”I feel like I'm going to throw up,” was what Malia said when Zephyr met her at the coffee cart near the classroom.

"Tanashi wants to see how well the group is doing. It's unusual. So yeah, I'm a little worried." He purposely kept his distance from her by a good four feet. They had reason to be nervous. Tanashi hinted he might know about Philly so Zephyr was paranoid as fuck. And now his boss was here. Coming to listen to the group’s pitches. That was a recipe for disaster. You're the one who started this disaster by sleeping with her.

Something he didn't regret in the least, except maybe now there might be consequences. She'd needed him. And he'd wanted her. And maybe he only meant to help her in the beginning, but he wanted her from the moment he saw her. So he wasn't backing off. But he needed to protect her if he could. "I want this to go well."

"And it will. You've been a good mentor. You’ve let us play to our strengths and have also given guidance when we need it. It's fine. I'll be fine." She reached out her hand for him but withdrew it immediately. Fuck, all he wanted right now was her touch. Not going to happen though. This shit in public, it was hard.

All he wanted was her. Easy does it. But he had tried to lightly smile at Becky, who gave a big smile for Zephyr. She ignored Malia as usual. "Becky are you ready to present for Mr. Tanashi?"

Becky had dressed professionally but sexy. Everything about her oozed expense and money. By contrast, Malia looked like she was ready to do business. It was less about the look and more about the substance. Becky gave him a beaming smile. "You bet." Her gaze slid over Malia. "I see what bargain-basement brought to the table. It is really a shame because you'd be pretty if you tried."

Malia ground her teeth, and Zephyr took her elbow. "That's enough. She's on our team. Becky, you need start acting like it."

Becky shifted on her feet then mumbled, "Sorry."

Malia shook her head. "You know what? You're not worth it. Are we going to get the show on the road?"

The knots in his gut twisted. "Yeah, let's do this.” He led the way into the classroom they would be using, and the rest of the group showed up. While they were setting up their presentation, Hokuto Tanashi walked in.

Zephyr deliberately stood as far away from Malia as possible. Anything to show that he only had a professional interest in her. But Tanashi didn't seem to notice anything. Zephyr walked over to shake his hand with the members of the team and he barely acknowledged them, just gave a brisk bow. Fair enough.

“Sir whenever you're ready, my group can start.”

Hokuto just nodded. Fucking fantastic. Whatever. Today was about the presentations. His team. He was proud of them.

Zephyr turned his attention to Tom and Jacob. "Why don't we get started?"

Tom went first. Then Jacob. They'd worked together as they were the ones most interested in the finances. They'd even included a video. Zephyr prayed it was more interesting than their talking. When the lights went dim, the video played. It was standard financial procedures; nothing if not dry.

The lights went back up, and Becky took center stage. Instead of staying where she was, she walked into the audience. There was something faintly sexual about it. The students judges watching couldn't take their eyes off of her. But it was too sexy. And while it might work for this, it wouldn't work in an environment where she needed to be strong, powerful. Women could be powerful and sexy, but she was relying on her sex appeal alone, and that was going to be a problem. She went on for five minutes. And then it was Malia's turn.

Zephyr shifted in his seat. He knew she had this. She'd been working hard all week. With one deep breath, she started.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we appreciate all of you being with us. Since we're all friends here I want to ask you some personal questions."

For five minutes, she forced the audience to interact. Asking questions about their health, and how their doctors had told them they need to exercise more, drink more water, eat better. And then she made them laugh by making a personal joke about how much she hated all of those things that were good for her, and how she would much rather have a cheeseburger, or drink sugary soda. Because they tasted good.

And then she went about asking the question of wouldn't it be great if something that was good for you actually tasted delicious? And then she launched her presentation.

Zephyr couldn't take his eyes off her.

At one point, he caught himself murmuring the words of her presentation as she went through it. She'd been practicing over and over again in the apartment. He knew it as well as she did.

Well you should know it; you're her mentor. Yeah, that whole mentor thing. He had to think like that, not think like her boyfriend. Well, easy now, isn't that what you are?

They hadn't talked about it. Given everything they were dealing with and had already gone through, this was so much more than that.

When Malia was done, the group stood and fielded questions. Shit, he was proud of them.

They'd only had a weekend to prep. But still, they'd managed it. When the presentation was over, his students filed out. Zephyr nodded and told them they'd all done a great job.

Tanashi only spoke to him when everyone had gone. "I'm impressed with their presentation. The skills of the two girls are impressive. They know how to deliver a message. Albeit two separate messages."

Zephyr nodded. "Yes, they've been working on their presentations for some time now.”

Tanashi fixed him with a stare. "You need to be careful. Your closeness with your students can be felt."

Zephyr stiffened. "It's my job to be their mentor. To celebrate their accomplishments. Just as I feel each of the disappointments as if they were my own."

The old man didn't miss a beat. "I saw your response to the last one. Adams. I pulled up her transcripts. She's top of the class. She could go far. It wouldn't do to derail that with a personal situation."

Zephyr swallowed. "Understood." Except really not fucking understood. What the hell was he talking about? He hadn’t said or done anything or treated her any differently from Becky in front of Tanashi.

Or maybe it was that you can’t take your fucking eyes off her? Or that he knew every word she said. Shit, he was so screwed.

"You came to Pittsburgh with a job too. I suggest you focus on that.”

Fuckity fuck. "I assure you, sir, I know what my focus is on here. And that's all I'm paying attention to." The lie stuck to the roof of his mouth like peanut butter. If he wanted to finish the fellowship, then he and Malia were going to be a lot more careful. Which was easier said than done because he was fucking in love with her already.