Chapter 20 - Cheapskate!

 Azul leaned over towards Sira as they sat at their desks. She was busy typing away on her computer, not noticing him at all.

 One thing he'd grown quite fond of since beginning to work with her was how seriously she took her job.

 From the beginning of the workday to the end, she worked diligently, completing task after task.

 'I should give her a raise.' He thought as he sat there admiring her.

 "Are you slacking off, Azul?" She questioned without glancing at him.

 "No, I'm not. I'm supervising your work, so therefore, I am working."

 "Oh? Are you my boss to supervise me?" She said with a laugh, a small smile playing on the corner of her lips.

 'Ooohhh if only you knew….'

 "Okay, okay…." He sighed, "Don't forget that tomorrow we have our….'thing'. Be ready early in the morning so we can go shopping, okay?"

 Sira nodded, "I know, I know. It's already in my calendar and I have an alarm set."

 Without glancing in his direction, she lifted her phone and wiggled it as if to prove that she had already done so.

 "Good. I'm looking forward to it."

 "Are you going to give me any more details or are you really going to make me go in blind?"

 "We'll see, it depends on if you're a good girl today or not."

 Sira glanced at him with a cringed look on her face, "What does that mean-"

 Her eyes met with the end of his index finger, his face smiling behind it, "I got you to look at me."

 She stuck her tongue out at him and he pretended to try and grab it when suddenly her chair was jerked forward.

 "O-Ow! Hey!"

 "Oh! Sorry Sierra! I didn't notice you there." Elora said, sitting on Azul's desk in between them.

 Immediately upon hearing Elora's voice, Sira's demeaner changed and she quickly turned back to her work, typing away.

 Elora shifted her position, so her back was facing Sira, "Azul are you free tomorrow? I heard this new club opened up downtown and it's getting rave reviews! Interested in being my date?"

 Azul glanced at Sira. He couldn't see her face, but he could see the backs of her now-red ears.

 "I am very busy tomorrow, actually, but….I'm free for lunch today if you're interested?"

 Sira let out a quiet gasp and glanced over, a look of devastation on her face before she turned back to her screen, suddenly conscious of how she'd allowed her emotions to show.

 Azul looked over at her with an apologetic look, although she couldn't see it.

 "I'd LOVE to go to lunch with you. I've been craving this….menu~" Her voice was low and seductive as she placed her index finger underneath his chin and lifted his head up slightly.

 "H-Hey Lan~!" Sira called out as the familiar brunette passed by, his eyes scanning a document in an open file he was holding in his hands.

 He looked up, "Hey Sira! What's up?"

 "Do you want to go to lunch with me today?"

 Lan looked at her surprised before glancing around, a confused look on his face.

 "With me?" He glanced at Azul who was shooting daggers at him, Elora's finger still under his chin.

 Returning Azul's glare with a smirk, he turned back to Sira with a smile, "Sure. Come over to my desk when you're ready to go."

 "Alright~" Sira returned his smile and turned back to her work without looking back at Azul.

 Later that day during lunchtime Azul and Elora sat at an expensive, fancy restaurant – one of her choosing.

 He glared at her as she ordered the most expensive thing on the menu, not at all embarrassed about her actions now, or regarding Sira.

 The stark contrast between the two was astounding as he remembered Sira opting for a cheap wedding dress and how reluctant she was to let him pay for everyone's drinks when she lost their torturous game.

 Elora tucked a strand of her voluptuous blonde hair behind her ear and looked around a bit, examining the interior of the restaurant, squishing her breasts together with her arms as she did so.

 She did it so casually and subtly that anyone else wouldn't notice she was doing it on purpose.

 'She's a trickster indeed…' he thought as he continued to examine her actions and demeanor.

 After some time, she turned back to Azul, "I'm really glad you asked me out for lunch. It's so boring going with everyone else in the office. No one ever wants to come to places like this, but I could tell you have class~"

 He clenched his jaw and blinked slowly as he forced a smile, "yes, you seem to have some issues with others in the office. Although, I'm sure their salaries can't afford somewhere like this."

 Elora smiled and clapped her hands lightly as she laughed, "Yeah! You get it! They're such cheapskates!"

 Azul flashed her a fake smile mixed with a glare, "I'm sure."

 Together, they shared a meal. He allowed her talk on and on about how much she hated their other coworkers, especially Sira.

 "She's just so annoying. She thinks she's so cute and all that. Actually, she's really such an idiot. She'll do whatever you say, she doesn't even have a backbone! You know she's not even qualified for this job, I think she slept with the previous boss to get it because let me tell you, she's so stupid."

 Elora rolled her eyes as she ranted, shoving high-end pieces of steak in her mouth in between her words.

 Azul gripped his knife tightly as he cut his own slab of meat, his appetite leaving him with each syllable that left her mouth.

 At the end of the meal, the waiter brought their check.

 With a flirty smile, she slid the bill over to Azul, then delicately wiped the corners of her mouth with her napkin.

 Azul smiled and slid it back to her, "You don't expect a freelancer like myself to have this kind of money, do you?"

 Her eyes widened with surprise as she dropped the napkin on her lap, "W-What?"

 "You should probably get your own finances in order if you're going to suggest coming out to a place like this when you can't afford it," he stood and grabbed his jacket off the back of his seat, "and you should probably stop creating such a hostile work environment too. I'd hate for management to hear about everything you just said."

 Elora glared at him with a disgusted and annoyed look on her face, "Are you threatening me right now? At least split the bill with me you cheapskate!"

 Azul pulled his jacket on and smiled, "Thank you for the meal but I have to be getting back to work now."

 As he exited the building, he could hear Elora crying to the waiter about not being able to afford the bill.

The smile that had been plastered on his face as he headed back to the office, dropped at the sight before him - Sira and Lan arm and arm walking out of a nearby café.