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Britney was still frowning up at her. “Outside of work?”
The Studio was a client, right? Right. “A charity that needs my help.”
The clock showed 5:23. “In fact, I have to get going.” She stood, hoping Britney wouldn’t follow her. “They’re sending a car.”
That didn’t help. “A charity is sending a car for you?”
“Well…” Crap. “It’s not in a great neighborhood, apparently, so they’re sending a cab.”
She leaned down to pick up her purse, and when she straightened, Britney was right next to her. “I’ll come down with you.”
Great. Megan hoped to hell that Alessandro wouldn’t get out of the car. For his sake. Not hers. Better yet, that she’d have to stand outside for a few minutes until Britney was definitely gone before he showed up.
They gathered their coats and scarves in the break room. Megan tried to give Britney a few encouraging words, but afterward she wasn’t sure what she’d said. It being the time for everyone to go home, they weren’t the only ones waiting, and the elevator took foreverto show up. Megan rarely allowed herself to show frustration, but she heard herself emit a small growl when the closest elevator stopped for a full minute at the floor right above theirs and then showed up packed to the doors.
By the time they got into the elevator, it was five thirty. Megan fidgeted all the way down, even though it made Britney glance worriedly at her a few times. She all but burst through the doors on the ground floor, following the stream of employees making for the exit. The lobby was full of movement, suits, and briefcases.
Except for one person, talking to security, a dripping black golf umbrella in his hand. He wore the same coat and baseball cap as yesterday. No glasses.
“Shoooot,” Megan let out on a long breath. Why was he in the building? Why wasn’t he in the car where he said he’d be? She wasn’t late yet. She stopped walking, causing people totskfrom behind her and Britney to pause along with her.
“You okay?” Britney asked.
“Uh. Yeah. I’ll see you, okay?” Megan walked straight toward him, hoping to leave Britney in her dust, but the younger woman followed.
She broke through the crowd and approached the security desk. The security guard said, “Oh, there you are, Ms. Fielding. I was just going to call you.”
Alessandro turned to her. Then his glance flicked a foot to her right, to Britney, whose mouth and eyes were big giant O’s. Megan winced. Yep. She recognized him all right. And who wouldn’t?
“You’re, you’re…” Britney stuttered.
“Hello,” he said. And could he not? Even one hello from him was sexy.
“I thought you were going to wait outside,” Megan said, not moving her mouth much, as though that would stop Britney from hearing her.
“It is sleeting outside. You did not have a hat or umbrella this morning.”
Megan couldfeelthe other woman’s eyes all but pop out of her head. “We met at a coffee shop,” she said quickly. Jeez. The man was a walking promise. He made “we met” sound like “it was fate that we meet.”
“Oh,” Britney said. “But youareAlessandro Rosselli?”
“Yes, I am afraid so,” he said.
“Oh my God.” Britney fumbled with her purse. Megan twisted her mouth with embarrassment. Did Alessandro think she’d brought Britney along on purpose?
“He can’t do a selfie,” she said flatly. “We have to go. Sorry.”
“Really? Wow. Okay. I just… no one’s going to believe—”
Should Megan tell her not to tell anyone? That would just make it all worse. Alessandro had done this by walking into a public building at the busiest time of day.Incognito, my left foot.
“Nice to meet you,” he said and reached out a hand to turn Megan toward the exit. To do that, he had to touch her elbow, and Megan felt—guided. No, not guided. Nurtured. And Britney obviously translated the touch as that of a boyfriend. Not someone who was just Megan’s ride to the Studio.
“Bye,” Megan said, though it was really a sigh. All she could do was allow Alessandro to steer her out of the building, under his now-open umbrella, and into a waiting black car. Britney wasn’t the only one noticing them as they left.
“Why did you come inside?” Megan asked again when they were safely closed off from the world. “Everyone saw you! After all the cloak-and-dagger this morning, why ruin your privacy now?”
Alessandro sat back in the black leather seat, and Megan watched the streetlights flicker over his face as the cab pulled into traffic. He was wearing a thick parka with a sheepskin collar, and the sleet had left sparkles all over his hat and coat. He was exceedingly distracting.
