Essery had always found it easier to tell people what she thought of them when she had the chance. It was harder with men she was interested in, but she was trying too hard to tell herself that she wasn't interested in him - her much older former professor and now her boss. It wasn't appropriate, or possible, and she still found herself thinking about things she could do for him, ways to drag that smile out of him.
"You'd prefer I ignore the cue, or the rumours?" She knew which he meant, though, the coy smile she had as she played said that much.