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WE COULDN’T STOP SMIRKING coyly and stealing glances throughout the day. It was the most thrilling thing I'd ever done. The office wasn’t a boring place. Tom and I had a huge secret that provided a charge that gave going to work a whole new allure. Instead of just spending time attending meetings, drawing up mergers, and making phone calls, I was now brushing legs with my boss under the table, and meeting in the copy room for a few minutes during the day. And the best part? No one had any idea what we were doing. The secret excitement set both of us on a high that made work much more fun. I had somebody to send texts to during a meeting, or accidentally brush up against when grabbing a morning cup of coffee.
When I went into Tom’s office, the gorgeous blonde manager in our office was chatting with him. She tossed her head back and laughed. I tried not to get jealous as I watched him laugh at one of her jokes. She accidently knocked something off his desk. He bent down to pick up the container of pens while she checked out his butt. I shot her a look and she smiled.
“The files are on your desk, sir,” I said.
“Thank you, Miss Harks.”
The blonde said goodbye and followed me out.
“Did you get a good look at him? I did that on purpose. He is so hot!”
“He’s your boss,” I said.
“Oh, don’t be such a prude, Jenna. There’s no harm in looking. Besides, he wouldn’t give any of us here at the office a chance.”
My eyes twinkled at her comment as I pictured my lips on Tom’s as we kissed.
“I think those games would be much better enjoyed by Michael,” I said.
She laughed. “True. But it appears he “travels through women,” and I much prefer to find one “place” and “set up shop.” Michael has already taken home half the call center, most of the corporate communications team, and every temp receptionist ever. Besides, I think I’m turned on more by the big brother. Tom has those dark locks, that gorgeous white smile, and those beautiful eyes. He’s pretty much perfect. And he’s so mysterious. He’s rejected some of the hottest gals at the office for years. No beautiful and smart woman even has a shot.”
“Because he only dates outside of work.”
“I wonder what he’s like outside of work. Because he’s so serious here. Such a workaholic. Think he’s gay?”
“No!” I said.
“How would you know?”
“Well, um, I wouldn’t. But I can just tell. He’s just a private person. And he doesn’t mix business with pleasure.”
Usually.
I was an exception to the rule.
She let out a long breath. “I might look and joke, but I would never date co-workers and other dangerous creatures, such as my boss.”
I nodded. “Yep, keep it professional.”
“That’s right, Jenna.”
She went back to work, and I went back to my office and texted Tom.
It read: The blond bombshell in your office was gawking at your ass.
He replied that she always does. Must be all those hours at the gym.
Don’t worry, I texted back. I played cool. But I wanted to scratch her eyes out.
LOL. You know I only have eyes for you.
His text was followed by a line of red hearts, and another line of smiley faces with heart eyes.
I smiled. Tom was adorable. He made me feel sweet and special. Maybe Tom was off limits. But we couldn’t stop from being attracted to one another, so we kept a level head, and a sense of humor about the whole thing. It was the only thing that kept us sane.
At the meeting, we looked at each other longingly from across the conference room. I swear I even caught a smile directed for my eyes only.
“Where’s Michael?” Tom asked a tall man with a crooked nose.
“He said he needed a snack. I think he said something about Chinese. And I don’t think he was talking about food.”
“A snack? Seriously? Well, this meeting will start without him.”
Seeing Tom in action was exhilarating. He stood in front of a display board showing off his presentation. Tom stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, a breathtaking view of the NYC skyline behind him. He was so swab and debonair in his black, designer suit. I had even picked out his blue tie and put it on him. I couldn’t believe this was the man I was dating.
I was impressed by the way Tom handled and ran the meeting. No doubt about it, he was a star. I loved his passion, full-commitment, and energy. His plans and ideas were ingenious, and he was so driven and determined. He spoke with passion, confidence, and conviction, inspiring every single one of us. There wasn’t a better man for the job. And I could see how much everyone adored and respected him.
There was so much inherent tension between us. But we had to play it cool and not let anyone know there was something hot simmering between us.
I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. I kept it professional at this meeting, but I couldn’t wait to spend time with him after work tonight. There is nothing like a hot, steamy office fling. Or was it more? I wasn’t even sure where we stood exactly. But I knew one thing. By pursuing this relationship, Tom was an absolute risk to my heart and my career. I still dove right in. I just hoped I didn’t get burned by the flames of passion.
***
I’D HAD NO IDEA WHAT to expect after Christmas. We’d shared a perfect weekend, followed by a perfect holiday in the city, but then...? Larchwood viciously prohibited any inter-office relationships, and each year, people were fired without discrimination for breaking the rule. The only person to repeatedly escape banishment was Tom’s brother Michael, and that was only because Larchwood could hardly fire a man who bore the same name.
Nevertheless, when I’d gotten to work the next day, the first thing Tom had done was summon me up to his office. I rode the elevator nervously to the top floor, already dreading the talk I knew was sure to happen. The ‘we’re back in the real world now, and this needs to stop’ talk.
