The Mechanic

-Chapter Thirteen-

Location: Olympia, Washington, US

"Are you almost ready to go home?"

"Why? You planning on driving me?" Lottie asks, not looking up at Paul. She's still working on getting the one part of the animation on this program right. It isn't wanting to behave itself, and she's gotten rather wrapped up in fixing it.

"No, I was going to walk you home."

Now she looks up. "You're kidding, right?"

He shakes his head, grin slipping. "Not at all. Why do you ask?"

She raises both eyebrows. "Because it's pouring down rain, and my apartment is more than a mile away."

"Is a mile the limit?" He grins cheekily, but she shoots his cheerful expression down.

"The rain is the limit, buster. You'd be wise to consider driving me."

For a moment, his eyes search hers. "Please, Lottie?"

She stares back at him, her soul softening at the look on his face. Evil man. He knows how it affects her to see that look there. He's doing this on purpose.

She tries to hold back any words that might be compromising, but she can't help it when they drip out.

"How warm is it?"

"Pretty warm. The rain is warm."

"You sure?" She doesn't trust him, let alone the weather. She's far too used to the way the temperature changes with all of the storms and winds off the ocean.

"Positive. I put my hand in it." He grins again, as though that might be the only reassurance she might need. His hand. Yes, so reassuring.

"Whatever," she sighs. "I'll let you walk me home. In the rain. But if I get a cold, you have to come over and make me pancakes. That's the only way this is going to work, do you understand?"

He nods. "I understand. But that isn't going to happen. It's too warm for a cold."

Inwardly she rolls her eyes, knowing that to be load of baloney, but she doesn't say so. She is getting pancakes out of the deal, after all.

"When are you letting everyone go home?" she asks, turning her attention back to the computer.

"Everyone's gone," he says quickly. A look from her brings the truth. "Everyone but Gary," he amends, naming his vice president of the company. "He's staying just in case we get a call from Nintendo."

"You're not going to stay yourself?" she asks, incredulous.

He shakes his head, grinning. "Of course not. I have a lady to walk home."

"Fine," she sighs, standing up.

He follows closely. So closely that he bumps into her when she stops to get her jacket out of the lunchroom. She spins around.

"You just remember that walking me home does not earn you any sort of reward. I am not making you cookies, and you aren't allowed in the kitchen. And if I get too wet, no hug. Nuh-uh, mister."

He frowns a little as she pulls on her jacket. "What? That is harsh, Ms. Lang. No hug? What are you trying to do, kill me?"

She shrugs. "If that would make you leave me alone," she grumbles. But she doesn't mean it. She never means the cruel things that she says to him.

He pounds his chest lightly with a fist. "Right here, Ms. Lang. I can feel your blatant dislike of me." But he's grinning as he opens the door for her.