“So you didn’t have trouble falling asleep last night, huh?”
When she started to blush and attempted to busy herself at unpacking her box, I knew I was on to something. Curious, I walked into her office and around to the other side of her desk so I could see her face even though she was looking down and unpacking.
I ducked my head and looked up to catch her eyes. “You masturbated last night, didn’t you?”
Her blush reddened. “Did you?” she countered.
Deflecting. We all know what that means. I grinned. “I did. And this morning, too. Wanna know what I was thinking about while I did it?”
“No!”
“You’re not even the slightest bit curious?”
Even though she was red-faced, I loved that she pushed through it and faced me. “Don’t you have any marriages to desecrate, pervert?”
“Come on. Admit it. You masturbated last night, and that’s why you had such a good night’s sleep and got to work on time for a change.”
“Why do you care?”
“I like to be right.”
“You’re really a giant egomaniac.”
“So I’ve been told.”
“Will you drop the subject if I tell you the truth?”
I nodded. “I will.”
She looked me directly in the eye. “I did.”
“What?”
“What do you mean what? You know what I mean.”
Of course I do. “I’m not sure I do. Why don’t you explain what you’re referring to?”
“Get out.”
“Say you masturbated, and I’ll get out.”
“Why? So you can get off on the thought of me masturbating?”
“I thought you didn’t want to hear what I was thinking about this morning when I took care of myself?”
I chuckled. Emerie was trying to be tough, but her voice told me she was more embarrassed and amused than pissed off. Feeling unusually kind, I decided to let her off the hook before I pushed my luck.
“I have a conference at ten today that will probably turn into lunch with my client afterward. There are menus in the top right drawer of the reception desk if you want to order in.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
I stopped just outside of her doorway. “One other thing.”
“Hmm?”
“Were you thinking of me when you masturbated?”