don't promise to do that to me at least once a week for…for…forever, I swear I will cut your balls off."

He blinked.

"The problem isn't making me want you. I already want you. I love wanting you. The problem—" she cut herself off as someone walked past the door, but it was just Tonya on her way to the conference room. She didn't even glance inside. Lila swallowed. "The problem isn't that you're making me horny. The problem is that you aren't letting me do anything about it."

His throat bobbed. "Work…the case…it's all been—"

"I know. I'm here too, remember?" she hissed. "But doing that to me when you'll take my hands off you, when you'll force me to sleep alone, when…when you won't have sex with me is unfair and…cruel."

"Cruel?!"

"Yes. It's like…it's like your playing with me. You don't want me, but you don't want anyone else to have me either, so you keep me hanging on, just hoping for whatever crumb you're going to give—"

"That is complete bullshit and you know it," he snarled.

Her face went hard. "Is it, though?"

"Yes. What part of any of that tells you I don't want you?" he leaned forward, elbows on his needs, his eyes laser-focused on her.

"The part where you send me home at night and don't fuck me," she said baldly. She immediately regretted the word. She didn't want him to fuck her. She wanted him to…make love to her. But how could she say that when they were barely even able to find more than half an hour alone? Between the constant threat of the case drawing closer to him, the staff being overworked and tired, and the press hounding them to deny rumors and give "their side of the story" neither of them had had a moment to breathe.

She knew she was being unfair and dropped her face in her hands.

"Lila," he started. But when she looked up, Tish stood in the doorway Dane was stiffening, obviously aware that they had an audience.

Lila caught eyes with Tish and tried to smile. "What's up, Tish? Do you need me or Dane?"

"Uh, both of you, actually."

Oh dear. Tish was always a little twitchy, but she looked downright frightened as she stepped jerkily into the room and started towards them. It wasn't the first time she wondered why Dane kept the poor girl. She was always so nervous. It didn't seem a good fit for Dane's already erratic emotional balance.

Tish came to stand next to the desk, looking back and forth between them.

"I'm sorry that I didn't…I mean, I wasn't sure of the timing…things have been so hectic lately, and you've all been under a lot of pressure—"

"What is it, Tish?" Dane sounded tired and a little on edge.

The poor girl flinched. "It's the Women's Refuge Fundraiser," she said in a small voice, not turning towards Dane, but watching him from the corner of her eye. "It's Friday. We had already RSVP'd yes, that you were all attending, but I wasn't sure…I need to let the organizers know. We usually buy the table—"

Dane dropped his head into his hands and muttered something under his breath. Then sat up and reached towards her. "Can I see the invites?"

Tish gave them to him tenderly, like he might bite her fingers, then stepped back and away, glancing at Lila with a nervous smile.

Dane read the top card and sighed. "I don't know, what do you think, Lila?" he asked, frowning. "We usually attend. It's a big occasion. The Museum offers their ballroom. There will be press. How will it look if we don't go? Or if we do?"

Lila reached across the desk and he put the invites in her hand. There was one for each of the prominent staff—even Tish herself. Lila sighed. "There's a small risk you're seen to be partying. But…I assume they let press into the actual event?"

Tish nodded. "It's one of the ways they get so many people to come and support. The press takes photos and usually does a spread on the weekend. People like to see themselves…"

Dane rolled his eyes, but Lila nodded. Tish was right.

"I think it's less of risk to be there," she said softly, the words coming like they were pulled out of her. "Show everyone that you're not backing down. That you are strong. And that you still care about women who need help." She knew it was the right advice, but inside she was dying. This was the last thing she needed right now, Dane on his 'normal routine,' having a date, a woman on his arm in front of the world.

A woman that wasn't her.