"Nica, could you be kind enough to give us a minute alone? Please?" I asked gently, trying to shoo her away without causing a scene.
"Ugh, fine, of course." Nica rolled her eyes dramatically. "Have fun swapping saliva or whatever. Oh wait, he's not even here physically. My bad!" She grinned mischievously and made a beeline for the door, leaving behind her usual flair of sarcasm.
As soon as the door clicked shut, I turned to Marcus. "I'm sorry about that," I said softly. "How about you? How have you been? Work and all?"
His face softened immediately, the frustration melting away. "Life has been so boring without you, babe," he said, his voice warm. "I really can't wait to get back to you."