The Collector's Curse

【09】Nothing Escapes You

My mind was racing, contending with shock and anxiety to find a way out of this mess. With Yuko on the other side of the room, I couldn't stand up now, or she'd figure out some foolery was going on between Ulrik and me. And it seemed he wasn't thinking of anything either, given his bewildered expression.

When I noticed the pantry door was left open, I realized I could make it all the way there without her ever seeing me, thanks to the high counter that separated the kitchen from the rest. So, understandably, the first thing I thought of doing was crawl all the way to the pantry. Which I did, scrambling on all four.

"Mila, what are—" Ulrik started to mumble before Yuko interrupted him.

"Is Miss Mila with the collection?"

I grimaced, almost there, and Ulrik said, "Hmm, she is..."

As soon as I was far enough into the pantry, I sprung to my feet and returned to the door. "Hi, Yuko," I cheerfully greeted her.

Her smile was luminous when she answered, "Hello, Miss Mila."

I came around the counter to give her a tight and brief hug. Ulrik was with us, and he gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"Weren't you supposed to come back tomorrow?" he asked.

I shoved my elbow into his side, reprimanding, then asked, "Was everything okay?"

"Oh, yes. Everything good. Everything very good. They tell me I have good results for last blood work."

"That's amazing, Yuko," Ulrik fondly said.

"Are you already cooking lunch?" she asks.

"Uh, no, this is breakfast," I cleared.

"This late?"

Ulrik and I exchanged a loaded side glance, aware that this was rather abnormal. "You two had long night?" she then wonders.

Again, I was not sure what to say. Especially since I could read something mischievous in her eyes, a twinkle of amusement. "I woke up late," I improvised. "And Ulrik was exercising."

"Oh, I see..." She didn't look convinced, and after a few beats had passed, she gave us a knowing look. "You two know you can't hide thing from me, right?"

"What are you implying, Yuko?" Ulrik cautiously asked.

Smiling mischievously, she reached for something in her coat's pocket, and I tensed. As soon as she pulled out something blue and lacy out of it, I recognized it. "I imply that Miss Mila's bra not walk alone to the elevator."

Shit, no! The night Ulrik had driven me to the airport and back, we'd gotten a little carried away on our way up from the garage. Neither of us had used the elevator since, and because I'd spent so much time naked, I hadn't even noticed the bra's disappearance.

There was probably a window where we could have denied it and made it plausible. But we missed it because I was too shocked, staring at Yuko with my mouth agape, to say anything, and Ulrik was just as silent as me.

Rightfully so, Yuko took our silence as the acknowledgment she sought, and her grin widened. "If I knew all you two need was time alone, I would have gone sooner."

Although her approval went straight to my heart, it didn't quite help with the awkwardness of the moment. That lustful bubble we'd been getting ourselves lost in had swiftly burst, and I had no idea how to handle it.

"I interrupt something?" she asked.

"No, we weren't—There was nothing happening," I lied.

"I can return to my place and let you finish what you were doing."