Love and passion are both phenomenal things, but having a high-powered job is pretty awesome too. Could I have both? Obviously not. And I didn’t want to kiss my job goodbye.
But the second I’d stepped inside, he’d grabbed me around the waist and threw me down on his Persian carpet. As it turned out, we didn’t talk at all.
That night was the annual New Year’s Eve Party. The entire office was invited, from the CEO down to the basement janitor, and throughout the years, it had become a party that no one wanted to miss. This was due, in large part, to Michael’s continued efforts to put the little soiree on the map. And by ‘on the map,’ I mean in the pages of the New Yorker. He’d done this with wild success. Between one year’s ‘live ice sculptures’ (don’t ask), his inside connections with various New York modeling agencies, and his uncanny ability to procure exotic animals at the drop of the hat—it was the party of the season.
And that meant it would be very easy to slip away unnoticed.
Or so I thought...
Let me preface this with, I still hadn’t gotten Tom a Christmas present. He’d surprised me with a Christmas to make the angels weep, along with a pair of absurdly exquisite, absurdly expensive, diamond earrings. But as for me? Well, I didn’t know we were getting each other presents (it hadn’t really been laid out in the ground rules for our weekend in the woods); I didn’t even know I’d be seeing him on Christmas. So, amidst the breathtaking lights, fireworks, and gentle kissing inside a horse-drawn carriage, I’d come up empty-handed.
Well, no more. This party was my chance to make everything right.
I’d gone about it with even a bit more than my usual amount of flair—trying to make it an experience he would never forget. While the entire office was downstairs celebrating, I’d texted Tom to come to the roof. I was waiting there, of course, wearing a simple trench coat and the earrings he’d given me...and a sexy outfit on underneath. When the door had opened, I’d thrown my coat open wide, exclaiming, “Happy New Year!”
You see, unbeknownst to me (as this was my first year at Larchwood), this was the part of the evening where he led everyone to the roof for a celebratory fireworks display. I’d sucked in a silent scream and clasped my coat back around me as no less than fifty Roman Candles went off behind my head, forever illuminating my look of horror. Luckily, I had covered up seconds before the rest of the office burst through the door.
“I can’t believe you would bring that up,” I said. “I’d almost successfully repressed it.”
He grinned widely as he stuffed the last of the papers in an empty drawer. “Oh, there’s no suppressing that one. You’re going to live on in Larchwood legend.” He straightened up and pulled me into his arms. “And I thought you were simply a glorious vision. So beautiful. Took my breath away. Best Christmas present ever.”
“Thanks. Well, I better get going. I have a taxi to catch.”
“I’m sorry, Miss Harks, but that is absolutely unacceptable.” He twisted his arms to glance at his watch. “It’s after five, time to get home.” His eyes found mine with their customary twinkle. “Can I offer you a ride?”
He went out first—that was always the rule—and I followed precisely four minutes later. In a perfect world, that gave him enough time to circle around with the car, so when I exited the building myself and walked around the corner, it looked as though I was merely hailing down a conveniently timed and luxurious taxi.
Of course, things didn’t always work out the way we planned.
“Jenna! Thank goodness—there you are. I’ve been looking for you for the last hour.” Jamie came rushing up to me through the lobby. “Have you taken a look yet at those Rosenthall reports? It’s even worse than we thought...”
Shoot—the Rosenthall reports. I remembered seeing them on my desk. I’d been about to take a look at them when the intercom buzzed that Tom Larchwood needed to see me up in his office regarding the merger. After that...well, I’m afraid I hadn’t gotten to them yet.
“How bad?” I asked nervously. The Rosenthalls were huge clients of the firm who’d lately started getting wooed by a rival company. Jamie and I had been tasked with keeping them happy. They’d been scheduled to send over a list of demands for their continued patronage, and apparently, that list was a bit more than we’d been expecting.
“A reduction from point four to point three,” Jamie rattled off a few of the bigger offenders, “a two-hour jump on all new Japanese options. Seasonal Knicks tickets—I swear, Jenna.”
“Not good.” I looked at Jamie’s panicked face and thought of Tom circling around in the car. “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. I’ll read it over tonight, see what’s plausible and what’s not, and then tomorrow, we can go to Macer and make our official recommendation. With any luck, she can get one of the higher ups to call Rosenthall personally and get him to back off.”
Jamie nodded, looking slightly relieved. “Alright—I’ll make a list of my own, and we can compare in the morning. Hey—maybe you could talk to Thomas about it.”
My blood ran cold, and I stopped on my way out the door. “What do you mean?”
I glanced back at Jamie, pale as a ghost, but he was looking completely casual—already texting Stacy on his phone. He saw me watching and looked back up with an innocent frown.
“I mean—you’re up there all the time, ironing out the fine print on the merger. Maybe you could run it by him and see what he says...?”
“Oh,” I tossed my hair back and nodded quickly, “yeah. Yeah, I can definitely do that.” I edged my way out the door, hoping desperately Jamie hadn’t noticed what a temporary nut-job I’d just become. “See you tomorrow, Jamie.”
