Kiran

A little after four in the afternoon and I could feel my energy levels had dipped to next to nothing. I spent most of the week running up and down from the office to the third floor, where my employees were situated. I'd never been the type of boss to sit back and dictate, but sometimes that meant feeling like I was running on empty.

Despite the fact that it was a Friday afternoon, I had a few hours of work left, and so I decided that tea would be a good pick-me-up.

Venturing out of my office, I walked down to the kitchen and pulled my mug out of the cupboard. It was a neon green colour and made me grin the moment I clapped eyes on it. The tea I'd brought into the kitchen was slowly dwindling, and I was glad to see that people were taking an interest in it. I popped open the box of green tea and boiled the kettle before pouring it into the mug.

"I think you're ruining the health benefits when you add in that much sugar," a deep voice said from behind me.

His words startled me and sent the spoon flying from my mug and into the air. I did my best to catch it, the warm metal burning the skin of my palm.

"Shit!" I hissed and dropped it, letting it clatter noisily to the ground.

"Shit," Seth echoed, striding across the space. He switched on the cold tap, letting the water run. "Come here."

I followed his orders, cradling my hand and looking at the bright red patch on the pale skin of my palm. When I reached the sink, I expected Seth to move out of the way, but he took my wrist and held it under the running water.

The feel of his fingers on my bare skin made my cheeks flush. I couldn't ignore that my neighbour across the corridor was devastatingly handsome. I wasn't avoiding him, but it helped to stay out of his way other than the typical hello, because Seth had some sort of wizardry that made my brain short circuit. It was a shame his personality could rival Scrooge.

"Are you okay?" he asked gruffly, eyes on my palm.

"I'll live," I replied. "It wasn't that warm."

He didn't look convinced. "What were you doing?"

"Making green tea. Do you want a cup?"

Seth's eyes flicked up to my face. Blue and ringed with black. They reminded me of an icy tundra that was framed by long, dark lashes.

"Not if you're shovelling sugar into it," he answered.

If possible, my cheeks grew warmer. "It tastes bitter otherwise."

"I think that's the point."

"I don't like it."

"Then don't drink it."

"It's meant to be good for you."

"Kiran." There was a warning in the way he said my name. "This is a circular argument."

"I won't add any sugar to yours," I told him brightly.

He sighed and let go of my wrist, switching off the tap. I pulled my hand away and grabbed some tissue to dry off before examining my palm.

"Do you need the first-aid kit?" Seth asked.

"No," I replied, turning my hand in the light. "Looks fine." Skirting around him, I pulled open the cupboards and looked at the range of mugs. "Which one is yours?"

The heat of his body was behind me, just like it was when he opened the door to my office after our meeting. It made my mouth run dry and my muscles tense.

"This one," he said, reaching past me and pulling down a plain white mug. When he set it on the counter, I pulled a face. "What?" Seth snapped.

"It's white," I said, picking it up.

"It's a mug, Kiran. It holds liquid."

"I know. But it's so plain."

He picked up mine and scrunched his nose. The expression made him look less like the billionaire tech mogul he was and more like the child he could have been.

"I'd rather it be plain than have this abomination," he explained.

My jaw dropped open, and I reached for my mug, but he held it out of reach. With a 'hmph', I made his tea.

"I'd rather have an abomination than be boring, Tin Man," I shot back.

"We'll have to agree to disagree."

"Seems to be our thing," I muttered, holding his mug out to him.

He regarded it for a second before turning his nose up and walking out of the kitchen with my neon abomination in his hands.

"Hey!" I called, following him out with his mug. "That's mine, and this is yours."

Seth shrugged before coming to a stop in his doorway. I almost bumped into his perfect peach but managed to stop myself. He turned on me slowly, looking down with his icy eyes, and I held his mug out to him again.

"I think I'll keep this one," he said. "It'll do you good to cut some sugar out of your life."

Seth stepped back into his office and closed the door in my face. After the shock, I balled my free hand and hammered on the door. And that fucker actually laughed. He laughed!

"Tin Man! I want my mug!" I yelled.

"Kiran, is there a problem?" Arthur asked, peeking his head out of the door to his room.

I flushed all the way from the roots of my hair to the tips of my toes. "No," I blurted.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "Has Seth done something?"

"No, no! Um, it's nothing. Thank you."

I scurried into my office with the plain white mug and prayed that I would be left alone for the rest of the evening with my bitter tea in the boring cup.