Page 7 of Knocked Up By the Silver Fox

"Ms. Reid, please call me Will."

I had spent the last nearly twenty minutes listening to him and feeling like he was being very vulnerable with me. Of course it would make more sense to be on a first-name basis with someone who opened up like that. But the chemistry as I met his gaze got thicker and thicker as seconds passed. This didn't feel like boss-employee tension. It felt like maybe he felt the way I felt—like he was crushing on me too.

"Will," I said softly. His eyes were. mesmerizing. People were walking past us, but my attention was focused on him. I couldn't pull away if I tried. "Thank you for walking me here."

He studied me for a second, and I didn't walk away. I couldn't tell you why I didn't, except that I found his nearness magnetic. It wasn't his power or his authority. Not his money or even his good looks. It was him. He made me feel safe. He made me feel like I wanted to be near him.

"Ms. Reid?—"

"Beth," I interrupted, and the corner of his mouth lifted.

"Beth…Would you find it wildly inappropriate if I told you that I find you incredibly attractive in every way?" He said it with such intensity I thought I'd fall down. My knees felt weak. My head spun a little and my heart flipped in my chest.

Everything Rachel had said rushed through my mind all at once. Then my fears of being labeled the woman who sleeps her way to the top came up and I pushed them down. For a split second, the email crossed my mind and even that wasn't enough to make me turn and walk away, not even when he started leaning toward me.

His eyes dropped to my lips before his mouth crashed into mine, and the kiss was so hot I wanted him to move his coat and let the cold fall rain drench me to my core. Warmth pooled in my groin, and my body felt like I was on the surface of the sun. I kissed him back greedily, soaking up every second of that kiss like it was the best thing that had ever happened to me, and when I pulled away with raw lips and soaking wet panties, I was breathless.

I stared up at him completely dumbfounded. It wasn't exactly the way my dream went, but it was close enough to it to make me question if this was reality or if I was at home in my bed sleeping. His eyes flicked back and forth between mine and I took a step backward, thankful for the cold droplets hitting my face and cooling me off.

"Goodnight, Mr. Caldwell," I said, and I turned to go, pinching my arm on the way down the stairs. It hurt. You don't feel pain in dreams. It meant this was real, and my boss just confessed to finding me attractive.

I just kissed him.

What the heck did I do?

6

WILL

Istood there in the rain watching Ms. Reid descend the stairs into the subway station and feeling the ghost sensation of her lips on mine. My coat was drenched, and I didn't even put it back on. All I could do was stare after her wondering if I'd just made a foolish mistake. She was my employee and the dynamic at work might shift drastically following something like this, which wasn't something I could afford.

My gut tied into a knot all while my body was on fire, relishing the cold kisses from the sky as raindrops pattered on my face and hands. The authority and position I had over her might have been an influence she was unable to resist, but for me it was the chemistry. Ever since that award banquet last week I'd done nothing but think about her. I found myself daydreaming in the middle of meetings and distracted when talking on the phone to clients.

Now I'd gone and done it. When she stopped to thank me for walking her to the station, I couldn't control myself. I had to tell her how attractive I found her, and that kiss was so hot I knew I'd be feeling it for hours. Elizabeth Reid was addictive andsomehow just being in her presence made me lose my mind and make impulsive choices.

When she was gone, out of sight in the station below ground, I turned and walked back toward the office. People passing me with umbrellas held over their heads gave me odd looks and made comments, but I walked in a daze in the rain with a stupid half grin plastered on my face. Maybe I had just done something utterly foolish, but I felt like a teenager again with a crush, and while my apprehension over how to handle the dynamic at work still loomed, for now, I just basked in the happiness that kiss gave me.

When I got back to the office my car was waiting around front. I climbed in, now soaking wet, and tossed my jacket onto the seat beside me. The driver had the car warm and ready for me. He pulled out without even asking about my soggy condition, and I pulled my phone out of my pocket to distract my mind and scroll.

I thought of Kate though, and Abby. I thought of what they'd think of me moving on. Kate and I never really discussed how I'd live my future in the event that she died prematurely. It wasn't even something we thought about. Nobody wants to plan their death and what it looks like for their loved ones when they're gone.

Now I was stuck in the reality that Kate wasn't ever coming back—something I'd come to terms with a long time ago, but I knew Abby was still struggling with it. I hadn't brought up the idea of me breaking back into the dating world because I hadn't thought I was ready. Now I felt like it might be time, and the thought of telling Abby made me feel hesitant. She was so sensitive to everything I did—like the other night when she got very upset about me heaping praise on Elizabeth's reputation.

I sighed and looked out the window at the cars we passed and decided until I knew whether I could even handle dating againI would say nothing. And I had a bit of thinking to do before I even went back to work. While Ms. Reid might have gotten me stirred up and open to the possibility that love might exist in this world for me again, dating an employee would be frowned on by the board and my shareholders. And risk-taking just wasn't my forte.

At home, I let myself in and left my sopping shoes by the door. I slogged past the dinner table to see a plate left for me, probably cold, and Abby's empty plate. There was a note from the maid that probably said she had to go home and hoped I enjoyed the meal. I couldn't sit there and eat it until I was comfortable though, so I passed by and headed toward my room for a shower.

Abby's door was cracked open, and I peeked in to see her draped across her bed with her laptop open in front of her and textbooks scattered around her. I smiled at how hard she was working and felt grateful for the amazing foundation for the love of learning that Kate established with our daughter.

"Hey," I said softly and she looked over her shoulder, but it wasn't a smile on her face. She was glowering and she sat up to face me. "Studying?"

Abby sighed and hung her legs off the side of the bed and shrugged one shoulder. "Yeah."

"Is everything okay?" I asked, aware that something was definitely not okay. I rarely had to talk with her about things that were disappointing or sad. Abby had an ever-optimistic personality and always looked at the bright side, though right after Kate's death she did struggle. And sometimes I wondered if she just pushed it away for me, to be strong so I could be strong.

"You were late—again. I was looking forward to having dinner with you. You've been working late a lot." She sounded hurt, and the way her forehead wrinkled and her lips curled downward at the corners made me feel guilty. I thought aboutmy work schedule and knew it was true. I had been working later but things were picking up at the office and I was very busy.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I know. Things are just really busy right now and?—"

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