Page 53 of Mark my Words

Pulling up a quick Google search, my eyes widened as the meaning of the surname Willard appeared. “Same seems to go for your last name, strong-willed. Wonder if your ancestors already knew how much of a pain in the ass you’d be.”

“Doesn’t seem to keep you away,” she teased, reaching her bare foot across the space underneath the table and suggestively rubbing my thigh with her toes. She often sat with one leg tucked underneath her in the chair, so one or both of her heels were usually abandoned underneath whatever surface she used to work.

Placing my phone on the table, I caught her foot, pulling it into my lap and digging my fingers into the arch.

“Oh, that’s nice,” she groaned, leaning back against the chair and closing her eyes.

Glancing toward the door, I urged her other foot up, gently removing her heel before scooting my chair a little closer. She made soft humming noises as I rubbed her feet, reminding me of the happy sighs she often let out when we were cuddling in bed, with much less clothing involved.

“Shh,” I scolded as she groaned when I rubbed a particularly sensitive part of the sole. It was one thing when we were shut up inside the private conference room, but we were in the middle of Isobel’s office with the door open. “Unless you want Carson to come running down the hallway to see what’s going on in here, you need to be quiet.”

“Shut it and just keep rubbing,” she laughed, wiggling her toes close to my zipper. Much more stimulation from her and my dick was going to think it was conference room time.

“When is Isobel supposed to be back?” I asked. The last thing we needed was her or Adrian walking in on me giving Kristine a foot massage. They still thought we only tolerated each other as coworkers. Kristine was often irritated they both kept telling her to play nicely with me. She played very nicely with parts of me, but I doubt that was what they had in mind.

To everyone outside our alone time, we were working on a project together, forced into spending time with one another to edit. Kristine still acted indifferent when others were around, throwing sarcastic jokes around at my expense. If I thought she was serious, I would have been offended, but I knew she didn’t mean them. At least, I hoped she didn’t.

“Why are you talking?” she sighed, avoiding the question.

“Because I don’t want to risk her walking in here at an inopportune time and seeing this.”

“You’re too uptight, Sam,” she said, eyes still closed.

“Yeah, I’m the uptight one.”

“She’s meeting with Sloane. She’s not supposed to be back until after lunchtime, and I’m sure your limp-dicked boss is following her around like a puppy.”

Adrian had been finding reasons to be in Isobel’s office more often, but she was in his just as much. Those two weren’t fooling anyone, especially since they’d also been spotted in the gym downstairs together more often. Isobel hadn’t been an avid gym goer before, so her showing up and leaving with Adrian was conspicuous.

“Do you want to get dinner somewhere after work tonight?”

She frowned, her eyes slipping open as she glanced up at me. “I like that Indian carry-out restaurant that’s near my place.”

“That’s not what I meant. Would you be interested in stopping at that little Italian place a few blocks from here?”

“I don’t think they offer carry out.”

“I know,” I smirked. “I was asking you to sit down to dinner with me in an actual restaurant.”

“Like a date?” Her voice was pinched as she looked at me with wide eyes. I knew I was taking a chance by asking her to go out in public with me, but she had to see our relationship was changing.

“If that’s what you want to call it. I’m fine with just calling it dinner. No pressure. Just two people who happen to enjoy each other’s company enjoying a meal together at a real table in public. Maybe with some wine.”

“Sam,” she sighed, and I leaned forward, my fingers cradling the side of her jaw, the pad of my thumb softly rubbing against the skin beside her lips.

“If you don’t want to call it a date, I’m alright with that. I’m just tired of hiding.”

“It’s not that...”

Waiting a few seconds, I watched the nervous twitch of her eyes, knowing I was pushing her out of her comfort zone, but I knew if I didn’t nudge her, we’d continue as we were. As much as I enjoyed our bubble, I wanted to spend time with her outside the office, not holed up in our apartments.

“Please, just this once. If we have a terrible time.” Which I doubted. “Then I’ll never ask again.”

“I’m holding you to that,” she smiled, nodding.

I shifted her feet off my lap, and they fell softly to the floor. Glancing toward the door, I slipped my fingers into the loose hair at the back of her head, leaning in and stealing a kiss before I sat back into my chair. “I need to check in with Adrian and work on a few other things this afternoon, but I’ll pick you up here at 5:00 pm.”

“Okay.”

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