She ignored what was happening to her nipples as she held the sundae out to him. “Unlike some people I know, I am happy to share the bounty when my team wins in a flash competition.”

His eyes went wide as his mouth dropped open. “No way! You all got sundaes?” He grabbed the glass bowl from her hands.

“An entire sundae bar, to be exact. It was glorious.”

He scooped up a spoonful of hot fudge and moaned as he ate it. Her reaction to the sight of him slowly wrapping his tongue around the spoon was so wholly inappropriate for the workplace she had a mind to report herself to Human Resources.

“This is ridiculous,” Daniel said. “It’s the hot fudge that puts it over the top.”

“Better than that massage?”

He nodded, but then shook his head. “Nah. But close.”

A shocked laugh escaped. “You are impossible. You could have at least lied to me.”

“I don’t lie. Sooner or later, you’ll get caught.”

“Say it again for the people in the back,” she drawled. “Especially those named Craig who don’t realize that their lies will catch up with them.”

“Has he been bothering you?” he asked, abandoning the humor from moments ago.

Samiah shook her head. “He’s a coward. I haven’t heard from him since that night at the restaurant. Neither have Taylor or London, the other two women in the video.”

“Good. That guy doesn’t deserve a moment more of your time. Do me a favor; don’t waste any more of it on him.”

A peculiar sensation pressed against the walls of her chest. It took her a second to recognize it as gratitude.

Over these past couple of weeks, as their lighthearted banter and occasional flirting escalated, Samiah had cautioned herself not to take it too seriously. She would never admit it publicly, but her pride was still raw from the wounds the episode with Craig had inflicted. That vulnerability had the potential to color her perception, causing her to put too much stock into the slightest gesture.

But Daniel’s concern seemed genuine. Every morning, during their coffee bar encounters, he never once skipped the chance to inquire about how she was holding up under the weight of the viral video.

Interest in it had finally begun to wane, thank goodness. But it would still be a while before her life was back to normal. No one here had shown more interest in her mental well-being than Daniel. He cared. She didn’t realize just how much that would mean to her.

“Thank you for that,” Samiah said.

He gave a slight nod, his eyes filled with understanding. “It’s nothing you don’t already know, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to remind you. We tend to forget how special we really are after something like this happens.”