Page 12 of The Work Wife

She shrugged and looked away. “And it said I should stay where I am.”

“But?”

“But it’s something I’ve wanted for five years, so it’s hard to turn my back on it.”

“So?” He liked their conversations where he only needed to supply one word at a time.

“So, yes, I guess I’m still thinking about it, kind of.”

“I would support you, no matter what you decided to do.”

He sounded quite convincing.

“And I’d still let you touch my dick if you wanted.”

They laughed and got back to work. But he caught her staring out the window again. Thinking. Considering. Deciding whether or not to leave him.

* * * *

Duane was waiting for Jamie the next morning when she came in. Wes had already texted that he was getting their coffee and would be in soon.

“No coffee duty today?” Duane asked as he sipped his own coffee. She fought the urge to pull it from his lips and run off with it. No doubt he drank his coffee black. Bitter as his soul.

God, she needed coffee. She was losing it.

“We seem to run into each other a lot lately,” she said.

“I wanted to apologize for coming on so strong. I didn’t realize you and Weston were also a couple. I wouldn’t have tried to come between that.”

“We’re not a couple.”

“Are you sure? Because yesterday morning with the coffee and the muffin and the casual touching, I was sure I picked up on something.”

“No. There’s nothing to pick up on.” What casual touching? It must have been so casual she hadn’t even noticed.

“Oh, well, good. Then would you like to go grab something to eat? We can talk about the library renovations I’m working on. I could use your eye on my plans. See what you think.”

She should have said no. She wasn’t interested in talking to him or lending him her eyes, or any other body part. But she felt the idiotic need to prove to him that she did not harbor any romantic feelings for her partner. Going to dinner with Duane would prove she wasn’t in a relationship with Wes. And spending an hour alone with him would prove to her that she was making the right decision about passing on his offer.

She was probably as surprised as Duane when her mouth opened and the word “Okay” came out.

“Really?” he said before swallowing and saying, “Great. How about tonight?”

“Yes. Sure.” She nodded, feeling like she’d just gotten rolled over by a wave and had no choice but to stop struggling and wait until she was spat up on shore.

“Okay. I’ll meet you in the lobby at six?”

“Yes. Sure,” she repeated, unable to swallow.

On their floor they went in separate directions without another word. She opened her office with a smile to Cindy, who was already busy at work.

Jamie shook off her panic and got started for the day. Of course there was already an email from Duane.

I’m looking forward to dinner. Thank you, Duane

No doubt he was afraid she would back out.

She wasn’t going to back out. She wanted to put her doubts to rest. If she looked over his plans, she would be able to see how their chemistry flowed.