She looks unconvinced.
I squeeze out a smile and face my laptop, but it doesn’t take long for the words to blur out. And then I’m drawn into reminiscing about yesterday’s events again.
The conference room door opens and shuts and I snap out of my daydreams again.
Tired, I sigh and hang my head.
This is what I tried to prevent. I can’t get caught up in feelings. Just the thought of it causes bile to rise to my throat.
That’s a recipe for disaster, especially since he doesn’t feel the same. Taking me to the beach was simply a kind gesture, and afterward, fucking me to the height of ecstasy, that was… lust. That’s all.
“Are you alright?” Lindsay asks again.
“What?” My eyes lift to her.
“You’re not breathing right.”
Jesus. “I think I’ll just take a walk.” I flip my laptop closed and step out into the hallway.
Faces blur as I pass by co-workers and head toward Julia’s desk. She turns to me with a smile.
I smile back, hoping she has some tea about someone else to distract me from my conflicting emotions.
“Guess what?” She sits forward.
“Mm-hmm?” I lean over the counter, excited for something, anything.
“He’s here.”
“Who’s here?”
“The boss.” She smiles. “And he’s acting as weird as you.”
“Julia, you’re imagining things.” My heart is trembling, not because she’s close to the truth, but because there’s just a door separating Chance and me.
It’d be too easy to walk in now and get a sight of him. Maybe satisfy my prickling fingers with a touch across his broad chest. Would he let me?
“Maddie? Earth to Maddie.” Julia snaps her fingers in my face.
I blink and settle my attention back on her.
“Are you even listening?” She frowns.
It’s hard to catch Julia with a frown. I must be bad at hiding my thoughts. “I am.” I smile, probably poorly because she comes around the desk and takes my hand.
She drags me off to the conference room I exited minutes earlier. “Lindsay, can you give us a moment of privacy, please?” The woman starts to speak but Julia smiles. “Thank you.”
Lindsay rolls her eyes and struts out, complaining about not having a damn office.
Once she leaves, Julia turns the lock and faces me.
She crosses her arms and cocks a hip. “Spill.”
“There’s nothing to—”
“Really? You’re going to keep pretending?” Her face falls. “We’re friends, aren’t we?”
“We are.” I take her hands and squeeze gently. “But I can’t make up shit that isn’t happening.”
