Matched

I tense at that. "Dammit," I say, my fists clenching. "I warned him what would happen if he told anyone."

"They all suspect it, Jon," India says and squeezes my shoulder. "They all suspected it for years, apparently. Don't blame Grant. I know you said you'd fire him, but I think that would be wrong."

I shake my head. "Loose lips sink ships. He should have kept his lips zipped and let us decide when to confirm the rumors."

"He should have, but he's still a good employee. It's our fault for even considering getting it on at work, even on a Sunday. We shouldn't be kissing at all unless we're fine with the staff knowing."

"No, we shouldn't," I say, because she's right. Still, I don’t want to stop showing her how I feel, so I lean in and kiss her once more. She slips her arms around my neck and kisses me back and that gives me some heart that maybe, just maybe, she's coming around to letting this really happen between us.

I want her to be happy about it, and not feel like we have to hide it.

Dammit Marina – quit messing with India's head.

"You have to tell Marina."

She bites her lip guiltily. "I know. Just this weekend – let's let her match us up. We can look across the room and make meaningful eye contact at each other when we meet our latest match."

"You're not worried that I'll like my date a little too much?" I ask, taking a lock of her hair in my fingers and playing with it. I glance in her eyes, trying to look coy. "Because, I'm worried that you'll like your date a little too much…"

"Jon," she says and punches me playfully on the arm. "She's been totally wrong so far. I think the questionnaire is a bust, so I'm not worried in the least. I promise you that you and I will go back to your apartment and spend the night together, laughing at her matches and doing whatever you want, okay? Just indulge me."

I exhale, resigned that I'll have to go through with it. "Okay, but we do whatever I want to do, right?"

"I promise," she replies, her voice a bit breathy, like the idea arouses her. It immediately arouses me, a jolt to my dick at the thought of having my way with her. "You can count on it."

"Good," I say, and kiss her once more, this time more passionately. "You can count on it being really pleasurable."

Then, I gesture to the door. "Shall we? I believe we have a conference call with the General."

"Lead the way."

I grab my laptop and India grabs hers and together, we take the hallway to the conference room where my admin is busy setting up the conference phone and screen so we can videoconference about the contract.

India leaves the office early to go to the hospital and visit her mom, and I go out with the rest of the staff for a beer after work. It's a bit of a tradition to go out together every second Friday to a local pub that has great appetizers and cheap beer. I buy everyone the first round of draft beer and the first tray of appetizers, and we bond over alcohol and snacks.

Out of the

blue, Janine, a married mother of five and one of our admin personnel, blurts out a question about India and me.

"So, are you two a thing now?" she asks, her eyebrows raised.

Kal, beside her, gives her an elbow. "Janine…"

I take a sip of my beer and then carefully put the glass down, trying to form my words carefully.

"I know you’ve all thought India and I have been having a secret affair all these years, but honestly, we haven't. It's only been recently – very recently – that we have finally decided to give it a try. India wants things to remain private, so I hope you all can give us that privacy. We won't make a big deal of it and hope you won't either."

"See, I told you," Janine says and elbows Kal back. "I knew it. I've always said you two should get together if you weren't already. You're both so cute. You belong together."

"Thanks for the endorsement, but seriously, don't say anything to India. She'll kill me for confirming it, but I don't like to lie to you guys."

"We all knew you were either in love and together, or in denial. At least now we know we're not all crazy."

I lean back and laugh. "I can't get over how comfortable you guys all feel asking me outright about it. I'm your freaking boss. You should show proper deference and all," I say, only half-jokingly.

"We've been talking behind your backs for three years," Janine says, grinning.

"So I hear," I reply. "Now, you can still talk behind our backs but at least it’ll be something real instead of just your filthy fantasies."