Page 59 of Brooklynaire

“She made a noise, so I stopped. Then she yelled at me for a minute, climbed in my lap, and kissed me like the world wasending.”

Grinning, Stew puts a hand over his heart. “Wow. You’ve been waiting years for that tohappen.”

I sigh because it’strue.

“So you guys got freaky. And thenwhat?”

“You don’t get any moredetails.”

“I meant in the morning,dumbass.”

Oh. “I spent the night. Then I asked her to have breakfast with me, but she said she had plans. I put her in the limo an hour later, kissed her goodbye, said I couldn’t wait to see heragain.”

“And now she’s not taking yourcall.”

“Prettymuch.”

“Jesus Christ.” Stew tugs at his collar again. “She wasn’t drunk,right?”

“No! Not at all. She was chatty, asking me questions. She asked me why I transferred her toBrooklyn.”

“And you said, ‘Because I’m in love withyou’?”

“No. That would have been an exaggeration.” Even as I say this, I feel a strange tightness in my chest. Maybe it isn’t as far from the truth as I wish itwas.

“My initial analysis suggests only two reasons why she isn’t returning yourcall.”

I wasn’t in a hurry to hearthem.

“Number one, she didn’t like it and doesn’t want to tellyou.”

“She liked it,” I say immediately. I may be a socially awkward human, but when a woman is gasping my name and coming on my cock, I know she’s had a goodtime.

“Well, congratulations.” He smirks and it makes me want to punch him. “But the other option isn’t any better. Which is that she liked it at the time, but now she regretsit.”

He’s right, of course. That isn’t any better. “What’s toregret?”

“Complicating her life, for starters. You’re the boss. It’stricky.”

“I’m notherboss.”

“Nate, you’re smarter than that.” He pokes me in the arm. “You hired her. You gave her the exact job she has now. Even if she technically works for Hugh, you’re still her boss’sboss.”

This line of thought makes me even grumpier than I was before. Stew is my best friend, and I respect his opinion. But I don’t want to hear that I’m complicating Becca’s life. I just spent the last few weeks trying to make her lifeeasier.

And why did you do that?my subconscious wants toknow.

Fuck.

“I see that face,” Stew says. “You hate it when I tell you the truth. But listen, man. This is really important. You can’t pursue Rebecca now. Orever. That’s the definition of sexualharassment.”

“I’m never going toharassher,” I argue.Fuck. Even as I say it, I have a sinking feeling. Because pursuing your assistant for sexisthe definition ofharassment.

“Look.” His face is dead serious. “You’re the least sleazy guy in the Fortune 500. I know that. Rebecca knows that. But it doesn’t matter. You don’t get to behave any differently from the 2000 people who work foryou.”

“Actually it’s 1999, because I just fired you. Such a shame really, since you’re the number two man in the company. The board is gonna pitch afit.”

Stew just shakes his head slowly. “I’m sorry, Nate. If she didn’t work for a company you own, it would bedifferent.”