“‘Night.” He barely lifted his eyes from his phone. Things had been getting even more serious with his long-time girlfriend lately, and the second he was technically no longer on the clock, he didn’t have eyes for anyone or anything else.
Lucky for me!
I hurried out into the freezing New York wind and rushed down the sidewalk to the specified corner where Tom always picked me up. The town car wasn’t there, so I bounced quickly from foot to foot, trying to keep my blood moving until I saw it speeding up from down the street. The door flew open a second later, and I jumped inside.
“What took you so long?” Tom asked, after planting a quick kiss on my lips. “I had to circle around the block about twelve times.”
By I he meant Nathan—his driver, and the only other person in the world who knew about our affair. Well, we hadn’t said it directly, of course. But the man would be an idiot if he didn’t piece together what was happening every day after he rolled up the partition. Fortunately, Tom had assured me that he was bound by a strict confidentiality clause.
“Sorry, Jamie caught up to me in the lobby. The Rosenthall report finally came in, and he’s freaking out. Apparently, they’re asking for a hell of a lot.”
Tom rolled his eyes and glared out the window. “Rosenthall is a greedy man. But he’s been with this company since it started, he’s not going anywhere.”
I shook my head. “You should see the kinds of things Goldman’s offering him. Jamie asked if I could talk to you about giving him a call.”
Tom glanced at me nervously. “Why didn’t Jamie just ask me himself?”
I chuckled. “That’s exactly what I thought. But he made a good point. He said I’m always upstairs finalizing the merger—that I might as well bring it up while we work.”
Tom considered this for a moment, before nodding. “I’ll call Rosenthall. Don’t worry about it. In fact,” he pulled out his phone, “I’ll call him right now, then you won’t have to go through the report tonight.”
I flashed him a mischievous grin as he dialed and slowly stroked his face, maintaining direct eye contact the whole time. I could hear the phone ringing, and Tom shook his head warningly, but the next second, a deep voice answered, and there was nothing he could do.
“Mr. Rosenthall? Tom Larchwood.”
I softly kissed his neck.
“Yes, yes it has been quite a while. How are things?”
More kisses trailed down his neck. “Uh—YES—I mean, yes. I heard that too. But listen, that’s not why I’m calling. I wanted to talk with you about Goldman. I hear they’ve been making you some big promises...”
His head fell back against the seat and one hand tangled in my hair.
“Yes, I understand that, but Rick, you and I both know what happened to Plutarch and Mills when they jumped ship. They got the same offer, and now they’re both watching their portfolios take a...” He bit his lip furiously as my head started bobbing faster and faster in his lap. “I’m sorry...take a dive...”
His hips arched up toward me, and I gave him a little bite.
“C’mon!” he yelled.
I kept my eyes down and fought to keep from laughing.
“No—sorry—not you, Rick. I just...got cut off in traffic.”
I ran my hands through his hair and softly kissed him.
“Listen, Rick,” he was suddenly short, “this isn’t a discussion. If you think you’ll be better off at Goldman, then be my guest. But we both know who handles your business best and where you’re going to stay. So with all due respect to our years of continued friendship...kindly leave my staff and me alone!”
He hung up the phone just as he placed me firmly on the chair beside him.
“How can I talk when you’re kissing me that way?”
I smiled proudly, gathering up my things as we neared my block. “Yes, well, I’d love to stay and talk about it, but I have other things to do. Places to go. Sushi to scavenge.”
“Not so fast!” he commanded as I reached for the door. He pulled me back and spun me around to face him in a single movement, kissing me deeply.
“Tom—not now. We’re here already, Nathan is double parked.”
“He’ll be fine,” he murmured against my skin. “He can wait.”
I saw Rosalie walking up the sidewalk just as Tom bit my ear. I gasped in surprise, and pushed his head away, giggling profusely.
“What?” he asked with a breathless grin. “You can bite, but you can’t be bitten. Quite the double standard.”
“Would you stop?!” I laughed. “That’s Rose. I gotta go before she wonders why I’m idling in my taxi forever!”
He straightened up with a pout as I pulled myself together. “Fine. But tomorrow we’re going to pick up right where we left off.” He double tapped on the partition, and it came rolling down. “Nathan, I’m coming up.”
As he went climbing out of sight, I quickly slipped out the door and slammed it shut behind me, startling Rose and joining her on the front stoop.
“Hey,” she greeted me in surprise. Her eyes flickered back to the town car, pulling away from the curb, before returning to her keys. “You have started taking the fanciest cabs lately. That top story office is really getting to your head.”
I chuckled nervously and followed her inside. Normally, she’d pick up on a few more details, be able to detect something ‘off’ in the sound of my voice. But today, she simply walked to the kitchen, pulling out some cookies and our resident bottle of vodka.
Vodka and cookies? Something had to be wrong.
She met my look of concern with a wry smile, tilting back her head and taking a big swig.
“Yeah...I’ve got a big problem.”