Page 63 of Foreplay with the Boss

If he thinks she’s still here, she must not’ve told him about the branch closing… I didn’t know what that meant, or what to say to her father. “Just confirm our dinner plans for tonight at six.”

“And what do I tell him about Katrina?” “Tell him he’ll have to call her.”

Debra nodded and started away, but then she abruptly turned back to face me. She stepped back inside, pulling the door closed so that we were cut off from the rest of the office. “Please don’t yell, but… Well, you’ve been in quite the mood, and I know Katrina has something to do with it, and…have you, uh, tried to get her back?”

I stopped mid-click on my mouse and turned my full attention to her. “Get her back? As in ask her to work here full-time?” I’d thought about it more than once, even before she’d found out about the closure of the Hartford branch. But I wasn’t sure that it was a good idea for us to keep working in the same office, for her or for me. And even if we could set some guidelines and figure out a better balance, she sure as hell didn’t want to work for me now.

Debra stuck a fist on her hip and sighed. “I’m old enough to be your mother, and I’m not stupid. If it takes asking her to work here, sure, do that, but I’m talking about more than work. I’m talking about how much better you are when she’s around—she balances you out, and you’ve been in a right grumpy mood since she left. Everyone else is too scared to say anything, and don’t get me wrong, I’m scared, but I’d rather be scared for a few minutes than a few months.”

I sat back in my seat and ran my hand through my hair. “How many people know? Is it juicy office gossip?” I found I couldn’t care less, even though I knew I should, but Kat would care, and if anyone tried to smear her name, they’d see just how scary I could be.

“I’m sure a few people suspect it, but no one’s said anything. I just noticed the way your eyes always go to her when she’s in the room. And then there was one night I stayed late, and well, you guys aren’t very…” She looked down and picked at an imaginary piece of lint. “Quiet.”

Instead of feeling ashamed or embarrassed, the memory of having her underneath me sent desire through me, followed immediately with a tormented longing I’d never experienced before. I missed the sex, sure, but I mostly missed Kat. The way she put things, and how she was soft where I was hard, whether we were talking business or pleasure.

The only time I’d ever truly left work at the office was when I was with her, and I missed the break that being with her brought to my life.

I also missed her smile and her laugh and her voice, and God, I missed the way she smelled. At the office, her perfume driving me crazy and giving me dirty flashbacks, or when she was snuggled next to me in bed, another thing I missed so fucking bad I thought it might consume me.

I’d tried to get through the last few days by not thinking about it, but it all came rushing at me now.

Debra shifted her weight from one foot to the other, reminding me that I wasn’t alone, and I quickly schooled my features. “Better get to that phone call.”

“Yes, sir. Better get to making yours.” With that, she left.

And I gave in to the desire to hear Kat’s voice in my ear. I dialed up her number, telling her to pick up, pick up, pick up…

“This is Kat, and yes my voicemail greeting is pretty generic, but instead of a beep, you get to leave a message at the meow. You’re welcome.” The electronic-tinged meow I’d heard way too fucking many times over the past few days sounded, and I scrubbed a hand over my face.

“I’m reaching the pathetic stage, Kat. And now your father’s calling the office, wondering why you’re not here, and I…” I wonder why you’re not here every fucking second of every fucking day. “I’m starting to worry.” As I said it, I realized how true it was. I could see her dodging my calls and creating a voodoo doll of me to stick pins in, but her father couldn’t reach her, either. What if something happened? “Call me back. Or hell, at least send a text or email letting me know you’re alive.”

I hung up and then stared at my phone screen. Since she didn’t immediately text back, I made an impulse decision and called up a friend, asking for a favor that was slightly unethical.

Then I turned back to my computer and forced myself to get back to work.

I had a big presentation to give tomorrow, and I wouldn’t let my personal life—or emotions I wish I didn’t have—get in the way of doing my job.

* * *

I ARRIVED at the restaurant twenty minutes early. I couldn’t stop wondering if Kat would be with her father tonight. Maybe they’d finally talked, and they’d come here and ambush me.

If it meant seeing Kat, then bring it on. If I could just get my hands on her, I’d have a better chance of making her see that I didn’t have a choice. And while I told her that I cared about her— a big move for me—I knew it fell way short of describing how I felt about her. I’d made that promise to my mom, too, about telling Kat exactly how I felt and giving her all the facts.

Then again, what was the point of pouring my heart out? She lived in another city, and it wouldn’t change the fact that I was the asshole shutting down a company her family had run for decades.

Those were big things to get over, and I didn’t even know how to have a relationship.

So why couldn’t I stop thinking about one? Why did my life suddenly seem dull and pointless?

The hostess brought Stu over to the table, and the first thing I noticed was that Kat wasn’t with him, because I noticed where Kat wasn’t all fucking day long.

I stood and shook his hand as we exchanged pleasantries. I watched his face, trying to read how much he knew and how he felt about it. Either he had the best poker face ever, or he was clueless.

How could that be?

Kat made a big deal about how she hadn’t signed the NDA. Is she planning something bigger?

The waitress came over and took our order, and I debated if I should tell him now, or wait until the end of dinner. I hated to spoil dinner and figured that letting him enjoy the best steak in town would be the kinder thing to do.

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