Page 50 of The Proximity Effect

Ava: *party popper emoji* Details. Now. All of them.

Me: I’m hiding in my room overthinking everything because that’s what responsible adults do.

Ava: GIRL. You have three hot men who want you, and you’re sitting alone in your room?

Me: I’m processing!

Ava: The only thing you should be processing is which one you want in which hole. Live your best life!

Me: Ava!

Ava: *three eggplant emojis*

I was typing out a response about how emoji eggplants were not helping my anxiety—and honestly, who even decided eggplants were the universal symbol for dicks?—when three sharp knocks made me jump so high I nearly threw my phone across the room.

“Just a minute!” I scrambled off the bed, trying to smooth down my hair, which probably looked like I’d been experimenting with static electricity or lost a fight with a balloon.

When I looked out the peephole, Archer stood there, running his hand through his hair. I opened the door and nearly swallowed my tongue. He looked decidedly un-Archer-like. His tie was gone, shirt sleeves rolled up to expose muscular forearms, and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone. He looked deliberately casual in a way that made my brain glitch.

I swallowed hard. “Hi?”Real smooth, Tessa.

“I need to discuss something with you.” He strode past me into the room, then turned abruptly. “It’s about the employee handbook.”

I blinked. “At eleven at night?” Because obviously, that’s when all the best employee handbook discussions happened.

“Yes.” He ran a hand through his hair again, messing it up in a way that was entirely unfair to my ability to focus. “And boundaries. We didn’t discuss those.”

“Uh-huh.” I shut the door and crossed my arms, trying not to smile at how adorably flustered he looked. “And this couldn’t wait until morning?”

“No. Also, I’ve been researching workplace romance legal precedents.” He pulled out his phone, scrolling frantically like it held the secrets of the universe. “There are several cases that?—”

“You googled workplace romance laws?”

His cheeks flushed slightly. “I also need to discuss liability concerns.”

“Again, I’ll ask… at eleven PM?”

“It’s...” He grabbed at his collar like it was choking him despite being undone. The usually composed Archer Blackwell was unraveling before my eyes, and it was possibly the most endearing thing I’d ever seen. “It’s a very urgent liability issue.”

“Of course.” I bit my lip to keep from laughing. “And what exactly is this urgent liability?”

“The... sharing arrangements we discussed.” His voice cracked slightly on “sharing.” “There are logistics to consider. Important logistics. That can’t wait until morning.”

I stepped closer, enjoying how his composure seemed to crumble with each inch. “These logistics wouldn’t happen to involve what I was suggesting on the boat, would they?”

“That’s...” He swallowed hard, his eyes dropping to my lips. “That’s one of the matters requiring immediate attention.”

“Immediate, huh?” I reached up and undid another button on his shirt, marveling at how this perfectly put-together man was coming undone. “Tell me more about these urgent liability concerns, counselor.”

“I...” His breathing changed as my fingers traced his collarbone. “I had a whole list of reasons prepared.”

“And they’re all terrible, aren’t they?”

“God, yes.” And then his mouth was on mine, and I was pretty sure workplace liability was the furthest thing from either of our minds.

Archer backed me against the door, my fingers tangling in his hair as our kiss deepened. His hands slid under my t-shirt, tracing the curve of my waist before moving higher, his thumbs brushing against the underside of my breasts. I gasped into his mouth, my body arching into his touch.

“I can’t stop thinking about last night,” I murmured against his lips. “About the way you felt... the way you tasted.” Heat blossomed on my cheeks, but I pressed on, emboldened by the desire in his eyes. “I can’t get the feel of you off my skin, Archer.”

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