She dropped onto the couch next to him. “How so?”
He shrugged. “You and I operate on the same wavelength a lot. It makes it easier to do this. I know I can trust you. I know your ideas are founded in logic instead of emotion. I hope you get the same from me.”
She sank back into the cushions, able to relax again now the conversation was neutral. There was no way she and Zach could hide their relationship much longer. It was going to devour her. “I do. I came up with your numbers, didn’t I?”
He laughed. “That’s not how I know you trust me. It’s because you took the job.” He worked while he talked, fingers flying over the keys even when he was looking at her. “I’m just glad you and Zach are finally getting along.”
Was that a catch in his voice? Her head shot up. He stared back with the blankest expression she had ever seen. She was reading too much into his reactions. “Me too. It’s nice to have the tension gone.”
Silence descended over them as the conversation lulled, and they both dove back into their work. Rae was proofing a series of document templates to make sure they were error free before they went to a lawyer for review. At some point Zach rejoined them in the living room and made some notes on his laptop. The whir of fans and tapping on keyboards were the only sounds in the living room.
Zach wandered to the fridge. “Heads-up.”
Scott’s hand shot straight up, and a can of Mountain Dew flew across the room. He snagged it out of the air without missing a beat.
Rae snickered at the sight. Scott had been their quarterback in high school—probably the worst one the school ever had—but a person could go a long way when their father donated heavily to the team.
“What?” Scott asked. “I’m catching, not throwing. Besides, this is valuable.”
“I get it. It’s still funny.”
Zach set a can of iced coffee on the table in front of her. When she met his gaze, something less than lighthearted stared back. The want sent a new rush through her, turning her amusement into lust. How soon could they call it a day?
This was work. Fun would wait until they were alone. Even if her thoughts were filled with memories of his hands and lips all over her bare skin. Heat flooded her. She grabbed the drink and tried to be subtle about running the icy can up the inside of her arm. It didn’t help as much as she’d like.
“Are we going to make a habit of meeting here?” Scott’s sudden question shattered the bubble of lust enveloping Rae’s thoughts.
“It was convenient. I guess it depends,” Zach replied.
The truth was Zach spent more than half his nights there over the last week. The only way they’d managed to keep their relationship from Chloe was her sister decided they were both work-a-holics. Rae stared blankly at her own screen, not comprehending the words and numbers in front of her.
“How is it convenient?” Scott asked.
Why was this entire line of questioning making her paranoid?
Zach glanced at him for a second. “I was having breakfast nearby.”
That was an understatement.
Scott raised an eyebrow but went back to what he was doing. Rae bit back her sigh. She was never going to forgive herself if she drove a wedge between them. When half of her asked why she hadn’t thought of that before, she faltered, and it hit her. It wasn’t that she was worried about being the wedge; she was terrified she’d become the third wheel. If Scott didn’t take the news well, she’d be the one left out in the cold. The woman who had been stupid enough to try and find her place with them.
Fortunately, the questions died off as they each dove into their own projects. The afternoon and evening came and went, and so did the Chinese takeout.
Scott’s vocal yawn bounced through the otherwise silent room. “After ten. It’s been a long time since we did any work this hardcore.”
Rae rubbed her eyes, trying to get some of the moisture back into them. He was right. She hadn’t even realized it was so late. “It’s for a good cause.”
“And I completely agree.” He snapped his laptop shut, unplugged the power cord, and stowed it all in his bag. “But I need sleep, or none of my estimates are going to be any good.”
“He’s right. Same place, same time tomorrow?” Zach mimicked his actions, packing up his computer.
Rae nodded. They were close to having the information they needed. “Another day, and we can probably make this news public.”
Scott let out a short, relieved laugh. “Best thing I’ve heard in weeks.”
They exchanged their goodbyes, and Rae locked the door behind them. She sank back into the couch. She was alone in the apartment for the first time in days. It was an odd sensation. The only sounds were from Rae’s computer and the fridge.