Page 6 of Say My Name

She’s also wearing the ivory blouse I’ve spent six months trying not to think about, which makes focusing on the first problem significantly harder than it should be.

She’s sitting behind her desk with one hand resting over the closed binder, protective enough that I’m almost impressed she hasn’t shoved the damn thing into a drawer yet. Her call starts in less than two minutes. I should leave. I came in to wish her a happy birthday, confirmed dinner, made her laugh, and successfully avoided doing anything about the way that blouse falls against her breasts.

A productive visit by any reasonable standard.

Then I make the mistake of looking at the binder again.

“What’s in there?”

Her fingers tighten over the cover. “Nothing.”

“That was convincing.”

“I wasn’t trying to convince you. I was telling you to mind your own business.”

“Elena.”

“Dominic.”

The phone on her desk lights up with the reminder for her call. She glances at it, then back at me, clearly expecting the interruption to save her.

It should.

Instead, I reach for the binder.

She moves faster than I’ve ever seen her move outside a negotiation.

“Don’t.”

She comes halfway around the desk and grabs the opposite side before I can pick it up. For one ridiculous second we’re standing there holding the same binder between us like two children fighting over the last toy, except I’m her boss and she’s staring at me with genuine panic behind the irritation.

I release it immediately.

“Okay.”

Her arms close around it. “Okay?”

“Yes. That means I’m not taking it from you.”

“I know what okay means.”

“Good. You looked confused.”

“I looked confused because you backed off without arguing.”

“I can respect a boundary.”

She lets out a short laugh. “Since when?”

“Since always.”

“You rearranged my birthday without asking me.”

“I made a dinner reservation. I didn’t sell your condo.”

“You also involved my brother.”

“Cliff required minimal involvement. Mostly because Rachel keeps him alive and aware of dates.”