Avery: Hello.

Avery: Don’t do this to me

Me: We watched tv & I went to bed.

It was the truth. She sends me back a thumbs-down.

Me: I passed out & he must have put me in bed at some point. When I woke up he was gone.

Avery: What did the note say?

Me: How did you know there was a note?

Me: Never mind. He gave me his number.

I leave out the part about him offering me a ride to work. I wanted to ask him to take me in, but I felt awkward. I didn't want him to think he needed to give me a ride. He has a life of his own. He doesn’t have time to be my personal chauffeur. Still, he showed up here anyway. I keep finding that really sweet.

Avery: Go out with him.

Me: I’ll think about it.

Avery: Really?

I bite my lip. I know this is likely a bad idea, but he makes me smile. There is also something familiar about him. I feel safe. Why else would I have passed out with him alone in my home?

Me: Yeah really. I’ve got to work so I’ll text you later.

I drop my phone back into my purse. I could work my way into this dating thing. Hang out with him a few more times. The man is not only sweet but handsome too. Not in that cocky way either. He’s not trying to be good-looking. He just is. It’s natural, and I’m not sure he knows it. If he does, he doesn't care.

I get back to work, skipping right over lunch. Unless you count the candy bar I had in my purse. Dread starts to weigh heavy on me when the hours begin to go by, and I don’t get a call from Thomas. He said he needed my help this afternoon with something and now it seems as though I’m going to have to stay late again. I hate being here with him when most of the office staff has gone home for the day.

Maybe he had to go to court, and he wouldn’t be needing my help after all today. That’s wishful thinking considering he’s been in the office all day. I’m definitely going to be here late. I begin cleaning up my area, hoping that I can get out of here. But my hopes are dashed when I get the call to report to Thomas’s office. I take my purse, hoping I can leave right after.

“Go in,” his assistant says without looking at me. I don’t understand why everyone hates me around here. I go above and beyond for everyone when they ask me for something.

“Thanks,” I say before pushing into his office. He’s on the phone and waves me over toward his desk. I sit down, seeing plates of food set out. I push as far back as I can in my chair. It’s all seafood, which I’m highly allergic to.

When he ends the call, he gives me that cheesy smile of his. “Help yourself. I have a conference call and I need you to take notes for me.” Isn't that his assistant’s job? The one sitting outside of his office? He hands me a notepad and pen. His fingers intentionally brush against mine. I jerk my hand back, surprised. I really shouldn't be. This isn’t the first time.

“So just write down whatever is said?” I ask.

“Yep.” He sits back down. “Eat up. You need your strength.” To take notes. The look in his eye says it’s for something entirely different.

“I’m allergic to seafood,” I remind him. He gives me a surprised look. I’ve told him this three times now.

“That must suck.” He gives the same response as before. Luckily the call starts, and I can take my notes and not have to engage in any more small talk with him. I take notes as quickly as I can. He paces around the office and plays with his phone.

At one point he takes off his suit jacket and tie. He gives me a wink when he rolls up the sleeves. I look back down at my pad. Three hours later, the meeting ends and I’m dying of hunger.

“That went well.” He holds his hand out to me, and I hand him the notepad. My hand is freaking killing me. He tosses it on his desk like it’s unimportant. The urge to cry hits me hard and fast. Shit. “It’s late. I should give you a ride home,” he suggests, standing over me. His crotch is eye level.

“The next train will be coming actually.” I jump up. “I should go so I don’t miss it. No need for you to go out of your way.”

“Or we can get a drink.” He tries again. I shake my head no. “This about that neighbor who visited you here today? Are you seeing him?” Then he mumbles something under his breath about a Pulitzer. At least I think he does.

“No. It’s late and my feet hurt.” He glances down at my flats. Which he gives an unpleasant look.

“You’d look better in heels.” Just when I didn't think I could dislike this man more, he proves me wrong.

“I should go.”

“No, I’ll take you.” He grabs his coat, not really giving me much of an option at this point. On the plus side, at least I’ll be getting home fast, which means I’ll be eating sooner.

Right now I’ll take whatever wins I can get.

Nine

Jay

The nights I spent in subzero temperatures in Russia went by faster than the hours that it took Dove to come home from work. I worked for a few hours, but when the sun began to set and I still hadn’t seen her pretty head below my window or heard her door open, I couldn’t concentrate. She didn’t use my number, and I wasn’t smart enough to steal—er, gather hers. I guess I dumbly thought she would text me, even if it was just to tell me no.

I glance out the window again and rub my jaw. There’s an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. I may have gotten her in trouble at work, which fucking sucks. I need to remember I’m back in civilization, and I can’t just do whatever I want. Normal people require normal interactions. That also fucking sucks. Like, just get on my level, and we’ll all be good.

I consider whether I should play up the Pulitzer thing. Like all superficial assholes, that means something to the lawyer. If I give him some made-up business like working through a contract issue that my agent has already reviewed, would he go easier on Dove? Do I want to do that? I suppose I need to find out how much this job means to her. If it’s her dream job, then I’ve got to step back. If it’s not, isn’t it open season on this suit guy? He should understand. He thinks in terms of alphas and betas anyway.

I grab my laptop and scroll through the latest batch of documents Davis has marked for me to sign. I select a half dozen of them and send them to the printer. Even if this lawyer sucks, which he probably does, I won’t be harmed because Davis has already vetted them. But this gives me a reason to be at the law firm. I can require him to sit all day with me and that would free Dove to...well, I don’t know. It would get her away from him. That’s the important thing.

I’m in the midst of stacking the contracts when I hear an expensive engine pulling into the parking lot. This isn’t the type of place for fancy cars.

When I check the window, I see Dove climbing out of a low-slung sedan. The lawyer from earlier that day cuts the engine and follows her. I can’t hear the conversation, but it looks like he wants her attention and that she doesn’t want to give it. I run my tongue over my teeth and consider whether she would be fired immediately if I went down and slugged him in the face or whether he would wait until the morning.

I leave my window and jog down the stairs, meeting the two in the lobby. The lawyer has his hand on her arm. Dove is not happy, but she’s trying not to show it, which means she needs her job. Fuck.