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“Sorry, I lost track of what I was about to say. And you still haven’t answered my question. Are you dating Stuart Duchenko?”
“For now, yes.”
“No way! That’s great!” Piper beamed from ear to ear. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Don’t go making a big deal. We’re having fun together, that’s all. It’s nothing serious.”
Of course she still hadn’t mentioned the other thing. After Stuart distracted her yesterday—not that she’d fought too hard—there hadn’t been another good moment. Then again, when was there a good time to share something so humiliating? It wasn’t exactly something you could blurt out. Hey, Stuart, by the way, dancing naked wasn’t the only thing in my past I didn’t tell you about. There’s also this little police matter...
She switched the subject back to Nigel Rougeau’s sister and hoped Piper believed her.
At least one of them should.
* * *
“And this,” Stuart said, “is the firm library. Home away from home for any decent first-year associate.”
He snuck a kiss to Patience’s temple while pointing out the shelves, causing her knees to wobble slightly. Not because of the kiss but from the intimacy it implied.
“Was it yours?” She pictured his dark head bent over the books late at night.
“Are you kidding? See that desk by the window? If you sit in the chair, you can still feel the imprint from my butt cheeks.”
Patience choked back a snort, causing a pair of heads to look in their direction, only to return to their work as soon as they spied Stuart. “Don’t look now, but I think they’re afraid of you.”
“Well, I can be pretty scary, you know.”
“I know I was terrified when I first met you.”
“I could tell by the way you sauced off.”
“That’s not even a real word.” Giggling, she slapped his sleeve. One of the heads looked up again, and she couldn’t help indulging in a moment of smug pride. That’s right, she wanted to say, your boss is entertaining me.
It was an illusion, of course, this image of being a couple, but she was willing to let herself enjoy the fantasy for as long as it lasted. Later today, Ana would be coming home, and soon after Stuart would be moving out, bringing an end to their affair. When that happened, she would confront the emotions she was fighting to keep buried.
Until then, she’d let the illusion have control.
“The partner’s dining room is next door,” Stuart said. “Would you rather eat in there or in my office?”
That’s why she was here. With Ana returning home, Stuart had invited her to lunch to discuss what she needed to do to get the brownstone ready. “You’re the host. I’ll let you decide.”
“My office it is. That way I can ravish you after we eat,” he whispered in her ear.
Patience’s knees wobbled again. The way his voice grew husky, she could listen to his whisper all day long. “Sounds good to me.”
“What part? The eating or the ravishing?” Either. Both. She welcomed the privacy, too. Previous moment aside, she felt uncomfortable walking around Stuart’s law firm. Although she’d exchanged her jeans for an ankle-length skirt and tank top, she still felt out of place amid the power suits. “What are you talking about?” Stuart had remarked when she’d mentioned her fears. “No one expects my date to look like she’s heading to court.”
“They would if she was a lawyer,” she countered.
“But she’s not. She’s you.”
He had no idea how his response made her heart soar.
“Bob was looking for you,” a woman called to them when they reached his office.
“I know,” Stuart replied. “I got his emails. If it’s about the Peavey case, tell him to send the brief directly to John Greenwood.”
“He said this was about another project. A report you asked him to assemble.”
There was a sudden stutter in his step. While they weren’t touching, Patience could still feel Stuart’s body tense. “Oh,” he replied. “Tell him I’ll talk with him later.” Even his voice sounded tight.
“I’m keeping you from something important, aren’t I?” she asked.
“Nothing that can’t wait.”
But she was. His whole demeanor had changed on a dime. Lighthearted Stuart had disappeared behind a shadow. All of a sudden, he was frowning, the playful gleam gone from his eyes.
“Seriously, if you have work to do, I can—”
“No.” He practically shouted the word. For some reason, it made the hair on her neck stand on end. “Whatever Bob has to say can wait.”
