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“These better not glow in the dark like your suit.” She discreetly slid the condoms into her clutch.
Jonah’s brows raised behind his hornrims. “Million-dollar idea.”
She snorted. “Yeah, let’s get Eli to invest.”
“I’m sure he’d be in for the seed round.” He grinned.
Nora gave him a push. “Goodbye, love you, call you tomorrow.”
“Itistomorrow, fool.”
* * *
Leaving mid-song, combined with Nora’s knowledge of a back exit and Alex calling the Town car ahead, helped them beat the crowd. “Wow, that’s novel,” Nora marveled as he ushered her away from the mess of taillights crowding the Uber and taxi zones. “I thought car services were extinct these days.”
It was the same company Britesmith had sent to fetch him at the airport; same driver and everything. But Alex made sure it was on his personal credit card this time.
“Good to see you again, Mr. Beckman. I delivered your bags to the hotel earlier.”
The driver provided bottles of water and even a phone charger, which Nora gratefully accepted as they glided across town.
Alex noted the abundance of white lights, twinkling across restaurant awnings and framing countless apartment windows. He wondered if New York was this magical at two a.m. all year round, or just during the holidays. People were still out on the streets, despite the cold temps and the late hour.
“Look,” Nora whispered, leaning across him. She pointed out the window. The Empire State Building illuminated Manhattan with white and blue lights, and a flickering “candle” antenna. “That’s for us.”
He kissed her forehead. The Town Car was warm, and way more shock-absorbing than that earlier taxi ride. As revved up as they had both been on that couch earlier, the spell woven was giving way to sleep…and he had no issues with that. Waking up next to this beauty, and prolonging that magic…
“To think I’d be getting up in a few hours to head into the office,” she yawned, laughing to herself. “That I had even considered preparing for Team Hayseed’s visit possibly worth the overtime…”
There was that knot in the pit of his stomach again. “Nora –”
“Oh, shit. I broke the pact, didn’t I?”
No, she had broken the spell.
Honoring her kibosh on work talk had been both a blessing and a curse, but now he was damned if he did or didn’t.
Before he could form the words, she sat up and turned to face him. “Beck, listen. I have to be honest with you – as much as I seemed spontaneous tonight, I’m not. I am methodical, work-obsessed and, well… I’ve never had a one-night stand in my life.”
Her self-depreciating laugh twisted his insides. “I just – well, for one night, I wanted things to be different. I wanted not to care. To be like the other girls in the office who seem to be able to shut off their brain so easily at five pm. And who come in Monday morning with an epic story. But the truth is, even if we were to have an incredible night together… I probably stillwillgo into the office tomorrow…which is today, but whatever. What I mean is, the fantasy would end. And if that’s disappointing or a turn-off –”
Alex took her hands in his. “Are you kidding? Nora, your brain and how you tick –that’sa turn-on. Tightly wound or not. And believe me when I say this entire time with you has been epic…”
As much as the night had turned out to exceed his expectations, and as much as he wanted it to continue, he couldn’t let her think they were just co-workers.
And the heartbreaking part of it was they could never be anything else, either – not as long as he was following his uncle’s orders or honoring his grandfather’s wishes.
I’ve done things I’m not proud of.
Whatever Nora was covering up for her boss…Alex couldn’t use their connection as an excuse to deny it, or as a way to find out.
“But as much as I may live to regret this…the night has to end here. Because I don’t want you walking into the office Monday morning feeling any worse about work than you do right now.”
He felt her stiffen in his arms, pulling out of his embrace. Shock had replaced all sleepiness, and confusion crossed her face.
“I should’ve told you the minute we met. I’m…”
“Say it. You’re married, you asshole.”
