How to Not Fall for My Boss ✔

8. 3 A.M. on the Balcony

"Luke," Cobie murmurs, breathing out the air that has been stuck in her throat for a few seconds. "You know how to give a girl a heart attack."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I've been sitting here since before you came out. I'm also surprised you didn't see me at all."

She turns around and leans back on the balcony railing. "I thought you would be in bed now and sleeping. What are you doing here?"

"Sitting obviously. And working" — he glances at his screen — "since I can't go back to sleep."

"Oh." A gentle wind blows over, prompting her hair to dance lazily in the air and land on her eyes. Cobie brushes her bangs away from her face. "Sorry. I shouldn't have called you."

"No, I told you it's fine." Luke closes her laptop, puts it on the table next to him, and props himself up. Sauntering over in her direction, he stops behind his balcony railing which stands close to hers. He then leans forward, resting his elbows on the top rail. "And what about you? Can't sleep either?"

"Yeah. I thought a shower would help me sleep, but it woke me up instead. I couldn't turn on the TV, either. Didn't want to wake up Georgie."

"Hmm, next time you guys should book separate rooms then."

Next time? Does he plan to have another business trip with her? Ignoring the flutters in her stomach, Cobie pushes the dangerous question to the back of her mind. "That would be nice but I don't think it's necessary. The Finance wouldn't approve anyway."

"Maybe. We don't know about it yet." Luke shrugs.

Unlike the usual neat style he wears at work, his hair is now quite messy from the lack of gel. It gives his brown lock more volume, provoking Cobie's wondrous thought to run wildly. How does it feel to run her fingers through it? And how can someone appear this infuriatingly hot when he's not even trying?

Do not stare, do not stare, do not stare. Cobie repeats the line in her head like a mantra. But it's so darn hard to look at him without being sucked into the temptation. Probably it's time to bid him goodnight again and lock herself inside, safe from the danger called Luke Williams. Yet, she stands rooted to her spot, waiting for what he's going to say next. Maybe she just doesn't want to.

"So, this Harry guy," Luke says, "your sister's boyfriend, huh?"

She wants to keep the info to a minimum but of course, he heard the convo from her side. Did she accidentally reveal too much? "Yeah."

"And he's now getting friendly with you too?"

Cobie shakes her head. "It's nothing like that. We used to be campus buddies." Cobie turns her head to him, but when her eyes meet the man's gaze, she looks away again. "It was before he met my sister."

"Did you guys date?"

"Nope."

"Did he like you?"

Cobie frowns at his question. Did Harry like her? In all honesty, she didn't even want to seek the answer to that. All she knows is Harry liked the idea that girls were crazy for him. "I don't think so. I don't know. But that's not the point at the moment."

Luke raises his eyebrows. "And the point is...?"

Cobie sighs as she turns her body to the side, facing Luke. Her left hip presses to the metal railing next to her, her arms are crossed over her chest, and her eyes are peering at her boss. Rules be damned. "Are you interrogating me, Luke?"

The man scrunches his nose. "I wouldn't use the word, but yes, I'm intrigued and want to know more."

"Why?"