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“Sorry…I was, but I was also kind of thinking about the campaign. I’m sorry.”
“What else is new?” he chuckled, annoyance peeking through his tone.
“I know, I’m sorry. I just…there’s a lot on my mind. Sitting here with you makes me a little worried about working together. I don’t know…”
“Okay, Blake. Lay it on me. What are you worried about? Everything is going to be fine.”
“I think we need to set some ground rules if we’re going to work together,” I stated. “I want to ensure that our two different relationships stay separate.”
“Okay? Shoot.”
“Umm...okay. Rule one: No referencing any…dates or anything while working. I don’t want anything we say or do to imply that we have more than a professional relationship,” I waited for a reaction, but he stoically nodded along. “Rule two: don’t be afraid to express your opinion if you disagree. I don’t want you walking on eggshells around me just because you’re scared of hurting my feelings. I’m a big girl, and I trust you to be good at your job, including calling out any issues you see. Rule three: Don’t undermine my authority and expertise in front of anyone else because of our relationship.”
“I can live with that.”
His words agreed, but his body told me something different. Lips frowned. Arms crossed. Gaze dark.
I needed these rules in place so I could focus on my job. After what happened with Erik, dating within the office seemed like a bad idea, but things with Richard weren’t serious. Regardless, I didn’t want our business aired around. We were all friends, but we were also a small office, meaning gossip spread like wildfire.
After a delicious steak and potatoes dinner, we walked around The Boardwalk. The sun had left enough remaining heat for it to feel enjoyable amidst the chilly wind. I pulled my hair in a clip to prevent it from matting and blowing into my face.
My least favorite part about living here was that it was a few hours from the closest beach and an hour from a lake. I missed the water, but at least we had The Boardwalk.
The city built a massive pond where people could canoe, fish, and hang out to counteract a lack of water-related activities. Most of it was surrounded by a wooden boardwalk lined by restaurants. It was a crowd-pleaser, often packed with people and full of life.
As we walked, Richard told me about a trip he was planning to take with his brother. Somehow, he managed to keep telling jokes. I could skip core day soon since I would be sore from laughing. The animated story he told about the last time his brother took him on a trip was a refreshing change of pace from our usual conversations.
For the remainder of our date, we avoided the topic of work almost absolutely, which was also unusual for us. Our walk back toward my apartment took us through the bar district and past Scooped. Suddenly, I had a craving for my favorite treat.
“Do you want to grab some ice cream?” I stopped in front of the store.
“I’m okay. I’m not big into ice cream.”
A small gasp inadvertently escaped me, and Richard let out a chuckle. I thought about what Parker had said about people who didn’t like ice cream. I pushed thoughts about Parker out of my head. I needed to focus on the man in front of me.
We kept walking in silence. Richard walked me home and lingered as I unlocked the door. Before I opened it, he caged me against the wall and brought his cold lips to mine. The wind had chilled them. He had been clearly signaling what he wanted, but I knew I wasn’t ready to move forward.
“Goodnight, Richard,” I pulled away, sinking into the door but remaining between his arms. His gaze flickered from my lips to my lace-covered chest and back. “I had a great time.”
“Oh, come on, Blake. When can I make it past this door?”
“When I’m ready,” I rose to my toes and kissed his lips. “Let me know when you get home.”
His frustrated groan echoed in the elevator as I heard the doors shut. I knew I disappointed him, but I needed to move at my own pace. He was eager to get inside, but I wanted to be sure about him before we went there.
I leaned over my sink as I wiped off my makeup, which was out of character for me. A momentary surge of pride coursed through me as I did what I told myself I would. I went to bed bare-faced and moisturized for the first time in a long time.
This weekend had already been out of character for me, and I still had one more day left. I spent so much time with my head buried in my computer, even on the weekends, that sometimes I forgot how to step away. The smell of Chinese food seeped into my memory as I thought about the weeks Nathaniel and I spent holed up in the conference room.
I liked the fresh air better. I decided to listen to Gabby more often.
Chapter Nine
Sunday afternoon.
The day before.
I paced around the living room in my socks, excitedly waiting for and nervously regretting inviting Parker over. In the three years I had lived here with Gabby, Nathaniel and Mason were the only men not related to us who had stepped into this apartment.
