After All - Romancing Manhattan

“This is a really fancy way to call me into your office.”

I smile and gesture to the seat in front of my desk. “Come have a seat.”

“Shall I shut this behind me?”

“Yes, please.”

She does as I ask and sets the vase of blooms on the side of my desk and takes a seat, gazing at me expectantly. “What’s up?”

“I want to talk about this.” I hold the sheet of paper she gave me this morning up between my forefinger and thumb.

“My list?”

“Yes. Your list.” I hold her gaze in mine as I reach down and send the paper through the shredder. Her eyes widen as the loud whirling of the tearing paper fills the air, and when it’s done she clears her throat.

“So I guess you didn’t like that list.”

“No.” I lean on the desk and fold my hands. “I didn’t like it. I don’t plan to use it. Today, or ever.”

“I can probably think up other names—”

“Unless Nora is on the list, I’m not interested,” I interrupt and watch in fascination as her face flushes. I’ve known this woman for a long time, and I don’t ever recall seeing her flustered before.

I like it. I can’t wait to see her face flushed like this when she’s under me and begging for mercy.

“The only Nora I know is . . . me.” The last word is said in a sexy, disbelieving whisper. I want to kiss her, here and now.

Instead, I grin at her and her brown eyes fall to my left cheek. She’s been doing that for a couple of months now.

“That’s right. You. Nora, I don’t intend to date anyone from a list you make for me, or anyone you don’t put on a list. I’m interested in seeing more of you. I thought I made that pretty clear last night, and I’m sorry if that’s not the case.”

“I had a good time last night,” she says, her eyes not moving from mine. “But I’d pretty much convinced myself that it was all for the sake of a practice date.”

“Practice dates don’t include hand-holding or kisses at your front door.”

She presses her lips together, as if she’s remembering the taste of my mouth on hers.

It’s a damn sexy sight.

“Do you honestly think that I’m not interested in you?”

“I don’t know what to think,” she admits and closes her eyes briefly. “This is all so . . . odd. Carter, I’ve worked for you for years, and honestly, I love my job. I can’t do anything that could jeopardize my position here because I enjoy it. I’m good at it. And frankly, I need it.”

“I know.” I nod and glance down at my hands. “I’ve given this some thought. Nora, you’d never lose your job here if a personal relationship between us didn’t work.”

“But it would be so awkward if it doesn’t,” she insists. “You can say that, but let’s say we date for a year, have all the crazy sex in the world and fall in love with each other, and then decide to go our separate ways? We can’t do that because I’ll still be here, every day, in your business.”

“Let’s go back to the crazy sex,” I suggest, making her snort laugh.

“I’m serious.”

“I know you are, and you’re not wrong to worry. Here’s what I know for sure: I’m completely attracted to you. And in addition to that, I enjoy you. We have great conversations, and you make me laugh. I just enjoy being with you. There’s nothing wrong with spending some extra time together outside of work, Nora.”

“I just hate the idea of being the topic of office gossip.” She bites her lip. “I stay away from office drama.”

“That’s one of the many things I like about you.”

She chews that lip as she watches me for a long moment. Just when I think she’s going to tell me to go fuck myself, she says, “Okay, if we’re going to do this, there has to be rules.”

“Should we make another list?”

“Excellent idea.” She grabs a pad of scratch paper and pen from my desk for notes. “First, we have to act like nothing personal is happening between us when we’re here. No hanky-panky. No coming and going together.”

“There is so much innuendo in that statement, I don’t even know where to start.”

She raises a brow like I’m an insolent child and makes me laugh.

“Focus here, Carter.”

“Fine. No, how did you put it? Hanky-panky.”

She makes a note.

“No more giving me lists of women to date,” I say. “That’s an important rule.”

She chuckles and makes the note. “I can live with that. I didn’t love making that list. I thought I was being helpful. Okay, I guess we can start there and add to it if we think of other things.”

“I have another rule,” I add.

“Okay, shoot.”

She’s looking down at the paper, pen poised to jot down what I’m about to say.